Hi all,

I'm relatively new to the site, having just started a PT PhD. I am in health care, and had my first supervisory meeting a couple of weeks ago and talk about direction, initial projects etc, it was all going hunky dory until it was suggested that I carry out an initial study using qualitative research, specifically a thematic analysis, to refine my clinically based quantitative work. I'm a 'quanititative kinda guy', I feel safe in the comfort of formulas and statistics, both my undergrad degrees and my MSc used a 'do somthing-then measure' approach, and I thought my PhD would be the same. When she suggested this, I smiled and agreed it'd be a great idea, but since then I've been reading up, trying to familiarise myself....but Im struggling to get to grips with it....Also, I have asked around in my dept, but no one can really help...

My question is, do I tell my sup that I haven't really the foggiest on how to proceed with a thematic analysis, nor quite sure how it relates to my initial PhD idea(s)...but risk looking incompetent (and so early on:-()

Or Just keep pushing to try and figure it out myself....I have no problem in using quali methods, and have total faith in my sups, I just feel out of my depth already, and have to master a very unfamiliar area with little help...


Unfortunately my uni is 3 hours from me so attending lectures isnt really an option...

Im not a moaner, honest,-)

Would really appreciate any advice, similar experiences

Hi PhDee,

I was in the same boat as you when I started my PhD. I'd never even contemplated doing qualitative research and the thought, quite frankly terrified me! But, given the purpose of my research I knew doing qualitative was the best way forward and 2 years down the line, and 5 months till submission, I couldn't imagine not using qualitative methods. I didn't attend lectures or anything... basically self-taught, but if you can get your hands on a few good text books for background reading, you should be ok. I started with really simple undergrad texts to get a feel and then moved onto more complex works.

But... for my research qualitative methods were absolutely necessary. If you don't think using these methods is suitable to your research then just tell your supervisor. I know my supervisor respects me more when I challenge his ideas for my work. Remember that you're the one who has to do the research...

Hope this helps.

Hi Phdee, I have used thematic analysis in my work. THere are many types though.

This book is fab - pm me if you want the full text as I have it on pdf http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1rPSA16gxIwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=cassell+symon&cd=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false

And this site is great for a step by step approach to 'template analysis' a form of thematic analysis - the site is bit tricky to navigate, just click on all the links on the pages and eventually you will have read it all - they are not all along the links at the bottom - this will make sense when you have a look through the site .

http://www.hud.ac.uk/hhs/research/template_analysis/

Hi PhDee

Ask your sup for more guidance. Don't worry about looking incompetent - it's something we've all gotten used to! Lots of us feel out of our depth a lot of the time - it's part of the process. A PhD is challenging, and it's really normal to feel unsure. This is just the start! ;-) Your sup needs to know what you don't know, what you need extra guidance in, so talk to them.

Great advice from you all- greatly appreciated. Comforting to hear other's experiences. I will e mail my sups and inform them of my lack of quali experience- but let them know 'I'm working on it', but some guidance would be helpful.

Sneaks, the TA link by King looks really useful, almost a step by step guide- excellent  , as does the Cassell and Symon book- I have PM'd you- that's very kind of you:-)

Less daunted now,

thanks all

i''ve emailed it through, let me know if you don't get it. (you can always click me as a helpful user - not that I'm fishing for stars or anything!) (tree)

Hey Phdee, don't worry about feeling bit clueless! I didn't have a clue about how to do qualitative research until I started my PhD. In fact, my original PhD proposal was entirely quantitative, but I decided that I wanted to learn how to use qualitative methods to expand my research skills, so I added a small qualitative study to my project. I hardly learnt anything about how to do qual research in my BSc or MSc, so I also started out from scratch. I think you need to ask whether they are expecting you to do a particular type of qualitative analysis (such as grounded theory or interpretative phenomenological analysis- IPA) before you get going. I am doing IPA and managed to find an IPA conference with a beginners' workshop which I went to a few months ago- that was quite helpful. Aside from that I am really just teaching myself, using book chapters on IPA etc. I think it's the kind of thing you have to learn as you go along, hopefully with the guidance of a supervisor or someone who is experienced in whatever method you are using. I would be honest and say that although you are happy to use this kind of analysis, you really have no experience of doing it and could do with a few pointers. Better to say this now I think than to struggle on your own- and they probably won't be that surprised anyway. Good luck with it all! KB

Hey again Phdee! Just to emphasize the thing I said about learning on the job- my supervisor has just checked the first three of my qualitative interview transcripts and has supplied me with three whole pages of typed feedback on my technique lol! Very helpful I have to admit, but I am completely cringeing at some of the things I said in my interviews now lol! Oh well, I will be a better interviewer for it! Best wishes, KB