Thematic analysis of qualitative data: a relational, recursive and reductive (3R) approach

Purpose This paper seeks to encourage and support qualitative researchers who wish to use thematic analysis (TA) in exploring and reporting qualitative data. Design/methodology/approach This paper describes a method of TA of qualitative data that is simple quick to conduct and illustrate. As such, it overcomes the challenges faced by novice qualitative researchers. Findings This method provides qualitative researchers with an efficient way to conduct and illustrate TA by addressing the limitations of existing approaches. Research limitations/implications This paper addresses only the TA of qualitative data. The solutions it offers to common issues in enacting and reporting thematic analyses are easy to implement. Practical implications This paper offers qualitative researchers solutions to common challenges they will encounter with the TA of qualitative data. Social implications This paper offers solutions to some fundamental problems in conducting TA. As such, it will be of value to all qualitative researchers, especially those in the social sciences. Originality/value The method of TA presented in this paper provides qualitative researchers a means of quickly and robustly developing a few manageable themes from an initial array of codes. Additionally, the process by which this is enacted is easy to report in a single table.