Reflexive Thematic Analysis: A step-by-step beginner guide
If you’ve ever stared at pages of interview transcripts wondering how to turn them into coherent findings, you’re not alone.
Thematic analysis is one of the most flexible and powerful ways to make sense of qualitative data, especially when using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis approach.
This method isn’t just about sorting data into boxes. It’s about identifying meaningful patterns, or themes, across your dataset to tell the bigger story of what’s really going on.
What makes it “reflexive”?
Reflexivity means recognising that you are part of the research process. Your background, values, and assumptions shape what you notice, how you interpret it, and what you decide matters. Reflexive researchers don’t pretend to be neutral observers. Instead, they stay aware of how their perspective influences the analysis, and adjust along the way. This is typical of research within the interpretivist paradigm.
The six steps of Reflexive Thematic Analysis
1. Familiarise yourself with the data
Read, reread, and summarise what your participants have said. Don’t code yet, just get to know your material. Think of it like describing the whole painting before zooming in on individual brushstrokes.
2. Generate initial codes
Now start identifying meaningful segments of text. Codes can be descriptive (literally what was said) or interpretive (where you infer meaning from what was said). Coding helps you label the important details before grouping them into broader ideas.
3. Construct initial themes
Look for patterns across your codes. Which ideas seem to connect? For example, codes like “reluctance to ask for help”, “hidden rules”, and “missed deadlines” might combine under a theme such as “navigating hidden systems”.
4. Review and refine themes
Check whether each theme makes sense. Do all the codes within it belong together? Does it tell a clear story? Merge, split, or delete as needed until your themes feel solid.
5. Define and name your themes
Give each theme a short, descriptive name and a clear definition. For instance:
Feeling like an outsider: When students feel disconnected or unsure they belong, leading to fear of asking for help and delays in seeking support.
6. Write up your analysis
Now tell the story of your research. Explain each theme, why it matters, and how it answers your research question. Use quotes to bring your themes to life, and be transparent about how you reached your interpretations.
Reflexive thematic analysis helps you embrace the complexity of qualitative data without drowning in it. It’s structured enough to keep you on track, but flexible enough to adapt as your understanding deepens. Most importantly, it reminds you that qualitative research isn’t about objectivity, it’s about clarity, thoughtfulness, and honesty.
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