Braun, V. and Clarke, V. - UWE Research Repository - University of ...

data will become apparent – the reading and re-reading of data is time consuming. It is, therefore,
tempting to skip over this phase, or be selective. We would strongly advise against this, as this
phase provides the bedrock for the rest of the analysis.
During this phase, it is a good idea to start taking notes or marking ideas for coding that you will
then go back to in subsequent phases. Once you have done this, you are ready to begin the more
formal coding process. In essence, coding continues to be developed and defined throughout the
entire analysis.
Transcription of verbal data
If you are working with verbal data such as interviews, television programmes or political speeches,
the data will need to be transcribed into written form in order to conduct a thematic analysis. The
process of transcription, while it may seen time-consuming, frustrating, and at times boring, can be
an excellent way to start familiarising yourself with the data (Riessman, 1993). Further, some
researchers even argue it should be seen as “a key phase of data analysis within interpretative
qualitative methodology” (Bird, 2005: 227), and recognised as an interpretative act, where
meanings are created, rather than simply a mechanical one of putting spoken sounds on paper
(Lapadat & Lindsay, 1999).
Various conventions exist for transforming spoken texts into written texts (see Edwards & Lampert,
1993; Lapadat & Lindsay, 1999). Some systems of transcription have been developed for specific
forms of analysis – such as the „Jefferson‟ system for CA (see Atkinson & Heritage, 1984; Hutchby &
Wooffitt, 1998). However, thematic analysis, even constructionist thematic analysis, does not
require the same level of detail in the transcript as conversation, discourse or even narrative
analysis. As there is no one way to conduct thematic analysis, there is no one set of guidelines to
follow when producing a transcript. However, at a minimum it requires a rigorous and thorough
„orthographic‟ transcript – a „verbatim‟ account of all verbal (and sometimes nonverbal [e.g.,
coughs]) utterances. 8 What is important is that the transcript retains the information you need,
from the verbal account, and in a way which is „true‟ to its original nature (e.g., punctuation added
can alter the meaning of data - for example 'I hate it, you know. I do' versus 'I hate it. You know I
do', Poland, 2002: 632), and that the transcription convention is practically suited to the purpose of
analysis (Edwards, 1993).
17