Final answer:
Thematic analysis of interview data suggests quantification through establishing the frequency of words, using numbers instead of text, and undergoing statistical testing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The thematic analysis of interview data suggests quantification in the following way:
- It involves establishing the frequency of particular words, phrases or themes. During thematic analysis, researchers look for recurring patterns in the data, including the frequency of specific words, phrases, or themes. By quantifying the occurrence of these elements, researchers gain insights into the prevalence of certain ideas or concepts within the interview data.
- It is based on numbers rather than text. Thematic analysis seeks to identify themes and patterns within qualitative data, but in order to do so, researchers often assign numerical codes to represent these themes. This allows for easier organization, tabulation, and statistical analysis of the data.
- It is usually followed by a stage of rigorous statistical testing. After the initial thematic analysis, researchers may proceed to conduct statistical tests to further analyze and validate their findings. This involves applying quantitative methods such as statistical techniques to the coded data and determining the statistical significance of the identified themes.