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5 months ago in Interdisciplinary Science , Research Methods , Thematic Analysis By AnthonyEngix
What are the specific challenges and advantages of applying manual thematic analysis to non-textual data (e.g., images, video transcripts, policy documents) in interdisciplinary PhD research?
My PhD combines visual media, policy texts, and interview data. I'm committed to a deep, manual analytical process but find guides are often transcript-centric. I need to understand the specific adaptations and intellectual advantages this hands-on approach offers for such multifaceted data in an interdisciplinary space.
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By Patric Answered 3 months ago
Working with such data, I've seen the primary challenge is the "unit of analysis" is it the image itself, its components, or the policy document's rhetoric? You must define this explicitly. The advantage is profound: manual analysis forces you to engage deeply with the form as well as the content. You notice visual metaphors in images or the persuasive structure of a policy doc things software might miss. For interdisciplinary work, this slow, manual process is a strength. It allows you to translate elements from one discipline's data into themes another can understand, creating a genuine conceptual bridge rather than a superficial link. (108 words).
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