Marketa - thematic analysis is a qualitative method. In terms of methodology - it can be a method adopted by many qualitative methodologies - although there are exceptions. For instance, grounded theory uses its own analytical discourse - and various phenomenological approaches use and adopt their own specific analytical frameworks/methods. As David and Marek have correctly identified - TA cannot be a methodology in its own right. It is a 'tool' - rather than a philosophical/theoretical 'lens'.

Thematic Analysis is indeed a method, because it is used as a tool for analyzing data. I do not know of any systematic list of "methodologies" because that term is used in so many different conflicting and confusing ways.

Why are you worried about this issue? The key question is whether or not TA is a good match to your research goals.

You can understand methodology as a set of steps allowing you to reach your research goal. TA is a research method and choosing a method is one step of your chosen methodology (along with setting a research goal, asking research questions, construing the research sample, choosing the method of analysis etc.).

Marketa - thematic analysis is a qualitative method. In terms of methodology - it can be a method adopted by many qualitative methodologies - although there are exceptions. For instance, grounded theory uses its own analytical discourse - and various phenomenological approaches use and adopt their own specific analytical frameworks/methods. As David and Marek have correctly identified - TA cannot be a methodology in its own right. It is a 'tool' - rather than a philosophical/theoretical 'lens'.

Indeed as explained by our colleagues here, thematic analysis is a method of analysis rather than the theoretical lens that frames your study and is utilized in certain types of qualitative research. As to the second part of your question - it is often used in ethnography and can be in phenomenology but would be excluded from grounded theory as Dean has noted. Both your research goal and the type of qualitative methodology used would frame the thematic analysis method.

I concur with David L Morgan. But I think I understand what you mean (or confuse). Thematic analysis is indeed a methodology by itself. As others explained, it is a qualitative analysis method. The confusing issue here is that sometimes it is included as a part of another method/process. For example, the content analysis uses thematic coding as a step of the whole process. Thematic analysis is content analysis without considering the frequency of codes. I think that you might want to read a bit more about thematic analysis as a fundamental technique for other qualitative analysis methods, but also a method in its own right. You can find a text-book explanation here:

Article Using thematic analysis in psychology

Hi Marketa Simova , that is a good question and all the answers are really precise.

I would just add that some confusions may arise, of course, on the basis of a different definition one might adopt or of a different context (disciplines) of usage.

Thematic analysis is a method of analysis in the sense that it provides you with specific techniques and with main steps to be followed. Moreover, it is a qualitative method of analysis.

Nevertheless, it is not a mistake to consider it (for example within a specific study) as a methodology too. Indeed, and inevitably, thematic analysis carries philosophical and/or theoretical perspective upon data and how to manage them (even the basilar and fundamental definition, for example, that texts and narratives revolve around some "entities" called themes is an important assumption in many contexts).

Concluding, in my Ph.D. research projects, which adopt several methods of analyzing different qualitative data, the thematic analysis will be considered as a method that is part of the broader socio-constructivist and phenomenological methodology I have adopted throughout the entire research. On the other hand, in some specific studies I have conducted, mainly explorative and based on narrative interviews as a qualitative method of data gathering, I have adopted thematic analysis as a broader methodological frame (in order to explain why I was considering texts and discourses as "entities" through which one can abstract organizing-categories of meaning such as themes).

TA , it's not a method .

It is a device's or instrument to inspect,stady, examine data.

cordially

I concur with comments by Mr. Whitehead. TA is not a complete methodology by its self but a sub set of the Qualitative method. its a qualitative style, simply put.