Inductive Thematic Analysis

A qualitative data analysis method where themes and patterns are identified directly from the data without being guided by pre-existing theoretical frameworks or hypotheses. In inductive thematic analysis, researchers read through data (such as interview transcripts or online forum posts), generate initial codes, group codes into themes, and iteratively refine these themes through discussion and review. This approach is particularly useful in exploratory research where the goal is to understand participants' experiences on their own terms rather than testing existing theories, and is widely used in accessibility research to surface the perspectives of disabled communities.