Which sequence correctly outlines a basic thematic analysis workflow in qualitative research?

• A. Collect data and publish results.
• B. Test hypotheses using inferential statistics.
• C. Familiarization, initial coding, theme search, theme review, define/name themes, report findings.
• D. Develop theory before collecting data.

Answer: (C)

The main idea tested is how to perform thematic analysis in qualitative research. The best sequence follows familiarization with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing those themes, defining and naming the themes, and finally reporting the findings. This approach starts with immersing yourself in the data to notice what stands out, then tagging meaningful chunks (coding), grouping these codes into themes that capture patterns across the dataset, checking and refining those themes to ensure they fit well with the data, clearly defining what each theme represents, and producing a report that ties the themes back to the research question with supporting excerpts. Other options miss the analytic workflow: collecting data and publishing is just a general research cycle, testing hypotheses with inferential statistics is a quantitative method, and developing theory before collecting data aligns with a different theoretical approach rather than the standard thematic analysis process.