Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis for Beginners
Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Bit of mouthful! But what exactly is it? Is it as complicated as it sounds and could you use it in your research? Keep reading, because that‘s what we’re covering in this blogpost. Let’s begin by looking at what IPA actually is.
What is IPA?
At its heart, IPA is about exploring how people make sense of their personal experiences.
It’s a qualitative research method which has two roots:
Phenomenology (the study of lived experiences)
Hermeneutics (the art and science of interpretation)
The goal? To get as close as possible to the participant’s world, understanding their perspective while acknowledging the researcher’s role in interpreting their experiences.
Imagine you’re interviewing someone who’s just run their first marathon. You’re not just interested in the event itself (the running, the crowd, the finish line) but how that person felt, what it meant to them, and how they made sense of the experience in the context of their life. That’s the kind of angle you’re taking if you’re doing IPA.
Now, let’s break those foundations down a little more.
As I said IPA draws heavily from two philosophical traditions – phenomenology, hermeneutics, let’s take a closer look at each one:
Phenomenology
Think of phenomenology as a deep dive into the essence of experiences. Pioneers like Husserl - whose work I explored in this blogpost - focused on peeling back layers of assumptions to understand phenomena as they truly are.
For example, instead of thinking about marathons as just races, a phenomenological approach asks, “What does running a marathon feel like to someone? How do they experience it? What is their unique marathon journey?”.
Later, Heidegger emphasised that we’re always in a context - our experiences are influenced by our history, relationships, and culture. We can’t just study an individual in a vacuum, we’ve got to look at how they are rooted in their social world and how that shapes how they think and feel about it.
Hermeneutics
Hermeneutics is all about interpretation. In IPA, it’s about interpreting participants’ stories to uncover deeper meanings. The researcher tries to make sense of how the participant is making sense of their world. It’s like peeling an onion layer by layer, only to discover there’s always more beneath.
Why choose IPA?
IPA is particularly powerful when you want to:
Explore how people make sense of significant events or experiences, like living with a chronic illness, navigating grief, or adapting to a new life stage.
Understand subjective perspectives, focusing on what matters most to the individual.
Work with small, in-depth samples to capture detailed, nuanced insights.
Key features of IPA
1. Idiographic approach
Idiographic – another fancy word there, what does it mean? Essentially, refers to an approach or method focused on studying and understanding individual cases, events, or phenomena in depth, rather than looking for general patterns or laws. It emphasises uniqueness and specific details. It’s all about the detail. It’s about zooming right in.
IPA starts small and specific. Researchers begin by analysing individual cases in depth before identifying patterns across participants. This bottom-up approach ensures each person’s experience is given the attention it deserves.
Imagine interviewing three first-time marathon runners. Each story will be unique: one might focus on overcoming self-doubt, another on the sense of community, and the third on a deeply personal milestone. IPA lets each participant tell their detailed story before zooming out to identify common themes.
2. Interpretation and sense-making
In IPA, participants aren’t just passive subjects. They’re seen as active sense-makers.
Your job as a researcher is to understand how they interpret their world—and to do so, you need to interpret their interpretations. Yeah. You need to interpret how they interpret.
For instance, if someone says, “Crossing that finish line felt like being reborn,” what does that mean to them? How does it connect to their life story? That’s the beauty of IPA.
3. Focus on experience
IPA delves into the richness of human experience. This includes emotions, thoughts, bodily sensations, and how these elements intertwine. It’s not just about what happened but about how it felt and what it meant.
In the marathon example, a participant might describe feeling “Exhausted yet euphoric”, with the physical pain of running blending with the emotional satisfaction of achieving a lifelong goal. Their description could also reveal deeper meanings, such as overcoming self-doubt or finding a sense of belonging in the running community. These intertwined elements highlight how experiences are multilayered and deeply personal.
How to conduct an IPA study
Ready to roll up your sleeves? Here’s a simplified guide to getting started with IPA:
Step 1: Define a research question
IPA thrives on open-ended questions about experience. For example:
What is it like to live with chronic pain?
How do first-time marathon runners make sense of their achievement?
Step 2: Recruit a small, homogeneous sample
IPA typically works with small samples - think 6 to 10 participants. Homogeneity matters because you’re exploring a shared phenomenon, like new mothers coping with postnatal depression or teachers adapting to online learning.
Step 3: Collect data
Semi-structured interviews are IPA’s best friend. They allow for rich, in-depth conversations while giving participants the freedom to share their stories in their own way. You might also use diaries or written reflections to complement your data.
Step 4: Analyse the data
IPA analysis is an iterative, multi-stage process:
Read and re-read the interview transcripts - immerse yourself in the data.
Initial notes: Highlight anything interesting—key phrases, metaphors, or emotional tones.
Identify themes - Start grouping your notes into themes that capture the essence of the participant’s experience.
Look for patterns - Once you’ve analysed individual cases, look for similarities and differences across participants.
Remember, IPA isn’t just about description. It’s about interpretation. Ask yourself: What’s the deeper meaning here?
Imagine you’re studying how people cope with a diagnosis of ADHD. One participant describes the experience as "The diagnosis was the missing piece of the puzzle; everything made sense afterwards.”
On the surface, this statement reflects a sense of relief and clarity. The participant sees the diagnosis as a key that unlocks understanding about their past challenges.
On a deeper level, it could signify a reorganisation of their identity. Perhaps they’ve struggled with self-criticism or confusion about why they’ve found certain tasks so difficult. Now, they’re beginning to reconstruct their self-concept in light of this new knowledge.
The phrase "everything started to make sense" suggests a milestone in sense making. It’s worth exploring how this sense of coherence impacts their self-esteem, relationships, or future outlook.
How does the participant’s broader environment shape their experience of the diagnosis? For instance, do they feel supported or stigmatised?
What metaphors do they use? What emotions underpin their words? These layers are where IPA shines.
Tips for success
Embrace reflexivity: Be aware of your own biases and assumptions. Reflect on how these might shape your interpretations.
Stay close to the data: Let participants’ voices guide your analysis. Use direct quotes to illustrate your findings.
Be patient: IPA takes time. The iterative nature of analysis means you’ll revisit the data multiple times.
Found this helpful?
Then check out my other blogposts relating to this topic! Start with this one, on all things phenomenology!
