Thematic Literature Reviews - How to develop an initial set of themes
Knowing how to develop an initial set of themes is crucial in starting strong with your thematic literature review. In this short blogpost, I’ll walk you through how to do that, using an example.
First up, let’s quickly recap what a thematic literature review is. Thematic literature reviews organise content around central ideas and concepts. They group similar ideas together, giving you a big-picture view, unlike chronological reviews which follow a timeline, or methodological reviews that are organised by research methods. It's kind of like sorting your wardrobe by colours instead of by purchase date.
But, how do you make a start? Where do the themes actually come from? I always advise students to begin with their research title, because there's theme gold in that title!
Imagine you're a psychology PhD student whose title is, "Exploring the impact of mindfulness practices on workplace stress reduction within the real estate industry."
Break that title down into keywords and key phrases like "Mindfulness practices," "workplace stress reduction," and "real estate industry". These keywords could form the backbone of three initial themes, shaping the narrative of your literature review.
Now, underneath each theme, develop a set of questions you want to explore within the literature.
For example, under the theme "mindfulness interventions," you might develop questions such as:
How do mindfulness practices contribute to stress reduction in the workplace?
What are the specific techniques used in mindfulness interventions for workplace well-being?
Are there any empirical studies demonstrating the efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction programs in real estate settings?
How do employees perceive and engage with mindfulness practices within the context of the real estate industry?
Similarly, for the theme "workplace well-being initiatives," potential questions could include:
What are the key components of workplace well-being initiatives implemented in the real estate industry?
How do employers and employees perceive the effectiveness of workplace well-being programs?
Are there any notable challenges or barriers to the implementation of workplace well-being initiatives within real estate organisations?
What role do organisational culture and leadership play in fostering a supportive work environment for employee well-being in the real estate sector?
These questions will guide your literature search and help you gather relevant studies and evidence to address each aspect of your thematic review.
I hope that's helpful to get you started!
Next steps
If you need additional guidance, be sure to check out my step-by-step guide for planning, structuring and writing a thematic literature review. Details below!
Feeling stuck on your literature review? You’re not alone. Many PhD students struggle to make sense of thematic literature reviews, wondering:
“Where do I start?”
“How do I choose the right themes?”
“How many themes should I include?”
It’s frustrating, time-consuming, and can leave you feeling more confused than when you started. But it doesn’t have to be this way!
This 60-page guide simplifies the entire process of writing your thematic literature review, from identifying themes to analysing the literature and structuring your review. You’ll go from confused and overwhelmed to confident and in control of your writing.
What you’ll get:
Step-by-step guidance on planning, structuring, and writing your thematic literature review.
8 fillable worksheets to help you organise your thoughts, track your themes, and keep your literature review on track.
Writing prompts and sentence starters to beat writer’s block and help you keep your writing flowing.
Stop second-guessing your work and start feeling proud of what you’ve written!
Want to try before you buy? CLICK HERE to preview the first section for FREE and see if this guide is right for you
Looking for Parts 3-6 of my PhD Survival Guide series? These are individual guides that allow you to work on specific sections and stages of your literature review as needed. Links below!
Part 3 - Literature Strategy
Part 4 - Literature Search
Part 5 - Starting your Literature Review
Part 6 - Developing your Literature Review
Please bear in mind that this is a digital product; no physical items will be sent to you. The download will be available once you have gone through the checkout.
Also, my advice is intended to supplement the guidance of your supervisor or academic advisor, not replace it. They should always be your first port of call when you’re stuck. Okay? Good!
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