"Tagging" the literature with the Thematic Analysis Grid: a tool to facilitate collaborative research

This paper will explain how the Thematic Analysis Grid (TAG), a tool designed to help students with the writing of a literature review, has been harnessed for use by staff new to research in a collaborative project. The Thematic Analysis Grid was originally developed to help students with synthesising concepts and ideas to produce a coherent, critical, well-linked piece of work. It comprises a matrix with papers listed in the rows (in date order) and themes in the columns. By using one grid shared digitally on a dropbox, researchers are able to collaborate effectively in the early literature review stage of a research project. The Thematic Analysis Grid also has applications for doctoral student supervision and can be used across disciplines.