Recommended Steps for Thematic Synthesis in Software Engineering

Thematic analysis is an approach that is often used for identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns (themes) within data in primary qualitative research. 'Thematic synthesis' draws on the principles of thematic analysis and identifies the recurring themes or issues from multiple studies, interprets and explains these themes, and draws conclusions in systematic reviews. This paper conceptualizes the thematic synthesis approach in software engineering as a scientific inquiry involving five steps that parallel those of primary research. The process and outcome associated with each step are described and illustrated with examples from systematic reviews in software engineering.

# Software Engineering Techniques and Practices # Computer Science # Meta-analysis and systematic reviews # Decision Sciences # Qualitative Research Methods and Applications # Social Sciences

Daniela S. Cruzes, T. Dyba (2011). "Recommended Steps for Thematic Synthesis in Software Engineering". Proceedings of the ... ACM-IEEE International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement/International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement. https://doi.org/10.1109/esem.2011.36