I am Dr Muhammad Naeem — Dean, researcher and author of Systematic Thematic Analysis (STA), the PRICE model of data saturation, and the first peer-reviewed, step-by-step processes for using ChatGPT in thematic analysis and case study research.
Each framework answers a question qualitative researchers actually struggle with — and each is published open access in the International Journal of Qualitative Methods, so you can read, apply and cite the full process.
How do I turn qualitative data into a conceptual model? A six-step process from quotations to a named theoretical contribution.
How do I know — and prove — that I have reached saturation? Five analytical processes that make saturation demonstrable.
Can AI analyse qualitative data rigorously? Step-by-step prompts for all six STA steps, with the 6Rs and 4Rs quality frameworks.
How can AI support case study development? A published process that keeps the researcher in charge of design and interpretation.
Most of the qualitative community is still debating whether generative AI belongs in rigorous research. My published work moves past that debate: it provides tested ChatGPT prompts for every stage of analysis, shows how to familiarise an AI with your research context, theory and philosophy before it touches your data, and demonstrates that properly guided AI improves transparency, accountability and rigour — while the researcher remains in charge of interpretation.
Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis is widely used, but many researchers struggle to move from themes to theory. STA is a six-step process in which every stage builds on the last — quotations, keywords, codes, themes, concepts — ending in a named conceptual model anchored to research questions and theoretical underpinnings. It gives researchers an auditable chain of evidence from participant voice to theoretical contribution.
Follow the six steps of STA — read the complete guide.
Why that’s the wrong question — and what to tell your examiners instead.
Yes, with the right prompts and human oversight. Here is the published process.