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Wilson et al. (2002) carried out thematic analysis of interview data from transcripts. This is relevant to this research as Wilson et al. (2002) was investigating people experiences of post-discharge from hospital, which is a potentially sensitive topic, as this could have been. During the analysis process Witz et al. (2001) reminded the researcher that it is important to immerse oneself in the data and to constantly revisit transcriptions and the original recordings to check understanding.

The method formed that of a narrative-type inquiry with theoretical analysis, which according to Burke (2018) provides thick, rich data. The interviews were carried out in two parts. First, participants answered questions based on six pre-prepared vignettes that were developed outlining a fictional biographical account of a young person based on the literature and the researcher’s experiences of working with young people at key points in their school careers: preparing for subject choices that will take young people to their National Qualification examinations and at the time they transition out of school to their chosen post-16 destination. This followed from a similar method used by Tarabini and Curran (2018) who used a qualitative methodology based on in-depth case studies. Second, participants were asked to give their own personal views of different post-16 destinations, for example, apprenticeship, college, university and going straight into employment from school. This second part comprised of a set of summary questions that participants were asked, where they were encouraged to give and justify their own views on different post-16 destinations and aspirations. This allowed the researcher to examine their habitus and associated dispositions of how people think, act and behave, including bringing to light some misconceptions and misunderstandings that the participants had in relation to different aspirations and aspirational routes. Caetano (2015) noted, however, that an individual’s discourse and what they say is affected by their memory, experience, social circumstances and emotional state at a particular moment in their life.

Data was analysed in three stages using the following methodology proposed by Burke (2018). This three-stage process allowed data analysis to move from descriptive to analytical and introduced a robust element into the data analysis process. Stage One involved coding the data, once transcribed, using codes identified from the literature review and interview data. The specificities of the coding process are considered later in Section 5.4.2. The following codes were identified from the literature review (a priori codes) and interview transcripts, these are summarised in Table 5.6, page 102): influential

people (adults, siblings etc.), education (the opportunities provided that constrain and develop aspirations), economic and social factors (family background, area lived in), importance of young people following their own interests, experiences gained through education, post-16 destinations and other factors such as travel and health that can affect an individual’s aspirations.

The codes were then linked together to develop sub-themes in relation to the high- level themes from the methodological lens developed in Chapter Four, see Table 5.5 as a reminder. First dispositions will consider how young people think, act and behave and will include looking for patters of repetition of practices and attitudes, as highlighted by Costa

et al. (2018) above. Then the influence of the school will be considered to take account of

the institutional habitus in relation to experiences and choices offered by the school and, lastly, intended and actual aspirations of individuals taking part in the study will be considered in relation to Zipin et al. (2015) notions of doxic, habituated and emergent aspirations. During this process there was linkage between the key methodological ideas above and the themes identified from the literature review and data.

Table 5.5 – Summary of Bourdieusian Theoretical Lens for Data Analysis High Level

Themes

Theoretical Interpretive Themes

1:

Dispositions

These will consider how young people think, act and behave and will include looking for examples and patterns of repetition of practices and attitudes; that is, their habitus as an individual and as part of a community (society) in relation to socio-economic status. 2:

Educational Field

The influence of the school will be considered to take account of the institutional habitus in relation to experiences and choices offered by the school and how these can influence a young person’s dispositions and habitus.

3:

Intended and Actual

Aspirations

Intended aspirations of individuals taking part in the study will be considered in relation to Zipin et al. (2015) notions of doxic

habituated and emergent aspirations. This will consider traditional,

expected, idea and actual aspirations.

Throughout this process the researcher moved backwards and forward between the literature and interview data to identify sub-themes in a Bourdieusian manner in what

Mahar et al. (1990) described as moving between theory, empirical work and back to theory again; that is, the Bourdieusian notion of reflexivity discussed earlier. The third, and final, stage of data analysis involved using theoretical analysis in the discussion and understanding of the data. This is using Bourdieu’s (1977) Theory of Reproduction and other sociological research discussed in this dissertation to understand and qualify what participants said during the interviews.