Thin description	Thick description
Insufficient information to enable the programme theory to be affirmed or replenished	Theoretical concepts are described in sufficient depth to be useful
Largely atheoretical description of narrative intervention	Explanation of theories used
Limited or no consideration of context in which narrative intervention took place	Consideration of context in which narrative intervention took place
Limited or no discussion of the limitations of the methods	Discussion of the limitations of the methods
Description of factors or mechanisms mentioning only ‘an association’ between variables	Description of factors or mechanisms mentioning “model,” “process,” “functions,” “investigates,” “describes,” “explains,” “experiences” etc