1.1 Content Analysis

Question 1

define coding

Answer 1

the process of placing quantitative or qualitative data in categories

Question 2

define ‘content analysis’

Answer 2

A kind of observational study in which behaviour is observed indirectly in written or verbal material such as interviews, conversations, books, diaries or Tv programmes

Question 3

define thematic analysis

Answer 3

a technique used when analysing qualitative data.

themes or categories are identified and then the data is organised according to these themes

Question 4

describe content analysis

Answer 4

a kind of observational study, which is usually indirect
involves decisions about sampling, coding the data (deciding on behavioural categories) and deciding on methods of representing the data (quantitative or qualitative)
thematic analysis is an iterative process of identifying themes from a large amount of qualitative data. the themes are then used to represent the data either by counting instances or providing descriptive examples

Question 5

evaluate the use of content analysis as a research method

Answer 5

high ecological validity - based on what people have actually done
replication possible to check reliability of observations
observer bias reduces validity
cultural bias due to personal interpretation

Question 6

what are the main intentions of thematic analysis?

Answer 6

to impose some kind of order on the data
to ensure that the order represents the participants perspective, i.e. fits in with how they see the phenomenon
to ensure that this order emerges from the data rather than any preconceptions
to summarise the data so that hundreds of pages of text or hours of videotapes can be reduced
to enable themes to be identified and general conclusions drawn