Content Analysis

Question 1

What is content analysis?

Answer 1

Most commonly it’s a technique that allows a researcher to take quantitative data and turn it into qualitative data.it can be used interview in transcripts, film and audio recording’s etc

Question 2

What is the procedure for a content analysis?

Answer 2

Data is collected
→ researcher reads through or examines the data, making themselves familiar with it,
→ researcher identifies coding units
→ data is analysed by applying coding units
→ a tally is made the number of times that a coding unit appears

Question 3

What are 3 strengths of content analysis?

Answer 3

1. reliable way to analyse qualitative data as the coding units are not open to interpretation and so are applied in the same way over time and with different researchers
2. it is an easy technique to be conducted if required as there is usually qualitative data as the result of a procedure
3. Allows a statistical analysis to be conducted if required as there is usually quantitative data as a result of the procedure

Question 4

What are 3 weaknesses of content analysis?

Answer 4

1. Causality cannot be established as it merely describes the data 2. As it only describes the data it cannot extract any deeper meaning or explanation for the data patterns arising
2. Lack of objectivity