Content Analysis

Question 1

What is content analysis?

Answer 1

An approach to the analysis of documents and texts that seeks to quantify content in terms of predetermined categories and in a systematic and replicable manner

• it is systematic and reliable

Question 2

What can quantitative content analysis quantify?

Answer 2

It can analyse documents such as mass media, songs, tweets, blogs, speeches etc.

Question 3

What does qualitative content analyses cover?

Answer 3

Qualitative content analysis covers semiotics (the study of signs) and ethnographic content analysis

Question 4

What are the key features of content analysis?

Answer 4

Objectivity, systematic and quantification

Question 5

What is Berelson’s definition of content analysis?

Answer 5

“objective, systematic and quantitative description of the manifest content of communication” (Berelson, 1952: 1i)

Question 6

What is Holsti’s definition of content analysis?

Answer 6

“objective, systematic identification of specified characteristics of messages” (Holsti, 1969: 14)

Question 7

What are the differences between Berelson & Holsti’s definition of content analysis?

Answer 7

1. Berelson’s ‘communication’ vs Holsti’s ‘messages’ - focus on mass media communications
2. Berelson’s ‘manifest content’ vs Holsti’s ‘latent content’

Question 8

What must we insure we have before analysis is started?

Answer 8

Clearly specified research questions as it helps researchers to decide which dimensions of texts need to be quantified

Question 9

If working with the mass media, what are the two possible dimensions for random sampling?

Answer 9

1. The media itself
2. Dates of publication - starting dates may be predetermined by a historical event, more open if study is ongoing/ general phenomenon, end dates may be a matter of judgement

Question 10

What can you be counting in content analysis?

Answer 10

Significant actors (protagonists and alternative voices), subjects and themes, dispositions (values, bias and ideology), words (frequency of words/phrases, e.g. ‘hooligan’)

Question 11

What are two necessary parts of the coding process?

Answer 11

Having a coding schedule and a coding manual

Question 12

What is a coding manual?

Answer 12

A set of instructions for coders, listing all possible categories for each dimension, showing which codes/ numbers refer to which category, gives guidance on how to decide on a code and explains what to do if more than one code applies

Question 13

What should be included in the coding scheme to ensure avoiding potential pitfalls?

Answer 13

1. Discrete dimensions
2. Mutually exclusive categories
3. Exhaustive categories
4. Clear instructions to coders - so they aren’t making coding decisions based on their own discretion (need inter-coder reliability)
5. A clearly specified unit of analysis - distinction between the media and the event reported

Question 14

What is protest event analysis?

Answer 14

A type of quantitative content analysis which systematically maps, analyses, and interprets the occurrence and properties of large numbers of protests using sources such as newspaper reports, digital media and police records by ‘turning words into numbers’ (Hutler, 2014)

Question 15

What are the advantages of content analysis?

Answer 15

1. Transparency
2. Ease of longitudinal access
3. Unobtrusiveness
4. Flexibility
5. Ease of access

Question 16

What are the disadvantages of content analysis?

Answer 16

1. Questions of authenticity
2. Credibility and representativeness of documents (can only be as good as the documents it is based on)
3. Interpretation by coders
4. Invalid inference of manifest content
5. Inability to answer ‘why’ questions
6. Has an a-theoretical approach

Question 17

What is content analysis only potentially suitable for websites, social media, chatrooms, forums and blogs?

Answer 17

Ad there may be issues of selection/ sampling, representativeness, stability and even audience provide nuances that are not necessarily present in material objects such as newspapers