Content analysis

Question 1

What is a content analysis?

Answer 1

An indirect observation, where we analyse some pre-existing qualitative artefact to draw conclusions. ( journal,videos,transcripts)

Question 2

What are the 3 steps?

Answer 2

1. behavioural catergory generation
2. coding of artefact
3. analysis of data

Question 3

Behavioural categories generation

Answer 3

• Researcher create a list of operationalised behavioural categories to be observed in a tally chart
• These categories should be distinct and not overlap

Question 4

Coding of artefact

Answer 4

• Recording behaviour in the tally table ( using time or event sampling)
• Ideally a team of researchers will do this to enable them to establish inter-rater reliability → would want a strong correlation close to 1

Question 5

Analysis of data

Answer 5

• Frequencies can be counted and analysed
• Graphs
• Averages calculated

Question 6

Strengths

Answer 6

• Practically - easy time and money
• Utility - gives quantitative data → easy to analyse and compare
• Ecological validity - based on genuine communications
• Process is systematic - enabling replication and reliability analysis

Question 7

Limitations

Answer 7

• Operationalisation - subjectivity can still be involved
• Reductionism - by breaking it down may lose meaning
• Observer bias - in the choice of what to focus on - low objectivity / low internal validity

Question 8

what is a thematic analysis?

Answer 8

Researchers attempt to identity the deeper meaning of the text by reading it first → allowing themes to emerge

Question 9

procedure of thematic analysis

Answer 9

• Collect text/ recordings and turn them into text through transcription
• Read them first to spot patterns that can be coded and collected
• Reread the transcriptions looking emergent themes

Question 10

eval of thematic analysis

Answer 10

+ Theories come after discovery → limits bias
+ High external validity
+ Easy to get sample