Content Analysis Flashcards
Outline content analysis.
One of the most important techniques used in qualitative research.
It involves the analysis of behaviours, written or spoken word into categories (top down/ bottom up), known as coding units.
Allows you to make qualitative data into quantitative.
What are the types of coding unit in content analysis? Give examples for each.
Word: E.g. number of slang words used.
Theme: E.g. amount of violence on TV.
Character: E.g. number of female commentators there are in TV sport programmes.
Time and space: E.g. amount of time (TV) and space (newspapers) dedicated to celebrities.
State 3 places that content analysis could be performed?
Newspaper articles.
Magazines.
Speeches.
TV programmes.
Books.
Music.
Interviews.
What did Coolican state in 2001?
Stated that content analysis can be defined as techniques “for the systematic and objective description and classification written or spoken verbal communications”.
Why is content analysis used?
In order to understand the change in the trend of the content over time.
Content analysis can be used to explain why there is special attention or focus on certain topics of content.
For example, the glamorous field consisting of celebrity gossip is a topic that is a huge focus of attention for people of all ages.
What are the stages involved in content analysis?
- ) The researcher puts forward one or more general hypotheses.
2.) The researcher generally identifies categories of theoretical relevance into which gathered data will be placed.
3.) The researchers need to decide a sample, (i.e which magazines, TV channels, etc).
4.) It is good to have two or more judges or coders to assign the information into categories to ensure it is reliable and consistent. Ideally the coders should not know the hypothesis.
5.) Results of the content analysis need to be related to the hypothesis that motivated the study.
Outline ‘top-down’ within content analysis.
Researcher starts with pre-set categories (usually based on previous research/ theory).
Linked with directional hypotheses.
Outline ‘bottom-up’ within content analysis.
Researcher allows the categories to emerge from the data (may lead to the development of new theories).
Linked with non-directional hypotheses.
Outline 2 strengths of content analysis.
Gives us the opportunity to understand people as rounded individuals in a social context.
Suggests interesting hypotheses that could be tested in subsequent research.
Content analysis is easy to perform, inexpensive research method.
Establishing reliability is simple as content analysis is easy to replicate, through others using the same materials.
Content analysis can be used to verify results from other research methods and is especially useful as a longitudinal tool (detecting trends over time).
Outline 2 limitations of content analysis.
Data may come from a very unrepresentative sample (one article) making it hard to generalise.
Can reduce complex behaviours/ information into manageable categories, therefore does not reveal underlying reasons for behaviours, attitudes, etc.
If the researcher collects a huge amount of material then he/she could easily show bias by emphasising only the information that favours their hypothesis.
Social desirability bias - people present themselves in the best possible light.
Is limited by the availability of material therefore observed by trends may not reflect reality e.g. negative events receive more coverage than the positive ones.
Content analysis is not performed under controlled conditions and therefore does not show causality.
