Lesson 1- Content Analysis Flashcards
What is a content analysis?
It is a method used to analyse QUALITATIVE DATA. It allows a researcher to take qualitative data and transform it into QUANTITATIVE data.
Upon conducting a content analysis, the researcher will use a coding unit.
Give an example of a coding unit.
An example of coding unit will be the number of swear words within a film.
What is a coding unit?
Manageable code categories for analysis
Outline the procedure for a content analysis
1) Data is collected
2) Researcher examines data, making themselves familiar with it
3) The researcher identifies coding units
4) The data is analysed applying the coding units
5) A tally is made of the number of times that coding unit appears
What is a thematic analysis?
A method for analysing QUALITATIVE data that involves IDENTIFYING and reporting patterns within the material.
The material might be a diary, TV advertisement or interview transcripts.
What are the 3 steps a researcher would need to consider when using a thematic analysis to analyse an interview?
1) Make a transcript of the interview
2) Use coding units to initially analyse the transcript
3) Review coding units to look for themes
Give one positive evaluation of content analysis
(Hint: no interpretation)
+ It is a 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 with different researchers.
State two other positive evaluations of content analysis
(Hint: ⏰🚫)
+It is an easy technique and is not too time consuming
+It allows a statistical analysis to be conducted if required as there is usually quantitative data as a result of the procedure
State two negative evaluations of content analysis
(Hint; Cause)
-Causality cannot be established as it merely describes the data
-As it only described the data it cannot extract any deeper meaning or explanation for the data patterns arising
