Lesson 1 Content Analysis

Question 1

Content Analysis stages

Answer 1

1) Sampling - decide how the material/behaviour should be sampled

2) Record data - how will you record the data? In a table? Video? Write everything down?

3) Analyse/categorise data - how will you summarise the data? Will it be quantitative or qualitative?

4) Tally up the amounts

Question 2

Content Analysis

Answer 2

Content analysis is a method used to analyse qualitative data. It allows a researcher to take qualitative data and transform it into quantitative data. The technique can be used for data in many different formats, for example interview transcripts and film and/or audio recordings.

The researcher conducting a content analysis will use coding units in their work. An example of coding units would be the number of positive or negative words used by a mother to describe her child’s behaviour, or the number of swear words in a film.

Question 3

Procedure for Content Analysis

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Thematic Analysis

Answer 4

Thematic analysis is a method for analysing qualitative data that involves identifying and reporting patterns within the material. The material might be a diary, TV advertisements, or interview transcripts.

Question 5

If using a thematic Analysis to analyse an interview the researcher will need to:

Answer 5

 Make a transcription of the interview.
 Use coding units to initially analyse the transcript.
 Review the coding units to look for themes.

Question 6

Advantages of Content Analysis

Answer 6

+ 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 and with different researchers.

+ It is an easy technique to use 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.

Question 7

Disadvantages of Content Analysis

Answer 7

• Causality cannot be established as it merely describes the data.
• As it only describes the data it cannot extract any deeper meaning or explanation for the data patterns arising