CONTENT & THEMATIC ANALYSIS

• What is content analysis?

  Refers to the process in which presentations of behaviour or qualitative data from self-reports are analysed.
• Example: Friends

  • Watch show to familiarise self with content.
  • Identify categories/themes that you want to include in the analysis - coding units.
  • Watch the show again and every time you encounter one on your coding units, you tally it.
  • This turns qualitative data into quantitative data.
• Coding units depend on the content you wish to analyse.
• What is a strength of content analysis?

  Offers a method to analyse a variety of forms of data including media and self-report methods so that insights into cultural trends and experiences that can be understood.
• What is a limitation of content analysis?

  The identification of suitable themes and codes is subjective and decided by the researcher alone, meaning that conclusions lack any objectivity.
• What is thematic analysis?

  Similar to content analysis, except it looks for themes in the data.
• The themes identified are re-analysed so they become more relevant. The researcher can annotate the transcript with the codes that have been identified. The themes identified can be used to support or challenge existing theories, with examples of data or quotes being used as supporting evidence.
• Content analysis is used for more structured data.

  Thematic analysis is used for more unstructured data.