Content Analysis

• Content analysis is an observational research technique
• Content analysis enables the indirect study of behaviour by examining conversation, emails and tv
• The aim of content analysis is to summarise and describe communication in a systematic way and draw conclusions
• 1. data is collected
  2. researcher reads and examines data, becoming familiar
  3. identify coding units
  4. data is analysed by applying coding units
  5. tally is made of the number of times a coding unit appears
• Thematic analysis is a form of content analysis
• Thematic analysis aims to summarise qualitative data
• Conducting thematic analysis:

  1. collect data (i.e. for an interview, write up the manuscript)
  2. Familiarise with content
  3. establish themes for research
  4. look for recurring themes and patterns to form links
  5. write up a report including examples to demonstrate links
• STRENGTHS of content analysis

  • Flexible, produces quantitative and qualitative data depending on the researcher's aims
  • Gets around ethical issues that are normally associated with psychological studies
  • Modern analysts disclose any bias or preconception influence in a final report
• LIMITATIONS of content analysis

  • subjectivity bias- analyse communications outside the intended context so there is a danger of researchers attributing opinions and motivations to the speaker that weren't intended