Content Analysis

• What is content analysis?


  A method that quantifies qualitative data

  eg words / images --> numbers
• How is content analysis done?


  1. decide a research question
  2. select a sample (random/systematic) from a larger available quantity of data
• How is content analysis done?


  3. Identify the key themes within the information and categorise data into meaningful units (CODING UNITS) based on what you're trying to answer

  4. Work through the data and COUNT the number of times the coding units occur. TALLY THESE
• How is content analysis done?


  5. Data analysis can then take place using the quantitative data, looking for trends and patterns
• What does content analysis require?


  coding units
• why does content analysis require coding units?


  to categorise analysed material

  • this allows the data to be operationalised
• Examples of coding units for words?


  the number of slang words used
• Examples of coding units for themes?


  the amount of violence on tv
• Examples of coding units for character?


  The number if female commentators in TV sports programmes
• Examples of coding units for time and space?


  the amount of time (TV) and space (newspapers) dedicated to mental health
• Brief strengths of content analysis?


  • easy, non-invasive
  • high external validity
  • verifies results
  • reliable and replicable
• Give one strength of content analysis?


  Easy to perform, inexpensive, non-invasive with no direct contact with the pps
• Give one strength of content analysis?


  High external validity as the data is taken from the real world
• Give one strength of content analysis?


  COMPLEMENTS other methods - VERIFIES RESULTS from OTHER METHODS particularly being useful in longitudinal methods detecting changes over time
• Give one strength of content analysis?


  Reliable- very easy to replicate

  • test-retest reliability - run the content analysis again on the same sample and COMPARE the 2 sets of data
  • inter-rater reliability - a second researcher performs the content analysis with the same BEHAVIOURAL CATEGORIES and CODING UNITS. 0.80 or HIGHER is accepted as being RELIABLE
• 3 brief weakenesses of content analysis?


  • descriptive ('what' not 'why')
  • flawed results
  • researcher bias
• Give one weakness of content analysis?


  descriptive - 'what' but not 'why'

  the results might show patterns and trends, but will NOT explain WHY THESE HAVE OCCURRED
• Give one weakness of content analysis?


  Flawed results- if limited material is available then the analysis might not reflect reality
• Give one weakness of content analysis?


  Possibility of RESEARCHER BIAS , particularly as this type of data will need INTERPRETATION