Content Analysis

• What is content analysis?

  A form of observational study
• What is its purpose?

  It take qualitative information and make it quantitative to be able to see the patterns and themes in a more systematic way and analyse content
• What are the 3 processes that are involved in content analysis?

  Sampling, coding, analysis/summary
• What is involved in sampling?

  • Get initial sample - what you want to analyse
  • Decide how you want to sample the content
• What is involved in coding?

  • Develop a coding system - categories of information that you intend to record and what units you want to count e.g. behavioural categories
  • This derived from: top down - existing theory or explanation that provides themes or bottom up - themes emerge as you read the transcripts or watch Tv (thematic)
• What is involved in analysis/summary?

  1. Table of findings
  2. Train researchers on the coding system
  3. Pilot study - inter-rater, retrain the researchers
  4. Do the full study
  5. Analysis
• How are the results presented?

  Presented quantitatively

  %, mean, median, mode, graphs, charts, tables etc.