Content analysis

• Content analysis is an indirect observational method used to analyse human behaviour. This often produces qualitative data (written words or transcripts). This is then transformed into quantitative data.
• Steps to perform a content analysis:

  1. Decide a research question.
  2. Select a sample (eg randomly / systematically) from a larger quantity of all possible data (eg diary entries / children's books).
  3. Coding - Researcher decides on categories / coding units to be recorded (eg occurrences of particular words), these are based on the research question.
  4. Work through data - Read the sample and tally the number of times the pre-determined categories appear.
  5. Data analysis - Can be performed on quantitative data to look for patterns.
• Coding units must be completely operationalised, meaning they are defined as clearly as possible.
• Testing for reliability and consistency:

  • Test-retest. Run the content analysis again on the same sample and compare the two sets of data.
  • Inter-rater reliability. A second observer also performs the content analysis with the same data sets and behavioural categories. These would then be compared.
  • A correlation would then be conducted to test how closely related the variables are.
• Strengths of content analysis:

  • High external validity - The 'artefacts' used are not solely created for the research but have rather been taken from the real world, allowing findings to be gerneralised.
• Strengths of content analysis:

  • Replicable - Procedures are very clear and tend to be standardised. The categories within are also operationalised, allowing a very clear set of instructions that can be followed.
• Limitations of content analysis:

  • Researcher / observer bias - They may interpret the text in a way supporting their pre-existing views, meaning the study may lack validity.
• Limitations of content analysis:

  • Lacks validity - Data was not collected under controlled conditions, meaning it may lack validity. For example, written historical records (eg diaries) may not contain an accurate record of the past.
• Thematic analysis is when researchers start attempting to identify deeper meanings of the text by allowing themes to emerge.
• Performing a thematic analysis:

  1. Collect text / recordings into text through transcription.
  2. Read text / transcripts fist to spot patterns that can be coded and collected.
  3. Re-read transcripts to look for emergent themes.
• Strengths of thematic analysis:

  • This stops the research imposing their own bias on the analysis (by only looking for what they want to see), as they looks for general themes that emerge.
• Strengths of thematic analysis:

  • High external validity.
  • Easy to gather a sample.
  • Easy to replicate.
• Limitations of thematic analysis:

  • Subjective interpretation.
  • Data is not collected in controlled conditions.