Content analysis

• What is Content Analysis? + Example

  . It is an indirect observation of behaviour within media that can produce both quantitive and qualitative data.

  
  

  . For example , behaviours can be observed indirectly through:

  
  

  - TV

  - Written communication such as emails or texts

  - Books / social media sites

  - Radio
• Identify the 2 steps to carry out Content Analysis.

  1. Coding may produce quantitative data - This is the first stage of Content Analysis , where the chosen media is categorised into meaningful units

  2. Thematic analysis produces qualitative data - This is where a theme may be found
• Give an example for stage 1 (Coding) and stage 2 (thematic analysis) of content analysis.

  1. Stage 1 coding may produce quantitative data - For example Articles online may be analysed for the number of times negative terms appeared for people with Schizophrenia such as "psycho" or "violent

  
  

  2. Stage 2 thematic analysis produces qualitative data - The online article may represent Schizophrenic people as a "danger to society" or "threat to children". This may be a common theme around news outlets.
• Give two strengths of Content analysis.

  1. There are less ethical issues - The information that the researcher want to investigate is already in the public domain as its a form of media. There is no direct manipulation of participants in content analysis ie. Deception

  
  

  2. Content analysis can produce both quantitative and qualitative data - some strengths of qualitative is that you get detailed and descriptive information. Quantitative data can be easily analysed and compare.
• Give two negatives of Content analysis.

  1. It may be too subjective - because the media is investigated indirectly so the context in which the media was produced which maybe misinterpreted by the researcher.

  
  

  2. Subjective information is not scientific - there is a danger that researcher may attribute opinions and motivations to the writer that were not intended originally , and researchers opinions may differ about each information.