These are notes from all lectures, tutorials and important remarks for the Content Exam. There are SOS notes for the exam that will help you win some points in the multiple choice questions.
LECTURE 1 - SLIDES
-> Content analysis: quantitative analysis of characteristics of media content
(media messages)- analyzes in a systematic, objective, replicable manner
FOUNDING FATHERS=
● Bernard Berelson(1912-1979) -> in communication research
● Ole Holsti(1933-) -> for the social sciences and humanities
● Klaus Krippendorff(1932-) -> into to methodology
CONTENT ANALYSIS
● Cause of media effects
● Outcome of media production and environment factors
- ADVANTAGES
● Accessible
● Nonobstrusive
● Non Reactive (-> control)
● Longitudinal in no time
● Endless relevant possibilities
-> more descriptive and explanatory research questions
- still dominant in scientific content analyses
- dominant in practice-oriented content analyses
DESCRIPTIVE vs EXPLANATORY
D-> less theoretical, less knowledge gain, less scientific
E-> more theoretical, more knowledge gain, more scientific
SAMPLING
- all units in the population are explained -> we call this a CENSUS
Non-Probability -> Consecutive Period
all editions of periodically appearing publications within chosen period are
analyzed without interruption
,-> SUITABLE for analyses of continuing news story in a specific period (e.g.
election campaign)
-> UN-SUITABLE for longer period -> you ignore potentially large variation in
content over time as a result of current events
Probability Sample -> often chosen if publications appear daily, such as news
media
- Simple Random Sample = not always effective or efficient
- Systematic Sample = suitable for smaller groups and longer periods -
control over dispersion of selected units across sampling frame
- Stratified Sample = suitable for diverse population
- Constructed period = suitable for daily analyses over a longer time period
= effective and sufficient
● accounts for selection bias due to cyclical variation in media content
- cyclical variation = systematic variation due to rhythm and logic of
medium or source
- Multistage sample = suitable when sample should reflect all dimensions
of media landscape and content
Content analysis is central in communication
-> content is the mediator between production and effects
-> they are connected with experiments but have low ecological validity
LATENT CONTENT
- not directly observable (anstract)
- ambiguous meaning
- multidimensional
, - measured through multiple items
The MORE LATENT
● THE MORE its meaning is judged (constructed) instead of observed by
the coder
● THE MORE its meaning becomes dependent on pre-existing mental
schemes (frames or reference) of the coder
● THE MORE the meaning making shifts from the content to coder
● THE MORE subjective the substantive interpretation
VALIDITY OF MEASUREMENT
● a valid measure of a characteristic is a measure that covers in a correct
and compete way the content and meaning of that concept
- Operationalizing latent media content (constructs):
Translation into a set of manifest characteristics of content (‘indicators’)
- Always start from literature (theoretical insights,, empirical evidence)
WAYS OF EVALUATING VALIDITY OF MEASUREMENT
● face validity: most basic form - seems common sense
● construct validity: relation between concept and observable measures
● association between measurement instrument and :
- other version of same type of measurement instrument (concurrent
validity)
- plausible outcome variable (predictive validity)
● comparison outcomes with those of different type of instrument
(convergent validity)
● cross check among producers or users of content
SOCIAL VALIDITY
- the social significance and meaning of the analyzed content beyond the
academic community (e.g. operationalizing violence)
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