MCRS - 2ND EXAM - 3.12.18
PART A
6A - Content Analysis
- Technique that aims to quantify content in terms of predetermined categories and in a
systematic and replicable manner
- Can be used with almost any record medium (press, web, billboards, lawn signs, tweets etc.)
Advantages and disadvantages
- Unobtrusive approach, human participants are not involved
- Human research approvals are typically not required, permission if the content is unpublished
or private
- Emphasis on systematic sampling, clear definitions of units, and counting
- Procedures should be explicit, precise, and replicable
- Can have 100% reliability if using computers because human coders can read meaning which
involves judgement
- Possible to compute a level of internal reliability by making each coder code the same unit
- Addresses only questions of content
- Only has application if used for comparisons
- Issue with validity because it might be problematic to relate findings to the external world
How to conduct a content analysis?
- Develop hypothesis or research question about communication content
- To measure a latent concept multiple indicators are needed, not every concept is manifest
- Define the content and the units
- Variables must be clear and unambiguous
- Answer categories must be specific, clear, mutually exclusive (no overlapping categories) and
exhaustive (if not, crucial information can be missed)
- 4 units in content analysis
- Unit of analysis: From what content the conclusion is drawn
- Sampling unit: From what population is the sample drawn
- Registration unit: What is actually measured
- Context unit: How much surrounding information has to be taken in account
- e.g. a late night show (unit of analysis): every new guest is a new registration unit
- Sample the content
- Operationalize variables
- Create codebook
- Code the sample
- Analyze the data
- Report the results
PART A
6A - Content Analysis
- Technique that aims to quantify content in terms of predetermined categories and in a
systematic and replicable manner
- Can be used with almost any record medium (press, web, billboards, lawn signs, tweets etc.)
Advantages and disadvantages
- Unobtrusive approach, human participants are not involved
- Human research approvals are typically not required, permission if the content is unpublished
or private
- Emphasis on systematic sampling, clear definitions of units, and counting
- Procedures should be explicit, precise, and replicable
- Can have 100% reliability if using computers because human coders can read meaning which
involves judgement
- Possible to compute a level of internal reliability by making each coder code the same unit
- Addresses only questions of content
- Only has application if used for comparisons
- Issue with validity because it might be problematic to relate findings to the external world
How to conduct a content analysis?
- Develop hypothesis or research question about communication content
- To measure a latent concept multiple indicators are needed, not every concept is manifest
- Define the content and the units
- Variables must be clear and unambiguous
- Answer categories must be specific, clear, mutually exclusive (no overlapping categories) and
exhaustive (if not, crucial information can be missed)
- 4 units in content analysis
- Unit of analysis: From what content the conclusion is drawn
- Sampling unit: From what population is the sample drawn
- Registration unit: What is actually measured
- Context unit: How much surrounding information has to be taken in account
- e.g. a late night show (unit of analysis): every new guest is a new registration unit
- Sample the content
- Operationalize variables
- Create codebook
- Code the sample
- Analyze the data
- Report the results
