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Content analysis
What is content analysis?
A research method which involves counting communication phenomena and categorization
them according to a taxonomy or typology scheme.
Especially useful for archived data (texts, transcripts, videotapes, etc.)
Allows for unobtrusive measures in many cases
"Safe" form of data analysis--if you mess up you can start all over again
What can be content analyzed?
Any episode of communication that can be videotaped or transcribed, broken down into
discrete units, and codified or categorized can be subjected to content analysis
real or simulated conversations
newspaper stories
language styles
compliance gaining strategies
group interaction
Steps in content analysis
1. Identify the data set to be used
typically artifacts, videotapes, transcripts, tape recordings, etc.)
2. Develop or borrow a taxonomy (the categories into which the data will be coded)
categories must be valid: isomorphic with the real-life communication
mutually exclusive: separate, distinct categories with no overlap
exhaustive: all the data fits into some category
3. Determine the unit of analysis, called "unitizing"
example: what constitutes an argument
example: marital comm: one person or two?
4. Train coders in the use of the coding scheme
5. Code the messages into the categories
inter-rater reliability matters: typically 80-90%
6. Analyze the data and interpret the results
Additional Considerations
process can be time-consuming
necessity of transcribing, coding data
better suited for examining "manifest" as opposed to "latent"
meaning
loses some of the richness inherent in the message
inductive versus deductive typologies
advantages
and disadvantages of each
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