content analysis notes, Lecture notes of Research Methodology

Download content analysis notes and more Lecture notes Research Methodology in PDF only on Docsity!

Content Analysis

Ginnie Bushong

Objectives

1. Define content analysis.
2. Describe when it is appropriate to use content analysis.
3. List the steps involved in content analysis.
4. Describe the importance of categorization in content analysis.
5. Describe the two major coding categories.
6. Identify how reliability and validity is established in content analysis research.
7. Describe how data is analyzed in content analysis research.
8. Identify two major advantages and disadvantages of content analysis.
9. Examine a journal article written about research that uses content analysis.

Appropriate use

• Educational Research

• Problem Insight

• Reasons:

• (^) Obtain descriptive information
• (^) Analyze observable/interview data
• (^) Test hypothesis
• (^) Check other research findings

Example

• Counting the number of

times that the words dog,

pickup truck, and broken

heart occur in the number

one country songs for the

past year.

• Identify student activities

on homecoming weekend

using Facebook.

Importance of categorization

• All studies must convert

(code) descriptive

information into

categories:

1. Researcher determines categories before analysis begins.
2. Researcher becomes familiar with the descriptive information collected and allows the categories to emerge as analysis continues.

Major coding categories

• (^) Manifest
  • (^) Refers to the specific, clear, surface contents: words, pictures, images, and such that are easily categorized.
• (^) Latent
  • (^) Refers to the meaning underlying what is contained in a communication.
• (^) Both
  • (^) Combination.

Data Analysis

• Frequencies

• Proportions of an specific

occurrence to a total

occurrences.

• Themes

• Computer Analysis

Advantages & Disadvantages

• Advantages

• (^) Unobtrusive
• (^) Easy

• Disadvantages

• (^) Limited to analysis of communications
• (^) Difficult to establish validity

Objectives

1. Define content analysis.
2. Describe when it is appropriate to use content analysis.
3. List the steps involved in content analysis.
4. Describe the importance of categorization in content analysis.
5. Describe the two major coding categories.
6. Identify how reliability and validity is established in content analysis research.
7. Describe how data is analyzed in content analysis research.
8. Identify two major advantages and disadvantages of content analysis.
9. Examine a journal article written about research that uses content analysis.

References

• Frankel, J. R. & Wallen, N.

E. (2006). How to design

and evaluate research in

education, sixth edition.

Boston: McGraw Hill.

• Journal of Agricultural

Education