Content Analysis

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Content Analysis

• Lesley Jolly
• ljolly_at_igpond.net.au

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When to use content analysis

• When testing hypotheses
• When using textual data
• Texts may be written, images, movies

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Sampling in content analysis

• Identify corpus of texts
• Everything available or selection?
• Often use purposive sampling
• May use extreme or typical instances
• Identify units of analysis within text
• Use whole text when you want to see whether or
  not something occurs
• Select chunks that reflect a theme when you want
  to see how often something occurs

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Coding in content analysis

• Codes derive from theoretical concepts
• e.g. resource allocation theory mentions 10
  varieties of resource, use that list as coding
  categories
• Must be exhaustive and mutually exclusive

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Intercoder reliability

• More than one coder checks that constructs are
  shared
• Can be used to check coding reliability over time
• Aim for Cohens kappa (k) of 0.70 or higher
• k

Observed chance _______________ 1
- chance
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