Content Analysis Flashcards
What is content analysis
An indirect observational method that is used to analyse human behaviour by studying the things we make
- it his often written(non numerical qualitative data) or write ups of spoken words (transcripts) this is then transformed into quantitive data(numerical)
How do you perform a content analysis
-decide a research question
-select a sample from a large quantity of all possible data ie diaries children books
-coding- researcher decides on categories based on don question
-work through the data - tally the number of times the pre-determined category appears
Data analysis can be performed on the quantitative data to look for patterns
Strengths of content analysis
-high ecological validity-based on observations of what people actually do
-content analysis can be replicated
Limitations of content analysis
-Observer bias reduces the objectivity and validity of findings because different observers may interpret the meaning of the behavioural categories differently
-interpretative bias-researcher may overlook things and pay attention to other things
What is a thematic study
A technique used when analysing qualitative data - Themes are identified and then data is organised according to these themes
How do you perform a thematic study
-collect text or turn recordings into transcripts
-read text and spot patterns that can be coded and collected
-look for emergent themes
Strengths of thematic study
-high external validity
-easy to get a sample
-easy to replicate
Limitations of thematic study
-subjective interpretation
-data not created in controlled conditions
What is a meta analysis
Researcher combines results from many different studies and uses all the data to form an overall view
Strengths of meta Analysis
More generalisability as larger amounts of data
Limitations of meta analysis
Research design varies between studies
