Content analysis is a method of changing qualitative data into quantitative data (e.g., literature, speeches or television programmes), so that it can be statistically analysed or used descriptively.

Content Analysis has been used, for example, to analyse the speeches of Kennedy and Nixon in televised debates (Shneidman, 1963), real and simulated suicide notes (Ogilvie et al, 1966), the graffiti of males and females in public lavatories (Bruner & Kelso, 1980), and TV violence (Gerbner et al, 1979).

The process of content analysis.

Sampling

The researcher must first decide which material to sample. For example, if a study investigating the portrayal of males and females in TV adverts is to be conducted, the researcher must decide which channels to study and the time of day that the adverts are recorded.

Coding units

The researcher must decide how to categorise the analysed material.

Examples of coding units and examples of their use are given in the table on the next page.

Pilot

Before the actual content analysis takes place the researcher must become familiar with the types of material likely to be encountered and construct a system for categorising the data.

Procedure

The investigator may use naive assistants to carry out the procedure as this can reduce investigator effects. The researcher may get assistants who are unaware of the research hypothesis to code the materials being investigated. This can reduce investigator effects

Coders may only categorise the data, I.e. record the number of occurrences of a particular coding category. This produces data at the nominal level of measurement (frequencies).

Alternatively, coders may be asked to rank items. E.g., scenes in a film may be ranked for the level of violence. In such cases the data is at the ordinal level of measurement.