1. Content Analysis Research Methods

2. Content Analysis Technique to study communication-related materials and behaviors Systematic counting, assessing, and interpreting the form and substance of communication Empirical Objective, impartial

3. Applying Content Analysis Select the population newspaper articles during election campaign presidential state of the union speeches international treaties interest group press releases requests for congressional committee assignments TV news coverage of European Union email from person X to person Y

4. Applying Content Analysis Select the population Select the sample (or census) Time period, type of communication, source, location, distribution mechanism, other characteristics as appropriate

5. Applying Content Analysis Select the population Select the sample Select the unit of analysis Select the means of coding human or machine coders/coding

6. Applying Content Analysis Select the population Select the sample Select the unit of analysis Select the means of coding Determine the coding procedure and detailed codebook

7. Applying Content Analysis Determine the coding procedure and detailed codebook Operationalize carefully and thoroughly (common standards of judgment) Guarantee consistent coding (multiple coders or computing or increased specificity of procedure) Maximize interaction among coders (eliminate differences in interpretation)

8. “Types” of Content Analysis Substantive content analysis Focus on the meaning of a communication (what is communicated) Structural content analysis Focus on the format of a communication (how communicated)

9. Issues or “Special Problems” Biased content Intended audience Representativeness of sample Reliability (intercoder and calculation of)