content analysis

Steps for Conducting Content Analysis
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Steps for Conducting Content Analysis
Content analysis is a quantitative information analysis strategy that is used in a systematic approach to analyzing content. There are several steps that a researcher has to follow in the analysis of the study that they are conducting, they include;
Defining one’s requirements
In carrying out content analysis, one needs to establish or outline the issues they are carrying out an assessment (Deacon et al. 2007). It involves the selection of the methodology that one is going to use to carry out the investigation.
Sampling
It is the phase where one conducts the sampling the content. Usually, it involves defining the scope or range of data one is collecting and also the unit that one will use in the data collection.
Deciding on the variables to count
It is the step where a researcher makes a selection of the variables that he/she will use to compute the data during the content analysis. They can be regarding age, gender or even ethical count (Deacon et al. 2007).
Determining on qualifying criteria
After one has been able to decide on the variables to which they will use to analyze data, they should proceed to select approaches that they will use to categorize data or content.
Creating a coding structure
Here is where the data analysis commences. A researcher creates the design in which he/she will use to code the data they are analyzing
Collecting information
After designing a coding frame, one proceeds to collect the data that they want to carry out analysis from their various sources ranging from literature materials, individual, etc.

(Deacon et al. 2007).
Analyzing results
Analyzing results is the last stage of the content analysis whereby the analyst evaluates the data that he/she has collected and interpreted it.
References
Deacon David, Michael Pickering, Peter Golding, Graham Murdock, 2007. Researching Communications. A Practical Guide to Methods in Media and Cultural Analysis. Pages: 117-137