Content analysis is a sociological method that involves reading a written text (document) in the language of mathematics. In general terms, we are talking about translating the information embedded in a regular letter into a statistical dimension. It is used for large amounts of information, for example, when researching political programs of parties or candidates for deputies. Such program provisions are usually documents of a sufficiently large volume, therefore, in order to obtain the necessary information, the research subject is usually allocated, which is then “run” throughout the entire available documentary array. To explain, consider a specific example.
What do we think?
So, we have party programs. We are interested in what ideological positions are taken by the participants in the election process regarding the integration problem, and how these positions differ from each other. Remember that content analysis is, in methodological terms, a section of statistics, like all practical sociology. The subject of the study was decided. Next, you need to understand what we will consider. There are two options: either paragraphs where there are statements about integration, or statements with similar content. For me, the last option is better, since there are many shades of statements, which means that it is no wonder to miss hidden semantic loads. Figuratively speaking, content analysis does not like this: the slightest methodological error leads to biased results. The entire amount of work will have to be redone.
Classification of utterances
Now you should decide how the calculation will be made and for which groups. We break down party proposals into groups: integration vector (European-Eurasian); assessment of statements (positive - neutral - negative). Here it must be remembered that content analysis (an example of a study demonstrates this) assumes utmost accuracy, despite the subjective opinions of the sociologist himself. Therefore, you need to rely not on your own assessment, but on the prescribed context. It will be visible immediately. The following indicators follow: the number of statements (for each group) and the total number of statements. Then, from the obtained data, preliminary conclusions can be drawn.
Counting Procedure
Statements are grouped relative to each other and are calculated in such a way that their semantic and textual relationship is visible. For example, there are 100 statements, of which 90 are for Eurasian integration, but only 40 have a positive assessment. This means that a relative minority of parties speak out for this vector, and (given the median value of the indicator) there is ideologically no certainty in this matter. This does not mean that the study was “mistaken”; content analysis is a fairly accurate method. The only question is that the concept of “integration” is associated not only with electoral moods, but also with other factors that need to be further investigated.
Afterword
To prevent such a mistake, it is best to do a pilot, trial analysis. Then you can understand and clarify by what criteria the calculation will be made. The main thing: to clearly operationalize the concepts used in the analysis so as not to lose individual shades of statements. Content analysis is a painstaking work requiring special attention to the goals and objectives of the study. But, unlike the same mass polls, it provides more objective results.
