Communication Research

Asking Questions, Finding Answers

 

Joann Keyton, Ph.D.

University of Kansas

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Chapter 13

Quantitative Analysis of Text

 

Designing Content Analysis Research Studies

 

This website from Kimberly A. Neuendorf’s content analysis book is great place to start in designing a content analysis research study.

 

Content Analyzing Media Messages

 

Content analysis is often used to analyze media messages. Media content can easily be captured and comparative studies can be completed because content captured in one year can be compared with content captured from an earlier or subsequent year. And, of course, consumers as well as researchers are interested in what is portrayed on the media. The Center for Media & Public Affairs  is an excellent source for consumer-oriented analyses of media content. Their site has links to research studies of the news, the entertainment media, profanity in popular entertainment, and even late night political jokes.

 

 

Learn More About Analyzing Content

 

Want to learn more about analyzing content? The Web site http://www.content-analysis.de/ is full of wonderful links to exciting resources. Although the site’s main title is content analysis, there are links for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of texts. Follow links to computer software, research studies posted on the Web, and even libraries of electronic text. The site is used by researchers from many disciplines and from around the world.

 

 

Reliability Between Coders

 

Check out this website on Cohen’s Kappa:

 

*  John Uebersax’s website on Kappa—very detailed

 

 

Transcripts for Practice

 

*  Most of the Press Secretary’s briefings are documented here—both as transcripts and video.

 

*  Transcripts from the Commission on Presidential Debates can be found here.  

 

 

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