Content Analysis

Content analysis is a research method used in the social sciences to code and interpret textual material. In communication analysis, it is used by researchers looking for both qualitative and quantitative indicators to infer knowledge about the production and reception of messages. These indicators allow the researcher to synthesize the complexity of the phenomena by classifying and building data that can be organized and analyzed starting from a theoretical basis and an interpretative perspective. This entry further describes content analysis and how it is used in research on communication and media.

The regular use of content analysis in communication research dates to the early 20th century. In the beginning, the approach had an intensively quantitative point of view and a positivist origin. The idea was to ...