Content Analysis & Reliability

Question 1

what is Content Analysis?

Answer 1

when a researcher looks at the content of something and analyses it (e.g. the way men and women are represented in a book)

Question 2

what is involved in the sampling method?

Answer 2

• if analysing a book do they look at every page or every nth page
• if comparing content in various books do they select random books or choose ones with certain characteristics (e.g kids books)
• if analysing TV ads is behaviour sampled every nth amount of time & are note whenever behaviours occur

Question 3

what is involved in the coding of data?

Answer 3

Coding is using behavioural categories (e.g. if a researcher is looking at the representation of men and women in books; they create a list of behavioural categories and count instances)

Question 4

what is involved in the method of representing data?

Answer 4

Data can be recorded in each behavioural category in 2 different ways
- you can count instances (quantitative)
- you can describe examples (qualitative)

Question 5

Strengths of Content Analysis

Answer 5

High ecological validity
- based on observations of what people actually do
- real communications that are current and reliable

Greater Reliability
- when sources can be retained or accessed by others the content analysis can be replicated

Question 6

Weaknesses of Content Analysis

Answer 6

Observer Bias
- reduces objectivity and validity due to different observers maybe interpreting meaning of categories in differently

Cultural Bias
- Interpretation of verbal and written content will be affected by language and culture of the observer

Question 7

what is Thematic Analysis?

Answer 7

a form of content analysis but the outcome is qualitative through the process of identifying themes
- a theme refers to any idea that is recurrent

Question 8

what is Reliability?

Answer 8

a measure of whether something stays the same / is consistent

Question 9

what is internal reliability?

Answer 9

an internal consistency of measure such as as whether the different questions in a questionnaire all measure the same thing

Question 10

what is external reliability?

Answer 10

assesses consistency when different measures of the same thing are compared (e.g. does one measure match up against other measures)

Question 11

How do you assess the reliability of an observation?

Answer 11

Inter-rater reliability
- where 2 or more also observe and see if all get similar results

Question 12

How do you improve the reliability of an observation?

Answer 12

• redefine the behaviour checklist
• train people to use the same tools as you

Question 13

How do you assess the reliability of a questionnaire?

Answer 13

Test-retest reliability
- needs a strong correlation (0.8)

Question 14

how do you improve the reliability of a questionnaire?

Answer 14

adjust flawed questions to ensure correlation

Question 15

how do you assess the reliability of an experiment?

Answer 15

replication

Question 16

strengths of Meta analysis

Answer 16

• high validity due to being based on a larger sample size
• When studies show us contradictory results, a meta analysis shows us the overall effect

Question 17

weaknesses of Meta Analysis

Answer 17

• there will be some differences in the designs of the different studies - therefore it may not be appropriate to combine the data

Question 18

strengths of Case studies

Answer 18

• Rich and interesting data - has a high degree of realism & can provide insight into existing areas
• Can contradict / support existing theories - can lead to the modification of theories (e.g. HM on the MSM)

Question 19

weaknesses of case studies

Answer 19

• low reliability due to findings of a case study being unlikely to be replicated even when similar cases are studied - lead to low generalisation