Content analysis is any technique for making inferences by systematically and objectively identifying specified characteristics of messages.

Uses

Various types of content design

Characteristics of communication

To make inferences as to the antecedents of communication (encoding)

To make inferences as to the effects of communication (decoding)

To do a content analysis

What unit of content is to be classified?

What are your recording units?

What is your context unit?

Quantification of identified units

Procedures for content analysis

1. Select a topic

2. Decide sample

3. Define concepts or unites to be counted

4. Construct categories

5. Create coding form

6. Train coders

7. Collect data

8. Measure intercoder reliability

9. Analyze data

10. Report results