Social Research Methods: Chapter 12

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the Social Research Methods lecture focused on content analysis.

Content Analysis

Examination and coding of documents, texts, and media output; can be quantitative or qualitative.

Unobtrusive Measures

Documents not produced specifically for the purposes of social research, such as letters and diaries.

Scott’s Criteria

Criteria for assessing document quality: authenticity, credibility, representativeness, and meaning.

Coding Manual

A set of instructions for coders that lists what is to be coded and provides general guidance.

Ethnographic Content Analysis

A qualitative approach that emphasizes the context of documents and revises themes as data are examined.

Semiotics

The science of signs, studying systems of communication and seeking to expose hidden meanings in texts.

Denotative Meaning

The obvious meaning of a signifier.

Connotative Meaning

The secondary meaning that arises with the denotative meaning.

Conversation Analysis

The detailed examination of the structure of talk and how social order is created through communication.

Discourse Analysis

Studies how communication produces understanding and reflects power relationships; includes elements of conversation analysis.

Advantages of Content Analysis

Transparent in its quantitative form, allows for longitudinal analysis, unobtrusive method, and is flexible.

Disadvantages of Content Analysis

Limitations due to text quality, reliability issues, potential for invalid conjecture, and difficulty answering 'Why?' questions.

Active vs Passive Audiences

Debate on whether audiences accept messages at face value or critically evaluate and reinterpret them.

Value Positions

The positive or negative view portrayed in content, such as a subject on multiculturalism.

Coding Schedule

A framework for recording data during content analysis, detailing what categories will be analyzed.

Inter-Coder Reliability

Consistency between different coders in coding data.

Intra-Coder Reliability

Consistency within the same coder across different coding instances.