Qualitative Content Analysis

This book is a systematic, eight-step guide to qualitative content analysis, supporting you through each stage of your research project, no matter the type or amount of data.

Introduction: Why Should we be Concerned With Qualitative Content Analysis?Part I: Foundations of Text AnalysisChapter 1: The Methodological Debate of Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Historical Background Theory of Science Background of the Controversy Is Mixed Methods a Solution? Common Research Criteria for Qualitative and Quantitative ApproachesChapter 2: Importance of Text Analysis in Social Sciences Texts and Numerical Data as Material in Social Sciences Methods of Collecting Textual Material in Social Sciences ProjectsChapter 3: Different Approaches of Text Analysis A comparison of Five Qualitative Text Analysis Approaches Social-Hermeneutic Paraphrase Psychoanalytic Text Interpretation Objective Hermeneutics Grounded Theory Coding Qualitative Content Analysis Comparison of the Approaches and Quality CriteriaChapter 4: A Short History of Content Analysis Preliminary Phase Consolidation Phase Fine Developments and Interdisciplinary Expansion Stagnation and "Discontent" with Content Analysis New quantitative approaches in computational linguistics, complex algorithms and text mining Approaches to Qualitative Content AnalysisChapter 5: Basic Principles of Qualitative Content Analysis Embedding the Material within its Communication Context Categories in the Focus of Analysis Defining content analytical units Systematic, Rule-bound Procedure Object Reference in Place of Formal Techniques Theory-guided Character of the Analysis Testing Specific Instruments via Pilot Studies Integrating Quantitative Steps of Analysis Quality CriteriaChapter 6: Procedures of Qualitative Content Analysis Summarizing Qualitative Content Analysis Inductive Category Formation Explication: Narrow and Broad Context Analysis Structuring: Deductive Category Assignment Mixed ProceduresChapter 7: Computer Programs for Supporting Qualitative Content Analysis The Merits of Computer Assistance in Text Analysis QCAmap Software for Qualitative Content AnalysisPart II: The 8 Step Qualitative Content Analysis Research ProcessChapter 8 Step 1: Forming the Research Question From Themes to Questions How to Formulate a Research Question Example for Step 1: Forming the Research QuestionChapter 9 Step 2: Establishing the Theoretical Background of the Study Different Levels of Theory Background Example for Step 2: Establishing the Theoretical Background of the StudyChapter 10 Step 3: Designing the Study Basic Designs for Qualitative (and Quantitative) Research Example for Step 3: Designing the Study Ethical Aspects of a Qualitative Content Analysis StudyChapter 11 Step 4: Gathering Textual Material, Sampling The Quality of the Sample: Establishing a Sampling Strategy Recommendations for Sample Size Describing the Text Corpus for Qualitative Content Analysis Transcription Rules Example for Step 4 (Textual Material)Chapter 12 Step 5: Choosing and Constructing Adequate Methods Summarizing: Procedure and Example Inductive Category Formation: Procedure and Example Explicating (Context Analysis): Procedure and Example Structuring (Deductive Category Assignment): Procedure and Example Mixed Procedures: Theme Analysis, Type Analysis, Parallel ProceduresChapter 13 Step 6: Conducting the Study and Presenting the Results Description of Results Presenting Studies with Summarizing Content Analysis Presenting Inductive Category Formation Presenting Deductive Category Assignment Answering the Research QuestionChapter 14 Step 7: Discussing Quality Criteria Classical Quality Criteria Specific Content-analytical Quality Criteria Software Example: Three Levels of Intercoder AgreementChapter 15 Step 8: Reflecting on Research Implications Theoretical Implications Practical ImplicationsPart III: Indications and Limitations of Qualitative Content Analysis Similar Conceptions of a Qualitative Content Analysis Criticism and Misunderstandings Strengths and Weaknesses of Qualitative Content Analysis Further Developments