Content analysis

Quantitative content analysis - a research method which seeks to classify and quantify the content of a document.

- it can effectively measure simple straigtforward aspects of content

- it is easy to obtain and to make comparisons

- it's reliable

- however, researchers' interpretations might be biased or they might not agree with the content

- further explanation and interpretation of the data is needed

Qualitative content analysis looks for themes and meanings in media and documents. Interpretivists prefer this method because it uncovers hidden meanings. 

- it's valid

- however, because of different interpretations of the data, it's unreliable

John Scott (1990) says that sociologists should be very careful when analysing secondary data:

- the data might be fake

- the data might be not creditable - the researcher is lying

- the data might not be representative

- the data might be too old-fashioned and thus lots of old-fashioned meanings might affect the understanding of the content