CMST 2A03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Simple Random Sample, Cluster Sampling, Content Analysis

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Communication Studies
• Course: CMST 2A03
• Professor: Terry Flynn

Document Summary

Without bias, content is treated systematically xs: messages transferred from qualitative statements to numbers data that can be quanti ed/compared, pros. Can objectively & reliably describe a message/group of messages and its application to advanced statistical analyses. Provides logical & statistical bases for understanding how messages are created: cons. Requires that the actual messages be recorded for analysis. Conducting a content analysis (lecture slides: review the literate, de ne the population of messages, sample from the population, de ne units of analysis, create category system, code the data. Manifest content is what you actually see and count, it is visible, observable/ measurable and quantitative (denotative) Latent content deals with the underlying/deeper meanings/themes of the messages. They are not obvious, require attitude measurement and qualitative (connotative) Units of analysis are the things that are actually counted: bernard berelson"s ve units of analysis. Four are manifest, fth (the theme) is latent and must be operationally de ned.