Abstract
Qualitative content analysis is a method for analyzing qualitative data like interview transcripts, observation notes or documents. It offers a systematic, step-by-step approach to analyzing text material and allows for both theory- and data-driven code development. Once data collection is finished, the recordings of interviews and group discussions, notes from observations, collected documents or media coverage need to be prepared for analysis. The analysis then consists of two main steps: coding and interpretation. Coding means to assign text segments to deductively and/or inductively developed categories. Interpretation, on the one hand, aims at discovering similarities and differences and identifying patterns within each category. On the other hand, it arranges the categories in relation to each other and puts them into a theoretical context. Following a short introduction, this chapter starts by explaining what qualitative content analysis is and presenting the method’s development. It then discusses the method’s strengths and weaknesses, before explaining each step of qualitative content analysis in detail.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alemann, U. v., & Tönnesmann, W. (1995). Grundriss: Methoden in der Politikwissenschaft. In U. v. Alemann (Ed.), Politikwissenschaftliche Methoden. Grundriss für Studium und Forschung (pp. 17–140). Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
Berelson, B. (1952). Content analysis in communication research. Glencoe: The Free Press.
Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027.
Brinkmann, S., & Kvale, S. (2015). InterViews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.
Fürst, S., Jecker, C., & Schönhagen, P. (2016). Die qualitative Inhaltsanalyse in der Kommunikationswissenschaft. In S. Averbeck-Lietz & M. Meyen (Eds.), Handbuch nicht standardisierte Methoden in der Kommunikationswissenschaft (pp. 209–225). Wiesbaden: Springer VS.
Jackson, P. (2000). Writing up qualitative data. In D. Burton (Ed.), Research training for social scientists (pp. 244–252). London: Sage.
Julien, H. (2008). Content analysis. In L. M. Given (Ed.), The Sage encyclopaedia of qualitative research methods (pp. 121–122). Thousand Oaks: Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412963909.n65.
Just, N., & Puppis, M. (2012). Communication policy research: Looking back, moving forward. In N. Just & M. Puppis (Eds.), Trends in communication policy research: New theories, methods and subjects (pp. 9–29). Bristol and Chicago: Intellect.
Kohlbacher, F. (2006). The use of qualitative content analysis in case study research. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 7(1). http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/75/153.
Kracauer, S. (1952). The challenge of qualitative content analysis. Public Opinion Quarterly, 16(4), 631–641.
Mason, J. (2002). Qualitative researching (2nd ed.). London; Thousand Oaks; and New Delhi: Sage.
Mayring, P. (2002). Einführung in die qualitative Sozialforschung (5th ed.). Weinheim and Basel: Beltz.
Mayring, P. (2014). Qualitative content analysis: Theoretical foundation, basic procedure and software solution. https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/bitstream/handle/document/39517/ssoar-2014-mayring-Qualitative_content_analysis_theoretical_foundation.pdf.
Mayring, P., & Hurst, A. (2017). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse. In L. Mikos & C. Wegener (Eds.), Qualitative Medienforschung. Ein Handbuch (2nd ed., pp. 494–502). Konstanz and München: UVK.
Meuser, M., & Nagel, U. (2009). The expert interview and changes in knowledge production. In A. Bogner, B. Littig, & W. Menz (Eds.), Interviewing experts (pp. 17–42). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Nawratil, U., & Schönhagen, P. (2009). Die qualitative Inhaltsanalyse: Rekonstruktion der Kommunikationswirklichkeit. In H. Wagner (Ed.), Qualitative Methoden in der Kommunikationswissenschaft (pp. 333–346). Baden-Baden: Nomos.
Puppis, M. (2009). Organisationen der Medienselbstregulierung. Köln: Halem.
Reh, W. (1995). Quellen- und Dokumentenanalyse in der Politikfeldforschung: Wer steuert die Verkehrspolitik? In U. v. Alemann (Ed.), Politikwissenschaftliche Methoden. Grundriss für Studium und Forschung (pp. 201–259). Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
Ryan, G. W., & Bernard, H. R. (2000). Data management and analysis methods. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed., pp. 769–802). London; Thousand Oaks; and New Delhi: Sage.
Schreier, M. (2014). Qualitative content analysis. In U. Flick (Ed.), The Sage handbook of qualitative data analysis (pp. 170–183). London: Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446282243.
Scott, J. (1990). A matter of record: Documentary sources in social research. Cambridge: Polity Press.
van den Hoonaard, W. C. (2008). Inter- and intracoder reliability. In L. M. Given (Ed.), The Sage encyclopaedia of qualitative research methods (p. 446). Thousand Oaks: Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412963909.n223.
Further Reading
Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027.
Mayring, P. (2014). Qualitative content analysis: Theoretical foundation, basic procedure and software solution. https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/bitstream/handle/document/39517/ssoar-2014-mayring-Qualitative_content_analysis_theoretical_foundation.pdf.
Meuser, M., & Nagel, U. (2009). The expert interview and changes in knowledge production. In A. Bogner, B. Littig, & W. Menz (Eds.), Interviewing experts (pp. 17–42). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Nawratil, U., & Schönhagen, P. (2009). Die qualitative Inhaltsanalyse: Rekonstruktion der Kommunikationswirklichkeit. In H. Wagner (Ed.), Qualitative Methoden in der Kommunikationswissenschaft (pp. 333–346). Baden-Baden: Nomos.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Puppis, M. (2019). Analyzing Talk and Text I: Qualitative Content Analysis. In: Van den Bulck, H., Puppis, M., Donders, K., Van Audenhove, L. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Methods for Media Policy Research. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16065-4_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16065-4_21
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-16064-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-16065-4
eBook Packages: Literature, Cultural and Media StudiesLiterature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)