Content Analysis

Content Analysis Summary

Content analysis is a process that is defined in different way by different analysts. All definitions include similarities of requiring a detailed systematic approach in order to interpret media information in a useful way. The process of obtaining useful information is detailed and very specific in order to obtain useful data. The first step in any experiment or study is to find an applicable topic to research. In many ways the study of media follows the steps of the scientific method. The research process ends in analyzing collected data and drawing connections to find indicators in media. The study may be interpreted differently for the reader from the coder. Content analysis must be reliable or it will be viewed as not important to the real world. An issue with studies is the wide variety of users of media. The broad spectrum creates many variable for the researcher to interpret. Content analysis is important because it allows people to more easily understand the world and the media within it, although not always completely reliable.

Outside Example

When reading about the study of interpreting media I could not help to think about all the media platforms including social media. Majority of the modern world is connected through medias such as Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. Twitter is a social media platform that allows anyone with internet access to post thoughts, opinions, pictures and videos. There is an inconceivable amount of information flowing through the servers on a daily basis. Twitter is where I stay up to date on current issues and news, but when reading through Twitter I have to use discernment to interpret what information is useful and what is not.

Reading Connection

Twitter is a forum of media used daily by most and the reason Twitter came to mind during this reading is because of the amount of information that is put into Twitter. A content analysis study through twitter would require the collection and observation of millions of tweets. Of course, when a specific topic of study is selected it would narrow down the useful information, but would still require trained discernment to make the information useful. Content analysis, I would assume, makes many conclusion about the world through Twitter.