LSE Department of Methodology,

MY428/528 - LT 2014

Qualitative Text Analysis

Course Convenor: Aude Bicquelet (a.j.bicquelet@lse.ac.uk)

Office Hours: Thursday 11:30-13:30

Introduction &

Overview

Week 1

Week 1: Introduction and Overview

Week 2: Working with Text

Week 3: Descriptive Approaches to Textual Analysis

Week 4: Exploratory Approaches to Textual Analysis

Week 5 & 6: Classical Content Analysis

Week 7 & 8: Summative Assignment Groundwork

Week 9 & 10: Structural and Critical Approaches

Structure of the course

Lectures

Theories. Discussion of research papers using TA in social science research.

Seminars Applications of methods and techniques presented during the lectures.

Exercises Applications of methods and techniques presented during the lectures to: - Students’ research questions/ data, (and/or) - Research questions/ textual data provided as examples.

Readings Strongly recommended but not compulsory.

Structure of the course

1. To understand the ontological and epistemological assumptions underlying the

use of different TA methods.

2. To be able to justify the choice of a method (and perhaps a computer software)

to address a particular research question.

3. To be able to identify sampling, unitizing and coding strategies to adequately

address a research question.

4. To be able to demonstrate the robustness, validity & reliability of TA results.

Objectives

1. To teach you The ultimate method to address any research question you may be

confronted with.

2. To teach you The ultimate tool (software) to ‘sex up’ your research.

3. To convey false methodological assumptions , i.e.: TA produces fast results / TA

per se will lend credibility to my results (…)

Non-Objectives

Lectures: Thursdays 16:00 – 18:00 (NAB.1.10)

Seminars: Fridays 12:00 – 13:00

Week 1-6 (32L.G.15)

Week 7-10 (STC.S.177)

No Seminar on Week 1

Week 7 & 8: Summative Assignment Groundwork

Teaching arrangements

Summative Assessment: Essay (4,000-5,000 – Appendix non included)

Deadline: 5 May 2014

Evaluation Criteria (cf. Course Outline)

- Relevance and soundness of the research design given the research goals

- Relevance and soundness of data analysis

- Quality of Discussion

Evaluation

The Big Picture

Lack of consensus on the definition.

Qualitative Content Analysis /Qualitative Analysis of Content are acknowledged

methods.

Qualitative Text Analysis.

Family of analytic approaches ranging from impressionistic, intuitive,

interpretative analyses to systematic, strictly textual analyses.

Research using Qualitative Text Analysis

Focuses on language.

Pay attention to the latent/explicit content and contextual meaning of a text.

What is ‘Qualitative Text Analysis’?

The Big Picture

Theoretical Models :

Discourse Analysis (Van Dijk; Fairclough; Chilton)

Argumentation Analysis (Toulmin)

Dialogical Analysis (Mead; Bakhtin)

Rhetorical Analysis (Eco; Rorty)

Grounded Theory (Glaser & Strauss)

Thematic Analysis (Boyatzis; Attride-Stirling)

Content Analysis (Krippendorff; Neuendorf)

Tools and Techniques available for QTA

CATAS & CAQDAS:

Inductive methods: Nvivo; Atlas-ti; MAXQDA.

Exploratory methods: Alceste.

Dictionary-based approaches: Hamlet; General Inquirer; Prospero.

Mixed-Method software: QDA Miner/Wordstat (Provalis)/ T-lab

Network analysis: UCINET & NETDRAW

Tools and Techniques available for QTA

Texts: Epitaphs, obituaries, personal ads, political manifestos, parliamentary debates, parking tickets, thank-you letters, interviews, focus groups transcripts, shopping lists, books, blogs, Congressional reports, newspaper articles, Diaries (…)

Images: Magazine ads, cave art, billboards, web pages, paintings, doodles, family portraits, patient X-rays (…)

Moving Images and Sounds: Jingles, Radio ads, memo dictation, answering machine messages, elevator conversations, news footage, sitcom, movies, television programs, family reunions and special events (weddings).

Plethora of data to be analysed

- Law

- Politics

- History

- Psychology

- Sociology

- Linguistics

- Media & Communication

- Health research

- Management

- (…)

Plethora of applications

Qual. v Quant

The perennial debate?

Qualitative Data

Qualitative Analysis

Semiotics

Discourse Analysis

Thematic Analysis

Qualitative Content Analysis

Quantitative Analysis

Exploratory Content analysis

Classical content analysis

Dictionary-based approaches

Semantic network analysis

Quantitative Narrative

Document scaling

Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses

Classical Content Analysis

Definition

“A Research Technique for the

objective, systematic, and

quantitative description of the

manifest content of communication”

(Berelson, 1952).

Aim

To test hypothesis about texts.

Qualitative Content Analysis

Definition

“A Research Method for the subjective

interpretation of the content data

through the systematic classification

process of coding and identifying

themes or patterns” (Hsieh and

Shannon, 2005: 1278)

Aim

To provide an integrated view of

speech/texts.

Qualitative and Quantitative CA: Definitions and Comparisons

Classical Content Analysis

Origins

Mass communication/Media

Analysis.

Epistemological Foundations

Deductive

Posture

Using a text

Qualitative Content Analysis

Origins

Anthropology/Sociology/

Psychology.

Epistemological Foundations

Inductive

Posture

Reading a text

Qualitative and Quantitative CA: Definitions and Comparisons

QTCA

Sampling

Random

Coding

Closed

Complexity reducing

Indicators

Validity; Reliability; Generalisability.

QCA

Sampling

Purposive

Coding

Open

Complexity increasing

Indicators

Credibility; Transferability;

Dependability; Conformability

Qualitative and Quantitative CA: Definitions and Comparisons

• No Qualification without logic

and rationalization.

• No interpretation without

formal detachment

• No Quantification without

Qualification.

• No statistical analysis without

interpretation.

Qual. v Quant – A false debate?

Each text analysis method has its own strengths and

weaknesses.

No single method is appropriate for all text analysis

tasks.

A single text analysis task often profit from combining

several methods.

Qual. v Quant. – A false debate?

Models &

Applications

Descriptive Approaches:

Thematic &

Qualitative Content Analysis

P: It is only a job, at the moment. I: Well, in general, is the job situation at the moment a strain for you, Category definition: Stress factors through or is it ok? unemployment; alle hints to negative P: Well, of course it is unsatisfying! consequences in different areas of life

LAZARUS stress definition I: And what is the main problem? Level of Abstraction: Concrete recordable

factors (no general appraisals) generalizable to unemployed people P: Well the situation was really stressing since 1990.. I: Yes, mh. P: ... As we realized, that we could not continue T1: Problems to pay the rent III in our job as teachers, simply because for us it T2: Uncertainty about future II was a totally new situation without any job, T3: Totally new situation in the GDR everyone had a job. without a job II I: Mh, mh. T4: Too old for reeducation I P: ... And really terrible was the time of unemployment afterwards, because we really did not know, what to to do; well, a reeducation for a new profession? Please imagine, I am now 56 years old! I: Mh, mh. P: ... So that was the situation, and is it up to now.

Example – Mayring (2010)

line Paraphrase 1. reduction 2. reduction

2 P1: Cannot handle the situation T1: No coping of the situation (P1,5)

2 P2: They pushed me besides ./.

4 P3: They treated me injust T2: Treated unjust (P2,3,6) C1: Stress through instustice

(T1,2)

8 P4: They did not see my qualities ./.

9 P5: Cannot cope with this ./.

9 P6: I have built up a lot ./.

Example – Mayring (2010)

Category definition; Level of abstraction

Research question, theory, units

Working through the material line by line:

Category formulation or subsumption

Revision of the categories (after 10 — 50%)

Final working through the material

Formulating main categories if useful

Analysis, category frequencies, interpretation

Example – Mayring (2010)

Exploratory Content Analysis

(Text-Mining)

‘In a different Parliamentary Voice? An analysis of gender differences in UK parliamentary debates about abortion’. Bicquelet, A., Weale, A & Bara, J (2012) Politics & Gender.

Research Question: Do men and women express similar (or different) types of arguments in parliamentary debates?

Data: 6 Second reading debates from 1966 to 1988 in the UK House of Commons

Software: Alceste

Units of Analysis: Speech-acts

Sampling Strategy: Purposive

Example – Bicquelet et al. (2011)

Classical Content Analysis

(Quantitative Content Analysis)

Applications of Classical CA:

Hirschman’s study of people as product

Researchers of human mate selection have shown that:

- Men tend to prefer women of greater physical beauty.

- Women tend to prefer men of higher and economic status.

Hirschman reasoned that men and women would offer and seek 10 kinds of resources from one another in personal ads: physical attractiveness, love, entertainment, money, educational status, intellectual and occupational status (…)

Expected Pattern of Resource Exchange in Ads:

Women are expected to offer and

Men to seek

Men are expected to offer and

women to seek

Physical attractiveness

Love

Entertainment

Information (age, marital status,

residence)

Ethnicity

Personality

Money

Educational status

Intellectual status

Occupational status

Applications of Classical CA:

Hirschman’s study of people as product

Ad. Mag. Gender Physical

features

offered

Physical

Features

sought

Money

offered

Money

sought

Educ.

Status

offered

Educ.

Status

sought

Occup.

Status

offered

Occup.

Status

sought

Etc.

1

0 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 -

2

0 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 -

3

1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 -

4

1 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 -

X

- - - - - - - - - - -

405

1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 -

Applications of Classical CA:

Hirschman’s study of people as product

Would Pam and Albert be likely to hit on each other through personal ads?

Applications of Classical CA:

Hirschman’s study of people as product

Critical & Structural

Approaches

Portrait of Napoleon

by J.B Boreli (1813)

Laurel Crown: Celebrates Napoleon’s

illustrious victories &

links with Roman emperors

for whom the laurel wreath

was a symbol of military triumph

Coronation Robe: Inspire owe & show

Napoleon as the

rightful leader of

France

Golden bees: Symbols of immortality and

emblems of the ancient

kings of France. They give

Napoleon’s reign symbolic

legitimacy

Sceptre of Charlemagne: Portrays Napoleon as the

successor of Charlemagne

who, like Napoleon conquered

France, Germany, Italy,

Belgium & the Netherlands

Globe and Hand of

Justice: Symbols of Kingship and

authority. They suggest that

Napoleon is a benevolent ruler

Throne: Leaves the viewer in no doubt

that Napoleon is the ruler of

France

Four Freedoms

Save Freedom of Speech

Buy War Bonds

by Norman Rockwell (1943)

Title: Appeal to a core American

belief enshrined in the

Constitution and implies

that it is threatened (Ethos)

Speaker’s Face: Ecstatic

expression

maximizes the

emotional impact

of the poster

(Pathos)

Audience: From a variety of

professions and

background. They all

listen raptly to the

humble speaker

(Pathos)

Buy War Bonds: Specific call

to action linked to the

fundamental principle of the

title. Phrased as an imperative:

the poster gives the audience no

choice (Ethos)

Speaker’s Clothes:

Working class clothes

emphasize that Freedom of

Speech is a basic right,

enjoyed by all, regardless

of occupation, education or

class (Ethos)

• It’s not about the method(s) you choose; It’s about demonstrating how they

will help you answering your research question.

• A software is not a method per se, a software is simply a tool.

• Methods are simply means towards ends not the opposite (unless you’re

assessing them).

• Remember that, eventually, you’ll always be assessed on the basis of one

single question: What did we learn, by reading this piece of research, that

we did not know before?

Preliminary Advice

• Russel, B. H. and Ryan, G.W. (2010). Analysing Qualitative Data: Systematic

Approaches. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.

• Scheier, M. (2012) Qualitative Content Analysis. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.

• Grich, C (2013) Qualitative Content Analysis. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.

• Krippendorff, K. (2004). Content Analysis: An Introduction to Its Methodology. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, 2nd edition.

• Neuendorf, K. A. (2002). The Content Analysis Guidebook. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.

• Bauer, M. and Gaskell, G. (2009) Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and Sound, London: Sage

• Miles, M., & Huberman, A.M. (1999). Qualitative Data Analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA:Sage Publications. 2nd Edition

Resources