Content analysis in communication research

*Dr Amit k Singh**Mili Singh
Study of communication as subject is new in comparison to
others u b j e c t   o f   s o c i a l   s c i e n c e s   a n d   n a t u r a l   s c i e n c e s .   T h e   s t u d
y   o f   c o m m u n i c a t i o n i s g e n e r a l l y br a n c h e d u n d e r s o c i a l s c i e n c e s .
S o the methods of communication research are adopted from
socialr e s e a r c h .   C o m m u n i c a t i o n s   r e s e a r c h   u n d e r t a k e s   t h e   s c i e n t i f i c
study of communication process. It is objective, deterministic andparsimonious.
The study of communication is multidisciplinary soits research method can be also
adopted from behavioral
science,n a t u r a l   s c i e n c e   a n d   m a n a g e m e n t   k e e p i n g   i t s   r o o t   w i t h  
socialsciences. Media is emerging as industry and its produ
c t s   a r e available with the price tag attached with them and its
audiencea s   m a r k e t   l e a d i n g   t o   t h e   u s e   o f   m a r k e t   r e s e a r c h   m e t h
ods formedia studies. In short communication research adop
t e d   i t s methods from various disciplines.
Areas of communication research
- communication researchd e a l s   w i t h   t h e   s t u d y   o f   c o m m u n i c a t i o n  
p r o c e s s   s o   i t   w o r k i n g areas are “the elements of communication process”.
1.
Sender /communicator /source research
2.
Message /text research
3.
Channel/media research4.Receiver/ audience research5 . E f f e c t
R e s e a r c h  The above macro elements of communication process provide thew i d e
a r e a f o r r e s e a r c h . T h e s e m a c r o e l e m e n t s a r e a n a l y z e d i n micro
elements which provide selected field for communications t u d i e s .
B e r l o ’ s S M C R m o d e l a n a l y z e d t h e s e m a c r o e l e m e n t i n micro
elements.
1. Source/communicator research
- source has been analyzedas

 
a)Communication skillb ) A t t i t u d e c ) K n o w l e d g e d) S o c i a l
s y s t e m e ) C u l t u r e  To understand the nature of particular communicator these
microe l e m e n t s c a n pr o v i d e t h e ar e a of s t u d y t o t h e
communicationr e s e a r c h e r .   F o r   e x a m p l e   i f   t h e   r e s e a r c h   l o o k   f
o r   t h e   e s s e n t i a l characteristics of good reporter, editor or other media
personnelh e   c a n   s t u d y   t h e s e   a b o v e   e l e m e n t s .   A l s o   o t h e r   c h a r a c t e r i s
t i c s such as credibility, expertise, intent and attractiveness can alsobe
judged.  Y a l e   c o m m u n i c a t i o n   r e s e a r c h   g r o u p   o f   U S A   H o v l a n d  
andWeiss conducted an experiment in which they presented 
a n i d e n t i c a l   c o m m u n i c a t i o n   t o   t w o   g r o u p s .   B u t   t h e   m e s s a g e   w a s att
ributed to high and low credibilility sources. It was
consideredt o   b e   m o r e   b i a s e d   a n d   u n f a i r   w h e n   i t   w a s   a t t r i
buted to lowcredibility source.  The high credibilit
y   s o u r c e   h a s   g r e a t e r immediate effect on opinion of the audience
than low credibilitysource.

CONSIDERED CONSIDERED FAIRBAISED AND UNFAIR

 Thus the same message attributed to different credibility sourceproduce
different reactions.
2. Message /content /text research-
message is analyzed
asa ) E l e m e n t b ) S t r u c t u r e c ) C o n t e n t d)Treatmente ) C o d e M e s s a
g e i s m o s t i m p o r t a n t e l e m e n t w h i c h h a s t h e a b o v e m i c r o element
which provides the basic field for research work.
3. Channel/media research
-   t h o u g h   S M C R   h a s   a n a l y z e d   t h e channel having following
microelements:-
a ) S e e i n g b ) H e a r i n g c ) T o u c h i n g d ) S m e l l i n g e ) T a s t i n g Based on the
reception patterns of above senses media is dividedinto visual, audio and
audio-visual. These media are the field of investigation and their
effectiveness for particular campaign.
4. Receiver / audience research
-This micro element of communication is studied 
m a x i m u m   f o r   m a r k e t   p u r p o s e . Advertisers are manufactures
find their prospective customer of their product out of media audience so
they encourage and fundthe audience research. Receiver perceives the
message send bythe source using the following microelements.
 
a)Communication skillb ) A t t i t u d e c ) K n o w l e d g e d) S o c i a l
systeme ) C u l t u r e
5. Effect research
- S M C R   m o d e l   d o e s   n o t   d e s c r i b e   t h e   e f f e c t element of
communication. But it is one of the most sought
offerr e s e a r c h   f i e l d   i n   c o m m u n i c a t i o n   r e s e a r c h
.   S o c i o l o g i s t , Psychologist, Advertisers Parents all are worried
about the effectof media on the adoption of culture, behavior, attitude
formation,buying pattern etc of audience.
Content Analysis in Communication Research-
After knowingt h e b a s i c f i e l d s / a r e a s o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n r e s e a r c h w e
try to
findo u t   h o w   c o n t e n t   a n a l y s i s   i s   u s e d   i n   t h e s e   a r e a s .   A c c o r d i
n g   t o Bernard Berelson content analysis is “a research technique f
o r objective, systematic and quantitative description of the manifestcontent of
communication.”According to Klaus Krippendorff in his book ‘Content
Analysis: Anintroduction to its Methodology’‘ I n a n y s i n g l e w r i t t e n
message one can count letters, words
ors e n t e n c e s .   O n e   c a n   c a t e g o r i z e   p h r a s e s ,   d e s c r i b e   t h e   l o g i c
alstructure of expressions, ascertain association, connotatio
n,d e n o t a t i o n , e l o c u t i o n a r y f o r c e s a n d   o n e c a n a l s o
o f f e r p s y c h i a t r i c ,   s o c i o l o g i c a l   or   p o l i t i c a l   i n t e r pr e t a t i o n s .   A l l   o f  
t h e s e may be simultaneously valid. In short, a message may convey
amultitude of contents even to a single
receiver.’C o n t e n t   a n a l y s i s   f o l l o w s   a   s y s t e m a t i c   p r o c e s s   f o r   c o
d i n g   a n d drawing inferences from the texts. It starts by
determining whichu n i t s of d a t a w i l l b e a n a l y z e d . I n wr i t t e n o r
v e r b a l t e x t s , d a t a , units are of four types.
1.
S y n t a ct i c a l   u n i t s
-   t h e s e   u n i t s   c a n   b e   w o r d s ,   p h r a s e , sentences
or paragraphs. Words are the smallest and reliabledata unit.