Content Analysis: general considerations, relations with the research question, the possibilities and limitations of the method

Abstract

There are different techniques for organizing and analyzing data in qualitative research and Content Analysis of these possibilities in applied social sciences. Content Analysis is composed of several techniques which tries to describe the content delivered in the communication process, whether through speech or text. Thus, Content Analysis consists of systematic procedures that provide a survey of indicators (quantitative or not) allowing the execution of inference of knowledge. This paper has proposed working on a literature review focusing on the characteristics of the method, its relations with the research question, limitations and application possibilities. To do so, proceeded to read systematically, and to endless discussions on the various surveys conducted from the use of content analysis as research method.