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Collecting
Data:  content or document analysis
One robust
way to collect data is the content or document analysis. In
general, this is a strategy that supplements other data
gathering techniques.
- Content
analysis is a technique that enables researchers to
study human behavior in an indirect way, through an
analysis of their communications. It is just what its
name implies: the analysis of the ... written contents of
a communication. Textbooks, essays, newspapers, novels,
magazines, articles, cookbooks, songs, political
speeches, advertisements, pictures [even artwork]
-- in fact, the contents of virtually any type of
communication can be analyzed.
-
In
class, we'll use different types of rubrics and
checklists to review varied materials (songs, news
websites, WebQuests, chat transcripts, instructor guides)
-- and at the close of the evening we'll see where the
process has led us!
We'll take
a few minutes to explore the content  analysis
that (EdTec grad) Douglas Scott conducted for
SeaWorld.
Here
is another article about  content
analysis.
You can consider this optional
reading,
though reading it will be time well spent. Also, here is an extra
article with good information about sample coding strategies.
You can once again consider this optional; however, those of you
are becoming keen
on research will get much from it.
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