ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the basics of content analysis, the definition of "content analysis", categories for content analysis, sampling texts, the process of coding, reliability and validity, and then contrasts human and computer content analysis. Content analysis of texts undoubtedly continues to be a staple in political communication research. Given that scholars approach research questions with different purposes, we can expect both human and computer content analysis to occupy important places in political communication research work. Political communication research places texts and their content in the forefront of theory and research. Content analysis is not the only way to grapple with texts, but it is a well-established and important technique quantifying dimensions of the content of political messages. Content analysis was developed explicitly as a research tool for investigating the nature of communication generally, as well as mass communication. This method is vitally important for theory and research in political communication.
