ABSTRACT
In the preceding chapter, we offered a preliminary definition of quantitative content analysis that permitted an overview of the method's importance and utility for a variety of mass communication research applications: The systematic assignment of communication content to categories according to rules and the analysis of relationships involving those categories using statistical methods. A more specific definition derived from previous ones can now be proffered. It is distinguished from earlier definitions by our view of the centrality of communication content. In the complete definition, we address both purpose and procedure of content analysis and discuss its constituent terms.
