Computer-Assisted Text Analysis

by Roel Popping

• ISBN13: 9780761953784
• ISBN10: 0761953787
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-02-28
• Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd

Summary

This book provides an up-to-date picture of the main methods for the quantitative analysis of text. Popping begins by overviewing the background and the conceptual foundations of the field, introducing the latest developments. He then concentrates on a comprehensive coverage of the traditional thematic approaches of text analysis, followed by the newer developments in semantic and network text analysis methodologies. Finally, the author examines the relationship between content analysis and other kinds of text analysis - from qualitative research, linguistic analysis and information retrieval.Computer-assisted Text Analysis focuses on the methodological and practical issues of coding and handling data, including sampling, reliability and validity issues, and includes a useful appendix of computer programs for text analysis.The methods described are applicable across a wide range of disciplines in the social sciences and humanities as well as, for example, practitioners from the fields ofpolitical science, journalism., communication, marketing and information systems.

Author Biography

Roel Popping is with the Department of Sociology and the Department of Social Science Information Technology at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Text analysis: What and why?	1	(14)
Background	2	(5)
A definition	7	(4)
Steps in a quantitative text analysis	11	(2)
Notes	13	(2)
Further conceptual foundations	15	(10)
Units	15	(2)
Concept categories and dictionary formulation	17	(2)
Coding	19	(3)
Conclusion	22	(1)
Notes	23	(2)
Recent approaches to quantitative text analysis	25	(14)
Thematic text analysis	26	(1)
Semantic approach to text analysis	27	(3)
Network approach to text analysis	30	(4)
Other distinctions	34	(1)
Example data	34	(2)
Notes	36	(3)
Thematic text analysis	39	(28)
The instrumental approach	40	(19)
The representational approach	59	(2)
Output	61	(1)
Analysis	62	(1)
Conclusion	63	(1)
Notes	64	(3)
Semantic text analysis	67	(30)
Clauses	69	(1)
The instrumental approach	70	(9)
The representational approach	79	(13)
Analysis	92	(2)
Conclusion	94	(1)
Notes	95	(2)
Network text analysis	97	(32)
Relations	99	(2)
Constructing networks	101	(6)
Analysing networks	107	(11)
Analysis	118	(6)
Conclusion	124	(1)
Notes	125	(4)
Sampling, reliability and validity	129	(20)
Sampling and units of analysis	129	(3)
Reliability	132	(8)
Validity	140	(5)
Sampling characteristics	145	(1)
Notes	146	(3)
Relation to qualitative research	149	(14)
Text base managers	154	(1)
Code and retrieve programs	154	(1)
Theory builders	155	(1)
Concept categories	155	(4)
Network analysis	159	(2)
Notes	161	(2)
Relation to linguistics and information retrieval	163	(16)
Linguistics	163	(8)
Parsing	171	(1)
Information retrieval	172	(3)
Readability analysis	175	(1)
Related data collection techniques	176	(2)
Notes	178	(1)
Conclusion	179	(6)
Availability of sources	182	(2)
Notes	184	(1)
Appendix: Computer programs	185	(20)
General remarks	185	(3)
Program descriptions	188	(14)
Miscellaneous	202	(1)
Notes	202	(3)
References	205	(16)
Author index	221	(6)
Subject index	227