SSP503 Online Research Methods and Media Analysis
Assignment 1: Media Content Analysis
Deadline: Tuesday 13th December, 4pm
Word count: 1500 words (excluding appendices)
Module grade: Accounts for 50% of the SSP503 module
grade
Include an outline of your coding manual as an appendix
Online submission via Turnitin link on LEARN page AND
printed copy submitted to 4th Floor Brockington Building
with cover sheet
Assignment 1: Media Content Analysis
We want you to demonstrate your ability to conduct a small
CA project by doing the following:
Select a topic
Produce a sample using NexisUK
Devise a coding manual and code sheet
Input cases into SPSS
Use SPSS to produce some basic outputs that describe and explain
patterns in your data
Offer some analysis of your findings
Choice of Topic
The coverage of a particular political incident or diplomatic
event
The representation of one or more of
gender/sexuality/ethnicity/religion/social class in coverage of a
particular event or activity
The representation of a particular crime or criminal activity
The representation of a current social issue in coverage of
political policy debates
Choice of Topic
It is important that you choose a
topic that is:
Suitable for quantitative content
analysis (can you count what you
are looking to analyse?)
Not so broad that you have too
much data (i.e. >100 articles) and
not so specific that you have too
little data (i.e. <50 articles)
Has a central questions or problem
Assignment Structure
A recommended structure for the assignment is as
follows:
Research Problem and Questions [~200 words]
Methodological Discussion [~350 words]
Results and Discussion [~750 words]
Conclusion [~200 words]
References
Appendix
Assignment Structure
Research Problem and Questions [~200 words]
Give a short explanation of the rationale for choosing this
topic by outlining the following:
Why you have chosen this question
Its significance in relation to the field of communication and
media studies
The specific things you intend to look for in your sample of
newspaper articles in order to answer the research question
Assignment Structure
Methodological Discussion [~350 words]
With reference to some methodological sources (e.g. Deacon et
al. 2007), describe content analysis and why it is used to conduct
news media analysis, including a brief summary of its strengths
and weaknesses (see Week 2)
Discuss how you applied content analysis to your research
problem (e.g. sampling strategy, unit of analysis, qualification
criteria, variables, values) (see Week 3 and 4)
Assignment Structure
Results and Discussion [~750 words]
Present the most relevant findings from your dataset in an
appropriate form. It is better to present one or two findings in detail
than try to report every observed pattern
If you choose to use tables, graphs or other illustrative outputs, ensure
they are clearly labelled (see Week 5)
Analyse the implications of these findings in relation to your research
question(s)
Assignment Structure
Conclusion [~200 words]
Provide a succinct answer to your research question(s). How has
your study helped to address the research problem?
Provide an evaluation of how your study could be improved by
further research (e.g. larger/different sample; different time
frame; new coding variables and values)
Remember limits to what can be proved and inferred by content
analysis findings (i.e. very difficult to say anything about
producers intentions or audience reception of
This requires you to present a brief report of a quantitative content analysis
investigating textual patterns in the representation of a news issue/event of your
choice.
The aim of the assignment is to practically apply a research method, in this case
content analysis, to a dataset of news articles. This will require an understanding of
the practical and theoretical issues fundamental to conducting quantitative content
analyses, the application of content analysis to a variety of research questions, the
appropriate marshalling of data and the procedures involved in producing findings
relevant to your research question(s). Further, the analysis will rely upon the use of
an online news database and the construction of a small dataset relating to the news
coverage of the chosen issue/event. The assignment will therefore focus
methodologically on choices made in the design and conduct of the study and
analytically on the quality of the arguments made in support of one or two main
findings.
Select sources from the following list. You may choose a single source to compare
how content has changed over time or several sources to compare content between
newspaper title:
The Guardian
The Times
The Daily Telegraph
The Independent
Financial Times
The Daily Mail/Mail on Sunday
The Express
The Daily Star/Sunday Star
The Sun
The Daily Mirror/Sunday Mirror
You must devise a research question based on one topic from the following:
1. The coverage of a particular political incident or diplomatic event (e.g.
China's President Xi Jinping visit to UK in October 2015)
2. The representation of one or more of
gender/sexuality/ethnicity/religion/social class in coverage of a particular
event or activity (e.g. Female medalists at the London 2012 and Rio 2016
Olympic games)
3. The representation of a particular crime or criminal activity (e.g. Ecstasy use
amongst teenagers in Great Britain)
4. The representation of a current social issue in coverage of political policy
debates (e.g. Immigration in the 2015 General Election campaigns of the
main UK political parties)
A recommended structure for the assignment is as follows:
• Research Problem and Questions [~200 words]
o Choose one of the available research questions.
o Give a short explanation of (A) why you have chosen this question, (B)
its significance in relation to the field of communication and media
studies, and (C) the specific things you intend to look for in your
sample of newspaper articles in order to answer the research
question.
• Methodological Discussion [~350 words]
o With reference to some methodological sources, describe content
analysis and why it is used to conduct news media analysis, including
a brief summary of its strengths and weaknesses.
o Discuss how you applied content analysis to your research problem
(e.g. sampling strategy, unit of analysis, qualification criteria,
variables).
• Results and Discussion [~750 words]
o Present the most relevant findings from your dataset in an
appropriate form. It is better to present one or two findings in detail
than try to report every observed pattern.
o If you choose to use tables, graphs or other illustrative outputs,
ensure they are clearly labelled.
o Analyse the implications of these findings in relation to your research
question(s).
• Conclusion [~200 words]
o Provide a succinct answer to your research question(s). How has your
study helped to address the research problem?
o Provide an evaluation of how your study could be improved by further
research.
• References
Please also include an outline of your coding manual as an appendix.
More detailed guidance will be available on the coursework during the lectures and
on Learn.
Looking for a Similar Assignment? Order now and Get 10% Discount! Use Coupon Code "Newclient"
