Content analysis

Content analysis was used first in communication sciences. Today, it is frequently used in media analysis. In other sciences such as nursing, researchers apply this method in their studies. In spite of the importance of this method in nursing research, there was not enough Persian material on the subject. Therefore, this review study was conducted to clarify and describe definitions, classifications, principles and conceptual bases of content analysis. Persian and Enghlish foreign articles and books were used in this review study. Most scholars believe that content analysis is a research tool used to determine the presence of certain words or concepts within texts or sets of texts. Some categorize it as a data analysis technique. Texts can be defined broadly as books, book chapters,essays,nterviews, discussions, newspaper headlines and articles, and historical documents. Using content analysis, researchers analyze the presence of meanings and relationships of such words and concepts, then make inferences about the messages within the texts, the writer(s), the audience, and even the culture and time of which these are a part. Content analysis can be used in both quantitative and qualitative researches.