Workshop 5 Content Analysis and Coding
The higher edcuation landscape is a competitive one. Institutions of higher education compete to attract applicants to their campuses. Even the most highly ranked public and private universities compete with each other to attract high numbers of well-qualified applicants and they are often competing with each other for the same applicants. In addition, institutions of higher education often offer the same or very similar “products,” degrees and training in a range of similar fields. Considering these similarities, how do they distinguish themselves from their peer institutions? In this highly competitive admissions environment, how do institutions set themselves apart from their peers to attract applicants? How are institutions connecting with potential applicants?
You have been asked to conduct a content analysis of a highly ranked, public institution, UCLA, to learn more about institutional admissions messaging, its content (visual, textual), to learn more about strategies utilized to connect with potential applicants and how UCL A presents itself to potential applicants. Because websites/pages are a primary admissions communication outreach tool, we will focus on the UCLA admissions webpage to conduct our content analysis. Landing/home pages are a high impact moment of communication and connection, we will be focusing on the UCLA admissions homepage to conduct our content analysis.
There are two stages of this assignment:
Pre-workshop preparation (work that should be completed before class 3/3) and in-class work.
I am including only the pre-workshop prepartion below to help avoid confusion.
Pre-workshop 5 Assignment
Tasks to complete before class, noon 3/3
Step 1: Become familiar with the data
You should go to the following link to review the content of the landing page (landing page only, please do not click on any links that take you away from the landing page): images, headers, infographics, text associated with images, and “stand alone” text of the admissions home/landing page:
1) Look over images (including carousel images on the homepage – click through them) to get a sense of: the types of images displayed, content, qualities (low resolution, bright etc.) who or what is depicted in or the focus of the images, are images a large percentage of the website space
2) Look over the text and text associated with images – what is the tone, what types of information included, what types of language used, how is it formatted, where is it located
3) Review the whole webpage: how is it formatted, what does it look like overall – anything else of note/interesting/stands out
Step 2: Open coding
Before the workshop in Tuesday, please start open coding (we will have time in the workshop to refine codes and develop themes): images, text, formatting
You may wish to develop codes for images separate from text separate from formatting
There is no need to identify patterns at this stage, although you may. As we discussed in class, patterns should be detected based on coding, we should not just code patterns that we detect at this time. Coding at this stage is similar to taking an overall inventory of the data – what is there on the webpage. You should start with 8 categories of open codes (these will be refined in class) to keep the analysis manageable time-wise. Minimum of 8 coding categories required (you may add more, but I want to keep the assignment manageable in time). You may place several pieces of data within each code as you determine is appropriate.
An example of how to start:
After becoming familiar with the landing page (looking at all of the images, reading text, looking at formatting, what stands out to you about the first image on the page? (Keeping in mind the research questions in paragraph 1 above.) Create descriptive codes for what stands out to you/what seems notable especially considering our research question above (connecting to prospective applicants).
Step 3: Write out your descriptive open coding categories and include descriptions of data you are placing in this category
For example:
Open coding category:
UCLA is a fun place to learn (descriptive coding category):
(Add a description of the content – data being placed into this “bucket” of code)
Image of a student smiling holding a laboratory beaker
Quote describing academics: “…challegening courses but fun to learn with new friends”
Summary of Tasks for this Assignment
1) Go to the UCLA admssions homepage:
2) Familiarize yourself with the information/images/forrmat of the page
3) Create at least 8 categories of “open codes” please create descriptive codes (See Dr. Kriukow video) – keeping in mind the research questions included in the first paragraph of this assignment
4) Under each code please describe the data that you associate with that code
5) Submit by the deadline 3/3, noon
Grading for this portion of the workshop (Pre-workshop preparation)
Late submission -20 points
Less than 8 coding categories -15 points
Requirements: 1-2 pages
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