Literature research method mainly refers to the method of collecting, identifying and sorting out literature, and forming a scientific understanding of facts through the study of literature. Content analysis method realizes scientific understanding of facts through quantitative analysis and statistical description of documents. These two methods have the same object and are not in direct contact with the people and things recorded in the literature, so they are also called non-contact research methods.
The difference between them lies in the emphasis and means of analysis. The main difference between the two methods is that content analysis is to convert non-quantitative literature data into quantitative data, analyze the content of literature quantitatively, and make judgments and inferences based on these data. In addition, its analysis of the factors and structures that constitute the literature is more detailed and procedural.
First, literature research methods
1. Concepts and types of documents
Literature is "published or unpublished, but edited and reported, recording all the carriers of knowledge". Literature includes not only books, periodicals, dissertations, scientific reports, archives and other common printed materials, but also materials in various physical forms.
Literature can be roughly divided into zero-order literature, first-order literature, second-order literature and third-order literature, or called zero-order, first-order, second-order and third-order literature.
Zero-level documents, also known as first-level documents, are the most original materials that have not been published and consciously processed, including unpublished letters, manuscripts, drafts and various original records.
A literature, also known as original literature, generally refers to books, papers, investigation reports and other documents that directly record events, research results, new knowledge and new technologies.
Secondary literature, also known as retrieval literature, refers to the processing and sorting of primary literature, including recording its characteristics, extracting its content points, and sorting it into systematic and easy-to-find literature according to certain methods.
Third-level literature, also known as reference literature, is a literature that systematically sorts out and summarizes first-level literature on the basis of second-level literature retrieval. This kind of literature is different from the originality of first-class literature and the objective report of second-class literature, but has the nature of subjective synthesis.
2. The concept and process of literature research methods.
Literature research method mainly refers to the method of collecting, identifying and sorting out literature, and forming a scientific understanding of facts through the study of literature. From the whole process of educational scientific research, literature research method is often used in the preparation stage and scientific research process.
The general process of literature research method includes five basic links, namely: proposing a topic or hypothesis, researching and designing, collecting literature, sorting out literature and summarizing literature.
3. Document collection (channels and methods)
There are various channels to collect research documents, including: libraries, archives, museums, social, scientific and educational institutions or institutions, academic conferences, personal contacts and the Internet.
There are two main ways to collect research literature: search tools and references. The search method of retrieval tools refers to the use of ready-made (or existing) retrieval tools to find documents. Ready-made tools can be divided into manual retrieval tools (catalog cards, catalog indexes and abstracts) and computer retrieval tools.
Reference retrieval method, also known as retrospective retrieval method, is to track and retrieve related documents according to the list of references listed at the end of the author's articles and books.
Accumulating files is another form of collecting files. Each research topic needs to collect and accumulate certain documents, and the research process of each topic is also the process of accumulating new documents. You can accumulate documents by making cards, writing reading summaries and taking notes.
4. Arrangement of documents
Document arrangement is an important link and content of document research methods. It includes reading, recording, identification, classification and literature review.
(1) Reading principles: planned principle, sequential principle, critical principle and simultaneous principle.
(2) Reading methods of research literature: generally, there are three kinds: browsing, rough reading and intensive reading.
(3) Records of documents
The purpose of recording is to keep the valuable information discovered through reading for further analysis and research. The methods and forms of recording research literature mainly include: marking and commenting, copying, summarizing, reading notes and summarizing.
5. Identification of documents
There are two methods to identify the authenticity of documents: "external audit" and "internal audit"
(1) Four methods of "external review": distinguish the authenticity of the version, analyze the language style of the book, analyze the style of the document, and analyze the basic viewpoints and ideas in the document.
(2) Four methods of "internal audit": mutual verification of written documents, verification of written documents and objects, research on historical background of documents, author's life, position and basic ideas.
6. Classification of documents.
(1) Qualitative classification: primary classification, continuous classification and dichotomy.
(2) Requirements for collation: First, we should not beautify or demand the contents of historical documents with today's viewpoints or even ideals; Second, historical materials cannot be deleted at will to meet the pre-compiled conclusions or ready-made conclusions.
7. Characteristics and significance of literature review.
Literature review is the abbreviation of comprehensive literature review, which refers to a systematic and comprehensive description and comment on the research achievements and progress of a certain subject or topic in a certain period of time on the basis of comprehensive collection of relevant literature, after induction, sorting, analysis and appraisal. The review is divided into two forms: comprehensive and thematic. Comprehensive review is aimed at a certain discipline or specialty, and thematic review is aimed at a certain research problem or research methods and means.
Literature review is characterized by in-depth analysis of past and present research results, pointing out the current level, trend, problems to be solved and future development direction, and putting forward their own views, opinions and suggestions. According to relevant theories, research conditions and actual needs. Review all kinds of research results to provide basis or conditions for current research.
8. Form and structure of literature review
Generally, it can be divided into five parts: introduction, historical development, current situation analysis, trend prediction and suggestion, and reference catalogue.
9, the basic requirements of literature review
There are six main quality requirements for literature review:
(1) Literature collection should be objective and comprehensive; (2) materials and opinions should be coordinated; (3) strong pertinence; (4) Outline and highlight key points; (5) Appropriate use of statistical charts; (6) Don't confuse the viewpoints in the literature with the author's personal thoughts.
Steps and methods of literature review
Generally speaking, literature review includes five steps.
The first step is to determine the topic of review.
The second step is to collect relevant literature.
The third step is to sort out the literature.
The fourth step is to write the first draft of summary.
The fifth step is to revise the first draft of the review and complete the literature review.
Second, content analysis method
1, the concept of content analysis
Content analysis is a research method mainly aimed at various documents. The early content analysis method originated from the social science to quantitatively analyze the contents of historical documents by means of natural science research. In educational science research, content analysis is not only the main method of literature analysis, but also an independent and complete scientific research method.
The general process of involution analysis includes: establishing research objectives, determining population and analysis units; Design an analysis dimension (or category system) that can decompose the data content of the analysis unit into a series of items according to the principle of measurement and quantification; Then, the representative data samples (sampling) are extracted strictly according to the analysis dimension, and the samples are converted into the data form of the analysis category; Finally, the reliability test and statistical inference are carried out on the data.
Second, the characteristics of content analysis method
Content analysis method has the basic characteristics of objective and systematic analysis and quantitative description of obvious communication content.
Third, application
Internal product analysis has a wide range of applications. As far as the nature of research materials is concerned, it can be applied to any form of materials, that is, it can be applied to both written records and non-written records (such as radio and speech recordings, TV programs, videos of actions and postures, etc.). ); As far as the source of research materials is concerned, it can not only analyze many existing materials (such as students' textbooks, diaries and homework) for other purposes, but also collect related materials (such as interview records, observation records, sentence completion tests and so on). ) for a specific research purpose, and then judge and analyze them; As far as the focus of analysis is concerned, we can focus on the content of materials, the structure of materials, or both.
In prospective educational research, content analysis can be used to predict the trend of education and educational research. In the study of educational history, content analysis method can quantitatively analyze the style of documents, which is helpful to identify the authenticity of documents.
Although the content analysis method has a wide scope of application, the applicable content should generally have the characteristics of repeatable operation, sensory experience, obvious meaning and direct understanding. It is usually not suitable for content analysis to study the potential and in-depth content without this feature, otherwise it is difficult to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of the results.
Fourth, the general process of content analysis method
The general process of content analysis includes six parts: establishing research objectives, determining research population and selecting analysis units, designing analysis dimension system, sampling and quantifying analysis materials, making evaluation records and analyzing inferences.
1. Research objectives
In educational science research, content analysis method can be used to study various research objectives. The main types are: trend analysis, current situation analysis, comparative analysis and intention analysis.
2. Design analysis dimensions and systems
Analysis dimension (analysis category) is an item and standard to classify data content according to research needs.
There are two basic methods to design analysis dimensions and categories. One is to adopt a ready-made analytical dimension system, and the other is to design it by researchers according to the research objectives. The first method: first, let two people independently catalog the dimensions and categories of the same use according to the same standard, then calculate their reliability, and discuss the standards accordingly, and then catalog them until they have a basically consistent understanding of the analytic dimension system. Finally, we need to let them use this system to classify several new materials and calculate the reliability of raters. If the results are satisfactory, we can use this system to classify the rest of the materials. The second method: first get familiar with and analyze the relevant data, then make a preliminary analysis dimension on this basis, then try it out to understand its feasibility, applicability and rationality, and then modify and try it out until a more objective analysis dimension is developed.
Basic principles of design and analysis of size process;
(1) classification must be complete, thorough and applicable to all analytical materials, so that all analytical units can be classified into corresponding categories, and there can be no nowhere to go.
(2) When classifying, the same classification standard should be used, that is, only one attribute can be selected as the classification basis.
(3) The classification levels must be clear and gradually developed, and there can be no level confusion.
(4) Before making specific evaluation records, the analysis category (dimension) must be determined in advance.
(5) When designing the analysis dimension, we should consider how to quantitatively analyze the content analysis results, even if the results are suitable for data processing.
3. Extraction of analytical materials (sampling)
Sampling includes two aspects: one is to define the population, and the other is to extract representative samples from the population. Three sampling methods commonly used in content analysis are: source sampling, date sampling and analysis unit sampling.
4. Quantization processing
Quantization processing is a process of transforming samples from form to data form, including making evaluation records and analyzing reliability.
Judgment record is to classify the information in the sample according to the determined analysis dimension (category) and analysis unit, and register whether the analysis dimension (category) exists and its frequency in each analysis unit. To make a good record of the referee, we need to pay attention to the following aspects:
(1) Record the quantitative data (for example, yes, no, numerical form, percentage) of the research object in each analysis dimension (category) in a quantitative way.
(2) Use the pre-designed evaluation record sheet which is convenient for statistical analysis. First register the situation of each analysis dimension one by one, and then make a summary.
(3) Judgments of the same analysis dimension must be recorded by two or more judges for reliability testing. The results of judging records must be in digital form.
(4) When judging and recording according to the frequency of categories, don't ignore the cardinality.
5. Reliability analysis
The reliability of content analysis refers to the consistency of the results of two or more researchers judging the same material according to the same analysis dimension, which is an important index to ensure the reliability and objectivity of content analysis results.
The basic process of reliability analysis of content analysis method is:
(1) Training judges;
(2) Two or more judges independently judge and analyze the same material according to the same analysis dimension;
(3) Using the reliability formula to calculate the reliability coefficient of each evaluation result;
(4) According to the evaluation and calculation results, modify the analysis dimension (i.e. evaluation system) or train the judges;
(5) Repeat the evaluation process until acceptable reliability is obtained.
6. Statistical processing
The evaluation results (obtained data) are statistically processed. Describe the characteristics of each analytical dimension (category) and their relationship, and compare them according to the research objectives, and draw conclusions about the trends or characteristics of the research objects, or similarities and differences.