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Cited by 586

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The Microscope and the Moving Target: The Challenge of Applying Content Analysis to the World Wide Web

McMillan, Sally J.·2000·Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly

Abstract

Analysis of nineteen studies that apply content analysis techniques to the World Wide Web found that this stable research technique can be applied to a dynamic environment. However, the rapid growth and change of Web-based content present some unique challenges. Nevertheless, researchers are now using content analysis to examine themes such as diversity, commercialization, and utilization of technology on the World Wide Web. Suggestions are offered for how researchers can apply content analysis to the Web with primary focus on formulating research questions/hypotheses, sampling, data collection and coding, training/reliability of coders, and analyzing/interpreting data.

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Metadata

Authors
McMillan, S. J.
Venue
Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly
Published
2000-03
Volume
77
Issue
1
Pages
80-98
ISSN
  • 1077-6990 (ISSN-L)
  • 2161-430X
OpenAlex
W1994897016
Cited by
586
References
0
FWCI
82.79
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: The Microscope and the Moving Target: The Challenge of Applying Content Analysis to the World Wide Web. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1177/107769900007700107
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McMillan, S. J. (2000). The Microscope and the Moving Target: The Challenge of Applying Content Analysis to the World Wide Web. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769900007700107

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Contains information from the Semantic Scholar Academic Graph Datasets, made available under the ODC Attribution License (ODC-BY 1.0).

Semantic Scholar’s data is described in: Kinney, R., et al. (2023). The Semantic Scholar Open Data Platform. arXiv:2301.10140.