ZUMA Arbeitsbericht 97/07: Computer-assisted Text Analysis Methods in the Social Sciences

Q: What is the primary purpose of the report on computer-assisted text analysis?

The report aims to describe the current methodological standpoint and to discuss the operations carried out in computer-assisted text analysis investigations in the social sciences.

Q: How does the report treat textual data in social science research?

Textual data are presented as a rich source of social information used to interpret social behavior, structures, values, and norms, covering many forms such as responses, articles, reports, interviews, and more.

Q: What factors are considered when compiling a corpus for analysis?

Corpus compilation depends on the aims of text analysis, the semantic domain and text types included, and the speaker/author dimension; relevance is determined during project planning, sampling, and data collection phases.

Jul 3, 2026

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This report documents research methods for computer-assisted text analysis in the social sciences. Instead of exhaustively listing all related studies, it explains the current methodological standpoint and discusses the operations performed during computer-assisted text analysis projects. It reviews established and emerging approaches, detailing techniques and procedures. The work also initiates a cataloging effort for supplementary information and computational support needed to broaden the method’s suitability and applicability across diverse text analysis goals.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages40

Reading Time1 h 41 min

Introduction

Text data

Corpus construction and sampling

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FAQs

What is the primary purpose of the report on computer-assisted text analysis?

The report aims to describe the current methodological standpoint and to discuss the operations carried out in computer-assisted text analysis investigations in the social sciences.

How does the report treat textual data in social science research?

Textual data are presented as a rich source of social information used to interpret social behavior, structures, values, and norms, covering many forms such as responses, articles, reports, interviews, and more.

What factors are considered when compiling a corpus for analysis?

Corpus compilation depends on the aims of text analysis, the semantic domain and text types included, and the speaker/author dimension; relevance is determined during project planning, sampling, and data collection phases.

Jul 3, 2026

Upload by Anda