Christen Erlingsson & Petra Brysiewicz (2017)
Practical step-by-step guide to conducting qualitative content analysis, from data preparation to coding, categories, and themes.
This article offers a clear, practice-oriented walkthrough of qualitative content analysis aimed at helping researchers apply the method correctly. It explains key analytic steps—such as moving from text to codes and from codes to categories/themes—while clarifying common terminology that often confuses beginners. By translating an abstract method into concrete actions, it supports more transparent and rigorous qualitative reporting. It is especially useful as a teaching or supervision resource for researchers learning content analysis.
Instructional methodological guide outlining the workflow of qualitative content analysis.
Basic familiarity with qualitative research and working with textual data (e.g., interviews, open-ended responses).