Content Analysis: A Technique for Measuring Attitudes Expressed in Environmental Education Literature

Demonstrated a content analysis approach to documentary research involving archive material. The 5 steps of (1) defining the population, (2) determining the sample, (3) isolating the unit of analysis, (4) encoding the data, and (5) conducting the statistical analysis necessary in conducting content analysis research are discussed, with examples of methods and results from a 1986 study of national forest brochures. The present study includes written material, graphics of the title panel, and photographs. Results indicate that the brochures might identify more people actively engaged in appropriate forest recreation pursuits, depict a larger number of undomesticated animals, benefit from a lower reading level, and use a greater variety of graphic techniques on the title panel.