RAND Research Using Content Analysis

Content analysis may involve anything from a small number of documents to large datasets pulled from social media. Researchers may use computational linguistics to analyze the content, or conduct a thematic analysis.

The following research was conducted by a range of RAND divisions, programs, and centers using these methods.

What Words Convey: The Potential for Patient Narratives to Inform Quality Improvement

Apr 2, 2019

This article explores the potential of systematically elicited narratives about experiences with outpatient care to enrich quality improvement.

Rachel Grob, Mark Schlesinger, Lacey Rose Barre, Naomi S. Bardach, Tara Lagu, Dale Shaller, Andrew M. Parker, Steven C. Martino, Melissa L. Finucane, Jennifer L. Cerully, Alina I. Palimaru
News in a Digital Age: Comparing the Presentation of News Information over Time and Across Media Platforms

May 14, 2019

This report presents a quantitative assessment of how news presentation has changed over time and how it varies across platforms from more-objective event- and context-based reporting to more-subjective reporting that includes more emotional appeals.

Jennifer Kavanagh, William Marcellino, Jonathan S. Blake, Shawn Smith, Steven Davenport, Mahlet Gizaw
Facts Versus Opinions: How the Style and Language of News Presentation Is Changing in the Digital Age

May 14, 2019

This brief describes results of a study focused on changes in news presentation over time and across platforms, finding a general shift from objective event-based reporting to reporting that relies more heavily on argumentation and advocacy.

Jennifer Kavanagh, William Marcellino, Jonathan S. Blake, Shawn Smith, Steven Davenport, Mahlet Gizaw
Evaluation of Two Programs Supporting Global Family Planning Data Needs: Summary

Feb 5, 2018

This report summarizes an evaluation of two programs that help monitor progress toward a global goal to increase modern contraceptive use by 2020.

Melinda Moore, Laura J. Faherty, Shira H. Fischer, Kathryn E. Bouskill, Julie DaVanzo, Claude Messan Setodji, Bill Gelfeld, Emily Hoch, Luke J. Matthews, Sarah Weilant, Michele Abbott, Gabriela Armenta, Rouslan I. Karimov, Adeyemi Okunogbe, Uzaib Saya, Mahlet Atakilt Woldetsadik
A Social Network Analysis and Qualitative Assessment of Partnerships for Million Hearts®

Jun 20, 2018

This report examines the partnerships developed in Million Hearts, defines the practices and approaches to cardiovascular disease prevention that occurred as a result of the program, and provides suggestions for future Million Hearts activities.

Malcolm V. Williams, Danielle M. Varda, Ryan Andrew Brown, Courtney Armstrong, Praise O. Iyiewuare, Rachel Ross, Kayleigh Newman, Sara Sprong
Social Media in Africa: A Double-Edged Sword for Security and Development: Research Brief

Nov 5, 2018

The United Nations Development Programme commissioned RAND Europe to explore social media use and its links to online radicalisation in Africa. The study analysed the social media use of three Islamist terrorist groups across seven countries.

Kate Cox, William Marcellino, Jacopo Bellasio, Antonia Ward, Katerina Galai, Arya Sofia Meranto, Giacomo Persi Paoli
Perceived Peer Norms, Health Risk Behaviors, and Clustering of Risk Behaviors Among Palestinian Youth

Aug 28, 2018

Prevention education programs for Palestinian youth should be structured to deal with a range of connected risk behaviors& for which certain youth may be at risk, not just single behaviors such as drug use.

Peter Glick, Umaiyeh Kammash, Mohammed Shaheen, Ryan Andrew Brown, Prodyumna Goutam, Rita T. Karam, Sebastian Linnemayr, Salwa Massad
Russian Social Media Influence: Understanding Russian Propaganda in Eastern Europe

Apr 12, 2018

Researchers analyzed Russian social media data and conducted interviews with regional and security experts to understand the critical ingredients to countering Russia's propaganda campaign against former Soviet states.

Todd C. Helmus, Elizabeth Bodine-Baron, Andrew Radin, Madeline Magnuson, Joshua Mendelsohn, William Marcellino, Andriy Bega, Zev Winkelman
Substance Use Among Palestinian Youth in the West Bank, Palestine: A Qualitative Investigation

Mar 15, 2017

This study provides insights into the perceived prevalence and patterns of alcohol and drug use among Palestinian youth.

Salwa Massad, Mohammed Shaheen, Rita T. Karam, Ryan Andrew Brown, Peter Glick, Sebastian Linnemayr, Umaiyeh Kammash
Detecting Changes in Newspaper Reporting of Suicide After a Statewide Social Marketing Campaign

Apr 4, 2017

In conclusion and similar to many past evaluations, we find no evidence that the KTS campaign was effective in changing the way in which suicides are reported on in California had any effect.

Michele Abbott, Rajeev Ramchand, Margaret Chamberlin, William Marcellino
Cultural Identity Among Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Youth: Implications for Alcohol and Drug Use

Sep 22, 2016

Better understanding how American Indian/Alaska Native youth negotiate cultural identity in urban settings can help with the design of culturally appropriate alcohol and other drug use interventions.

Ryan Andrew Brown, Daniel Dickerson, Elizabeth J. D'Amico
Evaluation of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership: Progress Report on First Stage of Analysis

Dec 28, 2015

This first of two reports documents the first phase of RAND research to assess the Military Spouse Employment Partnership's progress in supporting military spouse employment and closing the wage gap between military and civilian spouses.

Gabriella C. Gonzalez, Luke J. Matthews, Marek N. Posard, Parisa Roshan, Shirley M. Ross
Risk Evaluations and Condom Use Decisions of Homeless Youth: A Multi-Level Qualitative Investigation

Feb 25, 2015

Interventions targeting homeless youth should reflect multiple levels of risk behavior and evaluation in order to address the diversity of risk profiles.

David P. Kennedy, Ryan Andrew Brown, Penelope Morrison, Loryana Vie, Gery W. Ryan, Joan S. Tucker
Revisioning Strategic Communication Through Rhetoric and Discourse Analysis

Feb 18, 2015

Strategic communication can be made more conceptually robust and draw on a more powerful and useful suite of tools and methods by borrowing from two language-focused disciplines: rhetoric and discourse analysis.

William Marcellino
Understanding Condom Use Decision Making Among Homeless Youth Using Event-Level Data

Nov 26, 2014

This is one of the first qualitative event-based studies to understand the various mechanisms through which multiple factors influence condom use decision making among homeless youth.

Yashodhara Rana, Ryan Andrew Brown, David P. Kennedy, Gery W. Ryan, Stefanie Howard, Joan S. Tucker
Youth in Jordan: Transitions from Education to Employment

Jun 30, 2014

High youth unemployment in Jordan remains a serious economic and social problem, leading to delays in marriage and family formation. This study examines the perceptions of young Jordanians on issues relevant to their transitions into adult roles.

Ryan Andrew Brown, Louay Constant, Peter Glick, Audra K. Grant
Monogamy on the Street: A Mixed Methods Study of Homeless Men

Jan 1, 2013

In this study, we used a mixed methods approach to explore the determinants of relationship patterns and risky sex among homeless men living in downtown Los Angeles.

Ryan Andrew Brown, David P. Kennedy, Joan S. Tucker, Daniela Golinelli, Suzanne L. Wenzel
Talk Like a Marine: USMC Linguistic Acculturation and Civil–military Argument

Jan 1, 2013

This study examines the relationship between US Marine discourse and civil–military public argument.

William Marcellino
Predicting Suicide Attacks: Characteristics of Bombings in Israel

Nov 7, 2013

This brief describes an assessment of how geospatial and sociocultural characteristics may help predict the timing and targets of terrorist attacks.

Walter L. Perry, Claude Berrebi, Ryan Andrew Brown, John S. Hollywood, Amber Jaycocks, Parisa Roshan, Thomas Sullivan, Lisa Kraus
Masculinity and HIV Risk Among Homeless Men in Los Angeles

Jan 1, 2012

HIV continues to be a serious public health problem for men who have sex with women (MSW), especially homeless MSW.

David P. Kennedy, Ryan Andrew Brown, Daniela Golinelli, Suzanne L. Wenzel, Joan S. Tucker, Samuel Wertheimer
Sex and Relationships on the Street: How Homeless Men Judge Partner Risk on Skid Row

Jan 1, 2011

Homeless men on LA's Skid Row use visual and behavioral cues, social reputation, feelings of trust, perceived relationship seriousness, and medically inaccurate ''folk'' beliefs to judge whether partners were risky and/or condom use was warranted.

Ryan Andrew Brown, David P. Kennedy, Joan S. Tucker, Suzanne L. Wenzel, Daniela Golinelli, Samuel Wertheimer, Gery W. Ryan

RAND Research Using Content Analysis

What Words Convey: The Potential for Patient Narratives to Inform Quality Improvement

News in a Digital Age: Comparing the Presentation of News Information over Time and Across Media Platforms

Facts Versus Opinions: How the Style and Language of News Presentation Is Changing in the Digital Age

Evaluation of Two Programs Supporting Global Family Planning Data Needs: Summary

A Social Network Analysis and Qualitative Assessment of Partnerships for Million Hearts®

Social Media in Africa: A Double-Edged Sword for Security and Development: Research Brief

Perceived Peer Norms, Health Risk Behaviors, and Clustering of Risk Behaviors Among Palestinian Youth

Russian Social Media Influence: Understanding Russian Propaganda in Eastern Europe

Substance Use Among Palestinian Youth in the West Bank, Palestine: A Qualitative Investigation

Detecting Changes in Newspaper Reporting of Suicide After a Statewide Social Marketing Campaign

Cultural Identity Among Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Youth: Implications for Alcohol and Drug Use

Evaluation of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership: Progress Report on First Stage of Analysis

Risk Evaluations and Condom Use Decisions of Homeless Youth: A Multi-Level Qualitative Investigation

Revisioning Strategic Communication Through Rhetoric and Discourse Analysis

Understanding Condom Use Decision Making Among Homeless Youth Using Event-Level Data

Youth in Jordan: Transitions from Education to Employment

Monogamy on the Street: A Mixed Methods Study of Homeless Men

Talk Like a Marine: USMC Linguistic Acculturation and Civil–military Argument

Predicting Suicide Attacks: Characteristics of Bombings in Israel

Masculinity and HIV Risk Among Homeless Men in Los Angeles

Sex and Relationships on the Street: How Homeless Men Judge Partner Risk on Skid Row