Introduction to Qualitative Content Analysis: Mayring and beyond | Methods for Humanities & Social Sciences

This course will provide an introduction into the qualitative research method of Qualitative Content Analysis following the foundational work of Philipp Mayring. Mayring is often used as a methodological guidance across various disciplines, yet his complex and modular methodology can be demanding and easy to misunderstand.

This course provides a sophisticated and complete look at Mayring’s complex approach. Although the course offers on overview, Mayring’s most commonly used techniques: Summarizing Content Analysis, Inductive Category Formation and Deductive Category Assignment will be at the heart of this course. The course utilizes Mayring to provide guidance on the challenging task of constructing and applying a system of categories for the analysis of text and other media.

The online course uses well-structured input by the trainer and combines it with interactive exercises that will enable the participants to put Mayring into practice. Microsoft Word and Excell are required to follow though on some of the exercises used in the course.

Finally, the course looks beyond Mayring at more recent approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis. Here, a comparison is provided, and the key takeaways are highlighted.

For this course no specialized research software is required. 

Overview of contents:

• Qualitative Content Analysis: Foundation and characteristics
• The Qualitative Content Analysis of Philipp Mayring
  • Summarizing Content Analysis
  • Inductive Category Formation
  • Deductive Category Assignment
• Content Analysis beyond Mayring: Udo Kuckartz and Margrit Schreier
• Use cases, strengths, and weaknesses of Content Analysis

Goals:

• Understanding the various modular elements of Mayring’s Qualitative Content Analysis
• Practical experience of the working techniques of:
  • Summarizing
  • Inductive Category Formation
  • Deductive Category Assignment
• Understanding of Qualitative Content Analysis basic procedures and quality criteria
• Orientation among the various approaches to Content Analysis
   
• Trainer: Andreas Müller
• Target Group: Doctoral Researchers (Humanities & Social Sciences)
• Language: English
• Date & Time: 18.01.2027 | 9:00 - 15:30 Uhr
• Participants: Max. 12
• Registration deadline: 04.01.2027

This course can be credited with 8 work units for the area „Research, Writing & Publishing“ for the Career Certificate for Doctoral Researchers.

Registration*