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P. 149
7.2 Research Design and Methods
ber of top quality academic publications (Neuendorf, 2017, pp. xv, 4; Riffe
et al., 2005, pp. 5, 18). Content analysis makes it possible to analyse sec-
ondary material and then create a (statistically tested) meaning. Conse-
quently, for the purpose of this study, we refer to a quantitative content
analysis, which is ‘the systematic and replicable examination of symbols
of communication, which have been assigned numeric values according
to valid measurement rules and the analysis of relationships involving
those values using statistical methods, to describe the communication,
draw inferences about its meaning, or infer from the communication to
its context, both of production and consumption’ (Riffe et al., 2005, p. 25),
or ‘analysis of documents and texts that seeks to quantify content in terms
of predetermined categories and in a systematic and replicable manner’
(Bryman, 2012, p. 290). According to these definitions, and on the basis of
the literature review in the previous chapters and findings of the qualita-
tive analysis, substantive criteria (codes) are developed for media reports’
analysis (see sub-chapter 9.1 ‘Methodological Explanations’).
Secondly, the principal statistical method used for this study was the
TwoStep Cluster Analysis, which is, as the inferential statistical analy-
sis method, ‘an exploratory tool designed to reveal natural groupings (or
clusters) within a dataset that would otherwise not be apparent. The algo-
rithm employed by this procedure has several desirable features that dif-
ferentiate it from traditional clustering techniques:’ handling of categor-
ical and continuous variables, automatic selection of the number of clus-
ters and scalability (i bm Knowledge Center, n.d.). In addition to cluster
analyses, the study also implements descriptive analysis, which enables
the description of the basic features of the amounts of data in a simpler
way, i.e. frequency tables and cross-tabulation, and different variants of
the χ2 test; some of these calculations are made as auxiliary calculations
to check (categorical) variables and results as well. All statistical methods
are employed using spss version 24.
Thirdly, geovisualisation (geographic visualisation), as an additionally
used approach, includes visualisation techniques which enable visual rep-
resentations of georeferenced data to make spatial contexts and problems,
as well as the integration of local, regional, and global information, visi-
ble (National Research Council, 1997, p. 63); ‘it is the integration of mul-
tiple modes of representation – visual, textual and numerical’ (Elwood,
2010, p. 403). Blažević’s (1984, p. 64) map of Istrian historical places and
events was created on specific conceptual assumptions that no longer cor-
respond to the present time. Vojnović (2020) later identified and mapped
149
ber of top quality academic publications (Neuendorf, 2017, pp. xv, 4; Riffe
et al., 2005, pp. 5, 18). Content analysis makes it possible to analyse sec-
ondary material and then create a (statistically tested) meaning. Conse-
quently, for the purpose of this study, we refer to a quantitative content
analysis, which is ‘the systematic and replicable examination of symbols
of communication, which have been assigned numeric values according
to valid measurement rules and the analysis of relationships involving
those values using statistical methods, to describe the communication,
draw inferences about its meaning, or infer from the communication to
its context, both of production and consumption’ (Riffe et al., 2005, p. 25),
or ‘analysis of documents and texts that seeks to quantify content in terms
of predetermined categories and in a systematic and replicable manner’
(Bryman, 2012, p. 290). According to these definitions, and on the basis of
the literature review in the previous chapters and findings of the qualita-
tive analysis, substantive criteria (codes) are developed for media reports’
analysis (see sub-chapter 9.1 ‘Methodological Explanations’).
Secondly, the principal statistical method used for this study was the
TwoStep Cluster Analysis, which is, as the inferential statistical analy-
sis method, ‘an exploratory tool designed to reveal natural groupings (or
clusters) within a dataset that would otherwise not be apparent. The algo-
rithm employed by this procedure has several desirable features that dif-
ferentiate it from traditional clustering techniques:’ handling of categor-
ical and continuous variables, automatic selection of the number of clus-
ters and scalability (i bm Knowledge Center, n.d.). In addition to cluster
analyses, the study also implements descriptive analysis, which enables
the description of the basic features of the amounts of data in a simpler
way, i.e. frequency tables and cross-tabulation, and different variants of
the χ2 test; some of these calculations are made as auxiliary calculations
to check (categorical) variables and results as well. All statistical methods
are employed using spss version 24.
Thirdly, geovisualisation (geographic visualisation), as an additionally
used approach, includes visualisation techniques which enable visual rep-
resentations of georeferenced data to make spatial contexts and problems,
as well as the integration of local, regional, and global information, visi-
ble (National Research Council, 1997, p. 63); ‘it is the integration of mul-
tiple modes of representation – visual, textual and numerical’ (Elwood,
2010, p. 403). Blažević’s (1984, p. 64) map of Istrian historical places and
events was created on specific conceptual assumptions that no longer cor-
respond to the present time. Vojnović (2020) later identified and mapped
149
