Longitudinal Content Analysis — Tracking Meaning Over Time

Longitudinal Content Analysis (LCA) applies systematic content analysis to documents, media, or texts sampled at two or more time points in order to detect how themes, frames, language, or discourse patterns change or persist over time. Drawing on the established logic of content analysis, it adds a temporal dimension that allows researchers to chart trends, trace the evolution of representations, and test hypotheses about historical or social change. It is widely used in communication research, political science, media studies, and the health sciences.