A Fresh Breeze on HOPE – The Open Access Database DOCA and the Open Access Handbook

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The newly designed Open Access Database DOCA compiles, systematizes and evaluates relevant content-analytical variables of communication and political science research areas and topics. The database is accompanied by a recently published Open Access Handbook. With the publication platform HOPE, the creative considerations of DOCA could be realized.

Objective of DOCA

The Open Access Database of Variables for Content Analysis DOCA compiles, systematizes and evaluates operationalizations for standardized manual and automatic content analysis in communication science. DOCA is intended to make it easier for researchers to find suitable and established or tested operationalizations (as well as the entire codebooks) for standardized content analysis. For communication science research, this should be accompanied by an increased comparability of content-analytical studies and projects as well as an increased attribution of importance to the transparency of operationalizations and quality indicators.

Emergence

DOCA was conceived and implemented on the initiative of five former postdoctoral researchers at the Institute of Communication Studies and Media Research (IKMZ) at the University of Zurich: Edda Humprecht, Katharina Sommer, Laia Castro and the two authors of this article. The entire process from the idea to the launch of the database took a period of almost four years, a lot of commitment, and creativity.

Experiment on HOPE

When we at the library were approached in 2019 about the possibility of HOPE functioning as a database, we didn’t yet know where the journey would lead. The platform behind HOPE, Open Journal Systems, is designed for the publication of journals. Consequently, we were even more excited to implement the experiment of creating an online database on HOPE and gained valuable insights in the process.

Based on an evaluation study conducted in November 2022, DOCA could be further developed and improved. Since August 2023, DOCA finally presents itself in a new design. For details, see the evaluation report.

Innovative concept – accompanying manual

The database is accompanied by the open access handbook “Standardized Content Analysis in Communication Research”. The handbook bundles and systematizes the current state of research in content analysis studies according to relevant topics and subject areas. The focus is on research findings that have been obtained on the basis of standardized (manual and – if research on this is available – also automated) content analyses.

You can find more information about DOCA in the DOCA FAQs.
DOCA is intended to grow into a comprehensive research tool for variables. If you would like to contribute to the database, please see the call for entries.

Franziska Oehmer-Pedrazzi, University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons and Sabrina Heike Kessler, IKMZ – Department of Communication and Media Research, University of Zurich

Margit Dellatorre, Open Science Services

HOPE stands for Hauptbibliothek Open Publishing Environment. HOPE provides researchers at the University of Zurich with a platform for publishing open access journals. This service is offered by the University Library of Zurich (UB) based on the infrastructure of the Central IT. The open source software Open Journal Systems (OJS) is used as a basis, which enables the management and publication of scientific journals. If you are also interested in publishing a journal, please feel free to contact us at oa@ub.uzh.ch.