Lost in Translation: the Methodological Challenges of Comparative Studies

Abstract

This chapter addresses a range of methodological challenges that arise in designing a comparative study of online government communications. While this chapter often refers to the methodological challenges involved in designing a comparative content analysis of government websites and social media pages, concepts such as equivalence and bias and reliability and validity are critical concepts that must be considered in all comparative research designs regardless of the empirical method employed. This chapter will use a content analysis of online government communications as an example of the challenges that arise in comparative studies more generally.