Implementation Interdisciplinary Relations for Application of Computer Methods Content Analysis

The article substantiates the importance of interdisciplinary connections between informatics and sociology, the expediency of studying computer methods of content analysis by college students. An analysis of theoretical sources has been implemented to understand the essence of the concepts of content analysis, computer methods of content analysis. Content analysis is considered as a method that allows you to study the objects, phenomena, processes and properties of social reality presented in text data. Content analysis includes processing, evaluation, and interpretation of the form, content of texts and sources of textual information. It is proved that computer software allows to automate and speed up this process, to avoid the subjectivity of the researcher’s judgments, and to increase the amount of information being processed. The article emphasizes the importance of mastering content analysis by students, since these skills will contribute to their ability to assess the properties of information flows, understanding the nature of information confrontation, the formation of critical, algorithmic thinking and information technology competence. The article describes a pedagogical experiment on the integration of sociology and computer science for college students. The purpose of the experiment is the development of computer methods of content analysis for sociological research. The experiment provides for the coordination of thematic plans of disciplines and the development of laboratory work in informatics for the experimental group. The topics of laboratory work on the use of individual computer methods for content analysis are outlined. The use of the MS WORD text editor for manual coding of text data and partial implementation of content analysis is provided; MS Excel spreadsheets for creating a content analysis matrix, calculating the frequency of various words in texts and further interpreting the content; a special automated package for content analysis QDA MINER (free LITE version). The features of the use of each of the programs, their resource potential and complexity are determined. Criteria for evaluating control sections (analytical reports) created by students at the beginning and at the end of the experiment have been developed. Criteria: manifestation of system effective knowledge; availability of reasonable conclusions; the presence of an attempt to adequately predict social phenomena; visualization of the results of content analysis. The results were measured and compared in dynamics, and the effectiveness of the implemented methods was analyzed. The effectiveness of the experiment was proved, which is confirmed by an increase in the average score in the experimental group compared to the control group. The article presents a statistically valid conclusion about the effectiveness of the proposed methods in the experimental group at a significance level of 0.05. Mathematical testing of statistical hypotheses about the reliability of the results was carried out using Student’s t-test for two independent samples.

In civil proceedings, experts are appointed representing different scientific areas offering wide-ranging expertise on issues requiring expert opinion. This article aims to describe the role and importance of experts in the informatics area who are appointed in civil proceedings. The contribution of expert opinions in informatics has been defined on the basis of their practical use in judicial proceedings under the rules of civil procedure. The importance of an informatics expert opinion can be seen only through the analysis of case-studies. It is possible to see on the basis of the analysis of selected rulings in which cases the courts considered it necessary to appoint an expert in informatics, and in which situations the court considered it as unjustified. The considerations elaborated upon in this article relate mainly to the type of specific information required from court experts in informatics including the purpose for which the parties requested the appointment of an expert together with the influence of the expert opinion on the content of a court ruling. Despite a limited number of years so far in appointing court experts in informatics, in line with the continued developments in technology, their contribution in civil proceedings has been growing steadily. Judges can use opinions made in this area in many cases which are drawn from a very broad range of legal and factual bases. There are more and more cases which require the involvement of court experts in informatics. The subject matter investigated by a court expert in informatics is constantly evolving and broadening in scope. It may be assumed that over time court experts in informatics will be among the most frequently appointed experts to prepare opinions in court proceedings.