Researchers rarely explicitly define their levels and units of analysis. Nevertheless, it is ...

•   A level of analysis is the level of social reality to which theoretical explanations refer. The level of social reality varies on a continuum from micro-level (e.g., small groups or individual processes) to macro-level (e.g., civilizations or structural aspects of society). The level includes a mix of the number of people, the amount of space, the scope of the activity, and the length of time.
•   Units of analysis correspond loosely to levels of analysis, but serve a different function. The unit of analysis refers to the type of unit a researcher uses when measuring. The units of analysis determine how a researcher measures variables or themes. For example, if we want to study the topic of dating among university students, we can use a micro-level analysis and develop an explanation that uses concepts such as interpersonal contact, mutual friendships, and common interests. We may think that students are likely to date someone with whom they have had personal contact in a class, share friends in common, and share common interests. The topic and focus fit with a micro-level explanation because they are targeted at the level of face-to-face interaction among individuals.
•   Common units in sociology are the individual, the group (e.g., family, friendship group), the organization (e.g., corporation, university), the social category (e.g., social class, gender, race), the social institution (e.g., religion, education, the family), and the society (e.g., a nation, a tribe). Researchers also use units of analysis other than individuals, groups, organizations, social categories, institutions, and societies. For example, a researcher wants to determine whether the speeches of two candidates for leader of the Conservative Party of Canada contain specific themes. The researcher uses content analysis and measures the themes in each speech of the candidates. Here, the speech is the unit of analysis. Geographic units of analysis are also used. A researcher interested in determining whether cities that have a high number of teenagers also have a high rate of vandalism would use the city as the unit of analysis.