Rapid and rigorous qualitative data analysis: The "RADaR" technique for applied research

Abstract

Despite the advantages of using qualitative data to advance research and practice, applied researchers agree that the most daunting task is trying to analyze the data rapidly and rigorously. This article introduces a quick and comprehensive qualitative analysis strategy called the rigorous and accelerated data reduction (RADaR) technique. The RADaR technique involves using tables and spreadsheets from general purpose, word processing software to develop all-inclusive data tables that undergo several revisions. These revisions, called “data reduction,” help produce shorter, more concise data tables. The RADaR technique converts raw, textual data into a more manageable and user-friendly format. It is rigorous because of the systematic analysis that occurs during each step of the process, and it is accelerated because the time required to review and reduce each phase of the data table becomes shorter as the user produces more condensed and concise presentations of the textual data.