Discussion Post: Qualitative Data
Qualitative research is a research method which does not use numeric variables; it contributes knowledge or understanding by describing situations within certain groups or populations of interest. Data is often collected through interviews and observation (Helbig, 2018). Typically, when conducting qualitative research, there are enormous amounts of data which must be gathered, transcribed and managed. This amount of data can be overwhelming to the researcher, which may lead to confusing and erroneous results. There are ways to process the information into a quality study. First, researchers need to remain focused on the research question and the process to answer the question. Johnson et al. (2020) state, "Identifying and developing a research topic is comprised of two major tasks: formulating a research question and developing a conceptual framework to support the study." Many times, the research question is too broad and too vague, which makes processing the information difficult. Additionally, the study should finish with a focused conclusion to help carry the focus through the entirety of the study. Wu et al. (2016) stated, "The process should be systematic (dependability) and well-documented in the analysis section of a qualitative manuscript."
Second, Watkins suggests using the RADaR technique to manage all of the data. RADaR stand for Rigorous And accelerated Data Reduction. "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" (Watkins, 2017). This process converts raw data into more manageable and user-friendly format.
Qualitative data has been described as voluminous and sometimes overwhelming to the researcher. Discuss two strategies that would help a researcher manage and organize the data.
The response should include a reference list. Using one-inch margins, Times New Roman 12 pnt font, double-space and APA style of writing and citations.