Rapid turn-around qualitative research depends on strategic decision-making to make data collection and analysis feasible without compromising rigor and depth of inquiry. In many fields, demand for this type of qualitative research is growing, as are techniques and strategies for conducting this type of research. This work is typically characterized by targeted research questions, strategic methods selection, and defined deliverables, due to constituents within a short timeframe. In this vein, we need to build skills for being responsive to what is happening in the field—emphasizing methodological flexibility and remaining attentive to opportunities for emergent discovery.
We begin this course by addressing the design and execution of rapid turn-around qualitative research. The following topics will be addressed using a varied set of examples:
- determining when, why, and how to apply conceptual or theoretical frameworks in rapid turn-around projects;
- conducting team-based data collection and analysis in rapid projects;
- exploring themes in rapid analysis;
- moving from rapid analysis to other analytic tools (e.g., diagrams, codes);
- fostering and maintaining rigor; and
- synthesizing and presenting rapid analysis results in different types of deliverables (e.g., reports, summaries, presentations, manuscripts).
Limitations of rapid analysis will be discussed. We will then focus on building additional analytic skills to move beyond early stages of reviewing and condensing data to more emergent and integrative techniques for discerning conceptual bridges and connective threads across data.
This course will provide participants with resources for building the foundational qualitative knowledge necessary for this work as well as strategies and tools for increasing methodological flexibility and managing the rigor of data collection and analysis. The course will draw on material from:
- Maietta, Raymond C., Reifsteck, Erin J., Petruzzelli, Jeff, Mihas, Paul, Swartout, Kevin, & Hamilton, Alison B. “The Sort and Sift, Think and Shift Analysis Method” (chapter 16), in Richards, K. A., Hemphill, M. A., & Wright, P. M. (Eds.). (2024). Qualitative research and evaluation in physical education and sport pedagogy. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
- Maietta, R., Mihas, P., Swartout, K., Petruzzelli, J., & Hamilton, A. B. (2021). Sort and Sift, Think and Shift: Let the Data Be Your Guide, An Applied Approach to Working With, Learning From, and Privileging Qualitative Data. Qualitative Report, 26(6), 2045-2060. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2021.5013
- Hamilton, A., Finley, E. (2019). Qualitative methods in implementation research: an introduction. Psychiatry Research, Oct; 280:112516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112516
- St. George, S. M., Harkness, A. R., Rodriguez-Diaz, C. E., Weinstein, E. R., Pavia, V., & Hamilton, A. B. (2023). Applying rapid qualitative analysis for health equity: lessons learned using “EARS” with Latino communities. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 22, 16094069231164938. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231164938
