[Mixed methods research plan]

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Mixed Methods Design

Mixed methods are a research orientation that possesses unique purposes and techniques. It integrates techniques from quantitative and qualitative paradigms to tackle research questions that can be best addressed by mixing these two traditional approaches. As long as 40 years ago, scholars noted that quantitative and qualitative research were not antithetical and that every research process, through practical necessity, should include aspects of both quantitative and qualitative methodology. (John 2007) In order to achieve more useful and meaningful results in any study, it is essential to consider the actual needs and purposes of a research problem to determine the methods to be implemented. The literature on mixed methods design is vast, and contributions have been made by scholars from myriad disciplines in the social sciences. Therefore, this entry is grounded in the work of these scholars. (Collins 2007) This entry provides a historical overview of mixed methods as a paradigm for research, establishes differences between quantitative and qualitative designs, shows how qualitative and quantitative methods can be integrated to address different types of research questions, and illustrates some implications for using mixed methods. Though still new as an approach to research, mixed methods design is expected to soon dominate the social and behavioral sciences. (Dickinson 2008)

Data are gathered most typically through two distinct classical approaches—qualitative and quantitative. The use of both these approaches for a single study, although sometimes controversial, is becoming more widespread in social science. Methods are really “design” components that include the following: (a) the relationship between the researcher and research “subjects,” (b) details of the experimental environment (place, time, etc.), (c) sampling and data collection methods, (d) data analysis strategies, and (e) knowledge dissemination. The design of a study thus leads to the choice of method strategy. The framework for a study, then, depends on the phenomenon being studied, with the participants and relevant theories informing the research design. Most study designs today need to include both quantitative and qualitative methods for gathering effective data and can thereby incorporate a more expansive set of assumptions and a broader worldview. (Johnson 2008)

Qualitative and Quantitative Data

Qualitative and quantitative distinctions are grounded in two contrasting approaches to categorizing and explaining data. Different paradigms produce and use different types of data. Early studies distinguished the two methods according to the kind of data collected, whether textual or numerical. The classic qualitative approach includes study of ...