Mixed-Methods Research Methodologies

Mixed-Methods Studies Studies that are products of the pragmatist paradigm and that combine the qualitative and quantitative approaches within different phases of the research process. (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2008, p.22). The Origins of Mixed-Methods Lie in the Two Major Research Paradigms * Quantitative research (i.e., a positivist paradigm) has historically been the cornerstone of social-science research. Purists call for researchers to "eliminate their biases, remain emotionally detached and uninvolved with the objects of study and test or empirically justify their stated hypotheses" (Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004, p.14). * Qualitative purists support a constructivist or interpretivist paradigm and "contend that multiple-constructed realities abound, that time- and context-free generalizations are neither desirable nor possible, that research is value-bound, that it is impossible to differentiate fully causes and effects, that logic flows from specific to general and that knower and known cannot be separated because the subjective knower is the only source of reality" (Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004, p. 14). The End of the "Paradigm Wars" and the Emergence of Mixed Methods * Calls in the 80's and 90's for "a truce" between the two major paradigms. * Many major authors and researchers felt that quantitative and qualitative research methodologies are compatible. * Paradigm relativism--"the use of whatever philosophical and/or methodological approach (that) works for the particular research problem under study" (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2008, p. 9). * Many social-scientists now believe there is no major problem area that should be studied exclusively with one research method. * Quantitative tells us "If"; qualitative tells us "How or why". The Applications of Mixed-Methods Research are Far Ranging * Nursing * Psychology * Education * Sociology * Library and Information Science * Information Systems * Political Science The Type of Multi-Method Approach Depends Upon Four Factors * Theoretical perspective ** Explicit--based firmly on a theory ** Implicit--based indirectly on a theory * Priority of strategy ** Equal ** Qualitative ** Quantitative * Sequence of data collection implementation ** Qualitative first ** Quantitative first ** No sequence * The point at which the data are integrated ** At data collection ** At data analysis ** At data interpretation ** With some combination Sequential Explanatory Strategy [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * The collection and analysis of quantitative data followed by the collection and analysis of qualitative data. * Equal priority is given to the two phases. * Data are integrated during interpretation. * Primary focus is to explain quantitative results by exploring certain results in more detail or helping explain unexpected results (e.g., using follow-up interviews to better understand the results of a quantitative study). * Strengths: relatively straight forward due to clear, distinct stages and easier to describe than concurrent strategies. * Weakness: very time consuming especially when both phases are given equal consideration and priority. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * The collection and analysis of qualitative data followed by the collection and analysis of quantitative data. * Equal priority is given to the two phases but priority can be given to either. * Data are integrated during interpretation. * Used primarily to explore a phenomenon by: ** Testing elements of a theory ** Generalizing qualitative findings to different samples ** Development of instrumentation (e. …