Publishing a Methodological Mixed Methods Research Article

The abstract includes information about the type of mixed methods design and integration used. The word distribution of the abstract parallels the structure of an empirical mixed methods methodology paper with a 1:2:2:1 words breakdown, so for a 120 word abstract, roughly a 20:40:40:20 distribution (Figure 2). Effective manuscripts start with a statement of the methodological problem to hook the multidisciplinary readership. In this approach, authors introduce briefly the topic of research including a statement as to why it is informative for understanding the methodological issue. This is followed by stating the mixed methods design, the qualitative and quantitative data sources, and the type of integration used. It is preferable to mention how data were integrated. Succinctly, the article should end with a conclusion about what is known anew as a result of the research findings that was not known before. Structure of the Empirical Paper Depends on the Design Our advice draws from and builds on the sage wisdom of JMMR cofounder John W. Creswell as articulated in his recent book, ‘‘A Concise Introduction to Mixed Methods Research’’ (Creswell, 2015). Creswell notes that the structure of empirical mixed methods papers depend on the design. We agree with Creswell that most integration occurs in the methods, results, and discussion. While the background of empirical mixed methods studies is similar regardless of the design, certain additional features are desirable in an empirical mixed methods paper.