Mixed

Methods

Research

Professor Dr. Khalid Mahmood

University of the Punjab

Lahore – PAKISTAN

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Acknowledgement

� This presentation has been prepared with the

help of many books and presentations on the

topic.

� The presenter pays his sincere gratitude to all

authors, professors and experts for their efforts

and contributions.

� Particular thanks to Professor John W. Creswell

of University of Nebraska-Lincoln for his un-

matched contribution on the topic.

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Agenda

� Three types of research designs

� Qualitative vs. quantitative research

� Pragmatism – Philosophy behind MMR

� Reasons for “mixing”

� How methods can be mixed

� Planning mixed methods procedures

� Notations to describe MM designs

� 6 mixed methods designs

� Further readings

Three types of research designs

� Qualitative research – exploring and

understanding the meaning individuals or

groups ascribe to a social or human problem.

� Quantitative research – testing objective

theories by examining the relationship among

variables.

� Mixed methods research – an approach to

inquiry that combines or associates both

qualitative and quantitative forms.4

Qualitative vs. quantitative research

Criteria Qualitative Research Quantitative Research

Purpose To understand & interpret

social interactions.

To test hypotheses, look at

cause & effect, & make

predictions.

Group Studied Smaller & not randomly

selected.

Larger & randomly selected.

Variables Study of the whole, not

variables.

Specific variables studied

Type of Data

Collected

Words, images, or objects. Numbers and statistics.

Form of Data

Collected

Qualitative data such as

open-ended responses,

interviews, participant

observations, field notes, &

reflections.

Quantitative data based on

precise measurements using

structured & validated data-

collection instruments. 5

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Criteria Qualitative Research Quantitative Research

Type of Data

Analysis

Identify patterns, features,

themes.

Identify statistical relationships.

Objectivity and

Subjectivity

Subjectivity is expected. Objectivity is critical.

Role of

Researcher

Researcher & their biases may be

known to participants in the study,

& participant characteristics may

be known to the researcher.

Researcher & their biases are not

known to participants in the study, &

participant characteristics are

deliberately hidden from the

researcher (double blind studies).

Results Particular or specialized findings

that is less generalizable.

Generalizable findings that can be

applied to other populations.

Scientific

Method

Exploratory or bottom–up: the

researcher generates a new

hypothesis and theory from the

data collected.

Confirmatory or top-down: the

researcher tests the hypothesis and

theory with the data.

Qualitative vs. quantitative research

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Criteria Qualitative Research Quantitative Research

View of Human

Behavior

Dynamic, situational, social, &

personal.

Regular & predictable.

Most Common

Research

Objectives

Explore, discover, & construct. Describe, explain, & predict.

Focus Wide-angle lens; examines the

breadth & depth of phenomena.

Narrow-angle lens; tests a

specific hypotheses.

Nature of

Observation

Study behavior in a natural

environment.

Study behavior under controlled

conditions; isolate causal effects.

Nature of Reality Multiple realities; subjective. Single reality; objective.

Final Report Narrative report with contextual

description & direct quotations

from research participants.

Statistical report with

correlations, comparisons of

means, & statistical significance

of findings.

Qualitative vs. quantitative research

Pragmatism – Philosophy behind MMR

� Arises out of actions, situations, and

consequences rather than antecedent

conditions.

� There is a concern with applications—what

works—and solutions to problems.

� Instead of focusing on methods, researchers

emphasize the research problem and use all

approaches available to understand the

problem.

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Reasons for “mixing”

� The insufficient argument – either quantitative or

qualitative may be insufficient by itself

� Multiple angles argument – quantitative and qualitative

approaches provide different “pictures”

� The more-evidence-the-better argument – combined

quantitative and qualitative provides more evidence

� Community of practice argument – mixed methods may

be the preferred approach within a scholarly community

� Eager-to-learn argument – it is the latest methodology

� “Its intuitive” argument – it mirrors “real life”

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How methods can be mixed

Types of mixing Comments

Two types of research question. One fitting a quantitative approach and the other qualitative.

The manner in which the research questions are developed.

Preplanned (quantitative) versus participatory/emergent (qualitative).

Two types of sampling procedure. Probability versus purposive.

Two types of data collection procedures.

Surveys (quantitative) versus focus groups (qualitative).

Two types of data analysis. Numerical versus textual (or visual).

Two types of data analysis. Statistical versus thematic.

Two types of conclusions. Objective versus subjective interpretations. 10

Planning mixed methods procedures

Timing Weighting Mixing Theorizing

No

Sequence

Concurrent

Equal Integrating Explicit

Sequential -

Qualitative

first

Qualitative Connecting Implicit

Sequential -

Quantitative

first

Quantitative Embedding

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Notations to describe MM designs

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Mixed methods designs

� Sequential Explanatory Design

� Sequential Exploratory Design

� Sequential Transformative Design

� Concurrent Triangulation Design

� Concurrent Embedded Design

� Concurrent Transformative Design

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Sequential explanatory design

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QUAN

Data &

ResultsInterpretation

qual

Data &

ResultsFollowing up

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Sequential explanatory design:

Characteristics

� Viewing the study as a two-phase project

� Collecting quantitative data first followed by

collecting qualitative data second

� Typically, a greater emphasis is placed on the

quantitative data in the study

� Example: You first conduct a survey and then

follow up with a few individuals who answered

positively to the questions through interviews

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Sequential explanatory design:

When do you use it?

� When you want to explain the quantitative

results in more depth with qualitative data

(e.g., statistical differences among groups,

individuals who scored at extreme levels)

� When you want to identify appropriate

participants to study in more depth

qualitatively

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The purpose of this two-phase, explanatory mixed methods

study will be to obtain statistical, quantitative results from a

sample and then follow-up with a few individuals to probe or

explore those results in more depth. In the first phase,

quantitative research questions or hypotheses will address the relationship or comparison of __________ (independent) and

________ (dependent) variables with ___________

(participants) at ___________(the research site). In the

second phase, qualitative interviews or observations will be

used to problem significant _______(quantitative results) by exploring aspects of the ________ (central phenomenon) with

_______ (a few participants) at ____________ (research

site).

Sequential explanatory design:

Sample script

Sequential exploratory design

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QUAL

Data &

Results

quan

Data &

Results Interpretation

Building to

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Sequential exploratory design:

Characteristics

� Viewing the study as a two-phase project

� Qualitative data collection precedes quantitative data collection

� Typically, greater emphasis is placed on the qualitative data in the study

� Example: You collect qualitative diary entries, analyze the data for themes, and then develop an instrument based on the themes to measure attitudes on a quantitative survey administered to a large sample.

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Sequential exploratory design:

When do you use it?

� To develop an instrument when one is not available (first explore, then develop instrument)

� To develop a classification or typology for testing

� To identify the most important variables to study quantitatively when these variable are not known

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The purpose of this two-phase, exploratory mixed methods

study will be to explore participant views with the intent of

using this information to develop and test an instrument with

a sample from a population. The first phase will be a

qualitative exploration of a _______(central phenomenon) by collecting ___________(data) from ____________

(participants) at _______ (research site). Themes from this

qualitative data will then be developed into an instrument (or

survey) so that the __________ (theory and research

questions/hypotheses) can be tested that ________ (relate, compare) ____________ (independent variable) with

__________ (dependent variable) for _________(sample of a

population) at _________ (research site).

Sequential exploratory design:

Sample script

Sequential transformative design

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QUAL quanSocial science theory, qualitative theory, advocacy worldview

QUAN qualSocial science theory, qualitative theory, advocacy worldview

Sequential transformative design:

Characteristics

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� Has two distinct data collection phases

� A theoretical perspective is used to guide the

study

� Purpose is to use methods that will best

serve the theoretical perspective of the

researcher

Concurrent triangulation design

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QUAN

Data and Results+ QUAL

Data and Results

Interpretation

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Concurrent triangulation design:

Characteristics

� Collecting both quantitative and qualitative data

� Collecting these data at the same time in the research procedure

� Analyzing the quantitative and qualitative data separately

� Comparing or combining the results of the quantitative and qualitative analysis

� Example: collect survey data (quantitative) and collect individual interviews (qualitative) and then compare the results

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Concurrent triangulation design:

When is it used?

� When you want to combine the advantages of quantitative (trends, large numbers, generalization) with qualitative (detail, small numbers, in-depth)

� When you want to validate your quantitative findings with qualitative data

� When you want to expand your quantitative findings with some open-ended qualitative data (e.g., survey with closed- and open-ended data)

Concurrent embedded design

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QUAN

qual

QUAL

quan

QUAN

Pre-test

Data &

Results

QUAN

Post-test

Data &

Results

Intervention

qual

Process

Interpretation

Concurrent embedded design:

Characteristics

� One data collection phase during which both quantitative and qualitative data are collected (one is determined to be the primary method).

� The primary method guides the project and the secondary provides a supporting role in the procedures.

� The secondary method is “embedded” or “nested” within the predominant method and addresses a different question.

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The purpose of this concurrent mixed methods study

is to better understand a research problem by

converging both quantitative (numeric) and qualitative

(text or image) data. In this approach, ___________

(quantitative instruments) will be used to measure the relationship between the ________ (independent

variables) and __________ (dependent variables). At

the same time in the study, the __________ (central

phenomenon) will be explored using _____________

(qualitative interviews, documents, observations, visual materials) with _________ (participants) at

____________ (the research site).

Sample script for a concurrent design

(Triangulation or nested)

Concurrent transformative design

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QUAN + QUAL

Social science theory, qualitative theory,

advocacy worldview

QUAL

Social science theory, qualitative theory,

advocacy worldview

quan

Concurrent transformative design:

Characteristics

� Guided by a theoretical perspective.

� Concurrent collection of both quantitative and qualitative data.

� The design may have one method embedded in the other so that diverse participants are given a choice in the change process of an organization.

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Further readings

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