8. Mixed methods
Mixed methods research is a procedure that enables the collecting, analyzing and integrating of data from both quantitative and qualitative methods in a single study or a series of studies to understand a research problem. The data from both types of studies should be combined or linked embedding to provide a better understanding of a research problem or issue than either research approach alone could provide.
Mixed methods may be a suitable approach for your research when different aspects of your investigation are best addressed by quantitative or qualitative approaches.
Care must be taken to consider the relationship between the different approaches to data collection and a clear relationship between the two should be established.
Mixed method approaches are that the can be useful when unexpected results arise from a prior study. They can help to deepen an understanding of quantitative findings or increase the generalisability of qualitative findings. They can also be helped for designing and validating research instruments, such as questionnaires or complex interventions that will be used in further studies.
The weaknesses of mixed method studies can be related to the complexity in setting up such studies and the need for research to acquire expertise in a range of methods. It can also be difficult to decide when to proceed in sequential designs.
Click on the headings opposite to see some of these possible study designs.
Select the method that you want to learn more about
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