Mixed

Methods
Research
Professor Dr. Khalid Mahmood
University of the Punjab
Lahore PAKISTAN

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 unmatched contribution on the topic.
2

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
3

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.

Group Studied

Smaller & not randomly

selected.
Study of the whole, not
variables.
Words, images, or objects.

To test hypotheses, look at

cause & effect, & make
predictions.
Larger & randomly selected.

Variables

Type of Data
Collected
Form of Data
Collected

Qualitative data such as

open-ended responses,
interviews, participant
observations, field notes, &
reflections.

Specific variables studied

Numbers and statistics.

Quantitative data based on
precise measurements using
structured & validated datacollection instruments.
5

Qualitative vs. quantitative research

Criteria

Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research

Type of Data
Analysis

Identify patterns, features,

themes.

Identify statistical relationships.

Objectivity and Subjectivity is expected.

Subjectivity

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.

Results

Particular or specialized findings

that is less generalizable.

Researcher & their biases are not

known to participants in the study, &
participant characteristics are
deliberately hidden from the
researcher (double blind studies).
Generalizable findings that can be
applied to other populations.

Scientific
Method

Exploratory or bottomup: 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.
6

Qualitative vs. quantitative research

Criteria

Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research

View of Human
Behavior
Most Common
Research
Objectives
Focus

Dynamic, situational, social, &

personal.
Explore, discover, & construct.

Regular & predictable.

Wide-angle lens; examines the

breadth & depth of phenomena.
Study behavior in a natural
environment.
Multiple realities; subjective.

Narrow-angle lens; tests a

specific hypotheses.
Study behavior under controlled
conditions; isolate causal effects.
Single reality; objective.

Narrative report with contextual

description & direct quotations
from research participants.

Statistical report with

correlations, comparisons of
means, & statistical significance
of findings.

Nature of
Observation
Nature of Reality
Final Report

Describe, explain, & predict.

Pragmatism Philosophy behind MMR

Arises out of actions, situations, and

consequences rather than antecedent
conditions.
There is a concern with applicationswhat
worksand solutions to problems.
Instead of focusing on methods, researchers
emphasize the research problem and use all
approaches available to understand the
problem.
8

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
9

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
Sequential Qualitative
first

Equal

Integrating

Explicit

Qualitative

Connecting

Implicit

Quantitative

Embedding

Sequential Quantitative
first

11

Notations to describe MM designs

12

Mixed methods designs

Sequential Explanatory Design

Sequential Exploratory Design
Sequential Transformative Design
Concurrent Triangulation Design
Concurrent Embedded Design
Concurrent Transformative Design

13

Sequential explanatory design

QUAN
Data &
Results

Following up

qual
Data &
Results

Interpretation

14

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

15

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

16

Sequential explanatory design:

Sample script
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).
17

Sequential exploratory design

quan
Data &
Results

QUAL
Data &
Results

Interpretation

Building to

18

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.

19

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

20

Sequential exploratory design:

Sample script
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).
21

Sequential transformative design

QUAL

quan

Social science theory, qualitative theory, advocacy worldview

QUAN

qual

Social science theory, qualitative theory, advocacy worldview

22

Sequential transformative design:

Characteristics

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

23

Concurrent triangulation design

QUAN
Data and Results

QUAL
Data and Results

Interpretation

24

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
25

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)

26

Concurrent embedded design

QUAN
Pre-test
Data &
Results

qual

quan

QUAN

QUAL

Intervention

qual
Process

QUAN
Post-test
Data &
Results

Interpretation

27

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.

28

Sample script for a concurrent design

(Triangulation or nested)
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).
29

Concurrent transformative design

QUAN + QUAL
Social science theory, qualitative theory,
advocacy worldview

quan

QUAL
Social science theory, qualitative theory,
advocacy worldview

30

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.

31

Further readings

32