Mixed methods
From NursingWiki
Mixed methods is both a methodology and a method. It uses different research paradigms, methodological approaches, methods of data collection and types of analysis.
Contents |
purposes
- to gain a more complete understanding of research problems
- to capture the complexity of human phenomena
- to explore topics initially, and then to study them in the same project
- to develop the research instruments or research procedures for increased validity, reliability or truthfulness
- to provide mire complete information (convergence, triangulation)
- to check results using another paradigm (corroboration, triangulation)
- to improve the quality of the study (explaining quantitative results or firming-up qualitative results)
- to provide results from every aspect, in order to convince key stakeholders
major designs
| TIMING | DESIGN | DESCRIPTION | NOTATION |
| Simultaneous | Triangulation (equal weight) | equal emphasis | QUAL + QUAN
|
| Embedded (unequal weight) | one type of data is supportive to the other. Plays a supplementary role, would not be meaningful unless they were embedded in the other data set | QUAL(quan) or QUAN(qual)
| |
| Sequential | Explanatory | quantitative followed by qualitative in order to explain | QUAN -> QUAL
|
| Exploratory | qualitative followed by quantitative in order to firm-up | QUAL -> QUAN
|
see also
literature
- Clark, VLP and Creswell, JW (2008): "The Mixed Methods Reader", SAGE, ISBN 9781412951456
