What is Mixed Methods Research?

Summary

John Creswell from the University of Nebraska Lincoln introduces mixed methods research, a field he's contributed to for 25 years. Mixed methods research combines qualitative and quantitative data to provide a more comprehensive understanding of social and health science issues. Creswell discusses the importance of rigorous data collection and analysis, and the integration of both data types. He outlines various designs for mixed methods research, including convergent, explanatory sequential, and exploratory sequential designs, emphasizing the approach's growing relevance in the scientific community.

Takeaways

• 🎓 John Creswell is a leading expert in mixed methods research, with 25 years of experience and a co-founder of the Journal of Mixed Methods Research.
• 🌟 Mixed methods research is an approach that combines both qualitative and quantitative data to provide a more comprehensive understanding of research problems.
• 📊 It draws insights from various fields, including social sciences, education, and health sciences, and is exemplified in documentaries like Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth'.
• 🏀 The script uses the example of basketball player Shane Battier to illustrate how qualitative data can enhance the understanding of quantitative statistics.
• 🌪 It also references real-world events like Hurricane Sandy to show how stories and statistics are often presented together in the media.
• 🔍 Mixed methods research involves collecting and analyzing both types of data using rigorous methods, suggesting a more scientific and complete approach to research.
• 📚 Creswell emphasizes that mixed methods research is not just about using the term 'mixed methods' without following rigorous procedures.
• 🔄 It is more than just having both types of data; it requires integrating them in a meaningful way to augment the understanding of the research problem.
• 📊 The script outlines different designs for mixed methods research, such as convergent, explanatory sequential, and exploratory sequential designs, each with its unique approach to data collection and analysis.
• 🏛 Advanced mixed methods designs can incorporate elements like experiments, social science theories, or community-based participatory research to enrich the study.
• 🌐 Creswell invites further exploration into mixed methods research, indicating its growing importance and application in various research fields.

Q & A

What is mixed methods research?

Mixed methods research is an approach that combines both qualitative and quantitative data in a single study or series of studies. It aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of research problems by using both statistical trends and the stories of people's lives.

How long has John Creswell been working in the field of mixed methods research?

John Creswell has been working in the field of mixed methods research for almost 25 years.

What is one example John Creswell gives to illustrate mixed methods research?

John Creswell uses Al Gore's documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth' as an example, where Al Gore combines personal stories with statistical trends to discuss global warming.

What is the importance of mixed methods research in the social and health sciences?

Mixed methods research is important in the social and health sciences because it allows researchers to combine the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative approaches, leading to a more complete understanding of complex issues.

What are the four key features of mixed methods research that John Creswell discusses?

The four key features of mixed methods research discussed by John Creswell are: 1) Collecting and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data, 2) Using rigorous approaches in data collection and analysis, 3) Integrating the two forms of data, and 4) Often framing these designs within a larger perspective such as an experiment, theory, or community participatory research approach.

What does John Creswell mean when he says mixed methods research is not just using the name without a rigorous procedure?

John Creswell means that simply labeling a study as 'mixed methods' does not make it so. It requires a rigorous and systematic approach to both the collection and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data.

How does John Creswell differentiate between quantitative and qualitative data collection?

Quantitative data collection is usually predetermined by the researcher, based on instruments, and involves statistical analysis. Qualitative data collection, on the other hand, involves open-ended questions, interviews, observations, and document analysis, and is more interpretive and context-dependent.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of quantitative research as described by John Creswell?

The advantages of quantitative research include its efficiency in studying large numbers of people, its ability to examine relationships and causality, and its control over bias. The disadvantages include its impersonal nature and lack of detailed participant voices.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative research as described by John Creswell?

The advantages of qualitative research include its ability to provide detailed voices of participants, understand experiences in context, and build perspectives from the participants' viewpoints. The disadvantages include reliance on small samples and being highly interpretive, which can introduce researcher bias.

Can you explain the convergent design in mixed methods research?

The convergent design in mixed methods research involves collecting and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data separately and then merging the data to compare and contrast the results, looking for convergence or corroboration between the two datasets.

What is the explanatory sequential design in mixed methods research?

The explanatory sequential design begins with quantitative data collection and analysis, followed by a qualitative phase that aims to interpret and provide deeper understanding of the initial quantitative findings.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Mixed Methods Research

John Creswell, from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, introduces the concept of mixed methods research in this video presentation. With nearly 25 years of experience in the field, Creswell outlines the basics of mixed methods research, which combines both qualitative and quantitative data to provide a more comprehensive understanding of research problems. He discusses the importance of using various types of evidence, such as stories and statistics, to study issues in social sciences, education, and health sciences. Creswell uses examples from documentaries, sports, and media to illustrate how mixed methods research can offer a more complete picture of a situation.

05:02

🔍 Clarifying Misconceptions about Mixed Methods

Creswell clarifies misconceptions about mixed methods research, emphasizing that it is not merely using the term without following rigorous procedures. He distinguishes mixed methods from multi-method research, which involves gathering multiple forms of either qualitative or quantitative data. Creswell highlights the importance of viewing data as part of a larger research picture, considering both the type of information gathered and the philosophical assumptions underlying the research. He contrasts the methods and assumptions of quantitative and qualitative research, noting the advantages and limitations of each approach.

10:04

🧩 The Integration of Qualitative and Quantitative Data

In this section, Creswell discusses the importance of integrating qualitative and quantitative data in mixed methods research. He outlines different design procedures for collecting and analyzing data, such as experiments, surveys, and ethnographies. Creswell explains the need for rigorous methods in data collection and analysis, whether statistical or through qualitative software packages. He introduces various mixed methods research designs, including convergent, explanatory sequential, and exploratory sequential designs, and how they can be advanced by incorporating frameworks like experiments, theories, or community-based participatory research. Creswell concludes by emphasizing the value of combining different forms of data to enhance the understanding of research problems.

Keywords

💡Mixed Methods Research

Mixed Methods Research refers to a type of research that combines both quantitative and qualitative approaches to study a problem. In the video, John Creswell explains that this approach is about integrating the stories of people's lives with statistical data to gain a more comprehensive understanding. The video uses examples like Al Gore's documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth', where both personal narratives and statistical evidence are presented to convey the message about global warming.

💡Qualitative Data

Qualitative data in research consists of non-numerical information that provides insights into human experiences, behaviors, and perspectives. Creswell mentions that qualitative data can include interviews, observations, and documents, which are analyzed to identify themes and patterns. In the context of the video, qualitative data helps to understand the detailed voices and experiences of individuals, offering a rich, contextual understanding that complements quantitative findings.

💡Quantitative Data

Quantitative data is numerical and often used to measure and analyze phenomena in a way that can be statistically quantified. Creswell discusses how quantitative data is predetermined by the researcher and based on instruments such as surveys or performance measures. In the video, quantitative data is highlighted as efficient for studying large groups and understanding relationships and cause-effect dynamics, but it is also noted for its impersonal nature.

💡Convergent Design

A convergent design in mixed methods research involves collecting and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously and then merging the datasets to compare and corroborate findings. Creswell uses this term to illustrate a design where the results from different types of data collection are brought together to provide a more robust understanding of the research problem.

💡Explanatory Sequential Design

The explanatory sequential design is a mixed methods approach where quantitative data is collected and analyzed first, followed by qualitative data that serves to interpret and elaborate on the initial quantitative findings. Creswell explains this design as a popular method in social and health sciences, where the qualitative phase follows up on the quantitative phase to provide a deeper understanding of the results.

💡Rigorous Procedures

Rigorous procedures in research imply the use of systematic and thorough methods to ensure the quality and reliability of the study. Creswell emphasizes the importance of rigorous procedures in both quantitative and qualitative research, including the use of appropriate designs, data collection methods, and analysis techniques. The video stresses that mixed methods research is not just about combining data types but doing so with a rigorous approach.

💡Data Integration

Data integration in mixed methods research is the process of combining qualitative and quantitative data to provide a more complete picture of the research problem. Creswell discusses various ways of integrating data, such as through convergent or sequential designs, to enhance the understanding beyond what either data type could offer alone. The video illustrates how integration leads to a more holistic view of research findings.

💡Research Design

Research design in the context of the video refers to the overall plan and structure of the research, including the choice of methods, data collection, and analysis. Creswell talks about different research designs like experiments, surveys, ethnographies, and others, which are chosen based on the research question and the type of data needed. The video highlights the importance of selecting a design that aligns with the research goals and allows for the integration of different data types.

💡Community-Based Participatory Research

Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) is a collaborative approach to research that actively involves the community in all aspects of the research process. Creswell mentions CBPR as a framework that can be used in mixed methods research to engage the community and ensure that the research is relevant and responsive to their needs. This approach is highlighted in the video as a way to enhance the validity and applicability of research findings.

💡Grounded Theory

Grounded theory is a qualitative research method that involves generating theory from data through a systematic and inductive process. Creswell briefly mentions grounded theory as an example of a rigorous qualitative approach that is distinct from mixed methods research. The video suggests that while grounded theory is a valuable method in its own right, mixed methods research goes beyond by combining both qualitative and quantitative data.

Highlights

Introduction to mixed methods research by John Creswell.

Creswell's extensive experience in mixed methods research, including co-founding the Journal of Mixed Methods Research.

Definition of mixed methods research as combining qualitative and quantitative data.

Example of mixed methods in Al Gore's documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth', showcasing the combination of stories and statistics.

Application of mixed methods in sports analytics, exemplified by Shane Battier's basketball performance.

Use of mixed methods in media reporting, such as stories alongside statistics during Hurricane Sandy coverage.

The importance of combining stories and numbers for a more complete understanding in research.

Mixed methods as an emerging approach in social and health sciences.

Key features of mixed methods research, including collecting and analyzing both types of data.

Clarification of what mixed methods research is not, such as simply using the term without rigorous procedures.

The necessity of viewing data as part of a larger research picture.

Differences in assumptions and methods between quantitative and qualitative data collection.

Advantages of quantitative research, like efficiency and ability to study large groups.

Advantages of qualitative research, such as capturing detailed voices and experiences.

The rigor required in mixed methods research, including design, data collection, and analysis.

Integration of qualitative and quantitative data as a critical aspect of mixed methods research.

Description of convergent design in mixed methods, where both data types are collected and analyzed separately before integration.

Explanatory sequential design, starting with quantitative data followed by qualitative for interpretation.

Exploratory sequential design, beginning with qualitative data to guide subsequent quantitative research.

Advanced designs in mixed methods, such as incorporating theories or community-based participatory research.

Conclusion and invitation for further exploration of mixed methods research.

Transcripts

- Hello, this is John Creswell.

Well, I'm speaking to you

from the University of Nebraska Lincoln

in the United States.

I am in the Department of Educational Psychology,

and I'm going to talk a little bit today about

what is mixed methods research.

This'll just be a short video presentation.

I've been working in the field of mixed methods research

for almost 25 years.

I co-founded the Journal of Mixed Methods Research.

We've established a research office here.

I've written textbooks on mixed methods research,

and I've been teaching it for almost 20 years now.

So I'm just going to kind of run through

some of the basic ideas,

of four points about what mixed methods research is.

And hopefully you'll find this informative and educational

and learn a little bit about mixed methods research.

The thing is we might start with the broader question of

what kind of evidence do we use to study the problems today

in the social sciences,

in education, in the health sciences?

I think we can draw some clues

from looking at recent documentaries.

Take for example, Al Gore's documentary,

An Inconvenient Truth.

And this is a documentary of course, about global warming.

But when you look at this documentary,

it's a mixed methods documentary

because Al Gore

combines both the stories as well as statistical trends.

For example, he shows some pictures

of how the glaciers have changed over time

and talks about that story of change over the years.

And then in the next slide,

he is showing us some graphs,

some pictures of how these changes have occurred.

We can find it also in the sporting world today

when we look at the evidence.

For example, there's this well-known basketball player

in the United States, Shane Battier.

He was as a seventh grader,

the fourth best in the nation.

He graduated from high school.

He was considered the best.

He went on to a very illustrious college career.

Now, when he went into the professional basketball realm

and people began looking at his statistics

on how he performed,

he didn't score many points.

He didn't really snag many rebounds.

He stole a few balls, really dished out few assists,

but yet his team was winning.

But then when they started bringing in

qualitative information,

such as looking at how he blocked the opponent's vision,

how he looked at, whether the players drove left or right,

whether he talked to teammates

and how he talked to teammates,

we the qualitative evidence

that begins to supplement or augment

the statistical evidence

to have a greater understanding of Shane's potential.

We see this too in everyday events

that are portrayed in the media,

such as the stories about Hurricane Sandy and New York City,

where we get the passionate, tragic stories

of individuals who've lost property

and some have lost lives.

And those are then presented alongside the newscasters

that show the statistics about Hurricane Sandy

and give us the numeric information.

So again, we have stories and numbers

been portrayed in the media.

This leads to mixed methods research,

which in the simplest way of thinking about it

is just simply putting together the stories

of people's lives,

as well as the numbers,

the statistics of what occurs.

It's an emerging mixed methods approach

in the social and health sciences.

It combines both these statistical trends

and the stories people have developed

a complete methodology around this concept.

The whole idea is that combining both statistics,

as well as the stories,

gives us a more complete understanding

of our research problem and just one by itself.

So, I want to go through now

four key features that really illustrate to me

what mixed methods is all about.

First of all,

it's collecting and analyzing

both qualitative and quantitative data

using rigorous approaches in collecting those methods.

Combining the two forms of data,

and then perhaps framing it within a broader framework.

And what I'm gonna do now

is take each one of these four points

and I'm going to break them down

and talk about them specifically.

It's helpful too at the beginning

to think about what mixed methods is not

because there's a lot of commentary out there

about what mixed methods is,

what it is not.

Here's some of my thoughts about what it's not.

It's not simply just using the name mixed methods

without the more rigorous procedure.

In research methodology, people do that.

They drop in the term such as grounded theory,

but they really don't have the rigorous procedures

behind it.

It's more than just having

both quantitative and qualitative data available.

And it's also more than just gathering both forms of data

and analyzing them separately

without bringing them together.

Also, it's not just gathering

multiple forms of qualitative data

or multiple forms of quantitative data.

There's a term for that in the literature

called multi-method research.

So now let me go through these four points.

First of all,

what does it mean to collect and analyze

both qualitative and quantitative data?

We need to view data

as part of a larger picture of doing research.

It's the type of information we gather and analyze

to answer our questions.

It's then framed within larger questions

and framed within larger philosophical assumptions

of doing research.

So my focus is gonna be on

how we treat that data,

how we combine it in integrated

in mixed methods research,

but we need to recognize it

as part of a larger approach to doing research.

It's just one step in the process.

Now, when you gather quantitative data and qualitative data,

there are certain different assumptions that are operating

two different forms of gathering evidence.

Quantitative data

is usually predetermined by the researcher.

Is based on instruments.

We gather those instruments.

Measuring performance attitudes, observations.

We then do statistical analysis

and we make an interpretation.

Qualitative has the different type of methods going on.

It's an emerging methods

where we don't necessarily start

with a predetermined instrument.

We ask very open-ended questions.

We often conduct interviews, observations.

We look at documents,

we might look at email messages.

We might listen to sounds.

The Ray of qualitative methods

that are collected data that's collected is very broad.

Then we take that information and we analyze it.

I say, we analyze text or image data,

and we build up a picture of what theme or patterns emerge

from talking to people.

So I see the methods for quantitative and qualitative

being very different and having distinct features.

Now both methods have advantages.

Take quantitative research for example,

it's really useful for studying large numbers of people

across a wide geographic area.

It's a very efficient method of data collection.

We can start looking at the relationship

among concepts or variables.

We can even look at whether something causes something

cause and effect.

We can control for bias carefully,

and people tend to like numbers,

but we also know there's a downside

to quantitative research.

It tends to be impersonal dry.

We really don't hear the words participants.

Often we don't go out to the actual setting

where things are occurring.

It's largely driven by the researcher.

Now qualitative research

has some distinct them just too,

we can hear those detailed voices of people.

We can understand their experiences

and their actual settings where things are occurring.

Your whole idea in qualitative

is to build the perspective up

from the views of participants,

not from the researcher's perspective.

So it's more realistic and people like stories.

Some of this limitations,

well, it often draws on small samples,

so we can't really apply it across a large number of people.

It's also highly interpretive.

And it also relies on the researcher's interpretation

to make sense of these stories that individuals provide.

So mixed methods secondly, is rigorous.

What constitutes a rigorous quantitative study

and a rigorous qualitative study?

We need to attend to different perspectives about design,

such as using a design procedure.

In quantitative, this will mean experiment

or correlation or survey.

Whereas in qualitative, it might mean

using a design such as ethnography, grounded theory,

phenomenological study.

We also need to attend to how we collect the data

from sites, permissions,

a systematic or a purposeful sampling,

an adequate N or number of people that we study.

We need to have multiple forms of data collection.

We need to go through a rigorous procedure

of analysis of the information,

whether it's a statistical analysis,

such as descriptive, inferential,

using statistical packages.

On the qualitative side,

whether it's using qualitative software package

and then building from the codes to the themes,

to the larger perspectives.

So we need some rigorous methods

when we do mixed methods research.

That gives it more of a scientific form.

Third, and this is maybe one of the most important

and one of the most confusing parts

of mixed methods research.

We need to integrate these two forms of data.

We need to bring the qualitative

and the quantitative together.

Now there are some designs out there

in the mixed methods field that have emerged.

And these have developed over maybe the last 20 years.

The first one we call a convergent design.

Basically what we're going to do here

is we're going to collect quantitative data, analyze it.

And at the same time,

we're gonna collect qualitative data and analyze it.

So the quantitative might be a survey.

The qualitative might be an open-ended interview

with some people.

We're gonna gather these two databases,

and then we're actually going to merge the data,

bring it together

and basically we're going to compare the results

to see when we ask people questions

and talk to them as in qualitative

and we gather information on instruments,

whether the results from these two databases merge

and are comparable,

that's a convergent design.

The next is an explanatory sequential design.

It's a very popular one

in the social sciences and health sciences.

We're gonna start by collecting quantitative data,

analyzing it.

And then from those results,

we're then going to build in a second qualitative phase

where we follow up.

So the whole idea in this design

is to interpret the quantitative results

using the qualitative data.

Now we can reverse this and we have an exploratory design

where we're gonna start not quantitatively

but we're gonna start qualitatively.

So we start with the qualitative data collection

we explore and come up with findings.

We then use those findings

to then follow up with a quantitative phase.

For example, we might use qualitative findings

to develop a new instrument

because there aren't existing instruments out there

to measure a certain phenomenon was a population.

So this is a good design for that.

So I call it qualitative exploration

then leading to a quantitative test.

Now there's one more step.

We can move beyond these three basic design

to more what we call advanced designs.

So within a basic design, we can add to it,

think about a basic design

that we're then going to surround it

with a more advanced design.

We're gonna put some more features into it.

For example, we might do an experiment

within which the conversion design is used.

We might do a case study,

we might use a theoretical model,

social change model for example.

We might use a social science theory model.

One of the popular approaches here is to do an experiment.

And within that to use a convergent basic design,

where we gather both quantitative and qualitative data

and bring them together.

Another one would be to use a social science theory

that surrounds an explanatory sequential design.

So the theory that kind of guides the entire study,

it provides a framework for which we then

start quantitatively and follow up qualitative.

Another popular one that's emerging

is a community-based participatory research.

That's a framework for engaging the community

and getting them involved in decisions

throughout the research process.

We might use that in an exploratory sequential design.

So those are four of the basic ideas

of what mixed methods research is.

It's collecting and analyzing

qualitative and quantitative data

using rigorous procedures

combining or integrating both forms of data.

And then framing often framing these designs

within a larger perspective,

such as an experiment of theory

or a community participatory research approach.

Thanks for your time.

We look forward to hearing more

about mixed methods from you in the future.