Consider how qualitative and quantitative research methods complement one another, and consider the
role of mixed methods designs. Would it ever be viable to consider only quantitative or only qualitative
methods for a research study? How can mixed methods vs. single (qual-quan) methods extend our
understanding of a research problem? Why would it be important for a researcher to be conversant in
both quantitative and qualitative methods? How do your thoughts on these questions relate to your
worldview? What strategies might you use to help you become more comfortable with or develop further
expertise in mixed methods research�as a consumer and/or producer of research?
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Mixed Methods
Introduction
There is an increase in terms of interest in the area of mixed methods research and the diverse
manner in which both the qualitative and quantitative methods are systematically being utilized
all together. The mixed method research entails a researcher or a group of researchers combining
the elements of both qualitative and quantitative strategies e.g. utilization of qualitative and
quantitative viewpoints, data collection, analysis and inference techniques. The main aim of
combining this methods is to get a deeper meaning and understanding of a given research work
Discussion
Both quantitative and qualitative research methods complement each other. When carrying out
research, researchers ought to consider involving both methods. This is simply because it is very
dangerous to assume that one method will provide all the answers to one particular objective.
Mixing of both qualitative and quantitative approach offers huge benefits for generating new
ways of comprehending the complexes and changes in the social experience. In addition it
enhances researcher’s capacities for social definition and generalization. Such way of doing
research incorporates the best principles in doing research work. As such, the researchers are
able to develop constructivist epistemologies and to interact with thorny methodological issues
which arise from interpretation and explanation.
There are various strategies that researchers and consumers ought to use in order to become more
comfortable with mixed research methods. One needs to become conversant with the typologies
or classification schemes which are mainly used to describe the various methods utilized. this
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typologies are very important since they entail implicit rules and the procedures which are
required in the mixing process (Teddlie and Tashakkori ,2009)
Conclusion
The wrongly executed mixed research methods should never discourage researchers from
utilizing mixed methods. This is simply because mixed methods offers high quality methods for
any study.
Reference
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Teddlie, C., & Tashakkori, A. (2009). Foundations of mixed methods research: Integrating
quantitative and qualitative approaches in the social and behavioral sciences. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage
