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Write essay on what is meant by mixed methods research and what are the advantages and disadvantages of using this approach?
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Introduction
Mixed Research Method has seen contemporary light in the research field. However, it cannot be attributed an entirely a new concept in this field as most of the researchers in past researches have considered both – quantitative and qualitative – the methods of analyses (Teddlice and Tashakkori, 2011). The only new perspective in this method comes when combining both distinct research methods come into picture. This paper discusses the definition of mixed-method research, the associated opportunities and risks, the framework developed for this method, and the advantages and disadvantages of this method. However, prior to discussing the mixed method research, it is important to understand some of the terminologies being used throughout the study, namely, methodology, design, and methods.
Methodology deals with the structure developed based on the theoretical study and the assumptions made by the researcher (Creswell and Clark, 2007). It details about the entire procedure of the research work being done. The research design concerns with bringing together the methodology developed in a research and the methods those need to be acted upon to conduct the research (Johnson and Onwuegbuzie, 2004). The research method focuses on more specific areas. It is concerned with collecting the data and analyzing the same. Data can be from any process, be it qualitative or quantitative (Bryman et al, 2008).
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Mixed Method Research Definition
Mixed method is concerned with utilizing various research methods in a single research. The mixture of the method can be of various forms. It can be either mixing the various methods within a qualitative research or it can be either mixing the various methods within a quantitative research (Crewell, 2013). Moreover, it can the mixture of methods pulled from quantitative and qualitative research methods. However, it is yet to be clearly understood that whether the mixed research method should be defined as a unique research method. The reason behind this is quite obvious, on one hand it tries to be distinct on certain parameters discussed later in this paper, on the other hand, it uses the historically adjusted and defined methods as a mixture. The adoption of mixed research method can have its own specific plan of action or it can be defined to the area where the various methods are being used to reach certain conclusions, be it a case study or a research process. In general, there are two research types those are used in the mixed method, namely, within-stage model, and across stage model. Within-stage mixed model is concerned with mixing the qualitative and quantitative methods at various stages, for instance, using the questionnaire that considers using open ended questions as well as close ended questions. On the other hand, the across stage mixed model is concerned with using the mixed approach at the two stages minimum, for instance, exploring the research objective by focusing on open-ended questions in terms of qualitative data and also moving ahead with quantifying the responses to use the quantitative techniques. In nutshell, mixed method approach is concerns utilizing the qualitative and quantitative phases of the research in the entire research being conducted by the researcher. One more aspect of mixed method research is focusing on the time order of the research and the emphasizing on the paradigm of the research.
Associated Opportunities and Risks
There are various opportunities provided by the mixed research approach. This approach has logical structure that acts as a bridge between the two basic paradigms of the research, namely, quantitative and qualitative. The one of the major opportunities provided by this method is that it allows the researcher to use various methods of research to reach the required purpose of the study. The method allows the researcher to understand the research prior to concerning about the methods to be used for the study. Another opportunity provided by this method is that it enhances the skill of the researcher in utilizing the various research methods. For instance, if a researcher is oriented towards qualitative analyses then it can rarely be expected that the researcher can make significant contribution towards quantitative analyses. However, the researchers utilizing the mixed approach will have holistic approach on all the areas of the research in general and a successful research can be expected (Leech and Onwuegbuzie, 2009). Moreover, the mixed approach allows the researcher learning that can be utilized for longer terms. It provides opportunity in broadening the horizon of thinking. However, it needs to be focused that the holistic approach is not always a viable option for most of the researcher. The reason is the risk that comes with the availability of myriad options to choose from and particular when the subject is new to the research community. If a researcher is not trained with the capacity to choose from the vast area of the options, then it might lead to failed result or the results that leads nowhere (Denscombe, 2008). It will be waste of time and resources applied in the research. Along with the above opportunities and risks, another opportunity provided to the researchers is that it pulls them away from the conventional styled theoretical orientation and presses them to think out of the box.
Five Ps Frameworks
As per discussion paper by Julia Brannen (2005), three Ps have been discussed while detailing over the rational of the mixed research method, namely, paradigms and philosophical assumptions, pragmatics, and politics. Moreover, another study by Roslyn Cameron (2011) brings out three more Ps, namely, Praxis, Proficiency and Publishing. Roslyn did not include politics in the research and the reason is unknown. Mentioned below are the brief on each of the five Ps including the third – politics – by Julia Brannen:
Paradigms and Philosophical Assumptions: This area considers that the researchers’ selection of research methods depend on assumptions developed by the researcher while moving through the prior studies. The paradigm perspective states that the understanding towards the qualitative and quantitative research is stated as different and not on colliding anywhere. However, the point to which both the areas reflect competition, it can be stated that they are in two different paradigms. The paradigmatic processes state that the researchers cannot form the choice over the methods without reaching any assumptions. Therefore, it can be suggested to the researchers that they decide what they are looking prior to deciding over the methods.
Pragmatics: The pragmatic orientation states that the researcher need to have familiarity with the literatures and prior debates on the methods that surround the method selection and approaches to be chosen. Moreover, the researchers can go a step ahead and choose methods that reflect riskiness. However, it should be mandatory approach to justify the selection of the methods. The issue concerning this P is that the researcher has to be informed about the various debates surrounding the subject.
Politics: This area of research states that conventional orientation of the political researchers has been to move ahead with chosen methods and data that conform to their prior paradigm or understanding. Moreover, it has been observed that the political researchers require mixed approach effectively. For instance, using the quantitative data to look at the metric side of the research and also considering qualitative data to deeply understand the perspective of the respondents. This method helps them taking both the orientation to conduct the study.
Praxis: In this, the researcher should have the ability to determine the reliability and validity of the methods those are being employed. The method should be appropriate for the research which needs to be taken care of. Moreover, the researcher needs to ask questions those reflect in the study. The study should be question driven. Along with that, the study provides cost-effective methods while utilizing various methods and reduces the cost incurred while working with single method.
Proficiency: In this, the researcher has the ability to take a holistic look or approach at all the available methods while comprehensively utilizing the one major method for the study. Moreover, the researcher need to understand the various principles that are employed in the all the methods available and can be utilized on the study.
Publishing: In this, the researchers focus on developing new methods to present the findings and the results. This is required particularly for the results and deductions that does not clearly fit the conventional methods of presenting the data and discussions.
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There are some of the appreciable advantages of this method. The mixed method research allows the researcher to consider all the aspects of various research methods and employ the strongest ones and eliminate the weak ones. The research methods chosen can be used as complimentary for all the methods. For instance, if method A has weakness x and strength y, then utilizing the method with weakness y and strength x can boost the research result in better light. This leads to the creation of strong research method and theory. Moreover, the mixed method research is considered more practical than conventional and allows more room for the researchers to play with various methods and chose the most suitable ones. Along with these, the mixed method research allows the researcher to enthusiastically utilize the various quantitative and qualitative researches conducted previously and reach combined and successful findings. This method allows the researcher to answer wider questions that has not specified premise. Moreover, the method can help the researcher to increase the ability of the research result to apply on more general population from the sample collected (Denscombe, 2008). The mixed method research also allows the researcher to include words, narrations, and images to bring more meaning to the research reviews, findings, and conclusions.
Disadvantages
Along with the advantages of the mixed method research stated above, there are certain disadvantages of this approach. The mixed method research might be difficult to conduct by individual researcher as it requires vast study of the papers and methods beginning from the qualitative to the quantitative (Yin, 2006). This increases the costs and thus the overall cost of the research increases exponentially in comparison to the study conducted by one single method. Moreover, there exist some issues with paradigm decision which can be mixed leading to the unsought results. If a researcher wants to conduct mixed method research, then he or she has to have understanding of the myriad methods available and then chose the best possible to fit the study. This process is stressful and time taking.
Conclusion
The paper discussed the various aspects of the mixed-method research. It helped in understanding that the mixed method research allows more holistic freedom to the researcher to conduct the study while choosing from the numerous available methods of conducting the research. The freedom given to the researcher allows them to choose the best one from the lot and apply on their study to reach the most suitable conclusion that contributes to the academic and scientific community. However, there are certain disadvantages of the mixed method research that cannot be ignored as these will help the research to keep an eye on things those need to be considered, for instance, working with co-researchers if undertaking mixed method research seems vast and cannot be handled alone.
References
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Brannen, J. (2005). Mixed methods research: A discussion paper.
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Bryman, A., Becker, S., & Sempik, J. (2008). Quality criteria for quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research: A view from social policy. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 11(4), 261-276.
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Cameron, R. (2011). Mixed methods research: The five Ps framework. The electronic journal of business research methods, 9(2), 96-108.
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Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.
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Creswell, J. W., Plano Clark, V. L., Gutmann, M. L., & Hanson, W. E. (2003). Advanced mixed methods research designs. Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioral research, 209-240.
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Denscombe, M. (2008). Communities of practice a research paradigm for the mixed methods approach. Journal of mixed methods research, 2(3), 270-283.
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Johnson, R. B., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2004). Mixed methods research: A research paradigm whose time has come. Educational researcher, 33(7), 14-26.
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Leech, N. L., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2009). A typology of mixed methods research designs. Quality & quantity, 43(2), 265-275.
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Teddlie, C., & Tashakkori, A. (2011). Mixed methods research. Denzin, Norman; Lincoln, Yvonna (eds.), 285-300.
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Yin, R. K. (2006). Mixed methods research: Are the methods genuinely integrated or merely parallel?. Research in the Schools, 13(1).
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