Mixed Methods

Lecturer: Manfred Max Bergman

Week 2: 19 - 23 August 2024

Workshop Contents and Objectives

Mixed methods research, the intentional integration of qualitative and quantitative research components in a single research design, has emerged as a third research approach beyond qualitative and quantitative designs. In this workshop, participants will gain insight into basic and advanced aspects of integration of qualitative and quantitative approaches through personalized, focused activities. The workshop consists of five parts. Part one will cover research design issues, theoretical assumptions, and justifications for mixed methods. The second and third parts will deal with qualitative and quantitative perspectives on mixed methods research. The fourth part will explore practical problems and solutions to mixed methods research, including newer developments associated with complex mixed methods designs, integration, joint displays, and publication strategies for mixed methods projects. The final part will consist of a presentation where participants will apply workshop materials in a small group project. The workshop will include lectures, exercises, assignments, and group work. At the completion of the workshop, participants will have acquired knowledge about the fundamentals and advanced issues in mixed methods research. Participants engaged in a mixed methods research project are invited to work on their project as part of the course. A limited number of consultations are available, and a course reader will be provided. 

The precise course content will be adapted to the interests, skills, and background of the participants. In the past, courses included:

• MMD background (historical developments; justifications for MMR; nomenclature; MM vs. triangulation vs. multimethod research)
• QL vs/& QN (characteristics of QL and QN revisited; philosophy of science dimension of mixed methods; MM and pragmatism
• Research design and MMD (research purpose, objectives, goals, questions, and hypotheses; basic MMR designs; advanced MM justifications; MMR notation)
• Core and complex MMR designs (exploratory sequential designs; explanatory; sequential designs; convergent/concurrent/parallel designs; complex designs)
• Qualitative-oriented and quantitative-oriented MMR designs
• Data collection and sampling in MMR (mixed data collection; sampling and MM; integration through sampling; timing of QL and QN data collection and analysis; relationship between QN and QL during data collection)
• Integration (conceptualization; integration opportunities and strategies; reasons for disintegration)
• Joint displays
• Current developments and the future of MM (as far as we know right now)
• Publication strategies 

Prerequisites

Familiarity with the basics of either qualitative or quantitative methods.