Mixed-methods research: How to combine diverse quantitative and qualitative methods

Introduction

Key terms: mixing qualitative and quantitative methods, designing research, introductory course, relevant for students in any PhD phase.

ECTS: 2.5 
Number of sessions: 4
Hours per session: 3

Researchers in the social sciences and humanities often combine different research methods. For example, a popular combination is conducting a survey and qualitative interviews.  The combination of different methods often leads to more powerful insights than studies using only one method.

In this course, we will explore different ways to design, conduct and analyse mixed-methods research. We will also address the challenges in preparing results from such studies for academic publication.

In interactive sessions, we discuss conceptual aspects of mixed-methods research (different designs, approaches to analysis, etc.) and practical issues related to data collection, analyses and quality assessment. We work with concrete examples from the participants, the literature and the lecturer. The course assignments are designed to contribute directly to the participants’ own  research. Active participation and the willingness to share and discuss your own work are expected.
 

Entry level and relevance

This is an introductory course. It is designed for people who have no or limited experience with mixed-methods research. Attending the course does not require in-depth knowledge of quantitative or qualitative paradigms and does not go into the details of quantitative or qualitative methods. The emphasis is on explaining and exploring mixed-methods research, from design to publication.

The course can help both quantitatively and qualitatively oriented researchers, and it can be useful for researchers in all phases of their PhD trajectory.
 

Relations with other courses

There are no distinct relations and no significant overlap between this course and other courses offered by EGSH.
 

Sessions and preparations

Session 1: General approaches to mixed methods research
This session starts with a short introduction into quantitative and qualitative research and their respective strengths and weaknesses. The main part will be spent on discussing the various versions in which quantitative and qualitative approaches can be combined, the rationales for choosing specific designs, and the practical implications such choices have for important aspects of a research project, such as sampling procedures and the likely duration of a study.
Preparation: Read the recommended literature (the literature will be shared with you by the lecturer before the start of the course).

Session 2: Sampling and data collection in mixed-methods research
This lecture will provide advice on how to plan for and execute the collection of data, when a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches is intended. We will discuss the difference between probability and purposive sampling and various other distinctions. During the session, you will work on defining the sampling strategy you plan to use (have used) in your own research design and on presenting your sampling strategy.
Preparation: Read the recommended literature and find examples of published academic articles reporting mixed-methods research, preferably within your own research area.

Session 3: Mixing analytic techniques and quality assessment
Often the most difficult step in mixed-methods research is the effective analysis and integration of data following quantitative and qualitative logics. In this session, we will discuss the possibilities as well as the challenges when integrating mixed-methods data. We will further look into the challenges of writing-up mixed-methods studies for publication in academic journals. During the session, you will work on defining a plan of integrative analyses for your own mixed-methods research. Finally, we will discuss how to assess the quality of mixed-method research.
Preparation: Read the recommended literature and finish your sampling strategy.

Session 4: Feedback session with lecturer (optional)
If relevant, this session can be used to meet one-on-one with the instructor and discuss specific questions related to mixed-methods research that are relevant to your own research.