Considering Mixed Methods Research - Essay Example

“Proponents of mixed research typically adhere to the compatibility thesis as well as to the philosophy of pragmatism. The compatibility thesis is the idea that quantitative and qualitative methods are compatible, that is, they can both be used in a single research study. The philosophy of pragmatism says that researchers should use the approach or mixture of approaches that works the best in a real world situation. In short, what works is what is useful and should be used, regardless of any philosophical assumptions, paradigmatic assumptions, or any other type of assumptions.

” (Mixed Method and Mixed Model Research). Therefore, the mixed methods research has a major impact on the quality of research conducted in several topics in different branches of social sciences. It is important to have a definite understanding about the mixed methods research. According to Keith F Punch, “Mixed methods research is empirical research that involves the collection and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data… A single study that combines qualitative and quantitative data is mixed methods, but the term can also refer to several studies that combine both types of data.

” (Punch, 2009, p. 288). The value and appropriateness of the mixed methods research in various areas of investigation may be comprehended from the fact that this method incorporates the essential advantages of both the quantitative and qualitative methods, while eliminating the major limitations of these approaches to research. In fact, the mixed methods research is most valuable when form of data collection would not be sufficient to respond to a particular research problem. It is, therefore, essential to undertake a careful analysis of the factors that contribute to the effective performance of a mixed methods research.

There have been four important