Mixing methods on purpose

Dr. Ayaz Muhammad Khan

Director Division of Education, Lahore, Pakistan
Email: ayaz@ue.edu.pk

EDUC7116 Mixed Method Research in Education

 Mixing methods for better understanding.
 Purposes for mixing methods.
 An illustration of mixed methods purposes in practice.
 Practical procedures for thinking about and identifying mixed methods purposes.
 Mixed methods purposes and stances on mixing paradigms while mixing
methods.
To bring synergy between Quantitative & Qualitative Methodology…….
The overall goal of mixed methods research, of combining
qualitative and quantitative research components, is to expand
and strengthen a study's conclusions and, therefore, contribute
to the published literature. In all studies, the use of mixed
methods should contribute to answering
one's research questions
MIXING METHODS FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING
Turner et al. (2015)
Theoretical Purpose-Theoretical purpose refers to what researchers aim to
accomplish in the study as it pertains to theory; such aims include theory
generation, theory elaboration, and theory testing (Lee, Mitchell, & Sablynski,
1999).
For mixed methods studies that focus on convergent triangulation, the
theoretical purpose may involve assessing the validity of an explanation by
conducting multiple tests using methodologies that are flawed in different
ways, or it may involve starting with one method for theory development and
concluding with another method for theory testing.
Thus, theory testing often plays an important role in convergent triangulation
research. By contrast, for studies focused on holistic triangulation, the
theoretical purpose often centers on the development of theory.
PURPOSES FOR MIXING METHODS
Methodological Purpose- McGrath (1982, 1995) suggests that scholars select
research strategies based on the extent to which a given method can
accomplish several objectives: (1) its ability to maximize generalizability with
respect to populations (e.g., actors), (2) its precision in control and
measurement of variables related to behaviors of interest, and (3) its ability to
provide authenticity of context for the observed behaviors.
For example, a method that offers precision in control and measurement of
variables is well suited for addressing threats to internal validity, which refers
to the validity of inferences regarding whether covariation between an
independent and dependent variable results from a causal relationship, as
opposed to the possibility that other extraneous variables are responsible for
the outcome.
PURPOSES FOR MIXING METHODS
Turner et al. (2015)
AN ILLUSTRATION OF MIXED METHODS PURPOSES IN PRACTICE
Practical procedures for thinking about and identifying mixed methods purposes Turner et al. (2015)
There are three possible positions mixed methods researchers can take to adopting a paradigm
to underpin their research. These are the a-paradigmatic stance, the multiple paradigm stance
and the single paradigm stance.
 The a-paradigmatic stance sidesteps the paradigm issue by
ignoring it. Teddlie & Tashakkori (2003) cite Patton’s (1990)
claim that methodology is independent of the epistemology
that gave rise to it. This can be true only in a very general
sense in that, say, empiricism mandates some kind of
observational method but it does not specify any particular
method.

MIXED METHODS PURPOSES AND STANCES ON MIXING PARADIGMS

WHILE MIXING METHODS
 multiple paradigm

 The multiple paradigm stance claims that researchers can draw on more than one
paradigm in their research. This takes three forms outlined by Teddlie & Tashakkori
(2003), namely the
 complementary strengths thesis,
 the dialectical thesis and
 the multiple paradigms thesis.
single paradigm approach
 . In this stance, researchers adopt a single paradigm that encompasses both qualitative and
quantitative research methods. Two such paradigms have been identified as contenders
‫ دعویدار‬for this approach, namely
 pragmatism and
 the transformative approach.
MIXED METHODS PURPOSES AND STANCES ON MIXING
PARADIGMS WHILE MIXING METHODS
You are choosing Mix method design for your proposed study.
Identify Theoretical gap: (your proposed title), Identify
methodological gap: (your proposed title) & Propose a mixed
method design for your study, keeping in mind the purpose of MM
designs

TASK