Mixed Methods Research 101
If you’ve just started learning about research methods, you might already know about quantitative research (all those numbers and statistics) and qualitative research (the deep dive into stories and experiences). But what if I told you there’s a way to combine them? Welcome to the world of mixed methods research, where we get the best of both!
By the end of this post, you’ll know exactly what mixed methods research is, why we use it when it’s useful, and what the pros and cons are. Let’s jump in!
What Is Mixed Methods Research?
Think of mixed methods research as a research power couple: it combines the measurable data from quantitative research with the personal insights from qualitative research. You’re not just looking at numbers or stories—you’re blending both to get a more complete understanding of a topic.
Imagine you’re studying how university students feel about online classes. You might:
Send out a survey to 1,000 students to get a sense of how satisfied they are (quantitative research—this gives you hard data).
Then, you follow up with interviews, asking a smaller group of students to explain their experiences in their own words (qualitative research—this gives you deeper insights).
By using both methods, you get both the big picture (how many students are satisfied) and the details (why some students struggle and others don’t).
Why Do We Use Mixed Methods Research?
Great question! We use mixed methods because some questions are just too complex to answer with numbers alone or with stories alone. Let’s break down why mixed methods research is so useful:
It gives a fuller picture: Numbers tell you what’s happening (e.g., 70% of students are satisfied), but personal stories tell you why (e.g., they feel more independent). Combining both methods helps researchers understand the whole story.
It provides context: If you spot an interesting trend in the data, qualitative research can help you understand what’s behind that trend.
It makes conclusions stronger: If both your quantitative and qualitative results point to the same conclusion, you can be more confident that your findings are reliable.
Mixed methods research is like having two sets of eyes on the same problem—you get a more complete view and can dig deeper when needed.
When Do We Use Mixed Methods Research?
Mixed methods isn’t used all the time, but it’s perfect for big, complex questions that need both numbers and personal insights to answer. Here are some examples of when it’s most useful:
When you need both breadth and depth: You want the numbers to give you a big-picture view, but you also need personal stories to explore the finer details.
Example: A university wants to know how many students are feeling stressed, but they also want to understand why students are stressed and what factors are contributing to it. A survey gives them the overall numbers, while interviews with students help explain the reasons behind the stress.
When quantitative or qualitative alone isn’t enough: Sometimes, just looking at the data isn’t enough, and interviews alone won’t give you all the details either. Mixing the methods helps cover all your bases.
When you want to cross-check results: Using both methods lets you see if the numbers support the stories and vice versa, helping you validate your findings.
How Does Mixed Methods Research Work?
There are a few ways researchers can combine these methods:
Start with numbers, then follow up with stories: You begin with a survey or experiment (quantitative), and once you’ve spotted a trend, you follow up with interviews to understand why that trend exists (qualitative).
Example: You survey 500 students and find that students who study in the library tend to get higher grades. You then interview some of these students to learn why the library helps them focus better.
Start with stories, then follow up with numbers: You begin by exploring personal stories through interviews or observations (qualitative), then use a survey to test those findings on a larger group (quantitative).
Example: After interviewing a small group of students about their study habits, you notice a pattern—those who study with friends feel less stressed. You then send out a survey to test whether this trend applies to more students.
Do both at the same time: You collect quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously to get a balanced view of your topic.
Example: You run a survey and conduct interviews with students during the same period. The survey gives you the numbers, and the interviews provide the deeper context.
Benefits of Mixed Methods Research
Let’s talk about why mixed methods research is so powerful. Here are some key benefits:
Balanced insights: You get the best of both worlds—broad data from quantitative research and detailed insights from qualitative research.
Flexibility: Mixed methods research is adaptable. If your survey reveals something unexpected, you can dive deeper with interviews. Or, if your interviews reveal a trend, you can test it with a survey.
Stronger conclusions: By using two methods, you can validate your results. If both the numbers and the stories point to the same conclusion, you can be more confident in your findings.
Drawbacks of Mixed Methods Research
But wait—if mixed methods research is so great, why don’t we always use it? There are a few reasons why researchers don’t rely on it all the time:
It’s time-consuming: Collecting both quantitative and qualitative data means doing twice the work. Surveys take time to create and analyze, and interviews take even more time to conduct and interpret.
Example: Imagine sending out a survey to 500 people and conducting 20 interviews—that’s a lot of work!
It requires more resources: You need expertise in both types of research, which often means hiring more people and needing more funding. It can be hard to manage both sides at the same time.
It can be tricky to analyze: Combining numbers with stories isn’t always straightforward. You have to figure out how the data fits together, which can be challenging.
Example: If your survey shows that most students are satisfied with online learning but your interviews reveal frustration with certain aspects, you’ll need to find a way to reconcile the two.
Wrapping It Up: What Have We Learned?
So, what is mixed methods research? It’s a powerful approach that combines the hard data of quantitative research with the personal insights of qualitative research to give you a more complete understanding of complex issues. It’s used when we need to look at both the big picture and the fine details, and it’s perfect for tackling questions that need more than just numbers or stories.
We use it because it gives us a fuller picture, provides context to our data, and makes our conclusions stronger. But it’s not used all the time because it can be time-consuming, resource-heavy, and tricky to analyze.
Now that you know what mixed methods research is and when to use it, you can appreciate why it’s such a valuable tool in the world of research!