Question

When and why would you use a mixed methods approach instead of only qualitative or quantitative?

Answer 1

Using a mixed methods study has several advantages, which we discuss below.

1) Compares quantitative and qualitative data: Mixed methods are especially useful in understanding contradictions between quantitative results and qualitative findings.

2) Reflects the participants’ point of view: Mixed methods give a voice to study participants and ensure those study findings are grounded in participants’ experiences.

3) Fosters scholarly interaction: Such studies add breadth to multidisciplinary team research by encouraging the interaction of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods scholars.

4) Provides methodological flexibility: Mixed methods have great flexibility and are adaptable to many study designs, such as observational studies and randomized trials, to elucidate more information that can be obtained in only quantitative research.

5) Collects rich, comprehensive data: Mixed methods also mirror the way individuals naturally collect information—by integrating quantitative and qualitative data. For example, sports stories frequently integrate quantitative data (scores or number of errors) with qualitative data (descriptions and images of highlights) to provide a more complete story than either method would alone.