P&B Chapter 25

Question 1

T/F: Mixed Methods research is the collection of quantitative and qualitative data but also the integration of the two at the same stage of the research process

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Conclusion generated by integrating inferences obtained from the results of the qualitative and quantitative strands of an MM study

Answer 2

meta-inference

Question 3

Name the 5 advantages of a MM approach

Answer 3

1. Complementarity
2. Practicality
3. Incrementality
4. Enhanced Validity
5. Collaboration

Question 4

This advantage describes how qualitative and quantitative approaches use words and numbers which are the two fundamental languages of human communication - using the two approaches together avoids limitations of a single approach

Answer 4

Complementarity

Question 5

This advantage describes how phenomenon are complex and it is better to not have one’s hands tied by rigid adherence to a single approach- MM research answers questions most other research cannot

Answer 5

Practicality

Question 6

This advantage describes how progress on a topic relies on feedback loops; building this into a study simultaneously address exploratory and confirmatory questions

Answer 6

Incrementality

Question 7

This advantage occurs because a hypothesis or model is supported by multiple and complementary types of data - researchers can be more confident in their results

Answer 7

Enhanced validity

Question 8

This advantage describes the opportunities for encouragement between quantitative and qualitative researchers working on similar problems

Answer 8

Collaboration

Question 9

The paradigm of _____ is most often associated with MM research

Answer 9

Pragmatism - research question should drive the inquiry; the research question is more important than the methods used

Question 10

Describe four broad types of research that is especially well suited for MM research

Answer 10

1. concepts are new and poorly understood - need for qualitative exploration before more formal methods can be used
2. findings from one approach can be greatly enhanced with a second source of data
3. neither approach is adequate in itself in addressing the problem
4. quantitative results are puzzling and difficult to interpret- qualitative can help explain

Question 11

Name the specific applications where MM research has made important contributions

Answer 11

1. Instrumentation (researchers developing structured instruments)
2. Intervention development
3. Hypothesis generation and testing
4. Explication
   Theory building, testing, and refinement

Question 12

T/F: MM research often has at least two research questions, each which requires a different type of data and approach

Answer 12

True

Question 13

Name the three key decisions in MM research

Answer 13

1. Sequencing
2. Prioritization
3. Integration

Question 14

When two types of data are NOT collected at the same time

Answer 14

sequential

Question 15

When the two types of data are collected at the same time

Answer 15

concurrent

Question 16

Deciding whether or not to emphasize one type of research over the other in a MM study

Answer 16

Prioritization- one approach is often given priority

Question 17

Concerns how the two types of data in MM research will be combined

Answer 17

Integration

Question 18

Name the four (most common) basic designs in MM research

Answer 18

1. Triangulation
2. Embedded designs
3. Explanatory
4. Exploratory

Question 19

Purpose of this design is to obtain different, by complimentary, data about the central phenomenon under study; qual and quan data are collected simultaneously and with equal priority; overall goal is to converge on the “truth” about a problem by allowing the weaknesses of one approach be offset by the strengths of the other

Answer 19

Triangulation design

Question 20

Name the three variants under the triangulation design

Answer 20

1. Convergence (data collected in parallel; results of two separate analyses are compared and contrasted)
2. Data transformation (qual data is transformed into quan data before data comparison)
3. Multilevel (using different methods at different levels of a complex system - ex. hospital system)

Question 21

In this design - one type of data is used in a supportive capacity in a study based primarily on the other data type - either qual or quan can be dominant; sequencing is often concurrent but can be sequential

Answer 21

Embedded design

Question 22

Sequential designs with quantitative data collected in the first phase, followed by qualitative data collected in the second phase - either data can be given a stronger priority; qual data from second phase helps to build on quantitative data from first phase; straightforward and easy to describe and can be done by single researcher

Answer 22

Explanatory design

Question 23

Sequential MM designs, but qualitative data are collected in the first phase; findings from initial phase are used in a second, quantitative phase

Answer 23

Exploratory design

Question 24

Sampling: In this type of relationship, the two strands are completely different, although they are usually drawn from the same or a similar population; can occur in either concurrent or sequential designs and with any of the prioritization schemes

Answer 24

Parallel

Question 25

Sampling: In this type of relationship, participants in the qualitative strand are a subset of the participants in the quantitative strand; very common approach in MM research

Answer 25

Nested

Question 26

Sampling: In this type of relationship, samples are selected from different levels of a hierarchy- usually from different but related populations

Answer 26

multilevel

Question 27

What are the decisions that need to be made when analyzing MM data?

Answer 27

1. What is the overall goal of the study?
2. Will integration occur at the analysis stage or the interpretation stage
3. What will be the unit of analysis?
4. Is the focus of the study more case oriented or more construct oriented?
5. Will either type of data be converted or transformed?
6. Will direct comparisons be made between the qualitative and quantitative data - and if so, at what level will the comparisons be made?
7. Will integration involve the use of specialized software?

Question 28

T/F: Quantitative data can be qualitized and qualitative data can be quantitized

Answer 28

True

Question 29

T/F: Matrices are often used in analytic integration of qualitative and quantitative data (meta-matrix)

Answer 29

True

Question 30

Overarching criterion for evaluating the quality of conclusions and interpretations made on the basis of mixed methods findings

Answer 30

Inference quality

Question 31

Degree to which the mixed methods conclusions can be applied to other similar people, context, settings, time periods, and theoretical representations of the phenomenon

Answer 31

Inference transferability

Question 32

Sampling: In this type of study with sampling, the same people are in both components of the study

Answer 32

Identical

Question 33

Quantitative data are analyzed using statistical techniques while qualitative are analyzed using qualitative analysis methods; findings from two separate analysis are synthesized for overall interpretation; focus on comparing the two types of findings

Answer 33

Interpretive integration