Research Designs: Mixed Methods, Strengths, and Limitations

This report delves into the realm of mixed methods research, a design that integrates both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to address research inquiries effectively. It clarifies that mixed methods go beyond a simple combination of approaches, aiming to explore phenomena, identify relationships, and determine correlations. The report explores the utility of mixed methods research, including its strengths, such as the ability to compensate for the weaknesses of individual qualitative and quantitative methods. It also addresses limitations, such as the complexity in design and implementation. The report emphasizes the value of mixed methods in providing a more complete understanding of research issues, offering a framework for creating context-specific research tools, and offering explanations of findings. The report references various mixed-methods designs and their importance in developing a comprehensive understanding of a research topic.

Running Head: MIXED METHODS RESEARCH DESIGNS 1
Mixed Methods Research Designs
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Determine use of mixed techniques research
The mixed research method remains to be a design that utilizes both qualitative alongside
quantitative methods simultaneously to provide effective answers to the research query at hand.
Contrary to popular belief by most researchers, mixed methods in research is not simply
concerned with mixing half of each design to aid with particular segments of the investigation
(Johnson, & Onwuegbuzie 2004). The method uses a combination of the two methods with the
aim to explore phenomena, identify relationships, and together with determining correlation
amongst the phenomena under investigation. Moreover, mixed methods enable survey queries to
drive the application of the design of the investigation. Moreover, in the case of examining
human emotional component, the most appropriate design would be to utilize mixed research
methods (Ranscombe, 2019). Hence, neither the qualitative or quantitative technique alone could
give appropriate answer to such kind of question.
Extent mixed techniques research simply taking the quantitative plan alongside qualitative
design and placing them jointly
Based on the study conducted by Collins, & O’cathain (2009), there has been struggling
amid the qualitative as well as quantitative surveyors. One of the benefits that mixed method
designs is the capability to match the major purpose of the method to the need in the
investigation. Baškarada & Koronios (2018) recorded that the assumption put in place of
combining quantitative together with qualitative approaches offers for a clear understanding of
the survey problem than either approach alone. Besides, mixed methods research and designs is
complicated to set up and conduct. They need precise planning to explain all features of survey,
comprising of the survey sample for quantitative together with qualitative segments. The idea of

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incorporating qualitative together with quantitative facts during examination is often the
demanding chapter for various investigators (Sanders, 2018). However, assimilation of
qualitative alongside quantitative information in the mode of the varied techniques survey has
huge probable. The probable help to intensify the severity alongside supplement the examination
and conclusion of the surveyor once the investigation is completed.
Strengths and limitations of mixed technique survey
Advantage of mixed method of survey
The mixed survey method offers powers that counteract the flaws of both qualitative
together with quantitative survey. For example, the use of quantitative survey tends to be weak
in having an appropriate thoughtful of the circumstance or setting in which individuals act,
something that qualitative method of survey makes up for in survey (Mondal, & Mondal 2018).
Besides, qualitative research is viewed to be deficient because the prospect of biased
explanations created by surveyor and complexity in simplifying outcomes to the huge set. In
most cases, quantitative survey technique tends to have minimal flaws (Johnson, &
Onwuegbuzie, 2004). Therefore, by utilizing both types of survey designs, the strength of every
approach can make up for the weaknesses of the other design.
Limitation of mixed research method
Mixed methods survey is disadvantageous in conducting research as it comprises of
research design that can be very complex to most surveyors. The complexity can then make
research to take much more time as well as resources in planning and implementing any research
to be carried out (Mondal, & Mondal, 2018). Besides, complexity makes it difficult for research
coordinators to design as well as implement a single technique by drawing on the results of

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another. The complexity can make it unclear on getting appropriate approach of resolving any
arising discrepancies that arise in the process of interpretation of research findings.
Justification of value of mixed methods survey in the discipline
The utilization of mixed techniques survey design offers the more complete with a
comprehensive understanding of the survey issue than the use of single research method. The use
of this method remains to be effective as it provides the approach for creating better, more
context-specific devices for survey (Baškarada, & Koronios, 2018). Hence, use of mixed
methods research design greatly helps in offering explanation of findings or how casual
processes operate. The use of mixed methods takes into consideration factors necessary to
achieve the goals of study. Such factors comprise of overall purpose of the research, particular
questions of research, and strengths and weaknesses of every design. The use of four different
types of mixed-methods designs such as concurrent triangulation, sequential descriptive,
alongside concurrent nested plans are essential developing a more complete understanding of
research topic (Collins, & O’cathain, 2009). The method is appropriate to use as it can help in a
situation when an individual wants to violate or corroborate the outcomes attained from other
methods. The method helps in a scenario when the researcher needs to continuous look at the
survey question from varied angles to clarifying unexpected outcomes.

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References
Baškarada, S., & Koronios, A. (2018). A philosophical discussion of qualitative, quantitative,
and mixed methods research in social science. Qualitative Research Journal, 18(1), 2-21.
doi: 10.1108/qrj-d-17-00042
Collins, K., & O’cathain, A. (2009). Introduction. International Journal Of Multiple Research
Approaches, 3(1), 2-7. doi: 10.5172/mra.455.3.1.2
Johnson, R., & Onwuegbuzie, A. (2004). Mixed Methods Research: A Research Paradigm
Whose Time Has Come. Educational Researcher, 33(7), 14-26. doi:
10.3102/0013189x033007014
Mondal, P., & Mondal, S. (2018). Quantitative And Qualitative Research: A Mixed Method
Approach In Educational Science. International Journal Of Technical Research &
Science, 3(VII). doi: 10.30780/ijtrs.v3.i7.2018.010
Ranscombe, P. (2019). Valuing qualitative alongside quantitative research. The Lancet
Neurology. doi: 10.1016/s1474-4422(19)30085-7
Sanders, K. (2018). Media Review: Research Design: Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods,
Arts-Based, and Community-Based Participatory Research Approaches. Journal Of
Mixed Methods Research, 13(2), 263-265. doi: 10.1177/1558689817751775