Mixed Methods Research Merging Theory with Practice

by Hesse-Biber, Sharlene Nagy

• ISBN13: 9781606232590
• ISBN10: 1606232592
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-01-15
• Publisher: The Guilford Press

Summary

This accessibly written book is ideal for use in graduate courses or by practicing researchers and evaluators. The author puts the research problem at center stage, showing how mixed methods designs can fruitfully address different types of research questions. She illustrates the discussion with examples of mixed methods studies from a variety of disciplines and qualitative approaches (interpretative, feminist, and postmodern). The text demonstrates how to navigate ethical issues; gather, analyze, and interpret data; and write up the results, including an in-depth example with step-by-step commentary. Special features include “researcher standpoint” reflections from leading scholars and practical strategies to help users develop their own research perspectives. Every chapter concludes with a glossary, discussion questions, and useful Web resources.

Author Biography

Sharlene Nagy Hesse-Biber is Professor of Sociology and Director of Women’s Studies at Boston College. She is also the founder and former Executive Director of the National Association for Women in Catholic Higher Education. She has published widely on the impact of sociocultural factors on women’s body image, as well as on feminist and qualitative research methods. She is codeveloper of the software program HyperRESEARCH, a computer-assisted program for analyzing qualitative data, and of the new transcription tool HyperTRANSCRIBE.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Mixed Methods Research	p. 1
What Are Mixed Methods?	p. 3
Why Use Mixed Methods?	p. 3
Objectives of This Book	p. 9
A Comprehensive Perspective on Mixed Methods	p. 10
A Comprehensive Approach to Mixed Methods	p. 11
The Need for Qualitative Approaches to Mixed Methods Research	p. 14
Qualitative Mixed Methods Approaches: Some Examples	p. 19
The Perils of Mixed Methods	p. 21
The Practice of Mixed Methods: Behind the Scenes	p. 23
The Promise of Mixed Methods Research	p. 24
Glossary	p. 26
Discussion Questions	p. 27
Suggested Websites	p. 27
Formulating Questions, Conducting a Literature Review, Sampling Design, and the Centrality of Ethics in Mixed Methods Research	p. 29
Researcher Reflexivity in the Question-Asking Process: The "Cart before the Horse" Metaphor	p. 29
The Influence of Stakeholders in the Formulation of Research Questions	p. 33
The Role of the Research Literature	p. 35
Types of Research Questions	p. 40
What Are Mixed Methods Research Questions?	p. 44
Returning to the "Cart before the Horse" Metaphor: A Caveat	p. 47
Approaches to Sampling Designs	p. 49
The Centrality of Ethics in the Mixed Methods Research Process	p. 55
Glossary	p. 59
Discussion Questions	p. 60
Suggested Websites	p. 61
A Qualitative Approach to Mixed Methods Design, Analysis, Interpretation, Write Up, and Validity	p. 63
What Is a Qualitative Approach lo Mixed Methods?	p. 63
A Mixed Methods Qualitative Framework	p. 64
A Qualitative Approach to Mixed Methods Research Design	p. 67
A Qualitative Approach to Analysis and Interpretation of Mixed Methods Research	p. 72
Guidelines for Mixing Methods at the Data Analysis and Interpretation Stage	p. 75
Writing Up Mixed Methods Projects	p. 82
Validity and Reliability in Mixed Methods Research	p. 85
Quantizing Qualitative Data	p. 92
Quantizing Quantitative Data	p. 97
Glossary	p. 99
Discussion Questions	p. 101
Suggested Websites	p. 101
Interpretative Approaches to Mixed Methods Research	p. 104
The Practice of an Interpretative Approach to Mixed Methods Research: Case Studies	p. 105
Why an Interpretative Approach to Research Uses a Mixed Methods Design	p. 122
Challenges to Implementing a Mixed Methods Design and the Need for Researcher Reflexivity	p. 124
Glossary	p. 126
Discussion Questions	p. 127
Suggested Websites	p. 127
Feminist Approaches to Mixed Methods Research	p. 128
What Is Feminist Research?	p. 128
Mixed Methods and the Feminist Approach	p. 132
Using a Feminist Mixed Methods Approach to Reveal Subjugated Knowledge and Silenced Voices	p. 133
Using a Feminist Mixed Methods Approach to Understand Differences among Women	p. 141
Using a Feminist Mixed Methods Approach to Empower Women's Lives	p. 143
Using a Feminist Mixed Methods Approach for Social Change and Social Policy Transformation	p. 145
The Need for Mixed Methods feminist Research Approaches	p. 149
Glossary	p. 151
Discussion Questions	p. 152
Suggested Websites	p. 152
Postmodernist Approaches to Mixed Methods Research	p. 154
What Is Postmodernism?	p. 154
Postmodernist Questions and Mixed Methods Research Design	p. 157
The Benefits of a Mixed Methods Design in Postmodern Research	p. 169
Glossary	p. 172
Discussion Questions	p. 172
Suggested Websites	p. 173
Putting It Together: Qualitative Approaches to Mixed Methods Research Praxis	p. 174
Pulling It into Practice: Conducting a Qualitative Approach to a Mixed Methods Research Project	p. 175
Research Problem Stage: The Mixed Methods Research Problem	p. 180
Determining Your Mixed Methods Research Design	p. 181
Data Collection Stage	p. 182
Continued. Specific Data Collection Techniques	p. 188
Data Analysis and Interpretation	p. 190
Writing Up a Mixed Methods Study	p. 197
Conclusion: Evaluating Your Mixed Methods Project	p. 200
Examples of Consent Forms	p. 202
Glossary	p. 204
Discussion Questions	p. 205
Suggested Websites	p. 205
Conclusion: The Prospects and Challenges of Mixed Methods Praxis	p. 207
A Mixed Methods Tale	p. 207
Confusing Methodology with Method	p. 210
The Importance of Emergent Methods for Mixed Methods Research	p. 212
The Challenges of Utilizing a Mixed Methods Approach	p. 213
The Need for a Comprehensive Approach to Mixed Methods	p. 215
Glossary	p. 216
Discussion Questions	p. 217
Suggested Website	p. 217
References	p. 219
Author Index	p. 229
Subject Index	p. 232
About the Author	p. 239
About the Contributing Author	p. 240
About the Researchers Interviewed	p. 241
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