Qualitative Research in Practice : Stories From the Field - Blogs Unpad

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Mixing methods
‘Mixed methods’ is, in social science research, a shorthand way of
saying that a study has combined qualitative and quantitative
methods of data analysis. In this chapter we discuss studies that
combine these methods in four common ways.
Mixing methods has been the subject of considerable debate in
the social sciences and has variously been regarded as anathema, as
the outcome of everyday pragmatic research decisions, or as appropriate
in some situations but needing to be carefully justified.
Greene, Caracelli and Graham (1989) identify three positions: the
purists, the pragmatists and those taking a middle-ground, situationalist
approach. At the one extreme are the purists, those who
regard qualitative and quantitative methods as representing
competing and incompatible paradigms, and for whom mixing is
not tenable (Rist, 1977; Guba 1985; Smith & Heshusius, 1986; Guba
& Lincoln, 1989). Guba (1985) says, ‘We are dealing with an eitheror
proposition, in which one must pledge allegiance to one
paradigm or the other; there is no compromise’ (1985, p. 80).
The situationalists adhere to the notion of separate paradigms
but value the increased understanding that can be obtained from
examining aspects of social life from different perspectives (Filstead,
1979; Kidder & Fine, 1987; Oakley, 1999). Kidder and Fine say, ‘We
share the call for “synthesis”, but at the same time, we want to
preserve the significant differences between the two cultures.
Instead of homogenizing research methods and cultures, we would
like to see researchers become bicultural’ (1987, p. 57). Similarly,
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