Aligning theory and methodology in mixed methods research: Before Design Theoretical Placement

When a theoretical framework (and its components) is not clearly linked to research methods, researchers risk designing flawed studies, wherein the stated research question is inconsistent with the research design. Explicitly identifying one’s theoretical orientation can provide an orderly schematic for linking observations from separate investigations (i.e. qualitative, quantitative) thereby facilitating understandings and guiding research designs particularly in fields of social and health sciences where complex phenomena are an aspect of the subject of inquiry. Although this has been established, how researchers might position their research theoretically to guide mixed methods research is less clear. In this paper, we propose the Before Design Theoretical Placement as a general guide for specifying and locating studies in a broader theoretical grounding, and discuss how it may inform overall study considerations. We then use this approach to illustrate how theories and methods can work together to facilitate professional knowledge development from a relational perspective.     

The Sociological pied-piper: Moving forward without RATs

There is a trend in current quantitative sociology that argues for the integration of quantitative sociological research and rational action theories (RATs). The main proponents argue that the two are not only desirable for each other but are in fact necessary to give them credibility. In this paper the author argues that quantitative sociology does not need RAT in order to be an essential and credible part of sociological analysis. Drawing on the work of Bourdieu, she argues that quantitative sociology should not link itself to the atomistic theories of rational action but rather should look towards a position within sociology based on its own strengths. In addition, it is argued that the current vogue to link RAT and quantitative research owes more to the character of RATs than to their explanatory power. Thus, the responsibility for a way forward for sociological research of all kinds lies not only with those actively engaged in research but also with those who claim to be generating sociological theory.     

Inside out: some notes on carrying out feminist research in cross-cultural interviews with South Asian women immigration applicants

This article considers a number of important issues raised in the growing literature with regard to the place of ethnicity in feminist research methodology and the woman-to-woman interview. Drawing on examples from the author's experiences of conducting interviews with South Asian women immigration applicants, the article firstly illustrates that because of a different ethnicity, a white feminist researcher is likely to be regarded as an outsider by the minority-ethnic interviewees, regardless of the sharing of gender. Secondly, using the ideas of 'personal' and 'structural' power the article discusses how the researcher's outsider status complicates the power relations between the interviewer and the participants.     

Time matters: the potential and pitfalls of using mixed methods approaches in longitudinal program evaluation

While social programs are often assessed using short-term impact studies, longitudinal designs allow evaluators to capture change over time, identify longer-term outcomes, adapt instruments, and better understand participants in transition. A mixed methods design can be critical in understanding these dynamics; yet there is a lack of literature exploring the practical considerations of planning and conducting qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis within longitudinal studies. This paper examines two different mixed methods frameworks used in a 5-year evaluation of three youth entrepreneurship programs in East Africa. We show how the evaluation team dealt with unique challenges across methods and over time, and how the design ultimately facilitated a richer understanding of program impacts and processes. Considerations for conducting this type of study are explored, related to the impact of longevity on analysis and research staff. Successfully using a longitudinal mixed methods approach requires researchers to be strategic and reflexive, and work in close collaboration.     

Teaching mixed methods research: using a socio-ecological framework as a pedagogical approach for addressing the complexity of the field*

Mixed methods research is growing in acceptance and complexity, which translates into significant pedagogical challenges for teaching about mixed methods research. To address this challenge and to contribute to creating a pedagogical culture for teaching research methods, we developed a practically focused conceptual framework for describing the field of mixed methods research and used this framework to structure an Introduction to Mixed Methods Research course. Our socio-ecological framework describes the field of mixed methods within three nested and interacting levels: the mixed methods research process, content, and contexts. The course introduces students to each level and its components and considers how the framework accounts for different perspectives, issues, and debates found within the field. Course evaluations suggest that the new pedagogical approach helps students successfully understand and navigate the complexity and nuances of the mixed methods field, and develop foundational knowledge for designing and implementing a mixed methods study.     

Exploring intercultural sensitivity in early adolescence: a mixed methods study

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore levels of intercultural sensitivity in a sample of fourth to eighth grade students in the United States (n = 162). Intercultural sensitivity was conceptualised through Bennett’s Developmental Model of Sensitivity, and assessed through the Adapted Intercultural Sensitivity Index. Follow-up interviews provided additional information regarding the views and understandings of individual student participants. Quantitative data analysis indicated many early adolescents in this sample were accepting of cultural difference. However, subsequent qualitative data analysis suggested this acceptance was largely hypothetical, due to the participants’ perceived isolation from diversity. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Unintended consequences in traffic-light food labeling: A call for mixed methods in public health research

Abstract

Nudge theory describes how indirect suggestions and positive reinforcement can influence decision-making. We used nudge theory to implement a traffic-light labeling and choice architecture (modifying product placement) intervention at Harvard University cafeterias, but found no significant change in sales. Survey and focus group data showed that some students thought the labeling may exacerbate eating disorders, however, there is extremely limited research on potential negative consequences of labeling. One way to describe these findings is through 20th century philosopher Michel Foucault’s concept of biopower. Biopower manipulates cultural norms and nudges individuals to engage in self-surveillance and self-discipline, de facto subjugating themselves to certain ways of being. Biopower may lead to the creation of an in-group and an out-group based on who can adopt the new behaviors, such as healthy eating. Those in the out-group may face additional unintended consequences, highlighting the need for mixed-methods research to better evaluate public health interventions.     

'Touch talk': the problems and paradoxes of embodied research

Drawing upon research with therapeutic bodywork practitioners in which the researcher's naked or semi-clad body was deployed as a 'touch tool' in order to access the field and generate grounded theory, this paper explores the various meanings that inhere in producing embodied research. Through unpicking a number of problems and paradoxes, a plethora of (dis)embodied bodies/selves are identified. This allows for a more nuanced exploration of the researching body since although the body is very present and visible in therapeutic body/fieldwork, it is simultaneously constituted as ephemeral, permeable and unstable; in effect, the ultimate 'disappearing act'. It is also argued that such erasure of the researching body creates tensions in terms of securing and maintaining an analytical, cerebral and sceptical researcher-self. The paper explores these problems and paradoxes in terms of seeking to achieve detachment without dissolution, and further contextualizes the discussion by drawing upon holistic, feminist and postmodern approaches to the body. Finally, the paper concludes that therapeutic bodywork gives rise to productive possibilities for embodied research endeavours and highlights the epistemological and methodological protocols that might be employed in attempting to 'bring the body back in'.     

Learning to manage and share data: jump-starting the research methods curriculum

Researchers’ responsibilities towards their research data are changing across all domains of social scientific endeavour. Government, funders and publishers expect greater transparency of, open access to, and re-use of research data, and fears over data loss call for more robust information security practices. Researchers must develop, enhance and professionalise their research data management skills to meet these challenges and to deal with a rapidly changing data sharing environment. This paper sets out how we have contributed to jump-starting the research methods training curriculum in this field by translating high-level needs into practical guidance and training activities. Our pedagogical approach involves applicable, easy-to-digest, modules based on best practice guidance for managing and sharing research data. In line with recent findings on successful practices in methods teaching, we work on the principle of embedding grounded learning activities within existing narratives of research design and implementation.     

A critical appraisal of participatory methods in development research

Anthropologists and others working in the field of development are making increasing use of participatory research methods. While aware of the value of such methods, this paper outlines a number of methodological issues that need to be carefully considered. Such issues, when taken together with the problem of combining participatory with other forms of qualitative and quantitative research, argue strongly not only for caution but the need to undertake basic research on the participatory methods themselves. This paper looks at the development of participatory rural appraisal (PRA) in development research, and critically examines three methods/techniques--interviewing, visualization and ranking/scoring--in terms of their relation to qualitative research. Finally, the issue of the validity of PRA is discussed in relation to arguments about the role of sequencing/triangulating research techniques that are shown to be as problematic as the unexamined use of PRA methods.     

New frontiers in qualitative longitudinal research: an agenda for research

This paper outlines the state of the art in qualitative longitudinal methodology, reflecting on more than 10 years of development since a previous special issue on qualitative longitudinal research was published by the International Journal of Social Research Methodology in 2003. The papers presented in this special issue emerge from a methodological innovation network that brought together an international community of researchers in order to map new frontiers for the method. This paper summarises the development of the method from a design to a sensibility, identifying three new frontiers as part of a future research agenda including: the need for a processual imaginary; experimentation with temporal perspectives and orientations and explicating the temporal affordances of our methods.     

Personal construct psychology methods for qualitative research

In this paper we discuss the unique influences of ethics assessment procedures on comparative qualitative research. These influences are particularly pronounced when researchers are from different disciplines and in different countries. Focusing on our experience conducting a study on the perceptions of young people regarding HIV/AIDS in two countries (Italy and Canada), we describe the impact of the ethics assessment procedures in our respective countries on recruitment, sampling and comparability of findings. We also raise issues related to differences in ethics assessment processes from a disciplinary perspective. We conclude by suggesting that our theory of technique approach, which focuses on studying how the choices made in research implementation influence the study findings, should be extended to include the impact of ethics assessment procedures.     

“What problems do you confront?” an approach to doing qualitative research

Social life is filled with problems — situations that are perceived and defined as problems by individuals as they interact with each other. As such, these problems are often of more concern to those individuals than are other matters. The sociologist can gain insight into the structure of social relations by focusing the investigation on those problems rather than directly on the underlying structure. That is, the discussion of the problems that those being studied see in their situation or setting is revealing of the structured relations in those settings. This approach to doing social research is illustrated by two of the author's studies — one a study of an emergency department, and the second a study of how commercial art galleries affect the production and consumption of art.     

Reasons That Could Lead People to Divorce in an Evolutionary Perspective: Evidence from Cyprus

In the current research, we aimed to identify the reasons that could drive people to get a divorce. In Study 1, we employed qualitative research methods, and we identified 62 reasons that could potentially drive people to get a divorce. Using quantitative research methods, in Study 2 we classified these reasons into 7 broader factors. We found that being a harmful spouse was the most important factor for divorce, followed by incompatibility and in-law problems. We also found significant sex differences in several factors such as women indicating a higher willingness than men to divorce a harmful spouse. In addition, participants with children were less willing to divorce a harmful spouse than those who had no children. Finally, using second-order principal components analysis, we classified the 7 factors into 2 broader domains of reasons for getting a divorce.     

Research by children

This paper draws on an international literature to consider ways in which children work as researchers. Children's and teenagers' activities at various stages of research projects, their levels of participation, and their use of a range of research methods are described, with a review of some of the problems and advantages of children doing research.     

Mixing methods as a process towards indigenous methodologies

This paper considers the possibility of accurately measuring the numbers of persons homeless in a given location, at particular times. It is maintained that such data are necessary to the efficient apportioning of resources, but hitherto have been unobtainable through 'traditional' methods of counting. In recent years researchers have advocated the use of the method of 'capture-recapture', a technique which utilizes information from duplicate cases to allow the number of people otherwise unobserved to be calculated. This paper describes and critically evaluates the use of this method in two studies in Plymouth and Torbay, UK.     

Erratum

This study explores research methodology courses and their potential impact on the doctoral process in one university in Spain. Specifically, it analyses the role and usefulness of research methodologies courses for students as they prepare for their dissertation work. Data were collected using semi‐structured interviews with 11 students. Syllabi from five different doctoral programmes and 54 educational research projects conducted by students were also analysed. Contrary to prior research, our results indicate that students are motivated and interested in methodological matters. These courses are a valuable component to the doctoral programme providing general orientation to inquiry and aiding students in becoming educational researchers. Furthermore, we found that methodological pluralism was adopted and used by students in their research projects when this same pluralism was covered in their coursework. Implications for teaching research methodology courses are included.     

Assessing competency-based evaluation course impacts: A mixed methods case study

The contexts in which evaluators develop and apply their expertise are increasingly complex; evaluator education needs to provide robust opportunities to support and assess the progressive, lifelong development of relevant knowledge and skills. This mixed methods case study begins to address the dearth of empirical evidence assessing the impacts and learner experiences of competency-based approaches to evaluator education. A decade-in-the-making doctoral evaluation course based on the Canadian Evaluation Society’s Competencies for Canadian Evaluation Practice created an opportune study setting. We applied a systems perspective to Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) model to frame the case study analysis and presentation of the complex impacts generated by pre/post course competency self-assessments and reflections, integrated with an end-of-course focus group. Seven insights shed new light on the effective course design and implementation features for developing intended and unintended evaluator competencies. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical, practical, and methodological implications for effective competency-based evaluator education.

• •Keywords: Case study; Competency-based approach; Evaluator education; Mixed methods research

     

将兴趣引入到教学中去——高职船体识图与制图教学方法改革与探索

在新的高职教育模式下,高职院校的船体识图与制图课程教学必然要进行相应的改罩。本文通过结合船体识图与制图的课程特点及高职教育学校的生源特点,在专业课程船体识图与制图的教学上采用一系列教学方法激发学生的学习兴趣,从而提高船舶工程技术专业课的教学效果。