Mixed Methods is a methodology that attempts to breach the qualitative-quantitative divide by integrating aspects of both approaches. However, both methods are not just juxtaposed, but rather used to create combined results. In this, Mixed Methods Research (MMR) often follows a pragmatic doctrine that puts the research question above epistemological or methodological considerations.
What is Mixed Methods?

Qualitative methods are often constructivist and conduct exploratory research. Quantitative methods, on the contrary, are rather (post)positivist and focus more on hypothesis testing. Here, Mixed Methods takes a stand in between. In this MMR is often strongly pragmatic. Whatever is most useful for answering the research question should be done.
“Judge available data by its relevance rather than its form!”
“Mixed methods means the combination of different qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and data analysis in one empirical research project”. (Udo Kelle quoted in: Kuckartz 2014b, 31)
Validation and Triangulation
The basic idea here is, that combining different methods (or also combining two theories, two data sets or two individual researchers) is useful in validating the results. Here, the methods combined do not necessarily need to cross the qual-quant divide. Such multi method research designs can, for example, include the combination of narrative interviews, biographical analysis of diaries and focus group discussion in one study.
Of course, combining different methods makes perfectly sense in a field with many formalised methods. However, when few explicit methods exist in your field, the idea has little appeal. In the humanities research methods are often modular, eclecticistic or self-made. One could argue that they contain an in-built method triangulation because they often use data from many different types of sources. However this eclecticistic methodlogy is too often limited to either picking qualitative or quantitative approaches.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Qualitative and quantitative methods have their specific strengths and weaknesses. Combining them will create a benefit that is more than the sum of its parts, this is the core assumption behind Mixed Methods research. With a mixed methodology we might gain insights into an extraordinary case within a quantitative study, or compare the results of our specific case to a more general picture. Unlike in triangulation, Mixed Methods research aims to arrive at a fuller, more complex picture, instead of mainly validating results.
Still, there are limitations to Mixed Method approaches. Most challenging – especially as a historian – is the data side of it. If we do not have quantitative and qualitative data on the same cases, our options will be strongly limited. Furthermore, few researchers are brought up in a truly Mixed Methods field. Instead, they are more often “Quants” that stray into “Qual” waters or vice-versa. The danger here is, that researchers integrate methods that they poorly understand and create results that are not methodologically sound.
Study designs and data integration
There are many potential research designs within the Mixed Methods methodology that are too numerous to cover here (see for example Kuckartz 2014b, 57-97). In any case, the goal is not a juxtaposition of two methods, but instead a truly mixed methodology that integrates quantitative and qualitative thinking. Both strands should be influencing each other throughout the process, instead of creating independent results.
The added value is commonly created at the topic level. Notes (memos) and also research chapters should not be split up into “qualitative” and “quantitative” parts, but instead the permanent strive to answer the research question and the growing knowledge about one subject, naturally integrates the results from different approaches. Ideally, in the end the results of a strongly mixed methodology can no longer be traced back singularly to either a qualitative or quantitative strand of the research conducted.
For the humanities in particular, several Mixed Methods scenarios are possible: For example, one could use iterative cycles of close and distant reading on the same (qualitative) corpus. Another research design might combine demographic and economic data with narrative accounts. A third might analyse a vast quantity of paintings with the help of an algorithm and combine them with qualitative inquiries into the most typical cases in each cluster.
Conclusion
Overall, the “pragmatic” look of MMR combines quite well with the strategies that many humanists (digital or not) choose. I found it illuminating to think less of methods, tools and data, but pragmatically about the research question. In the end, the research question should drive our methodology, not the other way around. Or as Pat Bazeley put it: “Questions are not qualitative or quantitative, they are just questions!” I think from this pragmatic look, we can learn to strive for more openness in combining different research strategies to gain a fuller picture on the questions we wish to answer.
This is quite educative and useful. I am a PhD student researching on sustainable manufacturing. It will really help me in my methodology.
This is quite informative and it confirms what I am currently reading and working on in my Thesis.
Note: the theoretical perspective of MMR does not have to be strictly pragmatism it can also be post-positivism. It depends on the ontological perspectives of the researcher. So, I wouldn’t strictly say Pragmatism – it depends.
Information quiet helpful, using it in my PhD. Please continue giving us more on MMR
I am a research methodology enthusiast currently seeking scholarship to undertake a PHD in Research Methodology.
Meanwhile I am just reading and studying areas revolving research and evaluation.
I am interested in knowing the differences between mixed methods and triangulation.
The difference I read most commonly (for example in Flicks book on Triangulation) is the following:
– Mixed Methods is the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods.
– Triangulation is the combination of any two (or more) methods.
So triangulation could also be two qualitative methods or two quantitative methods. For Mixed methods mixing qualitative and quantitative is key.
Very helpful talk on the MMR approach as I’m looking at the MMR approach on traditional ecological knowledge of a bird. Beautiful!