scholarly journals Taking a critical stance towards mixed methods research: A cross-disciplinary qualitative secondary analysis of researchers’ views

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0252014
Author(s):  
Sergi Fàbregues ◽  
Elsa Lucia Escalante-Barrios ◽  
José Francisco Molina-Azorin ◽  
Quan Nha Hong ◽  
Joan Miquel Verd

Recent growth and institutionalization in the field of mixed methods research has provided fertile ground for a wide range of thoughtful criticism of how this research approach has been developed and conceptualized by some members of the mixed methods community. This criticism reflects the increasing maturity of the field as well as the different theoretical perspectives and methodological practices of researchers in different disciplines. While debates addressing these criticisms are likely to lead to valuable insights, no empirical studies have been carried out to date that have investigated researchers’ critical views on the development and conceptualization of mixed methods research. This study examines the criticisms of the mixed methods field raised by a cross-national sample of researchers in education, nursing, psychology, and sociology. We carried out a secondary analysis of semi-structured interviews with 42 researchers and identified 11 different criticisms, which we classified in four domains: essence of mixed methods, philosophy, procedures, and politics. The criticisms related to the procedures domain were equally distributed among the four disciplines, while those related to the essence, philosophy and politics domains were more common among sociologists. Based on our findings, we argue that the divergence of views on foundational issues in this field reflects researchers’ affiliation to different communities of practice, each having its own principles, values, and interests. We suggest that a greater awareness of this divergence of perspectives could help researchers establish effective collaboration and anticipate potential challenges when working with researchers having different methodological approaches.

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-114
Author(s):  
Gergana Alzeer

This paper provides a methodological map for guiding the choice and application of research paradigms and design frames that can be of value to a wide range of researchers in the fields of education, social sciences and interdisciplinary studies who are interested in teaching and learning in context. Following an interpretivist/constructivist paradigm, I used a mixed methods research approach to study the spatial experiences of Emirati female students in a gender--‐ segregated educational context. The main component was qualitative, using ethnography, while the quantitative part included a survey. In such a research approach, my reflexivity and unique positionality as both insider and outsider played a significant role. The paper is divided into three sections: the beginning, which justifies the choice and philosophies of the methodological route; the journey, which illustrates the data collection techniques; and the destination, containing reflexive lessons from the field.


Pharmacy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Brian Isetts ◽  
Anthony Olson ◽  
Jon Schommer

Team-based, Patient-Centered Care is essential to chronic disease prevention and management but there are differing ideas about the concept’s meaning across healthcare populations, settings and professions. This commentary’s objective is to empirically evaluate the theoretical relationships of the [a] Medication Experience, [b] Patient-Centeredness and other relevant component concepts from pharmaceutical care (i.e., [c] Therapeutic Relationship, [d] Patient-specific preferences for achieving goals of therapy and resolving drug therapy problems) so as to provide practice-based insights. This is achieved using a secondary analysis of 213 excerpts generated from in-depth semi-structured interviews with a national sample of pharmacists and patients about Patient-Centeredness in pharmacist practice. The four component concepts (i.e., a–d) related to the objective were examined and interpreted using a novel 3-archetype heuristic (i.e., Partner, Client and Customer) revealing common practice-based themes related to care preferences and expectations in collaborative goal setting, enduring relationships, value co-creation and evolving patient expectations during challenging medical circumstances. Most practice-based insights were generated within the Partner archetype, likely reflecting high congruence with pharmacist and patient responses related to the Medication Experience and Therapeutic Relationship. The practice-based insights may be especially useful for new practitioners and students accelerating their advancement in providing effective and efficient Patient-Centered Care.


Author(s):  
Anna-Marie Wium ◽  
Brenda Louw

Background: Mixed-methods research (MMR) offers much to healthcare professions on clinical and research levels. Speech-language therapists and audiologists work in both educational and health settings where they deal with real-world problems. Through the nature of their work, they are confronted with multifaceted questions arising from their efforts to provide evidence-based services to individuals of all ages with communication disorders. MMR methods research is eminently suited to addressing such questions. Objective: The aim of this tutorial is to increase awareness of the value of MMR, especially for readers less familiar with this research approach. Method: A literature review was conducted to provide an overview of the key issues in MMR. The tutorial discusses the various issues to be considered in the critical appraisal of MMR, followed by an explanation of the process of conducting MMR. A critical review describes the strengths and challenges in MMR. Results: MMR is less commonly used or published in the fields of speech-language therapy and audiology. Conclusion: Researchers working in teams can draw on the strengths of different disciples and their research approaches. Such collaborative enterprises will contribute to capacity building. Researchers, SLTs and audiologists are encouraged to make use of MMR to address the complex research issues in the multicultural, multifaceted South African context. MMR makes an important contribution to the understanding of individuals with communication disorders, and in turn, researchers in the two disciplinary fields of speech-language therapy and audiology can contribute to the development of this research approach. MMR is well suited to the complexity of South African contexts and its populations, as it can provide multiple perspectives of a topic.


2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Stevens ◽  
Jess Harris

Summary This article brings together two key themes in recent public policy in England affecting social work practice: the value of having a paid job for social inclusion and increasing self-worth, and the personalisation of public services. The article draws on a mixed method evaluation of Jobs First, which was a government-funded demonstration site project that aimed to show how personal budgets (a key mechanism for personalisation) could be used by people with learning disabilities, often with their families, to purchase employment support. The evaluation involved secondary analysis of case record data and 142 semi-structured interviews with a wide range of participants (we mainly draw on 79 interviews with professionals for this article). Jobs First is placed within the frame of Active Labour Market Policy. Findings The attitudes of social workers to Jobs First were broadly positive, which was an important factor supporting employment outcomes. However, social workers’ involvement was often limited to a coordinating role, undertaking basic assessments linked to resource allocation and ensuring that support plans, which had often been developed by non-social work practitioners, were ‘signed off’ or agreed by the local authority. Applications The study points to important elements of the role of social workers in this new field of practice and explores potential tensions that might emerge. It highlights a continuing theme that social workers are playing more of a coordinating, managing role, rather than working directly with individuals to support their choices.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (01) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Ferdinan Ferdinan ◽  
Nurhayati Nurhayati

  AbstrakPenelitian ini adalah penelitian evaluasi dengan menggunakan jenis penelitian kombinasi (mixed methods). Pendekatan penelitian, yaitu: pendekatan studi kasus. Sumber data penelitian ini terdiri atas Rektor, Wakil Rektor I, Ketua Lembaga Penjaminan Mutu, Ketua Unit Penjaminan Mutu Fakultas, dan Kasubdit SDM Universitas dan yang menjadi responden yaitu 32 Ketua Prodi dan 70 Ketua Tingkat. Teknik pengumpulan data yaitu wawancara, studi dokumentasi, dan lembar observasi. Penilaian untuk setiap aspek evaluasi dikategorikan menjadi tiga tingkatan: tinggi, sedang, dan rendah.  Pengambilan keputusan dikategorikan menjadi tiga tingkatan: tercapai, kurang tercapai, dan tidak tercapai. Penelitian evaluasi ini memberikan beberapa kesimpulan,  yaitu gambaran pelaksanaan pembelajaran di Unismuh Makassar pada tahapan proses (transactions) menunjukkan bahwa: 1) penguasaan dosen dalam menyusun dan menyiapkan administrasi perkuliahan dari 7 subaspek  yang dievaluasi  terdapat 6 subaspek  telah memenuhi kriteria objektif dan 1 subaspek yang kurang tercapai yaitu kemampuan dosen dalam menyusun buku ajar, 2)) penguasaan dosen dalam pelaksanaan perkuliahan menunjukkan bahwa dari 15 subaspek yang dievaluasi 13 subaspek sudah tercapai sesuai standar objektif dan 2 subaspek yang belum terpenuhi yaitu dosen tidak memberikan sanksi kepada mahasiswa yang terlambat 30 menit dalam mengikuti perkuliahan dan dosen belum menyampaikan materi kuliah dengan berbasis IT, 3) interaksi dosen dengan mahasiswa dalam perkuliahan, dari 4 subaspek yang dievaluasi semuanya telah memenuhi standar objektif, dan 4) kemampuan dosen dalam melakukan evaluasi hasil perkuliahan  menunjukkan bahwa dari 12 subaspek yang dievaluasi terdapat  10 subaspek sudah tercapai sesuai standar objektif dan 2 subaspek kurang terpenuhi. Kata Kunci: Evaluasi, Mutu Pembelajaran dan TransactionsAbstract                This study is an evaluation study using mixed methods. Research approach, namely: case study approach. The data sources of this study consisted of the Chancellor, Deputy Chancellor I, Chairperson of the Quality Assurance Agency, Chair of the Faculty Quality Assurance Unit, and the Head of Sub-directorate of Human Resources of the University and respondents, namely 32 Chairmen of Study Programs and 70 Chairmen. Data collection techniques are interviews, documentation studies, and observation sheets. Assessments for each aspect of evaluation are categorized into three levels: high, medium, and low. Decision making is categorized into three levels: achieved, less achieved, and not achieved. This evaluation study provides several conclusions, namely the description of the implementation of learning in Unismuh Makassar at the stages of transactions shows that: 1) the mastery of lecturers in preparing and preparing lecture administration from 7 sub-aspects evaluated, there are 6 sub-aspects that meet objective criteria and 1 sub-aspect is lacking achieved, namely the ability of lecturers in preparing textbooks, 2)) mastery of lecturers in lecturing shows that out of 15 sub-aspects evaluated 13 sub-aspects have been achieved according to objective standards and 2 sub-aspects that have not been fulfilled, namely lecturers do not sanction students who are 30 minutes late in attending lectures and lecturers have not delivered IT-based lecture material, 3) lecturer and student interaction in lectures, of the 4 sub-aspects evaluated all met objective standards, and 4) lecturers' ability to evaluate lecture results showed that from 12 sub the evaluated aspects have 10 sub-aspects that have been achieved according to objective standards and 2 sub-aspects have not been fulfilled.Keywords: Evaluation, Learning Quality and Transaction


2021 ◽  
pp. 168-184
Author(s):  
Mohammed Kwaku Baidoo

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the Jewellery subject in Senior High Schools in Ghana to ascertain the career opportunity in jewellery for Ghanaian youth. The study adopted the Mixed Methods Research approach with descriptive and document analysis as the research method used. The findings of the study show that jewellery students are not able to practise as jewellers after their studies, because the content of the jewellery subjects and its associated exercises does not correspond to the skills one is required to become a jeweller. Coupled with the fact that the teachers who teach the jewellery are mostly not professional jewellers, which therefore limit the kind of practical jewellery that they can teach the students. Although the motivating factor for introducing jewellery is good, however, the rhetorics of the government that she wants students to acquire skills in jewellery making does not support the reality on the ground.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lori Fogus Gooding

An Introduction to Music Therapy Research, edited by Barbara Wheeler and Kathleen Murphy, is a 20-chapter that provides overview of how research has been conceived and implemented in music therapy. The text is geared to those beginning their studies in music therapy and as such address all stages of research, beginning with foundational aspects like selection of a topic before moving to a more detailed presentation of specific research components like data analysis and interpretation of results. Objectivist (qualitative) and interpretivist (quantitative research) theoretical perspectives, methodologies, and methods are included in the book, as well as information on mixed methods research and important historical, ethical, and multicultural considerations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 640-659
Author(s):  
Nadia Van der Colff ◽  
Chris Pentz ◽  
Helene Nieuwoudt

Purpose This study aims to describe South African consumers’ wine risk perception on varietal level with recommendations for Chenin blanc. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory mixed methods approach was followed where qualitative data were used to develop the questionnaire. Quantitative data were collected from 2,051 respondents using an online survey. ANOVA and Fischer least significance difference tests were used to indicate statistical significance. Findings Significant perceived risks (PRs) associated with Chenin blanc across age and ethnic groups were functional, time and financial risks. Risk-reducing strategies (RRS) in the white wine category were favourite brands and a trusted store, while Sauvignon blanc was also described as an RRS. Recommended Chenin blanc RRS include tastings and events with food. Research limitations/implications Measurement of PR remains challenging. This research approach can be reproduced and/or adapted to investigate other struggling varietals and/or regions-of-origin. The convenience sample limits generalisability. Practical implications Segments were identified to develop new markets for Chenin blanc. RRS emphasise the importance of real sensory experience rather than media exposure to build knowledge and familiarity. Originality/value This study is a pioneering endeavour in terms of using an exploratory mixed methods research approach to investigate and describe risk perception of a specific wine varietal. Recommendations, with implications for strategic marketing decisions, are made for South African Chenin blanc.


Author(s):  
Gabriela Rolova ◽  
Beata Gavurova ◽  
Benjamin Petruzelka

This mixed methods research paper explores health literacy (HL) in individuals with alcohol addiction by using the 47-item version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47) and semi-structured interviews concerning health-related competencies (access, understand, appraise, and apply health information), and determines the limitations of the HLS-EU-Q47 when used under specific conditions of clinical practice. The questionnaire survey and the interviews were conducted with individuals of different health literacy levels who were undergoing inpatient alcohol addiction treatment. The findings indicate that individuals with alcohol addiction might require different types of health information according to their health literacy level in terms of quantity and quality of information to recover from alcohol addiction and improve their overall health. The implications for the clinical practice of addiction treatment as well as recommendations for national and regional policy are also discussed.


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