For the purpose of my study, if I add open-ended questions to the scale, would that be considered a mixed-methods design? Also, how should go about with the analysis of the responses received on the open-ended questions listed? My study is mainly quantitative and has use of correlation, t-test and regression tests. However, as per the results obtained on my pilot study, there is a need to modify the scale and add a few open-ended questions. Your response would be highly appreciated. Thank you!
Mixed methods research requires the integration of the qualitative and quantitative results. If you are able to use the open-ended responses to help interpret the results involving that scale, then that would be a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design (QUAN --> qual).
Logically, the gathering of additional qualitative data makes your research a mixed methods design. However, since mixed methods usually consist of two sets of research, quantitative and qualitative, I strongly suggest you add the word "modified". What I mean is a modified explanatory sequential mixed design. I assume that you are using qualitative data and the results of their analysis to explain the conclusions of the quantitative analysis. The problem is how you handle your qualitative data. Are you strictly using a qualitative inquiry framework, or are you dealing with qualitative data within a quantitative inquiry framework. The integration of analysis results (quantative and qualitative) to generate meta-inferences is a key element in mixed-method designs. To be safer, just make sure you use the constant comparative method to discover grounded theory. An early version of this approach (Glaser and Strauss, 1967) used the term The Flexible Use of Data to discover grounded theory.
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