I am not at all certain what you mean by a "research strategy," especially since your example of Grounded Theory is indeed a specific approach to qualitative rather than quantitative research.

With Mixed Methods Research, the usual approach is to analyze qualitative data qualitatively and quantitative data quantitatively, but to do both of those things within a framework that allow for integration of the results. For example, It sounds like your sequential series began with an exploratory phase, where you used a smaller qualitative study to develop the content for the quantitative survey (qual --> QUANT). If so, you would use the larger goal of generating the relevant content to drive your analysis of the qualitative data, but your would still analyze the data qualitatively -- typically by looking for themes that would turn into substantive topics within the survey.

Paul - you seem to be over-thinking this. Your MMR 'approach' is a classic one - and about the 'simplest' (most manageable) and common approach we see. A 'standard' survey design and what you refer to as a 'general' qualitative approach is, I assume, a qualitative, descriptive exploratory approach. You have already collected you data - so your methodology must have been pre-determined and structured to do so. You can't just suddenly say 'I've changed my mind - I want it to be a case study design now. Examiners will spot that a mile off.

The attached chapters may assist - one on mixed methods (because it is a general overview) and the other common qualitative approaches (as it describes descriptive exploratory (free-form).

Thank you for the responses all.

David: You are correct, that is exactly what I have done so far. The difficulty I am having I guess is conceptualising the 'hierarchy' of the methodology (see below).

Dean: Thank you for the chapters. Does Mixed Methods in that case preclude the choice of a single 'Research Strategy'? (i.e. A Case Study Design, Grounded Theory, Action Research etc.)

I guess overall, what I mention above is my issue. Am I forced to select a single approach or does Mixed Method just naturally involve picking and choosing the most appropriate strategy at hand?

Creswell's work certainly seems to advocate this as does Teddlie and Tasakkori (2009) among the other MM refs I've read.

Cheers

Paul

Hi Paul. No problem.

I'm with David - I'm not sure what you mean by a single 'research strategy'? Mixed methods doesn't 'force' you to do anything - it's about the most appropriate approach for the task at hand i.e. simultaneous, sequential, quant-qual, qual-quant, quant-quant, qual-qual etc. Mixed methods is an approach and you start mixed methods approaches by asking the overarching question that cannot be answered by a single worldview, methodology or method - and the question determines which you use and in which order from the outset.

Thanks for the swift reply. I think I have been overthinking things somewhat. I managed to somehow get the notion that I needed a single global research strategy, what you refer to as a research approach in the chapters you sent, within which each study would be nested.

More sensible is that the MM is the strategy that contains the studies that each have their research approaches. Does this seem reasonable?

Again - not a problem. For me - and this might be semantics but MM is your approach (you can call it a strategy if you want) - but a study is the same thing. Your MM will be a single study or approach (not studies). If you were doing two 'seperate' (even if they were loosely related) quant and qual data collections - they would be 'studies' - but they would not be MM.

So - MM is an approach/strategy/study that contains different methodologies (classically) and each methodology has a different design (method) structure and process.

Excellent, thank you for clarifying things Dean. Know where I'm sitting now.

Cheers

Paul

It does seem to be "semantics" or rather confusion over the terms: design, strategy, methodology, study, even project - " So far, I have completed two research projects." The entire work is one project.

Multiphase is one type of mixed method design and each phase is a specific method (either qual or quant.) For my 2cents, I'd avoid the words "strategy" and even "approach." I used to tell my students in Research Methods course, these words are too general and IMO overused with multiple meanings. When asked, "you mean you want us to use more 'researchyy' words" ? what could I say but "Yes"-- if that's what it took to get the messgae across for consistency and clarity.

Mary-Helen: That's exactly the study plan, the Multi-phase design from Creswell and Clark (2011). It's definitely a semantic thing. The confusion comes from reading multiple sources on MM design, which seem to have different ways of defining things.

All good now though, thanks for the contributions.

Paul

If multi-phase means three or more studies within the same project, then you might look at the chapter in my book which discusses a range of such designs: Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Methods, Sage.

In particular, designs that look alike qual --> QUANT --> qual are not unusual.

This is very good information. Thank you all

It is a good case of a mixed method.

Paul,

Since I adopted MMR (QUAL_QUAN), I hope you find my PhD thesis helpful. It is available at this link:

https://repository.cardiffmet.ac.uk/handle/10369/8102

All the best

Ayman

Paul,

you might find the attached document useful.

I think Creswell was successful in giving a clear description of the MM designs. Maybe you should refer:

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

or also:

https://cirt.gcu.edu/research/developmentresources/research_ready/mixed_methods/choosing_design

Paul

I attached for in my book, Chapter on Research design and Methodology. I think it will solve your problem.