Crim 3104 Mixed Methods Research PDF

CRIM 3104: Mixed Methods Research November 5th, 2024 Let’s Briefly Talk About Interviews Story Time: The “Stop and Go” A Marriage of Quantitative and Qualitative The use of both qualitative and quantitative methods concurrently or sequen...

CRIM 3104: Mixed Methods Research November 5th, 2024 Let’s Briefly Talk About Interviews Story Time: The “Stop and Go” A Marriage of Quantitative and Qualitative The use of both qualitative and quantitative methods concurrently or sequentially Based on the notion that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” Can assist in tackling complex problems that involve several layers of understanding Or Maybe They’re Just Dating… Selection of method is tied to the research problem Qual approaches are useful for getting lived experiences Quant approaches/methods allow the researcher to test hypotheses and make generalizations from the data An Example: Police Shootings Advantages of Mixed Methods Research Five reasons why researchers should use mixed methods (Greene et al, 1989): 1) Triangulation 2) Complimentarity 3) Development 4) Initiation 5) Expansion The Trigger Some researchers find it difficult to cross The mixing of qual philosophical and quant methods boundaries (purists); involves a mixing of while others embrace research paradigms mixed methods (pragmatists) What is most Qual method draws on important is that an interpretive methods are simply paradigm. Some strict tools to be positivists might find deployed based on it difficult to cross your research focus over into a qual and research approach questions Mixed Methods Research Design Several decisions need to be made in setting up the particular mixed methods design. You can do this by asking yourself the following two questions: What is the primary research method, and what is the secondary (complementary) method? Which method will come first, and which will come second (e.g., will you begin with a qualitative study followed by a quantitative study or vice versa)?  A Typology for Mixing Methods Design 1: qual followed by QUAN The first design (qual–QUAN) consists of having the qualitative component of the research project first but secondary to the project’s goals. The quantitative method is primary but administered as a follow-up to the qualitative study. Design 2: quan followed by QUAL In the second design (quan–QUAL), the quantitative study is used secondarily (quan) with the qualitative study primarily used (QUAL). In this case, the quantitative study is used to first identify specific populations or issues that need to be further explored in-depth. Design 3: QUAN followed by qual Designed to have the quantitative study as the primary mode of inquiry, conducted before the qualitative study. Often used when there is a need to provide clarification on or elaboration of research results from quantitative findings. Design 4: QUAL followed by quan The fourth research design (QUAL– quan) begins with a qualitative research study (QUAL) primarily, followed by a smaller quantitative study (quan). The quantitative study is used to test results on different populations in order to ascertain whether the qualitative findings transfer to other populations Why Qual Researchers Use Mixed Methods Research? To provide a more robust understanding by triangulating results (seeing if research To test the validity of qualitative findings of two studies on findings on a wider population similar topics are in agreement) with the goal of convergence of findings To create a more robust set of To obtain a representative quantitative questionnaire items sample, with the goal of by grounding these questions in enhancing the generalizability the lived experiences of of qualitative findings individuals in the qualitative component A Good Example of Mixed Approach: The Metro VancouverTransit Police Multi-year project starting in 2014 Began with a user safety survey (quantitative) Student researchers on trains, surveyed riders about their perceptions of safety on Skytrain Result of initial survey led to a time and task analysis of transit police officers in 2015 Ethnographic study of officers Recording what officers do while on shift (qual/quant) Results led to strategic shift – community-based policing model Interviews and focus groups Let’s Design a Research Project Shall We… Thank You