Abstract
As the methodological stock of mixed methods research continues to flourish, researchers and practitioners have taken notice. This is evident in recent mixed methods literature as discourse has departed from discussions primarily arguing the validity of the methodology to researchers and practitioners examining ways to leverage mixed method designs in their own work. The growing interest in what Johnson and Onwuegbuzie (2004, p. 14) referred to as “methodological pluralism” supports the narrative surrounding mixed methods research beyond utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods side-by-side in a study to more in-depth discussions on meaningful integrations of multiple methods and assessing the quality of mixed studies. A timely entrance into the conversation is An Introduction to Fully Integrated Mixed Methods by Dr. Elizabeth G. Creamer. Focusing on the task of mixing to maximize the potential of the researchers’ inferences, the text aims to offer novices to mixed methods (e.g., graduate students in mixed methods courses) a guide for developing studies that embrace the potential of mixed methods research designs.
Central to Creamer’s work is the idea of fully integrated mixed methods research, which she conceptualizes as mixing at all stages of a mixed methods study. Creamer asserts that viewing mixed methods as simply combining quantitative and qualitative methods and mixing at only the inference-making stage fails to realize the full potential of mixed methods designs. Creamer utilizes images of arches on the cover of the textbook and throughout the text as visual representations of this potential. The arches are an ever-present reminder of the possibilities of intentional integration of the qualitative and quantitative methods in each stage of the research process.
Organized in four parts, each of the 10 chapters of the textbook includes chapter goals, summaries of key points, key terms, supplemental activities, and recommended readings to facilitate use of the textbook in mixed methods graduate level courses. Throughout the text, Creamer has assembled and referenced a set of mixed methods exemplars that covers a wide range of topics, such as education, health sciences, and family sciences, to make the strategies described throughout the chapters more concrete.
The four chapters of Part One present the fundamental information expected in any introductory mixed methods text. Topics covered include definitions of mixed methods (Chapter 1), typologies of purpose for mixed methods research (Chapter 2), research paradigms associated with mixed methods (Chapter 3), and research designs and characteristics of mixed methods studies with an emphasis on timing (Chapter 4).
The three chapters in Part Two serve as a guide to mixing throughout all stages of a mixed methods study, which is a departure from more formulaic approaches. Chapter 5 discusses mixing that occurs before analysis, more specifically, during the study design and sampling. Chapters 6 and 7 explore mixing during analysis and include a focus on meta-inferences and data transformation. While strategies like converting from one data type to another will be familiar to most researchers, other strategies such as creating blended variables and employing a “cross-case comparison” are seen less often in the literature.
Part Three examines quality in mixed methods studies with Chapter 8 featuring a novel Mixed Methods Evaluation Rubric. Chapter 9 is a standout chapter for any novice researcher or doctoral student who is interested in crafting a mixed methods research proposal or dissertation, as the chapter provides a practical guide for writing a mixed methods proposal and manuscript.
Part Four, consisting of Chapter 10, covers current controversies in mixed methods, such as the categorization of mixed methods research and the determination of quality. Additionally, the chapter explores future directions for the field, including moving beyond the “logic of combination” (i.e., QUAL + QUAN = MIXED) when considering mixing strategies.
Creamer’s approach to fully integrated mixed methods research embraces both qualitative and quantitative work, with an acknowledged preference for qualitative inquiry. The slant is evident in the type of examples used, such as grounded theory and content analysis. Those who identify with the quantitative paradigm may be disappointed with the absence of a more complete treatment of mixing with advanced statistical procedures like clustering methods or social network analysis.
Opening in Chapter 3, with a transparent discussion of the paradigm wars, Creamer helps extend mixed methods beyond detached designs for the pragmatic researcher who is weary of choosing between qualitative and quantitative methods of inquiry. By offering creative, underexplored mixing strategies, Creamer empowers researchers to move beyond simply including multiple methods to developing more comprehensive inferences by leveraging insights from fully integrated designs.
In addition to rich discussion throughout the chapters, Creamer leaves the reader with a set of practical tools, including a mixed methods evaluation rubric and a template for summarizing mixed methods articles. The evaluation rubric provides an excellent tool for assessing the quality of mixed methods studies utilizing Creamer’s four evaluation criteria, drawn from Teddlie and Tashakkori (2009): methodological transparency, amount of mixing, interpretive comprehensiveness, and methodological foundation. One weakness of the rubric is the omission of some important elements presented in Chapter 5, such as how research questions are formulated and how priority is communicated.
Methodological choices vary according to epistemology, discipline, and motivation, making the “sell for a particular methodology quite difficult” (Cousin, 2009, p. 5). By weaving her argument for mixed methods across numerous research contexts, motivations, and disciplines, Creamer’s work bypasses these challenges and asserts itself as a provocative guide for a wide range of researchers. Creamer’s ability to make mixed methods accessible for readers—regardless of their discipline—is a vital contribution to mixed methods literature.