Mixed Methods

Sequential - start with one (quaunt/qual) and then switch to the other

Concurrent - doing them at the same time

Transformative - active change, like social change

Try to manage the ethical challenges that comes with mixed methods research:

1. Maintain Transparency: Be clear about the research methods used in your study and why you decided to use them. This includes explaining the rationale for using mixed methods, how data was collected and analyzed, and how conclusions were drawn.

2. Obtain Informed Consent: Ensure that all participants understand the purpose of your research, what their participation entails and any risks involved. This is particularly important in mixed method research as different methodologies may have different levels of risk or discomfort for participants.

3. Respect Confidentiality: Protecting the privacy of your participants is crucial. This can be done by anonymizing data, securely storing research materials, and only sharing results in a way that cannot be traced back to individual participants.

4. Avoid Bias: As a researcher, it’s important to maintain objectivity and avoid letting personal biases influence the study results. This can be particularly challenging in mixed method research where qualitative data may be open to interpretation.

5. Consider Cultural Sensitivity: Be mindful of cultural differences when designing your research methodology, collecting data, analyzing results and drawing conclusions.

6. Address Issues of Power and Privilege: Researchers must recognize their own positionality within the power dynamics at play in their research processes and carefully consider how they could potentially contribute to or exacerbate existing inequalities.

7. Ensure Rigor Across Methods: Both qualitative and quantitative components should demonstrate high quality design, data collection, analysis and interpretation procedures.

8. Clarify Role of Researcher: Especially when using participatory or transformative approaches within mixed methods design, researchers must be clear about their own roles as well as those of participants.

9. Manage Data Integration Ethically: Researchers should ensure that combining qualitative and quantitative data does not distort or misrepresent the experiences or perspectives of participants.

10. Practice Reflexivity: Continual self-reflection on assumptions, values, actions impacts on research process & outcomes aids ethical decision-making throughout study process.