I have been thinking often lately about mixed qualitative and quantitative methods. My dissertation was proposed to consist of one wholly qualitative piece and one mixed qual and quan piece. I admit that the process of integration is still a little fuzzy to me, but past experience suggests that, if I continue to read, write (memos and journal), and write (the paper), I will learn to some extent through doing.
The idea of triangulation comes up a lot - and because of the navigation origin of this term, I think of getting to the same destination through two different paths. I had another perspective, though, this evening as I watched some of the video of the first ever University of Mississippi wheelchair basketball tournament (I mentioned this event in a post last week). One of the participants wore an action cam while playing, and I thought about what it would be like to edit in that film with the film I made from the sidelines. It would show the same event but from two very different perspectives. There would no doubt be some overlap but there are going to be differences as well, due to position and priorities. This gives me something to think about in integrating two types of results. The basic story may (or may not) be the same, but the perspectives may be different. If that is the case, should it be a priority to 'get to the same destination?' I have seen a few examples of integrated results and it seem that qual (quotes) are offered to not validate but support ('legitimize' is a word I saw recently in an article; unfortunately do not have the reference in front of me now) the quantitative results. But how parallel or similar do the integrated results need to be? On the other hand, how not parallel (perpendicular?) or dissimilar can they be before one is accused of not actually integrating? Lots to think about.
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AuthorI am Sheryl L. Chatfield, Ph.D, C.T.R.S. I am a member of the faculty in the College of Public Health at Kent State University. I also Co-coordinate the Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research and I am a member of the Design Innovation Team at Kent State. Archives
February 2024
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