Mixed methods: A justification, explication, and example

ABSTRACT

In this chapter we explain why it may be appropriate to use a mixed methods research design to address particular research questions. Mixed methods approaches involve at least two different forms of data collection that are combined in one study. Here we focus on a type of mixed methods research protocol called a concurrent nested design in which data from a quantitative survey are combined with qualitative data from in-depth interviews. Using as an example a recent study on prison adjustment and reentry, we explain how to implement a concurrent nested design in the field and why it is a valuable approach to use for certain research questions. Because the example study that we are using was interrupted by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we also address how unexpected events that arise during a research endeavor can be handled to ensure the successful completion of a project. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023. All rights reserved.