Creswell, John W. & Plano-Clark, Vicki L. (2006). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods of Research. Reviewed by Dipendra Raj Subedi, Michigan State University

Creswell, John W. & Plano-Clark, Vicki L. (2006). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods of Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Pp. 296   ISBN 9781412927925 Reviewed by Dipendra Raj Subedi Michigan State University August 6, 2007 Mixed methods research has been receiving increased attention in many disciplines. In the midst of growing interest in mixed methods research across the social and behavioral sciences, the publication of Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods of Research is timely. The authors of this well-written text are John W. Creswell and Vicki L. Plano-Cark, who are known for their expertise and pioneering work in mixed methods research. John Creswell is a Professor of Educational Psychology and Vicki Plano Clark is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Creswell and Plano-Clark introduce mixed methods research and present the steps carried out in designing and conducting this form of inquiry. The authors’ hope in writing this book is that “a better understanding of mixed methods research can result in better research across the social, health, and human sciences” (p. xv). In the first chapter, Understanding Mixed Methods Research, the authors define the terms used in mixed methods research and highlight the importance of mixed methods research studies. This chapter also emphasizes the recent growing interest of funding agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation in conducting this line of research. This chapter is based on the premise that “the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches in combination provides a better understanding of research problems than either approach alone” because “mixed methods offers strengths that offset the weaknesses of separately applied quantitative and qualitative research methods” (p. 18). Chapter two, Examining Preliminary Considerations, provides the worldviews or paradigms relevant to mixed method research. The four worldviews and their characteristics discussed in this chapter include postpositivism, constructivism, advocacy and participatory inquiry, and pragmatism. Creswell and Plano-Clark further examine the elements of quantitative and qualitative methods in the broader process of research. These forms of research serve as a foundation for collecting and analyzing both forms of data in a mixed method study. The authors also acknowledge the importance of establishing validity and mention how validity is addressed differently in qualitative and quantitative research. The discussion on types of problems addressed by mixed method research rounds out this chapter. The third chapter, Locating and Reviewing Mixed Methods Studies, focuses on tips in locating and reviewing mixed methods research. The authors encourage the use of a notation system and visual diagrams for describing the features of mixed methods studies. These tools play a vital role in communicating clearly the complexity inherent in the mixed methods approach. Four complete studies using mixed methods research across various disciplines illustrate the different possible mixed methods design options discussed in the next chapter. In the fourth chapter, Choosing a Mixed Methods Design, the authors define four major types of mixed methods designs focusing on their intent, key procedures, common variants, and inherent strengths and challenges. The four designs introduced here and discussed throughout the book include the Triangulation Design, the Embedded Design, the Explanatory Design, and the Exploratory Design. It is noted that many designs exist in the literature when the variants of each of these four designs are considered. This is not surprising because the classification of mixed methods research has received much attention. The authors also discuss the choice of an appropriate design and how factors such as timing, weighting, and mixing can influence the decision. Chapter five, entitled Introducing a Mixed Methods Study, provides an elaborated introduction to a mixed methods study, focusing on writing a title, problem statement, purpose statement, and quantitative and qualitative research questions for the study. The tabular form of presentation about various types of mixed method questions that relate to each type of design and its variant helps novice researchers write their research questions. The sixth chapter, Collecting Data in Mixed Methods Research, reviews procedures for both quantitative and qualitative data collection in a study. These data collection techniques are discussed for both concurrent and sequential forms of mixed methods data collection. The authors advocate conceptualizing “the data collection technique for mixed methods research as either concurrent or sequential and to relate the data collection procedures to the specific types of mixed methods design” (p.125). In the following chapter, Analyzing Data in Mixed Methods Research, the authors discuss the procedures for quantitative and qualitative data analysis. They also provide general guidelines for data analysis within mixed methods designs. They show how the type of data analysis, the analytic procedures, and the research questions differ for each of the four designs and their variants. Their discussion accommodates data analysis techniques for both concurrent and sequential forms. Chapter eight, Writing and Evaluating Mixed Methods Research, provides general guidelines for writing up a mixed methods study. In particular, this chapter emphasizes the organization of writing for various situations, such as writing a mixed methods proposal for a thesis or dissertation, a proposal for federal funding, and a mixed methods journal article. In addition, this chapter discusses the standards or guidelines for those individuals who review mixed methods studies for publication or review proposals for funding. Questions Often Raised About Mixed Methods Research is the subject of chapter nine. These questions are grouped into topics pertaining to definitions, acceptance, and logistics. The authors emphasize the importance for researchers of fitting the paradigm to the design or the design to the paradigm. The final chapter is entitled Future Directions for Mixed Methods Research. The authors identify four larger areas that demand further work. These include mixed methods designs and associated procedural issues, mixed methods as they relate to different worldviews, applications of mixed methods research, and implications and the value of using mixed methods. These issues are presented in tabular form by including topics and the questions needing to be answered. The authors emphasize the importance of further development of strategies in mixing quantitative and qualitative results at the inferential stage of a study. They also advocate creative combinations of quantitative and qualitative data analysis software programs. Although it is known that the issues of validity in mixed methods research are related to specific design considerations and the paradigm underlying the design, it is not clear how it should be conceptualized. This is an important question raised by the authors. They provide references to recent scholarly works as evidence of a growing interest in using mixed methods research in various disciplines. The Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2003) is further evidence of recent scholarly works in mixed methods research in a wide range of disciplines. The conceptual framework of the book encompasses many applications across various disciplines. The ten chapters included in this book present the material in a coherent way. One of the unique features of this book is its applied, rather than theoretical, emphasis, as it offers practical advice on how to design and conduct a feasible mixed methods research. The ideas presented in this book are also supported by relevant references. For an example, in chapter 5, inclusion of the scripts associated with each of the four designs mentioned above helps graduate students or novice researchers write up mixed methods research. The diagrams included throughout the book provide clear illustrattions of the authors' ideas. The Activities listed at the end of each chapter facilitate the adoption of this text for a graduate level course. This also allows readers to reflect on their own learning at the close of each chapter. Additional Resources to Examine at the end of each chapter guides readers toward the appropriate references for a more theoretical treatment of the topics. Additionally, inclusion of practical examples from actual, published mixed methods studies in the appendices is one of the greatest strengths of the textk. These features make this book a valuable resource for graduate students and researchers in mixed methods research. This book has a few shortcomings that should not be so much attributed to the authors as to the complexity of mixed methods research. The materials presented make a big assumption about the background knowledge required to comprehend these complex ideas. One such assumption is that the readers of this book should have a good understanding of conducting both qualitative and quantitative studies. Many novice researchers would hesitate to jump into mixed methods research because they are not sure whether their background is sufficient to handle both types of research. It would not be feasible for the authors to provide an introduction to both quantitative and qualitative research in a text of any reasonable size. The authors have also recommended working in a team composed of a variety of experts. Moving chapter nine to the beginning of the text may help readers decide whether they are ready to follow this path of research. The authors did not fully acknowledge the various definitions attributed to mixed method research, though their own definition is consistent with the materials presented. There is a limited treatment of methodological and analytic issues, particularly a framework for analyzing data in mixed methods research. A data analysis matrix depicting the typology of quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques as a function of data analysis purpose (e.g., as in Onwuegbuzie & Teddlie, 2003) is very helpful for the readers targeted by this book. Although this text makes reference to factors to be considered in mixed methods research, it does not provide enough discussion of contextual factors that influence a research design (e.g., Maxwell & Loomis, 2003). These issues play a crucial role in decision-making before one can begin to conduct a mixed methods research study. This text also has a limited discussion ofdevelopment of a mixed methods research typology, particularly the strengths and weaknesses of quantitative and qualitative research (e.g., as in Johnson, & Onwuegbuzie, 2004). The authors have not fully convinced readers how mixed methods research offers strengths that offset the weaknesses of separately applied quantitative and qualitative research methods as they promised in chapter one. In summation, Creswell and Plano-Clark’s book is an excellent text that would be a very useful addition to the library of anyone interested in the practice of mixed methods research. Persons with a background in both quantitative and qualitative methods, and an interest in mixed methods research, can benefit from this text by following its “how to” type of instruction. This text contains not only up-to-date coverage of the recent developments in mixed methods research, but also a fresh perspective on the use of mixed methods research that challenges us to think about our current approaches. References Johnson, B., & Onwuegbuzie, A. (2004). Mixed methods research: A research paradigm whose time has come. Educational Researcher, 33(7), 14-26. Maxwell, J. A. & Loomis, D. M. (2003). Mixed Methods Design: An Alternative Approach. In A. Tashakkori & C. Teddlie (Eds.), Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Onwuegbuzie, A. J. & Teddlie, C. (2003). A Framework for Analyzing Data in Mixed Methods Research. In A. Tashakkori & C. Teddlie (Eds.), Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Tashakkori, A. & Teddlie, C. (2003) Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. About the Reviewer Dipendra Raj Subedi Michigan State University 118 Erickson Hall East Lansing, MI 48824 Dipendra Raj Subedi specializes in educational technology, computer-based testing, multilevel modeling, and the evaluation of technology-based education.