Mixed Methodologies: A New Research Paradigm or Enhanced Quantitative Paradigm

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to review mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) nursing studies in order to evaluate the rigor of each method used within a single study. Qualitative methodologies were evaluated utilizing standard evaluation criteria including credibility, confirmability, meaning in context , recurrent patterning, transferability and saturation in order to assess the vigor and truthfulness of the qualitative method. Quantitative studies were judged for rigor and strength based on validity, reliability and gen-eralizability. CINAHL database was searched for nursing studies conducted over a three year period using mixed method(s) and nursing as the search terms. The search strategy yielded 53 mixed methods research studies which were primarily deductive in nature using open ended semi-structured questions to explain the quantitative data. These authors concluded that mixed methodological studies in the current literature are descriptive quantitative studies and do not employ qualitative methodologies.