Deconstructing Mixed Methods Research: Week Nine Application Mixed method research involves using both qualitative and quantitative research designs to conduct a study (Sheperis, Young, & Daniel, 2010). Mixed method research allows researchers to use both qualitative and quantitative data to verify findings. There are many different mixed method designs which can be used. This paper deconstructs a course article "Latino Definitions of Success: A Cultural Model of Intercultural Competence," (Torres, 2009). The paper describes the kind of mixed design used, the theoretical lens underlying the study, the data analysis procedures used and finally the rationale for using this design in the study.
Description of Design Used …show more content…
Torres (2009) uses a mixed research design methodology in the article.
He specifically employed the exploratory design method. Sheperis et al.(2010) defined the exploratory method as a two-phase method whereby the researcher conducts the qualitative phase first before the quantitative phase of the research. The first phase involved discovery and generation of themes which relate to intercultural competences with the aid of semi structured interviews of 15 Latino adults (Torres, 2009). During the initial phase, relevant information was collected which was grouped together based on shared characteristics to form concepts which were later developed into themes. This phase involved 46 participants who were randomly recruited. The second phase deals with the process of conducting cultural consensus analysis from the interview of quantitative responses. This is used to determine the cultural model of intercultural
competence.
The theoretical lens that underlies the study The lens include the acculturation, intercultural competence, Latino mental health and the mixed –methodology which tend to us the cultural model to underline the study (Torres, 2009). For instance, the theoretical framework seeks to examine the Latino intercultural competence through two separate methodologies and this feature on semi structured interviews.
The data analysis procedures used in the study Semi structured interviews were used to collect data. Due to the majority participants, English and Spanish languages were used for transcription of the interview results. All data collected were transcribed to English language because the participants chose English (Torres, 2009). However, Torres (2009) noted that the richness of data might have been lost in the process of translation from the original language to English. Translating the information to English also permitted the continuity across interviews. To be specific, data was broken down with the use of open coding method. This involved data being broken down into discrete parts, examination of the data closely and finally comparison of differences and similarities of the data.
The rationale for using the mixed method design for this study The first reason for using the mixed-method design is that it allowed the discovery of important characteristics that define intercultural competence (Torres, 2009). Another reason was because this study was limited to a comparatively small sample size being identified by informants from different sides may differ with data collected from different parts of the states. The mixed-method approach will aid to advance acculturation research and the conceptualization of the acculturation concepts. As noted by Sheperis et al. (2010), the exploratory mixed-method design increases legitimacy by reducing participant bias.
References
Sheperis, C. J., Young, J. S., & Daniels, M. H. (2010). Counseling research: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Torres, L. (2009). Latino definitions of success: A cultural model of intercultural competence. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 31, 576–593.