Module 6: MM Purpose Statements Key Terms Concurrent and sequential designs Exploratory and explanatory designs

Objectives & Related Reading Objectives for the week – Identify the features of QUAL, QUANT, and mixed method purpose statements. – Review examples of a mixed method purpose statements in preparation for writing your own. – Be able to draft a purpose statement for a MM research study. – Use a checklist to ensure the completeness of a purpose statement. Intro to Mixed Methods, Spring 20132

Four Sources for Locating Researchable Ideas Intuitions based on previous experience. Reactions to practical problems. Results from previous research. Theory or conceptual framework. T & T (2009), p. 116 Intro to Mixed Methods, Spring 20133

What is a purpose statement? A single overarching statement that identifies the phenomenon being studied. Drives all research; qualitative and quantitative. Drives the choice of method and methodology. Summarizes that purpose or intent of the study. Is firmly grounded in the research literature. Includes definitions of key terms. 4

Characteristics of a Good QUAL Purpose Statement* Focuses on a single phenomenon Uses action words Avoids suggestion of a hypothesis Avoids testing relationships or predicting an outcome Identifies the methods Identifies the participants Identifies the research location Intro to Mixed Methods, Spring 20135

Characteristics of a Good QUANT Purpose Statement* Identifies a theory Identifies variables and anticipated relationships Identifies the dependent and independent variables Identifies the participants Identifies the research site Intro to Mixed Methods, Spring 20136

Characteristics of a Generic Mixed Methods Purpose Statement Specifies the type of mixed method study (sequential or concurrent) Provides a rationale for using mixed methods Specifies the central phenomenon Describes the methods Identifies participants Identifies location of the participants Specifies when and how mixing occurred. Intro to Mixed Methods, Spring 20137

Basic Ways to Categorize of MM Research Designs Timing – Concurrent – QUAL and QUANT data collected simultaneously, as through a questionnaire. – Sequential – QUAL and QUANT data are collected at different phases and times. Exploratory Studies – Begin with the inductive, open-ended QUAL phase Explanatory Studies – Begin with the deductive QUAN phase Intro to Mixed Methods, Spring 20138

Generic Framework for a Mixed Methods Purpose Statement from Creswell (2003)* The purpose of this concurrent mixed methods study is to better understand ___ (names a research focus) by converging quantitative (broad numeric trends) and qualitative (detailed textual data). In this study, names an instrument will be used to measure the relationship between ____ (names independent variables) and ___(name dependent variables). At the same time, the ______ names central phenomenon will be explored using _____ (name procedure or methods such as interviews ) with _____ (name study group) at ____ name study location. Mixing of the qualitative and quantitative data occurred during or by ______. 9

Stick, Creswell, & Ivankova Study of Distance Education Programs (2004) “The purpose of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study was to identify factors contributing to students’ persistence in [a distance education doctoral program at U of Nebraska Lincoln] by obtaining quantitative results from a survey of 278 of its current and former students and then following up with four purposefully selected individuals to explore those results in more depth through a qualitative case study analysis” (Appendix A, T & T) Intro to Mixed Methods, Spring

A second example: Creamer & Ghoston (2012) Purpose Statement The study used a two-phase exploratory mixed method design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011) by conducting a content analysis with both an inductive (qualitative) and deductive (quantitative) phase to analyze the themes in the mission statements of a stratified sample of colleges of engineering with ABET accredited programs in the US. Content analysis provided a methodology to identify which of the educational outcomes officially endorsed by the engineering accrediting agency have been most broadly incorporated into the culture and practices of colleges of engineering. The inductive approach used in the first phase of the study made it possible to explore the outcomes identified in mission statements that extend beyond those officially sanctioned by the accreditation standards…Mixing occurred by a comparison of the accreditation standards with the inductive codes during analysis. Intro to Mixed Methods, Spring

Checklist for Essential Components of all Purpose Statements ComponentQUANTQUALMM Central phenomenon XXX Name of designX ParticipantsXXX LocationXXX Data collection methods for both QUAL and QUANT X Reason for choice of methods X Mixing: How/WhenX Intro to Mixed Methods, Spring

Supplemental Reading & Resources Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches(Third Edition). SAGE. (This supplies useful templates for QUAL, QUANT, and MM purpose statements). Intro to Mixed Methods, Spring