Description

Author

Loraine D. Cook (School of Education, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica)

Stanford Moore (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of the West Indies Ringgold Standard Institution, Kingston, Jamaica)

Tashane Haynes Brown (School of Education, The University of the West Indies Ringgold Standard Institution, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica)

Rohan McCalla (School of Education, The University of the West Indies Ringgold Standard Institution, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica)

Karen Thwaites (University of the West Indies Ringgold Standard Institution, Kingston, Jamaica)

Leemoy Weaver (University of the West Indies Ringgold Standard Institution, Kingston, Jamaica)

Clavia Williams-McBean (University of the West Indies Ringgold Standard Institution, Kingston, Jamaica)

Steve Weaver (School of Nursing, University of the West Indies Ringgold Standard Institution, Kingston, Jamaica)

Avalloy McCarthy Curvin (University of the West Indies Ringgold Standard Institution, Kingston, Jamaica)

Abstract

This article considers the historical and current use of quantitative and qualitative research integrated into a single study within the Caribbean. This study is a methodological review of peer-reviewed articles over an 18-year period (1996-2014) from disciplines within the fields of social sciences and education in the English-speaking Caribbean, authored by Caribbean researchers, both locally and internationally. This review identifies the trend in the research approaches used in the Caribbean during the study period and gives insight into how quantitative and qualitative research were integrated into a single study over the period. A total of 146 articles were examined and grouped into quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, or multi-methods research approaches. Then, further analysis was conducted on those studies identified as using a mixed methods research approach to ascertain the points of integration. Across the 3 selected Caribbean journals, 53% of the articles involved use of qualitative research approaches, 34% the use of quantitative research approaches, 4% used multi-methods research approaches, and 8% used mixed methods research approaches. Only 25% of the authors who used a mixed methods research approach declared it in their studies. Quantitative research was dominant during the years 1996 to 2001 and superseded by qualitative research from 2000 to 2014. However, both mixed methods and multi-methods research articles appeared in the selected journals before qualitative research. Concerning the mixed methods research studies, only 3 authors attempted to undertake meta-inferences. The findings should provide a foundation from which researchers within the region can conduct a more robust analysis of the social problems in the region.