Description

Practical considerations for higher degree research students undertaking mixed methods projects

ELIZABETH J HALCOMB

Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Western Sydney – Campbelltown Campus, Penrith NSW, Australia

SHARON ANDREW

Teaching & Learning Fellow, School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Western Sydney – Campbelltown Campus, Penrith NSW, Australia

ABSTRACT

As is the trend in nursing and health services research, mixed methods research is becoming increasingly popular in higher degree research programs. The aim of this paper is to identify and discuss the practical considerations that need to be contemplated by both the research student and the research supervisors before embarking on a mixed methods project, during the candidature and following completion of the project. Such considerations include the timing of the various data collections, the resource and skill development implications of using mixed methods, the need to create a supervisory panel with a combination of skills to support the project, strategies for managing the often extensive datasets, planning for integration or mixing within the study and reporting study findings. Adequate consideration of these issues has the potential to significantly reduce problems encountered during the candidature and enhance the quality of the work.

Keywords: mixed methods, research supervision, research training, higher degree research, postgraduate