SAGE Journal Articles

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For information on structuring a mixed methods article from the perspective of the Journal of Mixed Methods Research:

Fetters, M. D., & Freshwater, D. (2015). Publishing a methodological mixed methods research article. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 9, 203-213. doi:10.1177/1558689815594687

Abstract: At the Journal of Mixed Methods Research (JMMR), we welcome and encourage methodological/theoretical and original empirical mixed methods submissions. But to make the odds better for a competitive submission, we wanted to become more transparent about our expectations. The particular focus of this editorial is to share our experience both with common reasons for desk rejections, and to promote elements of rigorous methodological/theoretical and empirical mixed methods research papers that have been proven to be successful at JMMR. This editorial builds and expands on the previous suggestions of Mertens in 2011 (Mertens, 2011). At JMMR, we seek original mixed methods studies written to illustrate or emphasize novel methodological procedures or innovative applications. We are very excited about the growing number of purely empirical mixed methods studies, but JMMR is not the optimal venue if authors only seek to present the results of original mixed methods research. An ever-growing number of journals in many fields are publishing rigorous, and compelling, mixed methods studies. Thus, original papers solely presenting results without consideration of unique methodological issues should be submitted to a journal focused on the specific content. The most successful empirical original mixed methods papers at JMMR use content-specific findings to illustrate methodological issues.

For an article on structuring a QUANà QUAL sequential mixed methods study:

Ivankova, N. V. (2014). Implementing quality criteria in designing and conducting a sequential QUAN → QUAL mixed methods study of student engagement with learning applied research methods online. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 8, 25-51. doi:10.1177/1558689813487945

Abstract: In spite of recent methodological developments related to quality assurance in mixed methods research, practical examples of how to implement quality criteria in designing and conducting sequential QUAN → QUAL mixed methods studies to ensure the process is systematic and rigorous remain scarce. This article discusses a three-step procedure for securing the quality of the meta-inferences generated from sequential employment of quantitative and qualitative methods and offers several validation strategies specific to a sequential QUAN → QUAL mixed methods design: applying a systematic process for selecting participants for qualitative follow-up, elaborating on unexpected quantitative results, and observing interaction between qualitative and quantitative study strands. The discussed procedures are illustrated using a mixed methods study of graduate student engagement in learning applied research methods online.