Developing a Mixed Methods Proposal ─ A Practical Guide for Beginning Researchers

So, you want to conduct a mixed methods research study? Are you ready to learn about how to develop a mixed methods research proposal? If so, recognize that you are part of a growing trend and that this will be a complex undertaking. However, before you get started, there are some important issues for you to take into consideration and Developing a Mixed Methods Proposal by Jessica T. DeCuir-Gunby and Paul Schutz will help you get there. First, you have to understand what is meant by the term "mixed methods". Second, you need to know the advantages for using a mixed methods approach. Third, you need to be reflective and honest about your abilities to successfully conduct a mixed method study. Last, you need to understand the components of a mixed methods research proposal. This book is for students and researchers from a variety of disciplines that are new to mixed methods research and are interested in developing mixed methods research proposals for their dissertations, grants, and general research studies. This book will not address all of the major issues in mixed methods research, nor is it intended to be a stand-alone mixed methods research textbook. Instead, this book should be used in conjunction with other mixed methods resources (e.g., Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011; Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009, etc.), and it is designed to be a hands-on guide for the creation of a mixed methods research proposal. In order to assist you in the development of your methods research proposal, the book is comprised of nine chapters and organized around the major components of a research proposal: Introduction, Literature Review, and Methods chapters. This is the Fifth volume in the SAGE Mixed Methods Research Series.