Making Paradigms Meaningful in Mixed Methods Research

Abstract

While recent mixed methods publications advocate for researchers’ explicit discussion of their paradigmatic foundations, more guidance is needed regarding how these paradigms can be used. This article comparatively analyzes four major paradigmatic perspectives discussed in mixed methods literature: pragmatism, transformative-emancipation, dialectics, and critical realism. It offers a discussion of each perspective’s implications for mixed methods and how they can be used to influence research based on recent publications. While there are several similarities, such as emphasizing divergent results and allowing for researcher choice in methods, each perspective offers a unique set of advantages and disadvantages. Emphasizing how paradigms can be used then promotes more explicit engagement with them in future research.