Mixed methods research (MMR) methodologists research the use of MMR by conducting systematic methodological reviews (SMR). Unfortunately, there is little guidance on how to conduct these types of reviews. This MMR-SMR of MMR-SMRs identifies a comprehensive pool of published MMR-SMRs (n = 80), isolating best practices that will guide future reviews thereby increasing their quality and utility to the field of MMR. We summarize our quantitative codes descriptively and integrate the qualitative themes alongside the relevant quantitative results. We contribute to the field mixed methods research by identifying potential topics for future MMR-SMR, summarizing current practices in writing MMR-SMRs, and providing recommendations to consider when publishing future MMR-SMR.
AliseM. A.TeddlieC. (2010). A continuation of the paradigm wars? Prevalence rates of methodological approaches across the social/behavioral sciences. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 4(2), 103-126. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689809360805
BoeijeH.SlagtM.Van WeselF. (2013). The contribution of mixed methods research to the field of childhood trauma: A narrative review focused on data integration. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 7(4), 347-369. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689813482756
4.
BrownK. M.ElliottS. J.LeatherdaleS. T.Robertson-WilsonJ. (2015). Searching for rigour in the reporting of mixed methods population health research: A methodological review. Health Education Research, 30(6), 811-839. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyv046
5.
CameronR.Molina-AzorínJ. F. (2011). The acceptance of mixed methods in business and management research. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 19(3), 256-271. https://doi.org/10.1108/19348831111149204
6.
CollinsK. M.OnwuegbuzieA. J.JiaoQ. G. (2006). Prevalence of mixed-methods sampling designs in social science research. Evaluation & Research in Education, 19(2), 83-101. https://doi.org/10.2167/eri421.0
7.
CoyleC. E.Schulman-GreenD.FederS.ToramanS.PrustM. L.Plano ClarkV. L.CurryL. (2018). Federal funding for mixed methods research in the health sciences in the United States: Recent trends. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 12(3), 305-324. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689816662578
8.
CreamerE. (2018). Paradigms in play: Using case studies to explore the value-added of divergent findings in mixed methods research. International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 10(1), 30-40. https://doi.org/10.29034/ijmra.v10n1a2
9.
CreswellJ. W.FettersM.IvankovaN. (2004). Designing a mixed methods study in primary care. Annals of Family Medicine, 2(1), 7-12. https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.104
10.
CreswellJ. W.Plano ClarkV. L. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Sage.
11.
DeJonckheereM.Lindquist-GrantzR.ToramanS.HaddadK.VaughnL.M. (2018). Intersection of mixed methods and community-based participatory research: A methodological review. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 13(4), 481-502. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689818778469
12.
FidelR. (2008). Are we there yet? Mixed methods research in library and information science. Library & Information Science Research, 30(4), 265-272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2008.04.001
13.
GambrelL. E.ButlerV. I.JohnL. (2013). Mixed methods research in marriage and family therapy: A content analysis. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 39(2), 163-181. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2011.00260.x
14.
GreeneJ. C.CaracelliV. J.GrahamW. F. (1989). Toward a conceptual framework for mixed-method evaluation designs. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 11(3), 255-274.
15.
GuettermanT. C.BabchukW. A.Howell SmithM. C.StevensJ. (2019). Contemporary approaches to mixed methods–grounded theory research: A field-based analysis. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 13(2), 179-195. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689817710877
16.
GuettermanT. C.FettersM. D. (2018). Two methodological approaches to the integration of mixed methods and case study designs: A systematic review. American Behavioral Scientist, 62(7), 900-918. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764218772641
17.
GuettermanT. C.SakakibaraR. V.Plano ClarkV. L.LuborskyM.MurrayS. M.CastroF. G.CreswellJ. W.DeutschC.GalloJ. J. (2019). Mixed methods grant applications in the health sciences: An analysis of reviewer comments. PLOS ONE, 14(11), Article e0225308. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225308
18.
HansonW. E.CreswellJ. W.Plano ClarkV. L.PetskaK. S.CreswellJ. D. (2005). Mixed methods research designs in counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(2), 224-235. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.52.2.224
19.
HarrisonR. L.ReillyT. M. (2011). Mixed methods designs in marketing research. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 14(1), 7-26. https://doi.org/10.1108/13522751111099300
20.
HeyvaertM.MaesB.OnghenaP. (2011). Applying mixed methods research at the synthesis level: An overview. Research in Schools, 18(1), 12-24.
21.
Hurmerinta-PeltomäkiL.NummelaN. (2006). Mixed methods in international business research: A value-added perspective. Management International Review, 46(4), 439-459. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11575-006-0100-z
22.
HuynhT.Hatton-BowersH.Howell SmithM.C. (2019). A critical methodological review of mixed methods designs used in mindfulness research. Mindfulness, 10(5), 786-798. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-1038-5
23.
IslamF.OremusM. (2014). Mixed methods immigrant mental health research in Canada: A systematic review. Journal of Immigrant Minority Health, 16(6), 1284-1289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-013-9962-x
McManamnyT.SheenJ.BoydL.JenningsP. A. (2015). Mixed methods and its application in prehospital research: A systematic review. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 9(3), 214-231. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689813520408
26.
MoherD.LiberatiA.TetzlaffJ.AltmanD. G., & The PRISMA Group. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Medicine, 6(7), e1000097. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-151-4-200908180-00135
27.
Molina-AzorínJ. F. (2011). The use and added value of mixed methods in management research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 5(1), 7-24. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689810384490
28.
Molina-AzorínJ. F. (2012). Mixed methods research in strategic management: Impact and applications. Organizational Research Methods, 15(1), 33-56. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428110393023
29.
Molina-AzorínJ. F.FettersM. D. (2016). Mixed methods research prevalence studies: Field-specific studies on the state of the art of mixed methods research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 10(2), 123-128. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689816636707
30.
Molina-AzorínJ. F.FontX. (2016). Mixed methods in sustainable tourism research: An analysis of prevalence, designs and application in JOST (2005–2014). Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 24(4), 549-573. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2015.1073739
31.
O’CathainA.MurphyE.NichollJ. (2007). Why, and how, mixed methods research is undertaken in health services research in England: A mixed methods study. BMC Health Services Research, 7(85), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-7-85
32.
O’CathainA.MurphyE.NichollJ. (2008). The quality of mixed methods studies in health services research. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 13(2), 92-98. https://doi.org/10.1258/jhsrp.2007.007074
33.
OnwuegbuzieA. J.WilcoxR.GonzalesV.HoisingtonS.LambertJ.JordanJ.AleisaM.BengeC.WachsmannM.ValleR. (2018). Collaboration patterns among mixed researchers: A multidisciplinary examination. International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 10(1), 437-457. https://doi.org/10.29034/ijmra.v10n1a30
34.
PaullM.GirardiA. (2017). Mixed methods research in investigations of volunteering. Third Sector Review, 23(1), 183-207.
35.
Plano ClarkV. L. (2010). The adoption and practice of mixed methods: U.S. trends in federally funded health-related research. Qualitative Inquiry, 16(6), 428-440. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800410364609
36.
Plano ClarkV. L.AndersonN.WertzJ.ZhouY.SchumacherK.MiaskowskiC. (2015). Conceptualizing longitudinal mixed methods designs: A methodological review of health science research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 9(4), 297-319. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689814543563
37.
Plano ClarkV. L.IvankovaN.V. (2016). Mixed methods research: A guide to the field (Vol. 3). Sage.
38.
PowellH.MihalasS.OnwuegbuzieA.SuldoS.DaleyC. (2008). Mixed methods research in school psychology: A mixed methods investigation of trends in the literature. Psychology in the Schools, 45(4), 291-309. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.20296
39.
SahinC.NaylorP. J. (2017). Mixed-Methods research in diabetes management via mobile health technologies: A scoping review. JMIR Diabetes, 2(1), e3. https://doi.org/10.2196/diabetes.6667
40.
SweetmanD.BadieeM.CreswellJ. W. (2010). Use of the transformative framework in mixed methods studies. Qualitative Inquiry, 16(6), 441-454. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800410364610
41.
TashakkoriA.TeddlieC. (Eds.). (2003). Handbook of mixed methods in social & behavioral research. Sage.
42.
van der RoestJ. W.SpaaijR.van BottenburgM. (2015). Mixed methods in emerging academic subdisciplines: The case of sport management. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 9(1), 70-90. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689813508225
43.
WilkinsonI. A.StaleyB. (2019). On the pitfalls and promises of using mixed methods in literacy research: Perceptions of reviewers. Research Papers in Education, 34(1), 61-83. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2017.1402081
44.
WisdomJ. P.CavaleriM. A.OnwuegbuzieA. J.GreenC. A. (2012). Methodological reporting in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods health services research articles. Health Research and Educational Trust, 47(2), 721-745. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6773.2011.01344.x
45.
ZhangW. (2014). Mixed methods application in health intervention research: A multiple case study. International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 8(1), 24-35. https://doi.org/10.5172/mra.2014.8.1.24
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
