Acknowledgments -- Understanding mixed methods research -- Purpose and organization -- Clarifying terms -- What is mixed methods research? -- The name -- Quantitative and qualitative data -- Mixing the data -- Single or multiple studies -- The central premise of the definition -- Studies that fit our definition -- Studies in the gray areas -- The importance of mixed methods research -- A brief history -- Formative period -- Paradigm debate period -- Procedural developments -- Recent indicators of interest -- Summary -- Activities -- Additional resources to examine -- Examining preliminary considerations -- Consider worldview stances -- Different worldviews or paradigms -- Worldviews and mixed methods research -- Stance 1. There is one "best" paradigm or worldview that fits mixed methods research -- Stance 2. Researchers can use multiple paradigms or worldviews in their mixed methods study -- Stance 3. Worldviews relate to the type of mixed methods design and they may vary depending on the type of design -- The basics of quantitative and qualitative research -- Research problems addressed by mixed methods -- A need exists for both quantitative and qualitative approaches -- A need exists to enhance the study with a second source of data -- A need exists to explain the quantitative results -- A need exists to first explore qualitatively -- Summary -- Activities -- Additional resources to examine -- Locating and reviewing mixed methods studies -- Searching for and reviewing mixed methods studies -- Use search terms -- Are the studies mixed methods research? -- A mixed methods notation system and visual diagrams -- Examples of mixed methods studies -- Study A: Collecting both quantitative and qualitative data at the same time to understand a problem (Jenkins, 2001) -- Study B: Using qualitative data in an experiment (Rogers, Day, Randall & Bentall, 2003) -- Study C: Explaining quantitative results with qualitative data (Aldridge, Fraser & Huang, 1999) -- Study D: Exploring qualitatively to develop a quantitative instrument (Myers & Oetzel, 2003) -- Similarities and differences among the sample studies -- Summary -- Activities -- Additional resources to examine -- Choosing a mixed methods design -- Classifications of mixed methods designs -- The four major types of mixed methods designs -- The triangulation design -- The triangulation design procedures -- Variants of the triangulation design -- Strengths of the triangulation design -- Challenges in using the triangulation design -- The embedded design -- The embedded design procedures -- Variants of the embedded design -- Strengths of the embedded design -- Challenges in using the embedded design -- The explanatory design -- The explanatory design procedures -- Variants of the explanatory design -- Strengths of the explanatory design -- Challenges in using the explanatory design -- The exploratory design -- The exploratory design procedures -- Variants of the exploratory design -- Strengths of the exploratory design -- Challenges in using the exploratory design -- Selecting a type of mixed methods design -- The timing decision -- The weighting decision -- The mixing decision -- Merging data sets -- Embedding data at the design level -- Connecting from data analysis to data collection -- Implementing the design decisions -- Writing a paragraph to identify a study's design -- Summary -- Activities -- Additional resources to examine.