Conducting a mixed methods dissertation is an exciting and rigorous endeavor! The key to navigating university requirements is to be proactive and systematic. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you understand what's expected:

Understanding University Requirements for Mixed Methods Dissertations

The requirements for mixed methods dissertations often build upon general dissertation standards but include specific expectations for integrating qualitative and quantitative research.

I. Start with Official University & Departmental Documentation (Your Primary Sources)

This is your absolute first step. Do not rely solely on anecdotes or assumptions.

• University Graduate School Handbook/Website:


• General Formatting & Style Guide: This will dictate things like margins, font, citation style (APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.), abstract length, table/figure presentation, page numbering, and general chapter structure. These apply to ALL dissertations, including mixed methods.


• Submission Deadlines & Procedures: Critical for planning your timeline.


• Dissertation Committee Requirements: How many members? What level of academic appointment? Often, for mixed methods, having at least one committee member with strong qualitative expertise and another with strong quantitative expertise is highly recommended or even implicitly required.


• IRB (Institutional Review Board) Procedures: Mixed methods often involves collecting different types of data, which might necessitate specific considerations for consent, data storage, and ethical review for both qualitative and quantitative components.


• Oral Defense Guidelines: How is it structured? What's the process?


• Departmental/Program Specific Guidelines:


• Methodology Expectations: This is where you'll find the most specific guidance for mixed methods.


• Preferred Mixed Methods Designs: Some departments or fields may have a preference for certain designs (e.g., sequential exploratory, convergent parallel, explanatory sequential). While not always prescriptive, understanding common approaches in your discipline is crucial.


• Rigor & Quality Criteria: What are their expectations for demonstrating rigor in both qualitative (e.g., trustworthiness, credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability) and quantitative (e.g., validity, reliability, generalizability) strands? How are these applied to the integration?


• Scope & Length: Is there an expected length for the methods section? For the overall dissertation? How much detail is expected for each component?


• Chapter Structure Variations: While most follow Intro-Lit Review-Methods-Results-Discussion, some departments might have slightly different expectations for how mixed methods results are presented (e.g., separate qualitative and quantitative results chapters followed by an integrated discussion, or an integrated results chapter).


• Sample Size Considerations: What are the general expectations for qualitative and quantitative sample sizes within your discipline, especially when they are linked in an MM design?


• Review Past Dissertations (The Unofficial Guide):


• Your University's Library/Dissertation Database: Look specifically for mixed methods dissertations completed in your department or a closely related one.


• What to Look For:


• Structure: How did they organize their methods, results, and discussion chapters?


• Justification: How did they justify the use of mixed methods? What frameworks did they cite?


• Integration: Crucially, how did they integrate the qualitative and quantitative data and findings? Did they use specific integration points (e.g., connecting, embedding, merging)?


• Methodological Detail: How much detail did they provide for each strand?


• Language & Tone: How did they discuss the strengths and limitations of their mixed methods approach?


• Committee Members: Who were their advisors and committee members? This can give you an idea of who has experience with mixed methods in your department.

• Your Dissertation Advisor/Chair:


• The Single Most Important Resource: Your advisor is your primary guide. They know the university, departmental, and committee expectations best.


• Early & Frequent Discussion: Talk to them early about your mixed methods design. Discuss the specific requirements, their personal expectations, and how they envision the process unfolding.


• Committee Formation: Discuss the ideal composition of your committee, particularly ensuring you have members with expertise in mixed methods and/or both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.


• Your Dissertation Committee:


• Diverse Perspectives: Once formed, present your mixed methods proposal to your committee. Be prepared for questions and feedback on both the individual qualitative and quantitative components, and especially on the integration strategy.


• Clarify Expectations: Ask direct questions about their expectations for the methods chapter, results presentation, and discussion. Different committee members may have different levels of comfort or expertise with mixed methods.


• Graduate Student Peers/Alumni:


• Informal Insights: Talk to other graduate students or recent graduates who have successfully completed mixed methods dissertations in your department. They can offer practical tips, cautionary tales, and insights into the unofficial "norms."


• University Research Support Services:


• Writing Centers: Many universities have graduate-level writing support that can help with dissertation structure, clarity, and adherence to style guides.


• Statistical Consulting Services: If your quantitative strand involves complex analyses, consult with a university statistician early in the process. They can often provide guidance on data analysis plan requirements.


• Qualitative Research Centers/Groups: Some universities have groups or labs dedicated to qualitative research methods, which can offer methodological support.

While following general dissertation chapter structure, a mixed methods dissertation requires specific attention to the "integration" aspect throughout:

• Abstract:


• Clearly state that it is a mixed methods study.


• Briefly describe the specific mixed methods design (e.g., "This sequential explanatory mixed methods study...")


• Summarize the rationale for using mixed methods.


• Mention key findings from both quantitative and qualitative strands and how they converge or build upon each other.


• Introduction:


• Introduce the research problem and justify the need for research that combines different approaches.


• Provide an early rationale for the use of mixed methods, explaining why a single method would be insufficient to answer your research questions.


• State your mixed methods research questions, often with separate qual and quant questions leading to an integrated mixed methods question.


• Literature Review:


• Review relevant literature from both qualitative and quantitative paradigms.


• Highlight gaps in the literature that a mixed methods approach is uniquely positioned to address.


• If applicable, review existing mixed methods studies in your area to show precedent or identify where your study contributes.


• Methodology Chapter (The Most Crucial Section for MM):


• Mixed Methods Paradigm/Philosophy: Briefly explain your philosophical stance (e.g., pragmatism) that underpins your choice of MM.


• Mixed Methods Design:


• Clearly articulate your chosen design (e.g., Sequential Explanatory, Convergent Parallel, Exploratory Sequential, Embedded, etc.).


• Provide a visual diagram of your design (a flowchart is highly recommended and often expected).


• Justify why this specific design is appropriate for your research questions.


• Quantitative Strand:


• Research design (e.g., experimental, quasi-experimental, survey)


• Participants/Sampling (size, recruitment)


• Data collection instruments


• Data analysis plan (specific statistical tests)


• Validity and Reliability considerations


• Qualitative Strand:


• Research design (e.g., phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, case study)


• Participants/Sampling (size, recruitment, rationale for depth over breadth)


• Data collection methods (e.g., interviews, focus groups, observations)


• Data analysis plan (e.g., thematic analysis, content analysis, coding strategies)


• Trustworthiness/Rigor criteria (credibility, transferability, dependability, confirmability)


• Integration:


• This section is absolutely critical. Explain how, when, and why you will integrate the quantitative and qualitative data/findings.


• What is the purpose of the integration (e.g., triangulation, complementarity, expansion, development, initiation)?


• At what stage will integration occur (e.g., during data collection, analysis, interpretation)?


• What strategies will you use (e.g., merging data in a matrix, connecting qualitative themes to quantitative findings, transforming qualitative data into quantitative variables, using a joint display)?


• Ethical Considerations: Address ethical issues for both strands and for the overall integrated study.


• Researcher Positionality: (More common for qual, but important to acknowledge in MM).


• Results Chapter:


• Clear Organization: How you present results is often a point of discussion with your committee. Common approaches:


• Sequential Presentation: Quantitative results, then Qualitative results, followed by an integrated discussion of findings.


• Integrated Presentation: Present findings thematically or by research question, weaving together quantitative and qualitative data within each section.


• Use joint displays (tables or figures that combine both types of data) to visually demonstrate integration.


• Clearly label and distinguish between quantitative and qualitative findings.


• Discussion Chapter:


• Integrated Interpretation: Do not simply summarize results. Interpret how the quantitative and qualitative findings relate to each other, to your research questions, and to the existing literature.


• Address Integration: Explicitly discuss what the integration revealed, the insights gained, and how the findings converge, diverge, or complement each other.


• Strengths & Limitations: Discuss the strengths and limitations of both the individual methods and the overall mixed methods design.


• Implications: Present implications for theory, practice, and future research, stemming from the integrated findings.


• Conclusion:


• Summarize the main integrated findings and their significance.


• Reiterate the unique contribution of your mixed methods approach.

By systematically approaching these points, engaging with your university's resources, and maintaining open communication with your advisor and committee, you'll be well-prepared to meet the requirements for your mixed methods dissertation. Good luck!