Mixed Research Method as the Third Research Paradigm: A Literature Review

According to the research methodology literature quantitative research paradigm was accepted as the first phase while the qualitative research paradigm was emerged as an alternative to it and was conceptualized as the opposite of quantitative paradigm. As many researchers started advocating in mixing both quantitative and qualitative methods, resulted to established mixed research method paradigm. With many discussions among the methodologists several definitions were given to mixed research method. This paper identified several definitions given by methodologists and two types of mixed research methods called mixed method research and mixed model research. Further describes confirmation and complementarity as two purposes of mixed research method. The paper identifies multiple advantages of mixed research method over using one method in a study. Finally it was identified six key research designs that described in mixed research method literature.