Combining different methods in order to answer complex research questions

This course touches a variation of different topics all from philosophy, theories, methods and so on. This reflection is about how a researcher should think before “combining different methods in order to answer complex research questions” and why this approach can be beneficial.

In the first theme we discussed a statement from the German philosopher Immanuel Kant:

“Thus far it has been assumed that all our cognition must conform to objects. On that presupposition, however, all our attempts to establish something about them a priori, by means of concepts through which our cognition would be expanded, have come to nothing. Let us, therefore, try to find out by experiment whether we shall not make better progress in the problems of metaphysics if we assume that objects must conform to our cognition.” KANT.

One way to analyse this statement is that Kant challenge and urge us to change the way we reflect and to think in a “reverse order” from the norm. Thus giving us new perspectives and allowing us to learn more.

In multimethod research, that is including more than one method in the research, the use of different methods gives new perspectives - exactly what Kant wants us to do. This is a philosophical thought that supports combining different methods.

In theme 5’s guest lecture, Haibo Li claimed that a well thought problem definition for research is crucial. If the problem statement is well-defined it is easier to spot the solution, and I would also argue that this helps a researcher to choose correct methods for the study. It is also essential for a researcher to find “easy” and straight-forward solutions instead of complicating the results to make it more complex-looking. This also applies for choosing methods. It is not important to find and combine the most complicated methods but instead to use methods that are appropriate for the study but also feasible for the researcher.  

When doing research it is important to identify what kind of theory or theories to use. Theory is system of ideas intended to explain something. In theme 3 we analysed a text from Shirley Gregor which distinguishes five types of theory: (1) Theory for analysing “what is” , (2) Theory for explaining “how and why”, (3) Theory for predicting  “what will be not why, (4) Theory for explaining and predicting, EP - theory “what is, how, why, when and what will be” and (5)  Theory for design and action “how to do something”. Theory 1-4 build on each other with theory 1 being the most basic type of theory that only aims to describe a subject.

After identifying what type of theory this research aims to achieve, the researcher can choose methods that are the most appropriate to fit the goals of the research.

When choosing methods it is crucial to be knowledgeable about them. When reading about qualitative and quantitative methods I learned that they are almost like opposites. In Table 1 some benefits of both methods are mentioned, these were discussed at the seminar, for theme 4, with Olle Bälter.

Table 1: Some of the pros with Qualitative and Quantitative from the seminar with Olle Bälter

Qualitative	Quantitative
information about individuals thought and experiences in-depth results smaller nr of participants very specific answers whole picture answer/results useful for describing complex phenomenon	easy to compare and compile result easy to visualise (graphics) involves large nr of people generic results

Qualitative methods, such as interviews, gives specific and in-depth result. However, quantitative studies mostly collects data and commonly results in statistics which gives an overview of the subject and is also easier to visualise in e.g. table or graphs. Through their differences, several perspectives can be presented by using both methods. Since these two methods complement each other very well using both has become fairly common and is called “mixed methodology”.

Eva-Lotta Sallnäs argued, during the guest lecture, that the results of a research are dependent on the research method. I agree with this since for example qualitative methods concludes in complex answers while quantitative is commonly compiled in numbers. Thus, the researcher needs to be aware of the results from various methods to be able to use and combine methods in such a way that it enhances and improves the results.

Further, Sallnäs gave some examples of different types of research and which methods that can be appropriate. For example, the researches should use other methods, than those used in previous similar studies, to gain new insight and perspectives. For very new areas, especially those with few possible participants, qualitative methods are suitable as future research can use these results as a base. When creating prototypes and ultimately products design research should be one of the methods used in the research.

During theme 6 case studies were discussed and which aims at solving “real” problems in the world. The more cases included in a case study, the more legit the theories that the study generates, according to Eisenhardt. Since case studies uses several methods they return a lot of data and it is a challenge to compile all of it.

Conclusion

What I have learned from this course is the importance and value of understanding that various methods are used for different reasons and generate different types of results.

Diverse methods can be used to complement one and other. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the pros and cons, for the methods, to be able to combine them in a way so they will complement one and other leading to maximising the final result. When combining methods the researcher needs to consider if he or she has the resources to execute the study in an appropriate and satisfactory way, since combining methods is complex and commonly generates a large amount of data. However, this gives a fuller and more comprehensive answer to the problem statement, which directs me to the conclusion that combining methods is an appropriate way to tackle complex problems - if it is feasible for the researcher.

The information that I have collected gives me a heads-up for the challenges I will face when writing my master thesis. The knowledge that I now have about theories and methods will be of utmost help in the future.