Directions: Read the author's responses to mixed methods research. What are your thoughts or opinions about their answers? Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not? What can you add to extend the discussion? My understanding of mixed methods was limited before starting this course. I just assumed that different approaches were "mixed" to hopefully come to a better understanding of a research question. After reading chapters 1 and 2, my understanding of mixed methods research has become clearer and more focused. Creswell and Plano-Clark (2018) discuss major reasons which precipitate various needs for mixed methods research: --the need to obtain more complete results --a need to explain initial results further --a need to explore first before administering instruments --a need to enhance an experimental study with qualitative methods --a need to describe and compare different types of cases --a need to involve participants. I can see how mixed methods research evolved from these needs. Using one method may not provide the best results, and I can see how using quantitative and qualitative approaches can enhance a study. In our reading, the example of a doctor's diagnosis is given to explain the concept of mixed methods further. A doctor will look at test results combined with a patient's narrative of their issues to gain a more complete picture of a problem (Creswell & Plano-Clark, 2018). To me, this was a nice example for me to gain a basic understanding of mixed methods research. The Chumney (n.d.) video in this week's readings also contributed to my overall understanding of mixed methods research. Three types of mixed methods research were explained: explanatory, exploratory, and convergent. Explanatory mixed methods research begins with a quantitative phase, and then moves to a qualitative phase which attempts to explain the results of the quantitative phase. Exploratory mixed methods research starts with a qualitative phase, and then moves to a quantitative phase which attempts to inform the quantitative phase. Convergent mixed methods research involves both quantitative and qualitative designs which occur at the same time. Findings are then triangulated from combined data. Mixed methods research designs seek to use quantitative and qualitative approaches to answer one research question (Chumney, n.d.). I found it interesting that mixed methods research involves the flexible use of multiple worldviews, and they are combined to best fit their study needs (Creswell & Plano-Clark, 2018). I am drawn to this approach because it seems to provide a more complete picture of a research question than using only one approach. I think that mixed methods research is valuable for many different audiences because of its focus on multiple worldviews and philosophical assumptions. For this reason, I believe that different audiences will find mixed methods research valuable from different standpoints and this approach can provide much insight into a research