Review: V Plano Clark & J Creswell (Eds) Mixed methods reader

Mixed methods has been described as the third major methodological movement, one that is perhaps just reaching "adolescence." Plano Clark and Creswell’s The Mixed Methods Reader is timely, as there is a hugely increasing wave of interest in mixed methodologies, but the authors have also, perhaps, struggled to find appropriate readings for some areas of practice from a literature that is still developing and evolving. The Reader complements an overview text on mixed methods published a year earlier by the same authors (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007), although in my opinion, the Reader provides a more useful overview of mixed methods than does the text. It is designed for graduate students and practicing researchers. In the first page of the general introduction, the authors note that mixed methods has a broad appeal both internationally and across disciplines with the consequence that the literature is spread across a wide range of publication outlets. Their goal, then, was to bring together a selection of readings that covered the major areas of discussion in the field. The authors claim to have reflected international, and disciplinary diversity in their selections, yet, in the 14 methodological selections, just one comes from the United Kingdom and one from Canada—the remainder are from the United States, and primarily from authors working in education or educational psychology. The nine example studies are also dominated by American authors. The book is presented in two sections: Part 1 provides a methodological overview, with 14 chapters, whereas Part 2 presents nine "exemplar" studies. The overall design of the book is excellent and it has been meticulously prepared (a characteristic of all John Creswell’s books). Each reading is prefaced by an editors’ introduction; stimulating discussion questions are provided for each methodological reading and for the set of research studies, and related references that extend the topic are also provided for each methodological reading. Readings are presented in their original form, including variations in styles of presentation and referencing (and original rather than current author locations).

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