What characterizes a mixed-methods approach in research?

A mixed-methods approach in research is characterized by the combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. This strategy leverages the strengths of both types of data to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a research question.

In this approach, qualitative data—such as interviews, focus groups, or open-ended survey responses—can provide rich, detailed insights into participants' perspectives and experiences. Meanwhile, quantitative data—such as surveys with closed-ended questions, experiments, or statistical analyses—can yield measurable and generalizable findings. By integrating these two forms of data, researchers can validate and enrich their findings, leading to more robust conclusions.

Using both qualitative and quantitative methods allows researchers to explore a problem from multiple angles and enhances the overall validity of the study. For example, qualitative findings can help explain why certain quantitative results were observed, thus offering a more complete view of the issue under investigation.

The other options represent approaches that do not align with the mixed-methods framework. Focusing solely on qualitative data collection or numerical data analysis would limit the scope of the research, and comparing different studies without gathering new data does not utilize an integrated approach to data collection and analysis.