Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches

by John W. Creswell

This bestselling text pioneered the comparison of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research design. For all three approaches, John W. Creswell and new co-author J. David Creswell include a preliminary consideration of philosophical assumptions; key elements of the research process; a review of the literature; an assessment of the use of theory in research applications, and reflections about the importance of writing and ethics in scholarly inquiry.

New to this Edition


Updated discussion on designing a proposal for a research project and on the steps in designing a research study. Additional content on epistemological and ontological positioning in relation to the research question and chosen methodology and method. Additional updates on the transformative worldview. Expanded coverage on specific approaches such as case studies, participatory action research, and visual methods. Additional information about social media, online qualitative methods, and mentoring and reflexivity in qualitative methods. Incorporation of action research and program evaluation in mixed methods and coverage of the latest advances in the mixed methods field Additional coverage on qualitative and quantitative data analysis software in the respective methods chapters. Additional information about causality and its relationship to statistics in quantitative methods. Incorporation of writing discussion sections into each of the three methodologies. Current references and additional readings are included in this new edition.

Genres: Research, Nonfiction, Education, Research Methods, Reference, School, Academic

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Bahia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great introduction to qualitative and quantitative research methods. It's easy to read and understand. It focuses more on the overall parts of research and a research paper and the differences between qualitative and quantitative approaches. It takes the reader through the fundamentals of selecting your research, reviewing the literature, using theory, and writing strategies and then goes into more details in designing and writing your research. It addresses the introduction, purpose statement, and research question, which are critical to research design, and then reviews qualitative, qualitative, and mixed methods designs. The only thing the book is missing is more detail about how to actually do the qualitative and quantitative procedures. A beginner in statistical methods and qualitative coding will need to look elsewhere. Overall, this book is good for beginning researchers.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-have for budding scholars who need to know the format of a quality research proposal. I'm at the end of my program, so there are many lessons that are presented in this book that are review for me. I wish I had this book when I began my program because it clears up many of my initial questions. For example, there is a section that clarifies the Research Problem versus the Research Questions, a line that I had a hard time differentiating when I started this doctoral journey. Not only will I be using this in this class, but I will pull it out for proposal and dissertation, and likely recommend it to my future students.

[Timothy Darling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creswell, John. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, Ltd., 2009.
Research Design as an introduction to dissertation planning is a rather difficult and technical read. In that way, it is probably quite appropriate, since a dissertation is a massive undertaking and deserves to be introduced in all its complexity. The introduction of the philosophies behind the different methods is a little like jumping into the deep end of the pool. Fortunately the explanations in the book tend to enhance the reader's understanding of these philosophical bases for research. In that way, one gathers that there is no one way to study for a particular philosophical leaning. Instead, the approach is guided by the question being answered, by the purpose stated.
The primary value of Research Design is as a reference tool. Like many such tools, it is only useful once a familiarity with it has been established. So, though reading Research Design was tedious and fraught with much the average researcher will never use, in order to discover what is useful, the survey is necessary. I am hoping that as I research for my dissertation, I will find returning to it to be a helpful practice. I suspect, however, that its usefulness may be in merely introducing an idea and then guiding me to further resources to understand that idea better.

[Morgan Blackledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic.

A must have for any research writer.

And (incidentally) a completely uninspiring, soul murdering reading experience for me at this juncture of my life.

No points deducted.

It’s just my seasonal affective disorder doing the talking.

#IdRatherBeSleeping

[Amalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reference - qualitative research methods

[Hans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grrrr.... Books like this are about as exciting as reading through an obscure instruction manual for a put-it-together-yourself-kiddie-play-place. I get what the author is trying to accomplish. It is just agonizing to read cover to cover like a novel. Books like this should be probably referenced continually instead of read straight through. Context and application are the only way something like this will be helpful.

That being said let me also suggest never to buy "ebooks" from XPLANA, they suck, big time. Buy a hard copy. They won't let you put the ebook on any ereader devices like a kindle and you have to use their special software which means you are limited to reading the entire text books on a computer. Which if anyone who has tried knows, hours of reading on an LCD monitor will make you want carve out your eyes with a dull pencil. Do yourself a favor and buy the hard copy. You will be glad you did. I regret buying the ebook because now I will likely never use it as a reference just because XPLANA has done a thorough job of making it not user-friendly. Curse you XPLANA!!!!

[Barry Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource on the research process, stepping through the entire sequence step by step, including selection an approach, literature review, application of theory, strategies for writing, and ethical considerations. The entire research process is covered, with numbers examples and tables to provide guidelines and insights. Under the actual chapters on research design, the authors cover the specific contents of the research report - introduction, purpose statement, research questions and hypotheses, as well as specific guidance on the design of all three approaches - qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches.

An exceptional resource in the design and implementation of a research project.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It s a textbook, but it's readable and affordable which is more than I can say for a lot of texts.

[Nikhil Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

John W. Creswell is a Professor of Educational Psychology and teaches courses and writes about qualitative methodology and mixed methods research. He has been at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln for 30 years and has authored 11 books many of which focus on research design, qualitative research, and mixed methods research and are translated into many languages and used around the world.

This is a brilliant instructional book written for students and experienced field researchers. If anyone has little or no understanding of choosing a research approach to probe into his/her topic, Creswell comes to rescue.

Overview of the chapters;

This book is divided into two parts. Part I consist of steps that researchers need to reflect on before they expand their proposals or plans for research. Part II discusses the various sections of a proposal.

A selection of a research Design: In this chapter, author begins by defining quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods as research designs. These designs are plans for a study, and they include three significant elements: philosophical assumptions, strategies of inquiry, and specific research methods.

Review of the Literature: It is vital to comprehensively review the literature on topic before one designs proposal. Thus one needs to start with a researchable topic and then investigate the literature using the steps developed in this chapter.

Writing Strategies and Ethical Considerations: Finally, in the first part, the author turns to ethical issues and discuss these not as abstract ideas, but as considerations that need to be anticipated in all segments of the research progression.

In Part II, I turn to the components of designing the research proposal. Chapters 5 through 10 address steps in this process.

The Introduction: This introduction comprises the notion identifying the research problem or issue, enclosing this problem within the existing literature, pointing out insufficiencies in the literature and aiming the study for a specific audience. This chapter offers an efficient method for designing a scholarly introduction to a proposal or study.

The Purpose Statement: In this chapter, researcher learns how to write this statement for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies. Readers can find scripts that help in designing and writing these statements.

Research Questions and Hypotheses: In this chapter, the reader learns how to write both qualitative and quantitative research questions and hypotheses. And also discovers how to utilize both forms in writing mixed methods questions and hypotheses.

Quantitative Methods: Quantitative methods involve the procedure of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and writing the outcome of a study. In this chapter, the reader learns the specific procedures for designing survey or experimental methods that need to go into a research proposal. Checklists provided in the chapter help to ensure that all vital steps are incorporated.

Qualitative Procedures: Purposeful sampling, collection of open-ended data, analysis of text or pictures, representation of information in figures and tables, and personal interpretation of the findings all inform qualitative procedures. This chapter advances steps in designing qualitative procedures into a research proposal. Moreover it also contains a checklist for making sure that you cover all essential procedures.

Mixed Methods: Six types of mixed methods designs are stressed along with a discussion about criteria for selecting one of them based on timing, weight, mixing, and the use of theory. Figures are offered that suggest visuals that the proposal developer can design and include in a proposal.

Researchers find a sort detail to learn mixed methods research as practiced today and the types of designs that might be used in a research proposal.

This book is an excellent introduction to research design for qualitative, quantitative and mixed- methods designs. It explains all the aspects of a research design and takes reader through each one, including the literature review, research question and hypotheses. Also, the first chapter goes through the multiple theoretical viewpoints from which research proceeds, therefore the readers come to know different paradigms. It also has lots of models, examples and exercises to work through.

This book can be effectively useful in many ways. The author goes to enormous lengths to offer illustrations from real studies to exemplify the concepts which are very useful; he also does a decent job promoting mixed methods research within the context of its recent history.

Interspersed throughout the pages are tables, suggested writing activities, examples, and informative step-by- step sidebars pertinent to specific topics. Each chapter is recapitulated and additional suggested readings to investigate are listed.

In short, it is strongly recommend for any student who is engaged in research work or anyone interested in putting together a good proposal, or an instructor who wants a well-written foundational text. In addition, this book is an excellent resource to field researchers who have experience in one research approach but not in the other two. Therefore, it is highly recommend for both inexperienced and experienced researchers.

[Veronica (Honey Roselea Reads)]

Why the dates read are so long is because I'm reading this for school on my thesis research study. My research is a qualitative research and my final project is kind of finicky but I'm not done with it until April 2021

[Ross Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry.

[Dominika Hvorková]

she's finishing her undergraduate studies in a few months, part 2

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent handbook. I'll use this a lot.

[Shikha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good reference for researchers!

[Rachel Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-have text for the social science researcher. Creswell lays out solid guidance for dissertations and research proposals. He outlines the important components of quantitative and qualitative research and provides excellent examples. I found the glossary very helpful too. I'm sure I will return to this text repeatedly throughout my journey as a researcher and scholarly writer.

[Ridhorahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dalam proses penelusuran literatur, Creswell meminta peneliti untuk memperhatikan kredibilitas suatu sumber sebagai syarat untuk dijadikan sumber penelitian. Dalam pengerjaan tinjauan pustaka, Creswell cenderung tak terlalu merekomendasikan disertasi sebagai materi tinjauan pustaka karena kualitasnya yang berbeda-beda (hlm 47). Menurut saya argumentasi yang disampaikan Creswell tidak begitu tepat karena secara objektif semua jenis literatur tentu mempunyai kualitas yang beragam. Artikel akademis baik berupa disertasi, jurnal, makalah, atau website tentu memiliki standar kualitas yang tak sama.
Jika dikomparasikan dengan jurnal ilmiah, tentu sebuah karya disertasi mengalami proses pengerjaan yang panjang lewat serangkaian pengujian oleh pakar di bidangnya. Bahkan, pengerjaan disertasi dibarengi oleh proses pembelajaran di kelas sebagaimana mahasiswa pada umumnya. Artinya, seorang peneliti pasti memperoleh internalisasi pengetahuan yang lebih luas dibandingkan skup penelitian disertasinya semata. Oleh karena itu, asumsi yang muncul justru kualitas sebuah disertasi lebih terjamin dibandingkan karya-karya akademis lainnya. Namun, pendapat Creswell terkait perbedaan kualitas tentu benar karena institusi tempat lahirnya karya disertasi punya standar mutu yang berbeda-beda.
Menurut saya, Creswell perlu menambahkan argumentasi terhadap disertasi. Menurut pendapat saya, pada dasarnya disertasi adalah karya akademis yang komprehensif yang mencoba melingkupi secara utuh suatu pertanyaan penelitian. Oleh karenanya, dalam tataran teknis pembuatan tinjauan pustaka penulis tak begitu mudah untuk menangkap gagasan inti dari tulisan tersebut. Oleh karenanya, aspek kerumitan tulisan menjadi alasan lain mengapa disertasi berada di poin ke lima dari rekomendasi Creswell. Hal ini jelas berbeda dengan Jurnal nasional atau internasional yang lebih ringkas dibanding disertasi. Karena alasan teknis soal batasan jumlah halaman, otomatis suatu artikel jurnal menyampaikan gagasan utamanya secara ringkas dan padat. Atas alasan jumlah halaman pula suatu disertasi menjadi begitu panjang. Namun tentunya, syarat batas halaman bagi sebuah disertasi bukan ditujukan untuk mempanjanglembarkan penjelasan semata, tetapi merupakan ruang ekspresi luas agar penulis disertasi mampu menjelaskan secara komprehensif suatu kasus yang diangkatnya.
Pendapat Creswell yang memposisikan jurnal di tingkatan paling atas tentu berasal dari pandangan umum tentang proses seleksi tulisan yang begitu ketat, apalagi untuk jurnal internasional kenamaan. Creswell hanya merekomendasikan jurnal ternama dengan kredibilitas baik untuk dijadikan tinjauan pustaka. Pasalnya banyak terdapat jurnal “abal-abal” yang tak memenuhi standar kualitas jurnal internasional. Bahkan jurnal yang terbaik adalah yang melakukan pengindeksan karya pada lembaga seperti SCOPUS, Web of Science atau lembaga pengindex lainnya (pengalaman dosen Universitas Mataram). Secara umum, mahasiswa doktoral di Indonesia didorong untuk menghasilkan tulisan jurnal internasional, terlebih bagi staf pengajar kampus. Dari berbagai pengalaman yang ada, proses pengajuan hingga tulisan terbit bisa memakan waktu satu tahun dengan proses seleksi-revisi yang panjang. Bahkan, beberapa kampus dalam negeri memberikan tutorial dan pendampingan khusus bagi para sivitasnya yang hendak “menembus” jurnal internasional. Oleh karenanya, tak heran tulisan jurnal menjadi rekomendasi teratas Creswell.
Peringkat prioritas menurut Creswell adalah buku yang berkaitan dengan topik. Mengenai pandangan ini saya mengkhawatirkan tentang kualitas buku-buku terbitan dalam negeri yang beredar di pasaran. Terlebih sekarang begitu banyak penerbit independen yang memproduksi buku mandiri. Kualitas suatu buku sangat bergantung kepada kualitas penerbitnya, oleh karena itu tak heran muncul beberapa penerbit yang dianggap kredibel atas rekam jejaknya dalam menghasilkan buku-buku yang berkualitas. Namun, saya tak menyatakan bahwa kualitas buku penerbit kecil/independen lebih rendah dibanding penerbit besar atau terkenal. Pada poin ini saya menilai, argumentasi Creswell perlu dilengkapi lebih rinci tentang standar kualitas suatu buku, sehingga dalam urutan prioritas literatur ia layak duduk di peringkat kedua.
Masih berkaitan dengan penjelasan Creswell tentang buku, saya merasa belum tercerahkan tentang tipe buku berdasarkan jumlah penulisnya. Dalam penjelasannya, Creswell mengatakan “pertimbangkan beberapa buku yang berhubungan dengan satu topik yang ditulis oleh seorang pengarang atau sekelompok pengarang, atau buku-buku yang berisi bab-bab yang ditulis oleh pengarang yang berbeda-beda” (hlm 47). Menurut saya, buku yang berisi kumpulan tulisan orang-orang (semacam bunga rampai) sulit saya identifikasi keterkaitan antara teori yang dijelaskan pada halaman pendahuluan yang dikerjakan editor dengan kumpulan tulisan yang ada. Kadang saya merasa tulisan tersebut tidak relevan dengan tema besar yang usung buku tersebut. Sebenarnya harapann saya, penjelasan Creswell bisa lebih diperdalam, apalagi ia sudah menjelaskan perbedaan jenis-jenis buku berdasarkan jumlah penulis. Khususnya pula, terkait pertanyaan saya ketika harus menuangkan suatu buku yang terdiri dari banyak penulis untuk dijadikan tinjauan pustaka.
Sementara dalam buku Creswell “Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research” (2008) menggambarkan lebih rinci tentang material tinjauan pustaka yang disebutkan Creswell di atas. Ia menjelaskan tentang handbook, book, statistical indexes, databases, dll. Jika pada buku Research Design, Creswell menjelaskan tentang skala prioritas dalam memilih literatur. Pada buku Educational Research, ia membuat dua kemungkinan yakni: high standard to ensure the quality dan ideas appear first (hlm. 94). Artinya, ia ingin mengatakan tak ada yang keliru hendak dimulai dari penelusuran sumber tersebut.
Di akhir saya ingin mengatakan relevansi urutan yang disampaikan Creswell dalam konteks iklim akademis di Indonesia. Asumsi sederhana saya, dengan kualitas pendidikan yang berbeda antara Amerika dengan Indonesia, tentu perlu adaptasi yang tepat atas urutan prioritas literatur yang Creswell ajukan. Atau dalam perspektif yang lain, perlu pengadaptasian atau penjelasan tambahan dari pakar metodologi penelitian yang faham konteks Indonesia.
Sebagai pembaca pemula dalam bidang metodologi ilmu sosial, saya merasa terbantu dengan penjelasan Creswell tentang langkah memulai penelitian. Bab sebelumnya tentang metode penelitian dan bab ini tentang literature review menjadi materi yang komprehensif tentang pentingnya fondasi literatur dalam mendisain proposal. Ia meminta peneliti untuk mengaitkan pemahaman tentang metode penelitian yang dikaitkan dengan penyusunan literature review agar peneliti menggunakannya secara konsisten.
Sebagaimana pandangan Creswell bahwa proses tinjauan pustaka ini hendak menjawab dua pertanyaan inti sebuah rencana riset, yakni apakah penelitian dapat dan layak diteliti. Pengerjaan ini akan memunculkan perdebatan dalam literatur-literatur sehingga peneliti mendapati celah yang ada dari sejumlah literatur tersebut. Proses ini dilakukan dengan menuangkannya ke dalam tulisan atau model literature map.
Analisis dan respons yang saya buat didominasi pada subbab prioritas dalam memilih literatur. Saya menilai penjelasan tentang 6 jenis literatur yang disampaikan Creswell perlu pengadaptasian atau penjelasan tambahan dari pakar metodologi penelitian yang faham konteks Indonesia.

[Lauren Salisbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an incredibly useful and thorough guide for graduate students or early career scholars designing their first research projects or developing projects using methods that are new to them. The fifth edition includes readable descriptions and definitions for approaches to research, methods for data collection and data analysis, and guidance for writing the design and results of a project. I especially appreciated the visual elements of this edition that show the correlation between different aspects of a project and how different approaches relate to one another.

This guide is a strong starting point for anyone starting qualitative research for the first (or second, third, fourth...) time.

[R. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst. Book. Ever.

Seriously. If this wasn't a required textbook I'd never waste my time on it. So, if you have any control over whether or not you read this book STAY AWAY. I think the writer is one of those people that just likes to hear himself talk. Unfortunately, he's managed to convince people like publishers, editors, and academics that if he uses a bunch of big words in order to state simplistic ideas that it somehow makes the stuff coming out of his mouth actually mean something.

I hate books that are written in the most dry way possible. There is nothing that says because you have a serious topic you have to present it as being as exciting as a hysterectomy.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was required for my doctoral-level course "Research on the College Student".

This is a great introduction to research design. The beginning can be a little slow if you are already familiar with general ideas behind research design, but the depth the book goes into in later chapters is really helpful.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent guide to the types of research designs and methods and all they entail. The explanations are clear and concise, the examples are helpful, and the language throughout is straightforward and highly readable. Great text!

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was at times way above my head as a student, sometimes a bit repetitive. In the end, if you are trying to learn about research design, at the beginning stages, then this is a good resource. It shouldn't be your only resource, but one of several.

[Eric Herr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a re-read for my Capstone. Found it enjoyable and valuable the first time around and imagine it will serve me well as a reference book the second time around.

[Babak · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent reference book for writing good designs for your research, be it a master or a phd. I wish it also included design science.

[Michael Gerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another of the primary textbooks I use in my research methods class and it is a decent supplement to Alan Bryman's book, Social Research Methods.

[Mary Skinner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely explained types of research needed for the dissertation I'm proposing. I'm not a Statistic Wiz, and therefore, it's an intimidating area. Creswell smoothed this avenue for me.

[Gina Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clear and well-written book. Was very helpful for me as a reference in my doctoral program.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Textbook. Required reading in a graduate-level Research Methods course. Informational. Includes helpful examples of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research methods.

[Scott Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The academic field of research methods describes how different approaches to research can yield insight and results. Historically, quantitative (i.e., numerical) approaches have dominated. Recently, qualitative (i.e., descriptive in words) approaches have increased. Also recently, mixed methods approaches have combined the two to tell interesting stories more expeditiously. In this work, Creswell and Creswell delineate all three methods and help the reader make the most of their research efforts.

The fact that this book is in a fifth edition speaks to its strength and staying power. Copious references to the literature adorn its text. In addition, concepts – like putting interventions into action through, say, social-justice or feminist perspectives – are covered concisely yet in detail. Newer, activist approaches provide ways for research to reach outside of the so-called “ivory tower.”

Examples of the concepts in action are provided through boxes that illustrate the concepts. The text gets to the point and does not ramble. As such, the reader can transit efficiently from ignorance to knowledge to action. From the examples, one can easily transform this information into a robust product of writing. Useful strategies like concept-mapping and coding are also exposited and help the reader grasp how to gain further insight into their field.

Obviously, those engaged in research efforts are targeted by this work. It is appropriate for graduate students, teachers, and researchers of many stripes – especially in medicine, education, psychology, and the social sciences. It provides a helpful way to structure their work. It is accessible and readable enough that anyone engaged in critical inquiry can gain from this work. One does not need to be a Harvard professor to appreciate the Creswells’ contribution… though Harvard professors, too, might appreciate their clarity and erudition!

[Titus Hjelm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the second edition that had been languishing on my shelves for years, so not all the comments may apply.

I understand why this is the standard textbook on the topic. It is very thorough with its examples, exercises and checklists. Yet... My first thought was that it tries to do too much. Research design and methods are different things and discussing the former especially suffers from trying to cram in the latter as well. The two are related, of course, but presenting research design as a matter of method choice will, I would say, miss the point about research design, and confuse the student reader. All the relevant points of design (question, data, etc.) are covered, but putting together a design is often messier and rarely led by choice of method.

At least this edition also has a very American feel. I appreciate that Cresswell mentions action research, even though there must be a lot of resistance to it. Weirder still is the lingering sense that qualitative methods are not quite as appropriate as quantitative ones. The author says that this is changing, but does not really address why it is a completely silly proposition in the first place. There are good bits here, but I would like to see a book on research design that takes apart the elements (question, data, method, etc.) and the process without trying to teach methods at the same time.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Acho que esse é o terceiro ou quarto livro sobre pesquisa acadêmica do grupo editorial da ArtMed, cada um deles com uma abordagem diferente. Todos eles são bastante completos, dentro daquilo que se propõem, com exemplos variados, propostas de exercícios, modelos e sugestões de bibliografia. Mas apesar de serem completos dentro das proposições que ele aborda, deixa de abordar muitas outras delas, muitos tipos de pesquisa acadêmica são deixados de fora, mesmo dentro do escopo dos métodos qualitativo, quantitativo e misto. Por exemplo, análise de conteúdo, análise de discurso e etnografia são pouco explicados,dentro de suas técnicas, deixando um vácuo para o leitor que precisará pesquisar, por exemplo, debruçado em obras literárias, artísticas, entre outras. Essas metodologias, que dependem não da pesquisa em campo - parte que este livro, em especial aborda mais -, mas da pesquisa dentro da peça, obra, corpus, escolhido, ficam de fora. Assim o pesquisador fica com uma instrução incompleta. O livro deveria explicar que é direcionado à pesquisa de campo, pois a maior parte dos exemplos possui essa abordagem.