Integrating Without Quantitizing: Two Examples of Deductive Analysis Strategies Within Qualitatively Driven Mixed Methods Research

Abstract

When mixed methods research (MMR) has a qualitatively driven analytic frame, integration techniques should align with the purposes and contributions of qualitative methods. This article describes two integration strategies that can be used within qualitatively driven MMR to deductively analyze qualitative data: (a) using quantitative variables as a coding framework, (b) using statistical findings to develop codes for qualitative analysis. The strategies capitalize on the strengths of qualitatively driven MMR while facilitating analytic integration. After describing the strategies, we provide examples within a study examining early childhood inclusive education. This discussion contributes to MMR by providing integration strategies that are necessarily grounded in an analytic frame and that allow rigorous qualitative analysis, facilitate systematic analytic integration, and promote richer understanding of phenomena.