Putting the Human Back in ‘‘Human Research Methodology’’: The Researcher in Mixed Methods Research

Abstract

When we were asked to write an editorial for Journal of Mixed Methods Research, the request came as an invitation to share some of our ‘‘insights’’ about mixed methodology and its trajectory, based on our experiences with the second edition of the Handbook of Mixed Methods in the Social and Behavioral Sciences (hereafter referred to as the Handbook; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2010). In this editorial, we share with our current readers some of the personal reflections, intellectual challenges, and professional struggles that we experienced during what we have called ‘‘the journey.’’ It is hoped that these reflections will summarize and expand on the comments we made in the Preface and Epilogue of the Handbook. We chose the title for this editorial for at least two reasons. One is that we would like to share our own reflections as human researchers, hoping to demonstrate that we have evolved from technocrats to methodologists. Second, we hope to convey our belief in the fact that human researchers are, more than anything else, human themselves. As such, they enjoy the capabilities of human problem solvers, while trying to identify and reduce the perils and pitfalls that are at times evident in our day-to-day problem solving. We will suggest that mixed methods capitalize on these capabilities, while also increasing the potential for credible and trustworthy conclusions.