Russel-Research-Method-in-Anthropology

298 Chapter 10
Mixed Methods
Finally, this: With all the great techniques out there for collecting systematic
data, there is nothing to stop you from using several methods, even wildly
different methods like narratives, questionnaires, and randomized response, in
the same study. By now, you know that there is no need to choose between
qualitative and quantitative data. Whether you are doing exploratory or confirmatory
research, a sensible mix of methods—methods that match the needs
of the research—is what you’re after.
Furthermore, there is no formula for how to mix methods. You’ll use ethnography
to develop good questions for a questionnaire, but you’ll also use
ethnography to interpret and flesh out the results from questionnaires. Ethnography
can tell you what parameters you want to estimate, but you need survey
data to actually estimate parameters. Ethnography brings to light the features
of a culture, but you need systematically collected data (surveys that produce
either words or numbers) in order to test hypotheses about how those features
work. Researchers who are comfortable with both will routinely move back
and forth, without giving it a moment’s thought. Ethnography tells you that
patrilateral cross-cousin marriage is preferred, but it takes a survey to find out
how often the rule is ignored. And then it takes more ethnography to find out
how people rationalize ignoring the cultural preference.
Today, mixed methods is becoming the norm rather than something interesting
to talk about. Not a moment too soon, either. (On mixing qualitative and
quantitative methods, see Pearce 2002, Tashakkori and Teddlie 2003, and Mertens
2005.)