Mixing Up Methods: A Recipe for Success or Disaster?

Abstract

The increase in the number of occupational therapists training and doing research at undergraduate and post-graduate 
degree level has led to an exciting growth in research capacity within our profession. My experiences of doing research and in 
supervising students have raised questions about which methodologies students should be able to apply at the beginning of 
their research careers.  In this opinion piece I argue that concurrent mixed-methods research designs across more than one 
research paradigm are inappropriate for undergraduate and Masters-level research, because of issues with integration, 
transparency, and the time taken to develop the sufficient research expertise required for this methodology.

Keywords: Mixed-methods, study design