Table 1.
Nine practical strategies for integrating phases, results or data of QUAL and QUAN in MM
| Three types of integration Nine practical strategies |
Definitions |
|---|---|
| TYPE 1 (T1): Connection of phases | Connection of the QUAL and QUAN phases |
| 1a. Phase QUAL to Phase QUAN | Connect the results of a QUAL Phase 1 with the collection and analysis of a QUAN Phase 2 (1) |
| 1b. Phase QUAN to Phase QUAL | Connect the results of a QUAN Phase 1 with the collection and analysis of a QUAL Phase 2 (1) |
| 1c. Special case of 1a and 1b: ‘Follow a thread’ | Analyze the QUAL (or QUAN) data and identify the main themes (or variables) that require further study; choose a theme (or variable) and re-analyse through the QUAN (or QUAL) components (18) |
| TYPE 2 (T2): Comparison of results | Compare the results of QUAL and QUAN |
| 2a. QUAL and QUAN results obtained separately | Compare similarities and differences between QUAL and QUAN results obtained from separate data collection and analysis (1) |
| 2b. QUAL and QUAN results obtained in an interdependent manner | Compare similarities and differences between QUAL and QUAN results from interdependent data collection and analysis (1) |
| 2c. Special case of 2a and 2b: Divergence of QUAL and QUAN results | Compare by focussing on discrepancies (contradictions, discordances or dissonances) between QUAL and QUAN results (26) |
| TYPE 3 (T3): Assimilation of data | Merging of QUAL and QUAN data |
| 3a. QUAL data into QUAN data | Merging of QUAL and QUAN data by transforming QUAL data into QUAN data (1) |
| 3b. QUAN data into QUAL data | Merging of QUAL and QUAN data by transforming QUAN data into QUAL data (1) |
| 3c. Merging of QUAL and QUAN data | Merging of QUAL and QUAN data by merging them for each case in an additional database (1) |