Planned and Emergent Designs: The Value of Planning for the Unexpected in Mixed-Methods Research

• In Event: Design Considerations in Mixed-Methods Research

Abstract

Planning for the unexpected is imperative in any research design. This paper proposes that including one or more emergent research phases already at the planning stage – to be used if needed – enables a robust mixed methods (MM) design. In this methodological MM proposal, two MM designs will be compared and discussed, and these designs are described in the context of language learning beyond the classroom. First, the planned design is presented, which included two (planned) phases and one additional (emergent) phase. Second, the emergent design is presented, including discussions of why the need for the additional (third) phase emerged. To discuss the value of planning for the unexpected, the points of integration are unpacked for each of the three phases.

Author

• Lisbeth M. Brevik, University of Oslo