Mixed Methods Dissertation Checklist
• The following provides guidance for reporting on mixed-methods studies.
• All items may not be relevant to your particular study; please consult with your chair for guidance.
• The checklist items may not necessarily be in the order that works best for your dissertation. Please consult with your
committee; however, the checklist should work well in the absence of other considerations.
• Instructions for Students:
o
o
Indicate on the checklist the page number (use the actual document page number, not the MS Word pagination)
where the appropriate indicator is located.
Respond to comments from the chair and/or URR in the comment history box. Do not delete previous
comments¾just add your response and use some means to clearly identify your remarks (different
font/bold/italics/color).
• Instructions for the chair and/or URR
o
Provide specific feedback in the comment history column. Do not delete previous comments – just add your
response and use some means to clearly identify your remarks (different font/bold/italics/color).
o
If you made detailed comments on the draft (using track changes and comments), you can make reference to the
draft rather than restate everything in the checklist comment history section.
Date: (click here and type today’s date ®)
Student’s Name:
Student ID (for office use only) --
School: (click here and pull down to select school name ®)
Committee Members’ Names:
Chairperson
Member
University Research Reviewer
Front Matter
Checklist Items
Comment History
Title: [Insert Dissertation Title]
Type of mixed-methods study.
Participant group.
Abstract
Describe the research
problem and why it is
important.
Identify the purpose of the
study.
State the theoretical
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 1 of 18
foundations and/or conceptual
frameworks as appropriate.
Summarize the key research
question(s).
Describe, concisely, the
overall research design,
methods, and data analysis
procedures.
Identify key results,
conclusions, and
recommendations that
capture the heart of the
research (for the final study
only).
Conclude with a statement on
the implications for positive
social change.
CHAPTER 1
Checklist Items
Pg/NA
Comment History
Introduction
Describe the topic of the
study, why the study needs to
be conducted, and the
potential positive social
change. implications of the
study
Preview major sections of the
chapter.
Background
Briefly summarize research
literature related to the scope
of the study topic.
Describe a gap in knowledge
in the discipline that the study
will address.
End the section on why the
study is needed.
Problem Statement
State the research problem.
Provide evidence of
consensus that the problem is
current, relevant, and
significant to the discipline.
Frame the problem in a way
that builds upon or counters
previous research findings
focusing primarily on research
conducted in the last 5 years.
Address a meaningful gap in
the current research literature.
Purpose of the Study
Provide a concise statement that serves as the connection between the problem being addressed and the focus of the study. The
purpose contains:
Indication that a mixed
methods paradigm is being
used.
The study intent (such as
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 2 of 18
describe, compare, correlate,
explore, and develop).
The independent, dependent,
and covariate variables and/or
concept/phenomenon (as
appropriate to the particular
study).
Research Question(s) and Hypotheses
State the research questions.
For quantitative components,
state the null and alternative
hypotheses that identify the
independent and dependent
variables being studied, the
association being tested, and
how the variables are being
measured.
Theoretical and/or Conceptual Framework for the Study
(Studies must include either a theoretical foundation or a conceptual framework section or both.)
Theoretical Foundation
Identify the theory or theories
and provide the origin or
source.
State concisely the major
theoretical propositions and/or
major hypotheses with a
reference to more detailed
explanation in chapter 2.
Explain how the theory relates
to the study approach and
research questions.
Conceptual Framework
This applies to qualitative and to some epidemiological studies (as well as some other quantitative studies) and to some mixedmethods studies.
Identify and define the
concept and/or phenomenon
that grounds the study.
Describe concisely the
conceptual framework (for
qualitative components, the
contextual “lens”; for
quantitative components, the
body of research that
supports the need for the
study) as derived from the
literature with more detailed
analysis in chapter 2.
State the logical connections
among key elements of the
framework with a reference to
a more thorough explanation
in chapter 2.
State how the framework
relates to the study approach
and key research questions,
as well as to the instrument
development and data
analysis, where appropriate.
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 3 of 18
Nature of the Study
Provide a concise rationale for
selection of the design and /
or tradition.
Briefly describe the key study
variables (independent,
dependent, and covariate in
quantitative components) or
concept/phenomenon
(qualitative components.
Briefly summarize the
methodology (from whom and
how data are collected and
how data will be analyzed).
Definitions
Provide concise definitions of
key concepts or constructs.
Define terms used in the
study that have multiple
meanings (e.g.,
socioeconomic status,
educator, health service
professional, among others )
(Do not include common
terms or terms that can easily
be looked up in a dictionary.)
Include citations that identify
support in the professional
literature for the definition or
operational definition.
Assumptions
Clarify aspects of the study
that are believed but cannot
be demonstrated to be true.
Only include assumptions
critical to the meaningfulness
of the study.
Describe the reasons why the
assumption(s) was (were)
necessary in the context of
the study.
Scope and Delimitations
Describe specific aspects of
the research problem that are
addressed in the study and
why the specific focus was
chosen (issue of internal
validity).
Define the boundaries of the
study by identifying
populations included and
excluded and theories and/or
conceptual frameworks most
related to the area of study
that were not investigated
(this is an issue of external
validity).
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 4 of 18
Address potential
generalizability (quantitative
components) or transferability
(qualitative components).
Limitations
Describe limitations of the
study related to design and/or
methodological weaknesses
(including issues related to
limitations of internal and
external validity, construct
validity, and confounder
variables).
Describe any biases that
could influence study
outcomes and how they are
addressed.
Describe reasonable
measures to address
limitations.
Significance
Identify potential contributions
of the study that advance
knowledge in the discipline.
This is an elaboration of what
the problem addresses.
Identify potential contributions
of the study that advance
practice and/or policy, as
applicable.
Describe potential
implications for positive social
change that are consistent
with and bounded by the
scope of the study.
Summary
Summarize the main points of
the chapter.
Provide transition to chapter
2.
CHAPTER 2
Checklist Items
Pg/NA Comment History
Introduction
Restate the problem and the
purpose.
Provide a concise synopsis of
the current literature that
establishes the relevance of
the problem.
Preview major sections of the
chapter.
Literature Search Strategy
List accessed library
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 5 of 18
databases and search
engines used.
List key search terms and
combinations of search terms
(with more detailed search
terms located in an appendix,
if appropriate).
Describe scope of literature
review in terms of years
searched as well as types of
literature and sources
searched, including seminal
literature as well as current
peer-reviewed literature.
In cases where there is little
current research, and few(if
any) dissertations and/or
conference proceedings,
describe how this was
handled.
Theoretical Foundation (as appropriate)
Name the theory or theories.
Provide origin or source of the
theory.
Describe major theoretical
propositions and/or major
hypotheses, including
delineation of any
assumptions appropriate to
the application of the theory.
Provide a literature- and
research-based analysis of
how the theory has been
applied previously in ways
similar to the current study.
Provide the rationale for the
choice of this theory.
Describe how and why the
selected theory relates to the
present study and how the
research questions relate to,
challenge, or build upon
existing theory.
Conceptual Framework (as appropriate)
Identify and define the
concept and/or phenomenon.
Synthesize primary writings
by key theorists, philosophers,
and/or seminal researchers
related to the concept or
phenomenon.
Provide key statements and
definitions inherent in the
framework.
Describe how the concept or
phenomenon has been
applied and articulated in
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 6 of 18
previous research and how
the current study benefits
from this framework.
Literature Review Related to Key Variables and Concepts
Provide an exhaustive review of the current literature that includes the following information:
Describe studies related to
the constructs of interest and
chosen methodology and
methods that are consistent
with the scope of the study.
Describe ways researchers in
the discipline have
approached the problem and
the strengths and weakness
inherent in their approaches.
For Quantitative Components
Review and synthesize
studies related to the key
independent, dependent, and
covariate variables to produce
a description and explanation
of what is known about the
variables, what is
controversial (i.e., mixed
findings by researchers), and
what remains to be studied.
Review and synthesize
studies related to the research
questions.
For Qualitative Components
Review and synthesize
studies related to the key
concepts and/or phenomena
under investigation to produce
a description of what is known
about them, what is
controversial, and what
remains to be studied.
Review and synthesize
studies related to the research
questions and why the
approach selected is
meaningful.
Summary and Conclusions
Concisely summarize the
major themes in the literature.
Summarize what is known as
well as what is not known in
the discipline related to the
topic of study.
Describe how the present
study fills at least one of the
gaps in the literature and will
extend knowledge in the
discipline.
Provide transitional material to
connect the gap in the
literature to the methods
described in chapter 3.
CHAPTER 3
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 7 of 18
Checklist Items
Pg/NA
Comment History
Introduction
Restate the study purpose as
described in chapter 1.
Preview major sections of
chapter 3.
Setting
Explain why the setting is
relevant to the study.
Describe the attributes of the
environment (for example,
physical setting, scope and
size of the organization, and
key members of the
organization that impact the
study.
Research Design and Rationale
Restate research questions
as described in chapter 1.
State and define central
concept and/or phenomenon
of the study.
Identify and justify the mixedmethods design and how the
two data collection and
analysis strategies work
together as the best approach
to answering your research
questions (for example,
quantitative à qualitative or
qualitative à quantitative).
Describe why both methods
are important to addressing
the research question.
Provide rationale for the
chosen data collection
analysis and interpretation of
timing decisions (for example,
concurrent and sequential),
including how the integration
between quantitative and
qualitative data occurs.
Role of the Researcher
Define and explain your role
as observer, participant, or
observer-participant.
Reveal any personal and/or
professional relationships the
researcher may have with
participants, with emphasis on
supervisory or instructor
relationships involving power
over the participants.
State how any researcher
biases and/or power
relationships are managed.
Describe other ethical issues,
as applicable (these could
include doing a study within
one’s own work environment,
conflict of interest or power
differentials, and justification
for use of incentives) and the
plan for addressing these
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 8 of 18
issues.
Methodology
(needs to be described in sufficient depth so that other researchers can replicate the study)
Participant Selection Logic
Identify the population, if
appropriate.
Identify and justify the
sampling strategy.
State the criterion (a) on
which participant selection is
based.
Establish how participants are
known to meet the
criterion(a).
State number of participants
and/or cases and the rationale
for that number (for
quantitative components, if
applicable, justify the sample
size using power analysis that
includes justification for the
effect size, alpha level, and
power level chosen).
Explain specific procedures
for how participants will be
identified, contacted, and
recruited.
Describe the relationship
between saturation and
sample size (qualitative
components).
Instrumentation
Qualitative Components
Identify each data collection
instrument (observation sheet,
interview protocol, focus
group protocol, videotape,
audiotape, artifacts, archival
data, and other kinds of data
collection instruments).
Identify source for each data
collection instrument
(published or researcher
produced). Permission to use
is included in the appendix.
For published data collection
instruments, identify:
• Who developed the
instrument
• Where and with which
participant group it has
been previously used.
• Appropriateness to the
current study.
• How content validity will
be/was established.
• Any context- and culturespecific issues unique to
the population while
developing the instrument.
For researcher-developed
instruments, identify:
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 9 of 18
• Basis for instrument
development.
• Literature sources.
• Other bases for legitimacy
(or validity) of the
instrument (such as pilot
study).
• How content validity will
be/was established
Quantitative Components
For published instruments
provide:
• Name of developer(s) and
year of publication.
• Appropriateness to the
current study.
• Mention of permission
from developer to use
(permission letter is
included in the appendix).
• Published reliability and
validity values relevant to
their use in the study.
• Where and with which
populations the instrument
has been used previously
and how validity/reliability
are/were established in the
study sample.
For researcher-developed
instruments provide:
• Literature sources.
• Other bases (such as pilot
study).
• Evidence you will provide
for reliability (for example,
internal consistency and
test/retest).
• Evidence you will provide
for validity (for example,
predictive and construct
validity).
For all instruments, establish
sufficiency of instrumentation
to answer research questions.
Intervention studies or those involving manipulation of an independent variable
Identify materials and/or
programs applied as
treatment or manipulation.
Provide information on the
developer of the materials
and/or programs.
• If published, state where,
how, and with what
populations they used
previously.
• If researcher developed,
state basis for their
development and how they
were developed.
Provide evidence that another
agency will sponsor
intervention studies (such as
clinical interventions).
Procedures for Pilot Studies (as appropriate)
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 10 of 18
Include all procedures for
recruitment, participation, and
data collection associated
with the pilot study and the
main study.
Describe the relationship of
the pilot study to the main
study (e.g., what is the
purpose of the pilot study?).
Include the IRB approval
number for the completed
dissertation.
Procedures for Recruitment,
Participation, and Data Collection (for
students collecting their own data)
Thoroughly describe recruiting
procedures.
Describe how participants will
be provided informed consent.
Describe how data are
collected.
Explain how participants exit
the study (for example,
debriefing procedures, etc.).
Describe any follow-up
procedures (such as
requirements to return for
follow-up interviews,
treatments, etc.).
For qualitative components
For each data collection
instrument, provide details of
data collection:
• Where the data will be
collected.
•
Frequency
of
data
collection events.
• Duration of data collection
events.
• How the data will be
recorded.
For pilot studies (as
appropriate and in addition
to what is described for all
studies)
Describe the relationship of
the pilot study to the main
study (e.g., what is the
purpose of the pilot study?).
For intervention studies (as
appropriate and in addition
to what is described for all
studies)
Describe clearly and
thoroughly the nature of the
treatment, intervention, or
experimental manipulation;
how it will be designed and
administered; and by whom
and to whom it will be
administered.
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 11 of 18
For studies using archival
data (as appropriate and in
addition to what is
described for all studies)
• Include all procedures for
recruitment, participation,
and data collection
associated with the main
study.
• Describe the procedure for
gaining access to the data
set.
• Describe necessary
permissions to gain
access to the data (with
permission letters located
in the appendix).
• If historical or legal
documents are used as
sources of data,
demonstrate the
reputability of the sources
and justify why they
represent the best source
of data.
Data Analysis Plan
For quantitative
components:
• Identify software used for
analyses.
• Provide detailed
explanation of data
cleaning and screening
procedures as appropriate
to the study.
• Restate the hypotheses
from chapter 1 (null and
alternative) and, for each,
describe in detail the
analysis plan including
• Statistical tests that will
be used to test the
hypothesis.
• Rationale for inclusion
of potential
covariates/confounding
variables.
• How results will be
interpreted (key
parameter estimates,
confidence
intervals/probability
values, odds ratios,
etc.).
• Explanation of data
cleaning and screening
procedures as
appropriate to the
study.
For qualitative components:
• Type of coding.
• Any software used for
management and analysis.
• Manner of treatment of
discrepant cases.
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 12 of 18
State the plan for how
quantitative and qualitative
data will be integrated in the
analysis.
Threats to Validity
Describe threats to external
validity (for example, testing
reactivity, interaction effects of
selection and experimental
variables, specificity of
variables, reactive effects of
experimental arrangements,
and multiple-treatment
interference, as appropriate to
the study) and how they will
be/were addressed.
Describe threats to internal
validity (for example, history,
maturation, testing,
instrumentation, statistical
regression, experimental
mortality, and selectionmaturation interaction, as
appropriate to the study) and
how they will be/were
addressed.
Describe any threats to
construct or statistical
conclusion validity.
Issues of Trustworthiness
Credibility (internal validity):
Describe appropriate
strategies to establish
credibility, such as
triangulation, prolonged
contact, member checks,
saturation, reflexivity, and
peer review.
Transferability (external
validity): Describe
appropriate strategies to
establish transferability, such
as thick description and
variation in participant
selection.
Dependability (the qualitative
counterpart to reliability):
Describe appropriate
strategies to establish
dependability, such as audit
trails and triangulation.
Confirmability (the qualitative
counterpart to objectivity):
Describe appropriate
strategies to establish
confirmability, such as
reflexivity.
Intra- and intercoder reliability,
where applicable.
Ethical procedures
Agreements to gain access to
participants or data (include
actual documents in the IRB
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 13 of 18
application).
Describe the treatment of
human participants including
the following (include actual
documents in the Institutional
Review Board [IRB]
application):
• Institutional permissions,
including IRB approvals
that are needed (proposal)
or were obtained
(completed dissertation);
include relevant IRB
approval numbers in the
final dissertation.
• Ethical concerns related to
recruitment materials and
processes and a plan to
address them.
• Ethical concerns related to
data collection and/or
intervention activities
(these could include
participants refusing
participation or early
withdrawal from the study
and response to any
predicable adverse events
and a plan to address
them).
Describe treatment of data
(including archival data),
including issues of:
• Whether data are
anonymous or confidential
and any concerns related
to each.
• Protections for confidential
data (data storage
procedures, data
dissemination, who will
have access to the data,
and when data will be
destroyed).
Other ethical issues as
applicable (these issues could
include doing a study within
one’s own work environment,
conflict of interest or power
differentials, and justification
for use of incentives).
Summary
Summary of the main points
of the chapter.
Transition to chapter 4.
Checklist Items
CHAPTER 4
Pg/NA
Introduction
Comment History
Review briefly the purpose
and research questions.
Preview the organization of
chapter 4.
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 14 of 18
Pilot Study (if applicable)
Describe the pilot study and
how it will be (was)
conducted.
Report any impact of the pilot
study on the main study (for
example, changes in
instrumentation, data analysis
strategies, etc.).
Setting
Describe any personal or
organizational conditions that
influenced participants or their
experience at the time of the
study that may affect
interpretation of the study
results (for example, changes
in personnel, budget cuts, and
other trauma).
Demographics
Present participant
demographics and
characteristics relevant to the
study.
Data Collection
State number of participants
from whom each type of data
was collected.
Describe location, frequency,
and duration of data collection
for each data collection
instrument.
Describe how the data were
recorded.
Present any variations in data
collection from the plan
presented in chapter 3.
Present any unusual
circumstances encountered in
data collection.
Data Analysis
Report process used to move
inductively from coded units to
larger representations
including categories and
themes.
Describe the specific codes,
categories, and themes that
emerged from the data using
quotations as needed to
emphasize their importance.
Describe qualities of
discrepant cases and how
they were factored into the
analysis.
Results (order of presentation depends on the specific design)
Qualitative Components
Address each research
question (chapter may be
organized by research
question or patterns/themes).
Present data to support each
finding (quotes from
transcripts, documents, etc.).
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 15 of 18
Discuss discrepant cases
and/or disconfirming data, as
applicable.
Include tables and figures to
illustrate results, as
appropriate, and per the
current edition of the
Publication Manual of the
American Psychological
Association.
Quantitative Components
Report descriptive statistics
that appropriately characterize
the sample.
Report statistical analysis
findings, organized by
research
questions/hypotheses,
including:
• Exact statistics and
associated probability
values.
• Confidence intervals
around the statistics, as
appropriate.
• Effect sizes, as
appropriate.
Report results of post-hoc
analyses of statistical tests, if
applicable.
Report any additional
statistical tests of hypotheses
that emerged from the
analysis of main hypotheses,
as appropriate for the study.
Include tables and figures to
illustrate results, as
appropriate, and per the
current edition of the
Publication Manual of the
American Psychological
Association
Evidence of Trustworthiness
Credibility: Describe
implementation
of/adjustments to credibility
strategies stated in chapter 3.
Transferability: Describe
implementation
of/adjustments to
transferability strategies
stated in chapter 3.
Dependability: Describe
implementation of/adjustment
to consistency strategies
stated in chapter 3.
Confirmability: Describe
implementation of/adjustment
to consistency strategies
stated in chapter 3.
Intra- and intercoder reliability,
if applicable: Describe
implementation of/adjustment
to consistency strategies
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 16 of 18
stated in chapter 3.
Summary
Summarize answers to
research questions.
Provide transition to chapter
5.
CHAPTER 5
Checklist Items
Pg/NA Comment History
Introduction
Concisely reiterate the
purpose and nature of the
study and why it was
conducted.
Concisely summarize key
findings.
Interpretation of the Findings
Describe in what ways
findings confirm, disconfirm,
or extend knowledge in the
discipline by comparing them
with what has been found in
the peer-reviewed literature
described in chapter 2.
Analyze and interpret the
findings in the context of the
theoretical and/or conceptual
framework, as appropriate.
• Ensure interpretations do
not exceed the data,
findings, and scope.
Limitations of the Study
Describe the limitations to
generalizability and/or
trustworthiness that arose
from execution of the study.
These should be used to
revise what was written in
chapter 1 for the proposal.
Recommendations
Describe recommendations
for further research that are
grounded in the strengths and
limitations of the current study
as well as the literature
reviewed in chapter 2.
• Ensure
recommendations do
not exceed the study
boundaries.
Implications
Positive Social Change
• Describe the potential
impact for positive social
change at the appropriate
level (individual, family,
organizational, and
societal/policy).
• Ensure implications for
social change do not
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 17 of 18
exceed the study
boundaries.
Describe methodological,
theoretical, and/or empirical
implications, as appropriate.
Describe recommendations
for practice, as appropriate.
Conclusion
Provide a strong “take home”
message that captures the
key essence of the study.
APA Form and Style Check
Checklist Items
Comment History
Citations and Referencing
All citations have been crosschecked to ensure that there
are corresponding references
(and that there are no
references that do not have
associated citations).
All sources are cited correctly
per APA formatting
requirements (for example,
studies listed in alphabetical
order by first author; no first
names of authors).
Grammar, Spelling, and Syntax
The paper has been
thoroughly checked for
grammar, spelling, and syntax
errors.
For the final dissertation, the
dissertation has been
checked for correct verb tense
representing a completed
study.
Headings
Headings are used, consistent
with the Walden Dissertation
Template, to make sections of
thought distinct.
Use of the Writing Center Template
The Writing Center
Dissertation Template (APA,
6th edition) was used to
construct the proposal and/or
dissertation so that all
formatting is correct.
https://www.studypool.com/questions/download?id=613596&pa…questions/269117/20170714052159mixed_methods_checklist.doc
7/15/17, 10G54 PM
Page 18 of 18
Purchase answer to see full
attachment