Thanks for the book recommendations - just what I need.

Hi Sneaks, sorry for the delay in response and sorry for the misunderstanding. You've still used a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, but I'm not sure how to classify your design. Looking at study 1 and study 3, I wonder whether the purpose of using mixed methods is for complementarity of triangulation. You used quantitative methods, the questionnaires, to test/strengthen your findings in study 1, which suggests triangulation. Taking on board your suggestions about someone reading your work, when you get to that stage, send me the methodology chapter (if you don't mind) just so I can read it in detail. It'll give me a much better idea of what you've done and how I would classify it. I've always thought that you were developing a questionnaire, so apologies for that mistake.
:-)

hey wal, I was developing a questionnaire and did actually do it and get data etc. but also collected info on existing measures too. When it came to it my data for my own questionnaire was a bit dodgy and the actual questionnaire wasn't great - after a bit of dodgy advice from my sup. So I decided that it would be a cleaner story to ditch it - it didn't really add anything.

I'm trying to finish off the draft of my methods chapter this weekend, so will send over - thank you!

ok, so this is my last final question. After about an hour looking I can't work it out...

Is pragmatism the same thing as post-modernism? or are they different??

Bearing in mind its taken me ages to look at this I'd doubt any potential examiners will know either but I'd rather be prepared for any odd questions and/or add a sentence in to clarify.

Hmm, this is a tough question and something I've never thought about. Pragmatism and post-modernism have a things in common and are related, but as far as I'm aware they are not the same thing. The differences between them tend to accord to different writers (Stuhr, 1997) So, pragmatism emphasises community and democracy and post-modernism rejects such ideals, arguing that such a focus may hide differences and oppositions. Post-modernism challenges some of the tenets of pragmatism. Sorry if that's really unclear, but I haven't done a lot of reading about post-modernism.

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just when I thought I had my philosophical orientation set...'post' and 'neo', two prefixes that always make me nervous. I had never thought of pragmatism as linked to postmodernism 'til you said it (thank you!!). I have lots of books on pragmatism and looking at the indexes alone, postmodernism is there but as far as I can in relation to neo-pragmatists (shiver) Richard Rorty and Hilary Putnam. So I would go with Walminski's answer, except to add that inquiry is also one of the core principles of pragmatic inquiry.

Edit: yet another ** pdf I had better add to my pile :-( 'Dewey and Rorty: Pragmatism and Postmodernism', at http://mypage.siu.edu/hartmajr/pdf/jh_collab03.pdf - Rorty okay but I'm not admitting to Dewey as a postmodernist.

I saw a book that seemed to suggest that pragmatism is post-postmodernism (!) think I may skate around that and pretend none of it exists :p

Now from what you've said Ady, I don't know whether I'm classical or neo-pragmatist. I think I'm neo (?) urgh.

Hi Sneaks, how are you getting on with the MM?

DG

I'm nearly there with my chapter. I have a question though... (again!)

What position does a pragmatist researcher take - are they neutral, pure observers (like positivist) or do they get in there and really work to construct and interpret a story (like constructivists) - this is an important issue for my PhD and I'm confused! again!

Thanks for starting this thread, Sneaks! It's been very useful for me as I'm also using a mixed methods approach. :-)

As regards pragmatism & mixed methods, have you seen this paper?

Feilzer, M.Y. (2010) 'Doing Mixed Methods Research Pragmatically: Implications for the Rediscovery of Pragmatism as a Research Paradigm.' Journal of Mixed Methods Research 4(1):6-16

lalalalala *puts fingers in ears*

I've written my section now so am going to refrain from checking your paper haha! I may have already read it though (hopefully!) - I've had to faff about with endnote and mendeley this week so will be putting in the references later this week. Maybe I can crowbar it in :p

oh and just to say thank you to everyone - I wrote the chapter and sent it off to sup and she said it was really good (and she'd never heard of anything I'd discussed so it was good learning for her) - Its also with Wal though so I'm waiting for his damning review - probably saying I've completely missed the point of it all *shakes in boots*

Oops, sorry! :-):p Well done for finishing the methodology section! If you've got a spare couple of hours you could do mine. ;-)

argh nooooooooooo!

I'm on my lit review now (sounds stupid to do it like that but I have) - luckily (well, perhaps) I've written about 45000 words of literature,but now have to slim it down to 10-12.

Not sure if it's already been mentioned, but Creswell's book on Mixed Methods is amazing and help me loads! Might be worth a look.