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Reconceptualising Mixed Methods Sequential Explanatory Design for Critical

Realism

Poster · December 2019

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.11688.39686

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Heather Thomas
Massey University
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 Reconceptualising
Mixed Methods Sequential Explanatory
Design for Critical Realism
Heather Thomas
Massey University

Introduction Explanatory Framework

My doctoral study explored the little-researched phenomenon of The CR aim of finding tendencies to causation requires an inferential
Contemplative Education within New Zealand universities. It used a Mixed method beyond the statistical and hermeneutic. Therefore I adopted the six-
Methods Sequential Explanatory (MMSE) design within a Critical Realist stage explanatory framework, which uses abductive and retroductive thinking.
(CR) meta-theoretical frame. The first, extensive phase was a survey, and the Abductive analysis redescribes data theoretically, and retroduction tries to
second, intensive phase consisted of qualitative interviews. Conceptualising reason to first principles – what must the world be like for this situation to exist
the study as Mixed Methods within this framework allowed me to see the in the way it does?
phenomenon as ontologically real, but my research tools as epistemologically Analysis was enriched by use of dialectical reasoning. The stages of the
relativist. This stance allowed the valuing of literature and participant framings CR metaReality dialectic are: being; becoming (including absence, constraints,
across the disciplines, for example both data from medical studies measuring and negation); new totality; praxis, reflexivity, and unity.
reduced cortisol as an indicator of stress reduction in meditators, and In each aspect of the analysis, interacting dimensions (CR “laminations”)
phenomenological reports on the meditation experience. of the situation were considered at levels from the intra-individual, through the
However, while guidelines for using Pragmatic approaches in Mixed micro, meso, macro, mega, and global.
Methods research are widely available, guidelines for using Critical Realist

Research Design
approaches are not easily found. I had to tease out the implications of my
adapted and integrated “Critical Realist Mixed Methods Sequential
Explanatory Design” (CRMMSED). For example, the “demi-regularities”
identified by the survey were conceptualised as provocation for further
exploration in the second phase. WITHIN CRITICAL REALIST META-THEORY

Critical Realist Features: MMSE Design CR Explanatory Framework

Recursive Cycles:
• Axiology - Meaningful Phases:
• Ontology - Real, complex, emergent, PHASE 1: Extensive
1.
2.
Description (D)
Analytic Resolution (A)
Data collection and
stratified analysis 3. Abduction (A)

• Epistemology - Relativist, partial, LINKING PHASES

4.
5.
Retroduction (R)
Comparison (C)
perspectival PHASE 2: Intensive Data
6. Contextualisation (C)

• Research Purpose - Emancipatory; Identify collection & Analysis

With Dialectic:
causal tendencies INTERPRETATION
Being; Becoming (Absence,
Negation); Totality; Praxis;

Strata of the Real:

Reflexivity; Meaning

Critical Realism conceptualises reality divided into three strata: the Figure 2: Critical Realist Mixed Methods Sequential Explanatory Design
empirical that we can see and measure quantitatively or qualitatively, the (CRMMSED) (adapted from Danermark et al., 2002 and Ivankova et al., 2006)
actual events that occur whether we see them or not; and the Real underlying
powers, mechanisms, structures and potentialities that we cannot see.
Researchers aim to infer underlying causal tendencies in the Real. Dimensions of the Real:
Dimension: Examples:
All quantitative and qualitative • Global/ Population growth; climate change; resource depletion; depletion of
research knowledge Planetary biodiversity; industrialisation; urbanisation
• Mega Colonisation, de-colonisation, neo-colonisation; globalisation
(communication, internet, travel, inter-connection of religion and
culture, global capitalism, global military industrial complex, resource
wars); science and technology; digitalisation; consumer culture;

Empirical secularisation; modernity; mass movements of people; social changes

including breakdown of communities and families
• Macro Government policies & resourcing of education & healthcare;
commodification of education, wellness, spirituality, attention;
academic disciplinary theories and approaches
Actual • Meso University teaching, administration, and research roles, citizenship,
activist roles
• Micro Teaching and learning (pedagogies and practices); workplace relations
• Individual Personal history including social roles, positions, training, experiences

Real •
biography
Intra-personal
(CE experience and training - professional, personal, religious)
Physical wellbeing; reported embodiment, cognition, psychology,
spirituality, reflectivity, reflexivity, mindfulness, contemplation

Figure 1: Three domains of the real (Mingers, 2004) Need means of References
Danermark, B., Ekstrom, M., Jakobsen, L., & Karlsson, J. C. (2002). Explaining society: Critical Realism in the social
inference to causal sciences. London, England: Routledge.
Ivankova, N. V., Creswell, J. W., & Stick, S. L. (2006). Using Mixed-Methods Sequential Explanatory design: From theory to
tendencies practice. Field methods, 18(1), 3-20. doi:10.1177/1525822x05282260
Mingers, J. (2004). Real-izing information systems: critical realism as an underpinning philosophy for information
systems. Information and Organization, 14(2), 87–103. https://doi-org.ezproxy.massey.ac.nz/10.1016/j.infoandorg.2003.06.001

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