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Article published In: Interpreting
Vol. 20:2 (2018) ► pp.155–187

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Mixed-methods research in interpreting studies

A methodological review (2004–2014)

 | Southwest University
Published online: 24 September 2018
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https://doi.org/10.1075/intp.00008.han
Abstract
Interpreting Studies (IS) has emerged as an interdisciplinary enterprise, using a diverse array of research methods derived from postpositivist and constructivist paradigms to investigate interpreting/translational phenomena. Mixed-methods research (MMR), which should enable both Erklärung (explanation) and Verstehen (understanding), has for some years been gaining momentum in IS (Hild, A. (2015). Mixed methods research. In F. Pöchhacker (Ed.), Routledge encyclopedia of interpreting studies. London/New York: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; (2011). Researching interpreting: Approaches to inquiry. In B. Nicodemus & L. Swabey (Eds.), Advances in interpreting research: Inquiry in action. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 5–25. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). This article draws upon a collection of 312 empirical studies, sampled from 36 peer-reviewed T&I journals (2004‒2014), to provide insight into the practice of MMR in IS. The focus is on rationales, MMR designs and associated characteristics. Major findings are: (a) although over one third (36.2%, n = 113) of the empirical studies used MMR designs, explicit justification for doing so was lacking; (b) the four prototypical MMR designs identified, accounting for 60.2% of the 113 MMR studies, were parallel, sequential, conversion and Survey (Qual & Quan); (c) the prototype designs were innovatively combined by researchers, using addition, substitution, and embedment techniques, to form complex MMR variants suitable for the specificities of different research questions. These findings are discussed in relation to inference making and compared with MMR practice in cognate disciplines. Finally, the article provides a set of suggestions for writing and publishing MMR studies in IS.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Emergence of mixed-methods research
    • 2.2Theoretical and methodological issues in mixed-methods research
    • 2.3Mixed-methods research in Interpreting Studies
  • 3.Research questions
  • 4.Methods
    • 4.1Selection of T&I journals
    • 4.2Definition of time period
    • 4.3Selection of empirical studies
    • 4.4Data analysis
  • 5.Results
    • 5.1Prevalence rates of research designs
    • 5.2Analysis of truly mixed studies
      • 5.2.1Philosophical worldview(s) and rationale(s) behind MMR
      • 5.2.2MMR designs
        • 5.2.2.1Prototype designs
          • Parallel mixed designs
          • Sequential mixed designs
          • Conversion mixed designs
        • 5.2.2.2Complex design variants
          • Quan + Qual + Qual
          • (Qual » Quan) + Qual
          • (Qual » Quan) + (Qual ↔ Quan)
          • Qual → Quan → Qual
          • Survey (Qual & Quan) → Survey (Qual & Quan)
          • [(Qual » Quan) + Qual + Qual] → Qual
      • 5.2.3Self-labeled MMR designs
  • 6.Discussion
    • 6.1Philosophical worldview(s) and rationale(s) of MMR
    • 6.2Prevalence rates of MMR studies
    • 6.3MMR labeling and procedural notations
    • 6.4Issues in MMR designs and inference making
    • 6.5Suggestions for writing and publishing MMR studies
  • 7.Limitations and conclusion
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • References
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