In Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research, 2nd Edition John W. Creswell, (author of the best-selling Research Design, 3rd Edition, SAGE 2009), and Vicki L. Plano Clark combine the latest thinking about mixed methods research designs with practical, step-by-step guidelines for the decisions that must be made in designing a mixed methods research study.

The text:- offers a practical, how-to guide for designing a mixed methods study- emphasizes the detailed procedures of conducting six different types of mixed methods research designs- presents examples from actual, published mixed methods studies drawn across the social, behavioural, health, and education disciplines- incorporates activities and exercises for classroom use or for use by the researcher in preparing designs- contains a full glossary of terms for quick reference or as a study tool- illustrates designs using visual diagrams and flowcharts- goes through the entire research process (formulating questions, designing, collecting, interpreting, etc.) using six major types of mixed methods designs

Mixed methods research is defined as a procedure for collecting, analyzing, and mixing both quantitative and qualitative data in a single study or series of studies and is becoming more common in studies across the social, behavioural, and health sciences as well as education.

"This textbook, designed for graduate students and researchers, presents a clear and comprehensive guidebook for designing and conducting mixed methods research. One of the greatest strengths of this book for students and researchers is the inclusion of four complete published research studies in the appendixes. This is an excellent textbook for anyone interested in understanding mixed methods research. Although the target audience is graduate students, I believe that the text would be accessible and interesting to advanced undergraduates." -Karl N. Kelley Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books

"The authors provided state-of-the-art information about mixed methods approaches to research. The book significantly expands Creswell's previous editions of mixed methods approaches to research by including four complete current studies that exemplify distinctive research using mixed methods...What becomes apparent throughout the book is the authors' interest in providing researchers with sufficient information about how to match their research problem to an appropriate design...I also highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to further their understanding of mixed methods research and acquire an in-depth analysis of the methodology." -Patricia Montiel-Overall, The University of Arizona