Which of the following is a mixed-methods design widely used in practice?

• A. Convergent parallel
• B. Explanatory sequential
• C. Exploratory sequential
• D. All of the above.

Answer: (D)

Mixed-methods research blends qualitative and quantitative approaches to answer questions more comprehensively. In practice, three designs are widely used: a convergent parallel design where qualitative and quantitative data are collected at the same time and then merged for interpretation; an explanatory sequential design where you start with quantitative data to identify patterns and then collect qualitative data to explain those results; and an exploratory sequential design where you begin with qualitative exploration to inform instrument development or hypotheses, followed by quantitative testing. Because all of these approaches are commonly employed in real-world studies, the best choice is all of the above.