The best of both worlds: pragmatism, personality, investigator greed, self-identity and the multi-skills set in mixed methods studies

Much research is reported to align with one of the two main traditional paradigms (positivism or interpretivism). However, when sufficiently explored, a cross-over exists between the two. As an example, much of the qualitative research which is reported to be reflective of the interpretivist paradigm is completed using positivist approaches (Crotty, 1998; Denzin and Lincoln, 2008). Additionally, quantitative researchers who engage in data collection often ignore the idea of reflexivity but undoubtedly influence participants in some way through their communication, body language and facial expression, despite initially assuming a positivist stance. On closer inspection, it transpires that elements from both of the traditional paradigms have often been used together within education-based research.