【Report】Summary of the lecture by Dr. Polina Ivanova 12 June 2025

Bridging Narratives and Numbers: Using Mixed Methods in Social Sciences

12 June 2025

On June 12, Dr. Polina Ivanova, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bremen, gave a guest lecture on mixed methods research at Ritsumeikan University.

Dr. Ivanova began her lecture by providing an overview of mixed methods. Mixed methods approaches entail integrating both quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches to provide deeper and richer analysis of data. She explained that mixed methods is a great methodology as it can combine the generalizable patterns of quantitative data with the contextual details of qualitative analysis. She emphasized that using mixed methods is an excellent way to triangulate evidence by analyzing various types of data from different angles.

However, Dr. Ivanova also acknowledged the challenges of mixed methods. Researchers often face difficulties integrating quantitative and qualitative methods due to irreconcilable findings or epistemological issues.

To illustrate how to use mixed methods and potential problems one might face, Dr. Ivanova shared her ongoing research on the loneliness of international students in Japan and the United Kingdom. She explained that because the existing literature on the topic was limited, she used mixed methods in an exploratory way, beginning her analysis with a small number of qualitative interviews with international students in those countries to design a broader quantitative online survey. She also shared a challenge she encountered: parts of the results of the qualitative interviews and quantitative survey were contradictory.

To further students’ understanding of mixed methods, Dr. Ivanova instructed students to read the methodology sections of research articles that use mixed methods and discuss how the articles applied mixed methods approaches. Students actively engaged in discussion and shared their thoughts in class.

Dr. Ivanova concluded the lecture by emphasizing that mixed methods approaches are particularly well-suited to answering research questions that require both breadth and depth and encouraged students to consider using them.