Pragmatic Mixed Methods Design — Pragmatism-Guided Mixed Research

Pragmatic mixed methods design is a research approach that selects and combines quantitative and qualitative methods based on what best answers the research question, rather than adhering to a single philosophical paradigm. Rooted in the philosophical tradition of pragmatism — associated with William James, John Dewey, and later Richard Rorty — it treats methodological fit and practical utility as the primary criteria for design decisions. The approach is endorsed by leading mixed methods scholars including Creswell and Plano Clark as the most common philosophical worldview underpinning mixed methods work.