Design-based mixed methods meta-inference

Design-based mixed methods meta-inference is the overarching conclusion drawn by explicitly integrating the separate quantitative and qualitative inferences from a mixed methods study, with the integration logic anchored to the a priori research design. Rather than treating quantitative and qualitative results as parallel outputs, the approach requires the researcher to specify — at the design stage — how and why the two strands will be combined, and then to construct a unified meta-inference that is consistent with that design rationale.