Visuals in joint displays to represent integration in mixed methods research: A methodological review

Abstract

Joint displays provide a visual means to represent the integration of qualitative and quantitative research in addition to a framework for thinking about integration and organizing data, methods, or results. Despite increases in the use of joint displays, opportunities exist for more creative joint displays that use additional visuals to more easily communicate complex information. These additional visual features include charts, graphs, maps, and images. However, little has been written about their usage within joint displays. The purpose of this methodological article is to advocate the use of joint displays that incorporate graphs, charts, maps images, and other visuals, as appropriate and to discuss the decisions in including these features. To assist in identifying joint displays that include visuals, we conducted a systematic literature search of Google Scholar, PubMed, ERIC, and Academic Search Premier using terms for mixed methods research. After screening articles to identify joint displays that include graphs, charts, maps, images, and other visuals, we analyzed articles (n = 33) for mixed methods features and joint display features. Regarding the quantitative strand in a joint display, charts, and graphs can communicate more information than statistical numbers, such as showing distributions of data, plotting relationships among variables, and using bars of varying lengths to facilitate comparison. Maps and GIS data can similarly relate additional information for the reader, particularly when geographical or spatial area is important to the research. Furthermore, images can be a useful type of qualitative data and is especially relevant in photo-elicitation research. These visuals can be depicted in joint displays to represent integration. Visuals used in joint displays included: column or bar charts, histograms, boxplots, scatter plots, quantitative path models, maps, pictures, and qualitative visual models. We also include four exemplars of joint displays that use visuals. Researchers can use these types of joint displays for integration in psychological intervention research, for theory development in psychology, and for instrument development in educational psychology. We conclude with recommendations for including visuals and suggestions to optimize integration from a mixed methods perspective.