Mixed research approach in security research: nature and quality

Context and The philosophic approaches are basis for research methods. For understanding the proportionality rate of research methods including quantitative, qualitative and mixed, identifying the philosophic approaches and responding to three essential questions of nature of reality concept, quality of its identification and its achieving ways is undeniable necessity. Considering the limitations of both quantitative and qualitative methods as well as multidimensional and complex nature of social phenomena, the deep and sufficient identification of issues in theses sciences is not possible by only using one method (quantitative or qualitative). Within the last decade, considering the mixed research methods has been noticed by the academic associations more than ever. These designs are divided in three exploratory, expressive and interconnected mixed research methods. Although mixed research method in the world and Iran has not been considered so much, but in this overview, it is attempted to study the last academic productions in this context in books, articles and reputable electronic academic information websites. The mixed researches provide the requirements for the researchers to instead of seeking merely the measurement of measurable and observable aspects of phenomena, try to understand the reality of social phenomena comprehensively. Thus, mixed research designs are deemed as the most appropriate design for study on security research. Discussion and Using the mixed research approaches due to the combinational utilization of quantitative and qualitative methods’ advantages and removing the deficiencies of each other provide the possibility of multilateral and systemic perception of social phenomena such as public security more and in a higher level results in increasing the significance of findings and proper extension.