We DO NOT publish mixed methods studies as two separate manuscripts. A single mixed methods study should include the qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods findings.
• Justification for Mixed Methods
• Aims
• Design
• Methods and Integration Procedures
• Inferences & Meta-Inferences
• Relevance to health science theory/research/practice:
• Keywords
Introduction: Use one short paragraph to briefly define your key variables, the research or knowledge gap, and the significance of your manuscript to address the gap. Provide a clear justification for using a mixed methods approach.
Literature review: DO NOT use the heading literature review. Instead develop your own headings for this section to support your problem statement, research methods, or theoretical and methodological approaches. For example, if your manuscript focuses on designing implementation strategies to address health care professionals’ burnout out, use the headings: Conceptualization of Burnout, Limitations of Existing Strategies, Need for Designing Implementation Strategies, and so forth.
Methodology: Under the methodology clearly note the design, study setting, sample size estimation, sampling, sample characteristics, inclusion and exclusion criteria, data collection, recruitment strategies, data collection instruments, data analysis, and ethical considerations. Use the headings as per your preference; however, ensure that all of these components are adequately addressed. Please follow EQUATOR Checklists provided in the general guidelines to organize specific studies as per the research design.
Integration Procedures: Add a separate section about integration procedures outlining the use of the building, connecting, merging, threading, collaging, or embedding techniques. Development of joint displays and clear articulation of the quantitizing or qualitizing methods.
Findings: Report your findings under relevant headings. Please do not repeat the information of tables in the findings and vice versa. Tables should be included within the manuscript in the designated section. Use the weaving (discussing results on a theme by theme basis) or contiguous (Separately report your qualitative and quantitative findings, and a fully developed section of mixed methods findings) approach to organize the findings.
Discussion: Compare your research findings with national and international literature and outline areas for practice, research, and implications for practice and policymaking. The limitations should be included in this section as a separate paragraph.
DO NOT repeat your research findings in this section. Clearly note the lessons learned from using mixed methods in your discussion.
Relevance to health science theory/research/practice: Choose one of the listed themes and present the contribution of your manuscript for the global health care community.
Conclusions: Conclusions should not repeat the key findings. Instead, focus on outlining the meaningful contribution of your manuscript and take-home messages for specialists and non-specialists.
