What does "mixed-methods evaluation" involve?

Mixed-methods evaluation involves a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a program or intervention. This approach integrates numerical data, which can provide statistical significance and help in measuring outcomes, with qualitative data, which offers deeper insights into participants' experiences, perceptions, and contextual factors.

By employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, evaluators can enrich their findings, soften the limitations inherent in using only one type of data, and paint a more nuanced picture of the program's effectiveness. For example, while quantitative data can show trends and patterns through surveys or metrics, qualitative data can offer narratives and insights through interviews or open-ended survey responses, allowing for a holistic evaluation.

The other options do not encapsulate the essence of mixed-methods evaluation effectively. Using only numerical data ignores the depth qualitative insights can provide. Conducting evaluations solely based on participant feedback limits perspectives to subjective experiences without the measurable context provided by quantitative data. Implementing assessments without predefined questions lacks structure and reliability, which is crucial for both quantitative and qualitative analysis in a mixed-methods framework.