Developing a Mixed Methods Research Approach through Iterative Research on Archival Exhibitions

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to present the development of a research approach for studying archival exhibitions from two connected perspectives: those of exhibition authors and those of adult visitors to archival exhibitions. The approach was developed to examine the relationship between authors’ intentions and visitors’ experiences.Method/approach: The research follows an iterative approach in which findings and methodological considerations from each stage inform decisions in the following stages. This process allows the research design to evolve as the study progresses and enables quantitative and qualitative methods to be combined in response to the research problem.Results: The resulting mixed methods approach applies both quantitative and qualitative methods to the perspectives of exhibition authors and visitors. The quantitative component allows the two groups to be compared across a larger sample, while the qualitative component examines authors and visitors of the same exhibitions in greater depth and within the specific context of each exhibition. The integration of the two components makes it possible to compare authors’ intended visitor experiences with visitors’ reported experiences and provides a more comprehensive basis for answering the research question than either approach alone.Conclusions/findings: The development of the research design shows the potential of an iterative mixed methods approach for empirical research in archival science. Although the approach can only be fully evaluated after all phases of the research have been completed, it may also be useful for studying archival topics beyond exhibitions.