There are situations when you use a particular research approach to find answers to research questions,
but, to be doubly sure, you want to compare your findings with the findings determined by
another approach. We again take the example of the study designed to determine the needs of youth
in a community. To enhance the accuracy and reliability of your findings, you may use a number of
methods. For example, you can ascertain the perceived recreational needs of young people by carrying
out in-depth interviews of a sample, holding a focus group and holding a community forum.
Triangulation of the findings from all three sources will provide you with enriched information. The
study will be classified as multiple methods study as it is using three methods, all qualitative, to find
answers to your research questions. If, instead of in-depth interviewing, you had used a structured
questionnaire or interview schedule (both quantitative techniques), the study, according to the typology
suggested by the author, would have been classified as mixed methods study (as you are using quantitative
as well as qualitative methods). Such approaches help you to cross-check your findings to
ensure their reliability so that you can place greater confidence in your findings, albeit at the risk of
creating other problems if there are marked differences between the sources.