Multimethodale

Multimethodale is an adjective used to describe approaches, designs, or analyses that combine multiple methods or modalities to study a phenomenon. The term emphasizes methodological pluralism and the integration of different data sources, instruments, and analytic techniques to produce more comprehensive findings than a single-method study might yield.

In usage, multimethodale is often linked to the idea of combining qualitative and quantitative elements, but it can also refer to the use of various data sources, such as surveys, interviews, observations, experiments, and content analyses, within a single research project. The goal is to capture multiple dimensions of a subject and to enable cross-validation of results through methodological triangulation. The concept is especially common in Italian and European academic discourse, though it aligns with broader discussions of mixed methods and multimethodology.

Applications of multimethodale span fields such as social sciences, education, media studies, and human-computer interaction. Researchers may design studies that collect different types of data at multiple stages, then integrate findings during interpretation and reporting. This approach can enhance robustness, validity, and depth, but it also raises challenges related to design complexity, resource demands, and the need for careful strategies to integrate diverse data types and analytic perspectives.

See also: mixed methods, triangulation, methodological pluralism, multimethodology, multimodal.