methodsspinning

Methodsspinning is a neologism used to describe the deliberate practice of applying multiple methodological frameworks to a single research question in order to triangulate findings and enhance robustness. The term combines "methods" and "spinning" to convey moving through different analytic approaches rather than sticking to a single method. It has appeared in scholarly discussions since the mid-2010s, though it has no formal standard definition and remains informal.

Practitioners outline a protocol that defines core research questions, selects compatible methods (qualitative, quantitative, computational, or mixed), and prescribes how results will be integrated. Common patterns include sequential or concurrent deployment of methods and explicit criteria for convergence or divergence of findings. The goal is to reduce method-specific biases and to provide a more comprehensive evidence base for conclusions.

Advantages include increased robustness, transparency about methodological choices, and improved generalizability through triangulation. Potential drawbacks are increased complexity, higher resource demands, and the risk that conflicting results are difficult to reconcile. Success depends on coherent design, clear integration rules, and appropriate disciplinary norms.

Methodsspinning intersects with triangulation, methodological pluralism, and mixed-methods research. It is related to but distinct from preregistration and replication. In practice, it remains a topic of methodological debate rather than a widely adopted standard.