The sixth volume in SAGE's Mixed Methods Research Series provides an introduction and practical applications for using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) as part of a mixed methods approach to research and evaluation. QCA uses formal logic and set theory, a branch of mathematics, to identify non-correlational relationships using qualitative data, quantitative data, or both derived from the cases included in the analysis. The use of QCA within a mixed methods approach offers an additional analytic perspective and is useful for research questions characterized by causal complexity. QCA is most suited to addressing configural research questions such as "under what set of conditions will this public health intervention succeed (or fail)?", or "what mix of instructional strategies are used among high performing teachers?" The chapters of this text build upon one another to walk both novice and experienced researchers through the steps of QCA in logical order.

Click on the links below to download exercises and data sets:

› Compiled Practice Exercises for Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 9 

› Chapter 3 Practice Exercise Article: Kane

› Chapter 4 Practice Exercise Data Set Direct Calibration.xlsx

› Chapter 4 Practice Exercise Data Set Indirect Calibration.xlsx

› Chapter 4 Practice Exercise Article 1: Basurto

› Chapter 5 Practice Exercise Data Set Crispset Question2.csv

› Chapter 5 Practice Exercise Data Set Fuzzyset Question 3.csv

› Chapter 5 Practice Exercise Data Set Crispset Questions 4.csv

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge Heather Kane and Leila Kahwati for writing an excellent text and creating the materials on this site.