BEYOND THE DICHOTOMY: AN INTEGRATED ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE, QUANTITATIVE, AND MIXED-METHOD APPROACHES IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

This article aims to analyze the fundamental characteristics of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches in scientific research, discussing the reasons that contribute to the recurring conceptual confusion between these perspectives in academia. It is a bibliographic research, descriptive-analytical in nature and with a qualitative approach, examining reference works in the area of ​​scientific methodology. The results show that the three approaches have distinct, yet articulable, epistemological foundations, purposes, and procedures, and that conceptual confusion often stems from a lack of clarity regarding the distinction between technical procedures and methodological approaches. The study proposes analytical frameworks that systematize these articulations, highlighting that methodological choice should be guided by the research objectives and the problem investigated. It concludes that an integrated understanding of these approaches strengthens scientific rigor and supports more coherent methodological choices in the training of researchers.