Avoiding Fragmentation and Salami Slicing in Mixed Methods Research

Mixed methods research (MMR) offers rich opportunities for doctoral inquiry, but its complexity demands careful navigation of design, data integration, and dissemination. For doctoral candidates, one under-recognised risk is the ethical and methodological challenge of fragmentation and salami-slicing practices that undermine the coherence and transparency central to MMR. Fragmentation involves separating components of a study across publications, while salami slicing divides a dataset into minimally contributive outputs, often misaligning with the original study design. This discussion paper addresses the implications of these practices in the context of doctoral research and supervision. It highlights the need for supervisory guidance in ethically planning publications, particularly in aligning dissemination with MMR design logic. Drawing on doctoral inquiry and supervisory discourse, the paper proposes design-informed strategies to help candidates and supervisors protect the integrity of MMR. In doing so, it contributes to the methodological literature by offering actionable guidance for ethically navigating dissemination within the context of complex, mixed methods doctoral projects.