Opening the Black Box: Tracing Intermediate Qualitative Inference for Mixed-Methods Integration

Mixed-methods research requires transparent integration between qualitative and quantitative strands. However, the qualitative inferential processes that support this integration often remain insufficiently documented. Intermediate qualitative inferences, that is, the interpretive steps linking empirical material to analytical claims, tend to appear only in condensed form in published studies, which limits the traceability of qualitative reasoning and the justification of mixed-methods conclusions. This article addresses this gap by introducing the Intermediate Qualitative Inference Journal (IQIJ), a practical tool designed to trace how empirical qualitative material is progressively transformed into interpretive and integrative claims. Drawing on methodological literature, the article identifies five moments relevant to the development and integration of qualitative inferences: data contextualisation, coding, categorisation, interpretation and integration. The IQIJ structures each entry around empirical anchoring, analytical construction and reflexive evaluation, thereby making qualitative reasoning more visible and traceable. Each inference receives a stable identifier, a confidence level and an analytical status, and successive versions are retained when new evidence leads to its revision. The IQIJ complements existing tools such as reflexive journals, codebooks, joint displays and integration matrices. Two worked examples from an ongoing mixed-methods study on organisational culture and mobility in higher education demonstrate how the IQIJ can support the development and revision of qualitative inferences prior to integration. We argue that the IQIJ can strengthen transparency, reflexivity and the credibility of mixed-methods integration across different research designs.