Sampling in qualitative research Flashcards
How is qualitative research different to quantitative research?
1) In qualitative data, the participants will actively take part in the generation of the data
2) The aim of qualitative data is to discover meaning, in order to uncover multiple realities rather than the aim being to generalise to the rest of the TP.
3) In qualitative data, the sample will deliberately be biased as random sampling wouldn’t be able to generate the in-depth data needed.
How is it decided who to sample?
The sample is deliberately chosen (bias) depending upon whether the person has experienced the culture/phenomena or not.
AND they need to be knowledgeable and able to reflect on their experiences.
How is the determination of the sample size in qualitative research different to quantitative research?
The sample size is not determined before the study (unlike the power calculation generated before quantitative studies), instead the sample size will emerge as the study goes on.
What are the normal sample sizes for each of the methodologies in quantitative research?
1) Ethnography = 30-40 ppts
2) Phenomenology = less than 10 (as the data is studies intensively)
3) Grounded theory = 30-40 ppts
What are the 5 different ways to sample in a qualitative study (including the purposefully selected sample)?
1) Convenience sampling
2) Snowball sampling
Purposefully selected sample:
3) Maximum variation sampling
4) Homogeneous sampling
5) Theoretical sampling
What is convenience sampling (& the pros and cons)?
Sampling people that are convenient.
Pros - easy
Cons - Provides limited data, so you could start the study with this sample but then as the study progresses you would need to find more people.
What is snowball sampling (& cons)?
Obtaining a sample by getting people to ask other people who may be interested in participating in the study.
Cons - limited data (as the chances are that people will as others that are similar to themselves)
What is maximum variation sampling?
Getting a range of people that have different experience (in order to get maximum variation) and then going out to get people to confirm these experiences.
What is Homogeneous sampling?
Sampling the same group of people because you want to focus on this particular group of people in order to understand them well.
What is theoretical sampling?
(Used in Grounded Theory)
Researchers will specifically sample those that have had a particular experience and are able to reflect on this experience.
In this way, the researchers are selecting participants that will help them to generate a theory.
How do qualitative researchers decide upon their sample size?
As the sample size can nt be determined before the study and because the sample will emerge as the study does on. The sample size is determined through: Data saturation
What is data saturation?
Is the principle about deciding the sample size in qualitative data. So, when there has been a sufficient amount of data collected in order to explain the issue/subject (i.e. no new ideas are emerging), then the sampling will stop.
Is it possible for qualitative data to be generalised?
Although data about cultures and phenomenons can’t be generalised (as the data is in too much depth). it CAN be transferred to other SETTINGS.
