S AMPLING FOR Q UALITATIVE R ESEARCH Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şehnaz Şahinkarakaş

S AMPLING Sample : any part of a population of individuals on whom information is obtained: students, teachers, young learners, etc. Sampling : the process of selecting these individuals

S AMPLE S IZE What is an appropriate sample size for qualitative research? It depends: the size that adequately answers the research question For single questions or detailed studies: single figure For complex questions: larger samples

S AMPLE S TRATEGIES Three broad approaches: Convenience sampling Purposive sampling Theoretical sampling

C ONVENIENCE S AMPLE Selecting the most accessible subjects The least costy to the researcher May result in poor quality data and lacks intellectual credibility Why/When? Try to avoid; the least desirable method

P URPOSIVE S AMPLE (J UDGEMENT S AMPLE ) The most common Researcher selects the most productive sample to answer the research question If the subjects are known to the researcher, several strategies may be used to make the study more adventageous and to stratify the subjects (establishing sub-groups). Selecting the strategy depends on the focus of inquiry researcher’s judgement (which one gives clearest understanding of the phenomena)

D IFFERENT S TRATEGIES IN P URPOSIVE S AMPLING Maximum variation sample: broad range of subjects Why/When? To understand how a phenomenon is seen and understood among different people, in different settings and at different times Outliers (extreme cases): deviant sample to understand some unusual phenomenon Why/When? To develop a richer, more in-depth understanding of a phenomenon and to lend credibility to one's research account

D IFFERENT S TRATEGIES IN P URPOSIVE S AMPLING Critical case sample: (selecting a small number of important cases) subjects who have specific experiences Why/When? When funds are limited Key informant sample: subjects who have special expertise Why/When? To provide in depth information and knowledge of a phenomenon of interest Snowball sample: asking the subjects (e.g key informant) to recommend other useful subjects for the study. Why/When? When you feel you need more data to answer your research question

D IFFERENT S TRATEGIES IN P URPOSIVE S AMPLING Confirming/Disconfirming sample: generally done during interpretation of the data; asking subjects who support emerging explanation and who disagree Why/When? To get additional examples that lend further support, richness and depth to patterns emerging from data analysis (confirming cases) To get examples that do not fit emergent patterns and allow the research team to evaluate rival explanations (disconfirming cases). This can help the research team understand and define the limitations of research findings

T HEORETICAL S AMPLE The process of selecting a case for its potential representation of an important theoretical construct (i.e., incidents, slices of life, time periods, or people) Why/when? When the research focuses on theory and concept development and the research team's goal is to develop theory and concepts that are connected to real life events and circumstances.