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Sample size in qualitative research
Author(s) -
Sandelowski Margarete
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
research in nursing and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1098-240X
pISSN - 0160-6891
DOI - 10.1002/nur.4770180211
Subject(s) - qualitative research , sample (material) , sample size determination , sampling (signal processing) , redundancy (engineering) , psychology , computer science , management science , statistics , sociology , mathematics , engineering , social science , chemistry , filter (signal processing) , chromatography , computer vision , operating system
A common misconception about sampling in qualitative research is that numbers are unimportant in ensuring the adequacy of a sampling strategy. Yet, simple sizes may be too small to support claims of having achieved either informational redundancy or theoretical saturation, or too large to permit the deep, case‐oriented analysis that is the raison‐d'etre of qualitative inquiry. Determining adequate sample size in qualitative research is ultimately a matter of judgment and experience in evaluating the quality of the information collected against the uses to which it will be put, the particular research method and purposeful sampling strategy employed, and the research product intended. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.