The logic of small samples in interview-based qualitative research

Abstract

In a qualitative framework, research based on interviews often seeks to penetrate social life beyond appearance and manifest meanings. This requires the researcher to be immersed in the research field, to establish continuing, fruitful relationships with respondents and through theoretical contemplation to address the research problem in depth. Therefore a small number of cases (less than 20, say) will facilitate the researcher’s close association with the respondents, and enhance the validity of fine-grained, in-depth inquiry in naturalistic settings. Epistemologically prior to these considerations, however, is the explanatory status of such research. From a realist standpoint, here concept formation through induction and analysis aims to clarify the nature of some specific situations in the social world, to discover what features there are in them and to account, however partially, for those features being as they are. Since such a research project scrutinizes the dynamic qualities of a situation (rather than elucidating the proportionate relationships among its constituents), the issue of sample size - as well as representativeness - has little bearing on the project’s basic logic. This article presents this argument in detail, with an example drawn from a study of persons with a past history of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Identifying Work-Family Conflict among Nurses: A Qualitative Study

“…Only ten respondents were selected for this study due to time limitation and well as schedule constraints among the respondents. For practical reasons Crouch and McKenzie (2006) propose that less than 20 participants in a qualitative study helps a researcher build and maintain a close relationship, and thus, improve the "open" and "frank" exchange of information. In fact, this can help also mitigate some of the bias and validity threats inherent in qualitative research.…”

Primary health care practitioner perspectives on the management of insomnia: a pilot study

“…In our study, when interviews yielded no new thematic categories relating to the different dimensions of insomnia management, we deemed that the data was saturated and stopped recruiting more participants (Marshall 1996). Once data saturation is reached, interview continuation would only generate superfluous data in terms of constructing new meaning units (Crouch and McKenzie 2006). Since the participants all belonged to a primary health care discipline and were working professionals with practical knowledge of their practices, we expected to achieve saturation easily (Jette et al 2003).…”

Local university students and intercultural interactions: conceptualising culture, seeing diversity and experiencing interactions

“…The 25 participants were the full sample of students recruited for the larger research project who met the criteria for this study. The benefits of a small sample size for in-depth, qualitative analysis of complex, social phenomenon are highlighted in the literature on qualitative research methodologies (Crouch & McKenzie, 2006).…”