1. A critical concern for qualitative researchers in their sampling decisions is which of the
following?
A) Obtaining a sample that is representative of the population under study
B) Accessing information-rich sources of data
C) Recruiting a sample that can facilitate saturation quickly and efficiently
D) Obtaining a sample with high potential for generalizability
Ans: B
Feedback:
The aim in qualitative studies is to extract the greatest possible information from a small
number of people. Quantitative research, on the other hand, is concerned with
measuring attributes and identifying relationships in a population, and therefore a
representative sample is desirable so that the findings can be generalized. The aim of
most qualitative studies is to discover meaning and to uncover multiple realities, not to
generalize to a target population.
2. Which of the following statements about sampling in qualitative research is true?
A) Convenience sampling is considered the most appropriate method of selecting
sample members.
B) Larger samples are considered more rigorous than smaller samples.
C) Using randomness in the sampling process is desirable.
D) The type of sampling approach can change and evolve over the course of data
collection.
Ans: D
Feedback:
Type of sampling strategy can change over the course of a study Qualitative sampling
may begin with volunteer informants and may be supplemented with new participants
through snowballing. Many qualitative studies, however, evolve to a purposive (or
purposeful) sampling strategy in which researchers deliberately choose the cases or
types of cases that will best contribute to the study. Sampling by convenience is
efficient, but is not a preferred approach, even in qualitative studies. The aim in
qualitative studies is to extract the greatest possible information from a small number of
people, and a convenience sample may not provide the most information-rich sources.
Qualitative researchers avoid random samples because they are not the best method of
selecting people who will make good informants
3. Theoretical sampling is most likely to be used by which of the following?
A) Ethnographers
B) Grounded theory researchers
C) Phenomenologists
D) Qualitative descriptive researchers
Ans: B
Page 1
, Feedback:
Grounded theory researchers typically use theoretical sampling, in which sampling
decisions are guided in an ongoing fashion by the emerging theory. Ethnographers make
numerous sampling decisions, including not only whom to sample but what to sample;
decision making is often aided by their key informants who serve as guides and
interpreters of the culture. Phenomenologists typically work with a small sample of
people who meet the criterion of having lived the experience under study. Focus groups
have been used by researchers in many qualitative traditions and in qualitative
descriptive research.
4. Which of the following is a type of purposive sampling? Select all that apply.
A) Extreme case sampling
B) Maximum variation sampling
C) Snowball sampling
D) Typical case sampling
Ans: A, B, D
Feedback:
Qualitative researchers may start with convenience or snowball sampling, but usually
rely on purposive sampling to guide them in selecting data sources that maximize
information richness. One purposive strategy is maximum variation sampling, which
entails purposely selecting cases with a wide range of variation. Another important
strategy is sampling confirming and disconfirming cases—i.e., selecting cases that
enrich and challenge the researchers' conceptualizations. Other types of purposive
sampling include extreme case sampling (selecting the most unusual or extreme cases);
typical case sampling (selecting cases that illustrate what is typical); and criterion
sampling (studying cases that meet a predetermined criterion of importance).
5. Near the end of data collection, qualitative researchers may employ the technique of
sampling which of the following?
A) Criterion cases
B) Deviant cases
C) Typical cases
D) Disconfirming cases
Ans: D
Feedback:
Near the end of data collection, qualitative researchers may employ the technique of
disconfirming cases. Other types of purposive sampling include extreme (deviant) case
sampling (selecting the most unusual or extreme cases); typical case sampling (selecting
cases that illustrate what is typical); and criterion sampling (studying cases that meet a
predetermined criterion of importance).
6. Which of the following statements about sampling is true?
A) Convenience sampling is used by both qualitative and quantitative researchers.
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following?
A) Obtaining a sample that is representative of the population under study
B) Accessing information-rich sources of data
C) Recruiting a sample that can facilitate saturation quickly and efficiently
D) Obtaining a sample with high potential for generalizability
Ans: B
Feedback:
The aim in qualitative studies is to extract the greatest possible information from a small
number of people. Quantitative research, on the other hand, is concerned with
measuring attributes and identifying relationships in a population, and therefore a
representative sample is desirable so that the findings can be generalized. The aim of
most qualitative studies is to discover meaning and to uncover multiple realities, not to
generalize to a target population.
2. Which of the following statements about sampling in qualitative research is true?
A) Convenience sampling is considered the most appropriate method of selecting
sample members.
B) Larger samples are considered more rigorous than smaller samples.
C) Using randomness in the sampling process is desirable.
D) The type of sampling approach can change and evolve over the course of data
collection.
Ans: D
Feedback:
Type of sampling strategy can change over the course of a study Qualitative sampling
may begin with volunteer informants and may be supplemented with new participants
through snowballing. Many qualitative studies, however, evolve to a purposive (or
purposeful) sampling strategy in which researchers deliberately choose the cases or
types of cases that will best contribute to the study. Sampling by convenience is
efficient, but is not a preferred approach, even in qualitative studies. The aim in
qualitative studies is to extract the greatest possible information from a small number of
people, and a convenience sample may not provide the most information-rich sources.
Qualitative researchers avoid random samples because they are not the best method of
selecting people who will make good informants
3. Theoretical sampling is most likely to be used by which of the following?
A) Ethnographers
B) Grounded theory researchers
C) Phenomenologists
D) Qualitative descriptive researchers
Ans: B
Page 1
, Feedback:
Grounded theory researchers typically use theoretical sampling, in which sampling
decisions are guided in an ongoing fashion by the emerging theory. Ethnographers make
numerous sampling decisions, including not only whom to sample but what to sample;
decision making is often aided by their key informants who serve as guides and
interpreters of the culture. Phenomenologists typically work with a small sample of
people who meet the criterion of having lived the experience under study. Focus groups
have been used by researchers in many qualitative traditions and in qualitative
descriptive research.
4. Which of the following is a type of purposive sampling? Select all that apply.
A) Extreme case sampling
B) Maximum variation sampling
C) Snowball sampling
D) Typical case sampling
Ans: A, B, D
Feedback:
Qualitative researchers may start with convenience or snowball sampling, but usually
rely on purposive sampling to guide them in selecting data sources that maximize
information richness. One purposive strategy is maximum variation sampling, which
entails purposely selecting cases with a wide range of variation. Another important
strategy is sampling confirming and disconfirming cases—i.e., selecting cases that
enrich and challenge the researchers' conceptualizations. Other types of purposive
sampling include extreme case sampling (selecting the most unusual or extreme cases);
typical case sampling (selecting cases that illustrate what is typical); and criterion
sampling (studying cases that meet a predetermined criterion of importance).
5. Near the end of data collection, qualitative researchers may employ the technique of
sampling which of the following?
A) Criterion cases
B) Deviant cases
C) Typical cases
D) Disconfirming cases
Ans: D
Feedback:
Near the end of data collection, qualitative researchers may employ the technique of
disconfirming cases. Other types of purposive sampling include extreme (deviant) case
sampling (selecting the most unusual or extreme cases); typical case sampling (selecting
cases that illustrate what is typical); and criterion sampling (studying cases that meet a
predetermined criterion of importance).
6. Which of the following statements about sampling is true?
A) Convenience sampling is used by both qualitative and quantitative researchers.
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