Practise

1. Purposive sampling is based upon ______.

a. choosing a case because it illustrates some feature or process in which we are interested

b. finding groups, settings and individuals where the processes

c. being studied are most likely to occur

d. non-random sampling

e. all of these

Ans: E – all of these. Purposive sampling involves thinking critically about the parameters of the population we are studying and choosing our sample case carefully on this basis.

2. Changing the size of your sample during qualitative research ______.

a. is always unacceptable

b. is never unacceptable

c. is acceptable if you have discovered new phenomena

d. is required

e. None of these

Ans: C – is acceptable if you have discovered new phenomena. Any research proposal should recognize that the number and nature of cases studied must be provisional. You can’t know fully how many or which cases to study until the data analysis is quite advanced.

3. Theoretical sampling involves ______.

a. choosing cases in terms of your theory

b. choosing interesting cases

c. changing the size of your sample during the research

d. all of these

e. None of these

Ans: A – Choosing cases in terms of your theory. Theoretical sampling can direct you when you need to make further generalizations from the cases you have already selected.