Selection of participants based on the researchers’ judgement about what potential participants will be most informative.
Purposive
Group discussions exploring how and why people behave in certain ways.
Focus groups
The researcher's detailed written account of observations made in a natural setting
Field notes
Selection of participants who are easily available.
Convenience
A conversation with a goal
Provide potential participants with comprehensive information about the study's purpose, risks, and procedures
Obtain consent
Selection of participants based on a wide range of variation in backgrounds.
Maximum variation sampling
A review by the researcher of written materials
Text/document analysis
Short follow-up questions or cues that encourage participants to provide more information
Probe
Purposeful selection of the most unusual cases.
Extreme case sampling
The researcher is part of the study setting
Participant observer
Converting audio or video recordings into a written format for analysis
Transcription
A small number of select cases expected to yield the most information and have the greatest impact on the development of knowledge
Critical case sampling
Photographs, videos, drawings, and other images that offer deep insights into human experiences, behaviors, and social phenomena
Visual Data
The researcher documents their thoughts, interpretations, and feelings about the data, methodology, and their own biases
Reflective notes