ABSTRACT
Participant selection, or sampling, as it has been called historically, is perhaps the most understudied and least understood dimension of the qualitative research process. Many researchers treat sampling as simply a procedural strategy that yields a pool of participants for a particular study. However, this approach fails to consider the relationship between sampling and other elements of the research design. In particular, the quality of the data collected by the researcher is largely dependent upon the participants in a study, which requires locating “excellent participant[s]” (Morse, 2007, p. 229). Hence, the importance of sampling cannot be overemphasized. The purpose of this chapter is to make explicit the decisions involved in sampling in qualitative research and to explore the complexities of issues that emerge when considering these decision points. Particular attention will be given to sampling strategies, sampling criteria, coverage, and issues related to establishing diverse samples and researcher positionality. Intentional focus on these issues is important in any research project because poor sampling decisions directly impact data quality, credibility, and trustworthiness of findings (Marshall & Rossman, 2011).
