Determining the Sample Size in Qualitative Research

According to most researchers carrying out qualitative researches, adequacy of sample size is a key marker for the research’s quality. However, there is no consensus with respect to the exact size of a proper sample. For some authors, the count of investigated units is irrelevant when they assess the sample size’s adequacy, as they emphasize the abundance of data submitted by the units included in the sample. Other researchers deem the sample size all-important in order to reach reliable outputs and to ensure the reliability of qualitative researches. No clear methods and rules are given for qualitative investigation in order to guide researches in establishing the sample’s proper size. Size determination is a matter of consideration, as the researchers follow various guidelines in order to assess whether their own research sample is proper or not. This paper aims to identify the main external guidelines for a qualitative research project allowing researchers to determine the proper sample size in qualitative research..