Department of Computer Science, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State. Nigeria.
Review Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 10(03), 180–187
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2021.10.3.0277
Received on 07 May 2021; revised on 10 June 2021; accepted on 12 June 2021
The consensus of many researchers on data saturation is that data saturation is a key driver for determining the adequacy of sample size in a qualitative case study. Despite these global consensuses, some researchers described data saturation as complex because the decision to stop data collection is solely dictated by the judgment and experience of researchers. Other researchers claimed that guidelines for determining non-probability sample sizes, used as an indication of data saturation are virtually non-existent, problematic, or controversial. Others claimed that data saturation hitched to sample size is practically weak, because data are never truly saturated, as there are always new data to be discovered. This narrative study highlights the dilemma of data saturation and strategies to adequately determine sample size in a qualitative case study. A narrative review of prior research that focused on the vast works of literature that revealed significant information on data saturation and strategies to adequately determine sample size was adopted. Peer-reviewed articles within the last five years from electronic databases, using some keywords such as “qualitative case studyâ€, “sample size in a qualitative case studyâ€, “data saturationâ€, etc., were also extracted. Results show that data saturation is very helpful especially at the conceptual stage, but its concept and standard is elusive, because it lacks practical guidance for estimating sample size for a robust research prior to data collection. Findings from this study may encourage researcher on better guidelines for determining non-probability sample sizes.
Data saturation; Qualitative case study; Non-probability sample size; Qualitative data collection; New data
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Felix Chukwuma Aguboshim. Adequacy of sample size in a qualitative case study and the dilemma of data saturation: A narrative review. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 10(3), 180-187. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2021.10.3.0277