Unit 7.

3 Purposive Sampling
 Key points
01 Introduction

02 Key concepts in Purposive Sampling

 What is Purposive Sampling?
• Purposive sampling is a non-probability form of sampling.
• The researcher does not seek to sample research participants on a random basis.
• The goal of purposive sampling is to sample cases/participants in a strategic
way, so that those sampled are relevant to the research questions that are being
posed.
• Because it is a non-probability sampling approach, purposive sampling does not
allow the researcher to generalize to a population.
 What is Purposive Sampling?
• In purposive sampling, sites, like organizations, and people (or whatever the unit
of analysis is) within sites are selected because of their relevance to the research
questions.
• The researcher needs to be clear in his or her mind what the criteria are that will
be relevant to the inclusion or exclusion of units of analysis (whether the 'units'
are sites, people, or something else).
• Examples of purposive sampling in qualitative research are theoretical sampling
(see Key concept 18.3) and snowball sampling (see Research in focus 18.2 for
an example).
• In quantitative research, quota sampling is a form of purposive sampling
procedure.
 References

 Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods. Oxford university press. Part two,

Chapter 8, pp: 183
 Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods. Oxford university press. Part three,
chapter 18, pp: 422