Hi,

I was wondering if its possible to claim generalisability of a small qualitative study?

I interviewed 20 participants and the sample population is relatively homogeneous (a small group of professionals). My supervisor thinks that I could claim some form of generalisability but I'm not sure I can, and more importantly, how?

(only 20 participants because data saturation was reached and a very difficult to recruit for interview)

Do I need to have an ontological and epistemological position for my qualitative interview based study?

And secondly, does anyone have a concise easily written document that can help explain all the difference stances? It is so mind boggling!

Thank you both. It is reassuring to here that a small sample size was accepted.

However, may I ask how you justified stopping at where you stopped? Did you reach saturation? Or was it a matter of practicality?

Hi,

I conducted an interview study with participants that were extremely difficult to recruit (I have documented that in detail in my methodology chapter, which I am currently writing up). My sample size (n=21) was limited by the limits of funding (participants were paid a considerable amount of money), as well as the constraints and difficulties of recruiting (and hence time too - all very practical reasons).

Having said this, the participant group is very homogeneous and by the time I reached the predetermined sample size, I felt I had probably reached thematic/descriptive saturation, though not necessarily theoretical saturation (as analysis was conducted after all the interviews were gathered together).

I'm just wondering whether above will be OK (and is justifiable) and how to maybe word it in a more positive manner?

Thanks :)

Ask the HR person for the contact details of the line manager of the role.

It seems to be quite common. I was told who my other supervisor would be, and it was someone my supervisor wanted to work with in the future.

However, if you feel the people are not appropriate, then do mention it to your supervisor and see what he/she says.

Thank you Button, that it is re-assuring!

Hi,

I am loosely in the social sciences field and have done 20 interviews. I am not looking for data saturation as that wasn't the aim. I don't have the financial budget to do more than 25 interviews, but I was wondering whether for publication 20 would suffice? I have had a lot of difficult recruiting as it is a very difficult to reach, and of course I have documented all that.

Keen to hear your thoughts.

Thanks! :)

I use Express Scribe as well as Dragon to then speak the text into.

Hi,

I'm a little confused as to the best way to do this.

I plan to do around 20 interviews. Should I do all interviews, then transcribe them all, and then analyse them all at once?

Or should I do 10/5 first, analyse them and then do the last 10 interviews?

Thank you very much to both of you for your advice, I will notify them and see what they say.

Can the department pay for it?

Do a search on this forum for phd interview, alot of people before asked the same question and many others have answered it.

Top of the list will probably be:

Why you want to do a PhD?
Why you want to do research in that area?

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That looks like a very good record. It is hard to say but do you have a much better chance than others due to your published articles. Keep applying *link removed by postgrad forum team*