华东师范大学学报(教育科学版) ›› 2021, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (12): 15-27.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2021.12.002

• 教育研究方法 • 上一篇    下一篇

质性研究的样本量判断——饱和的概念、操作与争议

谢爱磊, 陈嘉怡   

  1. 广州大学粤港澳大湾区社会发展与教育政策研究院,广州 510006
  • 出版日期:2021-12-01 发布日期:2021-11-23
  • 基金资助:
    广东省哲学社会科学规划一般项目“城市中产阶层的教育焦虑:本质、成因及治理—基于广州和深圳等大城市的研究”(GD19CJY10);教育部人文社会科学研究青年项目“一流大学成长进程中的科学精英集聚研究”(18YJC880011)

Determining Sample Size in Qualitative Research: Saturation, its Conceptualization, Operationalization and Relevant Debates

Ailei Xie, Jiayi Chen   

  1. Bay Area Education Policy Institute for Social Development, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
  • Online:2021-12-01 Published:2021-11-23

摘要:

饱和业已成为判断质性研究质量、说明样本量合理性的重要标准。本文系统梳理了三类饱和概念——理论饱和、主题饱和与数据饱和,指出研究者要考虑自身的整体研究设计以决定采信何种概念。此外,还介绍了三种记录和判断饱和的方法,它们分别是结构性编码本、饱和表以及概念深度量表。其中,结构性编码本较为适合采信演绎主题饱和与数据饱和概念的研究;饱和表主要有主题饱和表和编码饱和表两类,较为适合采信既定主题饱和模式、特别强调既定主题能够得到数据有效支撑的研究;概念深度量表尤为适合采信理论饱和模式的研究。本文指出,“度”的概念较好地把握了饱和的本质特征;质量(充分)而非数量(多少)是饱和的关键;饱和本身应当是具体的方法论实践,重视饱和,并对取得饱和的过程进行清晰陈述,有助于提升质性研究的规范性、透明度、质量和认可度。

关键词: 理论饱和, 主题饱和, 数据饱和, 操作

Abstract:

Saturation has become an important criterion to judge the quality of qualitative research and explain the rationality of sample size. This paper systematically and critically reviews the literature and introduces three types of saturation: theoretical saturation, thematical saturation and data saturation and points out that researchers should consider their own overall research design to decide which model to adopt. The paper also introduces three ways to record the process of saturation. Among them, the structural coding book is more suitable for recording deductive thematical saturation and data saturation. There are two types of saturation tables which are more suitable for recording a prior thematical saturation. The conceptual depth scale is particularly suitable for recording theoretical saturation. This paper points out that saturation is a process rather than an event. Quality rather than quantity is the key to understand saturation. Saturation itself should be a concrete methodology practice. Researchers should pay attention to the concept of saturation and make a clear statement of the process of achieving saturation, which can help to improve the standardization, transparency, quality and recognition of qualitative research.

Key words: theoretical saturation, thematical saturation, data saturation, operationalization