Are We There Yet? Data Saturation in Qualitative Research

• Published in: Qualitative report Vol. 20; no. 9; p. 1408
• Main Authors: Fusch, Patricia, Ness, Lawrence
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Fort Lauderdale Nova Southeastern University, Inc 01-09-2015; The Qualitative Report
• Subjects: Analysis; Coding; Content Validity; Data analysis; Data collection; Doctoral Dissertations; Ethnography; Focus Groups; Informations; Interviews; Meta Analysis; Qualitative research; Researchers; Sample Size; Validity; United States
• ISSN: 1052-0147; 2160-3715
• DOI: 10.46743/2160-3715/2015.2281

Failure to reach data saturation has an impact on the quality of the research conducted and hampers content validity. The aim of a study should include what determines when data saturation is achieved, for a small study will reach saturation more rapidly than a larger study. Data saturation is reached when there is enough information to replicate the study when the ability to obtain additional new information has been attained, and when further coding is no longer feasible. The following article critiques two qualitative studies for data saturation: Wolcott (2004) and Landau and Drori (2008). Failure to reach data saturation has a negative impact on the validity on one’s research. The intended audience is novice student researchers.