Sampling in Grounded Theory

Abstract

Theoretical sampling “is controlled by the emerging theory [and is] the process of data collection for generating theory” (Glaser, 1978 p. 36). This simply means that as we analyse data, questions arise, gaps in the theory are noticed, and we theoretically sample for particular data to address those questions and gaps. The emphasis is on making theoretical decisions rather than logical decisions. A problem arises of how to start data collection. Novice grounded theorists may notice a sampling naming gap, which they are required by research proposal templates to fill. Unaware of the methodological inconsistency, novices deploy logical sampling techniques of convenience sampling, selective sampling, purposive sampling and snowball sampling, which are more attuned to a confirmatory/verification research perspective than with the exploratory perspective of the grounded theorist. Glaser (1992) resisted “fracturing [the concept] theoretical sampling” (p. 102), however to address the emergent issue of a naming gap, I propose that we begin theoretical sampling with open sampling where “open sampling is based on the twin tenets of ‘all is data’ and ’emergence’ (Glaser, 1992)” (Scott, 2025, pp. 40 41). This will support novice researchers in protecting their exploratory perspective and enable them to collect data in a manner consistent with the grounded theory research method.