What are the best practices for using snowball sampling in qualitative research?

1 Define your research question and population

The first step in using snowball sampling is to clearly define your research question and the population you want to study. You need to have a specific and focused research question that guides your sampling strategy and data collection. You also need to identify the characteristics and criteria of your target population, such as age, gender, location, occupation, behavior, or experience. This will help you to find and select appropriate initial participants or seeds for your snowball sample.

2 Find and recruit initial participants or seeds

The next step is to find and recruit a small number of initial participants or seeds who meet your population criteria and are willing to participate in your study. You can use various sources and methods to find them, such as personal contacts, social media, online forums, community organizations, or existing databases. You should also explain the purpose and procedures of your study, obtain informed consent, and ask them to refer or nominate other potential participants who meet the same criteria.

3 Follow up and expand your snowball sample

The third step is to follow up with the referrals or nominations from your initial participants, and invite them to join your study. You should also ask them to refer or nominate more people who meet your population criteria, and repeat this process until you reach a sufficient sample size or saturation. You should keep track of the referral chains and the characteristics of your participants, and monitor the diversity and representativeness of your sample. You should also maintain a good rapport and communication with your participants, and offer incentives or rewards for their participation and referrals.

4 Analyze and report your data and findings

The final step is to analyze and report your data and findings from your snowball sample. You should use appropriate qualitative methods and techniques to analyze your data, such as coding, categorizing, thematic analysis, or narrative analysis. You should also report your findings in a clear and coherent way, and acknowledge the strengths and limitations of your snowball sampling technique. You should also discuss the ethical and practical issues that you encountered or addressed during your snowball sampling process, such as confidentiality, anonymity, bias, or access.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?