BADANIA NA MAŁYCH PRÓBACH CELOWYCH – KILKA REFLEKSJI Z PERSPEKTYWY BUDOWANIA TEORII
EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON SMALL, INTENTIONALLY COLLECTED SAMPLES – SOME REMARKS FROM THEORY BUILDING PERSPECTIVE

Summary/Abstract: The paper criticizes current style of conducting explorative research on small, intentionally collected samples with descriptive aims mainly. I say, their cognitive, scientific value becomes significantly limited when comparative analysis and analytical work on descriptions (even pretty good) is neglected. Such a practice is also in conflict with its own theoretical tradition, including symbolic interactionism, grounded theory and social phenomenology that are most frequently cited. Proper and conducted in accordance with the guidelines, qualitative research on small, intentionally collected samples owe their indisputable advantages to the integral connection between empirical insight and theoretical reflection and – what is a condition of the former – to broadening their research field including analogous cases (according to criteria found in empirical material). The final effect of qualitative research is to be – according to the interpretative tradition – development of the theory, not proliferation of isolated descriptions.

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