What is "saturation" in qualitative research?

Saturation in qualitative research refers to the stage in which data collection yields no new or additional information, meaning that further data collection is unlikely to reveal fresh insights or themes. This concept is crucial for establishing the completeness and depth of qualitative studies, as researchers aim to achieve sufficient data that represents the phenomena being studied. When the same themes, patterns, or insights repeatedly emerge across multiple interviews or focus groups, researchers can feel confident that they have explored the topic thoroughly and that further data collection may not enhance their understanding.

The notion of saturation helps determine when a study has enough information to answer the research questions effectively. It emphasizes the importance of quality over quantity in qualitative data collection. Once saturation is reached, the research can progress to analysis and interpretation, so understanding this concept is critical for conducting rigorous qualitative research.