30 Chapter 2 Figure 2.1. Process of Q-set development Step 2: Participant selection The selection of participants is important in Q-methodology, as researchers want to explore (or demonstrate) the existence of viewpoints. Watts and Stenner (24), therefore, recommend thinking critically about which sampling strategies will help to achieve that goal and determine relevant sociodemographic criteria. We chose to use a variety of strategies, as different students might be responsive to different strategies, thus increasing our chances of including as many viewpoints as possible. We invited students to participate during the opening lecture for first-year medical students, we went to their study group meetings, sent out an email to all first-year students, and distributed leaflets on the campus. We also invited students to ask a peer to participate; someone who they thought would have an interesting perspective (snowballing). In our communication we stressed that we aimed to
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