RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
Applying qualitative comparative analysis in large-N studies
A scoping review of good practices before, during, and after the analytic moment
Elgin, D. J., Erickson, E., Crews, M., Kahwati, L. C., & Kane, H. L. (2024). Applying qualitative comparative analysis in large-N studies: A scoping review of good practices before, during, and after the analytic moment. Quality & Quantity. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-024-01849-2
Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) was originally developed to address configural research questions with a small to medium number of cases (i.e., N < 50), allowing researchers to preserve the iterative nature of the data collection and interpretation that stems from a deep knowledge of cases. Recently, researchers have increasingly applied QCA within large-N applications involving anywhere from 50 to several thousand cases. Although the increasing popularity of using QCA in large-N research is promising, critical questions persist regarding QCA application. We conducted a scoping review of large-N QCA studies published in peer-reviewed journals over a 15-year period. Although the review showed some adherence to good practices for conducting QCA, it also revealed substantial gaps in large-N studies reporting analytic decision making, analysis, and results. We offer several recommendations for improving the reporting of large-N QCA studies.