sampling researchers intentionally select individuals and sites to learn or understand the
central phenomenon” (p. 204).
Site selection. In selecting a site, it was the goal of the researcher to select a
typical small college, defined using the classifications of the Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching. The site selected is classified as S4/HR: Small four-year,
highly residential, meaning “fall enrollment data show FTE enrollment of 1,000–2,999
degree-seeking students at these bachelor’s degree granting institutions. At least half of
degree-seeking undergraduates live on campus and at least 80 percent attend full time”
(Carnegie Foundation, n.d.). This site was selected due to its representativeness of the
type of institution that the researcher wanted to study. Yin (2009) identified
representativeness as one rationale for the choice of a single-site case study. McFeely
College (pseudonym) is an independent, private, co-educational, four-year college
located in the southeastern United States. With a student enrollment of approximately
2,000 students, the college offers 34 majors in arts, science, and business. There are
approximately 120 full-time, tenure-track faculty members. The cost of tuition is just
over $30,000. The college is accredited by a regional accrediting body, the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (McFeely College, n.d.c).