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Sample Size

Determining the appropriate sample size for a study depends on factors such as the study's purpose, population size, desired precision, confidence level, and variability of the attributes being measured. Key strategies for determining sample size include using a census for small populations, imitating sample sizes from similar studies, consulting published tables, and applying specific formulas. Understanding these criteria and methods helps ensure that the sample accurately represents the population and meets the research objectives.

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26 views16 pages

Sample Size

Determining the appropriate sample size for a study depends on factors such as the study's purpose, population size, desired precision, confidence level, and variability of the attributes being measured. Key strategies for determining sample size include using a census for small populations, imitating sample sizes from similar studies, consulting published tables, and applying specific formulas. Understanding these criteria and methods helps ensure that the sample accurately represents the population and meets the research objectives.

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Sample Size

• Perhaps the most frequently asked question concerning sampling is, "What
size sample do I need?“

• The answer to this question is influenced by a number of factors, including


the purpose of the study, population size, the risk of selecting a "bad“
sample, and the allowable sampling error.

• In addition to the purpose of the study and population size, three criteria
usually will need to be specified to determine the appropriate sample size:
• the level of precision
• the level of confidence or risk,
• the degree of variability in the attributes being measured
The Level Of Precision
• The level of precision, sometimes called sampling error, is the range in
which the true value of the population is estimated to be. This range
is often expressed in percentage points, (e.g., ±5 percent)

• Thus, if a researcher finds that 60% of respondents in the sample have


adopted a recommended practice with a precision rate of ±5%, then
he or she can conclude that between 55% and 65% of farmers in the
population have adopted the practice.
The Confidence Level
• The confidence or risk level is based on ideas encompassed under the Central Limit
Theorem.

• The key idea encompassed in the Central Limit Theorem is that when a population is
repeatedly sampled, the average value of the attribute obtained by those samples is
equal to the true population value.

• Furthermore, the values obtained by these samples are distributed normally about the
true value, with some samples having a higher value and some obtaining a lower score
than the true population value.

• In a normal distribution, approximately 95% of the sample values are within two
standard deviations of the true population value (e.g., mean).
• Sampling confidence level: A percentage that reveals how confident
you can be that the population would select an answer within a
certain range. For example, a 95% confidence level means that you
can be 95% certain the results lie between x and y numbers.
• In other words, this means that, if a 95% confidence level is selected, 95 out of 100 samples will have
the true population value within the range of precision specified earlier

• In other words, this means that, if a 95% confidence level is selected, 95 out of 100 samples will
have the true population value within the range of
precision specified earlier (Figure 1).

• There is always a chance that the sample you obtain


does not represent the true population value. Such samples
with extreme values are represented by the shaded areas in
Figure 1. This risk is reduced for 99%
confidence levels and increased for 90% (or lower)
confidence levels.
Degree Of Variability
• The third criterion, the degree of variability in the attributes being measured refers
to the distribution of attributes in the population. The more heterogeneous a
population, the larger the sample size required to obtain a given level of precision.

• The less variable (more homogeneous) a population, the smaller the sample size.
Note that a proportion of 50% indicates a greater level of variability than either 20%
or 80%.

• This is because 20% and 80% indicate that a large majority do not or do,
respectively, have the attribute of interest. Because a proportion of .5 indicates the
maximum variability in a population, it is often used in determining a more
conservative sample size, that is, the sample size may be larger than if the true
variability of the population attribute were used.
STRATEGIES FOR DETERMINING
SAMPLE SIZE
1. Using a census for small populations

2. Imitating a sample size of similar studies,

3. Using published tables or Online sample size calculators

4. Applying formulas to calculate a sample size


• One approach is to use the entire population as the sample.

• Although cost considerations make this impossible for large populations, a census is
attractive for small populations (e.g., 200 or less).
• A census eliminates sampling error and provides data on all the individuals in the
population.
• In addition, some costs such as questionnaire design and developing the
sampling frame are "fixed," that is, they will be the same for samples of 50 or 200.

Finally, virtually the entire population would have to be sampled in small populations
to achieve a desirable level of precision.
Using A Sample Size Of A
Similar Study
• Another approach is to use the same sample size as those of studies
similar to the one you plan.

• Without reviewing the procedures employed in these studies you may


run the risk of repeating errors that were made in determining the
sample size for another study.

• However, a review of the literature in your discipline can provide


guidance about "typical" sample sizes which are used.
Using Published Tables
• A third way to determine sample size is to rely on published tables
which provide the sample size for a given set of criteria.
Using Formulas To Calculate A
Sample Size
• The fourth approach to determining sample size is the application of
one of several formulas
Online
• https://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm

• https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/sample-size-calculator/

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