Scribd
Upload
2K views

Determining Sample Size

This document discusses sampling and sample size calculation. It defines a sample as a subset of a population used to gather information about that population. Taking a sample reduces costs and allows a more thorough investigation than examining the entire population. The key factors in determining sample size are the desired level of precision, confidence level, and variability in the population. Several formulas are provided to calculate sample size based on these factors and the population size. Empirical approaches like using published tables or mimicking sample sizes from similar studies can also be used.

Uploaded by

عبدالفتاح البكوش
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2K views

Determining Sample Size

This document discusses sampling and sample size calculation. It defines a sample as a subset of a population used to gather information about that population. Taking a sample reduces costs and allows a more thorough investigation than examining the entire population. The key factors in determining sample size are the desired level of precision, confidence level, and variability in the population. Several formulas are provided to calculate sample size based on these factors and the population size. Empirical approaches like using published tables or mimicking sample sizes from similar studies can also be used.

Uploaded by

عبدالفتاح البكوش
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 28

Dya Eldin M.

Elsayed, MD
Associate Professor
Department of Public Health

Sample
Sample is a part (segment) of the study

population
Units of observation or the unit about which
data is collected and analyzed

Why Sample?
Samples are taken to obtain

information about populations.


Sample estimators are

computed to estimate statistics


of the population from which the
sample was drawn.

Advantages of taking a sample


Reduces the cost of the investigation, the

time required and the number of personnel


involved
Useful if the test is highly technical or
done by experts
Allows thorough investigation of the unit of
observation
Sample can be covered more adequately
than can the total population

Requisites for a reliable sample


1. Efficiency
2. Coverage
3. Representativeness
4. Measurability
5. Size
6. Goal oriented
7. Feasibility
8. Economy and cost efficiency

What size sample do you need?


The purpose of the study
Population size
The risk of selecting a "bad" sample, and
The allowable sampling error

Criteria for determining sample size


1. The level of precision
2. The level of confidence or risk
3. The degree of variability in the observations

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)

The Confidence Level


The confidence or risk level is based on ideas
encompassed under the Central Limit Theorem
if the population is repeatedly sampled, the
average value of the observations obtained by
those samples is equal to the true population
value

The Confidence Level


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 2 standard deviations of the true
population value (e.g., mean)

Degree of Variability
The third criterion, the degree of variability

in the observations being measured refers to


the distribution of observations 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

Degree of Variability
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.
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
observation were used.

Strategies for determining sample size


1. Empirical approach
2. Analytical approach

Strategies for determining sample size


1. Empirical approach
Using a census for small populations

Imitating a sample size of similar


studies

Using a census for small populations


Use of the entire population as the

sample, cost considerations make this


impossible for large populations, a census
is attractive for small populations (e.g.,
200 or less)

Using a census for small populations


Eliminates sampling error
Provides data on all the individuals in the

population
Costs of questionnaire and developing the
sampling frame are "fixed,"
The entire population would have to be
sampled in small populations to achieve a
desirable level of precision.

Imitating a sample size of similar studies


Use the same sample size as those of studies

similar to the ones plan.


Without reviewing the procedures employed in
these studies there is a risk of repeating errors that
were made in determining the sample size for
another study.
Review of the literature to prevent such risk

Strategies for determining sample size


2. Analytical approach
Using published tables

Applying formulas to calculate a


sample size

Using published tables

Rely on published tables (in textbooks of

statistics) which provide the sample size


for a given set of criteria

Formulas to calculate a sample size


Equation 1.

n = Z2pq
d2
Z is the abscissa of the normal curve (is found in
statistical tables)
p is the estimated proportion of an observation that
is present in the population
q is 1-p. The value for Z which contain the area
under the normal curve
d desired precision

Formulas to calculate a sample size


Equation 1.

n = Z2pq
d2
= (1.96)2 (.5) (.5) = 385
(.05)2

Formulas to calculate a sample size


Equation 2.
n=
n
1 + (n - 1)
N

Formulas to calculate a sample size


Equation 2 (adjustment of eq. 1).
n=
n
1 + (n - 1)
N
n=
385
=
323
1 + (385-1)/2000

Formulas to calculate a sample size


Equation 3:
N
n
1 N (d 2 )

Where n is the sample size, N is the population size, and


d is the level of precision

Formulas to calculate a sample size


Equation 3:
N
n
1 N (d 2 )

2000
n
333
2
1 2000(.05 )

Formulas to calculate a sample size


Equation 4: it is used when mean is intended to be

measured

Z
n
2
d
2

Formulas to calculate a sample size


Equation 5:
n=N z2pq / (N-1) d2+ z2 p q
n = sample size
N= population size (2450 pharmacists)
Z = the abscissa corresponding to the horizontal
axis in the normal distribution curve (1.96)
p = prevalence [OF WHAT??] from previous
studies (taken to be 0.5).
q = (p-1),
d= desired margin of error (0.05)

You might also like