DETERMINATION OF SAMPLE

SIZE
o What is sample?
o What is sample determination?
o What are the factors affecting sample size?
o Methods of sample determination
 Confidence Interval Approach
• Determining sample size for estimating population
mean
• Determining sample size for estimating popuation
proportion
 WHAT IS SAMPLE?
• SAMPLE is the sub-part of population to be studied
in order to make an inference.The population is very
large, making complete enumeration of all the
values either impractical or impossible. 

WHAT IS SAMPLE SIZE

DETERMINATION?
• Sample size determination is the mathematical
estimation of the number of subjects/units to
be included in a study.
 SAMPLE SIZE DEPENDS ON:
• Basic characteristics of population.
• Type of information required from the survey.
• Cost and time involved.
• Level of precision (accuracy).
• Level of confidence or risk.
• Degree of variability in the attributes being
measured (prevalence).
 HOW LARGE A SAMPLE DO I NEED?

If the sample is too small:

• Even a well conducted study may fail to

answer it research question.
• It may fail to detect important effect or
associations.
• It may associate this effect or association
imprecisely
 CONVERSELY
If the sample size is too large:

• The study will be difficult and costly.

• Time constraint.
• Availability of cases e.g rare disease.
• Loss of accuracy.

Hence, optimum sample size must be determined

before commencement of a study.
 METHODS
• ARBITRARY DECISION- Decision made by the researcher
without considering accuracy of sample results.

• Using TOTAL BUDGET for field survey- If the cost of

sampling per unit is known;
Sample Size = Total Budget/Cost per sample unit.

• Sample size used by other researchers in similar studies.

• CONFIDENCE INTERVAL APPROACH

 TERMS USED:

• Variability
• Level of confidence
• Allowable error or margin of error (e)
• Normal distribution
• Infinite population
• Finite population
• Population proportion
 Confidence Interval Approach

Determining sample size for estimating Determining sample size for estimating
POPULATION MEAN. POPULATION PROPORTION.
FEW POINTS TO BE TAKEN IN ACCOUNT:
• Variability of the proportion:
Higher the variability , larger is the sample size
• The confidence attached :
Higher the confidence attached, larger is the
sample size.
For instance: Standard normal ordinate (Z) :
For 90% confidence level : Z = 1.645
For 95% confidence level : Z = 1.96.
• Margin of error:
Higher the precision required, larger is the sample size.
Determining sample size for estimating POPULATION MEAN.

• This is based on Central Limit theorem

• The central limit theorem states that if you have a
population with mean μ and standard deviation σ and take
sufficiently large random samples from the
population with replacement, then the distribution of the
sample means will be approximately normally distributed.
• This will hold true regardless of whether the source
population is normal or skewed, provided the sample size
is sufficiently large (usually n > 30).
• If the population is normal, then the theorem holds true
even for samples smaller than 30
 DENOTATIONS
• X = Sample mean
• µ = Population mean
• σ X = Standard error of mean
• n = Sample size
• N = Population size
• σ = Population standard deviation
• e = Margin of error
• Z = Standard normal variate
 CALCULATIONS
• Step 1- The value of Standard error of mean σ X
 Step 2 - Value of Z
( Standard Normal Variate)
 Step -3

• Step
EXAMPLE
 DENOTATIONS
• n = Sample size
• N = Population size
• e = Margin of error
• Z = Standard normal variate
• p = Probability value
• q=1-p
Determination of sample size for estimating
the population proportion
EXAMPLE