What is a “Sample Size”?

A sample size is a part of the population chosen for a survey

or experiment. For example, you might take a survey of dog
owner’s brand preferences. You won’t want to survey all the
millions of dog owners in the country (either because it’s too
expensive or time consuming), so you take a sample size. That
may be several thousand owners. The sample size is
a representation of all dog owner’s brand preferences. If you
choose your sample wisely, it will be a good representation.

When Error can Creep in

When you only survey a small sample of the

population, uncertainty creeps in to your statistics. If you can
only survey a certain percentage of the true population, you
can never be 100% sure that your statistics are a complete
and accurate representation of the population. This
uncertainty is called sampling error and is usually measured
by a confidence interval. For example, you might state that
your results are at a 90% confidence level. That means if you
were to repeat your survey over and over, 90% of the time your
would get the same results.
 A census is where every member of a population is surveyed, not
just a sample.
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How to Find a Sample Size in Statistics

A sample is a percentage of the total population in statistics.

You can use the data from a sample to make inferences
about a population as a whole. For example, the standard
deviation of a sample can be used to approximate the
standard deviation of a population. Finding a sample size can
be one of the most challenging tasks in statistics and depends
upon many factors including the size of your original
population.

General Tips

Step 1: Conduct a census if you have a small population. A

“small” population will depend on your budget and time
constraints. For example, it may take a day to take a census of
a student body at a small private university of 1,000 students
but you may not have the time to survey 10,000 students at a
large state university.

Step 2: Use a sample size from a similar study. Chances are,

your type of study has already been undertaken by someone
else. You’ll need access to academic databases to search for a
study (usually your school or college will have access). A
pitfall: you’ll be relying on someone else correctly calculating
the sample size. Any errors they have made in their
calculations will transfer over to your study.

Step 3: Use a table to find your sample size. If you have a

fairly generic study, then there is probably a table for it. For
example, if you have a clinical study, you may be able to use a
table published in Machin et. al’s Sample Size Tables for
Clinical Studies, Third Edition.

Step 4: Use a sample size calculator. Various calculators are

available online, some simple, some more complex and
specialized. For example, this calculator is for group- or
cluster-randomized trials (GRTs).

Step 5: Use a formula. There are many different formulas you

can use, depending on what you know (or don’t know) about
your population. If you know some parameters about your
population (like a known standard deviation), you can use the
techniques below. If you don’t know much about your
population, use Slovin’s formula..
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Cochran’s Sample Size Formula

Watch the video for an example:

The Cochran formula allows you to calculate an ideal sample

size given a desired level of precision, desired confidence
level, and the estimated proportion of the attribute present in
the population.

Cochran’s formula is considered especially appropriate in

situations with large populations. A sample of any given size
provides more information about a smaller population than a
larger one, so there’s a ‘correction’ through which the number
given by Cochran’s formula can be reduced if the whole
population is relatively small.

The Cochran formula is:

Where:

e is the desired level of precision (i.e. the margin of


error),
 p is the (estimated) proportion of the population
which has the attribute in question,
 q is 1 – p.
The z-value is found in a Z table.

Cochran’s Formula Example

Suppose we are doing a study on the inhabitants of a large

town, and want to find out how many households serve
breakfast in the mornings. We don’t have much information on
the subject to begin with, so we’re going to assume that half of
the families serve breakfast: this gives us maximum variability.
So p = 0.5. Now let’s say we want 95% confidence, and at least
5 percent—plus or minus—precision. A 95 % confidence level
gives us Z values of 1.96, per the normal tables, so we get

((1.96)2 (0.5) (0.5)) / (0.05)2 = 385.

So a random sample of 385 households in our target
population should be enough to give us the confidence levels
we need.

Modification for the Cochran Formula for Sample

Size Calculation In Smaller Populations

If the population we’re studying is small, we can modify the

sample size we calculated in the above formula by using this
equation:

Here n0 is Cochran’s sample size recommendation, N is the

population size, and n is the new, adjusted sample size. In our
earlier example, if there were just 1000 households in the
target population, we would calculate

385 / (1 + ( 384 / 1000 )) = 278

So for this smaller population, all we need are 278 households

in our sample; a substantially smaller sample size.

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Yamane’s Formula

Yamane’s formula is:

Where:

e = precision level

 N = population size.
Watch the video for an example:

How to Find a Sample Size Given a Confidence

Level and Width (unknown population standard
deviation)

Part two shows you how to find a sample size for a

given confidence level and width (e.g. 95% CL, 6% wide) for
an unknown population standard deviation.

Example question: 41% of Jacksonville residents said that

they had been in a hurricane. How many adults should be
surveyed to estimate the true proportion of adults who have
been in a hurricane, with a 95% confidence interval 6% wide?

Step 1: Using the data given in the question, figure out the
following variables:

 za/2: Divide the confidence level by two, and look that

area up in the z-table:
.95 / 2 = 0.475
The closest z-score for 0.475 is 1.96.
 E (margin of error): Divide the given width by 2.
6% / 2
= 0.06 / 2
= 0.03
 : use the given percentage. 41% = 0.41. If you
aren’t given phat, use 50%.
 : subtract from 1.
1 – 0.41 = 0.59
Step 2:Multiply by . Set this number aside for a moment.
0.41 × 0.59 = 0.2419

Step 3: Divide Za/2 by E.

1.96 / .03 = 65.3333333

Step 4: Square Step 3:

65.3333333 × 65.3333333 = 4268.44444

Step 5: Multiply Step 2 by Step 4:

0.2419 × 4268.44444 = 1,032.53671
= 1,033 people to survey.
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How to Find a Sample Size Given a Confidence Level and Width

(known population standard deviation)

Part 3 shows you how to determine the appropriate sample

size for a given confidence level and width, given that you
know the population standard deviation.

Example question: Suppose we want to know the average age

of an Florida State College student, plus or minus 0.5 years.
We’d like to be 99% confident about our result. From a
previous study, we know that the standard deviation for the
population is 2.9.

Step 1: Find z by dividing the confidence level by two, and

a/2

looking that area up in the z-table:

.99/2 = 0.495. The closest z-score for 0.495 is 2.58.

Step 2: Multiply step 1 by the standard deviation.

2.58 * 2.9 = 7.482
Step 3: Divide Step 2 by the margin of error. Our margin of
error (from the question), is 0.5.
7.482/0.5 = 14.96

Step 4: Square Step 3.

14.96 * 14.96 = 223.8016

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Find a sample size to estimate a population mean

Watch the video to find out how to find a sample size if you
want to estimate means:

How to find a sample size in Excel.

Watch the video or read the steps below:

How to use Excel Sampling to find a Sample

If you have a set of data and you know your sample size, you
can use Excel’s Data Analysis toolpak to select either a
periodic sample or a random sample. A random sample is just
that — randomly selected from your data set. A periodic
sample (also called a systematic sample) is where Excel
chooses the nth data item to include in your sample. For
example, if you wanted to choose every 5th number from the
following list: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, Excel would
return 8 and 13 (the 5th and 10th numbers in order).

If you don’t know what sample size you need, calculate it

before using the Data Analysis tool (using the methods
outlined at the top of this article). The Data Analysis tool can
help you extract a sample, but it can’t help you decide on the
size. Why? There are many “human” factors that go into
selecting a sample size including budget, prior research (you
can use a sample size from previous research) and tables
constructed from previous research.

How to use Excel Sampling to find a Sample: Steps

Step 1: Enter your data items into Excel. You can enter your
data into rows or columns. Ensure the rows and columns are
even; for example, enter data into column A to cell 12 and
column B to cell 12.

Step 2: Click “Data” and then click “Data Analysis.” If you

don’t see Data Analysis on your toolbar, load the Data
Analysis Toolpak.

Step 3: Click “Sampling” and then click “OK.”

Data entered into a worksheet for Excel sampling:

the rows and columns are even.
Step 4: Click in the Input Range box and then select your
entire data set.

Step 5: Click either “Periodic Sampling” or “Random

Sampling.” If you choose periodic, enter the nth number (i.e.
every 5) and if you choose random sampling, enter the sample
size.

Step 6: Choose an output range. For example, click the “New

Worksheet” button and Excel will return the sample in a new
worksheet.
Step 7: Click “OK.”

That’s it!