Sample Size
The number of units included in a study, which shapes statistical power in quantitative work and depth of coverage in qualitative work.
Sample size is the count of participants, cases, or observations in a study. In quantitative research, it is ideally planned in advance through a power analysis, which estimates how many cases are needed to detect an effect of a given size at a chosen significance level. Too small a sample risks missing real effects; a larger sample yields more precise estimates and narrower confidence intervals. In qualitative research, size is guided instead by the richness of data and by saturation rather than by statistical formulas.
In a thesis, you must justify your sample size, not merely report it. For quantitative designs, show the reasoning or power calculation behind the target and explain any shortfall. For qualitative designs, explain why the number of participants gave adequate depth. Examiners treat an unjustified sample size as a sign of weak planning.
Related terms
Writing the thesis this term belongs to?
CiteDash takes a thesis from research question to a compiled document, with AI that cites only real papers and verifies every claim against its source.