Sample Size for Survey Research: Review and Recommendations
Mumtaz Ali Memona, Hiram Tingb, Jun‐Hwa Cheahc, Ramayah Thurasamyd, Francis Chuahe, Tat‐Huei Chamf
- aNUST Business School, National University of Sciences and Technology Islamabad, Pakistan
- bFaculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management, UCSI University, Sarawak, Malaysia
- cSchool of Business and Economics, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
- dSchool of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
- eOthman Yeop Abdullah Graduate School of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah, Malaysia
- fFaculty of Accountancy and Management, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kajang, Malaysia
Papers open inside SciRah from the original publisher or repository; SciRah never hosts them.
Abstract
Determining an appropriate sample size is vital in drawing realistic conclusions from research findings. Although there are several widely adopted rules of thumb to calculate sample size, researchers remain unclear about which one to consider when determining sample size in their respective studies. ‘How large should the sample be?’ is one the most frequently asked questions in survey research. The objective of this editorial is three-fold. First, we discuss the factors that influence sample size decisions. Second, we review existing rules of thumb related to the calculation of sample size. Third, we present the guidelines to perform power analysis using the G*Power programme. There is, however, a caveat: we urge researchers not to blindly follow these rules. Such rules or guidelines should be understood in their specific contexts and under the conditions in which they were prescribed. We hope that this editorial does not only provide researchers a fundamental understanding of sample size and its associated issues, but also facilitates their consideration of sample size determination in their own studies.