Power and Sample Size

An accessibly-written webpage about the fundamentals of power and sample size.

Read: Introduction to power analysis

What the resource offers

This webpage is an excellent read for an investigator looking for a thorough description of the basics of power and how they pertain to planning a research study. Overall the language is informal and accessible to those with little statistical training. Major topics include:

  • Knowing your research project
  • What you need to know to do a power analysis
  • Obtaining the necessary numbers to do a power analysis
  • Factors that affect power

There is also a discussion about the issues of small sample sizes and sampling variation, multiplicity, and post-hoc power analyses. Examples are given using SPSS Sample Power, but they are still useful for understanding power and sample size calculations in other software.

Helpful hint: If you’re short on time, check out the “Conclusions” section at the end of the page.

Who it's for

  • Clinical investigators

Who created it

This site is run by the University of California Los Angeles Institute for Digital Research and Education.