RTC/OM HCBS Measurement Education Modules

Factors to Consider:

1. What are your guiding questions? What do you want to know?
2. How many factors will you be analyzing? The more factors you investigate, the larger the sample size should be.
3. The size and diversity of the population: To obtain a representative sample for larger and more diverse populations one tends to need greater sample sizes.
4. Resources and time constraints: Limitations with respect to budgets and personnel often limit the size of a sample one can obtain.

Organizations must weigh all of these factors to determine the balance between feasibility and the optimal sample size. Most often, the representativeness of the sample is more important than its size. Consult a measurement expert or statistician for help in determining appropriate sample sizes.