Sample Size and Power Determination

taught by Tom Ryan

Brief Description:

This course shows you how to make sample size determinations for various statistical tests and for confidence intervals, as needed for experimental studies such as comparison studies, as well as for other types of experiments.

Instructor(s):
Level: Intermediate/Introductory

Who Should Take This Course:

Anyone responsible for the planning of a study, or its subsequent analysis. Investigators writing grant applications or other proposals in which sample size must be specified.

Dates:
May 18, 2012 to June 15, 2012November 23, 2012 to December 28, 2012
samplesize Click here to be reminded of future sessions of this course.

Registration:
Please read the syllabus tab, noting the prerequisites, text and software requirements.

Register Online -$499
Register Online -$399 (you must be affiliated with a college, university or high school)

Add $50 service fee if you require a prior invoice, or if you need to submit a purchase order or voucher, pay by wire transfer or EFT, or refund and reprocess a prior payment. Please use this printed registration form, for these and other special orders.

Courses may fill up at any time and registrations are processed in the order in which they are received. Your registration will be confirmed for the first available course date, unless you specify otherwise. Multiple course registrations may be entitled to tuition discounts; read more.

Share This :

Sample Size and Power Determination

taught by Tom Ryan

Aim of Course:

This course will offer an introduction to sample size and power analysis and will show how to use it simply and effectively to plan the appropriate sample size for a study. The power of a study (the study's ability to detect a treatment effect of a specified size, if it exists) is determined by such factors as the magnitude of the treatment effect, the sample size, alpha (the level of statistical significance required), and (for survival studies) the study duration.

Since some of these factors are under the researcher's control (such as the significance level and sample size) while others are not (such as unknown parameter values that determine effect magnitudes), the goal of power analysis is to balance them as a series of "What if's." For example "What sample size would we need if the treatment reduces the risk of death by 10%, and what sample size would we need if the treatment reduces the risk of death by 20%?"  This process of finding a balance among factors can be aided by the use of graphs that allow the researcher to grasp (and communicate) a range of options in a single picture and find the one that strikes the optimal balance between feasible sample size and acceptable power.

Prerequisite(s):

Some familiarity with experimental designs would be helpful, but is not required.  For those working in the life sciences, Biostatistics 1 may also be helpful.

Course Program:

SESSION 1: Introduction to Sample Size Determination and Power,  Including Useful Software

• Hypothesis tests and confidence intervals
• Factors that determine sample size
• Sample size for estimating a population mean
• Examples, including a study from the literature
• External and internal pilot studies
• Ways to estimate sigma
• What should be avoided:  Retrospective power and standardized effect sizes
• Ethical issues in power analysis
• Recommended references
• Software
  
  

SESSION 2: Tests on Population Means (continued)

• T-Test or Z-Test for population mean?
• Testing the normality assumption
• Confidence Intervals on Power and/or Sample Size?
• Two-sample study from the literature with unequal sample sizes
  • Sample sizes determined by scientist in two stages without software
  • Illustration of more efficient sample determination using software
• Using coefficient of variation
• Paired data
• Additional examples
  
  

SESSION 3: Tests on Proportions and Variances

• One proportion   
  
  • Software disagreement and rectification
• Two proportions
• Options, including transformations built into software, for tests of proportions
• One variance  and two variances
• Examples
  
  

SESSION 4: Regression and Design

• Simple linear regression
  • Complexity caused by what must be inputted
• Multiple linear regression
• Optional material:  Repeated measures designs, Logrank test for survival analysis
• Literature references for sample size determination with more advanced
  statistical methods and some information on corresponding software
  capability

HOMEWORK:

Homework in this course consists of short answer questions to test concepts and guided data analysis problems using software.

Organization of the Course:

This course takes place over the internet at the Institute for 4 weeks. During each course week, you participate at times of your own choosing - there are no set times when you must be online. Course participants will be given access to a private discussion board. In class discussions led by the instructor, you can post questions, seek clarification, and interact with your fellow students and the instructor.

The course typically requires 15 hours per week. At the beginning of each week, you receive the relevant material, in addition to answers to exercises from the previous session. During the week, you are expected to go over the course materials, work through exercises, and submit answers. Discussion among participants is encouraged. The instructor will provide answers and comments, and at the end of the week, you will receive individual feedback on your homework answers.

Credit:
Students come to the Institute for a variety of reasons. As you begin the course, you will be asked to specify your category:

1. You may be interested only in learning the material presented, and not be concerned with grades or a record of completion.
2. You may be enrolled in PASS (Programs in Analytics and Statistical Studies) that requires demonstration of proficiency in the subject, in which case your work will be assessed for a grade.
3. You may require a "Record of Course Completion," along with professional development credit in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEU's).  For those successfully completing the course, 5.0 CEU's and a record of course completion will be issued by The Institute, upon request.

Course Text:

All necessary materials will be provided online, with access to material from the instructor’s forthcoming book on sample size determination, as well as a few journal articles that will be available in the course.

Software:

Participants should have access to a software package in which they can do power and sample size calculations. Power and Precision, MINITAB, and nQuery are used in the course Notes and examples.  Other software packages such as Stata, PASS, and Russ Lenth’s Java applet may be used for the weekly assignments; assistance with these other packages may be available from the teaching assistants.
Click Here for information on obtaining a free (or nominal cost) copy of software for use during the course.

Register Now

Yes, I want to register for:

Sample Size and Power Determination

taught by Tom Ryan

Instructor(s):
Dates:
May 18, 2012 to June 15, 2012November 23, 2012 to December 28, 2012
Course Fee: $499
Academic Rate: $399

Before registering, please read the syllabus tab, noting the prerequisites, text and software requirements. When you click the register button, you will be taken to our secure transaction page.

I am affiliated with an academic institution
I am not affiliated with an academic institution