In research papers, the number of outliers is not typically included in the total sample size (n=x) unless specifically mentioned in the methodology or analysis. The sample size n usually refers to the number of valid observations in your dataset, excluding outliers. However, the handling of outliers (such as identifying, excluding, or reporting them) is usually described separately.

Here are some common practices regarding outliers in research papers:

Example:

• "The initial sample consisted of 100 participants, but 5 were identified as outliers using the Z-score method and were excluded from the analysis. Thus, the final sample size was 95 participants."

So, unless the outliers are part of the dataset's analysis, they are not typically included in the main n figure for the research paper.

Only remove outliers if they are an obvious error in recording :)