What is the best way to define and decide sample size in the case of cross cultural studies? I want to decide the number of respondent in two countries which I am considering for my study. One of the country is comparatively small from other. Please suggest me the best way ahead.
I agree that a power analysis may be a good approach but there are certain other aspects I would like to raise:
- it might be a good idea to look into the published literature. Depending on the methods you are planning to use different sample sizes may be deemed necessary or acceptable in the scientific sommunity. For instance if you use more in-depth or qualitative methods you generally need a smaller sample size. On the other hand some statistical methods require large sample sizes
- depending on the population/s you are working with, there might be limitations in the population size. Let's say you are looking at people with a cerrtain profession or disease. These might be very rare in one of your populations. If they are very relevant for your research question a small sample might be acceptable.
Are you familiar with power analysis? You need to make an educated guess about the characteristics of the samples and the size of the difference between the two. Then the analysis will tell you how large a sample you need to give meaningful statistical results (esp., a significant result if you are using the hypothesis testing approach). If you are comfortable with statistics and not tied to hypothesis testing, I recommend Geoff Cumming's precision approach.
If your university has a Psychology, Mathematics, or Statistics/Applied Mathematics department, there should be someone to help you if you are not familiar with power analysis or precision approaches to estimating sample sizes.
thank you Rhianon Allen . Its really helpful. Will try to learn power analysis.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255597308_An_Assessment_of_Various_Approaches_for_Cross-Cultural_Consumer_Research
I agree that a power analysis may be a good approach but there are certain other aspects I would like to raise:
- it might be a good idea to look into the published literature. Depending on the methods you are planning to use different sample sizes may be deemed necessary or acceptable in the scientific sommunity. For instance if you use more in-depth or qualitative methods you generally need a smaller sample size. On the other hand some statistical methods require large sample sizes
- depending on the population/s you are working with, there might be limitations in the population size. Let's say you are looking at people with a cerrtain profession or disease. These might be very rare in one of your populations. If they are very relevant for your research question a small sample might be acceptable.
Thank you very much Monika Abels . I will try to investigate more literature where I can get various accepted methodologies for sampling design.
I am sorry, my answer was not as clear as intended. I meant to look at papers published on related topics using related methods to see how other authors have handled this problem and how large their samples were.
As a cultural anthropologist the frequently compare cultures, the sample size will mostly be dependent on what happens in the field. You may have a guessed sample size but what happens on the field counts.
Best way to define and decide sample SIZE, I guess is firstly to check AMOUNT of anthropological literature on the subject, then to resume a personal knowledge about a singular case, thirdly to presume how that singular case example could enhance the knowledge on the cross-cultural features in general.
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