What is the good sample size for a pilot study questionnaire to ensuring precise data collection?
•However, some guidelines suggest that typical pilot sizes range from 5 to 20 participants, which may result in a very small precision.
•A common rule of thumb is to use a sample size of 10 to 20% of your full-scale survey sample size, or at least 30 to 50 respondents.
Which rule I should to follow?
Because I have already retested the questionnaire using 11 subjects, the reliability is high (Cronbach's Alpha= .774). However, the validity Degrees of Freedom is below the critical Pearson CC= 0.666. thanks for your concern.
The minimum number of respondents for a pilot study questionnaire can vary depending on the research goals, methodology, and population size. However, here are some general guidelines:
- For exploratory or qualitative research, 5-10 respondents are often sufficient for a pilot study.
- For quantitative research, 20-30 respondents are typically recommended to test the reliability and validity of the questionnaire.
- For larger, more complex studies, 50-100 respondents may be needed to ensure robust results.
Remember, the goal of a pilot study is to test and refine your questionnaire, not to draw definitive conclusions. So, even a small number of respondents can provide valuable insights and help you improve your research design.
Not the first, for sure. Even though 5-20 are typical, that doesn't mean it's a good population size. It's just the typical population size teachers can get for pilot studies. You won't get statistically significant results with those numbers.
Around 50 (but even more, if possible) is much better. And, if possible, that's only for the pilot group. For the control group you should also have a similar number.
There is a difference between pilot testing, which uses smaller samples to examine things like question wording, and pre-testing, where samples are large enough to assess things like coefficient alpha.
If your main goal is to assess the reliability of your scale, then you have already succeed at that.
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