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Using Power Analysis to Determine the Appropriate Number of Subjects
Sample size determination is an important part of the quantitative research process. Most researchers realize that either over- or under-powering a study can lead to Type I and Type II error, respectively. What is less often thought of is that sample size determination has ethical implications. If a study is over powered it can lead to drawing incorrect conclusions based on false positive findings, or Type I error. If a study is underpowered it can lead to a failure to detect an important finding (false negatives), or Type II error. In both cases, research subjects will have been needlessly exposed to the risk of the research and scarce resources will have been wasted. The greater the risk and cost of the research, the greater the ethical problem.
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