Answer 3 for DNP 830 Determine the sampling method used in your project

Answer 3 for DNP 830 Determine the sampling method used in your project

Determining the right sample size in research is a vital component of successful research efforts, as sample size affects the validity of the research. Therefore, one of the widely used methods for determining if the sample size is adequate to evaluate the outcomes is the power analysis (Kang, 2021). A sample size calculator is used in conducting a power analysis as appropriate. The project of focus entails determining if the use of telehealth, particularly telehealth text messages, would help improve HbA1c levels among patients with diabetes. Therefore a sample size calculator was used in conducting a power analysis. During the analysis, a t-test (Means: the difference between two dependent means, matched pairs) was used. The effect size, alpha, and power chosen were 0.5, 0.05, and 0.95. The values gave a sample size of 45. This sample size will be sufficient to determine the effect of the intervention.

The sample size may have a substantial impact on the validity of the project. Too large samples are unethical and unnecessary, while too small samples are unethical and unscientific. The sample size should be at least 80% certain of identifying a statistically significant if hypothesis is true when the statistical significance is set at 0.05. A lower value makes the sample size too large, making the study more difficult and expansive to conduct, hence affecting validity since it transforms small differences into statistically significant differences (Andrade, 2020).

The sampling method used in the project is strategic purposeful sampling. This is a type of sampling where the researcher selects samples from the overall sample size based on their judgment. The convenient sampling method has been widely used. It is a non-probability method where participants are chosen based on their willingness to participate and availability (Stratton, 2021). Comparatively, there are other methods, such as quota sampling, where interviewers are given subject quotas, and purposive sampling which depends on the researcher’s judgment in choosing whom to ask to take part. Snowball sampling is another sampling method where the researcher askes the research subjects to nominate additional subjects known to them, hence increasing the sample size (Parker et al.,2019). It is applied when the sampling frame is difficult to identify.

References

Andrade, C. (2020). Sample size and its importance in research. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 42(1), 102–103. https://doi.org/10.4103%2FIJPSYM.IJPSYM_504_19