Menu location: Analysis_Sample Size_Unpaired t.
This function gives you the minimum number of experimental subjects needed to detect a true difference DELTA in population means with power POWER and two sided type I error probability ALPHA (Dupont, 1990; Pearson and Hartley, 1970).
Information required
POWER: probability of detecting a true effect
ALPHA : probability of detecting a false effect (two sided: double this if you need one sided)
DELTA : difference in population means
SD : estimated standard deviation for within group differences
M : number of control subjects per experimental subject
Practical issues
Usual values for POWER are 80%, 85% and 90%; try several in order to explore/scope.
5% is the usual choice for ALPHA.
SD is usually estimated from previous studies.
If possible, choose a range of differences between means that you want have the statistical power to detect.
Technical validation
The estimated sample size n is calculated as the solution of:
- where d = delta/sd, a = alpha, b = 1 - power and tv,p is a Student t quantile with v degrees of freedom and probability p. n is rounded up to the closest integer.