Working with Small Samples

In program evaluation and applied research, there are two distinct situations in which small sample sizes are encountered: a planned small sample study (such as a pilot study) or an unplanned small sample that occurs as a result of unanticipated problems with participant enrollment or attrition.

This brief provides recommendations for both situations in the context of program implementation. It also explores how small sample sizes affect approaches to quantitative and qualitative analytical methods and the minimum requirements for each.