Yamane's Sample Size Formula

If you are at a lost as to how to determine your sample size, I suggest you use Taro Yamane's formula:

n = N /[1+N(e)^2]

where:

n = sample size
N = population size (the universe)
e = sampling error (usually .10, .05 and .01 acceptable error)
^ = raised to the power of



Note:

This particular formula has been called Slovin's formula here in the Philippines but I kind of doubt the attribution.  I still cannot find the actual work of Slovin but Taro Yamane's work is set out clearly in his book referred below (I got a copy but this is already out of print) including the derivations of the formula.  So while a lot of Statisticians here in the Philippines calls this Slovin's formula, I continue to assert that it is Yamane's formula until I can see the actual work of Slovin. 



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Reference

Yamane, Taro. 1967.  Statistics:  An Introductory Analysis, 2nd Edition, New York.  Harper and Row.