DIRE DAWA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

MASTERS OF LOGISTIC AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

WEEKEND PROGRAM 2015 E.C

COURSE NAME: - RESEARCH METHOD

COURSE CODE: - LSCM 6061

NAME: - NATINAEL GETACHEW DEMISE

ID: - DDU1500306 .

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT II

SUBMITTED TO: INSTRUCTOR EYUEL E. (ASST.PROF)

Dire Dawa, ETHIOPIA

October 27, 2023

Table of Contents

1. Write about sample size determination process...........................................................................................1

Sample size determination process several techniques...............................................................................1

Using experience.................................................................................................................................1

Using a target variance.......................................................................................................................1

Using a confidence level....................................................................................................................1

Using a target for the power..............................................................................................................1

Sample size determination in quantitative studies.......................................................................................2

Sample size determination in qualitative studies............................................................................................3

2. Write about Scales of Measurement..............................................................................................................4

Properties of Measurement (UNSW,2020)...................................................................................................4

Nominal scale...................................................................................................................................................4

Characteristics of Nominal Scale......................................................................................................4

Ordinal scale.....................................................................................................................................................5

Characteristics of the Ordinal Scale..................................................................................................5

Interval scale....................................................................................................................................................5

Characteristics of Interval Scale:......................................................................................................5

Ratio scale........................................................................................................................................................6

Characteristics of Ratio Scale:...........................................................................................................6

Reference....................................................................................................................................................................... 7

RESEARCH METHOD INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT II Page i

1. Write about sample size determination process
Sample size determination is the process of figuring out how many people or things you need
to include in your study. This helps make sure that your results are accurate and can be
applied to a larger group. It's like making sure you have enough ingredients for a recipe
before you start cooking. To do this, researchers use math and statistics to calculate the ideal
number of participants based on factors such as the size of the population being studied and
the desired level of precision. By determining the appropriate sample size, researchers can
increase the likelihood of getting meaningful results while minimizing waste and expense.
The sample size is selected based on demographics such as age, gender, physical location,
income level and occupation based so that sample achieves represents the entire study
population.

In practice, the sample size is usually determined based on the cost, time or convenience of
collecting the data and the need for it to offer sufficient statistical power. But if the sample
size is too small, it will not yield valid results or adequately represent the realities of the
population being studied. On the other hand, larger sample size yield smaller margins of
error, increase precision and are more representative, a sample size that is too large may
significantly increase the cost and time taken to conduct the research (Frankline,2021).

Sample size determination process several techniques

Using experience: small samples, through sometimes unavoidable, can result in wide
confidence intervals and risk of errors in statistical hypothesis testing.

Using a target variance: for an estimate to be derived from the sample eventually obtained,
i.e. if a high precision is required (narrow confidence interval) this translates to a low target
variance of the estimator.

Using a confidence level, i.e. the larger the required confidence level, the larger the sample
size (given a constant precision requirement)

Using a target for the power of a statistical test to be applied once the sample is collected.

There are different factors to estimate sample size; -

1. The effect size (usually the difference between 2 groups)

2. The population standard deviation (for continuous data)
3. The desired power of the experiment to detect the postulated effect and
4. The significance level

From the above four factors the first two factors are unique to the particular experiment
whereas the last two are generally fixed by convention. The magnitude of the effect the
investigator wishes to detect must be stated quantitatively, and an estimate of the population
standard deviation of the variable of interest must be available from a pilot study, from data
obtained via a previous experiment in the investigator’s laboratory, or from the scientific
literature (Ralph B.,2021).

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where, N = Population size,
Z = Critical value of the normal distribution at the required confidence level,
p = Sample proportion,
e = Margin of error
Sample size determination in quantitative studies

When the study is designed to find a difference or an association, you may not find a
difference or an association. In this case, we still want to calculate statistical probability that
we may have missed a difference or an association that exists in the population, but was not
found in the sample. This so-called statistical power of the study depends also on the size of
the sample. The larger the sample size, the higher the power of the study. For calculating
sample size before the study begins, the researchers have to make a decision on the level of
statistical power they are willing to accept for the study. Traditionally, most studies set a
power of 80% (Abiy Zegeye et al.,2009).

The effect size in a study refers to the actual size of the difference observed between groups
or the strength of relationships between variables. The likelihood that a study will be able to
detect an association between the variables depends on the magnitude of the association you
decide to look for. Large sample sizes are needed to detect small differences. The choice of
effect size is difficult and arbitrary, but it must be set beforehand and must make a
meaningful difference. In designing a study, the researcher chooses the size of effect that is
considered important (Abiy Zegeye et al.,2009).

For Cross sectional studies/surve For case control studies

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Sample size determination in qualitative studies

There are no fixed rules for sample size in qualitative research. The size of the sample
depends on what you try to find out, and from what different informants or perspectives you
try to find that out. You can start with two or four Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)
depending on the complexity of the research objectives. If the different data sets reconfirm
each other you may stop at this point; otherwise you conduct one or two FGDs more till you
reach the point of redundancy, i.e. no new data comes up any more. In exploratory studies,
the sample size is therefore estimated beforehand as precisely as possible, but not determined.
Richness of the data and analytical capability of the researcher determine the validity and
meaningfulness of qualitative data more than sample size (Abiy Zegeye et al.,2009). Still,
sampling procedures and sample size should always be carefully explained in order to avoid
the allusion of haphazardness.

For case control studies For Cross sectional studies/surve

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2. Write about Scales of Measurement
Scales of measurements are tools that scientists and researchers use to figure out how much
of something they're dealing with. It's kind of like using a ruler to measure the length of an
object, but instead, you're measuring things like weight, temperature, or volume. There are
different scales for each type of measurement, which can be tricky to keep track of
sometimes. But by using these scales, we can make sense of the world around us and
understand it better. . The properties evaluated are identity, magnitude, equal intervals, and a
minimum value of zero (JU’S,2022).

Properties of Measurement (UNSW,2020)

 Identity refers to each value having a unique meaning.
 Magnitude the values have an ordered relationship to one another, so there is a
specific order to the variables
 Equal intervals a data points along the scale are equal, so that difference between data
points one and two will be the same as the difference between data points seven and
eight
 A minimum value of zero the scale has a true zero point

Psychologist Stanley Stevens developed the four common scales of measurement :nominal,
ordinal, interval and ratio. By understanding the scale of the measurement of data, data
scientists can determine the kind of statistical test to perform. Each scale of measurement has
properties that determine how to properly analyses the data.

A) Nominal scale

This scale is used for categorical data, which means it categorizes data into groups or
categories. For example, gender or eye color would be considered nominal data.

Characteristics of Nominal Scale

 A nominal scale variable is classified into two or more categories. In this

measurement mechanism, the answer should fall into either of the classes.
 It is qualitative. The numbers are used here to identify the objects.
 The numbers don’t define the object characteristics. The only permissible aspect of
numbers in the nominal scale is “counting.”
 The only statistical analysis that can be performed on a nominal scale is the
percentage or frequency count. It can be analyzed graphically using a bar chart and
pie chart.

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 B) Ordinal scale

This scale measures variables with ordered categories. This means that there is a clear
ranking order among the categories. An example of this could be education level, where
someone with a high school diploma would rank lower than someone with a bachelor's
degree.

Characteristics of the Ordinal Scale

 The ordinal scale shows the relative ranking of the variables

 It identifies and describes the magnitude of a variable
 Along with the information provided by the nominal scale, ordinal scales give the
rankings of those variables
 The interval properties are not known
 The surveyors can quickly analyses the degree of agreement concerning the identified
order of variables
 The best way to determine central tendency on a set of ordinal data is to use the mode
or median; a purist will tell you that the mean cannot be defined from an ordinal set.
 Ordinal data analysis can be presented in tabular or graphical formats for a researcher
to conduct a convenient analysis of collected data. Also, methods such as Mann-
Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis H test can also be used to analyze ordinal data.
These methods are generally implemented to compare two or more ordinal groups.

C) Interval scale

It is defined as a quantitative measurement scale in which the difference between the two
variables is meaningful. In other words, the variables are measured in an exact manner,
not as in a relative way in which the presence of zero is arbitrary. Example A common
example is measuring temperature on the Fahrenheit scale

Characteristics of Interval Scale:

 The interval scale is quantitative as it can quantify the difference between the values
 It allows calculating the mean and median of the variables
 To understand the difference between the variables, you can subtract the values
between the variables
 The interval scale is the preferred scale in Statistics as it helps to assign any numerical
values to arbitrary assessment such as feelings, calendar types, etc.
 Interval data analysis all the techniques applicable to nominal and ordinal data
analysis are applicable to interval data as well. Apart from those techniques, there are
a few analysis methods such as descriptive statistics, correlation regression analysis
which is extensively for analyzing interval data.

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 D) Ratio scale

The ratio scale is measurement scale, which is quantitative. It is a type of variable

measurement scale. It allows researchers to compare the differences or intervals. The ratio
scale has a unique feature. It possesses the character of the origin or zero points.
Examples of ratio scales include, weight, length, income, expenditure and others. In each
there is a concept of zero income, zero weight, etc. Since ratio scales represent a
refinement of interval scales, generally these scales are not distinguished and both the
terms are used inter-changeably.

Characteristics of Ratio Scale:

 Ratio scale has a feature of absolute zero

 It doesn’t have negative numbers, because of its zero-point feature
 It affords unique opportunities for statistical analysis. The variables can be orderly
added, subtracted, multiplied, divided. Mean, median, and mode can be calculated
using the ratio scale.
 Ratio scale has unique and useful properties. One such feature is that it allows unit
conversions like kilogram – calories, gram – calories, etc.
 Ratio Data Analysis all quantitative analysis techniques such as SWOT, TURF,
Cross-tabulation, conjoint, etc. can be used to calculate ratio data. While some
techniques such as SWOT and TURF will analyze ratio data in such a manner that
researchers can create roadmaps of how to improve products or services and cross
tabulation will be useful in understanding whether new features will be helpful to the
target market or not.

Understanding these scales of measurement is crucial in conducting accurate and

meaningful research. By using the appropriate scale for each variable being measured,
researchers can ensure their findings are valid.

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Reference
 Abiy Zegeye, Alemayehu Worku, Daniel Tefera, Melese Getu, and Yilma Sileshi.
(2009) Introduction to research methods, Addis Ababa University graduate programs.
 Fourmplus. (2022). Types of data measurement scales in research.
https://www.formpl.us/blog/measurement-scale-type
 Frankline Kibuacha. (2021) how to determine sample size for a research study
https://www.geopoll.com/blog/sample-size-research/
 JU’S. (2022). Scales of measurement. https://byjus.com/maths/scales-of-
measurement/
 Ralph B. Dell, Steve Holleran, and Rajasekhar Ramakrishnan. (2021). Sample size
Determinations. PubMed Central, vol.44, pag. 239 doi: 10.1093/ilar.43.4.207
 UNSW. (2020). Types of data and the scales of measurement. Sydney
https://studyonline.unsw.edu.au/blog/types-of-data

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