A guide to sample size for animal-based studies / Penny S. Reynolds.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"How large a sample size do I need for my study"? Although one of the most commonly-asked questions in statistics, the importance of proper sample size estimation seems to be overlooked by many preclinical researchers. Over the past two decades, numerous reviews of the published literature indicate many studies are too small to answer the research question and results are too unreliable to be trusted. Few published studies present adequate justification of their chosen sample sizes, or even report the total number of animals used. On the other hand, it is not unusual for protocols (usually those involving mouse models) to request preposterous numbers of animals, sometimes in the tens or even hundreds of thousands, "because this is an exploratory study, so it is unknown how many animals we will require"-- Provided by publisher.

About the Author
Penny S. Reynolds, PhD, is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, and Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, USA.