What is a key characteristic of a robust sample size?

A key characteristic of a robust sample size is that it must be large and representative of the population. A large sample size helps ensure that the findings from the sample are more likely to reflect the true characteristics and behaviors of the entire population, thereby increasing the accuracy and reliability of the results. When a sample is representative, it includes diverse individuals that mirror the demographics of the population, such as age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. This alignment reduces the risk of bias, allowing researchers to generalize findings more safely to the broader population.

Choosing a sample that is simply large without representation may lead to skewed results, as it might over-represent certain groups while under-representing others. Similarly, small and focused samples may not capture the variability necessary to draw meaningful conclusions from the data. Randomness without representation may lead to significant sampling errors that undermine the validity of the study. Therefore, a robust sample size combines both quantity and representativeness.