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Power Analysis and Sample Size Planning - Online Course

A 4-Week On-Demand Seminar Taught by

Christopher L. Aberson
Course Dates: Ask about upcoming dates
Schedule:

Each Monday you will receive an email with instructions for the following week.

All course materials are available 24 hours a day. Materials will be accessible for an additional 2 weeks after the official close on April 1.

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Statistical power analysis addresses the question “How large a sample do I need?” Alternatively, sample size may be determined by other factors (e.g., cost), and researchers then need to determine how much power the design affords for detecting effects of various sizes (sensitivity). Although many tools exist for calculating power and sample size for simple designs, these tasks can become quite daunting for more complex situations (e.g., designs with multiple predictor variables or mediation and moderation).

This seminar focuses on power for detecting effects across a wide range of research designs. It begins with a discussion of basic theoretical issues, such as why power is important and factors affecting power. The course then moves on to examine and demonstrate power and sensitivity approaches for designs that include t-tests, chi-square, multiple regression, logistic regression, ANOVA (between, within, and mixed designs), and mediation.

The course takes place in a series of four weekly installments of videos, readings, and assignments, and requires about 6-8 hours/week. You can participate at your own convenience; there are no set times when you are required to be online. The course can be accessed with any recent web browser on almost any platform, including iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. It consists of 12 modules:

    1. Introduction to power
    2. Best practices/chi-square
    3. T-tests and one-way ANOVA
    4. Simple effects, ANCOVA, correlations
    5. Multiple regression
    6. Power to detect multiple coefficients in the same MR, additional factors affecting power
    7. Regression interactions, logistic regression
    8. Mediation, conditional processes
    9. Simulation intro
    10. Simulations for MR and confirmatory factor analysis
    11. Simulations for SEM and MLM, equivalence tests, loops, best practices
    12. Pitfalls, reporting guidelines

The modules contain videos of the 3-day livestream version of the course in its entirety. There are also weekly exercises that ask you to apply what you’ve learned to a real data set.

Each week, there are 2-3 assigned articles to read. There is also an online discussion forum where you can post questions or comments about any aspect of the course. All questions will be promptly answered by Dr. Aberson.

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"...it gave me the tools needed to do power analysis for just about any analysis I'd need."

“The seminar was very practical, and also flexible — it gave me the tools needed to do power analysis for just about any analysis I’d need. I liked that the prof was realistic — he acknowledged that sometimes there are practical limits on sample size (thank you!), and provided guidance for how to handle such instances. I liked the sample write-ups, and tips on how to write things up properly.”

Diane Holmberg

Acadia University

“I liked that this course was oriented towards practice with a lot of examples with codes."

“I liked that this course was oriented towards practice with a lot of examples with codes. I appreciated that it was accessible without requirements of high skills in maths or statistics.” 

Thomas Charreau

Unisanté 

“I really appreciated the practical R code."

“I really appreciated the practical R code. Also, the discussion on how to write the power section for grant proposals was excellent. Overall, I learned a lot and will use the material.”

Tricia Johnson

Rush University

“Dr. Aberson is undoubtedly a comprehensive expert on the topic of power analysis."

“Dr. Aberson is an awesome instructor and undoubtedly a comprehensive expert on the topic of power analysis. He also has a nice and friendly teaching manner so students can be well engaged. The content provided allows researchers of all levels to immediately start applying what was learned to their own work. Strongly recommend Dr. Aberson!”

Yanchen Zhang

The University of Iowa

“The professor made the material accessible..."

“The professor made the material accessible and was very responsive to questions.”

 

Ezra Fishman

National Committee for Quality Assurance