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G*Power Sample Size Justification Writer: A Priori Power Analysis Settings by Test Family, Effect Size from Prior Studies or a Smallest Effect of Interest, Attrition Inflation, and a Methods Paragraph
Plan and document the sample size for a thesis, grant, preregistration, or IRB protocol: pick the right G*Power test family and statistical test, derive the effect size from a prior study or a smallest effect size of interest, enter the exact a priori settings, inflate for attrition, and write the justification paragraph reviewers expect.
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Prompt
Act as a research methodologist who runs a priori power analyses in G*Power 3.1 for graduate students, grant writers, and IRB submissions, and who knows that reviewers reject sample size sections that pick d = 0.5 without saying where it came from. Inputs: - Study design and the primary analysis exactly as planned (groups, repeated measures, covariates, test): [StudyDesign] - Primary outcome and how it is measured: [PrimaryOutcome] - Effect size sources: prior study statistics (means, SDs, n, t or F values), meta analysis estimates, or a smallest effect size of interest with its rationale: [EffectSizeEvidence] - Alpha, desired power, one or two tailed, and any correction for multiple primary outcomes: [ErrorRates] - Expected attrition or exclusion rate and why: [Attrition] - Who will read this (thesis committee, NIH or NSF reviewers, IRB, preregistration on OSF): [Audience] - Output format: [Format] Generate: 1. The analysis mapping: the G*Power Test family, Statistical test, and Type of power analysis (A priori) that match the planned primary analysis, and a warning if the planned analysis differs from what G*Power can model exactly. 2. Effect size derivation from EffectSizeEvidence with every step shown: pooled SD and Cohen's d from means and SDs, d from t and group sizes, f from eta squared, or the conversion the test requires. Apply a small sample bias correction (Hedges g) when the source n is small and say whether the result is likely inflated. 3. A recommended effect size with reasoning, preferring a smallest effect size of interest or a meta analytic estimate over a single small pilot. 4. The G*Power input panel exactly as the user will type it (Tails, Effect size, alpha err prob, Power, Allocation ratio or number of groups and measurements), and the output fields to copy back: noncentrality parameter, critical value, df, sample sizes, actual power. 5. A sensitivity line: the sample needed for one larger and one smaller plausible effect size, so the committee sees how much the choice matters. 6. Attrition inflation: required n divided by (1 minus expected loss), rounded up to whole participants and balanced across groups. 7. A methods section paragraph for Audience that states the test, every input, the effect size source, the resulting n, the inflated recruitment target, and the software version. Constraints: - Do not report G*Power outputs as final until the user pastes the actual output; mark computed values as expected output to verify. - Do not justify an effect size with Cohen's small, medium, large labels alone. - If the design needs simulation (multilevel, complex mixed models), say so instead of forcing a G*Power test. No em dashes.
Instructions
Replace every [bracket] with your details before running. Works on ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
Generated Output
This image was generated using the prompt above.

Examples
Example Input
StudyDesign: randomized two group trial, brief retrieval practice workshop vs control reading session; primary analysis independent samples t test on final exam score PrimaryOutcome: final exam score out of 50, course common exam EffectSizeEvidence: prior study at another campus, intervention M = 24.1, SD = 7.2, n = 40; control M = 20.3, SD = 7.8, n = 40. Department says a 3 point difference (about 0.4 SD) is the smallest worth acting on ErrorRates: alpha .05 two tailed, power .80, one primary outcome Attrition: 15 percent, based on students who drop before the final in this course Audience: IRB protocol and dissertation proposal Format: steps, G*Power panel, paragraph
Example Output
1. Analysis mapping Test family: t tests Statistical test: Means: Difference between two independent means (two groups) Type of power analysis: A priori: Compute required sample size, given alpha, power, and effect size 2. Effect size from the prior study Pooled SD = sqrt((7.2^2 + 7.8^2) / 2) = sqrt((51.84 + 60.84) / 2) = sqrt(56.34) = 7.51 (equal n, so the simple average of variances is exact) d = (24.1 minus 20.3) / 7.51 = 3.8 / 7.51 = 0.51 Hedges correction: J = 1 minus 3 / (4 x 78 minus 1) = 1 minus 3/311 = 0.990, so g = 0.50 One study of 80 students at a different campus is likely to overstate the effect a little, since published single studies tend to. 3. Recommended effect size Use the smallest effect size of interest: 3 points. With an SD near 7.5, d = 3 / 7.5 = 0.40. This protects the study if the true effect is smaller than the prior study suggests and matches what the department would act on. 4. G*Power input (expected output to verify) Input: Tail(s) Two | Effect size d 0.40 | alpha err prob 0.05 | Power (1 minus beta err prob) 0.80 | Allocation ratio N2/N1 1 Expected output: Noncentrality parameter delta 2.83 | Critical t 1.972 | Df 198 | Sample size group 1 100 | Sample size group 2 100 | Total sample size 200 | Actual power 0.804 Paste your G*Power output so these can be confirmed before the protocol is filed. 5. Sensitivity d = 0.50 (prior study): 64 per group, total 128, actual power 0.801 d = 0.40 (smallest effect of interest): 100 per group, total 200 The choice moves the target by 72 students, which is why the justification matters. 6. Attrition 200 / (1 minus 0.15) = 235.3, round up to 236, balanced to 118 per group. 7. Methods paragraph Sample size was determined a priori in G*Power 3.1 for an independent samples t test (two tailed, alpha = .05, power = .80, equal allocation). We powered the study for the smallest effect size of interest, a 3 point difference on the 50 point common final exam, which the department identified as the smallest difference that would change practice. Using the pooled SD of 7.51 from a prior study of the same intervention (n = 80), this corresponds to d = 0.40; the prior study itself showed d = 0.51 (Hedges g = 0.50). The analysis indicated 100 participants per group (N = 200). To allow for 15 percent attrition, based on course drop rates before the final exam, we will recruit 236 students (118 per condition).