A Comprehensive Guide to Sample Size for Animal-based Studies

A Guide to Sample Size for Animal-based Studies, authored by Penny S. Reynolds, is a groundbreaking reference that delves into the foundational area of experimental design. Animal-based research, an essential part of basic and preclinical research, poses unique challenges in experimental design, particularly in adhering to the 3Rs – Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement, the principles that form the ethical framework for humane animal-based studies.

This book serves as a valuable resource for researchers navigating the complex design trade-offs necessary to minimize animal use while producing scientifically valid and reliable information. It offers a systematic approach to rightsizing animal-based experiments, with sample size estimates based on the fundamentals of statistical thinking: structured research questions, variation control, and appropriate design of experiments.

A Guide to Sample Size for Animal-based Studies provides step-by-step guidance in diverse methods for approximating and refining sample size. It includes detailed treatment of research topics specific to animal-based research, such as pilot, feasibility, and proof-of-concept studies. Sample size approximation methods for different types of data – binary, continuous, ordinal, time to event – and different study types – description, comparison, nested designs, reference interval construction, and dose-response studies – are also covered.

The book features numerous worked examples, using real data from published papers, along with SAS and R code. This makes it an indispensable reference for preclinical and veterinary researchers, as well as ethical oversight committees and policymakers seeking to ensure that animal-based experiments are planned to produce scientifically valid and reliable results.

With its focus on statistical thinking and the 3Rs, A Guide to Sample Size for Animal-based Studies is a crucial tool for researchers and policymakers working to advance the ethical and scientific standards of animal-based research.

Published by Wiley on August 29, 2023, this book is available in English and offers a comprehensive guide to rightsizing animal-based experiments. It is an essential resource for anyone involved in animal-based research, providing practical guidance and real-world examples to help ensure that experiments are both ethically sound and scientifically rigorous.