How to Write the Participants Section of the Method Chapter: Template and Example

What the participants (sample) section must include - sample size, sampling and recruitment, inclusion and exclusion criteria, demographics in APA format, excluded participants and a demographics table - with a ready template and an example.

Part of the series: How to write the method chapter of an empirical paper

The participants (or "sample") section opens the method chapter. It answers one question: who can the findings be generalised to? The marker reads it to judge whether the sample fits the research question - and whether the numbers here match the tables in the results.

What it must include

1. Sample size - how many took part in total.
2. Sampling and recruitment - convenience, snowball, purposive, random; where and how participants were recruited (social media post, a course, an organisation).
3. Inclusion and exclusion criteria - who could take part and who couldn't, and why.
4. Demographics - age (range, mean and SD), gender, and characteristics that matter for the question (year of study, tenure, family status...).
5. Excluded participants - how many, and why (didn't finish, failed an attention check, outliers).
6. Compensation - if any (course credit, a raffle).
7. Justification of sample size - if you ran a power analysis, here or in the data-analysis section.

Template

Participants were [N] [population], recruited through [recruitment route] ([sampling type]). Inclusion criteria were [...]. A further [n] participants were excluded because [reason]. Ages ranged from [min] to [max] (M = [..], SD = [..]), and [%] were women. [Another relevant characteristic].

Example

Participants were 182 undergraduate social-science students, recruited through a post in student groups on social media (convenience sample). The inclusion criterion was being in the first or second year of study. Of 197 people who started the questionnaire, 11 did not complete it and 4 failed the attention check, and these were excluded. Ages ranged from 19 to 34 (M = 23.8, SD = 2.9), and 71% were women; 64% were in their first year. Participants received one course credit in an introductory course.

Check the arithmetic: 197 − 11 − 4 = 182. The final number is the one in your tables.

When to add a demographics table

With more than 3–4 characteristics, or when comparing groups (e.g. experimental and control), a short table is clearer than a paragraph. When comparing groups, check that they don't differ on background characteristics and report it (e.g. with a t-test or chi-square). Formatting: APA tables and figures.

Writing rules

• Past tense: "participated", "were recruited".
• APA numbers: M and SD in italics; percentages as numerals (71%).
• Respectful language: "participants" rather than "subjects"; "people with diabetes" rather than "diabetics".
• No identifying details - no small institutions, classes or towns that could identify someone.

Common mistakes

• A different N in the participants section, the tables and the abstract.
• Not saying how many were excluded - the marker sees a gap and looks for the explanation.
• "A representative sample" for a convenience sample. Name it honestly and mention the limitation in the discussion.
• Irrelevant demographics in detail, while the characteristics that matter are missing.

FAQ

"Participants" or "sample"? Same section; the name depends on the institution and field. In qualitative research, "interviewees" is also used.

Should I report the median? When age is very skewed (mostly 20-year-olds and a few 60-year-olds) - yes, the median and range describe it better.

Where do I report a power analysis? At the end of the participants section or in the data-analysis section, per department guidelines. See Sample size and power.

What else is in the method chapter? Instruments, procedure and data analysis. The full picture: How to write the method chapter.

Want someone to check your method chapter? Send it to us - we'll check that every number adds up from the method to the tables.

Last updated: 2026-10-01