# Best K in K-fold cross validation [duplicate]

I'm using $k$-fold cross validation technique for generating train, test and validation indexes for a neural network. My sample size is 230~700. What is best $k$ for cross validation here. Now I'm using 10-fold cross validation but I think it is too high. What is your idea?

• Have you tried K-K-fold cross validation to determine the best K? – AdamO Sep 2 '14 at 16:58
• No. I used it to have more reliable model (accuracy,sensitivity and specificity) for my classification problem. + this is cost function of an optimization algorithm and i need more reliable average cost. – user2991243 Sep 2 '14 at 17:00
• I'm just kidding. It should just be enough to have confidence there's no uncertainty due to subsample choice. Traditional train-test validation is $k=1$, remember. $k$-fold "kicks in pretty quickly" as far as the $k$ is concerned, in my opinion. Double $k$-fold is not totally uncalled for if you HAVE to know, just do iterative split sample validation in your other $k$ to see how variable those model performance statistics are, but beware of small sample bias issues if you are getting very small $n$s there. – AdamO Sep 2 '14 at 17:09
• Oh. I didn't get that :-D . So what is your opinion for this sample size? Do you think 10-fold is good? + I'm using neural network and when I see the main page in MATLAB, In all neural network designs validation (maximum=6) is stopping the training. – user2991243 Sep 2 '14 at 17:11
• Are you sure that's training? I think most software tends to feedback iterations in the backpropogation, not validation, 6 seems like the case for that. I haven't used matlab. 10fold is almost always fine regardless of sample size. If sample size is an issue, then you should be validating with a bootstrap instead! – AdamO Sep 2 '14 at 17:19