Because most of the experimental studies you will do in this course are based on established theories, it is important to know how to do careful measurements. Measurements made by humans (and even some made my machines) are not perfect—there is error involved. In order to fully communicate the results of our experiments, we need to be able to speak intelligibly about precision and accuracy. These terms carry very specific meaning in science, even though many people use them interchangeably.
Error in the experimental setting needs to be kept to a minimum so that the results can be trusted and repeated. In fact, much of what you will do in this course is explore to find out relationships between variables. If your measurements are not accurate and precise, you may not recognize the relationships. With accurate and precise measurements, you can speak to those relationships with confidence.
Question
What types of experimental error might effect the results of an experiment?
Of course, human error is the most common, but there are other kinds of error that are introduced in an experimental setting. Faulty or unreliable equipment is a common source of error. There are also limitations to all instruments used in taking measurements, so you will need to understand those limitations and how to communicate them in your results.
