Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Uncertainty in Measurement: Accuracy and Precision03:37

Uncertainty in Measurement: Accuracy and Precision

Scientists typically make repeated measurements of a quantity to ensure the quality of their findings and to evaluate both the precision and the accuracy of their results. Measurements are said to be precise if they yield very similar results when repeated in the same manner. A measurement is considered accurate if it yields a result that is very close to the true or the accepted value. Precise values agree with each other; accurate values agree with a true value.
Significant Figures in Calculations00:58

Significant Figures in Calculations

Uncertainty in measurements can be avoided by reporting the results of a calculation with the correct number of significant figures. This can be determined by the following rules for rounding numbers:
Uncertainty: Overview00:59

Uncertainty: Overview

In analytical chemistry, we often perform repetitive measurements to detect and minimize inaccuracies caused by both determinate and indeterminate errors. Despite the cares we take, the presence of random errors means that repeated measurements almost never have exactly the same magnitude. The collective difference between these measurements - observed values - and the estimated or expected value is called uncertainty. Uncertainty is conventionally written after the estimated or expected value.
Propagation of Uncertainty from Random Error00:59

Propagation of Uncertainty from Random Error

An experiment often consists of more than a single step. In this case, measurements at each step give rise to uncertainty. Because the measurements occur in successive steps, the uncertainty in one step necessarily contributes to that in the subsequent step. As we perform statistical analysis on these types of experiments, we must learn to account for the propagation of uncertainty from one step to the next. The propagation of uncertainty depends on the type of arithmetic operation performed on...
Propagation of Uncertainty from Systematic Error01:10

Propagation of Uncertainty from Systematic Error

The atomic mass of an element varies due to the relative ratio of its isotopes. A sample's relative proportion of oxygen isotopes influences its average atomic mass. For instance, if we were to measure the atomic mass of oxygen from a sample, the mass would be a weighted average of the isotopic masses of oxygen in that sample. Since a single sample is not likely to perfectly reflect the true atomic mass of oxygen for all the molecules of oxygen on Earth, the mass we obtain from this particular...
Uncertainty: Confidence Intervals00:54

Uncertainty: Confidence Intervals

The confidence interval is the range of values around the mean that contains the true mean. It is expressed as a probability percentage. The interpretation of a 95% confidence interval, for instance, is that the statistician is 95% confident that the true mean falls within the interval. The upper and lower limits of this range are known as confidence limits. The confidence limits for the true mean are estimated from the sample's mean, the standard deviation, and the statistical factor 't,' or...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

ctDNA-guided immunotherapy following radical cystectomy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer: results from the TOMBOLA trial.

Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·2026
Same author

Correction to: Effects of neonicotinoids and fipronil on non-target invertebrates.

Environmental science and pollution research international·2025
Same author

Batch vs. continuous direct compression - a comparison of material processability and final tablet quality.

International journal of pharmaceutics: X·2024
Same author

Impact of comorbidity on renal cell carcinoma prognosis: a nationwide cohort study.

Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden)·2021
Same author

The association between glucose variability and mortality.

The Netherlands journal of medicine·2017
Same author

[Should every doctor be allowed to use ultrasound? Dilemmas surrounding broad application of ultrasound in clinical practice].

Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde·2017

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 22, 2026

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat
11:18

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat

Published on: September 12, 2014

A guidance for assessing and communicating uncertainties.

P H M Janssen1, A C Petersen, J P van der Sluijs

  • 1Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (RIVM/MNP), Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Peter.Janssen@rivm.nl

Water Science and Technology : a Journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research
|November 25, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Government agencies need better guidance for assessing and communicating environmental uncertainties throughout the entire assessment process. This study highlights a guidance system developed by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (RIVM/MNP).

More Related Videos

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations
09:07

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations

Published on: September 16, 2015

Split Point Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification of Thermal-Optical Organic/Elemental Carbon Measurements
10:22

Split Point Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification of Thermal-Optical Organic/Elemental Carbon Measurements

Published on: September 7, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 22, 2026

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat
11:18

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat

Published on: September 12, 2014

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations
09:07

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations

Published on: September 16, 2015

Split Point Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification of Thermal-Optical Organic/Elemental Carbon Measurements
10:22

Split Point Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification of Thermal-Optical Organic/Elemental Carbon Measurements

Published on: September 7, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Environmental science
  • Policy analysis
  • Risk communication

Background:

  • Governmental agencies require robust methods for assessing and communicating environmental uncertainties to inform policy and the public.
  • Current practices often focus narrowly on quantitative uncertainty in model outputs, neglecting the broader assessment lifecycle.
  • Effective science-policy communication necessitates addressing uncertainty from problem formulation to final reporting.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and present a comprehensive guidance system for assessing and communicating uncertainties in environmental assessments.
  • To illustrate the development, structure, and content of this guidance system using a specific case study.
  • To identify critical conditions for the successful implementation of such a guidance system.

Main Methods:

  • Case study analysis of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (RIVM/MNP).
  • Development of a structured guidance system for uncertainty assessment and communication.
  • Exploration of the entire environmental assessment process, from problem framing to reporting.

Main Results:

  • A detailed guidance system for uncertainty management in environmental assessments has been developed.
  • The RIVM/MNP case demonstrates the practical application and structure of the guidance.
  • Key factors for successful implementation, including stakeholder engagement and adaptive management, were identified.

Conclusions:

  • A holistic approach to uncertainty assessment and communication is crucial for effective science-policy interfaces.
  • The developed guidance system provides a framework for improving environmental assessments and public communication.
  • Further research should focus on refining uncertainty communication strategies and evaluating the long-term impact of guidance systems.