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Describing and estimating: use and abuse of standard deviations and standard errors
1Department of Management, University of St Andrews, Fife.
Hospital Medicine (London, England : 1998)
|August 29, 1998
Summary
Researchers often confuse standard deviation (SD) and standard error (SE). This article clarifies that SD describes study subjects, while SE estimates the precision of findings extrapolated to other groups.
Area of Science:
- Biostatistics
- Scientific Communication
Background:
- Summarizing research data with means and standard deviations (SDs) is common.
- Many studies also report means and standard errors (SEs).
- Inconsistent and confusing use of SDs and SEs is prevalent in published reports.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify the distinct meanings of standard deviation and standard error.
- To outline the appropriate applications for both SD and SE in research reporting.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual clarification of statistical measures.
- Review of common practices in scientific data presentation.
Main Results:
- Standard deviation (SD) is appropriate for describing the variability within the study sample.
- Standard error (SE) is used to estimate the precision of sample findings when generalizing to a larger population.
Conclusions:
- Properly distinguishing between SD and SE enhances clarity in research reporting.
- Accurate use of these measures ensures appropriate interpretation of study findings.