Numbers and measures

Standard error

  • Numbers and measures

Definition

A measure of how much a sample average is likely to differ from the true average of the whole population.

Example

A standard deviation of 20 with a sample size of 100 gives a standard error of 2.

For your role

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Why it matters

It shows how much a sample average might differ from the truth.

Where it is used

Survey results, research papers and experiment reports.

How to calculate it

Standard deviation ÷ √sample size

Worked example

A standard deviation of 20 with a sample size of 100 gives a standard error of 2.