Talk:Random error

Creating the page
There was no page in Wikipedia that discussed this topic. This page redirected to errors and residuals in statistics, in which the word "random" is never used. I started a stub that I won't be able to complete. But I think that a stub is better than the actual situation. Paolo.dL (talk) 18:16, 9 August 2008 (UTC)

Classifications?
Going by definitions that:

Random errors arise from uncontrollable variables

Systematic errors arise from controllable variables

As per Random error, "Random error is caused by unpredictable fluctuations in the readings of a measurement apparatus, or in the experimenter's interpretation of the instrumental reading; these fluctuations may be in part due to interference of the environment with the measurement process."

I argue that most of the experimenter's interpretation can be corrected by experimental design so that only unpredictable fluctuations in the environment/instrument are left to be classified as random error. Further, this means that air pressure changes when weighing, etc. .. are classified as systematic errors because they are controllable within sufficient reason.

Strictly unpredictable and uncontrollable errors should be classified as random errors.

M.lee.wise (talk) 19:04, 17 January 2011 (UTC)