Name Krishan Bansal

Section Number 101

Session Goals
1. To understand the terms of accuracy and precision.
2. To appreciate the factors impacting a measurements precision and accuracy.

Question 1. [10 pts] Draw three targets in the space below. One the first target, draw X’s to represent
arrows that were fired by an accurate but imprecise archer. On the second target, draw arrows to
represent arrows fired by a precise, but inaccurate archer. On the third, draw X’s to represent arrows
fired by an accurate and precise archer. You may draw your answer on a piece of paper, take a picture
with your phone, email it to yourself and copy paste here if drawing in Word is too time consuming.

Question 2 [10 pts]

Which one of the following shows high precision but low b
accuracy?
Question 3 [5 pts]: Accuracy can be determined by comparing a value measured in an experiment to
A reference A known sample measured with a trusted
or to
machine

Question 4 [5 pts]: T/F Accuracy can be determined by comparing an experimental measurement to

any other secondary measurement.
False

Question 5 [10 pts]: Consider the following scenarios. For each one, think about whether or not you
would assume the primary detection method to be accurate or inaccurate and explain your
reasoning.

Scenario 1: A tympanic temperature measurement is a preferable method to measure infant body

temperature as it is fast and noninvasive. A tympanic thermometer from Walstore measured a fussy
baby’s temperature at 102 F. The manual reports a standard deviation of +/- 1F. To confirm this
reading, the infant’s temperature was measured using a rectal thermometer, the most accurate route
of measure for infant temperature. The results was 98.6 F. Do you think the tympanic reading
accurate? Why or why not? No because when compared to the most accurate method the tympanic
is more than the 1 standard deviation it’s supposed to have.

Scenario 2: Creatinine is a chemical waste molecule generated from muscle metabolism. Mean
serum creatinine level is related to health. The mean serum creatinine level is 0.6 to 1.2 milligrams
(mg) per deciliter (dL) in healthy adult males and 0.5 to 1.1 milligrams per deciliter in healthy adult
females. You measure the mean serum creatinine level in a healthy adult female using a novel
experimental sensor and find a value of 2.2 mg/dL. Do you think the reading is accurate? Why or why
not? No because it’s an entire milligram off from the healthy range and this sensor is experimental so
it’s less trustworthy.

Scenario 3: As published in countless physiology textbooks, internet websites and journal articles, the
core body temperature for healthy adult humans is 98.6 °F. Your sublingual temperature using a
thermistor is 98.8°F. Do you think the reading is accurate? Why or why not?

Yes because the difference is extremely small and my temperature could very well be a little bit
higher than the average.

Question 6 [10 pts]: Let’s return to the heart rate data in Table 1. You would like to conclusively
determine whether the heart rate monitor is accurate.
a) Which type of t-test (1 or 2 tailed, paired or unpaired) should you use to assess the device
accuracy. Paired

b) Your t-test returns a calculated p-value of 0.0006. Are the values collected from the heart
rate monitor significantly different than the values collected via palpation? Does this p-value
indicate that the heart rate monitor is accurate or inaccurate? The p value is very much below
the acceptable .005 p value for this class, so the heart monitor is highly inaccurate.

Question 7 [10 pts]: Which of the graphs above indicate the accuracy of the heart rate monitor vs.
palpation? Choose all that apply. C

Question 8 [10 pts]: What do you think? Once a device is proven accurate, how long does this
determination last? Only for the person that determined the accuracy? For the entire experiment?
For the entire day? For the entire semester? Does accuracy of a DEVICE have to be demonstrated for
each person? You must test for accuracy of the device for every experiment conducted, and it only
applies to people in the same lab under the same conditions.

Question 9 [10 pts]. In which case do you think the data reflect the precision of the assay used to
measure the cell surface expression? In which experiment do you think the data indicate an outlying
value due to experimental, technical or human error? Why do you think so? If the data is across a vast
range it indicates that the assay was likely imprecise, but if the triplicate has an single outlier it is
likely human error.

Question 10 [10 pts]. Read chapter 29 in the book, Experimental Design for Biologists. The PDF is
posted on eLearning. After reading, explain the difference between biological, technical and
experimental replicates.

Biological Replicates: Testing several different subjects in an experiment to get a sense of the
replicability.

Experimental Replicates: Experimenting in a way that shows the probability of the results being
replicated in another test.

Technical Replicates: Taking several samples from the same source material to get an idea of the
replication probability of an experiment.

Question 11 [10 pts.] What about these values generated by a second heart rate monitor? Do they
indicate a precise value? What evidence did you base your answer on? They do not because the range
is very different, but the original monitor is 66 bpm every time it’s used.

Time Heart Rate (BPM)

0-10 seconds 66
11-20 seconds --
21-30 seconds 70
31-40 seconds --
41-59 seconds 62

Question 12 [10 pts]. Examine the measurements below and for each scenario answer whether
precision or “something else” has been quantified. For bonus points, if you answer “something else,”
take a guess at what that something else is (for example “instead of precision of the device, the
subject to subject variance is indicated”).

a. Physiology Group 1 aims to demonstrate the precision of their heart rate monitor. They compare
the Trial 1 heart rate for the four subjects in their group (Trial 1 heart rate for Subject 1 vs. Subject 2
vs. Subject 3 vs. Subject 4). What was indicated? Precision

b. Physiology Group 2 aims to demonstrate the precision of their heart rate monitor. They compare
the three trial mean +/- SD of subject 1 at rest vs. subject 1 post exercise. What was indicated?
Something else

c. Physiology Group 3 aims to demonstrate the precision of their heart rate monitor. They compare
the three trial mean +/- SD of subject 1’s heart rate as determined by palpation vs. Subject 1’s three
trial mean +/- SD heart rate as determined by the heart rate monitor. What was indicated? Something
else

d. Physiology Group 4 aims to demonstrate the precision of their heart rate monitor. They compare
the three trial mean +/- SD of the group’s resting heart rate to that of two other groups. What was
indicated? Precision

e. Physiology Group 5 aims to demonstrate the precision of their heart rate monitor. They compare
Subject 1’s resting heart rate as determined by the heart rate monitor during Trial 1 vs. Trials 2 and 3.
What was indicated? Precision

Question 13 [10 pts]. Which of the graphs above best communicate information about the precision
of the device used to collect the data? Indicate all that apply. A.