Bias, Precision, Total Error

Pat Ellsworth
ITEP
 Bias Error
• How far off, generally in one direction,
your measurement is from the truth
• AKA: Systematic error

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 Quantifying Bias Error

your value - "true" value

BIAS error =
"true" value
• Expressed as percentage (multiply by 100)
If bias error = 0.02, express as 2%

• Bias error can be positive or negative

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 Quantifying Bias Error (cont.)

your value - "true" value

BIAS error =
"true" value
• Find bias error
• True ozone concentration is 80 ppb
• Your measurement is 75 ppb
• What is the bias error?
• Express as %

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Bias Error

What might cause bias error?

 Precision Error

• How well your measurements of the

same thing agree with each other
• AKA: Random error

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 Quantifying Precision Error

Result A - Result B
PRECISION error 
Average (of the two)
• Expressed as percentage
If precision error = 0.02, express as 2%
• Precision error of 2 measurements in
percent form can be called Relative
Percent Difference, or RPD
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Quantifying Precision Error (cont.)

Result A - Result B
PRECISION error =
Average (of the two)
• Find precision error
• First ozone measurement is 95 ppb
• Second ozone measurement is 89 ppb
• What is the precision error?
• What is the relative percent difference
(RPD)?
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Precision Error

What might cause precision error?

 Bias Error & Precision Error:
Examples

Small precision error Large precision error

Large bias error Small bias error (average of hits)

Moderate precision error Small precision error

Large bias error Small bias error
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Accuracy

• How much an observed value

agrees with a reference or standard
value
• Combination of precision error
(random error) and bias error
(systematic error)

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 Total Error

Total Error = (Bias) + (Precision Error)

2 2

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 What does all of this have
to do with me?
• EPA standards for monitoring
• Precision error <10%
• Bias error <10%
• Total Error ≤10% using
measurement against a
standard
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