Scientific Measurement and Reporting

Whenever a measurement is made and the result noted, it is important that a realistic estimate of the accuracy of that measurement is also recorded. In general terms, if a measurement to a high degree of accuracy is required, it takes a long time to make and often requires expensive and delicate equipment. In many situations a very high degree of accuracy is unnecessary and a measurement may be taken more quickly, easily and cheaply but it is essential to indicate what degree of accuracy was aimed for. If you do not, there is a real danger that at some time in the future, someone may assume that your rough approximation was an accurate result, and, basing some calculation on this misconception, claim some result that is quite unjustified.