Accuracy vs. Precision & Description vs. Explanation

Accuracy Accuracy is a description of how close a measurement is to an accepted value. Ex: I go to the grocery store and I predict that my total will be $39.25. My Fiancé predicts that the total will be $22.65. When the cashier is done, the final total is actually $39.27. Who was more accurate? Me or my hubby to be? Me! --- *Of course!* ( I should totally be on the price is right)

Precision Precision is a description of how similar or close measurements are to each other. Ex: Miss. Schmidt and I are playing “Pin the Tail on the Donkey”. I get 5 turns and she gets 5 turns. I put my blind fold on and pin the tail where I think it should go. I repeat this 5 times total. Then she gets to do the same thing. All of my tails end up in the middle of the donkey’s forehead. All of her tails end up in the upper right hand corner or the board. Are either of us accurate? No, neither of us are accurate because neither of us were able to pin the tail on the butt. Are either of us precise? Yes, we are both precise since all of our own tails ended up in the same place each time.

Descriptions A description is a spoken or written summary of observations. It may include information such as: Observations using your 5 senses Observations that use numbers (quantitative) Observations that use comparisons (qualitative)

Let’s Describe this picture The fat adult grey squirrel, with pointy ears and evil eyes, has 6 large acorns, and is eating one of them.

Explanations An explanation is an interpretation of observations. This tells us WHY something is happening. This is happening because… When you describe something, you are reporting what you are observing.

Let’s Explain this picture The fat adult grey squirrel, with pointy ears and evil eyes, has 6 large acorns. He is trying to eat them all right now because he is greedy and doesn’t want to share with his younger brother.