[Web4lib] Wikipedia vs Britannica

[Dan Lester]

The best point made in the article cited below is that a number of the
"errors" on both sides may well be because no one knows the answer for
sure.  We can't go back and ask Mendeleev how many siblings he had and
how many lived.  And does it REALLY matter, even if you're doing a
term paper on him, especially since even the experts aren't sure?

I was taken to task off list for reporting this previously because the
sample size was "far too small to prove anything".  Well, yes, the
sample size was small.  However, it was indicative enough to the editors
of Science to report on.  Also, we have to remember that NO SAMPLE of
ANY SIZE can ever "prove anything", since the sample size only
determines the confidence level.  (are we 95 percent sure that the
answer is right, 99 percent, etc.)

dan


Tuesday, January 3, 2006, 6:16:25 PM, you wrote:

SB> Interesting follow-up from today's New York Times:

SB> http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/03/science/03comm.html 

SB> Bernie Sloan


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Dan Lester, Data Wrangler  dan at RiverOfData.com 208-283-7711
3577 East Pecan, Boise, Idaho  83716-7115 USA
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