title: Error bars in experimental biology.
abstract: Error bars commonly appear in figures in publications, but experimental biologists are often unsure how they should be used and interpreted. In this article we illustrate some basic features of error bars and explain how they can help communicate data and assist correct interpretation. Error bars may show confidence intervals, standard errors, standard deviations, or other quantities. Different types of error bars give quite different information, and so figure legends must make clear what error bars represent. We suggest eight simple rules to assist with effective use and interpretation of error bars.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science and 2Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3086. g.cumming@latrobe.edu.au
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cumming
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fidler
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Vaux
mesh_terms: D001695:Biology / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003196:Computer Graphics; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D018401:Sample Size