Hi all,
Let's assume you want to do an experiment. For the results to be as accurate as possible, you repeat this experiment three times keeping all variables exactly the same (N=3). And each time you repeat the experiment, you take three samples out of each replicate (n=3).
In total, you would have 9 data points (3 for repeat#1, 3 for repeat#2, and 3 for repeat#3). How would you then calculate the standard error of the mean? Many different ways of treating the data come to my mind:
1) Treat all 9 data points as belonging to the same distribution, and thus calculate the standard deviation of the whole 9 data points, and divide it by square root of 9.
2) Treat each replicate as a different distribution. In that case, you would calculate the standard deviation of repeat#1 and divide it by square root of 3; and then proceed to do the same with repeat#2 and repeat#3. And finally, you would calculate the average between the three standard error of the mean to get the "overall" standard error of the mean.
3) Calculate the average of repeat#1, the average of repeat#2 and the average of repeat#3. Then, calculate the standard deviation of those three averages you just calculated, and divide them by square root of 3.
What would be the most correct approach?
Many thanks for your time.
Hi Adrian unfortunately mine is not an answer, but i'm having the same problem...You, did you solve you doubt ? Adrian Dario Juncos Bombin
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