Every measurement has error — good scientists report it.
No measurement is perfect. A ruler, a scale, a sensor — each has a limit to how precise it is. Mature STEM thinking means reporting that uncertainty instead of pretending it isn't there.
- Precision vs. accuracy. Precise = repeatable. Accurate = close to the true value. You can be precisely wrong (a scale that always reads 2 kg high).
- Repeat measurements. One reading can be a fluke; several reveal the real pattern.
- Evidence over opinion. A claim backed by reproducible measurements beats a confident voice every time.
This is why scientists write down how they measured, not just the number — so others can check.