When should I use confidence intervals?

When should I use confidence intervals in my data analysis?

You should use confidence intervals when you want to estimate a population parameter and quantify the uncertainty of that estimate.

Can you give me an example of how to calculate a confidence interval?

Sure! For a sample mean, you can calculate a confidence interval using the formula: CI = ar{x} ± z*(σ/√n), where

• bar{x} is the sample mean,
• z is the z-score for your desired confidence level,
• σ is the standard deviation, and
• n is the sample size.

What confidence level should I choose?

Common confidence levels are 90%, 95%, and 99%. A 95% confidence level is widely used in research.

Are there situations where confidence intervals are not appropriate?

Yes, confidence intervals may not be appropriate for small sample sizes or when the data does not meet the assumptions of normality.