This book is written as a guide for the presentation of experimental data including a consistent treatment of experimental errors and inaccuracies. It is meant for experimentalists in physics, astronomy, chemistry, life sciences and engineering. However, it can be equally useful for theoreticians who produce simulation data: they are often confronted with statistical data analysis for which the same methods apply as for the analysis of experimental data. The emphasis in this book is on the determination of best estimates for the values and inaccuracies of parameters in a theory, given experimental data. This is the problem area encountered by most physical scientists and engineers. The problem area of experimental design and hypothesis testing – excellently covered by many textbooks – is only touched on but not treated in this book.

The text can be used in education on error analysis, either in conjunction with experimental classes or in separate courses on data analysis and presentation. It is written in such a way – by including examples and exercises – that most students will be able to acquire the necessary knowledge from self study as well. The book is also meant to be kept for later reference in practical applications. For this purpose a set of “data sheets” and a number of useful computer programs are included.

This book consists of parts. Part I contains the main body of the text.