Western Governors University (WGU) HCM3410 C431 Healthcare Research and Statistics Practice Exam

A confidence interval represents an estimated range of values that is likely to include the true population parameter, such as the mean, with a specified level of confidence. When researchers calculate a confidence interval, they typically express it as a range (e.g., from 45 to 55), which reflects the uncertainty inherent in sample data. The width of the interval gives an indication of the precision of the estimate: narrower intervals suggest more precision, while wider intervals indicate more uncertainty. The confidence level (often set at 95% or 99%) signifies how confident we are that this range contains the true parameter value.

This concept is foundational in statistics, as it helps researchers convey the reliability of their estimates and the inherent variability in their data. A confidence interval allows researchers to make informed conclusions about a population based on sample data, guiding decision-making processes in healthcare and other fields.