Wikipedia:Today's featured article/October 19, 2004

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The top graph depicts probability densities that the "true" percentage is in a particular region; the bottom shows the margin of error
The top graph depicts probability densities that the "true" percentage is in a particular region; the bottom shows the margin of error

The margin of error is an expression of the extent to which a poll's reported percentages would vary if the same poll were taken multiple times. The larger the margin of error, the less confidence one has that the poll's reported percentages are close to the "true" percentages, i.e. the percentages in the whole population. The margin of error can be calculated directly from the sample size (the number of poll respondents) and may be reported at different levels of confidence – the 99 percent level is more conservative, while the 95 percent level is more common. (more...)

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