Defining Repeatability and Reproducibility
Repeatability refers to the ability to get the same results when an experiment is repeated by the same person, using the same equipment, in the same location. Reproducibility is the ability for an entirely different team to get the same results by following the original experiment's methodology, but using their own equipment and location.
Section 2: Key Distinctions
The core difference lies in the conditions. Repeatability measures the consistency and precision of a specific experimental setup under identical conditions (same operator, same apparatus, same lab). In contrast, reproducibility tests the robustness and general validity of a scientific finding by changing the conditions (different operator, different apparatus, different lab).
Section 3: A Practical Example
Imagine you have a recipe for chocolate chip cookies. If you bake three batches in a row in your kitchen using your ingredients and they all turn out nearly identical, your recipe is repeatable. If you give that recipe to a friend who bakes it in their kitchen with their own ingredients and their cookies turn out like yours, the recipe is reproducible.
Section 4: Importance in Science
Both concepts are pillars of the scientific method. Repeatability demonstrates that an experiment's results are not due to random chance or fluke errors within a lab. Reproducibility provides a much stronger validation, proving that the scientific finding is not dependent on the specific circumstances of the original lab and can be considered a general scientific truth.