Possible Advantages of a Robust Evaluation of Comparisons

Abstract

Mean values, traditionally used as a location parameter in the analysis of intercomparisons, are known to lack stability against the effect of "outliers". It is therefore proposed to replace (or complement) them by the use of medians, which have better statistical "robustness". An estimate for the corresponding uncertainty is derived and the procedure is illustrated by a numerical example. The simplicity of the suggested robust approach should favor its practical use in a number of metrological applications.