I Bought the HDTV Because My Girlfriend Got One and Loved It

Dear Mrs. Newton,

I bought a 52' HDTV last week. The brand I chose was recommended to me by my friend, Chelsea, who bought one a month ago and is very happy with her decision. When I told my other friend Margo, a molecular biologist, what I had done, she said I must have money to burn if that was the way I purchased high ticket items. Do I have a right to feel insulted? Does Chelsea?

HighDef Dana

Dear Dana,

You and Chelsea needn't feel insulted. It is just that to Margo, you have committed the sin of insufficient "n." When Margo designs an experiment, she must determine what "n" she will use. N equals the number of subjects or samples she will test. The number has to be statistically sufficient for what she wants to prove or her results will be useless. When you told Margo you bought an expensive television based on the opinion of one person, you pressed all her scientific buttons. Even if Chelsea is a technical guru working for Sony or Sanyo, Margo will not be satisfied. Of course, she doesn't expect you to conduct a survey of a thousand HDTV buyers, but as your friend, she would feel better if you had read an article comparing models in ConsumerReports.org before deciding. Not only do scientists require data before reaching conclusions, they require quality data.