What characteristic of the sample variance do researchers generally consider more important: unbiased estimator or minimum variance?
A) minimum variance
B) unbiased estimator
C) Neither one; they are equally important.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Researchers generally prioritize an unbiased estimator over minimum variance because an unbiased estimator provides an accurate estimate of the population variance. In contrast, minimum variance prioritizes precision over accuracy, which may result in biased estimates of the population variance. Therefore, researchers prioritize unbiased estimators even though they may have slightly higher variance than estimators that prioritize minimum variance.

What Characteristic of the Sample Variance Do Researchers Generally Consider