What Is a Statistical Experiment?

The criteria for a statistical experiment with examples.

A coin spinning. (Image created by the author with the help of Midjourney).

A statistical experiment is any procedure that:

1. is infinitely repeatable.
2. has a well-defined set of outcomes.

For Example — Coin Flipping

Flipping a coin is a statistical experiment because it can be repeated infinitely, and it has two (possibly three) outcomes:

• Heads,
• Tails,
• On its side (for the pedants),

In Contrast — Elections

The next person to win the presidential election is not a statistical experiment because it cannot be repeated infinitely (we can’t go back in time).

Even if we could go back in time, we wouldn’t have well-defined outcomes because it’s impossible to agree on who could become president.