Potential Errors

When collecting data by hand it is very easy to introduce error into the data due to simple human errors as well as due to inaccuracy of EMF meter or GPS remote. Some of human errors could have been made by accidentally writing the wrong number down when collecting data, or since the meter measured by means of a needle and not digitally, errors could have been introduced when reading the meter. The needle also sometimes fluctuated when measurements were taken and number the needle was at most often was recorded. When taking geographic positions with the GPS remote accuracies ranged from six to sixteen meters depending on proximity to buildings and amount of cloud cover on the days measurements were taken. This could result in inaccurate positions being geocoded; however, this was accounted for once the data was geocoded into ArcMap onto the SFU aerial photograph. Errors also could have been introduced due to the fact that the GPS remote cannot be used indoors where many of the points were taken. An estimation of were the location was located from outside would have caused a large amount of error in the data as well.

Furthermore, if there was more time to collect the data I would have like to collect measurements on every level of the Academic Quadrangle and various other buildings around campus to see if the various floors had similar patterns. Instead, only one floor of each building was focused on; primarily the main entrance floor. Finally, data was taken based on where students and faculty were located around campus. There may have been high EMF areas that were missed throughout campus due to few people actually going to those places. However, I did not want to decide my points based only on known EMF emitters, I felt this would skew the data and give inaccurate results to how much risk there really is of being exposed to harmful magnetic radiation.