There had always been a question about what to do with observations (known as "outliers") that are wildly discrepant from the mean. Obviously the observer has made a huge mistake somewhere—for example, reversing the digits when transcribing a number—but the fundamental premise of the law of errors is that mistakes should never be thrown out. How are astronomers supposed to distinguish between inaccuracies and sheer blunders? Louis Menand, The Metaphysical Club, 2001Relatively few laboratories could get experimental suppression systems to work, and many experiments proved difficult to reproduce reliably. As discrepant results accumulated, the proposed regulatory networks became "more and more baroque," Germain says. As time passed, investigators began questioning whether suppressor cells existed at all.Scientific American, December 1990The truth perhaps lies somewhere between these two very discrepant views. Mark Griffith, Notes and Queries, March 1990 widely discrepant conclusions on the impact the real estate development would have on the local environment
Recent Examples on the WebThis year would be a good time to ask, as Silver Oak turns 50, with a look back at the brand’s seemingly discrepant (but in reality, brilliant) consistency in style against a background of constant innovation. Sara L. Schneider, Robb Report, 22 May 2022 Their goal is to exploit the slivers of doubt and discrepant results that always exist in science in order to challenge the consensus views of scientific experts. Mano Singham, Scientific American, 7 Sep. 2020
Word History
Etymology
Middle English discrepante "contradictory," borrowed from Latin discrepant-, discrepans, present participle of discrepāre "to differ in sound, be out of tune, be inconsistent," from dis-dis- + crepāre "to clatter, rattle" — more at crepitate