What does a wide confidence interval suggest?

A wide confidence interval indicates a high level of uncertainty about the estimate. This occurs because the interval is broader, which suggests that the range of plausible values for the parameter being estimated is larger. In practical terms, this means that while we can say the estimate is within that wide range, there is less confidence about where the true parameter value lies.

When confidence intervals are wide, it can stem from several factors, including a small sample size or high variability in the data. A narrow confidence interval, in contrast, would suggest higher precision and less uncertainty about the estimate, as it would indicate that the estimate is clustered closely around the point estimate. Therefore, a wider interval reinforces the idea that more variability or less information is being captured in the estimation process.