Systematic errors refer to inaccuracies or inconsistencies that are built into a measurement system, as opposed to random errors which arise from fluctuations in individual measurements. These types of errors can occur due to various reasons such as improper calibration of equipment, incorrect assumptions made during the development of a method, or human error in data collection and recording. Systematic errors affect the entire dataset and cannot be corrected by simple mathematical means; they require changes in the measurement system itself to eliminate them.