Valid Analytical Measurement

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Recording, Manipulating and Reporting data

Trainee analysts often make mistakes in the recording, manipulating and reporting of data. The supervisor needs to check that the trainee knows how to correctly handle data.

Keeping a notebook is essential for successful experimental work. Notes should provide an accurate record of the events that have happened throughout the experiments and can be further used as a basis to write detailed reports. Enough information should be recorded so that a colleague can repeat the experiments using the notes. In special circumstances, some laboratories (such as those in the field of forensic science and / or drug analysis) may have certain procedures for recording information in notebooks. In these areas, guidance on how notes should be recorded may be provided, e.g. initialling and dating any amendments and for bidding the use of correction fluid.

Writing short and detailed reports will be a task that is necessary irrespective of whether the analyst is in education or working within industry. They are essential because they can be used to inform others of the outcome of the analyst's work and may provide the basis for future work.

Each section provides a checklist of the topics an analyst should know and the skills that are required. The material should therefore be used by an assessor and / or experienced analyst to aid the training of staff who have little experience of working within a laboratory.

	Handling Data

	Keeping a laboratory notebook

	Writing a report

�Contents:

Competency Evaluation

Recording, Manipulating

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