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An Overview of Some Interlaboratory Studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

E M Scott,
M S Baxter,
T C Aitchison,
D D Harkness and
G T Cook
E M Scott
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, Glasgow University, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland
M S Baxter
Affiliation:
Scottish Universities Research and Reactor Centre, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 OQU, Scotland
T C Aitchison
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, Glasgow University, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland
D D Harkness
Affiliation:
NERC Radiocarbon Laboratory, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 OQU, Scotland
G T Cook
Affiliation:
Scottish Universities Research and Reactor Centre, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 OQU, Scotland
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Abstract

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Many interlaboratory studies have been made in the 14C community at irregular intervals over the past ten years. At times, the results from these studies have been contentious, mostly because of the lack of consistency in their findings. The importance of regular exercises has become particularly acute due to the large number of operating laboratories and the diversity of their methodologies. Hence, we briefly review the studies that have been made in the 1980s, focusing on those in which our laboratories participated. These include the 14C Interlaboratory Comparison in the UK (Otlet et al 1980), the International Comparison (ISG 1982, 1983) and the first two parts of the current International Collaborative Program (Scott et al 1989a, b). The development of each study, its findings and shortcomings, are highlighted in order to assess the concordance of the conclusions.

References

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