Proficiency testing, matrix effects, and method evaluation

Proficiency testing, matrix effects, and method evaluation.

Assessing analytical accuracy through proficiency testing: have effects of matrix been overstated?

We read with great interest the report of Stepman et al. (1 ) identifying analytical errors in commercial analytical systems by using an external quality assessment (EQA) scheme with single-donor specimens. The use of such materials provides an assessment of method accuracy that is generally regarded as the gold standard in such comparisons (2 ). Unfortunately, only a limited number of laborato...

patterns and variations in native and non-native interlanguage pragmatic rating: effects of rater training, intercultural proficiency, and self-assessment

although there are studies on pragmatic assessment, to date, literature has been almost silent about native and non-native english raters’ criteria for the assessment of efl learners’ pragmatic performance. focusing on this topic, this study pursued four purposes. the first one was to find criteria for rating the speech acts of apology and refusal in l2 by native and non-native english teachers...

Proficiency testing matters.

Far too many laboratories consider proficiency testing just a necessary evil, little more than periodic pass–fail exercises we perform solely to meet regulatory requirements. In addition, too many of us belittle point-ofcare (POC) testing as a passing fad, a technology so inferior to what we use in our own laboratories that it hardly warrants our attention. Clearly, a report that combines these...

National Association for Proficiency Testing

These suggestions are as follows: 1) Regular use of certified reference materials and/or internal quality control using secondary reference materials 2) Participation in interlaboratory comparison or proficiency testing programs 3) Replicate tests or calibrations using the same or different methods 4) Retesting or recalibration of retained items 5) Correlation of results for different character...