Browsing Radiocarbon, Volume 32, Number 3 (1990) by Authors
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International Collaborative Study: Structuring and Sample PreparationCook, G. T.; Harkness, D. D.; Miller, B. F.; Scott, E. Marian; Baxter, M. S.; Aitchison, T. C. (Department of Geosciences, The University of Arizona, 1990-01-01)The success of any intercomparison exercise depends largely on participation and cooperation of a sufficient number of laboratories and the selection of a suitable suite of samples. Unless the latter is satisfactorily devised, the former cannot be guaranteed. The hierarchical nature of this study has necessarily resulted in a far more comprehensive set of sample types than has previously been employed. The exercise was structured to satisfy the following criteria: 1) to enable the participating laboratories to assess the experimental precision and accuracy of the component stages of the dating process; 2) samples should be typical of those routinely dated by the laboratories. This takes on a particular significance in Stage 1 where they should resemble as closely as possible the counting medium; 3) an objective statistical analysis of the results at each component stage of the study.