22
1 Introduction to Analytical Chemistry
I 1.6 Conceptual and Technical Hierarchies
The growing variety of relations that the analytical chemist may establish
(see Fig. 1.7), and changes in Analytical Chemistry (see Sect. 1.4), have
created some gaps and confusion that usually arise from a lack of time
for conceptual and technical consolidation. It is utterly indispensable to
develop reliable communication systems based on the use of proper, universally
accepted words to describe objects, facts and systems in unequivocal terms.
One way of making this goal more reachable is by establishing conceptual
and technical rankings in the form of significance and scope hierarchies.
This section discusses some; others, are ,dealt with in subsequent chapters. This
approach allows one to define some aspects of great interest in the context
of Analytical Chemistry.
Figure 1.15 shows two hierarchies related to analytical information. At
the top of the ranking on the right are :reports, which, in addition to results,
contain their interpretation in the light 1 0f :the analytical problem addressed.
At the next information level down the ran'1ci c ng are qualitative and quantitative
results; these are obtained by mathematical {chemometric) manipulation of
primary data (absorbance, mass, intensity, potentia:1, etc.) from samples and
standards, which are at the third information level. Secondary data (fourth
level) are referred to the technical pat:ametrers of analytical processes and
tools (e.g. the pressure and temperature ' of , a chromatograph, the rotation
speed of a centrifuge, the ambient relative bumidity) ' and provide support for
the goodness of primary data. On the other hand, secondary data are Rot
directly related to results, so they cannot be regarded as analytical information
proper.
Reports
I • ~
To analyse
Results
•
~
To characterize
~ __ pr _ im_ar_ Yd _a_ ta __ ~~ ~t~t
'1 Tosense
I
1
I
Secondary data
Fig. l.1S. Significance and scope hierarchies (and relationships between them) for chemical
information
1 Introduction to Analytical Chemistry
I 1.6 Conceptual and Technical Hierarchies
The growing variety of relations that the analytical chemist may establish
(see Fig. 1.7), and changes in Analytical Chemistry (see Sect. 1.4), have
created some gaps and confusion that usually arise from a lack of time
for conceptual and technical consolidation. It is utterly indispensable to
develop reliable communication systems based on the use of proper, universally
accepted words to describe objects, facts and systems in unequivocal terms.
One way of making this goal more reachable is by establishing conceptual
and technical rankings in the form of significance and scope hierarchies.
This section discusses some; others, are ,dealt with in subsequent chapters. This
approach allows one to define some aspects of great interest in the context
of Analytical Chemistry.
Figure 1.15 shows two hierarchies related to analytical information. At
the top of the ranking on the right are :reports, which, in addition to results,
contain their interpretation in the light 1 0f :the analytical problem addressed.
At the next information level down the ran'1ci c ng are qualitative and quantitative
results; these are obtained by mathematical {chemometric) manipulation of
primary data (absorbance, mass, intensity, potentia:1, etc.) from samples and
standards, which are at the third information level. Secondary data (fourth
level) are referred to the technical pat:ametrers of analytical processes and
tools (e.g. the pressure and temperature ' of , a chromatograph, the rotation
speed of a centrifuge, the ambient relative bumidity) ' and provide support for
the goodness of primary data. On the other hand, secondary data are Rot
directly related to results, so they cannot be regarded as analytical information
proper.
Reports
I • ~
To analyse
Results
•
~
To characterize
~ __ pr _ im_ar_ Yd _a_ ta __ ~~ ~t~t
'1 Tosense
I
1
I
Secondary data
Fig. l.1S. Significance and scope hierarchies (and relationships between them) for chemical
information