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A Tutorial Discussion of the use of the terms “Robust” and “Rugged” and the Associated Characteristics of “Robustness” and “Ruggedness” as used in Descriptions of Analytical Procedures

Authors Duncan Thorburn Burns1, Klaus Danzer2 and Alan Townshend3
Year 2009
Volume 37
Pages 0040-0060

Abstract

The terms robust and rugged are clearly defined and their uses distinguished along with the associated characteristics of robustness and ruggedness. It is shown that the characteristics of robustness and ruggedness which express resistance against conditions and influences which decrease both precision and accuracy of analytical results, obtained by a particular procedure in a given laboratory or in different laboratories, can be treated quantitatively by the introduction of two new concepts, namely, relative robustness and relative ruggedness.