Multivariate statistics in the analytical laboratory (1): an introduction

摘要

The landmark Analytical Methods Committee (AMC) Technical Brief (TB) No. 100 is published below. Approximately 67% of published TBs are `statistical', so the AMC considered it appropriate to also make this milestone TB statistically orientated. It provides an introduction to a major series of future TBs dealing with multivariate statistics. Multivariate statistics are increasingly being used by the analytical community and if implemented correctly can furnish the user/analyst with signi.cant advantages and bene.ts. Instigated by Professor Michael Thompson (Birkbeck College), AMC TBs have been published by the Royal Society of Chemistry since 2000. Initially they were circulated in hard-copy to members of the Royal Society of Chemistry Analytical Division, but now all TBs are publicly available electronically from the AMC website1 and, since 2012, also in the Royal Society of Chemistry AMC Technical Briefs themed collection platform.2 Areas covered by AMC TBs mainly re.ect activities of the various AMC Expert Working Groups (EWGs) as well as the AMC itself. AMC TBs focus on subjects considered important for analytical scientists, which are currently topical or not readily available from other sources. AMC TBs are mainly dra.ed by EWG members, then separately peer-reviewed by the relevant EWG and by the whole of the AMC prior to publication. It should be noted that apart from their general application, AMC TBs comprise a very useful addition to CPD records. They are a great open-access resource, and provide an excellent foundation for most of what an analytical scientist needs to know in modern (bio-)analytical measurement science.