Recalibrate

Although not mentioned in Ms. Quam's lesson, another bad habit is frequent recalibration. It is important to be concerned about the number of times a test is recalibrated as each calibration or recalibration potentially introduces new or additional systematic errors. Frequent recalibration can indicate a defective SPC protocol (rules applied, mean, and range in use), instrument malfunction, sub-optimal reagent quality, or failure to follow the manufacturer's instructions and schedule for maintenance.