Retrospective Analysis Tools

Use of citations Absence of documentation Plenty of details and quotes No organization Doesn t explain significance of the evidence Confident voice Recognizes transitions as a tool for cohesion Writer identifies areas of improvement in the retrospective No retrospective analysis Catchy title... 

The variety of analysis tools is useful because of the differing needs of various program elements. To understand how they are related, the committee first groups these tools into two large classes prospective (or predictive) tools and retrospective (or documentation) tools. ... 

This first case study will review some of the interesting aspects about the early discovery and continued evolution of the overall class of penicillin drugs as we know them today. Attention is directed to various steps and principles that we discussed in the preceding sections with a special emphasis placed upon some of the chemical phenomena. Presendy used terms and strategies have been inserted into what is otherwise a retrospective analysis of what these scientists were able to accomplish in a very remarkable fashion before the categorizations and accompanying tools that we have today were even in place. 

While observation and shadowing can be used to develop task descriptions, surveys are particularly useful task-analysis tools when there is significant variation in the manner in which tasks are performed or when it is important to determine specific task characteristics, such as frequency (Jeffries 1997 Nielsen 1993). Surveys can also be used as a follow-on to further clarify task areas described via an interview. Focused observation, shadowing, retrospectives, and diaries are also useful for clarifying task areas. With retrospectives and diaries, an informant is asked to provide a retrospective soon after completing a task or to document his or her activities after several task events, the latter being a diary. 

Retrospective analysis of incidents is supported by tools that enable the alarm database to be searched for unnecessary duplicate alarms, multiple occurrences of the same alarm, exact timing and sequence of alarms, alarms associated with the same equipment or plant area etc. 

Whereas LC—MS/MS is an ideal tool if a clearly defined set of analytes has to be confirmed and quantified in a given sample, HRMS analyzers offer the highest degree of certainty in analyte identification (of both target and unknown compounds) as well as real multiresidue capabilities, even with retrospective analysis. However, some limitations, such as the lack of identification libraries, need to be addressed to allow fully functionality of this technology. 

Principles and Characteristics A wide variety of structural analysis tools is available employing X-rays (Table 5.59). Micro-focused X-ray sources allow small area spectroscopy, quantitative line scans and retrospective chemical state imaging based on high energy resolution spectra from user-defined areas. X-ray imaging complements electron imaging allowing to study relatively thick samples. 

Improved rapid sample preparation methods were developed for plutonium and analysis by alpha-spectrometry and ICP-SFMS techniques. The methods were applied for the analysis of various samples from highly contaminated and less-contaminated sites. It was demonstrated that using different isotope ratios obtained both by mass spectrometry and alpha-spectrometry as complementary tools the source of plutonium contamination can be assessed and retrospective investigation is possible. 

Even if there were no such limitations, epidemiologic analysis is retrospective study it cannot be depended upon for the detection and prevention of potential health hazards to the public. In comparison to epidemiologic studies, animal bioassays are short in duration, relatively inexpensive, easily perfomed under controlled conditions, and are reliable predictors for known human carcinogens. Therefore, from the point of view of identifying and preventing public health hazards, animal bioassay is an invaluable tool. 

The earlier observation about the variation in accuracy of line items in the balance sheet also applies to the income statement. For example, while items such as salary and interest and dividends earned can be listed to the nearest penny in a retrospective income statement, expense items such as entertainment/travel and clothing would be estimates unless unusually meticulous records were kept. Variation of accuracy within the income statement does not in any significant way detract from its usefulness as an analysis and planning tool. 

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