FIS 480 – Exam 1 Study Guide and Practice Questions
Planned and systematic actions necessary to demonstrate that a laboratory's product or service
meets specified requirements for quality. - ANS✔✔ Quality Assurance (QA)
QA Plans address - ANS✔✔ •Organization & Management of Lab
•Proficiency Testing
•Safety
•Validation
•Evidence Control
•Employee Qualifications and Training
•Reports
"Internal activities, or activities conducted according to externally established standards, used
to monitor the quality of analytical data and to ensure that it satisfies specified criteria." -
ANS✔✔ Quality Control (QC)
What does QA really mean? - ANS✔✔ Your lab's Quality Assurance team has a "plan", a tangible
document, that specifies what your lab is going to do to maintain the quality of their product.
What does QC really mean? - ANS✔✔ Quality control is the day-to-day actions performed by
the personnel of the lab to ensure a quality product.
QC task examples: - ANS✔✔ 1. Testing reagents before use.
2. Checking calibration of the instruments
3. Technical Review of Reports
,when is the job of a forensic scientist ineffective? - ANS✔✔ If a forensic lab does not have the
proper QA plans in place nor QC actions occurring regularly
When QA/QC Fails? - ANS✔✔ "Dry-labbing" not only discredits and tarnishes the reputation of
the analyst in question....but the laboratory they work for as well.
when the analyst claims to have done the bench work when in fact they have not - ANS✔✔ Dry-
labbing
the evaluation of a person's ability to perform work in a functional area prior to the
performance of independent case work. - ANS✔✔ competency test
a quality assurance measure used to monitor performance and identify areas in which
improvement may be needed - ANS✔✔ Proficiency testing
Proficiency tests may be classified as: - ANS✔✔ Internal proficiency
External proficiency
test is one prepared and administered by the laboratory - ANS✔✔ Internal proficiency test
test which may be open or blind, is one which is obtained from a second agency - ANS✔✔
External proficiency test
How often must an analyst take a proficiency test - ANS✔✔ According the ASCLD/LAB criteria,
each examiner must complete an annual proficiency test. This is required for every discipline
How often must a DNA analyst take a proficiency test? - ANS✔✔ twice a year external
proficiency tests
, The interval between events must be at least 4months but not more than 8 months apart.
SWGDAM stands for: - ANS✔✔ Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods
SWGDAM was originally: - ANS✔✔ TWGDAM - Technical Working Group on DNA Analysis
Methods
SWGDAM goal: - ANS✔✔ to bring together scientists currently working in that discipline to
discuss research and development of technology.
DAB stands for: - ANS✔✔ DNA Advisory Board
What 3 classes are a guideline from the DAB - ANS✔✔ biochemistry, genetics, and molecular
QAS standards are part of: - ANS✔✔ ASCLD/LAB accreditation criteria for DNA sections
ASCLD stands for: - ANS✔✔ American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors
ASCLD is a: - ANS✔✔ private non-profit organization and not an accrediting body
ASCLD/LAB stands for: - ANS✔✔ American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors / Lab
Accreditation Board
ASCLD/LAB perform _________ and issue _________ - ANS✔✔ inspections
accreditations
Who was the main accrediting body in the forensic community - ANS✔✔ ASCLD/LAB
Planned and systematic actions necessary to demonstrate that a laboratory's product or service
meets specified requirements for quality. - ANS✔✔ Quality Assurance (QA)
QA Plans address - ANS✔✔ •Organization & Management of Lab
•Proficiency Testing
•Safety
•Validation
•Evidence Control
•Employee Qualifications and Training
•Reports
"Internal activities, or activities conducted according to externally established standards, used
to monitor the quality of analytical data and to ensure that it satisfies specified criteria." -
ANS✔✔ Quality Control (QC)
What does QA really mean? - ANS✔✔ Your lab's Quality Assurance team has a "plan", a tangible
document, that specifies what your lab is going to do to maintain the quality of their product.
What does QC really mean? - ANS✔✔ Quality control is the day-to-day actions performed by
the personnel of the lab to ensure a quality product.
QC task examples: - ANS✔✔ 1. Testing reagents before use.
2. Checking calibration of the instruments
3. Technical Review of Reports
,when is the job of a forensic scientist ineffective? - ANS✔✔ If a forensic lab does not have the
proper QA plans in place nor QC actions occurring regularly
When QA/QC Fails? - ANS✔✔ "Dry-labbing" not only discredits and tarnishes the reputation of
the analyst in question....but the laboratory they work for as well.
when the analyst claims to have done the bench work when in fact they have not - ANS✔✔ Dry-
labbing
the evaluation of a person's ability to perform work in a functional area prior to the
performance of independent case work. - ANS✔✔ competency test
a quality assurance measure used to monitor performance and identify areas in which
improvement may be needed - ANS✔✔ Proficiency testing
Proficiency tests may be classified as: - ANS✔✔ Internal proficiency
External proficiency
test is one prepared and administered by the laboratory - ANS✔✔ Internal proficiency test
test which may be open or blind, is one which is obtained from a second agency - ANS✔✔
External proficiency test
How often must an analyst take a proficiency test - ANS✔✔ According the ASCLD/LAB criteria,
each examiner must complete an annual proficiency test. This is required for every discipline
How often must a DNA analyst take a proficiency test? - ANS✔✔ twice a year external
proficiency tests
, The interval between events must be at least 4months but not more than 8 months apart.
SWGDAM stands for: - ANS✔✔ Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods
SWGDAM was originally: - ANS✔✔ TWGDAM - Technical Working Group on DNA Analysis
Methods
SWGDAM goal: - ANS✔✔ to bring together scientists currently working in that discipline to
discuss research and development of technology.
DAB stands for: - ANS✔✔ DNA Advisory Board
What 3 classes are a guideline from the DAB - ANS✔✔ biochemistry, genetics, and molecular
QAS standards are part of: - ANS✔✔ ASCLD/LAB accreditation criteria for DNA sections
ASCLD stands for: - ANS✔✔ American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors
ASCLD is a: - ANS✔✔ private non-profit organization and not an accrediting body
ASCLD/LAB stands for: - ANS✔✔ American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors / Lab
Accreditation Board
ASCLD/LAB perform _________ and issue _________ - ANS✔✔ inspections
accreditations
Who was the main accrediting body in the forensic community - ANS✔✔ ASCLD/LAB
