Halo everyone. I have a question about difference between words "specimen" and "sample".
I use to use them alternately. However recent conversation make me to doubt in correctness of such action.
For now, the best (short) explanation I found on proz.com, delivered by Jack Doughty.
In his words:
Specimen:
# an example regarded as typical of its class
# a bit of tissue or blood or urine that is taken for diagnostic purposes; "they collected a urine specimen for urinalysis" [...]
Sample:
In general, a sample is a limited quantity of something which is intended to be similar to and represent a larger amount of that thing(s). [...]
However, the forum is dedicated to Medical and Pharmaceutical academics.
How it look in Material Science?
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/English/medical_pharmaceuticals/3606052-specimen_and_sample_whats_the_difference_in_a_lab.html
Per ASTM style, in general, the word “sample” should be used only to describe a piece or quantity of bulk material that has been selected by some sampling process. Pieces or quantities taken from the sample for testing are called “specimens.” Please ensure that this distinction has been enforced correctly throughout the manuscript.
In my opinion, specimen and sample are the same in materials science, but maybe not in biology. I never use "specimen" in materials science. There are just different materials, from which different samples can be obtained by cutting the materials in several parts. These different samples allow doing different kinds of (destructive) measurements or for testing the reproducibility of one kind of measurement, but all samples are supposed to be identical with each other.
Alain
Per ASTM style, in general, the word “sample” should be used only to describe a piece or quantity of bulk material that has been selected by some sampling process. Pieces or quantities taken from the sample for testing are called “specimens.” Please ensure that this distinction has been enforced correctly throughout the manuscript.
Specimen: an example regarded as typical of its class , a bit of tissue or blood or urine that is taken for diagnostic purposes; "they collected a urine specimen for urinalysis" .
Sample: In general, a sample is a limited quantity of something which is intended to be similar to and represent a larger amount of that thing(s). The things could be countable objects such as individual items available as units for sale, or a material not countable as individual items.
Dear Mr. Przemyslaw
Specimens : any clinical or sub-clinical materials collected that mean specimen
Sample : any material collected from environment or water or soil or any but no clinical that is called sample ......
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Physical Sciences
- Materials Science