quantitation Vs quantification

[Karen01]

I have always used quantitation when I am speaking about measuring the amount of something. In fact it was only after working for a good number of years I head the term quantification.

I have had some tell me they did not think quantitation is a word (I think because it's not in the MS Word dictionary), or it's not the correct term to use. But it is in other dictionaries. For example on my Mac the OS X dictionary has:

quantitate |ˈkwäntəˌtāt|
verb [ trans. ] Medicine & Biology
determine the quantity or extent of (something in numerical terms); quantify.
DERIVATIVES
quantitation |ˌkwäntəˈtā sh ən| noun
ORIGIN 1960s: from quantity + -ate 3 .

I 'grew-up' with Waters LC equipment, manuals and terminologies... I have the impression that quantification is Agilent's prefered word and quantitation is Water's... But on the net I'm seeing quantification used almost exclusively.

I really dislike quantification... It has an extra syllable, is harder to say and sounds more pretentious to me.

Am I wrong in using quantitation instead of quantification, or are both equally acceptable?

- Karen

[DSP007]

In Russia there are on this three sayings.
1) Do not teach a scientist
2) In a strange ( other religion) monastery with her (my) charter does not go
3) Call me, even "a pot", but do not put in the oven.

So stick to the national experience, which is thousands of years.

[Don_Hilton]

I use quantitation rather than quantification -- probably becuse I do quantitative work. If I ran into someone who did quantificative work, I'd probably expect them to be misunderestimated as well.

[tom jupille]

I use "quantitation", for the same reasons you cite, but I'm not a fanatic about it. If a client prefers "quantification", I do a quick search-and-replace.

[WillyOne]

I use quantification. There are no reasons to do that excepted that I'm spanish: "Cuantificacion".

[lmh]

[bad mood] quantification, quantitation? What are they? I thought we just stuff a sample through the instrument and tell the client this one looks a bit more than that one because the peak looks bigger... [/bad mood]

[JGK]

Because I grew up in England and was therefore never taught the subject properly, I have consulted my trusty Chambers Dictionary (way better than the OED)

It lists quantify (a verb) and therefore "quantification" (the act of quantifying)

Quantity (a noun) gives rise to "quantitative" or "quantitative analysis" but not "quantitation;

[db32]

Quantitation. It's more succinct, and brevity is usually better. Some folks think that a longer word sounds more impressive.

For the same reason, "before" and "after" are better than "prior to" and "subsequent to." We're not being graded by the word.

[lmh]

So if we're doing qualitative work, are we qualifying?

[NikitaN3]

So if we're doing qualitative work, are we qualifying?

I really admire lmh's thinking. I am intrigued by such attempt to derive words systematically. I'm afraid "qualifying" means something entirely different, such as qualifying a method, an approach, or a process. Thus "qualifying" has nothing to do with qualitative work.

Qualitative work refers to non-quantitative assessment, so I only used the term as an adjective or an adverb, such as "qualitative assessment" or "assess xyz qualitatively". Perhaps there's no action verb associate with qualitative works? Such an intrigued thought. You made me thinking. Thank you, lmh!

[NikitaN3]

I use "quantitation" for the determination of amounts in analytical chemistry. I think quantitation is a sub-set of quantification, which refers to the act of quantifying anything. Thus, using "quantification" is also OK.

It is similar to saying "I'm making a chair" vs. "I'm making furniture". Both are correct. I'd prefer "quantitation" because it is more specific in the context of analytical chemistry.

Note that "quantitation" is an acceptable word for us to use, even though it might not be included in all dictionaries. I believe the term made it to a few dictionaries only about 25 years ago. Before that, it was not in any dictionary. Similarly, I don't know if the term "aliquot" is included in any dictionary nowadays. But it is a common term used by chemists, and it is widely published. Thus, do not be discouraged even when you can't find the term in dictionaries.

Best regards,

Nikita