The students' identifications of macroinvertebrates and plants are also verified by the cooperating labs. After recording their own identifications, students preserve the macroinvertebrate specimens in small vials filled with alcohol and preserve the plants by pressing them between newspapers. These specimens are mailed to Pacific University, where Invertebrate Zoology students identify the macroinvertebrates and Plant Systematics students identify the plants. The identifications are confirmed by the instructors. Of course, quality assurance involves more than just testing duplicate samples.
Training is another critical factor.
SWRP provides a five-day summer training workshop for participating teachers. Followup is also essential. During the year, SWRP staff members meet with teachers to discuss how their students' results compared with the professional results and to trouble-shoot any problems. The check samples will be distributed to schools three weeks before the sampling date, allowing time for students to perform the analyses, compare their results to the known results, and work out any problems before they go out in the field. Actually, none at all.