Analysis of key comparison data: assessment of current methods for determining a reference value

The degree of equivalence of national measurement standards is established by means of key comparisons. The analysis of data from a key comparison requires the determination of a reference value, which is then used to express the degree of equivalence of the national measurement standards. Several methods for determining a reference value are available and these methods can lead to different results. In this study current methods for determining a reference value are compared. In order to quantitatively assess the quality of performance, the methods are applied to a large set of simulated key comparison data. The simulations refer to several realistic scenarios, including correlated measurements. Large differences in the results can occur and none of the methods performs best in every situation. We give some guidance for selecting an appropriate method when assumptions about the reliability of quoted uncertainties can be made.