Quality Assurance Fundamentals is an introduction to basic quality assurance / quality control (QA/QC) concepts (bias and precision, with control charts of flow rate QC checks), terminology, and a review of quality assurance project plan (QAPP) elements for environmental monitoring projects. Completion of this course signifies practical understanding of the QA elements of QAPP Level 4 projects, such as indoor air quality or wildlife surveys, or other basic community assessments. This course is equivalent to 1.2 CEUs and requires approximately 12 hours of total learning time. CEUs are earned by completing the following course modules:

• Introduction to Quality Assurance (QA) / Quality Control (QC)
• Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs) and Data Quality Objectives (DQOs)
• Introduction to Precision and Bias 

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain what a staff person needs to know about QA for a project and why it is important.
• Explain the terminology used in QAPPs.
• Describe QA in common sense terms.
• Locate helpful resources, materials, and people to develop quality systems.
• Identify basic principles of data management.
• List the required elements for a category 4 QAPP (as categorized by US EPA).
• Begin writing a QAPP.

QA Fundamentals was developed by the Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center of the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals.

Instructors: Chris Lee, Christopher.Lee@nau.edu, 702-784-8264; Mike King, Michael.King@nau.edu; Melinda Ronca-Battista, Melinda.Ronca-Battista@nau.edu 

Online platform support: itep-elearning@nau.edu