Application of the concept of traceability to the management of nuclear data

The connotations of the quality of nuclear data in the quality of experimental results are discussed. The authors show the analogies existent between metrological standards and literature data and propose the adoption of the concept of traceability of nuclear data. The conditions to be fulfilled for the publication of nuclear data, concerning the establishment of traceability, are discussed. Criteria for renormalization are presented. The requirements of nuclear data in neutron activation analysis and the role of the analyst are discussed.