There are seven things to make sure of:
1.Measure to the right place. Check the Notes at the bottom of the dialog box to make sure.
2.Measure in a straight line for point-to-point measurements.
3.Measure a real vertical or horizontal distance when specified.
4.Measure at leisure. Do not rush. Take time to get subjects into the proper postures, especially sitting upright.
5.Allow for clothing where appropriate. Normally, subjects should be wearing, at most, light indoor clothing, and no shoes, gloves or hat. If your subjects wear something other than this, specify the clothing as part of your dimension name, e.g "SHOD top-of-knee height".
6. Validate! Have all your measurers take duplicate measurements and reconcile. Tighten up your equipment and procedures as indicated, refer again to the Notes and landmark standards; then repeat periodically during the survey. It is very easy to get to the data analysis stage and then discover that your data are inconsistent or even unusable.
7.Having measured, try to report enough detail about what and who you measured. We and others have been unable to use some data because it is not clear what was measured. Describe this yourself rather than referencing another document that your readers may not have.
If you collect new data, let us know!
During measurement it is good practice to have at least two people present, in addition to the subject. When measuring clothed female subjects, at least the active measurer should be female. When measuring subjects in underwear, both measurers should be of the same sex as the subject (medical professionals excepted), and there should be complete privacy from people of the opposite sex.
It helps to have suitable equipment for the measure you are taking. For example, inelastic tape for circumferences, an anthropometer, or sliding or spreading calipers for breadths and depths. Large errors tend to result from "eyeing in" a tape measure to distant points. The Anthropometric Standardisation Reference Manual (Lohman, Roche & Martorell, 1988, see Help Data ) includes a comprehensive list of equipment and suppliers.