Specifying the right reference and applying it correctly isa more difficult task than one might first surmise, consideringthat references are only 2- or 3-terminal devices.Although the word “accuracy” is most often spoken inreference to references, it is dangerous to use this wordtoo freely because it can mean different things to differentpeople. Even more perplexing is the fact that a referenceclassified as a dog in one application is a panacea inanother. This application note will familiarize the readerwith the various aspects of reference “accuracy” andpresent some tips on extracting maximum performancefrom any reference.