We describe the role of chaotic noise reduction in detecting an underlying smoothness in a dataset. We have described elsewhere a general method for assessing the presence of determinism in a time series, which is to test against the class of datasets producing smoothness (i.e., the null hypothesis is determinism). In order to reduce the likelihood of a false call, we recommend this kind of analysis be applied first to a time series whose deterministic origin is at question. We believe this step should be taken before implementing other methods of dynamical analysis and measurement, such as correlation dimension or Lyapounov spectrum. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.