Wednesday, May 14, 2008

"Criterion" and "Criteria"

Levels of Distractibility: Who cares? = *. Some people will be distracted from your meaning: = **. Many people will be distracted from your meaning: = ***.

Question: I can't get it straight. Which is it? Criterion or criteria?

Answer: This is an easy one. Criterion is singular: "Which (one) criterion will be most significant?"

Criteria is plural. "Which (multiple) criteria will you be considering?"

Rating of Distractibility: (**). People tend to use "criteria" regardless of whether the standards of evaluation are only one or many. Still, "criterion" means a single standard of evaluation; "criteria" mean two or more standards of evaluation. Can't hurt to be accurate in choice of words. RayS.

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