Criterion vs. Criteria

[Jon Bosak <bosak@pinax.com>]

Hello PSC and TSC,

I'm sorry to tell you that I seem to have uncovered a problem with the
naming of some of the information items in 2.1, specifically those using
the word "criteria."  It appears that most if not all of these uses
refer to individual criteria, not multiple criteria.  Proper naming
requires that all such terms must use the singular form of the word;
even if 0..n such items are allowed, it is the individual item that is
being defined.  As stated in UBL Naming and Design Rule GNR7: "UBL XML
element and type names MUST be in singular form unless the concept
itself is plural."

In English, the singular of "criteria" is "criterion," not "criteria."
In fact, in the standard dictionary for Oxford English that we have been
using throughout the project (the OED), "criteria" does not even have a
separate dictionary entry; it's just listed as the plural of "criterion."

If my interpretation of the semantics of these data items is correct,
therefore, our Naming and Design Rules require that the string
"Criteria" in all of these DENs and their corresponding UBL names will
need to be changed to "Criterion":

Awarding Criteria. Details
Awarding Criteria. Identifier
Awarding Criteria. Awarding Criteria Type Code. Code
Awarding Criteria. Description. Text
Awarding Criteria. Weight Numeric. Numeric
Awarding Criteria. Weight. Text
Awarding Criteria. Calculation Expression. Text
Awarding Criteria. Calculation Expression Code. Code
Awarding Criteria. Minimum_ Quantity. Quantity
Awarding Criteria. Maximum_ Quantity. Quantity
Awarding Criteria. Minimum_ Amount. Amount
Awarding Criteria. Maximum_ Amount. Amount
Awarding Criteria. Minimum Improvement Bid. Text
Awarding Criteria. Subordinate_ Awarding Criteria. Awarding Criteria
Awarding Criteria Response. Details
Awarding Criteria Response. Identifier
Awarding Criteria Response. Awarding Criteria Identifier. Identifier
Awarding Criteria Response. Awarding Criteria_ Description. Text
Awarding Criteria Response. Description. Text
Awarding Criteria Response. Quantity
Awarding Criteria Response. Amount
Awarding Criteria Response. Subordinate_ Awarding Criteria Response. Awarding Criteria Response
Awarding Terms. Awarding Criteria
Evaluation Criteria. Details
Evaluation Criteria. Evaluation Criteria Type Code. Code
Evaluation Criteria. Description. Text
Evaluation Criteria. Threshold_ Amount. Amount
Evaluation Criteria. Threshold_ Quantity. Quantity
Evaluation Criteria. Expression Code. Code
Evaluation Criteria. Duration_ Period. Period
Evaluation Criteria. Suggested_ Evidence. Evidence
Exception Criteria Line. Details
Exception Criteria Line. Identifier
Exception Criteria Line. Note. Text
Exception Criteria Line. Threshold Value Comparison Code. Code
Exception Criteria Line. Threshold_ Quantity. Quantity
Exception Criteria Line. Exception Status Code. Code
Exception Criteria Line. Collaboration_ Priority Code. Code
Exception Criteria Line. Exception_ Resolution Code. Code
Exception Criteria Line. Supply Chain Activity Type Code. Code
Exception Criteria Line. Performance Metric Type Code. Code
Exception Criteria Line. Effective_ Period. Period
Exception Criteria Line. Supply_ Item. Item
Exception Criteria Line. Forecast Exception Criteria Line
Forecast Exception Criteria Line. Details
Forecast Exception Criteria Line. Forecast_ Purpose Code. Code
Forecast Exception Criteria Line. Forecast Type Code. Code
Forecast Exception Criteria Line. Comparison Data Source Code. Code
Forecast Exception Criteria Line. Data Source Code. Code
Forecast Exception Criteria Line. Time Delta Days Quantity. Quantity
Tendered Project. Awarding Criteria Response
Tenderer Qualification Request. Technical_ Evaluation Criteria. Evaluation Criteria
Tenderer Qualification Request. Financial_ Evaluation Criteria. Evaluation Criteria

The correct use of "criterion" is already found in some of the
definitions, though these will have to be reviewed too, of course.

I would be very happy to be shown that I'm wrong about this, but if no
one can convince me that the referents to these DENs are actually
plural, we will need to discuss the logistics of this change in next
week's TC calls.

The good news is that this revision (aside from the changing the
definitions) is purely mechanical and that most of the problem came in
after 2.0.  As far as I can tell, the only 2.0 DEN with "Criteria" is
"Hazardous Goods Transit. Packing Criteria Code. Code," and I think that
it might be defended as referring in this case to multiple criteria.

Jon