The paper by Douglas H. Johnson addresses the issue of evaluating resource preference in ecological research, particularly focusing on the comparison of usage and availability measurements. Johnson proposes a new method that uses ranks of components based on usage and availability to determine preference, addressing the subjective nature of component selection in traditional methods. The proposed method provides comparable results regardless of whether questionable components are included or excluded and includes statistical tests for significance. The paper also introduces a hierarchical ordering of selection processes, which helps resolve inconsistencies in studies of selection. The method is illustrated with an example using habitat usage and availability data for Mallards, demonstrating its effectiveness in identifying significant differences in preference among wetland classes. The discussion highlights the importance of recognizing the hierarchical nature of selection and the limitations of absolute statements about preference or avoidance.The paper by Douglas H. Johnson addresses the issue of evaluating resource preference in ecological research, particularly focusing on the comparison of usage and availability measurements. Johnson proposes a new method that uses ranks of components based on usage and availability to determine preference, addressing the subjective nature of component selection in traditional methods. The proposed method provides comparable results regardless of whether questionable components are included or excluded and includes statistical tests for significance. The paper also introduces a hierarchical ordering of selection processes, which helps resolve inconsistencies in studies of selection. The method is illustrated with an example using habitat usage and availability data for Mallards, demonstrating its effectiveness in identifying significant differences in preference among wetland classes. The discussion highlights the importance of recognizing the hierarchical nature of selection and the limitations of absolute statements about preference or avoidance.