But determining which scientific and technological inventions merited distinction as the greatest breakthroughs of the last century proved as formidable and fraught an assignment as, say, choosing the greatest baseball players of the last hundred years.
Literary Lions Three history professors share this year's Bancroft Prize, awarded by Columbia University to authors of books of exceptional merit and distinction in American history, biography or diplomacy.
That said, around half of UTC students took a BTec extended diploma (equivalent to three A-levels); 96% of those secured a merit or distinction and 99% passed.
But the progression from that point becomes fragmented – a bit like a first date without a follow-up – and there's a whiff of snobbery towards those who provide routes to musical progression that aren't measured by a pass, merit or distinction.
The new toughened apprenticeships will mean apprentices completing their training will be graded as either pass, merit or distinction, and at least two thirds of the assessment will take place at the end of training, rather than the current continuous process.
Their physicochemical properties are the same as high temperature ionic liquids, but the practical aspects of their maintenance or handling are different enough to merit a distinction.
Apprentices completing their training will be graded as either pass, merit or distinction, giving a clearer impression of their level of achievement, rather than a simple pass or fail.
The term "Confucian" could equally apply to Neo-Confucians for simplicity's sake, though differences between Confucian and Neo-Confucian are sufficiently substantial to merit the distinction between the two groups.
This is a man of no particular merit or distinction.
Biologists are uncertain whether the snake is sufficiently threatened to merit this distinction, mainly because snakes are hard to count.
Gielgud made cameo appearances in films of little merit, lending distinction while not damaging his own reputation.
