The categories we have used are given below.
| Rating | Description |
| ***** | The mass and width of the particle are well measured. In addition the branching ratios for the dominant, and many sub dominant, modes are well measured. Many of these modes have decayers which model the decays including spin effects. |
| **** | The mass and width of the particle are well measured. The measurements of the branching ratios are however worse than for the ***** particles. The modelling of the decay modes may also be less sophisticated. |
| *** | The mass and width are perhaps less well measured. The decay modes are known but the branching ratios are either poorly measured or not known and the modelling of the decay modes is worse. |
| ** | The mass and width of the particle have been measured, although probably with limited accuracy. Some decay modes have been observed however the branching ratios are not known. It is unlikely that there is modelling of the decays. |
| * | The particle has either not been observed or the measurement is very poor. The mass, width branching ratios and decay modes are made up. |