The Area Overlap method for evaluating analytical chromatograms is evaluated and compared with the Depth-of-the-Valley, IUPAC and Purnell criteria. The method is a resolution criterion based on the fraction of area contributed by an adjacent, overlapping peak. It accounts for both the relative magnitudes and widths of the peak, and uses simplified calculation procedures. Peak distortion limits the method's usefulness as a rectification procedure. The Area Overlap and Depth-of-the-Valley methods showed considerable correlation when the width of the contaminating peak exceeded that of the sample. Neither the IUPAC nor the Purnell criterion correlated with the Area Overlap method when magnitude was varied. At constant magnitude, ranges of both agreement and disagreement were shown.