Alisdar, I suggest you look back over past issues of the CNEHA Newsletters wherein George Miller reviews some of the ups and downs of ceramic analysis under the title "Thoughts Towards a User's Guide to Ceramic Assemblages" (part three appeared in July 1992 edition). As a general rule I think it is essential to be very explicit in describing how you arrive at vessel assignment in any report which uses a vessel analysis. I have in the past used a modified version of a system proposed by Gordon Fine which discusses vessels in terms of completeness (ie. whole, complete from rim to foot/base, represented by rim, represented by foot/base, and unique body sherds) with notation as to if the sherds mend or are just attributed. This type of information is relevant both in terms of understanding the processes that created the deposit and understanding how reliable vessel attributions are. Good luck. - silas