To appear in the proceedings of IAU Colloquium #184 "AGN Surveys" held at the Byurakan Observatory, Armenia in June 2001.
astro-ph/0201118

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Abstract. A review of the spectroscopic tools needed to characterize AGNs is presented. This review focusses on ultraviolet, optical and infrared emission-line diagnostics specifically designed to help differentiate AGNs from starburst-dominated galaxies. The strengths and weaknesses of these methods are discussed in the context of on-going and future AGN surveys.

Table of Contents

• INTRODUCTION
• BASIC PRINCIPLES
• ULTRAVIOLET EMISSION-LINE DIAGNOSTICS
• OPTICAL EMISSION-LINE DIAGNOSTICS
• NEAR-INFRARED EMISSION-LINE DIAGNOSTICS
• MID-TO-FAR INFRARED EMISSION-LINE DIAGNOSTICS
• COMPLICATIONS
• Contribution from Shocks
• Aperture Effects
• Morphological Biases
• Metallicity Effects
• SUMMARY
• REFERENCES