# Approval-Based Shortlisting

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.07094 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.07094/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 14 May 2020.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Agreement, Diversity, and Polarization Indices for Approval Elections](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.14983/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Shortlisting is the task of reducing a long list of alternatives to a (smaller) set of best or most suitable alternatives. Shortlisting is often used in the nomination process of awards or in recommender systems to display featured objects. In this paper, we analyze shortlisting methods that are based on approval data, a common type of preferences. Furthermore, we assume that the size of the shortlist, i.e., the number of best or most suitable alternatives, is not fixed but determined by the shortlisting method. We axiomatically analyze established and new shortlisting methods and complement this analysis with an experimental evaluation based on synthetic and real-world data. Our results lead to recommendations which shortlisting methods to use, depending on the desired properties.