an attribute that can be used to filter a subset of a mailing list. Each select offers a domain of one or more discrete values or a range of continuous values. State is an example of a select with 50 discrete values (the 50 states of the United States). Age is an example of select with a range of continuous values. Selects are combined together to form the selection criteria for extracting the subset of the mailing list that meets the needs of the mailer. For example, you might want to get the subset of a mailing list where State is New Hampshire and Age is in the range of 25 to 55. The process of extracting the subset is the responsibility of the owner's service bureau.