Multiplicity difference between quark and gluon jets

We examine the experimental results which have been obtained so far on the ratio of the mean multiplicity between quark and gluon jets, 〈n〉_gluon/〈n〉_quark. We point out that none of the results yet obtained provide a quantitative test of the QCD prediction for this ratio, because of differences between the experimental and theoretical definitions of the jets or event samples. We propose a technique accessible to the CERN LEP experiments in which the experimental jet definitions correspond to the theoretical ones, allowing a direct test of the QCD result. Using the HERWIG Monte Carlo program, we demonstrate the viability of our proposed technique.