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Volcanic are basalts are all characterized by a selective enrichment in incompatible elements of low ionic potential, a feature thought to be due to the input of aqueous fluids from subducted oceanic crust into their mantle source regions. Island arc basalts are additionally characterized by low abundances (for a given degree of fractional crystallization) of incompatible elements of high ionic potential, a feature for which high degrees of melting, stability of minor residual oxide phases, and remelting of depleted mantle are all possible explanations. Calc-alkaline basalts and shoshonites are additionally characterized by enrichment of Th, P, and the light REE in addition to elements of low ionic potential, a feature for which one popular explanation is the contamination of their mantle source regions by a melt derived from subducted sediment. By careful selection of variables, discrimination diagrams can be drawn which highlight these various characteristics and therefore enable volcanic arc basalts to he recognized in cases where geological evidence is ambiguous. Plots of Y against Cr, K[Yb, Ce/Yb, or Th/Yb against Ta/Yb, and Ce/Sr against Cr are all particularly successful and can be modelled in terms of vectors representing different petrogenctic processes. An additional plot of Ti/Y against Nb/Y is useful for identifying 'anomalous' volcanic arc settings such as Grenada and parts of the Aleutian arc. Intermediate and acid rocks from volcanic are settings can also be recognized using a simple plot of Ti against Zr. The lavas from the Oman ophiolite complex provide a good test of the application of these techniques. The results indicate that the complex was made up of back-arc oceanic crust intruded by the products of volcanic arc magmatism.