The combination of turnover rate measurements and surface science techniques allows a firm quantification of rates in heterogeneous catalysis by metals. There are many examples of reactions where the turnover rates from different laboratories are the same. However, there are still problems, as in the isomerization and hydrogenolysis of hydrocarbons over noble metals, where the turnovers rates from different laboratories differ by many orders of magnitude. An explanation for this discrepancy is discussed. Guidelines for experimental work in heterogeneous catalysis that will help to minimize this wide scatter of turnover rates in the future are presented.