NOVELTY - Screening catalysts for liquid-phase selective hydrogenation comprises: preparing a test catalyst by adding a promoter to a reference catalyst; preparing a liquid reactant stream comprising acetylene dissolved in n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; testing the test catalyst and the reference catalyst by contacting the reactant stream and gas mixture in continuous flow with the test catalyst and reference catalyst, respectively, to produce a product stream; measuring the concentrations of products; and determining and comparing performance parameters of test and reference catalysts.    USE - The method is useful for screening catalysts for liquid-phase selective hydrogenation.    ADVANTAGE - The method enables screening catalysts with excellent conversion, selectivity, and sustained activity in liquid-phase selective hydrogenation.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Screening catalysts for liquid-phase selective hydrogenation comprises: preparing a test catalyst by adding a promoter comprising Group IB metals, Group IIB metals, Group IIIA metals, and/or Group VIIB metals, to a reference catalyst comprising a supported Group VIII metal catalyst precursor; preparing a liquid reactant stream comprising acetylene dissolved in n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; testing the test catalyst and the reference catalyst by contacting the reactant stream and gas mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide in continuous flow with the test catalyst and reference catalyst, respectively, at selective hydrogenation reaction conditions to produce a product stream, and substantially condensing the n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone from the product stream; measuring the concentrations of products comprising acetylene, ethylene, and ethane in the product stream at steady state; determining performance parameters for the test catalyst and the reference catalyst comprising the respective acetylene conversion Sc and ethylene selectivity relative to ethane Ss; and comparing the test catalyst performance parameters to those for the reference catalyst.