Chapter 6: The Determination of the Strong Coupling Constant

The strong coupling constant is one of the fundamental parameters of the Standard Theory of particle physics. In this review I will briefly summarise the theoretical framework, within which the strong coupling constant is defined and how it is connected to measurable observables. Then I will give an historical overview of its experimental determinations and discuss the current status and world average value. Among the many different techniques used to determine this coupling constant in the context of quantum chromodynamics, I will focus in particular on a number of measurements carried out at the Large Electron-Positron Collider (LEP) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN.