A method to use a receiver operator characteristics curve for model comparison in machine condition monitoring. The method and systems of using this method may be used to evaluate different monitoring models. These models may be used to monitor a variety of different systems such as power plant systems or magnetic resonance imaging systems. The methods use training data and designate one or more points in the data as a false negative, thereby permitting a receiver operator characteristics analysis to be performed. Multiple receiver operator characteristics analyses may be performed either on different models or on different points within a single model, thereby permitting the receiver operator characteristics analyses to be used to select a beneficial model for monitoring a particular system.