Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an important tool in the structural analysis of both organic and inorganic molecules. Proton NMR spectra can yield information about the chemical or bonding environment surrounding various protons, the number of protons in those environments, and the number of neighbouring protons around each proton. However, there is a common misconception about the relationship between the splitting of signals due to the neighbouring protons and the (n + 1) rule. This paper discusses how the appearance of deceptively simple spectra has led to this misconception and the correct interpretation and application of the (n + 1) rule. (Contains 8 figures.)