The total one-phonon coherent neutron scattering cross section for graphite is evaluated using an approximate model of the dispersion relations. A relatively simple phonon frequency distribution is derived and multiphonon terms are calculated in the incoherent approximation. The results are compared with experimental and other theoretical calculations based upon the incoherent approximation. The latter have been consistently lower than the experimental results by a factor of two or more. It is found that the out-of-plane or z-mode contributes ∼ 75% of the one-phonon cross section. The value of [υ Σ01 (υ)]min is found to be ∼70% greater than the same quantity obtained with the same model in the incoherent approximation. Moreover, the λ-law or constant collision frequency domain only begins with neutron wavelengths >∼20 Å (the Bragg cutoff is 6.7 Å).