atw: Re: austechwriter Digest V5 #292

Hi All, 

I had that question some months ago as well: 

> Most usage guides have rules about when to write out numbers as words 
>(one, two, three, ...) and when to use numerals (1, 2, 3, ...).
However, 
>from time to time I come across passages written like this (from a 
>document I've just been reading):  
>This solution has been designed to support up to five (5) users, 
>and three (3) of these systems are being procured. 

>I've seen this often enough to think there must be some rationale for 
>doing it this way, but I can't imagine what it is.


The Wiley Style Manual says that any which way is appropriate and
depending on the audience of your document, you can use whatever format
you prefer. The main goal is to go for clarity and if it makes it easier
to read a document using numbers ie 2 , 3 instead of two, three,
particularly where a document is laden with numbers, it can be easier on
the reader to write numbers instead of text.

Use your intuition with regard to your audience .. ie a feasibility
report with lots of calcs discussed in the explanatory paragraphs would
benefit from using numbers whereas if it was a report that only uses a
few numbers, then writing those numbers in words would just read easier
in the context of the report's paragraphs and layout.  This is what I
have found to work best.

I do remember when I was working at Mincom however, there was another
set of rules for numbers in documents when it came to the translation of
the documents into several languages but I can't remember now, perhaps
Kirsty from Mincom can shed more light on this one... (she is a member
of this group)...

Nikki Ward
UNiTAB Limited
Brisbane, QLD
nikki.ward@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


-----Original Message-----
From: FreeLists Mailing List Manager [mailto:ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Monday, 19 November 2007 5:41 PM
To: austechwriter digest users
Subject: austechwriter Digest V5 #292

austechwriter Digest    Sun, 18 Nov 2007        Volume: 05  Issue: 292

In This Issue:
                Can't print PDF
                Junior technical writers for hire
                Writing numbers in text [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
                Re: Writing numbers in text [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
                Re: Writing numbers in text [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:40:53 +1100
From: Allan Charlton <allancharlton@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Can't print PDF

Hi Folks
When I went to print a PDF - and PDF - I get an Adobe popup message that

says

"Before you can perform print-related tasks such as page setup or 
printing a document, you need to install a printer."

I have two printers installed - a Fuji Xerox C2100 and a Lexmark 5470.
The Adobe Help tells me to go to File>Setup, but that doesn't respond 
because it thinks I don't have a printer installed.  Can anyone explain 
how I can get Adobe Reader to recognise that I do have printers 
installed and print documents for me?

Thanks
Allan

------------------------------

From: "Geoffrey Marnell" <geoffrey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Junior technical writers for hire
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 08:07:29 +1100

Dear austechies,
 

I have just finished teaching another batch of would-be technical
writers
through my Technical Writing and Editing course at Melbourne University.
A
group of especially high achievers is keen to break into the industry as
soon as possible. If you, or the organisation you are working for, has a
need for (or could use) a graduate-entry technical writer, please let me
know and I'll send you some good CVs.

 

Cheers

 

Geoffrey Marnell

Principal Consultant

Abelard Consulting Pty Ltd

T: (+61 3) 9596 3456

F: (+61 3) 9596 3625

W: http://www.abelard.com.au

_________________________

 




------------------------------

Subject: Writing numbers in text [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
From: Howard.Silcock@xxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:16:30 +1100

Most usage guides have rules about when to write out numbers as words 
(one, two, three, ...) and when to use numerals (1, 2, 3, ...). However,

from time to time I come across passages written like this (from a 
document I've just been reading): 
        This solution has been designed to support up to five (5) users,

and three (3) of these systems are being procured. 

I've seen this often enough to think there must be some rationale for 
doing it this way, but I can't imagine what it is. It looks almost as if

the writer wonders whether readers mightn't understand the 'written-out'

forms. 

Anyone know the source of this style of writing? Is there a good reason 
for it that I'm missing?

Howard


Howard Silcock
Technical Writer
Zare Pty Ltd
Ph  02 6261 2073
Fax 02 6112 2073


------------------------------

From: Amanda Cat <amandacat22@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Writing numbers in text [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 05:27:51 +0000

I've never seen this. 
 
I was taught the one, two, three...nine ten, 11, 12, 13 rule as well.
 
I know that in military style sheets, when writing units of measurement,
that rule goes out the window:
 
3 seconds.
5 minutes.
4 Tonnes.
 
But I've never heard of the scenario described below. Given they are
describing users and systems, I would have assumed "five users and three
systems".
 
It does look like they're overcompensating with the old numerals, there.
 
Meh...??
 
Amanda


To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: atw: Writing numbers in text
[SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]From: Howard.Silcock@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: Mon, 19 Nov 2007
16:16:30 +1100Most usage guides have rules about when to write out
numbers as words (one, two, three, ...) and when to use numerals (1, 2,
3, ...). However, from time to time I come across passages written like
this (from a document I've just been reading):         This solution has
been designed to support up to five (5) users, and three (3) of these
systems are being procured. I've seen this often enough to think there
must be some rationale for doing it this way, but I can't imagine what
it is. It looks almost as if the writer wonders whether readers mightn't
understand the 'written-out' forms. Anyone know the source of this style
of writing? Is there a good reason for it that I'm missing? Howard
Howard SilcockTechnical WriterZare Pty LtdPh  02 6261 2073Fax 02 6112
2073

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:32:28 +1100
From: Janice Gelb <Janice.Gelb@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Writing numbers in text [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Howard.Silcock@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> 
> Most usage guides have rules about when to write out numbers as words 
> (one, two, three, ...) and when to use numerals (1, 2, 3, ...).
However, 
> from time to time I come across passages written like this (from a 
> document I've just been reading):
> 
>         This solution has been designed to support up to five (5)
users, 
> and three (3) of these systems are being procured.
> 
> I've seen this often enough to think there must be some rationale for 
> doing it this way, but I can't imagine what it is. It looks almost as
if 
> the writer wonders whether readers mightn't understand the
'written-out' 
> forms.
> 
> Anyone know the source of this style of writing? Is there a good
reason 
> for it that I'm missing?
> 

The fact that many style guides warn against doing
this very thing leads me to believe that obsessive
writers have a tendency to do this and we all have
to do our part in stamping it out :->

-- Janice

***********************************************************
Janice Gelb          | The only connection Sun has with
janice.gelb@xxxxxxx  | this message is the return address

------------------------------

End of austechwriter Digest V5 #292
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