NASA SP-7084

GraIllIllar, Punctuation,
and Capitalization
A Handbook for Technical Writers and Editors
 NASA SP-7084

Grammar, Punctuation,
and Capitalization
A Handbook for Technical Writers and Editors

Mary K. McCaskill
Langley Research Center
Hampton, Virginia

NJ\S/\
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Office of Management
Scientific and Technical Information Division
Washington, DC 1990
Preface The four chapters making up this reference publication were originally
written as part of an ongoing effort to write a style manual for the Technical
Editing Branch of the NASA Langley Research Center. These chapters were
written for technical publishing professionals (primarily technical editors)
at Langley. At the urging of my branch head, I am making this part of the
style manual available to the technical publishing cQmmunity.
This publication is directed toward professional writers, editors, and
proofreaders. Those whose profession lies in other areas--(for example,
research or management), but who have occasion to write or review others'
writing will also find this information useful. By carefully studying the
examples and revisions to these examples, you can discern most of the
techniques in my editing "bag of tricks"; I hope that you editors will find
these of particular _interest.
Being a technical editor, I drew nearly all the examples from the doc-
uments written by Langley's research staff. I admit that these examples
are highly technical and therefore harder to understand, but technical edi-
tors and other technical publishing professionals must understand grammar,
punctuation, and capitalization in the context in which they work.
In writing these chapters, I came to a realization that has slowly been
dawning on me during my 15 years as a technical editor: authorities differ
on many rules of grammar, punctuation, and capitalization; these rules are
constantly changing (as is our whole language); and these rules (when they
can be definitely ascertained) sometimes should be broken! Thus much
of writing and editing is a matter of style, or preference. Some of the
information in this publication, particularly the chapter on capitalization,
is a matter of style. Langley's editorial preferences are being presented when
you see the words we prefer, "we" being Langley's editorial staff. I do not
intend to imply that Langley's style is preferred over any other; however, if
you do not have a preferred style, Langley's editorial tradition is a long and
respected one.
I wish to acknowledge that editorial tradition and the people who
established it and trained me in it. I am also grateful to Alberta L. Cox,
NASA Ames Research Center, and to Mary Fran Buehler, Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, for reviewing this document.

iii
1

1
Contents Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

1. (jrananaar . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1. Grammar and Effective Writing 1
1.2. Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2.1. Possessive Case . . . . . . 2
1.2.2. Possessive of Inanimate Objects 2
1.3. Pronouns 3
1.3.1. Antecedents 3
1.3.2. Personal Pronouns 4
1.3.3. Relative Pronouns . 5
1.3.4. Demonstrative Pronouns 7
1.4. Verbs . . 8
1.4.1. Tense 8
1.4.2. Mood 10
1.4.3. Voice 10
1.4.4. Verb Number 11
1.5. Adjectives . . . 12
1.5.1. Articles 13
1.5.2. Unit Modifiers 14
1.6. Adverbs . . . . . 16
1.6.1. Misplaced Adverbs 16
1.6.2. Squinting Adverbs . 17
1.6.3. Split Infinitives 17
1. 7. Prepositions . . . . . 17
1. 7.1. Prepositional Idioms 18
1.7.2. Terminal Prepositions 18
1. 7.3. Repeating Prepositions . 18
1.8. Conjunctions . . . . . . . 19
1.8.1. Coordinating Conjunctions 19
1.8.2. Subordinating Conjunctions 20
1.9. Verbals 22
1.9.1. Coordinate Gerunds and infinitives 22
1.9.2. Idiom Requiring Gerund or Infinitive 22
1.9.3. Dangling Verbals . . . . . . . . . 23

v
2. Sentence Structure 27
2.1. Sentence Structure and Effective Writing 27
2.2. Subjects and Verbs . . . 27
2.2.1. Clarify Subject . . . 27
2.2.2. Make Verbs Vigorous 29
2.2.3. Improve Subject-Verb Relationship 31
2.3. Parallelism. . . . . . . . . . . . 33
2.3.1. Connectives Requiring Parallelism 33
2.3.2. Itemization . . . . 34
2.4. Brevity and Conciseness 35
2.4.1. Wordiness 35
2.4.2. Shortening Text . 37
2.4.3. Shortening Titles 37
2.5. Comparisons . . . . 39
2.5.1. Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs. 39
2.5.2. Ambiguous Comparisons . 40
2.5.3. Comparison Constructions 41
2.6. Emphasis 43
2.6.1. Emphasizing With Sentence Structure 43
2.6.2. Emphasizing With Punctuation . . . 45

3. Punctuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
3.1. A Functional Concept of Punctuation 47
3.2. Apostrophe 47
3.3. Brackets 48
3.4. Colon . 48
3.4.1. Colons That Introduce 48
3.4.2. Conventional Uses of the Colon 51
3.4.3. Use With Other Marks. 51
3.5. Comma . . . . . . . . . 51
3.5.1. Commas That Separate 51
3.5.2. Commas That Enclose . 56
3.5.3. Conventional Uses of the Comma 59
3.5.4. Use With Other Marks. . . . . 60

VI
3.6. Em Dash 60
3.6.1. Dashes That Enclose 61
3.6.2. Dashes That Separate 62
3.6.3. Conventional Uses of the Dash 63
3.6.4. Use With Other Marks . 63
3.7. En Dash. 63
3.8. Hyphen . 64
3.8.1. Word :Pivision 64
3.8.2. Prefixes . . . 64
3.8.3. Suffixes 65
3.8.4. Compound Words 65
3.9. Italics . . . . . . . 67
3.9.1. Italics for Emphasis 67
3.9.2. Italics for Special Terminology 68
3.9.3. Italics for Differentiation . . 68
3.9.4. Italics for Symbology . . . . 69
3.9.5. Conventional Uses for Italics . 69
3.9.6. Italics With Typefaces Other Than Roman 70
3.9.7. Italics With Punctuation 70
3.10. Parentheses 70
3.11. Period . . 71
3.11.1. Abbreviations 72
3.11.2. Conventional Uses of the Period 72
3.11.3. Use With Other Marks 73
3.12. Points of Ellipsis . 73
3.13. Question Mark 74
3.14. Quotation Marks 75
3.14.1. Quoted Material 75
3.14.2. Words Requiring Differentiation 76
3.14.3. Use With Other Marks 77
3.15. Semicolon. . . . . . 77
3.15.1. Coordinate Clauses 77
3.15.2. Series . . . . . . 78
3.15.3. Explanatory Phrases and Clauses. 79
3.15.4. Elliptical Constructions' 79
3.15.5. Use With Other Marks 79
3.16. Slash . . . . . . . . . . 80

vii
4. Capitalization . 81
4.1. Introduction 81
4.2. Sentence Style Capitalization 81
4.2.1. Sentences 82
4.2.2. Quotations 82
4.2.3. Questions 83
4.2.4. Lists. . . 83
4.2.5. Stylistic Uses for Sentence Style Capitalization 84
4.3. Headline Style Capitalization 84
4.4. Acronyms and Abbreviations 85
4.4.1. Capitalization With Acronyms 86
4.4.2. Capitalization of Abbreviations 86
4.5. Proper Nouns and Adjectives . 86
4.5.1. Personal Names and Titles 88
4.5.2. Geographic Names 89
4.5.3. Administrative Names . . 90
4.5.4. Names of Public Places and Institutions 91
4.5.5. Calendar and Time Designations 91
4.5.6. Scientific Names 92
4.5.7. Titles of Works . . . 93
4.5.8. Miscellaneous Names 94

References 95

Glossary 97

Index . . 101

Vlll
Chapter 1. Grammar

1.1. Grammar All writing begins with ideas that relate to one another. An author chooses
and Effective words that express the ideas and chooses an arrangement of the words
(syntax) that expresses the relationships between the ideas. Given this
Writing arrangement of words into phrases, clauses, and sentences, the author obeys
grammar and punctuation rules to form a series of sentences that will impart
the ideas.
English rules of grammar originated in antiquity, but over centuries
have evolved according to usage and are still changing today. Thus, gram-
mar rules may change and may be inconsistent, but usually have a func-
tional basis. This functional attitude toward grammar, and punctuation, is
described in Effective Revenue Writing 2 (Linton 1962). A rule of grammar
or punctuation with a functional basis will not prevent effective statement
of ideas, nor will following all the rules ensure effective writing.
Effective writing requires good syntax, that is, an effective arrangement
of sentence elements. Obviously, an editor is responsible for ensuring
that a consistent and correct set of grammar and punctuation rules have
been applied to a report (a process often called copy editing). However,
language and substantive edits, as defined by Van Buren and Buehler (1980),
involve revision of sometimes perfectly grammatical sentences to improve
effectiveness of sentence structure. This chapter discusses grammar, and
the next chapter concerns sentence structure with emphasis on methods of
revision.
According to Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, grammar
means "the study of the classes of words, their inflections [changes in
form to distinguish case, gender, tense, etc.], and functions in a sentence."
An abundance of good, detailed grammar, writing, and usage books are
available. This chapter is not meant to be a definitive grammar reference. It
is intended to address grammatical problems often encountered in technical
documents and to indicate preference when grammar authorities do not
agree. Please refer to the books cited in the References section and others
to complement and clarify the discussions that follow.

1.2. Nouns Nouns change form to indicate case. and number. The number of a
noun is usually not a problem (though the number of pronouns and verbs
corresponding to the noun may be). The three possible cases are nominative,
objective, and possessive. In English, nominative and objective case nouns
have the same form.
Chapter 1. Grammar

1.2.1. Possessive Case At Langley, the preferred rules for forming possessives are as follows (G.P.O.
1984; and Rowland 1962):
• Form the possessive of a singular or plural noun not ending in s by
adding's.
• Form the possessive of a singular or plural noun ending in s by adding an
apostrophe only:

Singular Plural
man's men's
horse's horses'
Jones' Joneses'

• Form the possessive of a compound noun by adding's to the end of the

compound:

sister-in-Iaw's home
John Doe, Jr.'s report
patent counsel's decision

• Indicate joint possession by adding's to the last element of a series; indicate

individual possession by adding's to each element:

Wayne and Tom's office (one office)

editor's, proofreader's, and typist's tasks

Some authorities (for example, Skillin et al. 1974; and Bernstein 1981)
partially disagree with the second rule above. They state that the possessive
of a singular proper noun is formed by adding's even when the noun ends
in s (for example, Jones's); however, a triple sibilant is always avoided (for
example, Jesus').

1.2.2. Possessive of In the past, the possessive case ('s) was not acceptable for inanimate nouns.
Inanimate Instead the preposition of was preferred, that is, strength of the laminate
Objects rather than laminate's strength.
Exceptions to this rule were inanimate words representing a collection
of animate beings (for example, company's profits, university's curriculum)
and words expressing measure or time (for example, 2 hours' work). Current
practice is to dispense with both the's and the of (Skillin et al. 1974):

company profits
university curriculum
laminate strength
2 hours work

2
 Section 1.3. Pronouns

In fact, the use of's on an inanimate object is no longer taboo,

particularly if the object has some lifelike qualities (Bernstein 1981):
computer program's name
Earth's rotation
Whether an's can properly be added to an inanimate noun seems to
be a matter of idiom. We would not say, for example,

systems' analyst
table's top

1.3. Pronouns All pronouns must have an antecedent (the noun they replace) with which
they agree in number, gender, and person. In addition, some pronouns
change form to indicate nominative, objective, and possessive case (for
example, he, him, his). .
• An apostrophe is never used to form possessive case pronouns ..

1.3.1. Antecedents Most grammatical errors involving pronouns result from the lack of a clear
antecedent. The following sentences suffer from this problem:

He foresaw aircraft applications and thus emphasized rectilinear motions.

This causes complicated integral equations for other types of motion.
The boundary condition becomes a source term, which permits use of the
Green function.
Required surface pressures are obtained in several ways, for example,
from blade element theory or experimental measurements. Whatever the
technique, it is usually available.

In the first two sentences the pronouns this and which refer to the idea of
the previous sentence or clause and do not have a noun antecedent. The
Writer's Guide and Index to English (Ebbitt and Ebbitt 1978) states that
this "broad reference" usage of pronouns is acceptable in "general" writing,
but should be avoided in "formal" writing. The danger of broad reference
is that the antecedent (whether a noun or a clause) may not be clear. In
the second sentence above, which appears to refer to term. The following
revisions would be preferable:

He foresaw aircraft applications and thus emphasized rec~ilinear motion.

This emphasis causes complicated integral equations for other types of
motion.
Because the boundary condition becomes a source term, the Green
function can be used.

In the third sentence, it is much too distant from its antecedent, pressures.
Because of this distance, the pronoun does not agree in number with its
antecedent.

3
Chapter 1. Grammar

Bernstein (1981) discusses ambiguous or nonexistent antecedents under

"Pronouns" and under particular words, for example, "Each" and "None."
• Grammatical errors involving pronoun antecedents can be avoided very
simply: check every pronoun for a clear, appropriate antecedent and then
ensure agreement between antecedent and pronoun.

1.3.2. Personal First person pronouns

Pronouns
Tichy and Fourdrinier (1988) attribute the pervasiveness of passive
voice in technical writing to evasion of first person pronouns (/, we). In the
early 1900's, first person pronouns were banished from technical writing to
obtain objectivity; however, Tichy and Fourdrinier effectively demonstrate
that objectivity is not always attained. Writing authorities no longer forbid,
and sometimes encourage, the use of first person pronouns (CBE 1978; AlP
1978; Houp and Pearsall 1984; and Mills and Walter 1978). Thus, we in
technical documents cannot be condemned, particularly when the opinion
of the author (and a research staff) is being expressed:

We believe that this effect is due to nozzle aspect ratio.

This use of we, meaning "I and others," should be distinguished from
the editorial we, meaning "you readers and I" (Ebbitt and Ebbitt 1982).
In technical documents the editorial we is often used in mathematical
presentations:

Now we define a recursive relation for the (k + l)th iteration:

Tichy and Fourdrinier (1988) recommend that the antecedent of we always

be made clear. They also offer advice on when to use first person pronouns
and when not to.
Gender
Third person singular pronouns change form to indicate gender (he,
she). When the pronoun could refer to either sex or when the antecedent's
sex is unknown, the masculine pronoun is grammaticaL However, in recent
years, objections have been raised to this grammatical rule.
• It is preferred practice to avoid the masculine pronoun when the antecedent
may be feminine. Often the antecedent can be made plural:

Poor An editor must have guidelines on which to base his

revisions.
Better Editors must have guidelines on which to base their
revisions.
4
 Section 1.3. Pronouns

Or the wording of the sentence can be changed:

Poor The listener may not fully perceive the sound because
his ear has a critical summation time of 1 sec.
Better The listener may not fully perceive the sound because
the human ear has a critical summation time of 1 sec.

1.3.3. Relative Relative pronouns function not only as pronouns but also as conjunctions.
Pronouns The relative pronoun replaces a noun in a dependent clause and connects
the clause to the rest of the sentence.
Antecedents of relative pronouns
• Who and whom refer to persons.
• Which refers to things.
• That refers to things and in rare instances may refer to persons.
• Whose, the only possessive case relative pronoun, may refer to either persons
or things according to Bernstein (1981). Other grammar authorities disagree
and condemn the use of whose to refer to inanimate nouns. We prefer whose
when of which would be awkward:

Awkward A low-cost process has been developed for making alu-

mina, the limited availability and cost of which have
previously inhibited its widespread use.
Better A low-cost process has been developed for making alu-
mina, whose limited availability and cost have previ-
ously inhibited its widespread use.
Awkward The attenuation is accompanied by an echo the ampli-
tude of which is above the background level and the
position of which is related to the depth of the region.
Better The attenuation is accompanied by an echo whose
amplitude is above the background level and whose
position is related to the depth of the region.

Which versus that

• Which is always used in a nonrestrictive relative clause (one that could be
omitted without changing the meaning of the basic sentence):

The most common examples of panel methods are the aerodynamic codes
of Hess and Smith (ref. 26), which were originally developed for nonlifting
surfaces.

Which may also be used in a restrictive relative clause. Note that proper
punctuation of restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses is vital: commas enclose
nonrestrictive clauses, but never enclose restrictive clauses (see section
3.5.2).

5
Chapter 1. Grammar

• That is preferred for restrictive (or defining) relative clauses (Bernstein

1981):
The most common examples of panel methods are the aerodynamic codes
that Hess and Smith (ref. 26) designed for nonlifting bodies.
There are three exceptions to the use of that to introduce a restrictive clause:
• Which must be used after a preposition (Bernstein 1981):
The shading in figure 2 indicates elements in which fibers have failed.

• Which is used after the demonstrative that (Bernstein 1981):

The most commonly used aerodynamic code is that which Hess and Smith
(ref. 26) designed for nonlifting bodies.
• Which sounds more natural when a clause or phrase intervenes between the
relative pronoun and its antecedent (Fowler 1944):
Finite bodies can undergo motions (such as spinning) which complicate
the equations.

Omission oj that
That can sometimes be omitted from restrictive relative clauses, but
this omission is not recommended:

Correct The model they analyzed is the most realistic one

studied.
Better The model that they analyzed is the most realistic one
studied.
Who versus whom
Who (and its indefinite derivative whoever) is the only relative pronoun
that changes form to indicate case (who, whom, whose). When a relative
clause is inverted, we have difficulty determining whether the pronoun is
in nominative case (who) or in objective case (whom). The easiest way to
resolve such questions is to change the relative clause to an independent
clause by substituting a third person personal pronoun for the relative
pronoun. For example, in the questionable sentence
Information derived from this contract may be transmitted to those who
the Defense Department has cleared to receive classified information.

change the relative clause to an independent clause:

The Defense Department h~s cleared them to receive classified informa-
tion.
The sentence requires a third person pronoun in objective caf:je (them), so
the relative pronoun must also be in objective case ( ... those whom the
Defense ... ).

6
 Section 1.3. Pronouns

1.3.4. Demonstrative Demonstrative pronouns refer to something present or near (this, these) or
Pronouns to something more remote (that, those). Technical writing tends to exhibit
two types of problems involving demonstrative pronouns: broad reference
(see section 2.2.1) and incomplete comparison (see section 2.5.2).
Broad reference
The demonstrative this is often used to refer to the idea expressed in
the previous sentence, a practice to be avoided in formal writing (Ebbitt
and Ebbitt 1982). For example,

The entire noise prediction methodology for moving bodies becomes

autonomous. This means that improved models can be incorporated
simultaneously in pressure and noise calculations.
Most loads could be reduced 0.8 percent if voltage was more closely
regulated. Nonessential loads such as payloads could take advantage of
this, but essential loads could not.

This type of construction is sometimes vague and usually unnecessary. Often

the demonstrative pronoun can be deleted:
The entire noise prediction methodology for moving bodies becomes
autonomous. Thus, improved models can be incorporated simultaneously
in pressure and noise calculations.

Or the antecedent can be clarified:

Most loads could be reduced 0.8 percent if voltage was more closely
regulated. Nonessential loads such as payloads could take advantage of
voltage regulation, but essential loads could not.

Incomplete comparison
Demonstrative pronouns can often be used to complete vague compar-
isons:

Poor The errors in this prediction are greater than in ta-

ble III.
Better The errors in this prediction are greater than those in
table III.
But make sure that the antecedent and meaning are clear:

Unclear West's results were in better agreement with ours than

those of Long et al.
Either West's results were in better agreement with ours than
were those of Long et al.
Or West's results were in better agreement with ours than
with those of Long et al.

See section 2.5 for further discussion of comparisons.

7
 Chapter 1. Grammar

1.4. Verbs Verbs, the only words that can express action, change form to indicate
person, tense, mood, voice, and number.

1.4.1. Tense Verbs change form to indicate tense, or time that an action or state of
being takes place. English has six tenses: present, present perfect, past,
past perfect, future, and future perfect. Each of the six tenses has a
progressive form indicating a continuing action. (See Text 4 of Effective
Revenue Writing 1, IRS 1962.) Writing authorities do not specify exactly
which tenses should be used in a technical document, but they universally
agree that shifts in tense should occur only when the time of the action
changes. In other words, the point of view of a report with respect to tense
must be consistent.
The relationship between point of view and verb tense can be under-
stood in terms of the four elements of discourse (Buehler 1970):
• Exposition (explains how and why things happen)
• Narration (tells what happened)
• Description (gives a mental image)
• Argumentation (convinces by reasoning)
The elements are quite often mixed. For example, in the Results and Dis-
cussion section, behavior of models or specimens (narration) might be dis-
cussed along with presentation of results in tables and figures (description)
and explanation of results (exposition). Narration is usually in past tense
while description and exposition are usually in present tense. Consistency
in tense does not mean that all sentences are in the same tense; it means
that sentences expressing the same point of view (or element of discourse)
are in the same tense. A void shifting back and forth between points of view
by grouping material with a consistent viewpoint; but when the viewpoint
does shift, shift the tense accordingly.

Tenses of independent clauses of report

There are no firm rules concerning tense of various sections in a report.

However, if an author is inconsistent in tense, the following guidelines might
be helpful to the editor:
• The Summary is usually in past tense.
• Past research (for example, in references) is usually described in past tense.
• Permanent facilities are usually described in present tense.
• Experimental procedures and apparatus for a particular study are usually
described in past tense.

8
 Section 1.4. Verbs

• Behavior of models, specimens, etc., during the study is usually expressed

in past tense, and results presented in the report's illustrative material are
expressed in present tense:

Typical fracture profiles are shown in figure 21. These profiles show that
fracture mode changed with cyclic exposure. The specimens failed ...
As shown in figure 10, the autorotative rolling moment is a nonlinear
function of roll rate, so that as spin rate increased, the propelling
moments became equal.

• Explanation of why results occurred are in present tense:

The data failed to provide any reasonable estimates for enT • This failure
can be attributed to the small excitation of yawing velocity.

• The Concluding Section is usually in past tense except that conclusions (that
is, deductions thought to be universally true independent of the specific
conditions of the investigation) should be in present tense.
• The Abstract is usually in present tense.
Sequence of tenses
The logical time relation between the various verbs and verbals in a
sentence is expressed by shifts in the tense of these verbs and verbals.
Sequence of tenses is a very complicated subject, which is discussed in almost
every grammar and writing book. Only the basic guidelines are given here;
for a more complete understanding, refer to such reference books.
• When the principal verb is in a present or future tense, subordinate verbs
may be in any tense:

The data indicate that lift increases with angle of attack up to a = 35°.
The data indicate that the specimen failed in a noncumulative mode.
The data indicate that propellers will have a place as a propulsive device
of the future.

• When the principal verb is in a past tense, the subordinate verb must be in
a past tense unless the subordinate clause expresses a universal truth or an
action that is still continuing:

The data indicated that lift increased with angle of attack up to a = 35°.
Previous studies had indicated that. alumina is a suitable fiber for
reinforcement.

• The present tense forms of verbals refer to action occurring at the same
time as the main verb; the past tense or perfect tense forms of verbals refer

9
Chapter 1. Grammar

to action occurring before the action of the main verb. This principle is
most easily seen for participles:

Photographs indicating nearly laminar flow justified this assumption.

Photographs taken during an earlier test justified this assumption.

1.4.2. Mood The three moods in English are indicative, imperative, and subjunctive.
Almost all verbs in technical documents are indicative. Imperative mood is
sometimes used in instructions or descriptions of procedures. Subjunctive
mood is rarely used and seems to be disappearing from English usage.
However, there are two situations when the subjunctive should be used
(Bernstein 1981):
• Subjunctive mood is used to indicate a command, suggestion, recommen-
dation, or requirement:

The console operator instructed that the preflight inspection be repeated.

The committee recommends that this research be continued.

• Subjunctive mood is used to indicate a condition contrary to fact or highly

improbable:

If the integral were not singular, the question could be solved easily.
Up to now, all discontinuous fiber-reinforced composites have low duc-
tility. If their ductility were improved, they would be highly attractive
materials for aircraft applications.

The subjunctive should be used only when the author wishes to imply strong
doubt. Notice the subtle change in attitude when the subjunctive is not used
in the above example:

If their ductility was improved, they would be highly attractive materials

for aircraft applications.

1.4.3. Voice The voice of a verb indicates whether the subject is performing the action
(active) or receiving the action (passive). Writing authorities overwhelm-
ingly prefer active voice because it is direct, clear, and natural. Overuse of
passive voice weakens style and obscures responsibility. This preference for
active voice is not a condemnation of passive voice. Tichy and Fourdrinier
(1988) list five situations when the passive voice is appropriate:
• When the actor is unimportant, not known, or not to be mentioned
• When the receiver of the action should be emphasized
• When the sentence is abrupt in active voice
• When variety is needed in an active voice passage

10
 Section 1.4. Verbs

• When a weak imperative is needed (for example, "The figures should be

corrected quickly")
The first two items justify much of the passive voice in technical documents.
See section 2.2.2 for a discussion of revising passive voice sentences to make
them active voice.

1.4.4. Verb Number A verb must agree in number with its subject. This is a simple and
absolute rule. However, verb-noun disagreements (in number) are common
grammatical errors, sometimes caused by words intervening between the
subject and verb and sometimes caused by difficulty in determining the
number of the subject.
• Some nouns have confusing singular or plural forms, for example,

aeronautics, sing. equipment, sing.

apparatus, sing. hardware, sing.
apparatuses, pI. phenomena, pI.
data, pl.1 criteria, pI.

Consult the dictionary or a usage book when there is a question concerning

the number of a particular noun.
Subjects joined by coordinate conjunctions
• Subjects joined by and, whether singular or plural, require a plural verb.
• Singular subjects joined by or or nor require a singular verb.
• When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by or or nor, the
verb agrees in number with the subject nearer to it.
• When subjects are joined by and/or, the number of the verb depends on the
interpretation of and/or. Either a singular or plural verb can be justified.
Bernstein (1981) considers and/or a "monstrosity" and recommends that it
be avoided. Often either and or or alone is sufficient.
Subjects with intervening phrases
Phrases that intervene between the subject and verb do not affect the
number of the verb; it aiways agrees with the subject:

Damping ratio as well as frequency agrees with the experimental values.

This error plus any other systematic errors appears in the output of the
instrument.

1 Authorities disagree on the number of the noun data. Bernstein (1981) takes the
traditional view that it is a plural noun, but Tichy and Fourdrinier (1988), Ebbitt and
Ebbitt (1982), and IRS (1962) consider it to be a collective noun either singular or plural
depending on its meaning. We prefer that data be plural in Langley reports.
11
Chapter 1. Grammar

Collective subjects
A singular collective subject, which names a group of people or things,
is treated as singular when the group is considered a unit or as plural when
the members of the group are considered individually:
Langley's research staff is well-known for its achievements in aeronautics.
Langley's research staff do not all publish their results in report form.
• The number of such words as most, all, some, half, part, or percent is
governed by the number of the noun in the phrase that follows, or that
could follow, them:
Most of the measurements contain this error.
Most of the disagreement between the plots is attributed to this error.
Six percent of the chord has laminar flow.
Of the subjects tested, six percent rate all the noises acceptable.
• When a number is used with a plural noun to indicate a single measurement,
a singular verb is required:
Twenty liters of fuel has passed through the combustion system.
When such a subject is thought of as individual parts, a plural verb is
appropriate:
Twenty milliliters of water were added, one at a time, to the solution.
Compound clauses with auxiliary verbs omitted
In compound sentences with passive voice verbs, the auxiliary verbs are
sometimes erroneously omitted:
The wing plate was fabricated from nickel 201, its surface polished, and
nickel rods welded to its edge.
• The omission of auxiliary verbs is grammatical unless the subjects change
number (Rowland 1962). The above sentence should be
The wing plate was fabricated from nickel 201, its surface was polished,
and nickel rods were welded to its edge.

1.5. Adjectives Since modifiers make up the bulk of most writing, their placement is very
important to sentence structure.
In contrast to adverbs, adjectives are naturally placed near the noun
or pronoun that they modify. Single-word adjectives and unit modifiers
precede the noun and adjective phrases and clauses follow it. See section
2.2.3 for a discussion of placement of modifiers.
See section 2.5.1 for discussion of the degree (positive, comparative,
and superlative) of adjectives.

12
 Section 1. 5. Adjectives

1.5.1. ~rticles Indefinite articles a and an

• The indefinite article a precedes a word beginning with a sounded consonant,
and an precedes a word beginning with a vowel sound.
• Whether a or an should precede an abbreviation or acronym depends not
on its initial letter but on how the author expects it to be read (Bernstein
1981). For example, most people read "M.A." as letters rather than as
"Masters of Arts," so "an M.A. degree" is appropriate. Likewise, we prefer
"an NACA airfoil." However, "NASA" is not usually read as letters, so we
prefer "a NASA airfoil."
A rticles with coordinate adjectives
Whether or not articles are repeated before coordinate adjectives affects
meaning (Rowland 1962).
• If coordinate adjectives each refer to different things or persons, articles are
repeated when the modified noun is singular and are n~t repeated when the
modified noun is plural:

Wrong The transverse and shear strain is calculated for each

specimen. (two strains)
Correct The transverse and the shear strain is calculated for
each specimen.
Or The transverse and shear strains are calculated for each
specimen.

• If coordinate adjectives refer to one thing or person, the article is not

repeated:
Wrong A more nonlinear and a lower stress-strain curve re-
sulted from the test. (one curve)
Correct A more nonlinear and lower stress-strain curve resulted
from the test.
Omission of articles
There is a trend in modern writing, particularly journalism, to omit
articles. Langley has traditionally preferred this "elliptical style" for symbol
lists, figure captions, headings, and titles:
u ratio of [the] wing mass to [the] mass of air in [a] truncated
cylindrical cone enclosing [the] wing
Figure 1. Effect ofleak area on pressures, heating rates, and temperatures
in [the] cove and at [the] bulkhead.
Spectral Broadening by [a] Turbulent Shear Layer

Bernstein (1981) calls elliptical style a "disfigurement of the language."

The author, or editor, may prefer to retain (or restore) articles in symbol
lists, figure captions, headings, and titles.

13
Chapter 1. Grammar

1.5.2. Unit Modifiers Technical writing abounds with unit modifiers, that 1S, combinations of
words that modify another word:

The annular suspension and pointing system for space experiments is

described.
These values identify the beginning of shock wave boundary layer inter-
action.
Separated flow wing heating rate values increase sharply toward a constant
value.

Authors and editors often have difficulty deciding when and how to hyphen-
ate these modifiers. Bernstein (1981) considers hyphens a necessary evil to
be used only to avoid ambiguity. Certainly, unit modifiers need not always
be hyphenated and hyphenation does not always prevent ambiguity.
Before agonizing over hyphenation of these modifiers, consider changing
them to prepositional phrases to clarify their meaning. Perhaps this change
only a few times in a report is sufficient to clarify the unit modifier when it
appears subsequently.
Surely the prepositional phrases in the following sentences are clearer
than the hyphenated unit modifiers:

Unit The annular suspension-and-pointing system for space

modifier experiments is described.
Prep. The annular system for suspension and pointing of
phrase space experiments is described.
Unit These values identify the beginning of shock-wave-
modifier boundary-layer interaction.
Prep. These values identify the beginning of interaction be-
phrase tween the shock wave and boundary layer.
Unit Separated-flow wing heating-rate values increase sharply
modifier toward a constant value.
Prep. Heating rates on the wing over which the flow is sepa-
phrase rated increase sharply toward a constant value.

Too many prepositional phrases can make the sentence awkward and
hard to read, as in the last example. The following might be preferable:

Separated-flow heating rates on the wing increase sharply toward a

constant value.

Probably the best authority on hyphenation of unit modifiers is the

G.P.O. (1984). Unfortunately we sometimes forget rule 6.16:

Where meaning is clear and readability is not aided, it is not necessary

to use a hyphen to form a temporary or made compound. Restraint

14
 Section 1.5. Adjectives

should be exercised in forming unnecessary combinations of words used

in normal sequence.
• A unit modifier should not be hyphenated
• When the unit modifier is a predicate adjective: The aircraft was flight
tested.
Note that an adjective that is hyphenated in the dictionary is hyphen-
ated as a predicate adjective (IRS 1962): The method is well-known.
• When the first element of the unit modifier is a comparative or
superlative: higher order calculations
• When the first element is an adverb ending in ly: relatively accurate
prediction
• When the unit modifier is a foreign phrase: a priori condition
• When the unit modifier is a proper name: North Carolina coast (but
Anglo-American plan)
• When the unit modifier has a letter or number designation as its second
element: material 3 properties
• When the unit modifier is enclosed in quotation marks: "elliptical style"
symbol list
• When the unit modifier is a scientific name of a chemical, an animal,
or a plant which is not normally hyphenated: nitric oxide formation
• A unit modifier should always be hyphenated
• When the unit modifier contains a past or present participle: flight-
tested model, decay-producing moment
• When the unit modifier is a combination of color terms: blue-gray
residue
• When a connecting word is implied in the unit modifier: lift-drag ratio,
Newton-Raphson iteration
• When the unit modifier contains numbers (other than number desig-
nations): three-degree-of-freedom simulator, O.3-meter tunnel
Note: we prefer that a number and unit of measurement not modify
the quantity measured:

Poor 3° angle of .attack

Correct angle of attack of 3°

Poor 15000-ft altitude
Correct altitude of 15000 ft

Of course, there are many instances other than those listed above when
a unit modifier may be hyphenated. See Skillin et al. (1974) and G.P.O.

15
Chapter 1. Grammar

(1984) for discussions of permissible temporary compound words. The above

guidelines are based on the hyphenation rules proposed by Murdock (1982).
She attempted to eliminate the need for subjective decisions concerning the
clarity of unit modifiers. Unfortunately, her rules do not always ensure
clarity. It seems that authors and editors must subjectively decide whether
or not a unit modifier is clear and readable without a hyphen.

1.6. Adverbs Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and even other adverbs, but not nouns or
pronouns. Adjectives can modify only nouns and pronouns. Grammatical
errors sometimes occur when an adjective tries to modify a verb:

Wrong The balance was mounted internal to the model.

Correct The balance was internally mounted on the model.

Or The balance was mounted inside the model.

Note the position of the adverb internally in the above example. The
natural place for a single-word adverb is within the verb phrase. However,
some adverbs can be moved within a sentence to change emphasis (see
section 2.6). Although adverbial words and phrases can be moved easily
within a sentence, they can be misplaced when their modification is not
clear.
See section 2.5.1 for discussion of degree (positive, comparative, and
superlative) of adverbs.

1.6.1. Misplaced Some adverbs such as only, almost, nearly, also, quite, merely, and actually
Adverbs must be placed as close as possible to the words that they modify (see the
discussion of "only" in Bernstein 1981):

Misplaced The approximation is only valid for u = O.

Correct The approximation is valid only for u = o.

Misplaced The flow had separated nearly over the whole wing.

Correct The flow had separated over nearly the whole wing.

Misplaced It is only necessary to apply equations (6) to (12) to

compute D.

Correct It is necessary to apply only equations (6) to (12) to

compute D.

16
 Section 1; 7. Prepositions

1.6.2. Squinting An adverb "squints" when it is not clear whether it modifies the preceding
Adverbs or the following words:

Squinting Although the operator eventually replaced the thermo-

couple, during that test, the temperature measurements
were inconsistent.
Either Although during that test, the operator eventually re-
placed the thermocouple, the temperature measure-
ments were inconsistent.
Or Although the operator eventually replaced the thermo-
couple, the temperature measurements were inconsis-
tent during that test.

1.6.3. Split Infinitives Despite the fact that split infinitives have usually bee~ proscribed in formal
writing, most, if not all, grammar authorities recommend splitting an
infinitive to avoid ambiguity or awkwardness. In particular, do not place
an adverb before or after an infinitive if in that position the adverb might
appear to modify a word other than the infinitive:

Split He agreed to immediately recalibrate the surface pres-

sure instrumentation on the wing.
Squinting He agreed immediately to recalibrate the surface pres-
sure instrumentation on the wing.
Awkward He agreed to recalibrate immediately the surface pres-
sure instrumentation on the wing.
Split The flow at 6 = 0° was the first to completely establish
itself over the wing.
Awkward The flow at 6 = 0° was the first completely to establish
itself over the wing.
Squinting The flow at 6 = 0° was the first to establish itself
completely over the wing:

• A void splitting an infinitive with a phrasal adverb. Such split infinitives are
usually awkward.

1. 7. Prepositions Prepositions are handy little words that connect a phrase to a sentence and
.at the same time impart meaning. Prepositional phrases can function as
adjectives, adverbs, or nouns.
When prepositions are used redundantly or unnecessarily, they should
be deleted for the sake of brevity (see section 2.4.1).

17
Chapter 1. Grammar

1. 7.1. Prepositional Choosing the right preposition to use in a particular construction is a mat-
Idioms ter of idiomatic usage, not governed by grammatical rules. Therefore, when
questions arise concerning prepositional idioms, consult the dictionary, a us-
age reference (such as Bernstein 1981), or a list of such idioms (Skillin et al.
1974 and Rowland 1962 contain sections entitled "The Right Preposition").
Some examples of prepositional idioms follow:
analogous to correlation with
attempt (n.) at implicit in
attempt (v.) to similar to
coincident with theorize about
different from variance with

1. 7.2. Terminal Most authorities agree that ending a sentence with a preposition is grammat-
Prepositions ical, although they often recommend avoiding terminal prepositions because
sentences should end with strong words rather than weak ones (see section
2.6 for positions of emphasis in a sentence). If deleting a terminal prepo-
sition results in an awkward sentence or changes emphasis in the sentence,
nothing has been gained:

Term. prep. This hypothesis is intuitively difficult to disagree with.

Awkward This is an intuitively difficult hypothesis with which to

disagree.
Change To disagree with this hypothesis is intuitively difficult.
emphasis

Bernstein (1981) provides an excellent discussion of this topic. He

summarizes by stating, "If by trying to avoid ending a sentence with a
preposition you have seemed to twist words out of their normal order and
have created a pompous-sounding locution, abandon the effort."

1. 7.3. Repeating Prepositions must be repeated in coordinate phrases only when they are
Prepositions required for clarity or when their omission breaks rules of parallelism:

Unclear Shock tests were conducted in nitrogen and oxygen.

Either Shock tests were conducted in nitrogen and in oxygen.

Or Shock tests were conducted in a mixture of oxygen and

nitrogen.
Not parallel Tests were conducted not only in nitrogen but also
oxygen.
Correct Tests were conducted not only in nitrogen but also in
oxygen.

Of course, prepositions (and articles) can be repeated for emphasis.

18
 Section 1.8; Conjunctions

1.8. Conjunctions Conjunctions are classified as coordinating, joining sentence elements of

equal grammatical rank, and as subordinating, joining elements of unequal
rank.

1.S.1. Coordinating Coordinating conjunctions join grammatically equal sentence elements; that
Conjunctions is, they join a word to a word, a phrase to a phrase, or a clause to a clause.
They thus provide important opportunities to use parallelism. See section
2.3 for a discussion of parallel construction. The three types of coordinating
conjunctions are

Coordinate conjunctions: and, but, or, nor

Correlative conjunctions: either ... or, both ... and, not only ... but also
Conjunctive adverbs: therefore, however, thus, hence, otherwise

Coordinate conjunctions
Coordinate conjunctions can Jom words, phrases, and clauses. The
elements that they join must be equal grammatically. A coordinate con-
junction cannot join a noun and prepositional phrase, for example:

Wrong Pressures at the bulkhead, the seal, and in the cove are
. shown.
Correct Pressures at the bulkhead, at the seal, and in the cove
are shown.

Nor can a coordinate conjunction join a noun and a clause:

Wrong Notable characteristics of the air duct system are the

acoustic treatment of the ducts and that the compressor
can force flow both ways through the system.
Correct Notable characteristics of the air duct system are the
acoustic treatment of the ducts and the ability of the
compressor to force flow both ways through the system.

Correlative conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that connect parallel sen-
tence elements.
• Each member of the correlative must be followed by the same part of speech:

Wrong The microprocessor provides both radiometer control

functions and formats the data.
Correct The microprocessor both controls the radiometer and
formats the data.

19
Chapter 1. Grammar

Also it is good practice to keep elements joined by correlatives strictly

parallel:

Poor The subsystem not only measures temperature but it

also provides real-time displays.
Better The subsystem not only measures temperature but also
provides real-time displays.
Poor This duct serves either as an educt or that provides an
exit to the atmosphere or as an inductor sucking air
into the system.
Better This duct serves either as an educt or exiting air to
the atmosphere or as an inductor sucking air into the
system.

Conjunctive adverbs
Conjunctive adverbs can be used to join independent clauses only.
In contrast to coordinate conjunctions, conjunctive adverbs have more
modifying character and less connective force .
• Clauses joined by conjunctive adverbs must be separated by a semicolon (or
a period):

Coord. The differences were generally about 11 percent, but

conj. larger differences occurred at a = 15°.
Conj. The differences were generally about 11 percent; how-
adv. ever, larger differences occurred at a = 15°.

1.8.2. Subordinating Subordinating conjunctions connect dependent clauses to independent

Conjunctions clauses. They are discussed in three categories:
Adverbial conjunctions, which join adverbial clauses to independent
clauses: for example, because, though, after, where, so that.
Relative pronouns, which are discussed in section 1.3.3.
That, which is used as a function word to introduce dependent clauses.

Adverbial conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions that join adverbial clauses to independent
clauses are called adverbial conjunctions. The biggest problem with these
conjunctions is deciding whether the dependent clause is restrictive or not
in order that the sentence can be properly punctuated (see section 3.5.2).
Some of these conjunctions are often used improperly:
• As, since, and while have meanings other than those involving time, so that
care must be taken to ensure that their meaning is clear.

20
 Section 1.8. Conjunctions

• If introduces clauses indicating condition; whether introduces clauses indi-

cating alternatives:

Wrong Aerodynamic forces were studied on a two-dimensional

wing section to determine if similar trends would be
calculated.
Correct Aerodynamic forces were studied on a two-dimensional
wing section to determine whether similar trends would
be calculated.

• Where refers to place or location. It is often used incorrectly to replace that,

when, or a relative pronoun:

Wrong This formulation is equivalent to the Prandtl-Glauert

transformation, where the body is stretched to correct
for the actual distance.
Correct This formulation is equivalent to the Prandtl-Glauert
transformation, by which the body is stretched to cor-
rect for the actual distance.

• While used in the sense of although or whereas is becoming accepted, with

reservation. Skillin et al. (1974) approve of using while to mean although
so long as its use "does not defy the sense of at the same time." Bernstein
(1981) describes this usage of while as acceptable, "but with less universal
sanction."
For a better understanding of these or other usage problems, consult
Bernstein (1981) or other usage references.
The subordinating conjunction that
The subordinating conjunction that is defined in the dictionary as
a function word that introduces several types of dependent clauses, for
example, noun clauses:

That the seven-term function does not result in a good approximation is

apparent.

• That may sometimes be omitted in noun clauses (particularly following such

verbs as say, think, and believe), but this omission is not recommended:

Correct The listeners believe the noise might hurt them.

Better The listeners believe that the noise might hurt them.

Correct The computation is adequate provided it is converged

with respect to collocation order.
Better The computation is adequate provided that it is con-
verged with respect to collocation order.

21
Chapter 1. Grammar

• When a phrase or clause intervenes between that and the rest of the
dependent clause, that is sometimes incorrectly repeated:

Wrong He concluded that because checks were made with 128

collocation points and only small differences were found,
that the results shown were converged.
Either He concluded that because checks were made with 128
collocation points and only small differences were found,
the results shown were converged.
Or Because he made checks with 128 collocation points
and found only small differences, he concluded that the
results shown were converged.

1.9. Verbals The three types of verbals are the gerund (verb ending in ing used as a
noun), the participle (verb used as an adjective), and the infinitive (verb
preceded by to used as an adverb, adjective, or noun).

1.9.1. Coordinate Grammar authorities all remind us that a gerund takes a singular verb:
Gerunds and
Infinitives Substituting the expression into equation (2) yields ...

But these authorities are silent on the number of a verb following coordinate
gerund subjects: .

Substituting this expression in equation (2) and simplifying the result

yields ...

• We prefer a singular verb if a series of actions expressed by coordinate

gerunds can be considered a single process.
• Likewise, the prepositions should not be repeated before coordinate gerunds
or infinitives that express a process (Rowland 1962):

The following expression results from substituting equation (1) into

equation (2), integrating by parts, and taking the limit.
The test procedure was to combine the samples in a large vat, stir the
mixture, and then withdraw samples for analysis.

See section 1. 7.3 concerning repetition of prepositions in coordinate phrases.

1.9.2. Idiom Requiring Whether a particular verb should be followed by an infinitive or a gerund
Gerund or phrase is a matter of idiom, for example,
Infinitive
Correct The display helped the pilot to cope with the increased
work load.
Wrong The display aided the pilot to cope with the increased
work load.

22
 Section 1.9. Verbals

Although the meaning of these two sentences is the same, changing the verb
changes the verbal required by idiom:

Correct The display aided the pilot in coping with the increased
work load.

Consult a usage reference (for example, Skillin et al. 1974) to check for these
idioms; the dictionary also offers an indication of idiomatic usage.

1.9.3. Dangling Verbals An infinitive, gerund, or participle dangles when the agent of the action
that it expresses is not clear.
Some authorities (IRS 1962; Tichy and Fourdrinier 1988) consider an
introductory gerund or infinitive phrase to dangle when it does not modify
the subject:

When using a nonaligning pitot static tube, the total velocity component
cannot be exactly measured because of the swirl component.
To predict the thrust and power coefficients of the propeller, the aero-
dynamic coefficients must be provided.

Rowland (1962) considers such gerund phrases acceptable because "they

are employed so frequently in technical writing that they may be said to be
idiomatic." The same can be said of introductory infinitive phrases. These
introductory phrases are clearly adverbial because no one would attribute
their action to the subject. Note that the verbs in the above sentences are
in passive voice, so that an unknown agent can be supplied for the verbals'
actions. When the verb is in active voice, the verbal tends to dangle:

When using a nonaligning pitot probe, the swirl component precludes

exact measurement of total velocity.

• Introductory gerund and infinitive phrases do dangle when they modify a

noun in the sentence other than the subject:

Wrong When using a nonaligning pitot static tube, total ve-

locity cannot be measured exactly by the investigator
because of the swirl component.
Correct When using a nonaligning pitot static tube, the investi-
gator cannot exactly measure total velocity because of
the swirl component.
Although Rowland justifies introductory adverbial gerund and infinitive
phrases because they are idiomatic and clearly adverbial, he does not extend
this argument to participles. He condemns dangling participles as "slovenly
English" and "weak constructions that should be replaced by more robust
phrasing." Are dangling participles slovenly English? Or, like the dangling
gerund, are they becoming idiomatic?

23
Chapter 1. Grammar

Absolute participles
A class of apparently dangling participial phrases that have become id-
iomatic are absolute participles (Bernstein 1981). They have no antecedent
and none is intended; that is, they are indefinite, for example,

The density mode is preferred provided that optical properties are

measured.
Given a variable factor, the fluctuating flow components can be calculated
from equations (31) to (38).
Either the density mode or the pressure mode can be used, depending
on whether supporting optical measurements or probe measurements are
made.

Other idiomatic absolute participles are

generally speaking concerning

considering regarding
judging beginning

Such constructions must be truly absolute, with no antecedent in the

sentence. In the following sentence, what appears to be an absolute
participle is actually dangling:

Dang. An arbitrary factor controls the accuracy of the calcu-

partie. lation depending on pressure fluctuations.
Better A variable factor depending on pressure fluctuations
controls the accuracy of the calculation.

Technical writing often contains absolute participles that are not id-
iomatic, for example,

.The arbitrary factor can be assumed to be small and therefore can be

neglected, yielding a first-order solution.
Such a participle might be justified by arguing that it is an absolute adjective
construction modifying the whole sentence. However these participles can
sometimes be made adverbial:

The arbitrary factor can be assumed to be small and therefore can be

neglected to yield a first-order solution.

Sometimes a participle at the end of a sentence is not absolute, but actually

modifies the subject in a nonrestrictive way:

Nonrestrictive Increasing the leak area caused the boundary' layer to

partie. attach, thus decreasing heat transferred to the cove
interior.
24
 Section 1.9. Verbals

The MLA's Line by Line (Cook 1985) does not object to such placement
of a participle. However, these participles can usually be changed to a
compound predicate:

Compound Increasing the leak area caused the boundary layer to

predicate attach and thus decreased heat transferred to the cove
interior.

Do not confuse absolute participles with nominative absolute construc-

tions, which are perfectly grammatical. Nominative absolutes have their
own subjects and modify the whole sentence:

Dang. Maraging steels are promising for cryogenic service,

partie. having hardness at -320°F of 38Rc .
Nom. Maraging steels are promising for cryogenic service,
abs. their hardness at -320°F being 38Rc .

Adverbial participles
What appears to be a dangling participle is left when the preposition by
is dropped from an adverbial gerund phrase. These "adverbial participles"
may appear after the verb or at the beginning of the sentence:

Adverb. The logarithmic derivative is obtained using this least

partie. squares representation.
Gerund The logarithmic derivative is obtained by using this
phrase least squares representation.
Adverb. Neglecting the dependence of n on Reynolds number,
partie. the results of figure 11 can be used to estimate n.
Gerund By neglecting the dependence of n on Reynolds number,
phrase the results of figure 11 can be used to estimate n.
Adverb. Substituting equation (34) instead of equation (14), the
partie. terms for the fluctuating modes can be rewritten.
Gerund By substituting equation (34) instead of equation (14),
phrase the terms for the fluctuating modes can be rewritten.

Restoring by to these phrases adds very little to the above sentences.

The participles in these sentences clearly modify the verbs; thus their
meaning is clear. But participles are, by definition, adjectives, so that
adverbial participles are not grammatical. Also there are methods of
revising adverbial participles other than restoring their by. In the following
sentences, stronger constructions replace the participial phrases:

Prep. The logarithmic derivative is obtained from this least

phrase squares representation.

25
Chapter 1. Grammar

Prep. With the dependence of n on Reynolds number ne-

phrase glected, the results of figure 11 can be used to estimate
n.
Gerund Substituting equation (34) instead of equation (15) al-
subject lows the terms for the fluctuating modes to be rewritten.

Dangling participles
When a participle genuinely appears to modify the wrong noun, it is
truly dangling and thus much more offensive:

Dang. Using a nonaligning pitot probe, the swirl component

partie. precludes exact measurement of total velocity.
Better When a nonaligning pitot tube is used, the swirl com-
ponent precludes exact measurement of total velocity.
Dang. The shock is essentially normal near the body, producing
partie. subsonic flow.
Better Near the body is an essentially normal shock producing
subsonic flow.
Dang. Encouraged by these results, a new research effort was
partie. begun.
Better Encouraged by these results, we began a new research
effort.

Recommendations
• When an introductory gerund or infinitive phrase is clearly adverbial, we
consider its use idiomatic and therefore we do not consider it dangling.
Although no writing authorities now claim that adverbial participles
and nonidiomatic absolute participles are becoming acceptable in technical
writing, such participles are widely used and well understood. Forbidding
their use is perhaps like forbidding the tide to rise. These participial con-
structions are certainly not grammatical, but they are rarely misunderstood .
• So long as an adverbial or absolute participle does not appear to modify the
wrong noun, it is acceptable, but not encouraged.

26
Chapter 2. Sentence Structure

2.1. Sentence Effective writing involves far more than following rules of grammar. There
Structure and is a craft to creating phrases, sentences, and paragraphs that ensure
Effective communication. An editor, with the vantage point of a reader, can
contribute to this craft by looking for opportunities to improve sentence
Writing structure.

2.2. Subjects A sentence can make three types of statements:

and Verbs • A subject does something (active verb)

Researchers write reports.

• A subject has something done to it (passive verb)

The reports are reviewed by editors.

• A subject is equal to something else (linking verb)

Reports are Langley's research product.

In all three types of sentences, the subject and verb are the most important
elements. Since the subject and verb are the most important e~ements in a
sentence, improving their relationship, clarifying the subject, or making the
verb more vigorous will improve the sentence.

2.2.1. Clarify SUbject The importance of subject and verb may be an elementary idea, but the
writer of the following sentences has surely forgotten it:

An indication of probable asymmetric throat area reduction between the

upper and lower throats of this nozzle during reverse thrust operation is
shown by the jet-lift coefficients presented in figure 28.
At NPR < 4, there is a large reduction in discharge coefficient due to
reverse thrust operation, indicating a decrease in the effective throat area
for the nozzle.

The subject of a sentence should be expressed with clear, concrete words;

and in technical documents, it usually is. However, this clearly expressed
topic of the sentence is often not the grammatical subject. In the first
sample sentence, indication is not the true subject; in the second sample,

27
Chapter 2. Sentence Structure

the subject and verb positions have been wasted by an indirect construction,
there is.
Effective Revenue Writing 2 (Linton 1962) suggests that the real
subject of a sentence can be found by identifying the real action in the
sentence; the subject is then either receiving the action or preferably
performing it. In the first sample sentence, identify the action. From among
the several words of action (indication, reduction, operation, is shown,
presented), indication seems most important. Two revisions come to mind
when indicate becomes the main verb:
Asymmetric throat area reduction between the upper and lower throats
of this nozzle during reverse thrust operation is probably indicated by
the jet lift coefficients presented in figure 28.
The jet lift coefficients presented in figure 28 indicate a probable asym-
metric throat area reduction between the upper and lower throats of this
nozzle during reverse thrust operation.
Which sounds best? The second revision, with an active verb close to its
subject, is certainly easier to read. Out of context, it is preferable. Context
affects the choice of subject. For good transition from one sentence to
another, the subject of a sentence should relate to the previous sentence.
N ow consider the second sample sentence, containing the indirect
construction. The expletive there forces the true action of the sentence,
indicating, into a participial construction. Making indicate the main verb
results in

At NPR < 4, a large reduction in discharge coefficient due to reverse

thrust operation indicates a decrease in the effective throat area for the
nozzles.

Another indirect construction involves the pronoun it:

Indirect It appears that grain refining improved the toughness

of maraging steels.
Better Grain refining seemed to improve the toughness of
maraging steels.
Indirect It is obvious that a blackbody laser is feasible as a space
power system.
Better Obviously a blackbody laser is feasible as a space power
system.

As with any valid grammatical construction, indirect constructions

sometimes serve a function, but many grammar and writing books criticize
them as being wordy (see section 2.4.1) and unnecessary. Rowland (1962)
states that "expletives serve only to mark time until the true grammatical
subject appears." In Tichy and Fourdrinier's (1988) opinion, as well as in

28
 Section 2.2. Subjects and Verbs

Rowland's, indirect constructions can be ambiguous. Such idioms as "it is

known" or "it is believed" indicate general knowledge or belief:

It is believed that this is a nozzle-aspect-ratio effect.

In most technical writing, these constructions refer to the author's belief or

knowledge. Perhaps a personal pronoun is appropriate (see section 1.3.2):

We believe that this back pressure increase is a nozzle-aspect-ratio effect.

Note the change in the subordinate clause of this sentence. Demon-

strative pronouns (this, these, that, or those used as nouns) with "broad
reference" (Ebbitt and Ebbitt 1982) can be undesirable and ungrammatical
when their antecedent is not clear (see section 1.3.1):

Poor Mass flow rate increased in the cove. This resulted in

increased cove gas temperature.
Better The increasing mass flow rate in the cove increased cove
gas temperature.

Please do not insert stock abstract words such as result, effect, or apparatus
after every demonstrative pronoun. Remember that the subject of a
sentence (or clause) should be clear and concrete and should relate to
previous ideas.

2.2.2. Make Verbs The only words capable of expressing action are verbs and their derivatives.
Vigorous Invigorating verbs will make writing more concise and easier to read.
In the following phrases, the action of the verb reduce is progressively
deemphasized:

Active voice If we reduce drag, .. .

Passive voice If drag is reduced, .. .
Verbal With reduced drag, .. .
Verb-derived noun With reduction of drag, ...

Weak verbs
One of the most common causes of weak verbs has already been
discussed; when the real verb of a sentence becomes the subject, a weaker
verb must be substituted:

Poor A comparison of lift coefficients for the two configura-

tions is presented in table II.
Better Lift coefficients for the two configurations are compared
in table II.

29
Chapter 2. Sentence Structure

Poor The agreement between calculated and experimental

heating rates was within 30 percent.
Better Calculated and experimental heating rates agreed to
within 30 percent.
Poor Asymmetric throat area reduction between the up-
per and lower throats occurred during reverse thrust
operation.
Better Throat area decreased asymmetrically between the up-
per and lower throats during reverse thrust operation.

Another method of weakening verbs is to hedge with such words as

might, may, seem to, appear to, or tend to. Hedges not only weaken the
verb, as they are meant to, but also imply indecision On the part of the
author. They should not be overused (see section 2.4.1).
Active versus passive voice
As discussed in section 1.4.3, writing authorities overwhelmingly prefer
active voice to passive voice. However, Tichy and Fourdrinier (1988) list
five situations when passive voice is appropriate:
• When the actor is unimportant, not known, or not to be mentioned
• When the receiver of the action should be emphasized
• When the sentence is abrupt in active voice
• When variety is needed in an active voice passage
• When a weak imperative is needed
Although the first two items justify much of the passive voice in technical
documents, the Converse of the fourth item must also be considered. In
our passive voice reports, an occasional active voice sentence is needed for
variety. (Tichy and Fourdrinier 1988 also discuss the importance of sentence
variety to good style.) Thus editors should watch for sentences that could
appropriately be revised to active voice:

Passive The dependence of n on Mach number was reduced at

higher Reynolds numbers.
Active The dependence of n on Mach number decreased at
higher Reynolds numbers.
Or Increasing Reynolds number reduced the dependence of
n on Mach number.
Passive The reduction in discharge coefficient is probably caused
by an increase in back pressure.
Active An increase in back pressure probably causes the reduc-
tion in discharge coefficient.

30
 Section 2.2. Subjects and Verbs

Passive Pressures and cold-wall heating rates, normalized with

respect to wing surface conditions, are shown in figures
2 and 3.
Active Figures 2 and 3 show pressures and cold-wall heat-
ing rates, normalized with respect to wing surface
conditions.
The active version of the last example ascribes a human ability (to show)
to an inanimate object (figure), a rhetorical device commonly called per-
sonification. Rowland (1962) states, "Personification, if not overdone, is an
effective means of conferring vigor and emphasis ... and affords relief from
excessive use of passive voice." Bernstein (1981) agrees, but both caution
against ludicrous attributions (called pathetic fallacy); for example,

Path. Nonessential loads can take advantage of voltage regu-

fallacy lation, but essential loads cannot.
Better For nonessential loads, designers can take advantage of
voltage regulation, but for essential loads, they cannot.

Linking verbs also can sometimes be converted to active voice:

Linking The velocity and density sensitivities are both depen-

verb dent on Mach number.
Active The velocity and density sensitivities both depend on
Mach number.

Verbals
Active writing does not require active voice, since there are other types
of active constructions (Linton 1962):
Prepositional phrase: methods for reduction of ...
Gerund phrase: methods for reducing ...
Infinitive phrase: methods to reduce ...

The emphasis on the action increases from the prepositional to the gerund
phrase and from the gerund to the infinitive phrase.

2.2.3. Improve The subject and verb should be the most important elements of a sentence.
Subject-Verb Too many modifiers, particularly between the subject and verb, can over-
Relationship power these elements. If modifiers are more interesting and active than
the sentence itself (subject-verb-object), the action of at least some modi-
fiers should be transferred either to the main verb or to a new sentence or
independent clause:

Poor The test medium is the combustion products of methane

and air, which are produced in a high-pressure combus-
tor, expanded through an axisymmetric contoured noz-
zle, and diffused and pumped from the test section to
the atmosphere through an annular air ejector.

31
Chapter 2. Sentence Structure

Better The test medium, the combustion products of methane

and air, is produced in a high-pressure combustor,
expanded through an axisymmetric contoured nozzle,
and diffused and pumped from the test section to the
atmosphere through an annular air ejector.
Or The test medium is the combustion products of methane
and air. These gases are burned in a high-pressure
combustor, and the combustion products are expanded
through an axisymmetric contoured nozzle and diffused
and pumped from the test section to the atmosphere
through an annular air ejector.

When placed between the subject and verb, too many modifiers can
ruin the continuity of the sentence. A reader may not be able to recall the
subject by the time the verb comes along. Adverbial modifiers can often be
moved, but adjective phrases and clauses present a special problem because
they cannot wander far from the noun that they modify:

Pressures that were sensed at discrete locations such as in the cavity just
behind the seal, at the bulkhead, and at the base of the elevon and ramp
are also given.

When a long adjective phrase or clause intrudes between the subject and
verb, four choices for revision are available:
• Shorten the intervening adjective:

Pressures sensed at discrete locations, such as at the bulkhead, are also

given.

• Invert the subject and verb:

Also given are pressures that were sensed at discrete locations such as in
the cavity just behind the seal, at the bulkhead, and at the base of the
elevon and ramp.

Inverting a sentence drastically changes emphasis and often sounds artificial.

• Place the verb between the subject and the adjective if the verb phrase is
short and modification is clear:

Pressures are also given which were sensed at discrete locations such as
in the cavity just behind the seal, at the bulkhead, and at the base of the
elevon and the ramp.

We realize that it is ungrammatical to place a verb between a relative clause

and its antecedent. Effective Revenue Writing 2 (Linton 1962) condones this
infraction as long as modification is clear.

32
 Section 2.3. Parallelism

• Change the adjective clause to an adverbial phrase:

Pressures are also given for discrete locations such as in the cavity just
behind the seal, at the bulkhead, and at the base of the elevon and the
ramp.

Changing adjectives to adverbs often changes meaning.

2.3. Parallelism Parallelism is an important and often neglected syntactic consideration. To

quote Tichy and Fourdrinier (1988),
A major device for sentence emphasis is parallel construction. Equal
thoughts demand expression in the same grammatical form. Repetition
of structure within a sentence is a most effective device for making the
long sentence easy to read, and repetition of structure in two or more
sentences connects them. An understanding of parallelism is therefore
essential for emphasis and coherence.
When should sentence elements be parallel and how do we make them
so? When two or more ideas are logically equal, they should be made
parallel by writing them in the same grammatical structure. Grammatically,
words are equal (parallel) to words, phrases to phrases, subordinate clauses
to subordinate clauses, and independent clauses to independent clauses.
Parallel grammatical elements are also called "coordinate."
Logic dictates the use of parallelism, or coordination. For example, the
two coordinate clauses in the following sentence are not logically equal:

The compressor may be operated in the compression mode, and then the
flow is expelled from the anechoic room to the test duct.

This sentence calls for subordination, not coordination:

When the compressor operates in the compression mode, the flow is

expelled from the anechoic room to the test duct.

Except for coordinate clauses, such as the example above, sentence

elements that are not logically parallel are rarely found in parallel construc-
tion. However, logically parallel ideas are often not written in grammatically
parallel structure.

2.3.1. Connectives Effective Revenue Writing 2 (Linton 1962) lists four types of connectives
Requiring requiring parallelism: coordinate conjunctions (and, or, but), correlative
Parallelism conjunctions (either ... or, both ... and, not only . .. but also), conjunctive
adverbs (therefore, otherwise, however), and the semicolon used to connect
independent clauses.
Coordinate conjunctions probably provide the most opportunities to
use parallelism. As discussed in section 1.8.1, they join words, phrases,
and clauses of equal grammatical rank. Coordinate clauses joined by a

33
Chapter 2. Sentence Structure

coordinate conjunction should be logically equal. Similarity in grammatical

structure, if possible, is also a good idea. For example, the voice of the verb
might be kept the same:
Acceptable The mixing noise is the dominant component of the
spectrum, but the background noise peaks at a high
frequency.
Better The mixing noise dominates the spectrum, but the
background noise peaks at a high frequency.

Correlative conjunctions demand strict parallelism: Both elements of

the correlative must be followed by the same part of speech (see section
1.8.1).
Independent clauses joined by conjunctive adverbs or simply by a semi-
colon should also be logically coordinate; however, grammatical parallelism
is an option to be used for emphasis or contrast:
In the compression mode, the duct serves as an eductor; in the exhaust
mode, it serves as an inductor.

2.3.2. Itemization As mentioned earlier, repetition of structure is effective in making long

sentences easy to read. Itemization is another important device for making
a sentence containing several long parallel elements easy, perhaps possible,
to read. Itemization can also be used to emphasize the individual parallel
elements.
Itemization is a special form of parallelism. The introductory phrase
or clause leading into the list should read logically into each item:
The test indicated
1. That continuous thermal exposure degraded the strength of the
composite material.
2. That cyclic thermal exposure did not degrade the strength of the
composite material.
In the above example, the common element, that would usually be included
in the introductory clause: "The test indicated that."
In an itemization, all items must be the same grammatical construction,
for example, all prepositional phrases, all noun phrases, or all complete
sentences:
Poor Continuous cyclic exposure resulted in
1. The matrix diffusing to the reaction layer
2. Degradation of the strength of the composite
material
Better Continuous cyclic exposure resulted in
1. Diffusion of the matrix to the reaction layer
2. Degradation of the strength of the composite
material
34
 Section 2.4. Brevity and Conciseness

Poor The investigation was conducted

1. To determine mechanisms causing strength degradation
2. Because the rate of degradation varied widely de-
pending on the composite matrix
Better The investigation was conducted
1. To determine mechanisms causing strength degradation
2. To explain the wide variation in degradation rate
for various composite matrixes

2.4. Brevity and Technical writing should be concise, free of redundancy and unnecessary
Conciseness detail. Minimizing the number of words to achieve brevity does not
necessarily result in conciseness and may destroy the emphasis, the pace,
and perhaps the meaning of a passage. However, wordiness seems to be a
common fault of technical writing, and editors should delete unnecessary or
redundant words.

2.4.1. Wordiness Many reference books contain sections containing lists of wordy, redundant,
or trite expressions (for example, Skillin et al. 1974, p. 407ff; and Rowland
1962, chapter XIV). We suggest that writers and editors occasionally peruse
such lists in order to remain sensitive to unnecessary wordiness. Tichy
and Fourdrinier (1988) classify seven types of common wordiness and list
numerous examples of each:
• Tautology, the unnecessary repetition of an idea
ac current Omit current
20 sec in duration Omit in duration
close proximity Omit close
in the range of 1 to 10 Replace in the range of with from

• Dilute verbs (see section 2.2.2)

are found to be in agreement Use agree
analyses were made Use analyze
make adjustments to Use adjust
give consideration to Use consider
take measurements of Use measure

• Hiccups, superfluous prepositions and adverbs

of from Omit of
call for Use demand
enter into Omit into
in between Omit in
inside of Omit of
go on with Use continue

• Roundabout constructions

Poor There are three distinct flow characteristics in these

photographs.

35
Chapter 2. Sentence Structure

Better These photographs show three distinct flow character-

istics.
Poor It might be expected that there would be some flow
separation.

Better Some flow separation might be expected.

Poor It appears that the flow field over the nozzles is complex.

Better The flow field over the nozzles appears to be complex.

Poor It was shown in reference 1 that ...

Better Reference 1 showed that ...

Or Hathwell (ref. 1) showed that ...

• Hedging and intensifying

Hedge Lift tends to increase with angle of attack.

Better Lift increases with angle of attack.

Hedge This alloy appears to be a candidate material for ...

Better This alloy is a candidate material for ...

• Unnecessary intensifiers

more dominant
quite impossible
very unique

• Pointless words and phrases

It is interesting to note that

It might be stated that
In the case when

• False elegance
a majority of Use most (unless over 50% is meant)
due to the fact that Use because
in close proximity Use near
with the exception of Use except

36
 Section 2.4. Brevity and Conciseness

2.4.2. Shortening Text Occasionally, a passage may be wordy, to the point of being difficult to read,
or it may exceed a limiting number of words (for example, NASA limits
abstracts to 200 words). Linton (1962) suggests five ways to economize:
• Reduce syntactic weight by subordinating sentences, changing subordinate
clauses to phrases, and reducing phrases to adverbs and adjectives:

Any ash that was not carried into the stratosphere moved toward the
northeast into a bank of mammatus clouds. M ammatus clouds have
downward accelerations and upward velocities. They thus allow the larger
particles to drift downward.
Any ash not carried into the stratosphere moved northeasterly into a bank
of mammatus clouds. The downward acceleration and upward velocity of
these clouds allowed the larger particles to drift downward.

• Avoid redundant and roundabout phrases (see section 2.4.1).

• Avoid passive voice (see section 2.2.2).
• Prefer active verbs to verbs expressing state of being, that is, linking verbs
and such words as appear and seem.
• Combine ideas of several sentences into one. Of course, avoid long, confusing
sentences; but many short, simple sentences waste words:

There were three distinct flow characteristics. Ahead of the wing, a bow
wave of water droplets was observed. On the wing surface, a continuous
water film formed. Between 16.7 and 41.7 percent of the chord, the film
broke down into discrete runoff streams.
The three observed flow characteristics were a bow wave of water droplets
ahead of the wing, a continuous water film on the wing surface, and
discrete runoff streams beginning at 16.7 to 41.7 percent of the chord.

2.4.3. Shortening Titles Conciseness is especially important in titles; a short title improves the
appearance of the cover and a precise title indicates what readers can
expect to find inside the cover. Brevity and preciseness must be balanced
so that in a minimum number of words, the title is correct (it presents
the topic of the paper), complete (it expresses the limits of the paper),
comprehensible (potential readers will understand it), and concise (it is as
efficient as possible).
A title which passes this evaluation (from. Rathbone 1985) may be
anything but brief. Rathbone also suggests that titles be shortened by
deleting familiar phrases which concern reporting or information gathering.
Such phrases as

An Investigation of ...
An Analysis of .. .
Conference on .. .

37
Chapter 2. Sentence Structure

can often simply be dropped without changing the meaning of the title.
Unnecessary articles should also be deleted. Often a title becomes lengthy
and awkward because several prepositional phrases have been added to
qualify it. Several approaches can be taken. A prepositional phrase can
be changed to a unit modifier:

Title Analysis of Hydroelastic Vibrations of Shells Partially

Filled With a Liquid Using a Series Representation of
the Liquid
Revision Hydroelastic Vibration Analysis of Partially Liquid-
Filled Shells Using a Series Representation of the
Liquid

Note: In this title, analysis cannot be deleted because using modifies

it.
• Care must be taken to keep the title comprehensible. A string of unit
modifiers can be.as awkward as a series of prepositional phrases, and far
more ambiguous.
Another approach for reducing the number of prepositions is to make
subtitles:

Title Low-Speed Wind-Tunnel Investigation of Flight

Spoilers as Trailing-Vortex-Alleviation Devices on a
Medium-Range Wide-Body Tri-Jet Airplane Model
Revision Flight Spoilers for Trailing Vortex Alleviation-
Low-Speed Wind-Tunnel Results for a Medium-Range
Wide-Body Tri-Jet Airplane Model

Note: This revision not only removes a prepositional phrase, but also
emphasizes the theme of the paper.
A title can be livened up and prepositions removed by changing verb-derived
nouns to verbals, for example,

Title Alleviation of Trailing Vortexes by Use of Flight

Spoilers
Revision Alleviating Trailing Vortexes by Deflecting Flight
Spoilers

Of course, titles must not be shortened indiscriminately. Keep in mind

the goal of maximum information in a minimum of words. In the previous
example, use was not changed to deflect with brevity in mind. However,
the word deflect adds to the spirit of conciseness because it means more.
Consider replacing or clarifying words with vague meaning such as method,

38
 Section 2.5. Comparisons

. system, facility, use, or approach. The following example illustrates this

point:

Title An Instrumentation System for Helicopter Blade

Flight Research Measurements
Revision A Rotor-Mounted Digital Instrumentation System for
Helicopter Blade Flight Research

The revision is two words longer, but it seems more concise because it says
so much more with only two more words.

2.5. Comparisons Comparisons are of major importance in technical writing; experimental

results are compared with predictions, results at standard or control condi-
tions with results at test conditions, full-scale data with model-scale data,
characteristics of one configuration with those of another. Such comparisons
can be complicated and therefore should be expressed as simple, straight-
forward constructions.
The most frequent problem with comparison is ambiguity concerning
the items being compared:

Poor Comparison between pressures on the nozzle and boat-

tail and the tail boom indicates ...
Better Comparison of pressures on the nozzle and boattail with
those on the tail boom indicates ...
Poor The goal of the program was to obtain tougher marten-
sitic steel alloys.
Better The goal of the program was to obtain tougher marten-
sitic steel alloys than are commercially available.

2.5.1. Comparison of Adjectives and adverbs change form to indicate degree of comparison (IRS
Adjectives and 1962):
Adverbs
• Positive degree merely indicates existence of a quality.
• Comparative degree indicates a quality existing to a greater or lesser degree
in one thing than in another.
• Superlative degree indicates a quality existing to the greatest or least degree
in a group of things.
Comparative degree is formed by adding the suffix er or adding more or
less before the modifier. Superlative degree is formed by adding the suffix
est or adding most or least before the modifier.
Most adjectives with three or more syllables and almost all adverbs
are compared by adding more and most (or less and least). In addition,

39
Chapter 2. Sentence Structure

some modifiers, for example, good, have irregular comparisons; the words
themselves change:

Positive Comparative Superlative

high higher highest

dependable more dependable most dependable
carefully less carefully least carefully
good better best
far farther, further farthest, furthest

• The comparative degree is used to compare two persons or things or to

compare a person or thing with a class:

Pressures were higher on the left nozzle than on the right nozzle.
The values from the second test varied more than those from the first
test.
Pressures were higher at orifice 7 than at the other 47 orifices.

Note the use of other in the last example; either other or else is required
when a person or thing is compared with a class in comparative degree .
• The superlative degree is used to compare more than two persons or things.
The word all (not any) is used with superlative degree for comparison with
a class.

Of four nozzle configurations, the dry power nozzle experienced the

highest pressures
The values from the eighth test varied most.
Pressures at orifice 7 were highest of those at all 48 orifices.

2.5.2. Ambiguous Tichy and Fourdrinier (1988) discuss several types of errors which obscure
Comparisons meaning in comparisons: incomplete comparisons and omission of standard
are often encountered in technical writing.
Incomplete comparisons
Unless all necessary words are included, many comparison sentences
have two meanings:
Ambig. The astronaut could hear her companion better than
the control operator.
Either The astronaut could hear her companion better than
the control operator could.
Or The astronaut could hear her companion better than
she could hear the control operator.

40
 Section 2.5. Comparisons

Demonstrative pronouns are often used to complete comparisons (see

section 1.3.4):
Poor The pressures on the left dry-power nozzle are lower
than the right afterburning-power nozzle.
Better The pressures on the left dry-power nozzle are lower
than those on the right afterburning-power nozzle.
Or The pressures are lower on the left dry-power nozzle
than on the right afterburning-power nozzle.
If the antecedent of the demonstrative pronoun is obscure, reword the
sentence or repeat the subject of comparison.
Poor The axial force on the left dry-power nozzle in the
presence of a right afterburning-power nozzle was lower
than that in the presence of a right dry-power nozzle.
Better The axial force on the left dry-power nozzle was lower in
the presence of a right afterburning-power nozzle than
in the presence of a right dry-power nozzle.
Omission oj standard oj comparison
Unless the standard of comparison is clear, comparisons are meaningless:

Poor At the higher angles of attack, flow separation is exten-

sive.
Better At high angles of attack, flow separation is extensive.
Poor Higher strength martensitic steels are attractive candi-
date cryogenic materials.
Better Martensitic steels, which are stronger than ferritic
steels, are attractive candidate cryogenic materials.

2.5.3. Comparison So far in this section, only comparison constructions involving than have
Constructions been discussed. Several other constructions may be used, or misused, to
express comparisons.
Compare with
The verb compare takes either to or with, depending on meaning.
Bernstein (1981), explains the use of with quite clearly: "When the purpose
is to place one thing side by side with another, to examine their differences
or their similarities, use with." In technical writing, do comparisons ever
have any other purpose?
The participle compared with is often used (sometimes in a dangling
construction) when another construction would be better:

Poor The grain-refined material was much tougher compared

with the control material.
41
Chapter 2. Sentence Structure

Better The grain-refined material was much tougher than the

control material.
Poor The grain-refining heat treatment increased toughness
by 10 percent compared with the control material.
Better The grain-refining heat treatment increased toughness
of the control material by 10 percent.
Poor The configuration with fuselage incidence experienced
an increase in drag coefficient of 2 percent compared
with the baseline configuration.
Better The configuration with fuselage incidence experienced
an increase in drag coefficient of 2 percent over that of
the baseline configuration.
As ... as
The correlative construction as ... as is an excellent method of indicat-
ing similarity, or dissimilarity:
The ferritic steels are not as tough at cryogenic temperature as at room
temperature.

The second as should not be omitted when a comparative degree modifier

intervenes:
Poor After grain refinement, the steel is as hard if not harder
than before.
Better After grain refinement, the steel is as hard as, if not
harder than, before.
Or After grain refinement, the steel is as hard as before, if
not harder.
Different
The adjective different is often used superfluously:
Poor Figure 16 presents data from two different wind-tunnel
runs.
Better Figure 16 presents data from two wind-tunnel runs.

Note that different should not be indiscriminately deleted. The above

sentence could have meant
Figure 16 presents data from two wind-tunnel runs at different conditions.

When possible, change the predicate adjective different to the verb differ,
a more vigorous construction (see section 2.2.2):
The trends on the lower surface are different from those on the upper
surface.
The trends on the lower surface differ from those on the upper surface.

42
 Section 2.6. Emphasis

• Different takes the preposition from:

Poor The measurements on the lower surface showed a dif-

ferent trend than those on the upper surface.
Better The measurements on the lower surface showed a dif-
ferent trend from those on the upper surface.
Bernstein (1981) explains the rare occasions when different than is
appropriate to avoid the elaborate construction from that which:

In error analysis, standard deviation may be calculated with a different

equation than in statistical analysis.

Just as demonstrative pronouns are sometimes needed to complete a

comparison (section 2.5.2), they are sometimes needed with different:

Poor The interpretation of "standard deviat~on" in error

analysis is different from statistical analysis.
Better The interpretation of "standard deviation" in error
analysis is different from that in statistical analysis.

The ... , the

An effective method of comparison is the idiomatic correlative construc-
tion involving the . .. , the:

The lower the temperature, the more brittle the steel becomes.

2.6. Emphasis The subject of sentence emphasis is often neglected by authors and editors.
Many writers must resort to underlining (or italicizing) to emphasize an idea
because they do not understand methods of emphasis (see section 3.9.1).
Editors who do not pay attention to emphasis cannot assist these authors
and, worse yet, may overlook the effect that editorial revisions have on
sentence emphasis.
"Any sentence markedly different from the preceding sentences receives
stress-a short sentence after several long ones; a periodic sentence after
loose sentences; a simple sentence after a series of complex, compound, or
compound-complex sentences" (Tichy and Fourdrinier 1988). Be sure that
a contrasting sentence contains an important idea.

2.6.1. Emphasizing The above quote from Tichy and Fourdrinier illustrates a most effective
With Sentence method of emphasis: parallelism. As dii:!cussed in sections 1.8.1 and 2.3,
Structure parallelism is grammatically required at times. It can also be used to
emphasize the likeness or contrast between items. In parallel constructions,
emphasis on the individual parallel items can be increased by repeating
articles, prepositions, or introductory words:

43
Chapter 2. Sentence Structure

Pressure distributions were obtained on the wing, elevon, and cove walls.
Pressure distributions were obtained on the wing, on the elevon, and on
the cove walls.
The study indicated that thermal cycling caused matrix cracking and
fatigue cycling caused no damage.
The study indicated that thermal cycling caused matrix cracking and that
fatigue cycling caused no damage.

Of course, the most emphatic way to list parallel elements is to itemize

them:

The study indicated that

1. Thermal cycling caused matrix cracking.
2. Fatigue cycling caused no damage.

Positions of emphasis in a sentence are the beginning and the end.

Therefore, if a modifying phrase is moved to the beginning of a sentence,
that phrase receives emphasis:

Cove cold-wall heating rates at zero leakage decreased from 2 pe,rcent of

the wing heating rate.
At zero leakage, cove cold-wall heating rates decreased from 2 percent of
the wing heating rate.

Emphasis can be added to internal sentence elements by moving them

to an unusual position:

After each session of noise, the subjects rated overall noisiness, among
other things.
After each session of noise, the subjects rated, among other things, the
overall noisiness.

Be careful not to misplace the modifier:

After each session of noise, the subjects, among other things, rated the
overall noisiness.

Rhetorical connectives, such as however, therefore, hence, and thus,

can serve to emphasize elements of a sentence. Placing such adverbs
within a sentence emphasizes the words immediately preceding them (Linton
1962):

However, isothermal exposure did increase ductility in the matrix

material.
Isothermal exposure, however, did increase ductility in the matrix
material.

44
 Section 2.6. Emphasis

Isothermal exposure did, however, increase ductility in the matrix

material.

Commas around such adverbs may be omitted to decrease emphasis, and

of course commas would never be used around these adverbs when they are
restrictive (Rowland 1962):

Isothermal exposure thus increased ductility in the matrix material.

2.6.2. Emphasizing As indicated above, commas around rhetorical adverbs and other interrupt-
With ing elements (section 3.5.2) increase emphasis on the enclosed element. A
Punctuation comma between coordinate adjectives adds emphasis to the adjectives as
separate modifiers:

The delta function has a long, controversial history

Replacing the comma with and further increases this em'phasis:

The delta function has a long and controversial history

Note however that only coordinate adjectives can be punctuated this way
(see section 3.5.1).
Other marks of punctuation affect emphasis. Using a colon to introduce
a list tends to emphasize the list:

The scatterometer is separated into a gimbal, a transmitter-receiver

assembly, and rack-mounted electronics.
The scatterometer is separated into three assemblies: a gimbal, a
transmitter-receiver assembly, and rack-mounted electronics.

The dash, when used carefully, is an emphatic mark-it can be used to

emphasize interrupting elements, nonrestrictive modifiers, and explanatory
phrases and clauses (see section 3.6):

Auxiliary meteorological data used herein-such as vorticity-have been

computed from NMC isobaric height fields,
The one-sided spectrum-engineers call it simply "spectrum" -is the
output of most spectral analyzers.
Other random processes have. average properties that vary appreciably
with time-for example, the load demand on an electric power generating
system.

45
Chapter 3. Punctuation

3.1. A Functional Punctuation is placed in text to make meaning clear and to make reading
Concept of easier. The various punctuation marks perform four functions: they (1)
Punctuation separate (a period separates sentences), (2) group or enclose (parentheses
enclose extraneous information), (3) connect (a hyphen connects a unit
modifier), and (4) impart meaning (a question mark may make an otherwise
declarative sentence interrogative). The function of a punctuation mark is
the basis for the rules governing its use (Linton 1962) and should be the
basis for determining whether or not it is needed. Tl:J.e modern tendency
is to punctuate to prevent misreading (open style) rather than to use
all punctuation that the grammatical structure will allow (close style).
Although the open style results in a more inviting product, it does allow
subjectivity, perhaps arbitrariness, in the use of some marks, for example,
the comma and hyphen. Consistency in the author's or editor's subjective
decisions is vital to a well-punctuated report.
This chapter addresses the marks of punctuation, in alphabetical
order, presenting their functions, situations when the marks are required
or incorrect, and situations when the marks are appropriate but optional.
Because the exclamation point is so rare in technical writing, it is not
covered herein. Guidelines for its use parallel those for the question mark
(section 3.13).

3.2. Apostrophe The functions of the apostrophe are to indicate possession; to form the
plurals of abbreviations, characters, and signs; and to indicate omitted
characters in contractions.
The rules for forming the possessive case of nouns are presented in
section 1.2.1. An apostrophe is never used to form the possessive of a
personal pronoun .
• We prefer to follow the G.P.O. (1984) and to use the '8 to form the plural of
symbols, abbreviations, acronyms, designations, signs, numbers, and years:

x's a's C-130's

PMT's M.A.'s 4's
+'s 1970's 60's

Note: Chicago Press (1982) and Skillin et al. (1974) recommend

that the apostrophe be used in such plural constructions only when
necessary to avoid confusion.

47
Chapter 3. Punctuation

• An's is used to form the plural of a word referred to as the word itself, but
the apostrophe is not necessary when the word retains its meaning:

There can be no ands, ifs, and buts. (meaning no conditions)

There can be no and's, if's, and but's. (meaning the words cannot appear)

• The apostrophe indicates letters left out of contractions, for example, it's
(it is), Gov't, and nat'l. Since contractions are rare in formal writing, such
use of the apostrophe is also rare.

3.3. Brackets The nonmathematical function of brackets is to enclose editorial insertions,

corrections, and comments in quoted material and in reference citations:

"These instruments [the radiometer and scatterometer] have been used

successfully aboard satellites as well as aircraft."
Boeing Commercial Airplane Co.: Integrated Application of Active
Controls Technology. NASA CR-OOOOOO, [1977].

Although some authorities (Chicago Press 1982; Skillin et al. 1974;

and Ebbitt and Ebbitt 1982) recommend brackets to enclose material within
parentheses, particularly in legal and scholarly works, we have not found the
nonmathematical use of parentheses within parentheses to be misleading in
Langley reports. Thus, we do not recommend that brackets be used.

3.4. Colon The function of the colon is to separate and introduce lists, clauses, and
quotations, along with several conventional uses. Authorities disagree on
usage of the colon and capitalization after a colon. The following guidelines
generally correspond to Words Into Type (Skillin et al. 1974).

3.4.1. Colons That A colon has the same separating force as a period. It thus brings a sentence
Introduce almost to a halt (Bernstein 1981).
• Because of its strong separating function, an introductory colon should
generally be used only after a complete sentence. In particular, do not
use a colon between a verb or preposition and its direct object:

Wrong The components of the rack-mounted electronics are:

power supplies, the gimbal controller, ...
Correct The components of the rack-mounted electronics are
power supplies, the gimbal controller, ...
Wrong The scatterometer is separated into: a gimbal, a
transmitter-receiver assembly, and rack-mounted elec-
tronics.
Correct The scatterometer is separated into a gimbal, a transmitter-
receiver assembly, and rack-mounted electronics.

48
 Section 3.4. Colon

Nor should a colon be used after such introductory phases as that is, for
example, and such as (the colon replaces them):

Wrong Microwave instruments are used for remote sensing of

environmental variables such as: sea ice, soil moisture,
and surface wind speed.
Either Microwave instruments are used for remote sensing of
environmental variables, such as sea ice, soil moisture,
and surface wind speed.
Or Microwave instruments are used for remote sensing of
environmental variables: sea ice, soil moisture, and
surface wind speed.

• When items of a list are numbered, the numbers do not affect the punctu-
ation:

The quantities calculated from microwave instruments are (1) radiometer

wind speed, (2) radiometer rain rate, and (3) scatterometer wind vector.

Remember that the colon has strong separating force; do not use it where
separation is not grammatically desirable.
When using a colon incorrectly, an author probably wants to emphasize
the material that follows. The editor should consider a correction that
preserves this emphasis, for example, itemization (see section 2.6) or correct
use of the colon.
Lists
A colon is an elegant way of introducing a list and at the same time
emphasizing the elements of the list (by separating them from the rest of
the sentence). Such lists might consist of words, phrases (prepositional,
infinitive, or noun), or even clauses.
• Use a colon to introduce a list in apposition to a noun:

The scatterometer is separated into three assemblies: a gimbal, a

transmitter-receiver assembly, and rack-mounted electronics.

• Use a colon to introduce a list whose introductory statement contains the

words as follows or the following:

The rack-mounted electronics consist of the following: power supplies,

the gimbal controller, ...

• Use a colon to introduce a list that amplifies an introductory sentence:

The purpose of this report is twofold: to evaluate the performance of the

instruments and to expand the data base.

49
Chapter 3. Punctuation

One very effective way to emphasize a list, and at the same time make
a long list easy to read (see section 2.3.2), is to number and display the list:

The scatterometer is separated into three assemblies:

1. A gimbal
2. A transmitter-receiver assembly
3. Rack-mounted electronics

• When the introduction to a displayed list is not a complete sentence (the

items of the list complete it), no colon is used (Chicago Press 1982; and
Skillin et al. 1974):

The purposes of this report are

1. To evaluate the performance of the instruments
2. To expand the data base

There is a trend toward using a colon after a verb preceding a displayed list
(are in the above example). Such use of the colon is grammatically suspect
and unnecessary.
Clauses
A colon may be used between two clauses when the second amplifies or
restates the first, for example,

The toughness of pseudo-maraging steel degrades at cryogenic tempera-

tures: at -320°F, its Charpy impact energy is 6 ft-Ib.

Note: The first word after a colon may be capital only when the capital
begins a complete sentence; however, capitalization of a complete
sentence after a colon is optional.
The dash (section 3.6.2) and semicolon (section 3.15.1) may also be used in
this situation. The colon is more formal than the dash (Ebbitt and Ebbitt
1982) and has more introductory force than the semicolon.
A colon is particularly useful for introducing displayed equations (which
can be considered clauses), particularly when the equation symbolically
restates the preceding sentence:

The out-of-plane deflection WO can be approximated by a truncated

kinematically admissible series:
s
WO ~ L W2k-l cos [(2k -1) ~~]
k=l

50
 Section 3.5. Comma

Quotations

A colon may be used to introduce a direct quotation, particularly if the

quote is long (more than one sentence) or not built closely into the sentence
(Ebbitt and Ebbitt 1982):

In reference 6, he states this conclusion: "Thermal neutron fluxes up to

1020 might be required."

However, a comma is usually sufficient for direct quotations (section 3.5.1):

In reference 6 he states, "Thermal neutron fluxes up to 1020 might be

required."

Neither a colon nor a comma should be used before an indirect quotation:

In reference 6, he concludes that thermal neutron fluxes up to 1020 might

be required.

3.4.2. Conventional The colon is used by convention as follows:

Uses of
• After the salutation in formal letters: Dear Sir:
the Colon
• Between hours and minutes in time: 11:30 a.m.
• In reference citations: Slater, Philip N.: Remote Sensing ...
• To express ratios: 2:1 mixture

3.4.3. Use With Other A colon follows closing parentheses and closing quotation marks.
Marks

3.5. Comma Of all the marks of punctuation, the comma requires the most judgment.
To punctuate with commas requires not only compliance with a set of rules
but also thorough understanding of the material being punctuated. Commas
can change meaning!
The primary functions of the comma are to separate and to enclose
elements of a sentence. The function of a particular comma is important:
when it separates, it stands alone, but when it encloses, it needs a partner.
The instances when commas separate sentence elements are discussed first
in this section, and then the instances when commas enclose.

3.5.1. Commas That Many separating uses of the comma are optional in an open style. If commas
Separate are used whenever possible, they chop up the text and can even render it
difficult to read, contrary to the purpose of punctuation.

51
Chapter 3. Punctuation

Independent clauses

Independent clauses joined by coordinate conjunctions (see section

1.8.1) may be separated by a comma:

The mixing noise dominates the spectrum, but the background noise
peaks at a high frequency.

• When the independent clauses are short and closely related, the comma
may be omitted:

Each performance of an experiment is called a trial and its result is called

an outcome.

The comma is usually retained between clauses joined by the coordinate

conjunctions but and jor, in order to emphasize the contrast.
• When the independent clauses are complicated and contain internal com-
mas, a semicolon may be used to separate them.
• Do not use a comma to separate independent clauses without a coordinate
conjunction:

Wrong The differences were generally about 11 percent, how-

ever, larger differences occurred at a = 15°.

Either The differences were generally about 11 percent, but

larger differences occurred at a = 15°.

Or The differences were generally about 11 percent; how-

ever, larger differences occurred at a = 15°.

• Do not separate compound predicates with a comma unless they are long
and require a comma for clarity.

Poor Viewing through the atmosphere increases the appar-

ent reflectance for low-reflectance objects (e.g., p =
0.1), and decreases the apparent reflectance for high-
reflectance objects (e.g., p = 0.7).

Correct Viewing through the atmosphere increases the apparent

reflectance for low-reflectance objects (e.g., p = 0.1) and
decreases the apparent reflectance for high-reflectance
objects (e.g., p = 0.7).

When compound predicates are so long that a comma seems appropriate,

they are perhaps too long. A comma to sep~rate them may not sufficiently
clarify them.

52
 Section 3.5. Comma

Elements of series
Commas (at least) are required to separate serIes of three or more
elements:

The flight navigation system also provides altitude, roll, pitch, yaw, and
ground speed.
Pressures at the bulkhead, in the cove, and at the seal were measured.
Wind speed is obtained from antenna brightness temperature, rain rate is
obtained from the brightness temperature difference at two frequencies,
and wind vector is obtained from radar cross section.

We prefer a comma before the conjunction in a series. This serial comma is

often necessary to prevent misreading.
Introductory phrases and clauses
.A comma may be used to separate an introductory phrase or clause
from the main clause:

If the variable t is actually time, then a is frequency.

As discussed in reference 4, one has considerable freedom in defining the
Fourier transform pair.
With this definition of a transform pair, the (27f)-1 factor must be
preserved during integration .

• It is standard practice to put the comma after all introductory clauses and
all introductory phrases containing a verb form (Ebbitt and Ebbitt 1982):

Clause Although some mathematicians are not comfortable with

this intuitive definition, it is widely used.
Partie. Called mean square calculus, this theory is based on the
phrase concept of mean square convergence.
Gerund In analyzing the experiment, we try to statistically
phrase describe the whole random process.
Infinitive To understand this concept, note that periodic functions
phrase may be expanded in Fourier series.

• The comma is optional after a short introductory adverbial phrase unless

the comma is required for clarity:

Either In recent years, the delta function has been rigorously

defined.
Or In recent years the delta function has been rigorously
defined.

53
Chapter 3. Punctuation

Wrong Soon after the photon density becomes steady as gains

and losses balance each other.
Better Soon after, the photon density becomes steady as gains
and losses balance each other.

• Do not place a comma after an introductory phrase that immediately

precedes the verb it modifies:

Wrong Only in recent years, has the delta function been rigor-
ously defined.
Correct Only in recent years has the delta function been rigor-
ously defined.

Remember that after introductory clauses and phrases the comma is

separating, not enclosing. A comma is appropriate after an internal phrase
or clause, but it is not appropriate before unless the phrase or clause is
nonrestrictive (see section 3.5.2).
• A comma follows, but does not precede, restrictive introductory elements:

Wrong Recombination rate is larger than quenching rate, and,

after lasing is achieved, both are smaller than photo-
dissociation rate.
Correct Recombination rate is larger than quenching rate, and
after lasing is achieved, both are smaller than photo-
dissociation rate.
Wrong The laser pulse was reasonably stationary, although, at
1.6 msec, motion of the arc is evident.
Correct The laser pulse was reasonably stationary, although at
1.6 msec, motion of the arc is evident.

• A comma both precedes and follows nonrestrictive introductory elements:

Correct Note that, even though they are unbounded, the delta
functions are plotted as arrows with their heights rep-
resenting the coefficient magnitudes.

Coordinate adjectives
"Adjectives are coordinate if (1) they can be linked by and and (2) they
independently modify the substantive" (Linton 1962).
• Separate by commas only those consecutive adjectives that are coordinate.
Deciding whether adjectives are coordinate can be tricky; two tests might
help. First try inserting and between the adjectives:

The delta function has a long controversial history. (long and controver-
sial?)

54
 Section 3.5. Comma

A comma is appropriate between long and controversial.

Consider a linear shift-invariant system. (linear and shift-invariant?)

If still in doubt, try reversing the adjectives (if they independently modify
the noun, order makes no difference):

Consider a shift-invariant linear system.

The adjectives shift-invariant and linear are probably coordinate, but the
final decision requires someone who understands the technical meaning
of the adjectives. (Good luck with trying to explain this grammatical
dilemma!)
When in doubt, do not insert the comma between adjectives. The
current tendency is to omit the comma between two coordinate adjectives
anyway (Ebbitt and Ebbitt 1982). The comma adds emphasis though to
the adjectives as separate modifiers.
Elliptical constructions
When clauses in a sentence contain repeated elements (for example, the
verb), the omission of these elements is indicated by a comma:

Wind speed is obtained from antenna brightness temperature; rain rate,

from the brightness temperature difference at two frequencies; and wind
vector, from radar cross section.

The comma may be omitted if the clauses are short:

Wind speed is obtained from antenna brightness temperature, and wind

vector from radar cross section.

Note: See section 3.15.4 for the use of the semicolon III elliptical
constructions.
Direct quotations and questions
Direct quotations and questions are separated from the rest of the
sentence with either commas or colons. A colon is used to introduce a
long or formal quotation (see section 3.4.1).
• Separate a direct quotation or question from the rest of the sentence with
a comma:

In reference 6, he states, "Thermal neutron fluxes up to 1020 might be

required."
The obvious question is, how good is this estimate?

Note: The first word of the question mayor may not be capitalized.

55
Chapter 3. Punctuation

• Neither a comma nor a colon sets off an indirect quotation or one that is
part of the grammatical structure of the sentence:

In reference 6, he stated that thermal neutron fluxes up to 1020 may be

required.
In case of fire, the command for stopping the test is "Recover, fire."

3.5.2. Commas That A comma that encloses requires a partner, which may be another comma
Enclose or a colon, semicolon, period, question mark, or exclamation mark.
Nonrestrictive modifiers
A nonrestrictive modifier does not affect the meaning of the basic
sentence; it could be removed from the sentence without altering meaning.
• Nonrestrictive modifiers must be enclosed by commas (at least). The
important point to remember is that an enclosing comma requires a partner,
which can be another comma or another mark of punctuation.
The nonrestrictive prepositional and verbal phrases are enclosed with
commas in the following examples: .

The record need not be continuous but may, in fact, be digital data.
Theoreticians prefer to work in terms of radian frequency, defined for both
positive and negative frequencies.
The power spectral density is integrated over some finite bandwidth, such
as a one-third octave.
The second integral, being the integral of an odd function over even limits,
is zero.

• Be sure to distinguish between restrictive and nonrestrictive internal phrases

that introduce clauses (see section 3.5.1):

Rest. A random process is stationary if for all n, its nth

density function is independent of time.
Nonrest. The coefficient could be placed elsewhere because,
though preferred, the placement shown is arbitrary.

• Nonrestrictive relative clauses are enclosed with commas:

Rest. The most common panel methods are the codes which
Hess and Smith (ref. 26) designed for nonlijting bodies.
Nonrest. The most common panel methods are the codes of Hess
and Smith (ref. 26), which were developed for nonlijting
bodies.

56
 Section 3.5. Comma

• Nonrestrictive adverbial clauses are enclosed with commas:

Rest. The last chapter introduces specialized areas where

research is in progress.
Nonrest. The power spectral density of the signal is shown in
figure 9, where arrows represent delta functions.
Rest. Two random processes are uncorrelated if their cross
correlation satisfies equation (6).
Nonrest. Independent random processes are uncorrelated, since
their cross correlation always satisfies equation (6).

• Whether restrictive or nonrestrictive, an introductory adverbial clause is

separated by a comma from the clause it modifies (see section 3.5.1).
• When an internal adverbial clause precedes the clause that it modifies, do
not place a comma before it unless it is clearly nonrestrictive:

Wrong Recombination rate is larger than quenching rate, and,

after lasing is achieved, both are smaller than photo-
dissociation rate.
Correct Recombination rate is larger than quenching rate, and
after lasing is achieved, both are smaller than photo-
dissociation rate.

The following guidelines, taken from Rowland (1962), might be helpful

in determining whether the clause is restrictive or nonrestrictive. Adverbial
clauses can be categorized as follows:
• Time clauses-introduced by when, whenever, after, as soon as, just as,
before, since, until, while-are restrictive when they modify the main verb.
• Place clauses-introduced by after, before, where, wherever-are usually
restrictive, but may be nonrestrictive.
• Manner clauses-introduced by how, just as, as, as if, as though-are
usually restrictive.
• Comparison or degree clauses-introduced by else, other, rather, as, than-
are usually restrictive.
• Condition clauses-introduced by if, as though, except, provided, unless,
whether-are usually restrictive.
• Concession clauses-introduced by although, even, while, whereas, though-
are always nonrestrictive.
• Cause or reason clauses introduced by because are usually restrictive, but
those introduced by since, as, inasmuch as are usually nonrestrictive.
• Purpose clauses-introduced by so that, in order that-are restrictive.
• Result clauses-introduced by so that-are nonrestrictive.

57
Chapter 3. Punctuation

Appositives
Words or phrases in apposition are enclosed by commas unless the
appositive is restrictive. A restrictive appositive is required to distinguish
its antecedent from other members of the same class:

Rest. The noble gas argon was chosen for the lasant gas.
Nonrest. Argon, the lightest noble gas that will lase, was chosen
for the lasant gas.

• Dashes (em) may enclose appositives to improve clarity, particularly when

the appositive contains commas (section 3.6.1).
• The word or often precedes nonrestrictive appositives. The appositional or
always requires enclosure:

The concept of a laser powered directly by nuclear energy, or a direct

nuclear-pumped laser, came into existence shortly after discovery of the
laser.

• Commas are usually omitted around symbolic appositives, whether restric-

tive or not:

Rest. The coefficients C Land C m are plotted in figure 23.

Nonrest. The lift coefficient CL is plotted in figure 23.

However, if the author or editor prefers, nonrestrictive symbolic appositives

may be enclosed by commas:

The two most sensitive parameters in the estimations, a and (3, are
compared with measured values in table II.

Interrupting elements
Parenthetical phrases, rhetorical adverbs, antithetical phrases, intro-
ductory words, and other interruptive sentence elements may be enclosed
by commas when they are nonrestrictive:
• Parenthetical phrase

Auxiliary meteorological data used herein, such as vorticity, have been

computed from NMC isobaric height fields.

• Rhetorical adverb

The time between independent measurements cannot be reliably esti-

mated; it can be assumed, however, to lie between 20 and 120 minutes.

Note: The placement and punctuation of rhetorical adverbs affect

emphasis (see section 2.6).

58
 Section 3.5. Comma

• Antithetical elements

In winter, clouds near the tropopause are associated with negative

vorticity, not with positive vorticity as most meteorologists are accustomed
to believing.

• Interruptive words or phrases

For 33-/Lm-diameter particles, for example, partial loss of laminar flow is

predicted for large number densities.

Phrases with common termination

Enclose by commas a phrase with termination that also reads back to
a previous phrase:

An aircraft flying through clouds will lose a significant portion, if not all,
of its laminar flow.
The particle-concentration data have nearly the same latitudinal, but
a significantly different seasonal, distribution from that of the cloud-
encounter data.

Nominative absolute
A nominative absolute phrase (that is, a noun with no grammatical
function in the sentence modified by a participle) is nonrestrictive and thus
is enclosed by commas:

Most confidence may be placed in the statistics for the 30 0 N to 60 0 N

latitude band, more data having been taken at these latitudes.

3.5.3. Conventional The following conventional uses of the comma should be considered enclosure
Uses of rather than separation:
the Comma • Dates

The study was conducted from January 15, 1975, to

February 1, 1979, aboard commercial airliners.
But The study was conducted from January 1975 to Febru-
ary 1979 aboard commercial airliners.

• Geographical names and addresses

These instruments were carried on commercial airliners en route from

Chicago, Illinois, to London, England.
The computer program is available from COSMIC, 112 Barrow Hall,
University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.

59
Chapter 3. Punctuation

• Specifying phrases

This conclusion was drawn from data in Volume II, page 157, ofreference
16.

• Degrees, titles, affiliations, etc.

Members of the committee consisted of J. J. Deluisi, Ph.D., NOAA

Environmental Research Laboratory; J. P. Friend III, Drexel University;
and M. P. McCormick, chairman, NASA Langley Research Center.

• Names
Refer to the report by J. J. Deluisi, Jr., and James P. Friend III:
Deluisi, J. J., Jr.; and Friend, James P., III: Listing of Multi-Spectral

The comma is used by convention to separate thousands in numbers of

five or more digits; but in technical work, we prefer a (thin) space over a
comma because in some foreign languages the comma indicates the decimal
point:
• Numbers

Correct There were 88,000 data points, 2500 of which had to be

discarded.
Preferred There were 88000 data points, 2500 of which had to be
discarded.

3.5.4. Use With Other Commas are used with other marks of punctuation as follows:
Marks • Commas precede closing quotation marks.
• Commas follow a closing parenthesis if the comma would appear without
the parenthetical matter.
• Commas rarely precede an open parenthesis, only if the parenthetical matter
clearly limits the following word (see section 3.10).
• Other marks of punctuation-semicolon, colon, dash, period-supercede
and replace the comma; thus the "partner" of an enclosing comma may be
another mark of punctuation.

3.6. Em Dash Like the comma, the em dash2 is used both to enclose and to separate; and,
like the comma, an enclosing dash needs a partner. In fact, enclosing dashes

2 In typeset material, there are two dashes: the em dash, which is the width of the
letter M, and the en dash, which is half as wide. In typewritten material, the em dash is
represented by two hyphens with no space around them, and an en dash is represented by a
hyphen. Here the em dash will be referred to as simply "dash."

60
 Section 3.6. Em Dash

are replacements for enclosing commas in order to add emphasis. Ebbitt

and Ebbitt (1982) suggest a useful philosophy toward using the dash:
If used sparingly, the dash suggests a definite tone, often a note of surprise
or an emphasis equivalent to a mild exclamation. If used regularly in
place of commas, colons, and semicolons, it loses all its distinctiveness
and becomes a sloppy substitute for conventional punctuation. At its
best the dash is a lively, emphatic mark.

3.6.1. Dashes That Dashes may replace commas in enclosing interrupting elements and non-
Enclose restrictive modifiers and appositives (see section 3.5.2).
• Dashes are appropriate when a comma might be misread, for example, as a
serial comma:
Wrong The lasant gas, argon, and 3He were allowed to mix for
45 minutes.
Better The las ant gas-argon-and 3He were allowed to mix
for 45 minutes.
• Dashes are also appropriate when the enclosed element contains internal
commas:
Of the las ant gases studied-argon, xenon, krypton, and neon-argon
offers the most promise.
The most promising lasant gas-argon, which is the lightest gas studied-
produced laser output power of 4 W.
• Use dashes when the enclosed element needs emphasis.
• Enclose by dashes a complete sentence that interrupts another:
Wrong The one-sided spectrum, engineers call it simply "spec-
trum," is the output of most spectral analyzers.
Correct The one-sided spectrum-engineers call it simply "spectrum"-
is the output of most spectral analyzers.
Commas are insufficient to enclose an interrupting sentence; dashes or
parentheses are required.
The choice of commas, dashes, or parentheses to enclose a nonrestrictive
or interrupting element depends on the relation of the element to the rest of
the sentence and on the emphasis it requires (Effective Revenue Writing 1,
IRS 1962):
• Commas (most frequently used) indicate only a slight separation in thought
from the rest of the sentence.
• Dashes emphasize the element enclosed and clarify meaning when the
element contains internal commas.
• Parentheses indicate that the enclosed element is only loosely connected to
the rest of the sentence and therefore tend to de-emphasize it.

61
Chapter 3. Punctuation

3.6.2. Dashes That The dash is used to separate sentence elements in essentially three situations:
Separate • A dash separates a group of antecedents from their pronoun that is the
subject of the sentence:

Argon, xenon, krypton, and neon-these are the possible choices of noble
gases for use in nuclear pumped lasers.

• In a displayed list, a dash may separate the item from an explanatory

statement:

Support systems for the facility supply the following:

1. Air-The 600-psi system can deliver a flow rate of 300 lb/sec for 3
min.
2. Cooling water-The closed-loop system delivers 450 gal/min at 550
psig.
3. Gaseous propellants-Hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are supplied
from tanks at 2400 psia.

• A dash may separate two clauses when the second amplifies or restates the
first:

The toughness of pseudo-maraging steel degrades at cryogenic temperatures-

at -320°F, its Charpy impact energy is 6 ft-Ib.

The colon (section 3.4.1) or semicolon (section 3.15.1) may also be used for
this purpose. The dash is less formal than the colon and more emphatic
than the semicolon.
• A dash may precede a phrase like that is, namely, and for example when it
introduces a summarizing or explanatory phrase or clause at the end of a
sentence, but a comma or semicolon may also be used (Rowland 1962). If
an explanatory clause follows the sentence, a semicolon is necessary; if an
explanatory phrase follows, a comma is sufficient. If the explanatory phrase
or clause receives enough emphasis by being at the end of the sentence, use
a comma or semicolon, whichever is appropriate:

Moderate Other random processes have average properties that

emphasis vary appreciably with time, for example, the load de-
mand on an electric power generating system.
Some random processes are reasonably independent
of the precise time; that is, measurements made at
different times are similar in their average properties.

A dash would further emphasize the explanatory material:

Emphatic Other random processes have average properties that

vary appreciably with time-for example, the load de-
mand on an electric power generating system.

62
 Section 3.7. En Dash

Some random processes are reasonably independent

of the precise time-that is, measurements made at
different times are similar in their average properties.

3.6.3. Conventional The dash is used by convention as follows:

Uses of
• To separate a title and subtitle
the Dash
Large Space Systems Technology-1984
Energy Efficient Transport Technology-Program Summary and Bibliog-
raphy

• In vague or open-ended dates

1974- 1980 to 19-

3.6.4. Use With Other A semicolon, colon, question mark, period, or exclamation point-but not a
Marks comma-supercede and replace a dash; that is, a semicolon, colon, or period
may be the "partner" of an enclosing dash.

3.7. En Dash The uses of the en dash 3 are conventional:

• The en dash indicates inclusive or continuing numbers or dates:

pp. 233-235 Oct. 1975-Jan. 1976

The en dash is not appropriate in a from . .. to ... or a between . .. and . ..

construction:

Wrong between 1975-1978

Wrong from 1975-1978

• The en dash connects a unit modifier with a two-word or hyphenated

element:

New York-London flight

shock-wave-boundary-layer interaction

See section 3.16 for discussion of the slash (j) used in place of an en dash.
• The en dash is used in place of a hyphen in all capital text.

3 An en dash (which is half the width of an em dash) is available in typeset material. In

typewritten material, a hyphen is used in place of an en dash.

63
Chapter 3. Punctuation

3.8. Hyphen The hyphen4 is used to connect words or parts of words: it connects the
syllables of words broken at the ends of lines, it connects prefixes and suffixes
to words, and it connects compound words. The modern trend is away from
hyphenation. Permanent compounds tend to become solid, and temporary
compounds tend to be hyphenated only when necessary to avoid ambiguity.

3.8.1. Word Words may be hyphenated at the ends of lines between syllables. Proper
Division places to break words are determined from your favorite dictionary. We
prefer
Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Lan-
guage, Unabridged. G. & C. Merriam Co., c.1967.
Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary. Merriam-Webster,
Inc., c.1983.
In general, end-of-line hyphens should be avoided when possible. To
avoid extremely ragged right margins in unjustified text or to avoid large
spaces between words in justified text, words may be hyphenated at the
ends of lines. The following guidelines for end-of-line hyphenation are taken
from The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago Press 1982):
• Words may be divided only between syllables. Consult a dictionary for
syllabification.
• Divisions leaving one letter at the end or beginning of a line are not
permissible.
• Two-letter syllables may be left at the end of a line, but two-letter endings
may not be carried to the next line.
• The last word of a paragraph, page, or similar item (e.g., reference citation,
figure caption) should not be divided.
• A hyphenated compound should be divided only at the hyphen. Likewise it
is best to divide solid compounds at the natural breaks (after-body), after
prefixes (dis-comfort), and before suffixes (other-wise).
• Avoid, if possible, several consecutive end-of-line hyphens.

3.8.2. Prefixes Hyphens are sometimes used to connect a prefix to a word. The tendency
is to eliminate the hyphen after a prefix.
• Hyphens are always required with the following prefixes:

all- quasi-
half- self-
quarter- ex-

4 In typewritten material, the hyphen represents an en dash, and two hyphens with no
space around them are preferred for representing an em dash.
64
 Section 3.B. Hyphen

• Use a hyphen to attach a prefix to a proper noun or adjective:

un-American
anti-Arab

• Hyphenate a homograph (a word with two meanings) that might be misun-

derstood without the hyphen:
unionized un-ionized
recover re-cover
coop co-op
multiply multi-ply

• Hyphenate a word that might be misread or difficult to read without the

hyphen:
un-uniform
post-stall
sub-subcommittee

• When a vowel would be doubled or a consonant tripled, use the hyphen:

micro-organism
anti-inflation

Note: the prefixes co, de, pre, pro, and re are printed solid even if a
vowel will be doubled:
cooperation
preexist

• Use a hyphen to attach a prefix to a hyphenated compound word:

non-civil-service position
pseudo-steady-state system

3.8.3. Suffixes Hyphens are rarely used to connect a suffix to a word.

• Use the hyphen to avoid tripling a consonant:
shell-like
hull-less

• Use the hyphen when the suffix like is attached to a proper noun.

3.8.4. Compound Compound words may be (1) permanent, their form (solid or hyphenated)
Words being determined by usage and often appearing in dictionaries, or (2) tem-
porary, being hyphenated. Most permanent compounds tend to become
solid (without hyphen) with usage, and most authorities (Bernstein 1981;
G.P.O. 1984; and Skillin et al. 1974) prefer to avoid forming temporary
compounds. Thus, the trend is away from hyphenation.

65
Chapter 3. Punctuation

Compound nouns
Most permanent prepositional-phrase compound nouns are hyphen-
ated, and most other permanent compound nouns are solid:

right-of-way workbench
mother-in-law cupboard

Some noun phrases are in the process of becoming permanent com-

pounds; but although they are defined in the dictionary, they are not yet
hyphenated. For example, Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary lists

right-of-way, n. & adj.

But state of the art, n.; state-of-the-art, adj.

The dictionary is the best source for hyphenation and spelling of permanent
compound nouns.
Formation of a temporary compound noun with a hyphen is appropriate
when a combination of several nouns is one entity:

wing-body
writer-editor

Compound verbs
Hyphenate an active compound verb derived from a noun form consist-
ing of separate words:

Langley flight-tested that configuration.

To cross-brace such a structure is impossible.

But the passive verb form need not be hyphenated:

That configuration was flight tested.

Such a structure could not be cross braced.

Unit modifiers
Most authorities (for example, Bernstein 1981 and G.P.O. 1984) advo-
cate hyphenating unit modifiers only when necessary to avoid ambiguity.
See section 1.5.2; the guidelines for hyphenation are repeated here:
• A unit modifier should not be hyphenated
• When the unit modifier is a predicate adjective: The aircraft was flight
tested.
Note that an adjective that is hyphenated in the dictionary is hyphen-
ated as a predicate adjective (IRS 1962): The method is well-known.

66
 Section 3.9. Italics

• When the first element of the unit modifier is a comparative or

superlative: higher order calculations
• When the first element is an adverb ending in ly: relatively accurate
prediction
• When the unit modifier is a foreign phrase: a priori condition
• When the unit modifier is a proper name: North Carolina coast (but
Anglo-American plan)
• When the unit modifier has a letter or number designation as its second
element: material 3 properties
• When the unit modifier is enclosed in quotation marks: "elliptical style"
symbol list
• When the unit modifier is a scientific name of a chemical, an animal,
or a plant which is not normally hyphenated: nitric oxide formation
• A unit modifier should always be hyphenated
• When the unit modifier contains a past or present participle: ft,ight-
tested model, decay-producing moment
• When the unit modifier is a combination of color terms: blue-gray
residue
• When a connecting word is implied in the unit modifier: lift-drag ratio,
Newton-Raphson iteration
• When the unit modifier contains numbers (other than number desig-
nations): three-degree-of-freedom simulator, O.3-meter tunnel

3.9. Italics Why is a section on italics appearing in a chapter on punctuation? The

purpose of italics very closely resembles the purpose of punctuation, to make
meaning clear and reading easier. According to Words Into Type (Skillin
et al. 1974), "Italics are used to distinguish letters, words, or phrases from
the rest of the sentence so that the writer's thought or the meaning and
use of the italicized words will be quickly understood." Italics are used to
distinguish elements to be emphasized, special terminology, symbols, and
words or letters to be differentiated from text. In addition, there are several
conventional uses for italics.
In typewritten text, underscore replaces italics and should be used only
when absolutely necessary. In many instances, underscore is not used in
typewritten text when italics would be appropriate in typeset text.

3.9.1. Italics for Words may be italicized when they would be stressed if spoken (Ebbitt and
Emphasis Ebbitt 1982). Italics are especially appropriate if the emphasis would be
lost when written:
Of all the events affecting Langley history, only two have caused major
trauma. The second was the Sputnik crisis.

67
Chapter 3. Punctuation

Only rarely would a whole sentence be italicized for emphasis and never
a whole passage (Chicago Press 1982). As a matter of fact, overuse of
italics causes them to lose their force. Italics for special effects "are used
less and less ... , especially by mature writers who prefer to obtain their
effect structurally ... writers who find themselves underlining frequently for
emphasis might consider (1) whether many ofthe italics are not superfluous,
the emphasis being apparent from the context, or (2) if the emphasis is not
apparent, whether it cannot be achieved more gracefully by recasting the
sentence" (Chicago Press 1982). Consider the following sentences:

Although holographic interferometry and modulation transfer function

techniques were applied, a simple shadowgraph system eventually identi-
fied the flow-visualization problem.
The flow-visualization problem was eventually identified not by holo-
graphic interferometry, not by modulation transfer function techniques,
but by a simple shadowgraph system.

3.9.2. Italics for A key term in a discussion or a technical term accompanied by its definition
Special is often italicized on first use:
Terminology
Caustics, concentrations of light corresponding to a family of rays,
manifest themselves as bright streaks on the photographs.

For coined terms or technical terms used in a nonstandard way, quotes are
preferred to italics (see section 3.14.2).

3.9.3. Italics for Italicize a word used not to represent an idea as usual, but as the word itself:
Differentiation
A colon is not used after that is, for example, or such as.

Likewise, letters used as letters are italicized:

The operator presses the letter n to indicate "no" and the letter y to
indicate "yes."

Letters indicating shape (V-tail, L-shaped), letter designations (case A,

appendix C), and letters indicating subdivisions (figure 1(a), equation (2c))
are not italic. Sans serif letters may be used to indicate shape, but roman
type is also acceptable (Skillin et al. 1974).
Note that the plurals of italic words used as words and italic letters
used as letters are formed with roman 8'S:

and's, if's, and but's

i's and o's

68
 Section 3.9. Italics

3.9.4. Italics for Most mathematical symbols and letter symbols representing a physical
Symbology concept are italic, whether within roman or italic text. Chemical symbols,
computer symbols, and abbreviations are not italic. Symbols representing
vectors, tensors, and matrices may be set in boldface roman type if available.
In typewritten text, we recommend double spacing around symbols to
distinguish those that would normally be italic.

3.9.5. Conventional There are several items that are italicized by convention:
Uses for
• Titles and subtitles of books, reports,5 compilations, newspapers, and
Italics
periodicals are italicized, but not titles of articles, meeting papers, theses,
papers in compilations, or patents:

Slater, Philip N. 1980: Remote Sensing-Optics and Optical Systems.

Addison-Wesley Publ. Co., Inc.
Elterman, L. 1970: Vertical-Attenuation Model With Eight Surface Me-
teorological Ranges 2 to 14 Kilometers. AFCRL-70-0200, U.S. Air
Force, Mar. (Available from DTIC as AD 707488.)
Bowker, D. E.; Davis, R. E.; Von Ofenheim, W. H. C.; and Myrick,
D. L. 1983: Estimation of Spectral Reflectance Signatures From
Spectral Radiance Profiles. Proceedings of the Seventeenth Interna-
tional Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, Volume II,
Environmental Research Inst. of Michigan, pp. 795-814.
Allen, William A.; and Richardson, Arthur J. 1968: Interaction of Light
With a Plant Canopy. J. Opt. Soc. America, vol. 58, no. 8, Aug.,
pp. 1923-1928.
Weidner, Elizabeth H.; and Drummond, J. Philip 1981: A Parametric
Study of Staged Fuel Injector Configurations for Scramjet Applica-
tions. AIAA-81-1468, july.
Nemeth, Michael Paul 1983: Buckling Behavior of Orthotropic Compos-
ite Plates With Centrally Located Cutouts. Ph.D. Diss., Virginia
Polytechnic Inst. & State Univ., May.

• Foreign words that will be unfamiliar to readers are italicized, but not
foreign proper names (Challais-Meudon, Gottingen), foreign currency (lira,
franc), foreign titles of documents, or foreign phrases that have been adopted
into English (see list of foreign words and phrases, p. 481ff., Skillin et aL
1974).
• Biological names of genera, species, and varieties are italicized, but not
higher classifications. Refer to CBE (1978) for more complete information.

5 Most authorities on style do not indicate whether or not to italicize report titles; Tichy
and Fourdrinier (1988) recommend italics for titles of long reports. We prefer italic report
titles.

69
Chapter 3. Punctuation

• The name of a specific aircraft, spacecraft, ship, or train is italicized, but

not the name or designation of a class of craft or the abbreviations S.S. or
H.M.S.:

S.S. United States but DC-3

Space Shuttle Columbia F-14 Tomcat
Apollo 12 Project Apollo

3.9.6. Italics With The rules and guidelines discussed so far in this section are based on the
Typefaces assumption that the surrounding text is roman. If the surrounding text is
Other Than not roman, adjustments must be made:
Roman
• The typeface used for symbols remains italic even when the surrounding
typeface changes.
• Items other than symbols that are normally set in italic on roman type are
set in roman on italic type.
• Items other than symbols that are normally set in italic on roman type may
be quoted in caps and small caps or boldface type.

3.9.7. Italics With The standard printer's rule is to set punctuation marks in the typeface
Punctuation of the letter preceding them (Chicago Press 1982). This rule does not
apply to parentheses and brackets however. Also Skillin et aL (1974) prefer
that quotation marks, question marks, and exclamation marks, as well as
parentheses, be set according to the context of the sentence.

3.10. Parentheses Parentheses may be used to enclose nonrestrictive or interrupting elements.

Commas or dashes may also be used for this purpose (see section 3.6.1).
• Parentheses are most appropriate to enclose a nonrestrictive element that
is only loosely connected to the sentence and could be left out without
damaging the sentence.
• Do not insert a parenthetical element with no relation whatever to the rest
of the sentence. The following example is taken from Fowler (1944):

In writing this straightforward and workmanlike biography of his grand-

father (the book was finished before the war and delayed in publication)
Mr. Walter Jerrold has aimed at doing justice to Douglas Jerrold ....

The parenthetical idea has no bearing on the sentence!

• Parentheses enclose numbers in an enumeration within a sentence:

The scatterometer is separated into (1) a gimbal, (2) a transmitter-

receiver assembly, and (3) rack-mounted electronics.

70
 Section 3.11. Period

When the enumerated list is displayed, a period following the number is

sufficient to set it off (Skillin et al. 1974; and Chicago Press 1982):

The scatterometer is separated into

1. A gimbal
2. A transmitter-receiver assembly
3. Rack-mounted electronics

Ebbitt and Ebbitt (1982) neatly explain use of parentheses with other
punctuation marks as follows:

When a complete sentence in parentheses comes within a sentence (notice

the punctuation of this one), it needs neither a capital letter nor a
period. Commas and other marks of punctuation in the main sentence
always follow the parenthesis (as here and in the preceding sentence). (A
sentence in parentheses, like this one, that does not stand within another
sentence has the end punctuation before the closing parenthesis.)

Punctuation (for example, question marks, quotation marks) of the ideas

within parentheses remains within parentheses, while punctuation of the
main sentence remains outside, almost always after the closing parenthesis
rather than before an opening parenthesis. A comma precedes an open
parenthesis if the parenthetical matter clearly limits the word following it
(Skillin et al. 1974):

Despite these differences, (digital) image-gathering systems can be com-

pared with optical imaging systems.

3.11. Period The period is a mark of separation. Its primary purpose is to separate
complete thoughts, to mark the end of declarative and imperative sentences.
(Interrogative sentences end with a question mark; exclamatory, with an
exclamation point.) The key word here is complete; a period should be used
only after a sentence complete with subject and predicate .
• Do not use a period after headings on separate lines (run-in headings are
often separated from text by a period), after running heads, after table
titles, or after items in an enumerated, displayed list unless one or more of
the items are complete sentences:

The purposes of this report are

1. To evaluate the performance of instruments
2. To expand the data base
We can define the requirements of the power converter as follows:
1. Energy conversion should be high.
2. Efficiency should be independent of laser wavelength.

71
Chapter 3. Punctuation

• It is customary to end figure captions with a period whether or not they

are complete sentences:

Figure 1. Computing scheme for algorithm.

Figure 1. Concluded.

3.11.1. Abbreviations A period may follow abbreviations except those for units of measure. The
trend is away from periods for abbreviations (Skillin et al. 1974; and Chicago
Press 1982), but they are retained for many word abbreviations, particularly
those that may be confused with an unabbreviated word:

fig. 1 no. 269

Co. Mr.

• Periods are not used for abbreviations of units of measure (except inch), for
acronyms) or for contractions (with apostrophe):

ft cm lb
NASA V/STOL nat'l

A period does follow the abbreviation for inch

1 in. but in2 , in/hr,

14lb/in. in-lb, 6-in-wide

Whether or not to end an abbreviation with a period is best determined

by consulting
G.P. O. Style Manual
Webster's Collegiate or Unabridged Dictionary

3.11.2. Conventional The period is so useful for separation that several conventional uses exist:
Uses of the • A period precedes decimal numbers:
Period
0.2 .68 29.32

• A period separates dollars and cents:

$6.50 but 50¢ or cents

• In enumerations, a period usually follows the number or other designator:

Vol ume 1. Theory

Figure 2. Response times.
The options are
1. Optical rectification
2. Laser-driven magnetohydrodynamics
3. Laser photovoltaics

72
 Section 3.12. Points of Ellipsis

• Periods are used in section numbers

1. Introduction
This subject is discussed in section LA.1 ofreference 3 and in section 5.2
of this paper.

3.11.3. Use With Other A period may be used only with quotation marks, parentheses and brackets,
Marks and points of ellipsis, but not with other marks unless the period marks an
abbreviation:

(In this fig., the dots denote ... )

(e.g., decimal numbers)
(Why include the following three pp.?)

But a period is never repeated after an abbreviation:

I prefer the abbreviation Ms.

• Place periods before closing quotation marks.

The operator presses the letter n to indicate "no" and the letter y to
indicate "yes."
The word pultruded is defined to mean the opposite of "extruded."

• Generally periods are placed outside closing parentheses; place the period
inside only when a complete parenthetical sentence does not stand within
another sentence (see section 3.10):

(Parenthesized sentences, like this one, that do not stand within other
sentences have a period before the closing parenthesis.)

3.12. Points of Points of ellipsis (three evenly spaced periods) are used in formal writing to
Ellipsis indicate an omission from quoted matter:

This combination caused Wright to wonder whether "since the interfer-

ence velocities due to . .. walls are of opposite signs ... , opposite effects
might be so combined in a slotted tunnel as to produce zero blockage."

• Ellipsis points should not be used (Chicago Press 1982)

• Before or after a quotation run in the text
• Before a block quotation beginning with a complete sentence
• After a block quotation ending with a complete sentence
Points of ellipsis are commonly used with other punctuation marks.
Ellipsis points in a quotation always occur within the quotation marks.

73
Chapter 3. Punctuation

Punctuation in the quote before or after the ellipsis should be retained if it

will enhance meaning:

"The gangs were of all races and conditions: '" part of the huge compost
of America."
"In the city of Hampton alone, hundreds of families emigrated ... , scores
were made jobless, houses were empty and business generally suffered."

• The terminal period (at the end of a sentence) is always retained before an
ellipsis and may be retained after ellipsis to enhance meaning:

Period At a Mach number of 0.98, "the needle of the Mach

before meter took an abrupt jump past M = 1.0 and went
ellipsis against the peg, which is a distance equal to about 0.05
in Mach number past 1.0.... "
Period "When the Mach number went off the scale, the pilot
after shut down all cylinders .... Preliminary NASA data
ellipsis work-up indicates that a Mach number of 1.06 was
reached."

Note the difference in spacing of periods before and after points of ellipsis.

3.13. Question The purpose of the question mark is to terminate a direct question, whether
Mark the question is an independent sentence, a clause within a sentence, or a
direct quotation:

What system identification procedure should be used for a statically

unstable aircraft?
The question addressed by this research project is, What system identi-
fication procedure should be used for a statically unstable aircraft?
In reference 2, Jones asks, "What system identification procedure should
be used for a statically unstable aircraft?"

When the direct question occurs within a sentence (as in the second example
above), the author mayor may not choose to capitalize the first word of the
question.
• When the question is a single word, such as when, how, or why, within a
sentence, neither a question mark nor a capital is necessary; the word is
often italicized:

The announcement should answer the questions who, what, where, when,
and why.

• A question mark should not follow an indirect question:

This research project addresses what system identification procedure

should be used for statically unstable aircraft.

74
 Section 3.14. Quotation Marks

A question mark may be used with other marks of punctuation as

follows:
• The question mark supersedes a period or comma.
• A question mark precedes a closing quotation mark or parenthesis only if it
is part of the quoted or parenthetical matter:

Because of the ambiguous use of the slash, the reader might well ask the
question, What is meant by "molecular/atomic collision"?
The obvious question is, how accurate is this estimate (compared with
the accuracy of the input measurements)?

• When the question mark ends a sentence, the period is, of course, omitted.
When the question mark does not end the sentence, it should never be
followed by a comma; if required, a semicolon may follow a question mark:

The obvious question is, how good is this estimate? and equation (6)
provides a tool for answering it.
The reader might well ask the question, What is meant by "molecu-
lar/atomic collision"?; the slash gives no clue to the meaning.

3.14. Quotation Quotation marks are used to enclose words quoted from another source,
Marks direct discourse, or words requiring differentiation from the surrounding
text. Since they enclose, they always come in pairs. They can also be
overused and render a text visually hard to read.
Double quotation marks (" ") are used most of the time. Single
quotation marks (' ') are used only within double quotation marks.

3.14.1. Quoted If a document quotes extensively from other sources, consult an authority,
Material such as Chicago Press (1982), chapter 10, for details of correctly setting up
quotations.
Quotation marks enclose material taken verbatim from another source.
The quote can be of any length, from a phrase to several paragraphs:

Diehl argued that a transonic research plane was necessary to demon-

strate that the sound barrier was "just a steep hill."
As Richard P. Hallion has explained: "They gave the fuselage a pointed
nose then gradually thickened the body-that is, increased the cross-
sectional area-until the fuselage reached its maximum diameter near
the middle."

• The source of a quote should always be clear, either from the context or
with a reference citation.

75
Chapter 3. Punctuation

• Long quotations are usually set off from the text and set in smaller type if
typeset. Such block quotations are not enclosed by quotation marks:

Stack allowed Whitcomb to present his area rule at the next meeting of
Langley's elite technical seminar.
At the end of presentation there was silence. Finally, Adolf Busemann stood
up. Turning to his colleagues, the pioneer of sweptwing technology remarked,
"Some people come up with half-baked ideas and call them theories. Whitcomb
comes up with a brilliant idea and calls it a rule of thumb."

Note the double quotes within the quotation. If the quotation had not been
set off but had been run in the text and enclosed in quotation marks, then
single quotes would have enclosed Busemann's remark.

3.14.2. Words Quotation marks may enclose words that need to be differentiated from
Requiring the text in order to make meaning clear. Italics are used for much the
Differentiation same purpose (see section 3.9.3) and are sometimes interchangeable with
quotation ,marks.
• Enclose in quotes a word or phrase whose meaning is being referred to:

The operator presses the letter n to indicate "no" and the letter y to
indicate "yes."
The word pultruded is defined to mean the opposite of "extruded."

Words used simply as words are usually italicized:

A colon is not used after that is, for example, or such as.

• Enclose words or phrases following entitled, the term, marked, designated,

classified, named, enclosed, cited as, referred to as, or signed, but do not
enclose an expression following known as, called, or so-called unless the
expression is slang (G.P.O. 1984). Of course, an italicized phrase or word
(for example, a title) would not be further differentiated with quotation
marks.
• Do not routinely enclose slang or technical jargon (if used) in quotation
marks, unless it is expected to be foreign to the vocabulary of the reader:

Quotes The pilot "captured" the glide slope at an altitude of

unnec. 300 m.

Quotes Recently, "cepstrum" analysis has come into promi-

OK nence; the name is derived from inverting the first four
letters in spectrum

Such terms are normally quoted only the first time they are used.

76
 Section 3.15. Semicolon

• Enclose in quotation marks coined terms or technical terms used in a

nonstandard way:

Synoptic data (or "snapshots" of global parameters) are required.

If the results satisfied a set of general, and sometimes intuitive, criteria,
they were accepted as being "good."

Such terms are normally quoted only the first time they are used.
• Enclose in quotation marks the titles of parts (sections, chapters) of a
report or book and the titles of published papers, articles, etc., that are
not italicized (see section 3.9.5):

The aircraft is described in more detail under the section entitled "Flight
Facility."
The runway is marked in accord with FAA circular AC 150/5300-2B,
"Airport Design Standards-Site Requirements for Terminal Naviga-
tional Facilities."

Langley drops quotation marks in reference lists and bibliographies; the

number of quotes in these sections makes them unsightly and hard to read.

3.14.3. Use With Other Quotation marks may be used with all other marks of punctuation.
Marks
• Closing quotation marks always follow commas and periods, regardless of
the context.
• Closing quotation marks always precede semicolons and colons (because
they are always dropped at the end of quoted material).
• Closing quotation marks always follow points of ellipsis indicating omitted
matter in the quote; ending a quote with ellipsis is rarely necessary.
• Other marks of punctuation (parentheses, question mark) are placed outside
quotation marks if they are not a part of the quoted matter.

3.15. Semicolon The semicolon separates coordinate clauses, long internally punctuated
elements of series, explanatory phrases and clauses, and elliptical clauses.
The semicolon denotes nearly a full stop; thus its uses are "as much a matter
of personal choice as of correct punctuation" (Ebbitt and Ebbitt 1982).

3.15.1. Coordinate Coordinate clauses may be joined by a semicolon.

Clauses
• If coordinate clauses are not joined by a coordinate conjunction, they must
be joined by a semicolon:

The first two flight runs for each pilot were treated as practice; only the
last four runs were used in the analysis.

77
Chapter 3. Punctuation

• If coordinate clauses are joined by a coordinate conjunction but the clauses

are long, complicated, or internally punctuated with commas, they may be
separated by a semicolon:
The pilots unanimously preferred the new display format because of the
steadiness of the horizon, runway image, and pitch grid during turbulence;
and they felt that this steadiness resulted in less distraction and better
situational awareness.

• If coordinate clauses are joined by a conjunctive adverb (however, thus,

therefore, hence), a semicolon (or a period) must precede the conjunctive
adverb:
The differences were generally about 11 percent; however, larger differ-
ences occurred at a = 15.

Whether a period, semicolon, or comma is used between clauses is a

matter of style. Ebbitt and Ebbitt (1982) discuss semicolons and style:
"Semicolons are usually more suitable in the longer, more complicated
sentences of formal styles.... In general styles commas are often used
where semicolons might appear in formal writing, or else clauses that could
be linked by semicolons are written· as separate sentences." A semicolon
slows the pace and has more separating force than a comma while still
tending to join clauses; a period simply separates sentences. The semicolon
is particularly effective between contrasting clauses:
One pilot performed slightly better with the attitude-aligned display; the
other pilot performed much worse.

A dash (section 3.6.2) or colon (section 3.4.1) may also separate two
clauses when the second amplifies or restates the first. The colon is more
formal and has more introductory force than the semicolon, and the dash
is more emphatic than the semicolon.

3.15.2. Series When elements of a series are long, complex, or internally punctuated with
commas, separating the elements with commas may not make meaning clear.
• Semicolons may separate elements of a series that are complex or require
internal commas:
Committee members were H. Melfi, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, Maryland; A. L. Carswell, York University, North York,
Canada; and E. V. Browell, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton,
Virginia.

Remember that a semicolon signals nearly a full stop. Semicolons may

clarify the elements of a series, but at the same time disrupt the flow:
The goal was to accelerate application of composites to primary struc-
tures in new civil transport aircraft by development of design techniques

78
 Section 3.15. Semicolon

for empennage, wing, and fuselage structures; dissemination of tech-

nology throughout the transport industry; and extensive flight service
evaluations.

Another way to clarify the series might be devised, for example, enumeration
or rearrangement of elements of the series:

The goal was to accelerate application of composites to primary structures

in new civil transport aircraft by (1) development of design techniques
for empennage, wing, and fuselage structures, (2) dissemination of tech-
nology throughout the transport industry, and (3) extensive flight service
evaluations.
The goal was to accelerate application of composites to primary structures
in new civil transport aircraft by dissemination of technology throughout
the transport industry, extensive flight service evaluations, and develop-
ment of design techniques for empennage, wing, and fuselage structures.

3.15.3. Explanatory In technical writing explanatory information often follows such introductory
Phrases and phrases as that is, namely, for example, in other words, for instance.
Clauses • A semicolon must precede a phrase like that is, namely, and for example
when it introduces an independent clause:

Some random processes are reasonably independent of the precise time;

that is, measurements made at different times are similar in their average
properties.

3.15.4. Elliptical When commas are necessary to indicate the omlSSlOn in an elliptical
Constructions construction, a semicolon separates the elliptical clauses:

Wind speed is obtained from antenna brightness temperature; rain rate,

from the brightness temperature difference at two frequencies; and wind
vector, from radar cross section.

Of course, if the commas are unnecessary to indicate omission, the semicolon

can be replaced by a comma so long as the clauses are joined by a
conjunction:

Wind speed is obtained from antenna brightness tem-

perature, and wind vector from radar cross section.
But Wind speed is obtained from antenna brightness tem-
perature; wind vector, from radar cross section.

3.15.5. Use With Other Semicolons always follow closing parentheses and quotation marks; semi-
Marks colons are always dropped at the end of quoted material (Chicago Press
1982).

79
Chapter 3. Punctuation

3.16. Slash A slash, also called solidus or virgule, can be correctly used (1) in and/or,
(2) in fractions (x/y), (3) to indicate per (m/sec), and (4) when quoting
poetry.
Although most usage and grammar authorities do not acknowledge use
of the slash in a temporary compound, it is being widely used to indicate
temporary compounds. In drafts of NASA reports, we frequently find such
constructions as

hoop/column antenna
boundary-layer / shock-wave interaction
matrices / vectors
lateral/ directional characteristics

In the first example (hoop/column), those coining the new technical

term seem to have chosen (erroneously) to use a slash rather than a hyphen;
however, this term, meaning a combination of a hoop and a column, has been
widely used with the slash. In the second example (boundary-layer/shock:
wave interaction), the slash is being used as an en dash, or "long hyphen."
In the third example (matrices/vectors), the slash indicates alternatives, a
usage that Tichy and Fourdrinier (1988) accept with caution. In the last
example (lateraljdirectional), the slash is being used in a unit modifier that
has been hyphenated for years.
These four examples illustrate our objection to use of the slash m
temporary compounds: Its meaning is not clear.
• We therefore prefer that the slash be changed to a hyphen,

The 15-m hoop-column antenna is a deployable and restowable structure.

to an en dash,

These phenomena result from shock-wave-boundary-layer interaction.

or to and, or, or and/or,

Operator splitting is additive decomposition of some matrices and vectors

in the model.

Of course, some technical terms have become standard with the slash (for
example, V/STOL, stall/spin).
• A term that is accepted as standard with a slash may be used with the
slash.

80
Chapter 4. Capitalization

4.1. Introduction "It is impossible to give rules that will cover every conceivable problem
in capitalization" (G.P.O. 1984). Actually, what is capitalized is mostly a
matter of editorial style and preference rather than a matter of generally
accepted rules. In addition, although there is a clearly recognized rule
requiring capitalization of proper nouns and adjectives, opinions differ
concerning what a proper noun is.
First we should define terms used when discussing capitalization:
• Full caps means that every letter in an expression is capital, LIKE
THIS.
• Caps f.9 lc means that the principal words of an expression are capital-
ized, Like This.
• Caps and small caps refers to a particular font of type containing small
capital letters instead of lowercase letters.
Elements in a document such as headings, titles, and captions may be
capitalized in either sentence style or headline style:
• Sentence style calls for capitalization of the first letter, and proper
nouns of course.
• Headline style calls for capitalization of all principal words (also called
caps & lc).
Modern publishers tend toward a down style of capitalization, that is,
toward use of fewer capitals, rather than an up style (Chicago Press 1982).

This chapter presents guidelines and Langley editorial preference for

capitalization. There is so much difference of opinion among authorities
as well as individuals concerning proper nouns and adjectives that total
consistency among editors and authors is impossible. The important goal
should be consistency within a particular document. The next three sections
deal with the more clear-cut uses for capitalization; the last section deals
with the most difficult area, proper nouns and adjectives.

4.2. Sentence Style It is second nature for us to capitalize the beginnings of such things as
Capitalization sentences, quotations, and captions. Rules hardly need to be expressed to
cover these areas; however this section briefly addresses them and indicates
Langley's preferred style.

81
Chapter 4. Capitalization

4.2.1. Sentences The first word in a sentence is ordinarily capitalized.

• A sentence enclosed in parentheses within another sentence does not begin
with a capital:
In applying the foregoing approach to a tetrahedral grid (the tetrahedral
grid was chosen because of its attractive features for space construction),
a typical repeating element is first isolated from the grid.

However, a parenthesized sentence that does not stand within another

sentence begins with a capital:
The foregoing approach is now applied to a tetrahedral grid. (The
tetrahedral grid was chosen because of its attractive features for space
construction.) A typical repeating element is first isolated from the grid.

• In the rare instances that fragment sentences may appear in a document,

they should begin with a capital:

Wrong Can system identification procedures be applied to stat-

ically unstable aircraft? if so, to which aircraft?
Correct Can system identification procedures be applied to stat-
ically unstable aircraft? If so, to which aircraft?

• The first word after a colon may be capitalized when the capital begins a
complete sentence; however, capitalization of a complete sentence after a
colon is optional:

Correct The toughness of pseudo-maraging steel degrades at

cryogenic temperatures: At -320°F, its Charpy impact
energy is 6 ft-Ib.
Equally The toughness of pseudo-maraging steel degrades at
correct cryogenic temperatures: at -320°F, its Charpy impact
energy is 6 ft-Ib.

4.2.2. Quotations The beginning of quoted material is capitalized as follows:

• A direct quotation that is not syntactically joined to the rest of the sentence
(often set off by commas) begins with a capital, even if the initial letter is
not capital in the source (Chicago Press 1982; and Skillin et al. 1974):
In the law establishing the NACA, Congress states: "It shall be the duty
of the Advisory Committee for Aeronautics to supervise and direct the
scientific study of the problems of flight with a view to their practical
solution."

When the quote is syntactically dependent on the rest of the sentence, it

begins with a lowercase letter, even if the initial letter is capital in the
source:

82
 Section 4.2. Sentence Style Capitalization

Congress established the NACA in 1915 "to supervise and direct the
scientific study of the problems of flight with a view to their practical
solution."

When ellipsis points in a quotation follow a period (that is, four dots), the
first word of the sentence following the ellipsis may be capitalized, even if
it is not capital in the source:
"The airplane then accelerated to a Mach number of 0.98 .... The needle
of the Mach meter took an abrupt jump past M = 1.0."

4.2.3. Questions When a direct question occurs within a sentence, the author mayor may
not choose to capitalize the first word of the question:

Correct The question addressed by this research project is,

What system identification procedure should be used
for a statically unstable aircraft?
Equally The question addressed by this research project is, what
correct system identification procedure should be used for a
statically unstable aircraft?

Of course, an indirect question is never capitalized:

This research project addresses what system identification procedure
should be used for statically unstable aircraft.

4.2.4. Lists Items in a displayed list should begin with a capital whether they are
complete sentences or not:
The purposes of this report are
1. To evaluate the performance of the instruments
2. To expand the data base
We can define the requirements of the power converter as follows:
1. Energy conversion should be high.
2. Efficiency should be independent of laser wavelength.
Support systems for the facility supply the following:
1. Air-The 600-psi system can deliver a flow rate of 300 Ib/sec for
3 min.
2. Cooling water-The closed-loop system delivers 450 gal/min at
550 psig.
3. Gaseous propellants-Hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are supplied
from 60000-ft 3 tube trailers at 2400 psia.

Skillin et al. (1974) indicate that capitalizing nonsentence displayed items

is optional, but we prefer the capitals. When lists are not displayed, the
items are, of course, not capitalized:
The purposes of this report are (1) to evaluate the performance of the
instruments and (2) to expand the data base.

83
Chapter 4. Capitalization

4.2.5. Stylistic Uses for Nonsentence elements, such as table entries, captions, or footnotes, are often
Sentence Style capitalized as a matter of style. The following elements are capitalized in
Capitalization sentence style in Langley reports:
• Run-in headings
• Table subtitles, headnotes, boxheads, and entries consisting of words,
phrases, or sentences
• Footnotes to either the text or a table
• Figure captions:

Figure 1. Three-view sketch of the research aircraft. Dimensions are in

inches.
Figure 1. Computing scheme for algorithm.
Figure 1. Concluded.

• Figure labels (we prefer initial cap over full caps or caps & Ie for labels in
figures)
• A word or phrase appearing in a symbolic expression:

w'x = i\,S,A(Constant)
em = Pitching moment
qooSref c

4.3. Headline Style Headline style calls for all principal words to be capitalized (also called caps
Capitalization & Ie). Unfortunately authorities differ widely on what words are principal.
Langley rules for headline style capitalization are based on the G.P.O. (1984)
and are as follows:
• Do not capitalize the artiCles a, an, and the; the prepositions or adverbs
at, by, for, of, in, up, on, and to; and the conjunctions and, as, but, if, or,
and nor. In effect, this rule means that words of four or more letters are
considered principal words and are capitalized.
• Capitalize the first and last words:

Procedure After All Questionnaires Are In

• Capitalize both elements of a two-element hyphenated compound word

except the second element of a compound numeral:

Application of the Pin Level Stuck-At

Fault Model to VLSI Circuits
Vapor-Screen Systems for In-Flight Flow Visualization
Evaluation of Twenty-one
High-Resolution Graphics Work Stations

84
 Section 4.4. Acronyms and Abbreviations

• In a hyphenated phrase of three or more words, the first element and other
elements that are principal words are capitalized (Skillin et al. 1974):
Drag-Due-to-Lift Measurements
for a High-Speed Fighter

• If a normally lowercase short word is used parallel with a capitalized word

of like significance, the short word should be capitalized:
Carbon-Fiber Risk In and Around Airports
• Capitalize the infinitive to (note that some authorities, for example, Chicago
Press 1982, recommend lowercase for the infinitive):
Grain-Refining Heat Treatments To Improve
Cryogenic Toughness of High-Strength Steels
Grain-Refining Heat Treatments
Resulting in Improvements to Cryogenic
Toughness of High-Strength Steels

• Normally lowercase abbreviations should always be left lowercase, particu-

larly abbreviations for units of measure:
Toughness of 1-ft by 1.5-ft Specimens
Toughness of 0.5-cm-Thick Specimens
Noise Exposure From 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

But
Flow Visualization in the 0.3-Meter
Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel
• Headline style capitalization is used for proper nouns (see section 4.5).
As a matter of preferred style, the following elements are capitalized in
headline style in Langley reports:
• Displayed (not run- in) headings
• Table titles:
Table IV. Test Results for HP-9-4-20
Table IV. Concluded

4.4. Acronyms and Before beginning a discussion of capitalization of abbreviations and

Abbreviations acronyms, the two must be clearly distinguished. An abbreviation is a
shortened version of a word or phrase and is often followed by a period, for
example, c.o.d., ft-lb, St., or publ. Abbreviations usually have become stan-
dard so that their form can be looked up in a reference book. Acronyms,
on the other hand, are "words formed from the initial letters of succes-
sive parts of a term" (Skillin et al. 1974), for example, NASA, NASTRAN,
STIF, NASP. They never contain periods and are often not standard, so
that definition is required.

85
Chapter 4. Capitalization

4.4.1. Capitalization Acronyms are always formed with capital letters. A few words have crept
With Acronyms into our language which were initially acronyms, for example, laser and
radar. But generally acronyms remain in full caps.
Acronyms are often coined for a particular program or study and
therefore require definition. The letters of the acronym are not capitalized
in the definition unless the acronym stands for a proper name:

Wrong The best electronic publishing systems combine What

You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) features with
the power of noninteractive text formatters.
Correct The best electronic publishing systems combine what
you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) features with the
power of noninteractive text formatters.
But Langley is involved with the National Aero-Space Plane
(NASP) Program.

Nor is it usually necessary to indicate, for example, with italics, which letters
are used in the acronym.

4.4.2. Capitalization of "In general, an abbreviation follows the capitalization ... of the word or
Abbreviations words abbreviated" (G.P.O. 1984). The best way to determine the form of
an unfamiliar abbreviation is to consult a reference, for example,
Webster's Collegiate or Unabridged Dictionary
G.p.a. Style Manual
In material such as titles or headings in which principal words are
capitalized (caps & lc), normally lowercase abbreviations should always be
left lowercase, particularly abbreviations for units of measure:

Toughness of l-ft by 1.5-ft Specimens

Toughness of 0.5-cm-Thick Specimens
Noise Exposure From 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

4.5. Proper Nouns As mentioned in the Introduction to this chapter, there is a dearly recog-
and nized rule requiring capitalization of proper nouns and adjectives. The
problem is that no one agrees on exactly what constitutes a proper noun.
Adjectives Proper nouns are defined as "the name of a particular person, place, or
thing." Thus, the names of such things as organizations, political divisions,
calendar divisions, and historic events and holidays are capitalized just as
personal names and geographic names are.
Whether or not a particular word or phrase is a proper noun is often
a matter of opinion. Langley follows the current trend and prefers a down
style, that is, fewer capitals. The following sections provide guidelines;
if difficulty arises over a particular noun, consult references such as a
dictionary, Skillin et al. (1974), G.P.O. (1984), or Chicago Press (1982).

86
 Section 4.5. Proper Nouns and Adjectives

• In general, proper nouns and derivatives of proper nouns used in a proper

sense are capitalized:

Italy Italian
Rome Roman (of Rome)
Alps Alpine
Newton Newtonian

• However, derivatives of proper nouns that have acquired an independent

meaning are not capitalized:

roman (numeral) pascal (the unit)

pasteurize italicize

"Defining the distinction between proper adjectives with a proper meaning

and derivatives ... with a common meaning is sometimes difficult" (Skillin
et al. 1974):

Coulomb's Law 20 coulombs

G. B. Venturi venturi tube
Gauss' equation Gaussian distribution
Euclidean algorithm euclidean geometry

The dictionary is a good reference for guidance in this matter, but is

not always definitive. For example, in Webster's Ninth New Collegiate
Dictionary, euclidean geometry has the label "often cap E," which means
that "it is as acceptable with an uppercase initial as it is with one in
lowercase." Thus, usage in the given field and author preference should
prevail.
• A common noun in a proper name is capitalized, but not when used alone:

The experimental investigation was conducted in the Langley 16-Foot

Transonic Tunnel. This single-return tunnel has continuous air exchange.

However, when a common noun alone becomes a well-known short form for
the proper name, it is capitalized:

United States, the States

U.S. Army, the Army
President of the United States, the President

• The plural form in a proper name is capitalized (G.P.O. 1984):

Seventh and Ninth Streets

Lakes Erie and Ontario
Langley 16-Foot and 30- by 60-Foot Tunnels

87
 Chapter 4. Capitalization

• A common noun used with a number or letter for purposes of designation

is not capitalized (G.P.O. 1984):

chapter 4 part I
figure 1 reference 25
case 8 run 234

• Only when the word the is part of an official name is it capitalized:

The College of William and Mary

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

4.5.1. Personal Names Rarely is there any question concerning capitalization of personal names.
and Titles • In foreign names, particles such as d', de, du, and von are capitalized unless
preceded by a forename or title:

E. I. du Pont Du Pont
Theodore von Karman Von Karman Institute

• Remember that a personal name that is used in a common sense is no longer

capitalized:

the units curie, watt, newton, and kelvin

But

degree Celsius
degree Rankine
degree Fahrenheit

• Civil and professional titles are capitalized when they precede a personal
name as part of the name (Chicago Press 1982):

President Reagan
Director Petersen
Chief Scientist Barnwell
Engineer-in-Charge Reid

Such titles are not capitalized in apposition however:

the chief scientist, Richard Barnwell

the chief of Materials Division, Darrel Tenney

• Civil and professional titles following or in place of a personal name are

rarely capitalized (Chicago Press 1982):

Richard Petersen, director of Langley Research Center; the director

A. J. Hansbrough, chief of the Research Information and Applications
Division; the division chief

88
 Section 4.5. Proper Nouns and Adjectives

Perry Deal, chief test pilot

Richard A. Culpepper, test director; the test director

But, to indicate distinction, a common noun title after a name is capitalized

(G.P.O. 1984):

Ronald Reagan, President of the United States

• In a document to a very specific audience, a common noun used as part of or

in place of a personal name may be capitalized (Skillin et al. 1974). Thus,
in a Langley memo, letter, or internal document, such titles as Director,
Associate Director, Division Chief, and Branch Head may be capitalized.

4.5.2. Geographic The names of particular regions, localities, countries, and geographic fea-
Names tures are capitalized:
• Names of geographic features

Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere

Arctic Circle North Pole
Equator Tropic of Cancer

But

equatorial the tropics

polar region north latitude

• Names of regions and localities

Middle East Southeast Asia

Gulf States 6 North Atlantic States6
Great Plains Corn Belt
North and South (Civil War period)

But

western Virginia northern manufacturers

eastern Gulf states northern Michigan

Directions of the compass are capitalized only as a part of a name that has
been established by usage to designate particular regions.

6 These are two examples of the divisions of the United States that are used by the
Bureau of Census; see G.P.O. (1984) for a complete listing.
89
Chapter 4. Capitalization

• Names of rivers, mountains, bays, and cities

James River San Francisco Bay
Mount Everest Del Marva Peninsula
New York City Lake Michigan

But
The satellite orbit often crossed the Sahara Desert. In parts of this desert,
seasonal transitions occur between desert and vegetated land.

When generic terms such as lake, city, and river are used to refer to a
specific place, they are still lowercase except in a few established instances:
the Canal (Panama Canal)
the Channel (English Channel)

4.5.3. Administrative Official designations of political divisions and of other organized bodies are
Names capitalized:
• Names of political divisions
Canada United States
New York State Ontario Province
Northwest Territories Virgin Islands

• Names of governmental units

U.S. Government
Executive Department
U.S. Congress
Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Army
U.S. Navy
Technical Editing Branch

But
naval power
the government
congressional committee

• Names of organizations and their members

Democratic Party, Catholic Church
a Democrat, a Catholic (members)
Democratic administration, Catholic doctrine
Society of Automotive Engineers
But
democratic government (a democracy)
catholicity (character of being liberal)

90
 Section 4.5. Proper Nouns and Adjectives

4.5.4. Names of Public The proper names of public places, facilities, and structures are capitalized:
Places and
Institutions
White House
Langley Research Center
National Transonic Facility
H. J. E. Reid Auditorium

But

building 1195B

• The names of permanent research facilities at Langley Research Center (and

other institutions) are capitalized, but not temporary (that is, not officially
permanent) apparatuses and facilities:
• Permanent

Langley Aircraft Landing Dynamics Facility

Langley 55-Foot Vacuum Chamber

• Temporary

neutron generator at the Langley Research Center

outdoor anechoic test apparatus at the Langley Research Center

4.5.5. Calendar and Various holidays, historic events, and other time designations are capital-
Time ized:
Designations
• Names of months and days of the week

January December
Sunday Thursday

But seasons are not capitalized:

fall spring

• Historic events

Revolutionary War Sputnik Crisis

Renaissance Louisiana Purchase

• Holidays

Veterans Day Memorial Day

Thanksgiving Presidents' Day

91
Chapter 4. Capitalization

• Time zones are not capitalized:

eastern standard time

mountain daylight time
noon

But

Greenwich mean time

Pacific standard time

4.5.6. Scientific Names In several scientific disciplines, there are conventions for capitalization of
names, for example, the names of celestial bodies in astronomy and the
names of soil groups in geology.
• Geologic names

Upper Cambrian Period, Bronze Age (geologic periods)

Laterite, Tundra (soil groups)

• Names of celestial bodies

North Star, Halley's Comet

Venus, Earth (the planet)
the Sun, the Moon (Earth's)

But

earth (the ground) moons of Jupiter

• Biological names

Arthropoda (phylum)
Crustacea (class)
Hypoparia (order)
Agnostidae (family)
Agnostus (genus)

But

canadensis (species)

Consult CBE (1978) or other specialized references for details of capitaliza-

tion of biological names.

92
 Section 4.5. Proper Nouns and Adjectives

4.5.7. Titles of Works Titles of written and artistic works are capitalized.
• Historic documents

Declaration of Independence
Treaty of Paris

• Titles of documents, essays, and articles

Slater, Philip N. 1980: Remote Sensing-Optics and Optical Systems.

Addison-Wesley Publ. Co., Inc.
Elterman, L. 1970: Vertical-Attenuation Model With Eight Surface Me-
teorological Ranges From 2 to 14 Kilometers. AFCRL-70-0200, U.S.
Air Force, Mar. (Available from DTIC as AD 707488.)
Bowker, D. E.; Davis, R. E.; Von Ofenheim, W. H. C.; and Myrick,
D. L. 1983: Estimation of Spectral Reflectance Signatures From
Spectral Radiance Profiles. Proceedings of the Seventeenth Interna-
tional Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, Volume II,
Environmental Research Inst. of Michigan, pp. 795-814.
Allen, William A.; and Richardson, Arthur J. 1968: Interaction of Light
With a Plant Canopy. J. Opt. Soc. America, vol. 58, no. 8, Aug.,
pp. 1923-1928.
Note that a down style of capitalization for titles (Chicago Press 1982) is
recommended by some publishers. We prefer an up style.
• Names of computer programs that are published (for example, in COSMIC):

Optimal Regulator Algorithms for the Control of Linear Systems

(ORACLS)
Interaction of Structures, Aerodynamics, and Controls (ISAC)
Aircraft Noise Prediction Program (ANOPP)

But

extended least squares algorithm (module of ISAC)

optimization algorithm (in ORACLS)
• Public laws

Freedom of Information Act

Executive Order No. 24
Public Law 271
• Works of art and music

Blue Boy, Whistler's Mother

Star Spangled Banner

93
Chapter 4. Capitalization

4.5.8. Miscellaneous The following are additional types of proper names:

Names
• Races and tribes
Asian Caucasian
Nordic Cherokee

• Trade names
Kevlar Macintosh
Xerox Plexiglas

Note: To protect the owners of trade names, they should be used only as
adjectives. Also, NASA's policy is to list the owner of a trade name, if the
trade name is given at all.
• Official names of research missions, programs, and vehicles

Project Mercury
Space Shuttle
Aircraft Energy Efficiency Program
Apollo 12
Space Station Freedom

But
a space shuttle (generic sense)
Space Shuttle orbiter and external tank
Langley basic research program (not official name)
space station (generic sense)

94
 References

References AlP (Hathwell, David; and Metzner, A. W. Kenneth, eds.) 1978: Style
Manual, Third ed. American Inst. of Physics.
Bernstein, Theodore M. 1981: The Careful Writer-A Modern Guide to
English Usage. Atheneum.
Buehler, Mary Fran 1970: Report Construction-A Handbook for the Prepa-
ration of Effective Reports. Foothill Publ. (Sierra Madre, California).
CBE 1978: Council of Biology Editors Style Manual, Fourth ed.
Chicago Press, Univ. of, 1982: The Chicago Manual of Style, Thirteenth
ed.
Cook, Claire Kehrwald 1985: The MLA's Line by Line-How To Edit Your
Own Writing. Houghton Mifflin Co.
Ebbitt, Wilma R.; and Ebbitt, David R. 1982: Writer's Guide and Index
to English, Seventh ed. Scott, Foresman & Co.
Fowler, H. W. 1944: A Dictionary of Modern English Usage. Oxford Univ.
Press.
Government Printing Office, U.S., 1984: Style Manual. Mar.
Houp, Kenneth W.; and Pearsall, Thomas E. 1984: Reporting Technical
Information, Fifth ed. Macmillan Publ. Co., Inc.
IRS [1962]: Effective Revenue Writing 1. Training No. 82-0 (Rev. 5-62),
U.S. Treasury Dep.
Linton, Calvin D. [1962]: Effective Revenue Writing 2. Training No. 129
(Rev. 7-62), IRS, U.S. Treasury Dep.
Mills, Gordon H.; and Walter, John A. 1978: Technical Writing, Fourth ed.
Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Murdock, Lindsay R. 1982: Use of Hyphens in Unit Modifiers. Tech.
Commun., Second Quarter, pp. 6-7.
Rathbone, Robert R. 1985: Communicating Technical Information-A
New Guide to Current Uses and Abuses in Scientific and Engineering
Writing, Second ed. Addison-Wesley Publ. Co.
Rowland, Dudley H. 1962: Handbook of Better Technical Writing. Business
Reports, Inc. (Larchmont, New York).
Skillin, Marjorie D.; Gay, Robert M.; et al. 1974: Words Into Type, Third
ed. Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Tichy, H. J.; and Fourdrinier, Sylvia 1988: Effective Writing for Engineers,
Managers, Scientists, Second ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Van Buren, Robert; and Buehler, Mary Fran 1980: The Levels of Edit,
Second ed. JPL Publication 80-1, Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst.
of Technology, Jan.

95
 j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
.j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
 Glossary

Glossary The terms defined in this glossary are those used in the text. These
definitions closely match any definitions given in the text and generally
conform to the definitions found in Skillin et al. (1974).
active voice-sentence or verb whose subject is performing the action
adjective-word that modifies a noun, pronoun, or other substantive
adverb-word that can modify verbs, adjectives, and even other adverbs
antecedent-noun or substantive to which a pronoun refers
apostrophe-punctuation mark (') used to indicate possession, to form the
plurals of abbreviations, characters, and signs, and to indicate omitted
characters in contractions
appositive-the second of two nouns together which repeats the meaning
of, or identifies, the first
argumentation-discourse that convinces by reasoning
article-the words a, an, or the
auxiliary verb-verb used with another verb to indicate voice, mood, and
tense (are, can, do, have, may, must, shall, will)
broad reference-using pronouns to refer to the idea of the previous
sentence or clause rather than to a particular antecedent (Ebbitt and
Ebbitt 1982)
brackets-punctuation marks ([ ]) used to enclose editorial insertions,
corrections, and comments in quoted material and in reference citations
(nonmathematical)
caps & Ie-capitalization of the principal words of an expression, Like This
case-form or position of a noun or substantive indicating its relation to
other words in a sentence; see nominative, objective, possessive)
clause-group of words containing a subject and a predicate
close style of punctuation-using all punctuation that the grammatical
structure will allow
collective noun-name of a group of people or things
colon-punctuation mark (:) used to separate and introduce lists, clauses,
and quotations
comma-punctuation mark (,) used to separate and to enclose elements of
a sentence in order to prevent misreading
common noun-name of a class or kind
comparative degree of modifier-modifier that indicates a quality
existing to a greater or lesser degree in one thing than in another
compound predicates-two or more predicates in a sentence with the
same subject

97
Glossary

conjunction-connective that joins sentences, clauses, phrases, or words

conjunctive adverb-adverb used as coordinating conjunction to join
independent clauses (therefore, however, thus, hence, otherwise)
coordinate adjectives-adjectives that independently modify a noun
coordinate conjunction-conjunction that joins words, phrases, and
clauses of equal rank (and, but, or, nor)
coordinating conjunction-conjunction that joins grammatically equal
sentence elements, that is, a word to a word, a phrase to a phrase,
or a clause to a clause, see coordinate conjunction, correlative
conjunction, conjunctive adverb
correlative conjunction-pair of words that connect parallel sentence
elements (either ... or, both ... and, not only ... but also)
dash-punctuation mark (-) used to enclose and to separate sentence
elements when the elements contain internal commas or when emphasis
or suspense of the sense is desired
demonstrative pronoun-pronoun that refers to something present or
near (this, these) or to something more remote (that, those)
dependent clause-clause that is subordinate to, or dependent on, the
independent clause
description-discourse that gives a mental image
direct quotation-repetition without change of another's language; com-
pare indirect quotation
em dash-see dash
en dash-punctuation mark (-) used to indicate inclusive numbers and to
connect a unit modifier with a two-word element
exposition-discourse that explains how and why things happen
full caps-capitalization of every letter in an expression, LIKE THIS
gerund-verb ending in ing used as a noun
grammar-study of the classes of words, their inflections (changes in form
to distinguish case, gender, tense, etc.), and functions in a sentence
(Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary)
headline style capitalization-capitalization of all principal words (also
called caps & lc)
hyphen-punctuation mark (-) used to connect words broken at the ends
of lines, prefixes and suffixes to words, and compound words
imperative mood-verb form indicating a command
independent clause-clause on which the rest of the sentence depends
indicative mood-verb form indicating fact

98
 Glossary

indirect quotation or question-quotation or question expressed as a

subordinate clause
infinitive-verb preceded by to used as an adverb, adjective, or noun
modifier-word, phrase, or clause that affects the meaning of another word
or group of words; see restrictive, nonrestrictive
mood-form of verb indicating manner of doing or being; see indicative,
imperative, subjunctive
narration-discourse that tells what happened
nominative absolute-noun or substantive not grammatically connected
to the sentence and modified by a participle
nominative case-noun that is subject to a verb, a predicate nominative,
in apposition to a nominative, or a nominative absolute
nonrestrictive modifier-modifier that does not limit or confine the
meaning of the basic sentence
noun-word that names a person, place, or thing; see common, proper
objective case-noun that is object of a verb, preposition, or verbal
open style of punctuation-using only the punctuation necessary to
prevent misreading
parallelism-writing logically equal ideas in the same grammatical struc-
ture
parentheses-punctuation marks (( )) used to enclose nonrestrictive or
interrupting elements
participle-verb used as an adjective; may be present, ending in ing, or
past, ending in ed
passive voice-verb or sentence whose subject is receiving the action
period-punctuation mark (.) used to mark the end of declarative and
imperative sentences and other complete thoughts and to indicate
abbreviations
personal pronoun-pronoun that refers to a person; may be first person
(I, we), second person (you), third person (he, she, they)
points of ellipsis-three evenly spaced periods ( ... ) used to indicate an
omission, particularly from quoted matter
positive degree of modifier-modifier that indicates existence of a
quality
possessive case-noun that denotes possession
predicate--verb in a sentence along with its modifiers and object
predicate nominative-substantive that completes a verb expressing
state of being such as to be, to appear, to become

99
Glossary

preposition-word governing a substantive-the object of the preposition-

and connecting a phrase to a sentence
pronoun-word used in place of a noun
proper noun-the name of a particular person, place, or thing
question mark-punctuation mark (?) used to terminate a direct question
quotation marks-punctuation marks (' , or " ") used to enclose words
quoted from another source, direct discourse, or words requiring differ-
entiation
relative pronoun-pronoun that replaces a noun in a dependent clause
and connects the clause to the rest of the sentence
restrictive modifier-modifier that defines and thus cannot be omitted
without changing the meaning of the basic sentence
semicolon-punctuation mark (;) used whenever a comma would not be
sufficient to separate coordinate clauses, long internally punctuated
elements of series, explanatory phrases and clauses, and elliptical
clauses
sentence style capitalization-capitalization of the first letter of an
element, for example, a figure caption or a item in a list
slash-punctuation mark U) correctly used in and/or, in fractions (x/y),
to indicate per (m/sec), and when quoting poetry; also used, with little
grammatical basis, to indicate temporary compounds, particularly to
indicate alternatives
subject-substantive along with its modifiers that tells what the sentence
is about
subjunctive mood~verb form indicating a wish, a condition contrary to
to fact, or a demand
subordinating conjunctions-conjunction that joins a dependent clause
to an independent clause
substantive-word, phrase, or clause used as a noun
superlative degree of modifier-modifier· that indicates a quality exist-
ing to the greatest or least degree in a group of things
tense-time of the action or state of being expressed by a verb
unit modifier-combination of words that modify another word
verb-word that can express action or state of being
verbal-word derived from a verb used as another part of speech; see
gerund, participle, infinitive
voice-form of verb indicating whether the subject is performing the action
(active) or receiving the action (passive)

100
 Index

Index abbreviations, brevity,

capitalization, 85, 86 achieving, 37
periods after, 72 conciseness and, 35
plural of, 47 emphasis and, 35
acronyms, in titles, 37
capitalization in definition of, 86 but, 52
capitalization, 86 calendar divisions, capitalization, 91
defined, 85 capitalization,
active vs. passive voice, 10, 30, 97 abbreviations, 85, 86
addresses, comma in, 59 acronyms, 86
adjectives, 97 administrative names, 90
articles, 13 after colon, 50, 82
between subject and verb, 32 after points of ellipsis, 83
comparative degree, 39, 40 biological names, 92
misplaced, 32 calendar divisions, 91
modifying verbs, 16 celestial bodies, 92
placement of, 12, 32 civil and professional titles, 88
superlative degree, 39, 40 computer programs, 93
adverbs, 97 displayed lists, 83
misplaced, 16, 32 down style, 81
. position of, 16 facilities, 91
squinting, 17 figure captions, 84
and/or, verb number, 11 figure labels, 84
antecedents, 97 fragment sentences, 82
of demonstrative pronouns, 41 geographic names and features, 89
of relative pronouns, 5 geologic names, 92
problems with, 3 headings, 84
antithetical elements, comma with, 59 headline style, 81, 98
apostrophe, historic events, 91
functions of, 47, 97 holidays, 91
in contractions, 48 hyphenated compound words, 84
plurals, 47 in definition of acronyms, 86
rules for forming possessive case, 2 infinitive to, 85
appositional or, 58 lists, 83
appositives, 97 organization names, 90
commas with, 58 personal names, 88
dashes with, 61 political divisions, 90
nonrestrictive, 58 proper nouns and adjectives, 86
restrictive, 58 public places, 91
symbolic, 58 question within sentence, 74, 83
argumentation, 8, 97 quotes, 82
articles, 97 races and tribes, 94
elliptical style, 13 research missions and programs, 94
omission of, 13 rules for headline style, 84
repeated with coordinate adjectives, 13 sentence in parentheses, 82
repeating, 43 sentence style, 81, 100
as... as, 42 structures and buildings, 91
as follows, 49 table boxheads, 84
between. .. and, 63 table entries, 84
biological names, table footnotes, 84
capitalization, 92 table headnotes, 84
italicized, 69 table subtitles, 84
brackets, nonmathematical function of, 48, table titles, 84
97 time zones, 92

101
Index

capitalization (continued): comma (continued):

titles, 93 functions of, 51, 97
trade names, 94 in addresses, 59
up style, 81 in dates, 59
vehicles and craft, 94 in elliptical constructions, 55
caps & lc, defined, 81, 97 in geographic names, 59
caps and small caps, defined, 81 in numbers, 60
case, 97 in personal names, 60
celestial bodies, capitalization, 92 in series, 53
clauses, 97 use with other marks, 60
adverbial, with internal phrases and clauses, 54
classified restrictive or nonrestrictive, with nominative absolute, 59
57 with nonrestrictive modifiers, 54, 56, 57
comma with, 53, 57 with nonrestrictive relative clauses, 56
colon between, 50 with phrases with common termination,
comma between, 52 59
coordinate, 33 with questions, 55
dash, with quotations, 55
between, 62 with restrictive modifiers, 54, 56
around,61 with rhetorical adverbs, 58
dependent, 98 comparative degree of adjectives,
independent, 98 in unit modifiers, 15
period after, 71 comparative degree of modifiers, 39, 40, 97
relative, compare with, 41
nonrestrictive, 5, 56 comparisons,
restrictive, 5 ambiguous, 39, 40
semicolon between, 20, 52, 77 incomplete, 7, 40
semicolon vs. period vs. comma after, omission of standard of, 41
78 compound nouns, hyphenation of, 66
close style of punctuation, 47, 97 compound predicates, 97
collective subjects, 12, 97 comma between, 52
colon, compound verbs, hyphenation of, 66
after as follows, the following, 49 compound words,
after complete sentences, 48, 50 capitalization, 84
after for example, that is, such as, 49 hyphenation of, 66
between clauses, 50 prefixes applied to, 65
capitalization after, 50, 82 temporary and permanent, 65
conventional uses of, 51 conciseness, 35
emphasis and, 45 conjunctions, 98
functions of, 48, 97 coordinate, 19, 33
introducing equations, 50 coordinating, 19, 98
introducing numbered lists, 50 correlative, 19, 98
introducing quotes, 51 subordinating, 19, 20, 100
use with other marks, 51 conjunctive adverbs, 20, 34, 78, 98
comma splice, 52 coordinate adjectives,
comma, definition, 54, 98
after introductory phrases and clauses, emphasis, 45
53, 57 tests to determine, 54
antithetical elements, 59 coordinate conjunctions. See conjunc-
between compound predicates, 52 tions.
between coordinate adjectives, 45, 54 correlative conjunctions. See conjunc-
between independent clauses, 52 tions.
conventional uses of, 59 countries, capitalization, 89
emphasis and, 45

102
 Index

craft, names of, figure labels, capitalization, 84

capitalization, 94 first person pronouns, 4, 29
italicized, 70 jor, 52
dangling verbals. See gerunds, infinitives, jor example, 49, 62, 79
or participles. foreign words, italicized, 69
dash. See also en dash. formal writing,
dash, colon and, 50
around independent clause interrupting contractions in, 48
another, 61 dash and, 62
between clauses, 62 points of ellipsis, 73
conventional uses of, 63 semicolon in, 78
emphasis and, 45 fragment sentences, capitalization, 82
functions of, 98 from ... to, 63
in displayed lists, 62 full caps, defined, 81, 98
use with other marks, 63 geographic features, capitalization, 89
with appositives, 61 geographic names,
with nonrestrictive modifiers, 61 capitalization, 89
dates, comma in, 59
comma in, 59 geologic names, capitalization, 92
en dash between, 63 gerunds,
demonstrative pronouns. See pronouns. and active writing, 31
description (element of discourse), 8, 98 as subjects, 22
different, 42 dangling, 23, 26
discourse, elements of, 8 defined, 22, 98
elliptical constructions, grammar,
comma in, 55 defined, 98
semicolon in, 79 functional concept of, 1
em dash. See dash. headings, capitalization, 84
emphasis, headline style capitalization. See capital-
brevity and, 35 ization.
colon and, 45, 49, 50 hedges, 30, 36
comma and, 45, 55 homographs, hyphenating to avoid, 65
dash and, 45, 61, 62 hyphen,
dash vs. semicolon, 62 functions of, 64, 98
italics for, 43, 67 with prefixes, 64
lists, 44 with suffixes, 65
on action, 29, 31 hyphenation,
parallelism and, 43 end of line, 64
parentheses and, 61 of compound words, 65
positions of, 44, 62 of unit modifiers, 14, 66
sentence inversion, 32 idiom,
en dash, absolute participles, 24
between dates, 63 gerund,22
between numbers, 63 infinitive, 22
functions of, 98 prepositional, 18
in unit modifiers, 63 imperative mood, 98
enumerations. See lists. indicative mood, 98
equations, indirect constructions, 28
capitalization of words in, 84 indirect quotation, 51
colon to introduce, 50 infinitive to, capitalization, 85
exposition, 8, 98 infinitives,
figure captions, and active writing, 31
capitalization, 84 dangling, 23, 26
period after, 72 defined, 22, 99

103
Index

infinitives (continued): nouns (continued):

split, 17 proper (continued):
introductory phrases and clauses, 53, 57 plural in, 87
it, 28, 36 possessive, 2
italics, the in, 88
conventional uses of, 69 verb-derived, 28, 29
for differentiation of words, 68 numbered lists. See lists.
for emphasis, 67 numbers,
for special terminology, 68 comma in, 60
for symbols, 69 en dash between, 63
functions of, 67 plural of, 47
with punctuation, 70 space to replace comma in, 60
with typefaces other than roman, 70 only, 16
jargon, quotation marks around, 76 open style of punctuation, 47, 51,99
lists, or, appositional, 58
displayed, parallelism, 99
capitalization, 83 emphasis and, 43
dash in, 62 when to use, 33
introd uced by colon, 50 with conjunctive adverbs, 19, 34
period in, 71 with coordinate conjunctions, 19, 33
emphasis, 44 with correlative conjunctions, 19
numbered, with lists, 34
capitalization, 83 parentheses,
colon to introduce, 49 functions of, 70, 99
parentheses in, 70 use with other marks, 71
parallelism, 34 participles,
misplaced modifiers, 16, 32, 44 absolute,
namely, 62, 79 idiomatic, 24
narration, 8, 99 nonidiomatic, 24
nominative absolute, 99 and active writing, 31
comma with, 59 dangling, 23, 25, 26
confused with participle, 25 defined, 22, 99
nonrestrictive, pathetic fallacy, 31
appositives, 58 period,
clauses, after abbreviations, 72
adverbial, 57 after figure captions, 72
relative, 5, 56 conventional uses of, 72
modifiers, functions of, 71, 99
comma with, 54 in displayed lists, 71
commas around, 56 use with other marks, 73
dashes with, 61 personal names,
definition, 56, 99 capitalization, 88
phrases, comma in, 60
comma with, 56 personification, 31
nouns, 99 phrases,
cases, 1 adverbial, comma with, 53
common, 97 with common termination, commas
nominative case, 99 with, 59
objective case, 99 points of ellipsis,
possessive case, 2, 99 capitalization after, 83
proper, 100 functions of, 99
capitalization, 86 in quotes, 73
common noun in, 87 use with other marks, 73, 74
derivatives of, 87

104
 Index

possessive, quotes (continued):

of inanimate nouns, 2 points of ellipsis in, 73
of pronouns, 3 quotation marks, 75
of proper nouns, 2 , reference citations, editorial insertions in,
rules for forming, 2 48
prefixes, relative clauses. See clauses.
applied to compound words, 65 relative pronouns. See pronouns.
hyphens with, 64 restrictive,
prepositions, 100 appositives, 58
idiom, 18 clauses,
repeating, 18, 22, 43 adverbial, 57
terminal, 18 relative, 5
pronouns, 100 modifiers, 45, 54, 100
antecedents, 3, 5, 41 phrases, internal, 56
demonstrative, 98 rhetorical adverbs,
broad reference, 7, 29, 97 comma with, 44, 58
incomplete comparison, 7, 40 semicolon,
first person, 4, 29 before conjunctive adverbs, 78
personal, 99 between clauses, 52, 77
possessive, 3 functions of, 77, 100
'relative, 100 in elliptical constructions, 79
antecedents, 5 in series, 78
which vs. that, 5 use with other marks, 79
who vs. whom, 6 vs. comma or period, 78
third person, gender of, 4 sentence style capitalization. See capital-
proper nouns. See nouns. ization.
punctuation, sequence of tenses, 9
close style, 47 serial comma, comma misread as, 61
functional concept of, 47 series. See also lists.
open style, 47, 51 series,
question mark, commas in, 53
after direct questions, 74 semicolon in, 78
functions of, 74, 100 sexist language, 4
use with other marks, 75 since, 20
questions, slang, quotation marks around, 76
comma with, 55 slash, correct uses for, 80, 100
direct, question mark after, 74 solidus. See slash.
indirect, 74, 83, 99 split infinitives, 17
within sentence, capitalization, 74, 83 subjects, 100
quotation marks, collective, 12
around quotes, 75 relationship with verbs, 31
around titles, 77 strong, 27
double vs. single, 75 verb-derived, 28, 29
for differentiation, 76 subjunctive mood, 10, 100
functions of, 75, 100 subordinating conjunctions. See conjunc-
use with other marks, 77 tions.
with slang and jargon, 76 such as, 49
quotes, suffixes, hyphen with, 65
capitalization, 82 superlative degree of adjectives,
colon to introduce, 51 in unit modifiers, 15
comma with, 55 superlative degree of modifiers, 39, 40, 100
direct, 98 symbolic appositives, 58
editorial insertions in, 48 symbols,
indirect, 99 italics for, 69

105
Index

symbols (continued): wordiness, 35

plural of, 47 words, plural of, 47
tables,
capitalization of boxheads, entries,
footnotes, etc., 84
capitalization of titles, 84
that,
incorrectly repeated, 22
omission of, 6, 21
that is, 49, 62, 79
the . .. , the, 43
the following:, 49
there, 28, 35
titles,
capitalization, 93
concise, 37
italicized, 69
quotation marks around, 77
trade names, capitalization, 94
unit modifiers, 100
en dash in, 63
hyphenation of, 14, 66
slash in, 80
verbals, 100
verbs, 100
active voice, 27, 97
auxiliary,
defined, 97
omitted,12
between subject and adjective, 32
linking, 27, 31
mood, 9, 99
number,
collective subjects, 12
gerund subjects, 22
subjects joined by coordinate conjunc-
tions,11
subjects with intervening phrases, 11
subjects with irregular singular or
plural forms, 11
passive voice, 27, 99
relationship with subjects, 31
sequence of tenses, 9
tense, 8, 100
elements of discourse and, 8
in sections of report, 8
voice, 10, 30, 100
virgule. See slash.
where, 21
whereas, 21
whether, 21
which vs. that, 5
while, 20, 21
word division, rules for, 64

106