TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: temperature-range style From:Louise Penberthy <louise -at- PRAVDA -dot- CC -dot- GATECH -dot- EDU> Date:Thu, 18 Aug 1994 15:29:39 -0400
In article <9408181338 -dot- AA20628 -at- hsrc01>,
LaVonna Funkhouser <lffunkhouser -at- halnet -dot- com> wrote:
>Hi. I've already asked this on the copyediting-l list, and
>so far there is no consensus. What is your opinion?
>Which is correct, and why?
>1. ... for use in temperatures 50 to 250oF.
>2. ... for use in temperatures 50o to 250oF.
>3. ... for use in temperatures 50oF to 250oF.
>where o equals the degree symbol.
Here's my opinion. I have some background in linguistics and
psychology, so that's where my opinion comes from.
#2 is the easiest to read. I mean easiest at a low cognitive
level. Here's why.
In #1, you see the first number as a lexical entity unto itself,
so momentarily you are confused as to its role, i.e., what the
quantity signifies. It's only when you get to the second number,
with the identifying marks that say it is a temperature, that you
can go back and figure out the role of the first number.
In #3, you see the first number identified as a quantity of
degrees, and the scale also identified. Thus the number is so
completely identified that you might think that any close
subsequent numbers will be of something else, maybe not
temperature at all. But when you see the second "oF"
combination, you have to revise that hypothesis.
In #2, you see the first number identified as a quantity of
degrees, so the only thing you have yet to know is the scale.
You expect that that wil come soon, so when you see the second
number your expectations are fulfilled.
Of course, all of this happens below the conscious level, but it
is significant.
While this doesn't answer your questions about correctness, it
does consider the matter from the standpoint of ease of reading.
-- Louise Penberthy
--
Louise Penberthy | O Goddess, keep me in the company of
LCC | those who seek the truth, and preserve
Georgia Tech | me from those who have found it.
louise -at- pravda -dot- cc -dot- gatech -dot- edu |
