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David Williams kindly pointed out that the original "ohm" question asked about
hyphenating the modifier 50 [uom] when using the omega symbol. I apparently
misunderstood the original posting.
In the instance originally cited, I WOULD NOT use the symbol as a modifier.
Instead I would write out "ohm." Symbolic elegance might work great for code
or in equations, but instructions need to be written differently. Brusaw et
al. also indicates that symbols should only be used when appropriate (i.e.,
when your audience will clearly understand the meaning) or when they are more
understandable than the word. I wouldn't hesitate to write "50 [uom]" for an
engineering audience in a calibration step when someone is measuring
resistance, but in an assembly procedure, I'd avoid using it as a modifier.
The symbol gets too buried in the text.
Bill Burns *
Assm. Technical Writer/Editor * LIBERTY, n. One of imagination's most
Micron Technology, Inc. * precious possessions.
Boise, ID *
WBURNS -at- VAX -dot- MICRON -dot- COM * Ambrose Bierce
