HP Hewlett Packard Printer TextEngineer Technical Writing Manual User Manual

Company Writer's Guide  
SECTION 1  
STYLE GUIDE  
This section of the Writers Guide is intended to establish a basic writing style that is clear, concise,  
and consistent in presentation of information. Technical information requires more stringent  
standardization than is common in general usage. Therefore, generating a deliverable to  
accommodate an expeditious technical review requires avoiding confusing or ambiguous  
statements and unnecessarily verbose descriptions.  
1.1  
WRITING STYLE APPROACH  
Avoid use of colloquialisms in writing. Terms like “putting your best foot forward” or “cutting to  
the quick” can be misunderstood by international customers and lead to confusion. Conversational  
English is inappropriate for formal business and technical writing. Keep language clear and  
precise.  
The following guidelines will help improve your writing and allow us to present a standardized  
“look and feel” in deliverables to customers.  
Great Content, Economically Delivered  
The most effective technical writing is taut, information-rich material that easily conveys the most  
important points. Here are some ways you can achieve this.  
1. Try to restrict acronym use to the five to ten most important acronyms in a subject area and  
write out the secondary or peripheral terms.  
2. Always write in a simple and direct style by avoiding:  
Wordiness (examples of wordiness appear in Table 1.1-1)  
Strings of adjectives  
Puffery (Our company is uniquely qualified ...)  
Phrases and words that obscure the central meaning, for example:  
Wrong: The system is designed such that active components are capable of being tested  
during plant operation.  
Right: The active components can be tested during plant operation.  
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3. Make sure that your graphics clearly support information in the text. Have you chosen the  
most illustrative graphics in each section? Is there a difficult passage of text that you could  
elucidate with a figure?  
Verb Tenses  
As a general rule, use the present tense. For example, “our design includes” (not “will include” or  
“included”); “our Project Team is ready” (not “will be ready”). However, use future tense when  
describing project activities still to be performed. Also, use future tense in outline revisions when  
describing what completed sections will contain.  
Use past tense when discussing completed project activities, observations from walkdowns, and the  
results of studies and tests already performed. “The controls analysis showed that…”  
Active versus Passive Voice  
Use active voice to raise impact. Examples include:  
Passive: Procedures were initiated to reduce plant accidents.  
Active: The company initiated procedures to reduce plant accidents.  
Passive voice is acceptable, and is used often in customer documents, in a particular situation –  
when the object in the sentence must have emphasis over the subject.  
Example: The Quality Plan must be followed by all subcontractors.  
Additional Guidance  
1. Avoid pathetic fallacy, that is, giving inanimate objects actions or responsibilities. Examples  
include:  
The Management Plan ensures . . . (a plan cannot ensure)  
The program is enjoying success . . . (a program cannot enjoy)  
The site must consider . . . (a site cannot consider)  
2. The word “comprise” means to include or to be made up of. A large entity cannot “be  
comprised of” smaller things. It comprises them.  
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3. Be assertive in your writing. Examples include:  
Use “will” not “may,” “plan to,” or “would.” Use “plan” only as a noun or in the strict  
sense of planning and scheduling.  
Use “shall” only in discussing project or regulatory requirements.  
Use “ensure,” not “insure.” “Assure” is not as forceful as “ensure.” However, use  
“assure” in quality assurance discussions.  
4. Avoid a tutorial writing style. “First one must . . . then one does . . . and after these steps,  
one logically progresses to. . .”  
5. Be consistent with terminology. Use terms as agreed with the customer in commercial  
agreements and elsewhere. Defer to customer terminology, not ours.  
1.2  
ABBREVIATIONS, ACRONYMS, TRADEMARKS, AND SYMBOLS  
Abbreviations, acronyms, trademarks, and symbols should be consistent throughout the  
deliverables and consistent with generally accepted usage. Acronyms should be used sparingly in  
the text, particularly in international projects. Acronyms are used in parentheses following the  
spelled-out form in the first reference.  
A team may produce a list of the most common acronyms for their project.  
Appendix A contains the most commonly used trademark references. Initial uses of trademarked  
names appear with “®” or “™” as appropriate.  
Appendix B provides a list of company-approved abbreviations and symbols.  
Use only those abbreviations, acronyms, or symbols that are common in our industry and that are  
defined.  
When using “a” or “an” before an abbreviation or acronym, make sure that the article agrees with  
the initial sound of the term as it is normally pronounced. The article “a” precedes a consonant  
sound, and “an” precedes a vowel sound.  
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In text, use the word form of common abbreviations such as percent, degree, number, equal to,  
plus, minus, less than, greater than, and the like. Symbols should be used in the following cases:  
For temperatures given with a numerical value, use the degree symbol (32°C, etc.).  
For equations, either written in-line with the text or displayed (standing alone), use  
symbols.  
In graphics (figures and tables), use symbols if space is a problem.  
The use of symbols in text should be avoided in most cases. Write out phrases to ensure clarity.  
For example, use “greater than” instead of “>.” The following generally accepted symbols may be  
used:  
Delta  
Δ
°C  
Degrees Celsius  
Degrees Fahrenheit  
Plus or minus  
°F  
The following symbols should be avoided, but may be used when necessary, such as in tables and  
figures, to save space:  
Equal to  
=
>
<
<
"
Approximately  
Greater than  
Less than  
Greater than or equal to  
Less than or equal to  
Inches  
Feet  
'
Number  
#
+
-
Plus  
Minus  
And  
&
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1.3  
PUNCTUATION  
Standard rules of English (as defined by Strunk and White1) for grammar and punctuation should  
be used.  
Avoid long sentences; use semicolons (;) only in short sentences. Also, avoid using contractions  
because they often cause confusion.  
Use the final comma in a series (e.g., apples, oranges, and pears).  
Place periods after the following:  
Sentences  
Between heading digits (e.g., 1.1.1) and after lower-level step letters and numbers (e.g., a.,  
1.)  
Place colons after statements that are followed by lists, such as lists of individual components.  
Bullets () should be used in a list instead of numbers or letters when numbering serves no  
purpose, or no reference to specific item(s) in the list will be made.  
1.4  
CAPITALIZATION  
The trend in most corporate and technical writing is to eliminate unnecessary capitalization. Use  
capitalization only as described below.  
Capitalize the first letter of the following:  
Each main word in subsection headings  
First word in a sentence  
First word in each phrase used in a list  
Proper nouns, such as vendor or organization names  
Full titles of formal programs and documents  
Specific company product names  
1 Strunk, William, and E. B. White, “The Elements of Style.”  
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Capitalize all letters in each of the following:  
Main section headings  
Acronyms, initialisms  
Do not capitalize:  
Generic product and component names (for example, controller, panel, switch)  
Generic system names  
Acronym definitions (unless they belong in the above initial-cap group)  
Capitalize the first letter of Government, Division, Plant, Project, etc., when referring to a specific  
one. Use lower case when it is only a general reference.  
1.5  
NUMERALS AND UNITS  
Both Arabic and Roman numerals may be used in company documents. General guidelines for  
proper use are the following:  
Express safety class and quality group in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).  
Express seismic category in Roman numerals (I, II, III).  
Express electrical Class 1E in Arabic (not IE).2  
Express steps in a process in Arabic.  
Use Arabic numerals unless specific nomenclature dictates otherwise (and with lower-case Roman  
numerals for table of contents, list of figures, etc.).  
Avoid spelling out large numbers unless nomenclature dictates it. Spell out integers less than 10  
that do not apply to a specific measurement (e.g., two procedures, 2 inches). Use commas in four-  
digit or larger numbers (except in hexadecimal numbers).  
Be consistent in using units of measure. European customers require metric units of measure.  
Preferred presentation of measurements in European projects is: metric or SI (followed by English  
in parentheses).  
Normally, in text, use written-out units. Exception: electrical units – V, A, Hz. Abbreviate other  
units in tables and where space is limited.  
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When a spelled-out unit of measurement is used with a quantity, use the singular or plural form of  
the unit of measurement based on the following criteria:  
If the quantity is the unit 1 or a fraction of 1, use the singular form of the spelled-out unit of  
measurement.  
Examples:  
— 0.6 meter  
— 1/ 32 inch  
— 1 second  
If the quantity is zero or more than the unit 1, use the plural form of the spelled-out unit of  
measurement.  
Examples:  
— 0 inches  
— 1.6 meters  
— 3-1/ 2 millimeters  
— 8 seconds  
Remember, however, that the singular form of an abbreviated unit of measurement is used  
also for the plural and modified forms.  
Examples:  
— 0 VDC  
— 3.5 m  
— 8 s interval  
1.6  
REFERENCES  
There are many accepted models for writing references, each appropriate for a given class of  
documents (from scholarly works to popular periodicals). We present a conventional approach  
that has worked well for most projects.  
Applying these simple rules will help us standardize reference lists.  
1. The usual sequence for entering a company document in a reference list is document  
number, followed by the title in quotes, revision number (if applicable), then issuing unit,  
and date. There are subtle variations depending on the type of document.  
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When listing project-specific documents, follow this example.  
Document number, ABC Project, “XYZ System General Requirements,” Business Unit, date.  
Note  
It is not necessary to give the revision level of project documents  
unless there is a specific reason to cite an earlier revision. The most  
recent revision at the time of issuance applies.  
2. For standards and regulatory guidance, the form is number, title in quotes, revision  
(if applicable), issuing body, and date (if applicable).  
3. External, published works are handled as follows:  
Authors last name, comma, first initial, comma. Additional names in normal order  
(first initial, last name), period.  
Title of book, article, or paper, period.  
Title of journal or larger work in italics, comma.  
Volume and number information, if applicable, period.  
City, colon, publishing body, (if applicable), period.  
Date, period.  
Examples of published works:  
Adams, M. J., Y. J. Tenney, and R. W. Pew. Situation Awareness and the Cognitive  
Management of Complex Systems. Human Factors, 37, 85-104. 1995.  
Brannick, M. T., E. Salas, and C. Prince. Team Performance Assessment and Measurement.  
Mahway, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 1997.  
Cannon-Bowers, J. A. and E. Salas. Making Decisions Under Stress: Implications for  
Individual and Team Training. Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association.  
1998.  
4. Manual titles are usually underlined.  
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5. The ordering of documents in the reference list should correspond to the sequence of  
references used in the document, so that Reference 1 is the first one used, 2 the second, and  
so on.  
6. Reference callouts may be of two types.  
“This methodology is explained thoroughly in Reference 7…”  
OR  
“As was concluded in the Recorder Review (Ref. 2),…”  
1.7  
GRAPHICS  
Figures, tables, photos, and charts are all considered graphics. Figures, photos, and charts will be  
assigned figure numbers. Tables will be assigned table numbers. When using graphics, observe  
the following:  
Cite all graphics in text, with corresponding numbers.  
Number in sequence by second-level section — Figure 1.1-1 is the first figure cited in  
Section 1.1; Table 1.1-1 is the first table cited in Section 1.1, etc. If a graphic is cited in the  
text of a top-level section, the numbering is 1-1, 1-2, etc.  
Capitalize the initial letter of the words “figure” and “table” when they appear with a  
number; otherwise, use lower case (the figure shows the difference between . . .).  
1.8  
EDITING CONVENTIONS  
Many words and phrases can be written more than one way. Every project should use the broad  
list of writing conventions (preferred terms, spellings, punctuation) in this section, and define  
additional conventions as needed, to promote consistency among documents.  
In the list, when a phrase is to be hyphenated in adjectival use as a unit modifier (um), that note  
accompanies the phrase. Other abbreviations in the list include (n) for noun and (v) for verb.  
While this may be useful for reference, engineering authors should not spend precious time  
worrying about these details.  
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AC  
deadman  
air flow  
deadweight  
Alloy 750  
decision-making (um)  
decision-set (um)  
de-energize  
around-the-clock (um)  
ASME Code  
B.S., M.S.  
diesel-generator (um)  
double check (v, n, um)  
driveline  
backfit  
backflow  
backlit  
E-C (engineer-constructor)  
electromechanical  
e-mail  
backpressure  
backup  
best-estimate (um)  
boil-off (n, um)  
break-even (um)  
Btu  
employee  
ensure (not insure)  
entry level  
Environmental, Safety, and Health  
ES and H  
buildup  
built-in (um)  
buses  
et al.  
etc.  
bypass  
fail-closed (um)  
failover  
carbon steel (n, um)  
centerline  
feedback  
changeout  
close-up  
fiber-optic (um)  
flow path  
closeout  
flow rate  
coauthored  
common-mode (um)  
constructibility  
cooldown (n/ um)  
cooperate  
followup  
foot  
foreword  
freestanding  
front-line (um)  
full-penetration (um)  
full-scope (um)  
full-time (um)  
FY 2002  
cost-effective (um)  
creep-down (um)  
crossover  
cutset  
database  
ground-level (um)  
groundwater  
handhole  
datalink  
DC  
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hard-copy (um)  
hard-face (um)  
hard rock (um)  
hard-wired  
low-pressure (um)  
makeup  
make-or-buy (um)  
man-hours  
manway  
heatup (um)  
high-build (um)  
high-energy (um)  
high-level (um)  
hold-down (um)  
holdup  
mid-size (um)  
mockup  
multicompany  
multimillion  
Navy  
hot-dip (um)  
human-factor (um)  
in-depth (um)  
in-flow (um)  
in-house (um)  
in-leakage (um)  
in-service (um)  
inside diameter  
in-situ (um)  
nil-ductility  
no-load (um)  
non-Class 1E  
non-conformance  
non-exempt  
non-process  
offeror  
offgas  
off-line (um)  
off-load  
in-tank (um)  
interrelated  
offset  
January 2002  
kV  
offsite  
onboard  
large-scale (um)  
latch-locking (um)  
layout  
on-call (um)  
on-line (um)  
on-schedule (um)  
one-half (all cases)  
ongoing  
leak-off (n, um)  
leaktight  
leaktightness  
lifetime  
onset  
onsite  
lift-off (n, um)  
locked-closed (um)  
log-normal (um)  
long-lead (um)  
longstanding  
low-level (um)  
outside diameter  
overwrite  
partial-penetration (um)  
pathway  
percent  
pinhole  
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post-heat  
time-out  
post-test  
Title II  
preheat  
topcoat  
preoperational  
pre-procurement  
pre-service (um)  
proactive  
trade-off (n, um)  
two-dimensional (um)  
Type 304  
Type A  
pushbutton  
U.S. (um)  
read-out (n, um)  
real-time (um)  
record-keeping (um)  
remote-handled (um)  
roundtable  
unisolatable  
United States (n)  
up-front (um)  
VAC  
VDC  
self-sufficient (um)  
set point  
versus  
videodisk  
shear wave (um)  
shutdown  
videotape  
walkdown  
warmup  
sign-off (n, um)  
socioeconomic  
soil-structure (um)  
stand-alone  
water-reducing (um)  
watertight  
wave-front (um)  
work-around (n, um)  
work scope  
workday  
standup  
startup  
state-of-the-art (um)  
Statement of Work  
subassembly  
subunit  
workstation  
world-class (um)  
."  
thousand  
0.5  
through-wall (um)  
time-history (um)  
1990s  
Notes:  
1. Certain compound or joined words may become two words when used as a verb. Example: We will start up  
the process next month.  
2. Certain words are hyphenated when they are adjectives (unit modifiers), but not when they stand alone.  
Example: The computer is off line.  
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APPENDIX A  
COMMONLY USED TRADEMARKS  
The first use of a trademark name should include “®” or “™” as appropriate. The following are the  
most often-used trademarks in our business as they should appear under “Acronyms and  
Trademarks” in the front matter.  
[“Adobe” and “the Adobe logo” first, if used, followed by other Adobe marks used in alphabetical  
order] are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United  
States and/ or other countries.  
Autodesk, AutoCAD, and Autodesk Inventor are either registered trademarks or trademarks of  
Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/ or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or  
trademarks belong to their respective holders.  
Cisco® is a registered trademark of Cisco Systems, Incorporated.  
DEC™ is a trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation.  
Diamond Plus® is a registered trademark of Mitsubishi Electronics America, Incorporated.  
EIMaster Power Concept® is a registered of Sigma Power Software AB.  
Energy Star® is a U.S. registered trademark.  
Intel® and Pentium® are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.  
LaserJet™, JetAdmin™, and HP9000™ [and other printer models] are trademarks of Hewlett-  
Packard Company.  
Microsoft, Encarta, MSN, and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of  
Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/ or other countries.  
Motif, OSF/ 1, UNIX and the “X” device are registered trademarks, and Making Standards Work  
and The Open Group are trademarks of The Open Group in the US and other countries.  
MultiSync®and FE+™are trademarks of NEC-Mitsubishi Electronic Display of America,  
Incorporated.  
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Netscape and the Netscape N and Ship's Wheel logos are registered trademarks of Netscape  
Communications Corporation in the U. S. and other countries. [List other Netscape product names  
used in your document] are also trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation and may be  
registered outside the U.S.  
Oracle® is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation.  
Primavera Project Planner® is a registered trademark of Primavera Systems, Incorporated.  
SAP/ R3™ is a trademark of SAP AG Corporation.  
ServSwitchis a trademark of Black Box Corporation.  
SPARC®is a registered trademark of SPARC International, Incorporated.  
Sun, Sun Microsystems™, Sun Enterprise™, Ultra™, UltraSPARC™, Solstice™, StorEdge™,  
Solaris ™, Java ™, all Sun, Solaris, Java, formative trademarks and logos are trademarks or  
registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Incorporated in the United States and other countries.  
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APPENDIX B  
ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS  
Abbreviations facilitate reading and minimize dull repetition of cumbersome names.  
Abbreviations should be used only when necessary and when their meanings are unquestionably  
clear. When in doubt, spell it out. In the text, capitalization will agree with the parent word. Rules  
of capitalization apply. The same abbreviation should be used for all tenses, possessive, singular,  
and plural. A sentence should never begin with an abbreviation except where the parent word(s)  
would result in an awkward construction.  
The following pages contain basic rules to use when abbreviating, and a list of engineering unit  
abbreviations in their proper form.  
1. Abbreviations should be spelled out in all possible circumstances. However, when  
abbreviations are necessary, use the following guidelines:  
a. The trend is to omit periods from all abbreviations except where they have traditionally  
appeared (for example, U.S., Ph.D., Mr., Mrs.).  
b. There should be no space after the internal periods within a traditional abbreviation (for  
example, a.m., U.S., i.e., etc.).  
c. An abbreviation needs no period unless it can be confused with a word (e.g., in., a.m.,  
no.,). One exception to this rule is a period usually is not necessary in tabular material.  
2. The following common Latin abbreviations should appear as:  
i.e., (that is)  
e.g., (for example)  
et al., (and others)  
etc., (and so forth)  
A comma should precede and follow the above abbreviations when used in the middle of a  
sentence.  
3. “versus” should be spelled out, not “vs.”  
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4. When using unit abbreviations such as Btu, kW, Hz. . . a space should be placed between the  
number and the abbreviation.  
e.g.; 100 Btu, 3 kW, 50 Hz.  
5. Refrain from using the symbols " and ' for inches and feet unless referring to a plant elevation  
or when it is necessary to save space (i.e., within tables, forms, etc.). However, use inches and  
feet in their proper forms as follows:  
0.5 inch of space around the margin (singular)  
2 inches in diameter (plural)  
a 3-inch circle (used as an adjective and therefore hyphenated)  
6. Below are a few commonly used abbreviations in their proper form:  
Type 316 SS (notice the cap T and the space between 316 and SS)  
2-1/ 4 Cr-1 Mo  
E-953011 (hyphen after the E)  
7. Do not abbreviate the company name in text except as part of abbreviations of subsidiary or  
joint venture names.  
8. For equipment names used repeatedly in text, spell it out the first time, with the  
abbreviation in parentheses following the name. Subsequent references can then be made  
by the abbreviation alone. Also note that if a control name printed on the equipment is  
abbreviated, it should be repeated exactly, including capitalization, when cited in the text.  
Plurals of Abbreviations  
1. Abbreviations in units of measure are identical in their singular and plural forms (e.g., 10 lb  
not 10 lbs).  
2. Acronyms, letters, and numbers are made plural by adding “s” alone:  
the three Rs  
in twos and threes  
LPRs  
the early 1970s  
SDDs  
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3. Abbreviations with periods, lower-case letters used as nouns, and capital letters that would  
form another word if “s” alone were added form the plural with an apostrophe and an “s”:  
Ph.D.’s  
x’s and ys  
S’s, A’s, I’s  
Letter Symbols for Units of Measurement  
The following pages are taken from Corporate Standards. These abbreviations should be the only  
ones used unless stated otherwise in a project-specific document.  
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Symbols for Units in General Use  
Symbol  
Unit  
ampere  
Notes  
A
SI unit of electric current.  
ampere (turn)  
ampere-hour  
A
SI unit of magnetomotive force.  
Also A• h  
Ah  
A/ m  
Δ
ampere per meter  
angstrom  
SI unit of magnetic field strength.  
1 Δ = 10-10 m (deprecated, see ANSI Z210.1-1976)  
atmosphere, standard  
atm  
1 atm = 101 325 Pa (deprecated, see ANSI Z210.1-  
1976)  
1 at = 1 kgf/ cm2 (deprecated,  
see ANSI Z210.1-1976)  
atmosphere, technical  
at  
u
atomic mass unit (unified)  
The (unified) atomic mass unit is defined as one  
twelfth of the mass of an atom of the 12C nuclide.  
Use of the old atomic mass (amu), defined by  
reference to oxygen, is deprecated.  
atto  
a
SI prefix for 10-18.  
attoampere  
bar  
aA  
bar  
1 bar = 100 kPa. Use of the bar is strongly  
discouraged (see ANSI Z210.1-1976), except for  
limited use in meteorology.  
barn  
b
1 b = 10-28 m2  
barrel  
bbl  
bbl/ d  
1 bbl = 42 galUS = 158.99 L  
barrel per day  
This is the standard barrel used for petroleum,  
etc. A different standard barrel is used for fruits,  
vegetables, and dry commodities.  
baud  
Bd  
In telecommunications, a unit of signaling speed  
equal to one element per second. The signaling  
speed in bauds is equal to the reciprocal of the  
signal element length in seconds.  
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Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
Unit  
bel  
B
becquerel  
Bq  
SI unit of activity of a radionuclide.  
billion electronvolts  
GeV  
The name gigaelectronvolt is preferred for this  
unit.  
bit  
b
In information theory, the bit is a unit of  
information content equal to the information  
content of a message the a priori probability of  
which is one half.  
In computer science, the bit is a unit of storage  
capacity. The capacity, in bits, of a storage  
device is the logarithm to the base two of the  
number of possible states of the device.  
bit per second  
b/ s  
Btu  
calIT  
British thermal unit  
calorie  
1 calIT = 4.1868 J (deprecated, see ANSI Z210.1-  
1976)  
(International Table calorie)  
cal  
calorie  
1 cal = 4.1840 J (deprecated,  
see ANSI Z210.1-1976)  
(thermochemical calorie)  
candela  
cd  
SI unit of luminous intensity.  
candela per square inch  
candela per square meter  
cd/ in2  
cd/ m2  
Use of the SI unit, cd/ m2, is preferred.  
SI unit of luminance. The name nit is sometimes  
used for this unit.  
candle  
cd  
The unit of luminous intensity has been given  
the name candela; use of the name candle for this  
unit is deprecated.  
centi  
c
SI prefix for 10-2.  
centimeter  
cm  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-5  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
Unit  
centipoise  
cP  
1 cP = 1 mPa s. The name is deprecated (see  
ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
1 cst = 1 mm2/ s. The name centistokes is  
deprecated (see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
centistokes  
cSt  
circular mil  
cmil  
C
1 cmil = (Π/ 4) 10-6 in2  
coulomb  
SI unit of electric charge.  
cubic centimeter  
cubic foot  
cm3  
ft3  
cubic foot per minute  
cubic foot per second  
cubic inch  
ft3/ min  
ft3/ s  
in3  
cubic meter  
m3  
cubic meter per second  
cubic yard  
m3/ s  
yd3  
Ci  
curie  
A unit of activity of radionuclide. Use of the  
SI unit, the becquerel, is preferred, 1 Ci = 3.7 x  
1010 Bq.  
cycle  
c
cycle per second  
Hz, c/ s  
See hertz. The name hertz is internationally  
accepted for this unit; the symbol Hz is preferred  
to c/ s.  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-6  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
Unit  
darcy  
D
1 D = 1 cP (cm/ s) (cm/ atm) = 0.986 923 μm2  
A unit of permeability of a porous medium. By  
traditional definition, a permeability of one  
darcy will permit a flow of 1 cm3/ s of fluid of 1  
cP viscosity through an area of 1 cm2 under a  
pressure gradient of 1 atm/ cm. For nonprecision  
work 1 D may be taken equal to 1 μm2 and 1 mD  
equal to 0.001 μm2. Deprecated  
(see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
day  
d
d
deci  
SI prefix for 10-1.  
decibel  
dB  
degree (plane angle)  
degree (temperature):  
degree Celsius  
. . . °  
°C  
°F  
SI unit of Celsius temperature. The degree  
Celsius is a special name for the kelvin, for use in  
expressing Celsius temperatures or temperature  
intervals.  
degree Fahrenheit  
Note that the symbols for °C, °F, and °R  
comprise two elements, written with no space  
between the ° and the letter that follows. The  
two elements that make the complete symbol are  
not to be separated.  
degree Kelvin  
degree Rankine  
deka  
See kelvin.  
°R  
da  
SI prefix for 10.  
dyne  
dyn  
eV  
erg  
Deprecated (see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
electronvolt  
erg  
Deprecated (see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-7  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
Unit  
exa  
E
F
SI prefix for 1016.  
farad  
SI unit of capacitance.  
SI prefix for 10-15.  
fem to  
f
femtometer  
foot  
fm  
ft  
conventional foot of water ftH2O  
1 ftH2O = 2989.1 Pa (ISO)  
foot per minute  
ft/ min  
ft/ s  
foot per second  
foot per second squared  
foot pound-force  
footcandle  
ft/ s2  
ft-lbf  
fc  
1 fc = 1 lm/ ft2. The name lumen per square foot is  
also used for this unit. Use of the SI unit of  
illuminance, the lux (lumen per square meter), is  
preferred.  
1 fL . 1/ Π) cd/ ft2. A unit of luminance. One  
lumen per square foot leaves a surface whose  
luminance is one footlambert in all directions  
within a hemisphere. Use of the SI unit, the  
candela per square meter, is preferred.  
footlambert  
fL  
1 Gal = 1 cm/ s2 (deprecated,  
see ANSI Z210.1 1976).  
gal  
Gal  
gal  
gallon  
1 galUK = 4.5461 L  
1 galUS = 231 in3 = 3.7854 L  
gauss  
giga  
G
G
The gauss is the electromagnetic CGS unit of  
magnetic flux density. Deprecated  
(see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
SI prefix for 109.  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-8  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
GeV  
Unit  
gigaelectronvolt  
gigahertz  
GHz  
Gb  
gilbert  
The gilbert is the electromagnetic CGS unit of  
magnetomotive force. Deprecated  
(see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
grain  
gr  
gram  
g
gram per cubic centimeter  
gray  
g/ cm3  
Gy  
SI unit of absorbed dose in the field of radiation  
dosimetry.  
hecto  
h
SI prefix for 102.  
henry  
H
SI unit of inductance.  
SI unit of frequency.  
hertz  
Hz  
hp  
horsepower  
The horsepower is an anachronism in science  
and technology. Use of the SI unit of power, the  
watt, is preferred.  
hour  
inch  
h
in.  
inHg  
1 inHg = 3386.4 Pa (ISO)  
1 inH2O = 249.09 Pa (ISO)  
conventional inch of  
mercury  
inH2O  
conventional inch of  
water  
inch per second  
joule  
in/ s  
J
SI unit of energy, work, quantity of heat.  
SI unit of heat capacity and entropy.  
joule per kelvin  
kelvin  
J/ K  
K
In 1967, the CGPM gave the name kelvin to the SI  
unit of temperature which had formerly been  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-9  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
Unit  
called degree kelvin and assigned it the symbol K  
(without the symbol °).  
kilo  
k
SI prefix for 103.  
kilogauss  
kilogram  
kilogram-force  
kG  
kg  
Deprecated (see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
SI unit of mass.  
kgf  
Deprecated (see ANSI Z210.1-1976). In some  
countries, the name kilopond (kp) has been used  
for this unit.  
kilohertz  
kHz  
kΩ  
kilohm  
kilometer  
km  
kilometer per hour  
kilopound-force  
km/ h  
klbf  
Kilopound-force should not be misinterpreted as  
kilopond (see kilogram-force).  
kilovar  
kvar  
kV  
kilovolt  
kilovoltampere  
kilowatt  
kVA  
kW  
kWh  
kn  
kilowatthour  
knot  
Also kWh  
1 kn = 1 nmi/ h  
1 L = (1/ Π) cd/ cm2. A CGS unit of luminance.  
One lumen per square centimeter leaves a  
surface whose luminance is one lambert in all  
directions within a hemisphere. Deprecated  
(see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
lambert  
L
[For Illustration Only]  
B-10  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
Unit  
1 L = 10-3 m3. The letter symbol l has been  
adopted for liter by the CGPM, and it is  
liter  
L
recommended in a number of international  
standards. In 1978, the CIPM accepted L as an  
alternative symbol. Because of frequent  
confusion with the numeral 1, the letter symbol l  
is no longer recommended for USA use (see  
Federal Register notice of December 10, 1976).  
The script letter Ρ, which had been proposed, is  
not recommended as a symbol for liter.  
liter per second  
lumen  
L/ s  
lm  
SI unit of luminous flux.  
lumen per square foot  
lm/ ft2  
A unit of illuminance and also a unit of luminous  
existence. Use of the SI unit, lumen per square  
meter, is preferred.  
lumen per square meter  
lumen per watt  
lumen second  
lux  
lm/ m2  
lm/ W  
lms  
lx  
SI unit of luminous existence.  
SI unit of luminous efficacy.  
SI unit of quantity of light.  
1 lx = 1 lm/ m2  
SI unit of illuminance.  
maxwell  
Mx  
The maxwell is the electromagnetic CGS unit  
of magnetic flux. Deprecated  
(see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
mega  
M
SI prefix for 106.  
megaelectronvolt  
megahertz  
megohm  
meter  
MeV  
MHz  
MΩ  
m
SI unit of length.  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-11  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
Unit  
metric ton  
t
1 t = 1,000 kg. The name tonne is used in some  
countries for this unit, but use of this name in the  
USA is deprecated (see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
mho  
mho  
μ
Formerly used as the name of the siemens (S).  
SI prefix for 10-6.  
micro  
microampere  
microfarad  
microgram  
microhenry  
microinch  
microliter  
micrometer  
micron  
μA  
μF  
μg  
μH  
μin  
μL  
See note for liter.  
μm  
μm  
μs  
Deprecated. Use micrometer.  
microsecond  
microwatt  
mil  
μW  
mil  
mi  
1 mil = 0.001 in.  
1 mi = 5280 ft  
mile (statute)  
mile per hour  
mi/ h  
Although use of mph as an abbreviation is  
common, it should not be used as a symbol.  
milli  
m
SI prefix for 10-3  
milliampere  
millibar  
mA  
mbar  
Use of the bar is strongly discouraged in ANSI  
Z210.1, except for limited use in meteorology.  
milligram  
millihenry  
mg  
mH  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-12  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
mL  
Unit  
milliliter  
See note for liter.  
millimeter  
mm  
mmHg  
conventional millimeter of  
mercury  
1 mmHg = 133.322 Pa (deprecated,  
see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
millimicron  
nm  
Use of the name millimicron for the nanometer is  
deprecated.  
millipascal second  
millisecond  
mPas  
ms  
SI unit-multiple of dynamic viscosity.  
millivolt  
mV  
mW  
...′  
milliwatt  
minute (plane angle)  
minute (time)  
min  
Time may also be designated by means of  
superscripts as in the following example:  
9h 46m 30s.  
mole  
mol  
mo  
n
SI unit of amount of substance.  
month  
nano  
SI prefix for 10-9.  
nanoampere  
nanofarad  
nanometer  
nanosecond  
nautical mile  
neper  
nA  
nF  
nm  
ns  
nmi  
Np  
N
1 nmi = 1852 m  
SI unit of force.  
newton  
newton meter  
Nm  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-13  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Unit  
newton per square meter  
nit  
Symbol  
N/ m2  
Notes  
SI unit of pressure or stress, see pascal.  
1 nt = 1 cd/ m2  
nt  
The name nit is sometimes given to the SI unit of  
luminance, the candela per square meter.  
oersted  
Oe  
The oersted is the electromagnetic CGS unit of  
magnetic field strength. Deprecated  
(see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
ohm  
SI unit of resistance.  
Ω
ounce (avoirdupois)  
pascal  
oz  
Pa  
1 Pa = 1 N/ m2  
SI unit of pressure or stress.  
pascal second  
peta  
Pas  
P
SI unit of dynamic viscosity.  
SI prefix for 1015  
phot  
ph  
1 ph = lm/ cm2  
CGS unit of illuminance. Deprecated  
(see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
pico  
p
SI prefix for 10-15.  
picofarad  
picowatt  
pint  
pF  
pW  
pt  
1 pt (UK) = 0.568 26 L  
1 pt (US dry) = 0.550 61 L  
1 pt (US liquid) = 0.473 18 L  
Deprecated (see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
poise  
P
pound  
lb  
pound per cubic foot  
pound-force  
lb/ ft3  
lbf  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-14  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
lbf-ft  
Unit  
pound-force foot  
pound-force per square foot  
pound-force per square inch  
lbf/ ft2  
lbf/ in2  
Although use of the abbreviation psi is common,  
it should not be used as a symbol.  
poundal  
quart  
pdl  
qt  
1 qt (UK) = 1.136 5 L  
1 qt (US dry) = 1.101 2 L  
1 qt (US liquid) = 0.946 35 L  
rad  
rd  
A unit of absorbed dose in the field of radiation  
dosimetry. Use of the SI unit, the gray, is  
preferred. 1 rd = 0.01 Gy.  
radian  
rem  
rad  
SI unit of plane angle.  
rem  
A unit of dose equivalent in the field of radiation  
dosimetry. (Use of the SI unit, the sievert, is  
preferred. 1 rem = 0.01 Sv)  
revolution per minute  
r/ min  
Although use of rpm as an abbreviation is  
common, it should not be used as a symbol.  
revolution per second  
roentgen  
r/ s  
R
A unit of exposure in the field of radiation  
dosimetry.  
second (plane angle)  
second (time)  
siemens  
. . . ′  
s
SI unit of time.  
-1  
S
1 S = 1 Ω  
SI unit of conductance. The name mho has been  
used for this unit in the USA.  
sievert  
slug  
Sv  
SI unit of dose equivalent in the field of radiation  
dosimetry. Name adopted by the CIPM in 1978.  
slug  
1 slug = 14.5039 kg  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-15  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
Unit  
square foot  
ft2  
square inch  
in2  
square meter  
m2  
square meter per second  
m2/ s  
SI unit of kinematic viscosity.  
square millimeter per second mm2/ s  
SI unit-multiple of kinematic viscosity.  
square yard  
steradian  
stilb  
yd2  
sr  
SI unit of solid angle.  
1 sb = 1 cd/ cm2  
sb  
A CGS unit of luminance. Deprecated  
(see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
stokes  
tera  
St  
T
Deprecated (see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
SI prefix for 1012.  
1 T = 1 N/ (Am) = 1 Wb/ m2. SI unit of magnetic  
tesla  
T
flux density (magnetic reduction).  
therm  
thm  
ton  
t
1 thm = 100,000 Btu  
1 ton = 2000 lb  
ton (short)  
ton, metric  
1 t = 1000 kg. The name tonne is used in some  
countries for this unit, but use of this name in the  
USA is deprecated (see ANSI Z210.1-1976).  
(unified) atomic mass unit  
u
The (unified) atomic mass unit is defined as one  
twelfth of the mass of an atom of the 12C nuclide.  
Use of the old atomic mass unit (amu), defined  
by reference to oxygen, is deprecated.  
var  
var  
IEC name and symbol for the SI unit of reactive  
power.  
volt  
V
SI unit of voltage.  
volt per meter  
V/ m  
SI unit of electric field strength.  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-16  
 
Company Writer's Guide  
Symbols for Units in General Use (Contd)  
Symbol Notes  
VA  
Unit  
voltampere  
IEC name and symbol for the SI unit of apparent  
power.  
watt  
W
SI unit of power.  
watt per meter kelvin  
watt per steradian  
W/ (mK)  
W/ sr  
SI unit of thermal conductivity.  
SI unit of radiant intensity.  
SI unit of radiance.  
W/ (srm2)  
watt per steradian square  
meter  
watthour  
weber  
Wh  
Wb  
Wb = Vs  
SI unit of magnetic flux.  
yard  
year  
yd  
a
In the English language, generally yr.  
[For Illustration Only]  
B-17  
 

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