Insert commas in numerals with four or more digits: 1,000; 35,000; 500,000; etc., unless the numbers represent the serial number of a product.
Use the following symbols in text in place of spelled out versions when they precede numerical values:
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< |
less than, fewer than |
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> |
more than, greater than |
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< |
less than or equal to |
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> |
greater than or equal to, at least |
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~ |
circa, ca., about, around, approximately |
Words should not be changed to math signs if the meaning becomes less clear by doing so.
Spell out any single-digit number (one through nine). Use numerals for numbers greater than or equal to 10. Within parentheses, use numerals for both single- and double-digit numbers. Also, use numerals for single-digit numbers if double-digit numbers appear within the same sentence.
There were three phases of the experiment.
(7 highly stained fibroblasts per section)
By pooling the sets of measurements derived from 2 eyes in 6 rabbits, we obtained 12 sets of measurements for the monocular condition.
Use numerals for a single- or double-digit number that immediately precedes a standard unit of measure (whether abbreviated or spelled out). However, if a unit of measure is not preceded by a numeral, spell it out (unless in parentheses).
5 μl
100 MHz
...expressed in milligrams per liter.
Use numerals for numbers implying arithmetical or statistical manipulation.
a slope of 2
an r of 1
Use an en dash to express a range of numbers. However, do not use an en dash for a range introduced with the word "from" or "between".
1973–1977
1–3 × 106
dose of 1–6 mg
from +16 to –32 or –16 to +32
from 50 to 60 mg
between 24 and 40%
Spell out numbers that begin a sentence (and units of measure that follow), even though similar and coordinate numbers are written as numerals elsewhere in the same sentence. The units must be plural if values are 2 or greater. Exception: Do not pluralize any form of the unit M (molar).
Nineteen complex cells were recorded from the supragranular layer of the striate cortex of two monkeys: 6 cells from one monkey and 13 cells from the other.
Thirty-five percent of the neurons received....
Thirty-one milliseconds was the average value for set cells.
Five millimolar CNQX gave an 80% reduction...
or
CNQX (5 mM) gave an 80% reduction...
If an author begins a sentence with a decimal or mixed number, rewrite the sentence; do not spell out.
0.1 ml of the solution was added...
change to
The solution (0.1 ml) was added...
Do not use two math symbols before a number. Change the first symbol to words and bump the second to the number. Two consecutive math signs are only acceptable if one of them is "=".
bad
~–20 mV
good
about –20 mV
(r = –0.37)
If a foreign author uses a comma instead of a decimal point, change throughout and query the author to check. However, do not change in statistical statements such as df = 11,21 and F(1,20), in which the comma serves to separate two distinct values, and the lack of space between the comma and the second number is correct style.
Use of ordinal numbers follows the same rules as that of cardinal numbers:
5th day
10th week
The second set of experiments yielded different results.
The 5th and the 10th samples were submitted for analysis.
The higher (5th day) levels were indicative of...
Insert a zero before decimal values. If preceding zeroes are omitted from all values throughout in a table, mark the first instance and add a note to the printer on the manuscript's cover sheet.
For magnification, the multiplication symbol precedes the number ("×500"). Do not use a lowercase "x" to indicate multiplication.Do not use a multiplication symbol in place of the word "times" (e.g., "at 10 times threshold"). Numerals should be used for both single- and double-digit numbers in this expression.
For solution ratios, APS style uses hyphens with words, a colon to express the numerical ratio, and a shill (slash) with abbreviated terms.
...incubated with antiserum diluted 1:100...
phenol-chloroform-alcohol (24:24:1)
methanol-water (1:1, vol/vol)
NAD/NADH (ratio)
17:7 light-dark period
12-h light-dark photoperiod
For numbers in figure legends, follow specific guidelines in $$$Figures and Figure Legends.
If the author uses "K" for thousands, change to the full number (e.g., change "4K" to "4,000"). Remember that kilo- as a prefix is always lowercase: kHz, kg, kDa, km, kcal, kJ, kW, kV.Both "1 of 10" and "1/10" are permitted to express a proportion; follow manuscript. Note that there are no spaces around the shill. The phrase "1 out of 10" should be changed to "1 of 10" ("out" is not needed). Change single-digit fractions to words in text; i.e., change "1/2" to "one-half," etc.
Numerical results expressed as "means, plus or minus" are used extensively in APS publications. The abbreviation for standard deviation (SD) or standard error (SE) does not need to be defined. SEM is not permitted; change to SE.
The amplitude of the IGABA increased 54 ± 26% (mean ± SE) in the ganglion cell population tested.
Electrical activity was recorded from 7 isolated somata and 12 isolated lamellipodia. The average resting potential for each group was –62 ± 15 and –50 ± 12 (SE) mV, respectively.
The overall mean Vm (from 67 cells) was –60.9 ± 0.73 (SE) mV.
Within the population of cells tested, potentiation of muscimol-induced currents was seen in three of four bipolar cells (85 ± 76%, mean ± SE) and in 10 of 12 ganglion cells (48 ± 25%).
As shown in Fig. 1, the amount of EGTA-resistant 1:1 GA complex in basal ETF-PMN (32 ± 4% of total cellular gesolin is complexed to actin; mean ± SE; n = 5) is lower than reported in basal FH-PMN (82 ± 11%; n = 5).
The afferent unit discharge began 52 ± 13 (SE) ms before activation for the target muscle.
Peak firing rates of lagged X cells (131 ± 6.9 spikes/s; mean ± SE) were lower than those of nonlagged X cells (201 ± 13.7 spikes/s; P < 0.001).
last edited 07/29/03