HP TextEngineer Technical Writing Guide - Manual (Page 17)

Company Writer's Guide
[For Illustration Only] B-2
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