Style Manual for the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering
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STYLE MANUAL FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF GEODESY AND GEOMATICS ENGINEERING WENDY WELLS November 2001 TECHNICALLECTURE NOTES REPORT NO.NO. 21754 STYLE MANUAL FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF GEODESY AND GEOMATICS ENGINEERING Wendy Wells Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering University of New Brunswick P.O. Box 4400 Fredericton, N.B. Canada E3B SA3 Fifth Edition November 2001 © Wendy Wells, 2001 PREFACE In order to make our extensive series of lecture notes more readily available, we have scanned the old master copies and produced electronic versions in Portable Document Format. The quality of the images varies depending on the quality of the originals. In this version, images have been converted to searchable text. GEODESY AND GEOMATICS ENGINEERING STYLE MANUAL Lecture Notes No. 54 ABSTRACT Although the 'technological revolution' has pushed the humanities into the background, there still remains a need for people to communicate with each other. Just as a computer language must be correct and precise if the program is to function properly, so must the English language be used as clearly, precisely, and correctly as possible if new ideas, inventions, techniques, methods, and results are to be read and accepted into the universal body of human knowledge. In an endeavour to provide a little help in making undergraduate report and assignment and graduate report, paper, and thesis writing less of an ordeal, this style manual has been compiled with the geomatician specifically in mind. As geodesy and geomatics engineering are not large enough fields to demand their own form and format, those of mathematics, physics, and law, the basic underpinnings of geodesy and geomatics, have been adapted for use here. These lecture notes outline the basic mechanics of a report and provide a detailed breakdown of a typical undergraduate report or laboratory exercise, and graduate report, thesis, or dissertation. The more common pitfalls in punctuation and quotations are examined and examples of correct usage are given. Two areas fraught with confusion are capitalization and abbreviations, and these have been dealt with in some detail. Words and phrases frequently misused are reviewed, and hints to help eliminate the problems are offered. Proposals from the perspective of an undergraduate exercise and as standard business practice are discussed. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, a chapter has been devoted to referencing and footnoting because plagiarism is a sin that must be avoided at all costs. Abstract Page: iii Lecture Notes No. 54 GEODESY AND GEOMATICS ENGfNEERING STYLE MANUAL PREFACE This fifth edition of the departmental style manual is a consequence of a number of requests for updated information. It is also one more attempt to clarify some foggy language and confusing cxan1ples. I would like to thank Chris Adams of Owl and Pen Editing for his comments and suggestions. He found a number of flaws in the manual and provided corrections; caught typos that have slipped through four editions; and has clarified and improved SOlne of the examples. With this edition, a pdf version will be put on our Web site <www.unb.ca/GGE/> for students who wish to use an electronic version rather than a hard copy version. Page: 1 V Preface GEODESY AND GEOMATICS ENGINEERING STYLE MANUAL Lecture Notes No. 54 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract........................................................................................................................... ........ iii Preface .................................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents.................................................................................................................... v List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ Vll 1. MECHANICS............................................................................................................... 1 1. 1 General.... ...... ....... ....... ..... ......... ... ....... .... ... ... .... .................. .............. .. ... .... ... 1 1.2 Page Nun1bering ...... ...... ................. ....... ...... .......................... ...... ... ....... ... .... ..... 2 1.3 Margins, Spacing, Paper, and Machines............................................................. 3 1.4 Headings............................................................................................................ 6 1.5 Visual Aids........................................................................................................ 8 1.5.1 Report, thesis, or dissertation .............................................................. 8 1.5.2 Oral presentations ............................................................................... 13 1.6 Equations........................................................................................................... 14 1.7 Lists................................................................................................................... 15 1.8 Spelling.............................................................................................................. 17 1.9 Gender Neutral Language.................................................................................. 18 1.10 Graduate Studies Miscellaneous Reminders...................................................... 19 2. FORMAT OF A REPORT OR THESIS ...................................................................... 21 2.1 Covers................................................................................................................ 22 2.2 Title Pages ......................................................................................................... 22 2.3 Abstract.............................................................................................................. 25 2.4 Executive Summary ........................................................................................... 26 2.5 Table of Contents............................................................................................... 28 2.6 List of Tables and List of Figures ...................................................................... 28 2. 7 Acknowledgments.............................................................................................. 29 2.8 Body of the Work.............................................................................................. 29 2.8.1 The beginning ..................................................................................... 30 2.8.2 The Iniddle .......................................................................................... 31 2.8.3 The ending .......................................................................................... 32 2.9 List of References and/or Bibliography............................................................. 34 2.10 Appendices ........................................................................................................ 35 2.11 Vita.................................................................................................................... 36 2.12 Hints on Style .................................................................................................... 37 2.13 Check List... ................ ....... ........... ..... .............. ... ......... ............. ............ ....... ...... 40 2.14 Letter of Submittal............................................................................................. 42 2.15 Instructions for the Execution of an Assignment or Laboratory Exercise (J. Secord) ........................................................................................... 43 2.15.1 Review ................................................................................................ 43 2.15.2 Familiarization .................................................................................... 44 2.15.3 Equipment........................................................................................... 44 2.15.4 Execution............................................................................................ 44 2.15.5 Reporting............................................................................................ 44 2.15.6 Field notes .......................................................................................... 48 v Lecture Notes No. 54 GEODESY AND GEOMATICS ENGINEERING STYLE MANUAL 3. PUNCTUATION AND QUOTATIONS .................................................................... 52 3.1 Punctuation ....................................................................................................... 52 3.1.1 Major marks ...................................................................................... 52 3.1.2 Minor marks ...................................................................................... 64 3.2 Quotations ........................................................................................................ 74 3.2.1 Run-in fOlmat .................................................................................... 75 3.2.2 Set-off, or block, fOimat. .................................................................... 76 4. CAPIT ALIZATION AND ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................... .. 78 4.1 Capitalization .................................................................................................... 78 4.1.1 Capitalizing for emphasis .................................................................