RE: AP style for negative numbers?

Subject: RE: AP style for negative numbers?
From: Linda Stark <stark_linda -at- att -dot- net>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Wed, 9 May 2012 18:58:25 -0500

HELP! I'm working on a paper that refers to a negative number, and I'm somewhat brain-dead at the moment. I subscribe to the AP Style Guide online and can't seem to log in, so I called them a couple of hours ago to see what the problem is. Since then I've waited for at least two hours. This paper must be done tonight, so I turn to you all. PLEASE help!

The sentence is: "Using this data, the project has an NPV of ($269,016) with a return on investment in 4 to 5 years."

I assumed the parentheseswere done by the author to indicate she should come back to verify the number, but no - she says they're there because it's a negative number. Those parentheses really bother me, but I can't cite why. What does AP say about using negative numbers in text? Is it correct as is? What should it be?

Like I said, at this point in the day, I'm drawing a total blank and not having access to the AP website at the moment, I haven't a clue why it looks so wrong.

Linda S. Stark
Stark Clarity, LLC
621 SW 160th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73170
405.759.3974 / 405.410.8520
http://www.starkclarity.com





^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help. Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need.

Try Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.

http://bit.ly/doc-to-help

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-leave -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com


Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources and info.

Looking for articles on Technical Communications? Head over to our online magazine at http://techwhirl.com

Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions? Search our public email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives


Previous by Author: Re: "Internet Standard (STD)" - phrase known by Web programmers ?
Next by Author: RE: AP style for negative numbers?
Previous by Thread: Re: "migrating" anchored callouts - Word 2007 - SOLVED
Next by Thread: RE: AP style for negative numbers?


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads