英文論文裡數字的寫法
本文首發於立文悉通微信公眾號(Transystom)
英文論文裡的數字是寫英文單詞還是阿拉伯數字?一般可遵循以下原則:
Numbers one to nine without units should be presented as words; numbers 10 and over without units should be presented as numerals; and all numbers with units should be presented as numerals。
簡而言之,如果是10以上的數字,一般寫阿拉伯數字;如果是10以內的個位數,就看數字後面有沒有帶單位,如果不帶單位則寫英文單詞,如果帶單位則寫阿拉伯數字。
這裡說的數字特指整數,如果是小數那自然就寫阿拉伯數字了。
上面說的“單位”有哪些呢?一般
mmol/L、mL、mg、week、day、hour
這些都是,但是person、case、dog、cat這些不算。
另外,還有幾個特殊情況需要注意。
1。 如果10以下的數字和10以上的數字寫在一起,為了統一也都用阿拉伯數字,比如:
The postsurgical stage was classified as IA in
16
patients, IB in
1
patient, IIA in
3
patients, IIB in
1
patient, and IIIA in
5
patients。
很多期刊對此都有類似說明:
2。 如果數字在句首,一般不寫阿拉伯數字,當然,寫阿拉伯數字並不算錯,只是不太規範。
這種情況下,可以
寫英文單詞
,比如:
Thirty-seven
patients were assigned to the treatment group。
也可以
改寫句子
,不讓數字在句首,比如:
在數字前面加點詞:A total of
1896
patients were included in this retrospective study。
或者變換句式:This retrospective study included
1896
patients。
不過有幾種特殊情況需要注意。
1)如果在句首的數字帶小數點,不要寫英文單詞,畢竟這種情況下寫出英文單詞太冗長了,可以改寫句子,儘量讓帶小數點的數字在句中,比如:
31。5% of all patients suffered from nausea or vomiting during the chemotherapy。
可以改寫成:
Precisely
31.5%
of all patients suffered from nausea or vomiting during the chemotherapy。
或
Nausea or vomiting was observed in
31.5%
of all patients during the chemotherapy。
2) 如果句首的數字帶有單位,一般也不要寫英文單詞,可以改寫句子,比如:
5 mL of formalin was added to each tube。
可以改成:
Formalin (
5 mL
) was added to each tube。
當然,如果單位是全稱,比如day、week這樣的,寫英文單詞也可以,比如:
Four to five
days of treatment is sufficient for meningococcal meningitis。
3) 如果句首的數字是年份,也可以直接寫阿拉伯數字,比如:
2011
is a milestone for economic development of this country。
如果想要更加規範的話,可以加上The year:
The year
2011
is a milestone for economic development of this country。
參考:
https://www。
grammar-monster。com/les
sons/numbers_starting_sentences。htm