Full
Marks - Advice on Punctuation for Scientific
and Technical Writing
Reviewed by A C Clegg [1993]
Perhaps the first thing to be said about this book is that it is readable,
and indeed in many places, is a very good read: this, despite the author's
injunction that two of the three main sections are really there only for reference
in the case of difficulties. John Kirkman has succeeded in a clear and unfussy
(now, should that be hyphenated?) way in stripping much of the mystique and,
normally, esoteric language from the sometimes arcane topic of punctuation
and its usage.
The text is liberally and appropriately illustrated with examples of good
and bad punctuation, sometimes with hilarious results. A comprehensive index
provides an easy reference guide for the serious user.
Were I to be particularly pettifogging, I might have liked a little more
on the use of the full stop (period) after an abbreviated unit, especially
where there might be cause for confusion. I might take issue with the positioning
of an acronym before its explanation. I might even have quibbled slightly
about whether or not there should be a space between a quantity and its unit,
since both are to be found. In the extreme, I could have argued for a more
common example of when or when not to hyphenate than 'de-aminated (deaminate)',
no, dear reader, not deanimate, since this had the very effect on me that
the author warns against in that it brought me to a juddering halt! Finally,
I think I've managed to convince myself that the author was having a little
joke on us all by quoting Fowler's 'seaserpents' (ugh!) and that it wasn't
really a 'cop-out' to suggest quite so many times that punctuation usage should
be a matter for house style.
All of this is really small beer compared with what is an exceedingly useful
and usable book, not only for the beginning communicator, as has been suggested,
but also for the more experienced author and writer (we've all still got something
to learn).
Those of you who have read the First Edition will find much that is new and
of value in this Second Edition. Thoroughly recommended. If not "FULL MARKS",
at least 99%!
Ramsbury Books, 2nd Edition, ISBN 0-9521762-0-3
Available from Amazon.co.uk |
