References, Scores, Statistics, and Adjacent Numbers
Numbers
Rulebase Summary
Use figures when citing numbered references such as Paragraph 8, Question No. 8, Exhibit P-7, Article IX, and Bates numbers. Use figures to express numbers referred to as numbers themselves, scores, arithmetic expressions, ratios, odds, voting results, and similar statistics. When two numbers appear next to each other and form a single unit of meaning, spell out one of them — usually the first or the shorter number — to prevent misreading (twelve 8-foot boards).
Examples
A. Please refer to paragraph eight of the contract.
A. Please refer to Paragraph 8 of the contract.
Use figures when citing numbered references.
A. We ordered 4 12-foot planks.
A. We ordered four 12-foot planks.
When two numbers appear together, spell out one (usually the first or shorter) to avoid misreading.
Style Guides Disagree
Margie Wakeman Wells has reversed her position on abbreviating 'number' as 'No.' since publishing BGGP. She now says 'number' should be written out to avoid confusion with the negative response 'No' in electronic searches. She acknowledges this looks unusual (e.g., 'line Number 3') but says consistency requires it. Morson's still uses the No. abbreviation. Follow your reporter's preference.
Transcript Notes
For enumerations: if items are long and paragraphed separately, use figures or capital letters followed by a period, and end each item with a semicolon or period. If items are not long and will not be paragraphed, use figures or lowercased letters enclosed by parentheses, with no period or comma after the parenthesis, and end each listing with a comma or semicolon.
If 'first, second, third' are used, they may or may not be paragraphed depending on length — if paragraphed, capitalize and follow each numerical word with a comma, and end each listing with a comma, semicolon, or period. If an enumeration has only two or three items, figures may be expressed as one, two or (1), (2).
When 'number' is spoken before actual figures, abbreviate and capitalize as No. — but if it starts the sentence, spell it out to avoid confusion with the negative response No.
When an exhibit has multiple parts, use a hyphen to attach the subset to the exhibit number (Exhibit 1-D, People's Exhibit 4-C, Defendant's A-1). When the subset marker is used alone, keep a hyphen in front of it (-F, -G, -B). Exhibit format may vary by region and jurisdiction.
Style Guide References (10)
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