OCG533, Fall 2001
Answers to Assignment 4, Hyphenation
Exercise C-4.
Improper hyphenation (with minor editorial changes).
Here are ten sentences from the scientific
literature that contain erroneous hyphenation. Find each error, state why it is
wrong, and fix it. Rewrite the sentences more generally as you feel led.
1. Original.
To this end, injecting a nontoxic stimulatory substrate downgradient of a BTX
plume might be a cost effective approach to enhance the growth and viability of
BTX degraders before the arrival of the plume.
Problem. Cost
effective should be hyphenated.
Revised.
To this end, injecting a nontoxic stimulatory substrate downgradient of a
BTX plume might be a cost-effective
approach to enhance the growth and viability of BTX degraders before the arrival
of the plume.
2. Original.
A qualitative assessment of microbial population shifts was conducted by spread
plating dilutions of aquifer material collected from the inlet of aquifer
columns at the end of the first experiment.
Problem.
Spread platings should be hyphenated.
Revised.
A qualitative assessment of microbial population shifts was conducted by spread-plating dilutions of aquifer material collected from the
inlet of aquifer columns at the end of the first experiment.
3. Original.
For pesticides, both covalent bonding and sorption appear to reduce pesticide
residue bioavailability.
Problem.
Pesticide residue should be
hyphenated.
Revised. For pesticides, both covalent bonding and sorption appear to
reduce pesticide-residue
bioavailability.
4. Original.
The crude cell extract suspension containing the polar product was cooled in an
ice bath to 0 ºC.
Problem.
Cell extract should be hyphenated.
Revised. The crude cell-extract
suspension containing the polar product was cooled in an ice bath to 0 ºC.
5. Original.
An alternate method for apportioning black carbon concentrations between
light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty diesel trucks was considered.
Problem.
Black carbon needs to be hyphenated.
Revised.
An alternate method for apportioning black-carbon
concentrations between light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty diesel trucks was
considered.
6. Original.
Driving conditions inside the tunnel were determined using an instrumented
vehicle equipped to log speed at 1 s intervals.
Problem.
1 s needs to be hyphenated.
Revised.
Driving conditions inside the tunnel were determined using an instrumented
vehicle equipped to log speed at 1-s
intervals.
7. Original.
In contrast, gasoline engine derived PAH emissions were found almost entirely in
the ultrafine mode.
Problem.
Gasoline engine derived needs to be hyphenated.
Revised.
In contrast, gasoline-engine-derived
PAH emissions were found almost entirely in the ultrafine mode. [Note: some
sources claim that gasoline engine-derived
is sufficient because gasoline engine
is such a well-known combination that the phrase will be immediately understood
to mean (gasoline engine)-derived.]
8. Original.
Measurements of vehicle exhaust in prior roadway tunnel experiments show that
PAH with molecular weights ³228
(e.g., benz(a)anthracene,
chrysene, and larger PAH) are entirely in the particle phase.
Problem.
Roadway tunnel needs to be hyphenated.
Revised.
Measurements of vehicle exhaust in prior roadway-tunnel
experiments show that PAH with molecular weights ³228
(e.g., benz(a)anthracene,
chrysene, and larger PAH) are entirely in the particle phase.
9. Original.
It can be concluded that no significant modification of the natural trace
element speciation occurred.
Problem.
Trace element needs to be hyphenated.
Revised.
It can be concluded that no significant modification of the natural trace-element
speciation occurred. [Note: some people feel that trace
element is a sufficiently common combination to remove the need for
hyphenating it when using it as an adjective.]
10. Original.
Experiments on horizontal but down-facing samples at heights of 2 and 6 m
indicated a flux at least an order of magnitude lower than on vertical samples.
Problem.
Order of magnitude needs to be
hyphenated.
Revised.
Experiments on horizontal but down-facing samples at heights of 2 and 6 m
indicated a flux at least an order-of-magnitude
lower than on vertical samples. [Note 1: same as for 7 and 9.] [Note 2: the
purist may wish to write horizontal-but-down-facing
samples.]