{"id":2031,"date":"2014-01-23T15:43:28","date_gmt":"2014-01-23T15:43:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/scientific-writing-avoid-starting-sentences-with-a-number-or-abbreviation\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T09:24:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T03:54:41","slug":"scientific-writing-avoid-starting-sentences-with-a-number-or-abbreviation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/scientific-writing-avoid-starting-sentences-with-a-number-or-abbreviation","title":{"rendered":"Scientific writing: Avoid starting sentences with a number or abbreviation"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a matter of style, most journals advise authors not to start any sentence with an abbreviation or a number. However, acronyms are generally acceptable in that position, either because they are words in their own right (such as laser and radar) or represent names of organizations (such as NASA and CERN).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In the Results\u00a0section of a typical research paper, you may find it convenient to begin sentences with numbers, as in \u201c15% of the plants survived\u201d or \u201c48% of the patients recovered.\u201d In such cases, either spell out the numbers, as in \u201cFifteen per cent of the plants . . .\u201d or \u201cForty-eight per cent of the patients . . .\u201d or rephrase the sentences, as in \u201cOf the treated plants, 15% survived\u201d or \u201cNearly half (48%) the patients recovered.\u201d Incidentally, \u201cper cent\u201d (two words) is the more common form in the UK whereas most US publishers prefer \u201cpercent.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The same advice applies to abbreviations at the beginning of sentences: either spell out the abbreviation in full or rephrase. With scientific names, it is common to abbreviate the genus to its first letter after the first mention so long as only one genus is being represented (Aspergillus niger<\/em>\u00a0at first mention and\u00a0A. niger<\/em>\u00a0thereafter, for example). However, it is better to spell out the genus in full at the beginning of a sentence.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Related reading:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n