air conditioning
"Air conditioning" is two words when used as a noun and hyphenated when used as an adjective.
The efficiency of the air-conditioning system can be improved.
assure, ensure, and insure
"Assure" means to make sure or give confidence. "Ensure" means to guarantee. "Insure" means to provide or obtain insurance.
Ensure the lid is fitted properly before starting the experiment.
The laboratory must insure the new equipment before it can be used.
baseload
"Baseload" is one word when used as a noun or adjective.
Subject: Technology-Related Termsblack start
When used as a noun, “black start” is two words. Hyphenate “black-start” when it is used as a modifier. Avoid using as a verb if possible.
This building has black-start capabilities.
compose and comprise
"Composed of" is correct; "comprised of" is incorrect. See the examples below.
The parts constitute the whole.
The whole comprises its parts.
concentrating solar power
Concentrating solar power (CSP) captures the sun’s heat and uses the thermal energy to produce electricity (e.g., via a steam turbine).Subject: Technology-Related Terms
ellipses
When you want to leave out part of text material you are quoting, use ellipsis marks (three dots with a space on each side) to indicate the omission.
If the words before the ellipses form a grammatically correct sentence, put a period at the end of the sentence and follow it by ellipses. In most cases, however, you don't have to use ellipses at the beginning or end of quotes, just within them. When you add a word or words to the quote, to make it clear, enclose the added word or words in brackets to show that it is not part of the original quotation.
When you quote whole paragraphs but omit text between any two of them, center three asterisks, with spaces between them (* * *), between the paragraphs quoted. See also quotation marks.
Subject: Punctuationenergy efficient
Hyphenate “energy efficient” only when used as a modifier:
The window replacement helped her home become more energy efficient.
geofluid
Subject: Technology-Related Termshigh-performance computing
“High-performance computing” should be hyphenated. The abbreviation HPC can be used to refer to high-performance computing but should not be used to mean high-performance computer. However, the term "supercomputer" may be used in place of high-performance computer.
Subjects: Punctuation, Technology-Related TermsInc. and LLC
Official company names can use the abbreviation “Inc.” or the initialism “LLC” without first defining these terms. Do not use commas around either term.
Apple Inc.
inclusive language
The way we communicate reflects our priorities as a laboratory; using inclusive language is respectful and promotes equity. Following are brief discussions of common topics related to inclusivity—please use this as a starting point as you examine the words that you use and their impact.
Race
The race and ethnicity entry covers capitalization, hyphenation, and word choice. Beyond that, be mindful of terms and phrases with racist histories—these can be prevalent in both scientific writing and everyday language.
"master/slave” (replace with “parent/child” or “primary/secondary”)
“whitelisting/blacklisting,” (replace with “allow list/deny list” or similar)
“brown bag” (replace with “lunch and learn”)
Disability
All written, audio, and visual products at NREL must comply with Section 508, which allows assistive technology (e.g., a screen reader) to relay information to a person. Visit the 508 compliance entry to learn more about captions, alt text, and clear navigation of PDFs, webpages, and more.
Also, take care to avoid using unintentionally ableist language. Examples like “blind to,” “fall on deaf ears,” “crippled by,” and so on imply that people with these disabilities are ignorant or helpless. Instead, reword your sentences to be specific and clear with what you are trying to convey.
Gender
Whenever possible, use words that apply to any gender, such as “moderator” rather than “chairman” or “manufactured” rather than “man-made.” In addition, honor the pronouns that a person has chosen to describe themself. Note that the nongendered “they” is appropriate in reference to a single person or a group of people; further, “they” is preferred over “he/she,” which often feels cumbersome in text and is less comprehensive.
The AP Stylebook has entries on inclusive storytelling and gender-neutral language.
Sexuality, Age, Religion, and Socioeconomic Status
Be mindful in your writing to not assume victimhood or inadvertently apply stereotypes. For example, rather than “poverty-stricken,” use “low-income.” Instead of “elderly,” use “older adults.” Avoid “the” descriptors (e.g., “the homeless,” “the poor”) because they are usually dehumanizing. Also, when considering identity-based descriptors such as sexuality, age, or religion, consider whether the descriptor is appropriate to include. If it is not relevant to the story, there are often more neutral ways of describing a person or group.
Inclusiveness Check
Microsoft Word offers an inclusiveness check as part of its proofing options. However, similar to how spell-checkers do not replace review by an editor, this inclusiveness check does not replace common sense regarding eliminating biases and promoting respect. To turn on this inclusiveness check, go to File > Options > Proofing, click on the “Settings” button next to “Writing Style,” and check all the boxes under the “Inclusiveness” heading.
Other Resources
There are many resources available about inclusive language and promoting diversity and equity in your writing. Following are a few that may be helpful:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2022. “Preferred Terms for Select Population Groups & Communities.” https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Preferred_Terms.html.
Ferguson, Jackie, Kaela Kovach-Galton, and Roxanne Bellamy. 2020. Say This, Not That: Activating Workplace Diversity Through Inclusive Language Practice. The Diversity Movement. https://thediversitymovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/WW-SayThis-whitepaper_201116-F.pdf.
Google. 2021. “Striving for a more inclusive workplace? Start by examining your language.” https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-ssa/future-of-marketing/management-and-culture/diversity-and-inclusion/diverse-workplace-inclusive-language/.
Inclusive Naming Initiative. 2023. “Frequently Asked Questions.” https://inclusivenaming.org/faqs/.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. 2022. Pronouns Matter Everyday. LLNL-BR-831843. https://www.llnl.gov/sites/www/files/2022-03/Pronouns_Matter_%2020220308.pdf.
Linguistic Society of America. 2016. “Guidelines for Inclusive Language.” https://www.linguisticsociety.org/resource/guidelines-inclusive-language.
Questions can be directed to the Editorial Board or the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
it's and its
Even though "it's" has an apostrophe, it isn't a possessive pronoun. "It's" is a contraction, a short form of two words, like "isn't." "It's" always means "it is." "Its" is the possessive form of "it." Like "his," "hers," and "ours," the possessive "its" never needs an apostrophe.
logos
Please visit the NREL Brand Lab for guidance on the proper use of the NREL logo, a library of downloadable logo files, and guidance on NREL branding.periods
Periods are used in some abbreviations (e.g., i.e., a.m., p.m.) and not in others (ac, dc, rpm). Most acronyms do not have periods. When you end a sentence with "etc." (although this is seldom necessary) or another abbreviation that includes a period, do not add another one.
(Better: This paper describes the program's purpose, objectives, and schedule of deliverables.)
photovoltaics and photovoltaic
"Photovoltaics" is a singular noun. "Photovoltaic" is an adjective. The acronym PV can be a noun or an adjective, but do not pluralize it.
Subject: Technology-Related Termsprefixes
See hyphens, compound words, and unit modifiers and scientific notation.
Subject: Grammar and Usagepressure
Use the standard SI unit for pressure or stress, which is the pascal (Pa) or the bar. Non-SI units include psi (pounds per square inch), millimeters of mercury, torr, and atmospheres, and they are still in relatively widespread use.
Subject: Data and Measurementscientific notation
Standard scientific notation represents a number as a factor multiplied by a power of 10; 3,560,000 is expressed as 3.56 × 106. This is useful for very large and very small numbers, especially in non-SI units. You can also use certain standard prefixes, many of which are listed here with their abbreviations.
|
1024 |
yotta |
Y |
|---|---|---|
|
1021 |
zetta |
Z |
|
1018 |
exa |
E |
|
1015 |
peta |
P |
|
1012 |
tera |
T |
|
109 |
giga |
G |
|
106 |
mega |
M |
|
103 |
kilo |
k |
|
102 |
hecto |
h |
|
101 |
deka |
da |
|
10-1 |
deci |
d |
|
10-2 |
centi |
c |
|
10-3 |
milli |
m |
|
10-6 |
micro |
µ |
|
10-9 |
nano |
n |
|
10-12 |
pico |
p |
|
10-15 |
femto |
f |
|
10-18 |
atto |
a |
|
10-21 |
zepto |
z |
|
10-24 |
yocto |
y |
We recommend choosing a prefix that permits the numerical value to fall between 0.1 and 1,000 (62 kW rather than 62,000 W).
Subject: Data and Measurementsolar cell interfaces
Use a slash rather than a hyphen to designate solar cell interfaces or layers.
GaInP/GaAs2
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Last Updated Dec. 9, 2024