Presentation of Scientific Data

WORKERS in certain branches of science have to carry in their heads many numerical results and constants, and to read and abstract a vast literature. This becomes even more arduous for those on the borderline between the exact and the descriptive sciences. The difficulties are greatly increased by the less rigorous presentation of borderline results, and by the less stringent editing of journals dealing with a variety of subjects. In chemistry and in physics the symbols and quantities are standardized, but in the applications little regard may be paid to recognized usages. A report drawn up by the Chemical, Faraday and Physical Societies in 1937 listed symbols for thermo-dynamical and physico-chemical quantities. These were accepted by the Royal Society in 1939. There are, however, many quantities not included in the list. For these, reference to the International Critical Tables or to the Smithsonian Tables is helpful. One major difficulty arises from the fact that the Greek letters and diverse founts of type are lacking on ordinary typewriting machines.