Web Writing: Numbers - spell out or not?

Subject: Web Writing: Numbers - spell out or not?
From: "Cook, Jenise" <jenise -dot- cook-crabbe -at- pacificlife -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 09:42:27 -0700

I'm debating with no one else at work on this but myself.

After reading and studying much on "writing for the Web," I'm looking at my
current project. One HTML page has various numerical references on it (e.g.,
"...payments are drafted three business days after ...." "Changes and
terminations must be sent to the home office within ten days of....").

I've decided, for those numbers under ten (10), to type the number and not
spell it out (e.g., "...payments are drafted 3 business days after ...."
"Changes and terminations must be sent to the home office within 10 days
of....").

Why? I believe the reader will better remember the number of days if s/he
actually sees the number and not "three" or "ten". It's my best shot at
usability on this issue.

Are there any studies, research, or focus group feedback surveys to back me
up? If I'm off base on this one, please let me know. You won't hurt my
feelings too much.

Thanks, everyone,

Jenise

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