EXCEmlONS TO THE GPO SNLE MANUAL 

A UTHORS OF SURVEY reports should comply 

explicitly with the rules and directions of the 

U.S. GPO Style Manual except for a few deviations 

that better fill the Survey's particular needs. Some 

exceptions of greater concern to editors than to 

authors are not given here. The exceptions below are 

keyed to chapters and paragraph or page numbers 

of the U.S. GPO Style Manual (1984). 

Chapter 5. Spelling 

5.2. Gauge: The traditional Survey spelling is 

"gage," not "gauge." 

Chapter 6. Compound Words 

6.11. Words ending in "-field," or "-bedM: 

The terms "coal field," "coal bed," "oil field," 

and the like are to be shown as two words. 

"Saw teeth" is written as two words in 

Survey reports. "Caprock" is written as one 

word; SO is "wallrock." 

6.51. X-ray: Use capital "X" followed by a hyphen. 

Chapter 7. Guide to Compounding 

Compounding geologic terms: Use the third edition 

of the American Geological Institute's "Glossary of 

Geology" (Bates and Jackson, 1987) as a guide for 

compounding geologic terms. 

Chapter 8. Punctuation 

8.51. In Survey reports a comma is put between 

superior figures or letters in footnote 

references: 

Numerous instances may be cited.lv2 

Data are based on October produ~tion.~~~ 

Chapter 9. Abbreviations 

9.7. "Abbreviations and initials of a personal name 

with points [periods] are set without spaces. 

However, abbreviations composed of contractions and initials or numbers will retain 

space." The Survey generally will follow the 

GPO Style Manual, but particular design requirements such as large displays and titles 

may require deviation. 

9.13. The Postal Service style of two-letter State 

and Province abbreviations will be used only 

in postal addresses. The standard abbreviations of States and Provinces will be used in 

texts. These abbreviations are listed in the 

section on "Abbreviations, Signs, and 

Symbols" @. 105). 

9.38. For parts of publications mentioned in parentheses, brackets, footnotes, sidenotes, list of 

references, synonymies, tables, and leaderwork, and followed by figures, letters, or 

Roman numerals, the following abbreviations 

are used: 

no., nos. (number, numbers). Lowercase "n" 

is used in Survey reports except in column 

heads. 

9.51. "The words 'latitude' and 'longitude,' followed 

by figures, are abbreviated in parentheses, 

brackets, footnotes, sidenotes, tables, and 

leaderwork, and the figures are always closed 

up." No periods are used after "lat" and 

"long" in illustrations, tables, or text. 

9.53. Temperature is expressed in figures. Following the practice of the American Society for 

Testing and Materials "Standard for Metric 

Practice," STA recommends no space before 

or after the degree sign (lOO°C, 212°F). 

Exceptions to the GPO Style Manual 
Chapter 13. Tabular Work 

13.3. "Tables shall be set without down (vertical) 

rules when there is at least an em space 

between columns, except where: (1) In the 

judgment of the Government Printing Office 

down rules are required for clarity; (2) the 

agency has indicated on the copy they are to 

be used." The Survey will use vertical down 

rules where clarity demands them, especially 

between vertical headings. 

13.36. Where column consists of single decimal, the 

Survey will not add ciphers to the right of 

decimal numerals without the author's 

approval. 

13.46. The abbreviation "Do." for ditto: The Survey 

prefers not to use "Do." If "Do." must be 

used, follow the rules of the Style Manual and 

define the abbreviation in a headnote. Use 

"Do." in first and last columns; "do." 

elsewhere. 

Physiographic Terms (p. 227, 228) 

The terms "province" and "section" used with other 

proper terms are parts of names for specific physiographic entities and are therefore capitalized (Robert 

C. McArtor, Chairman, GPO Style Board, oral 

commun., 1990). 

U.S. GPO Style Manual (1973). 13.58-13.68. 

Date Columns 

The 1984 GPO Style Manual has no rules on date 

columns. Follow the 1973 Style Manual for guidance. 

13.88. "If the footnotes to both table and text fall 

together at the bottom of a page, the footnotes to the table are placed above the footnotes to the text, and the two groups are 

separated by a 50-point rule flush left; if there 

are footnotes to the text and none to the 

table, the 50-point rule is still used (50 points 

equals about 0.7 inch)." 

Follow the GPO Style Manual. It is better, 

however, to design the page with tables or illustrations at the top, above the text, to avoid 

confusion between text and table footnotes. 

Do not bury text footnotes above a table or 

any place inside a page. Readers naturally 

look to the foot of the page to find footnotes. 

13.97. "All fractions are set flush right to the bearoff." The Survey aligns number columns on 

the unit or the decimal. Do not set fractions 

or mixed decimal fractions flush right. 

Exceptions to the GPO Style Manual 271