The Printing of Mathematics: Aids for Authors and Editors and Rules for Compositors and Readers at the University Press, Oxford

Although mechanical composition had become firmly established in printing-houses long before 1930, no significant attempt had been made before that time to develop the resources of the machine, or adapt the technique of the machine compositor, to the exacting demands of mathematical printing. In that year the first serious approach to the problem was made at the University Press in Oxford. The early experiments were made in collaboration with Professor G. H. Hardy and Professor R. H. Fowler, and the editors of the Quarterly Journal of Mathematics (for which these first essays were designed) and with the Monotype Corporation. Much adaptation and recutting of type faces was necessary before the new system could be brought into use. These joint preparations included the drafting of an entirely new code of ‘Rules for the Composition of Mathematics’ which has been reserved hitherto for the use of compositors at the Press and those authors and editors whose work was produced under the Press imprints. It is now felt that these rules should have a wider circulation since, in the twenty years which have intervened, they have acquired a greater significance. ...The original ‘Rules’, themselves amended by continuous trial and rich experience, are here preceded by two new chapters. The first chapter is a simple explanation of the technique of printing and is addressed to those authors who are curious to know how their writings are transformed to the orderliness of the printed page; the second chapter, begun as the offering of a mathematical author and editor to his fellow-workers in this field, culled from notes gathered over many years, has ended in closest collaboration with the reader who for as many years has reconciled the demands of author, editor, and printer; the third chapter is the aforesaid collection of ‘Rules’ and is intended for compositors, readers, authors, and editors. Appendixes follow on Handwriting, Types available, and Abbreviations. It is not expected that anyone will read this book from cover to cover, but it is hoped that both author and printer will find it an acceptable and ready work of reference. - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS I. THE MECHANICS OF MATHEMATICAL PRINTING II. RECOMMENDATIONS TO MATHEMATICAL AUTHORS 1. INTRODUCTION 2. FRACTIONS 3. SURDS 4. SUPERIORS AND INFERIORS 5. BRACKETS 6. EMBELLISHED CHARACTERS 7. DISPLAYED FORMULAE 8. NOTATION (MISCELLANEOUS) 9. HEADINGS AND NUMBERING 10. FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES 11. VARIETIES OF TYPE 12. PUNCTUATION 13. WORDING 14. PREPARING COPY 15. CORRECTIONS OF PROOFS 16. FINAL QUERIES AND OFFPRINTS III. RULES FOR THE COMPOSITION OF MATHEMATICS AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, OXFORD APPENDIXES: - A. LEGIBLE HANDWRITING - B. TYPE SPECIMENS AND LIST OF SPECIAL SORTS - C. ABBREVIATIONS - INDEX