March 1995
We maintain a consistent style for notation, spelling, and hyphenation within the journals of Physical Review. Authors are encouraged to consult recent issues of the journal to determine style. Minor changes may be made in both conventional manuscripts and in compuscripts during the production process in order to maintain a consistent style. Authors are responsible for checking proofs for accuracy.
Spelling
Please note that spelling in Physical Review conforms to American English, not British English, conventions. For example Physical Review prints “behavior,” not “behaviour.” Spelling follows Webster’s International Dictionary, and for words listed with more than one spelling, Physical Review generally uses the first spelling.
Hyphens and Dashes
Modifiers composed of two or more words may be hyphenated to avoid confusion or ambiguity. For example, the hyphen in “single-mode cavity” assures the reader that a single mode, not a single cavity, is the intended meaning. Hyphens may be inserted in a phrase used adjectivally, but they should be omitted if the phrase is not used adjectivally:
| x-axis components | on the x axis |
| excited-state wave function | in the excited state |
| R-matrix theory | the R matrix is . . . |
A hyphen is generally printed between abbreviations for elements to denote that a molecular formula is not intended:
| Cu-Be |
| He-Ne laser |
If bonds between elements are being discussed, the bond dash may be printed:
| H — O — H |
An en dash is printed instead of a hyphen between phrases or between words that contain spaces or are themselves hyphenated:
| smectic-A – smectic-C transition |
| Landau – de Gennes theory |
| 6p2 P1/2 – 6s 2 S1/2 |