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Two Dozen Most Common Errors in the Nemeth Code by Marcia
Leibowitz Mathematics
Advisor, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS);
The Library of Congress There are many errors
that are commonly made when transcribing in the Nemeth Code.
Some of these errors can actually make your transcription hard to read
and confusing for the reader. I hope
that by reviewing some of these rules, you will be able to work with better
understanding and improve the quality of the braille that you produce. 1.
You cannot divide a number that is segmented between
lines. Often, long numbers are
presented with spaces within them to facilitate reading.
Code Section 195a 2.
Abbreviations cannot be separated from the numbers
that they define. When writing about 6 in. or 14 mi., the numbers and
abbreviations must be on one line. Code
Section 195c. The Nemeth Needs Assessment Committee does recommend that even if
the unit of measure is spelled out, it would be less confusing to keep the unit
on one line. Be sure to space on
each side of the abbreviations except when separated by a slash such as
min/hr. Code Section 54 3.
When a blank space is left following a sign of
comparison, the General Omission Indicator must be used.
6+4 = Code Section 57 4.
Answer choices should be put on one line if they will
all fit across the line. If they
will not fit on one line, they must be listed one under the other.
They should never be separated between pages. In a bound textbook, the
question can be placed on the bottom of one page and all of the choices can be
moved to the next page. In
expendable materials such as worksheets and tests, the entire question must be
moved to the new page. 5.
The baseline indicator must be used following a
superscript or subscript if more text follows.
Often, other numbers follow in the equation or enclosure symbols are
used. The baseline indicator is not
needed before punctuation such as a period because punctuation brings you back
to baseline. 6.
When a single letter precedes or follows a sign of
comparison, the English letter indicator is not needed.
a = b Code Section 27f 7.
The English letter indicator must be used for single
letters within a sentence or for letter combinations that could stand for a
whole word. Angles ab, cd, td 8.
Contractions cannot be used in words that adjoin
mathematical symbols or are on either side of a comparison symbol.
min/sec rate x time
9.
A mixed number in the Nemeth Code is a number and
fraction that consist entirely of numerals.
This differs from the actual mathematical definition of a mixed number. 1 2/3 Mixed number 1 a/b
Not a mixed number 10.
The numeric indicator must be repeated following the
crosshatch, asterisk or ampersand. Unfortunately,
some symbols were omitted in the lesson manual and code book. 11. Equations must be divided according to code Section 195e.
You 12. When a single
letter on the baseline is followed by a subscript number the subscript indicator
is not used. If this were to occur
at the superscript or subscript level, the appropriate level indicators must be
used for each letter and number. H
subscript 0 does not need a subscript indicator. 2 super h super sub 0 when at
the superscript level. 2 sub h sub sub 0 when at the subscript level. 13. When a number
or letter at the superscript level has its own superscript, the super
superscript indicator must be used for the second portion. If this is followed
by a new number or letter on the superscript level, the superscript indicator
must be used to return the reader to that level. 14. The
contractions for and, of, for, the, with, by, in, and into cannot be used in
contact with opening or closing signs of grouping. Code Section 55. 15. The two cell
fraction line (456 34) must be used for abbreviations that are printed on the
same level such as min/hr. 16. The two cell
fraction line must also be used for fractions that are written on the same level
such as 3/4 Code Section 63. 17. Bound
textbooks have a few rules that differ from Worksheets, and Tests.
Worksheets and Tests are often timed and are considered expendable
material. Each new section must
start on a new page and questions cannot be separated from the answer choices. 18. Often shapes
are used as operation symbols. If a
polygon is used such as a square (ed 4) the general reference indicator (dot 5)
must be used before the new number. 19. When one
inclusion symbol follows the other such as |2+3||3+4|, the general reference
indicator (dot 5) must be placed between the first closing symbol and the second
opening symbol. 20. There are
differences between the Nemeth Code and the New Braille Formats Code.
Please see the first page of the new formats book.
It clearly states that if you are working in a higher code such as
Nemeth, you are to follow the rules of that code in preference to the new rules.
This affects certain things such as: Cell 5 headings followed by directions,
placement of directions, and paragraphing. In the Nemeth Code a blank line must be left before
directions even when following a cell 5 heading. Directions are written in cell
5 and and materials that must be carried to a new line should begin in cell 3.
In the Nemeth Code paragraphs always begin in cell 3 and continue in cell 1. 21. When text
contains a price list and the dollar sign is shown only on the first line, if it
is not aligned for computation, the dollar sign is not repeated but the numeric
indicator must be inserted. 22. Grouping
symbols and punctuation symbols are not in the same 24. The function
ln (LN in lower case letters) is often mistaken for the number 1 followed by the
letter n. Sometimes the letter l (L)
is used as an abbreviation for the word “length”. |