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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/14593
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/14593
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Let's see, in order:

> It discourages using contractions, even though they make writing more concise.

I'll confess never understood this one. I do use contractions in formal writing. They're invisible.

> It discourages using number digits under 11 in favor of writing letters out, even thought using digits makes writing more concise.

This is a style issue. In AP style, for example, numbers under 10 are written out, because single digits can so easily be mistyped, but 10 and above are written out (except at the beginning of a sentence). Mostly for consistency.

> > It discourages using special characters such as ~, @, %, &, even though using them is more concise than writing out the corresponding words.

Generally speaking, symbols take a half-second to translate from visual to verbal. It may _look_ more concise, but you're actually making your text _longer_ to the internal ear of the reader.

- The percentage symbol has a single specific meaning, and should only be used when discussing percentages. ("We found 17% salts.") Just because this symbol exists doesn't mean you'd ever use it in the middle of a paragraph of copy. ("The % of salt in the solution rose.") That really takes my brain another flicker of time to render.
- The ampersand should be restricted to proper names ("Johnson & Johnson") where it's become part of the visual unit, for the same reason. ("We added the base & then waited for the reaction.")

- The atmark is now used almost exclusively for the Internet, and would severely distract or confuse most readers if it was used outside that context. ("We found that @ those levels, salts were not discernible.")

- I'm not even sure what ~ is meant to mean — approximately? — so there's another argument against the symbol: it doesn't matter if it's concise if it's not clear.

> It forbids the use of emoticons, even though they make writing more clear by showing the tone of voice and feelings of the writer.

Formal writing shouldn't have excessive emotions anyway, but if you as a writer are incapable of expressing your tone and feelings without little pictograms, then the problem is that you need to work on your vocabulary and your descriptive skills.

Original score: 6