Proper Punctuation for Lat/Long.

To me the latitude and longitude words are not needed. North implies latitude and West implies longitude. I usually use just the letter, i.e. N and W, capitalized.

I prefer the middle example.

It depends on your audience whether to include the words latitude and longitude. For surveyors, probably not needed. For the general public it adds clarity.

:good:

> This has me stumped. When in the middle of a sentence I spell out the latitude and longitude position, what should be capitalized if anything? I feel the "North" and "West" words need to be capitalized, but not the latitude and longitude words. Having both not capitalized looks weird. Suggestions?

(Lat. 40°15'30" N; Long. 98°15'30" W). If you've stated that the point is somewhere in North America, then the hemispheres in which the latitudes and longitude values fall is given.

I think the datum should be noted, for example:

(WGS84 38°36'53"N, 104°14'12"W)

It's verbiage in a new book I am writing where the audience (mostly non-surveyors) would benefit by having the latitude and longitude words. Of course none of us here need those words, but I like to spell things out for those unfamiliar.

It depends on the audience. For my monthly column in Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, I use upper case/lower case symbols of phi and lambda depending on whether it is an astronomic position or a geodetic position. What is the surveying/geodetic educational background of your intended audience?

What's proper? Whatever is understandable.

Capitalize directions or not

Per Caltrans...

I've been using North Latitude of xx° and West Longitude of xx°, or abbreviate as N Lat xx° and W Long xx°.

I have no idea if it's correct to any standard, I just prefer the way it reads.

Chicago Manual of Style

This is the generally accepted standard, there is a section on directions and geographic coordinates, but I do not have an account. If your writing a book, could be worth buying a subscription.

Interestingly, when listing numbers such as coordinates or latitude and longitude, people seem to make fewer mistakes in reading if the plus "+" or minus "-" signs prefix instead of post fix the value. The same appears to be so with latitude and longitude. To reduce reading errors, prefix "N" or "S" for latitudes and "E" or "W" for longitudes.

Studies indicate people usually remember the first item in a list better than those in the middle of a list. Too, the last item is usually remembered better than the middle but, not remembered as often as the first.

When people give directions, it is usually stated "go straight a quarter mile then turn left and go about 70 yards." One can discern the pattern of thought in that the general, but important, information precedes the details.

Has anyone else observed this phenomena?

In regards punctuation, the thread issue, I think that if abbreviations and symbols are used, it is easier to read if the pattern is consistent. Thus, I would write "N" or "E" if using the degree, minute and second symbols (Lat N48°17'32", Lon W87°28'07"). However, if spelling it out I'd use similar to: Latitude North 48 degrees 17 minutes 32 seconds, Longitude West 87 degrees 28 minutes 07 seconds. My preference is to capitalize, but not all capitals, Latitude, Longitude, North, South, East and West. Referring to studies again, people make fewer mistakes if both upper and lower case letters are used. People recognize and associate patterns before they recognize individual symbols and characters. Lawyers use this "trick" when they write documents in all uppercase. They know it makes it much more difficult for the reader to interpret the meaning of their document.

The Caltrans example, based upon personal experience working for the organization, is amusing because it probably is the reflection of one particular individual's opinion and the fact that he or she has the job of authoring the document.

> The Caltrans example, based upon personal experience working for the organization, is amusing because it probably is the reflection of one particular individual's opinion and the fact that he or she has the job of authoring the document.

"It depends on your audience whether to include the words latitude and longitude. For surveyors, probably not needed. For the general public it adds clarity."

Well put, Bill. I think I lean towards #3, because, as you state, the public can be a little fuzzy on our terminology. I was also told by an old hub pounder to spell out Degrees, Minutes and Seconds as you can get some odd results .....

"SO my property line runs 22 Degrees, 30 feet and 22 inches .... what's that mean?" Really, I've run into it!!

-JD-

> The Caltrans example, based upon personal experience working for the organization....

Is that something you ever recover from, or is it a life long condition?

I think I like your logic in how to describe the latitudes and longitudes. It goes with the logical methodology to state the "largest" and drill-down to the detail. Lat. (N/S position) N (which direction from 0) then the specific distance north value. Same with long. I think that the Lat/Long. should also be capitalized followed by lower-case. I agree that all-caps is a bit disconcerting.

Yes, I always write my legal descriptions like you say. With a preamble to get to the general area, then the description, and for one course, first...which direction to go (bearing), then how far to go (dist.). If I were walking there, I would want my directions to point me in the right direction, give me a distance, then state what landmark I am going to.

:good: :good:

ESPECIALLY is it is contained in a boundary description!

IF it's for non-surveyor types, you could probably spend an entire chapter describing the whole system. Tell about positive vs. negative values and you could completely eliminate the whole N/W thing.
It took me a long time to finally get it right which is which. Then I remembered some basic biology about fish. The "lateral line" on a fish runs horizontal as does the latitudes of a sphere (oblate or otherwise).
Another thing I thought of was that (assuming a smooth Earth surface) all longitudinal lines are equal in length (i.e. "equal in the longs").

As for punctuating either lat or lon I would not capitalize either.

As to capitalizing N,E,S or W look about halfway down from this. It didn't make much sense (not since)to me.

so are they actually supposed to misspell EXHIBIT?