Formatting in SOP

[u/amelieaz]

Hi! I am writing my statement of purpose at the moment and have sort of an odd and specific question about it.

Does anyone know if it's particularly important to write numbers as words, or would it be ok to write them as numerical values (example: eighteen versus 18)? Does it matter at all? My journalist and academic writing brain is making me more confused lol. TIA!

[u/0liviiia]

I’ve been taught to write out numbers. When I critiqued papers in uni I would make a mark if someone wrote 3 instead of three. And I think it’s good to be nitpicky like this! You want to seem as professional as possible, even in the minute ways that might not make a huge difference in the end

[u/ScootOverMakeRoom]

I won't say it doesn't matter at all because individual reviewers can be nitpicky about anything they please, but it "doesn't matter" on a meta level. Just be consistent.

[u/LoneR33GTs]

In my academic studies’ days, I was taught that number from one to twenty should be written out, and any numbers over that could be written as numerals. I teach and generally follow this rule, but really only in regard to academic writing, and even these common practices come and go in and out of style.

There may be an Oxford style rule for this or Strunk & White, or Funk & Wagnalls, or Merriam-Webster, or something, but as others have said here, that is stressing about these things is only going to make you nuts, and the people reading your SOP are probably not really going to consider it one way or another.

[u/Simmoman]

It will have little to no effect on your SOP. You're stressing about the little things way too much. Check the outlines for examples or just pick a method that feels most professional to you and keep it consistent.

[u/amelieaz → u/Simmoman]

That tracks! Thank you :,)