Some Latex writing tips
  Michiel Hochstenbach, TU Eindhoven, 2016

NB: Several tips are taken from Nick Higham's
  Handbook of Writing for the Mathematical Sciences


General:
--------

 1- Use a spelling checker, such as the one available in WinEdt or Word.
 If possible, use more than one.

 2- Before and after e.g., always use a comma (= for instance).

 3- Before and after i.e., always use a comma (= that is).

 4- Instead of "in order to" just use "to".

 5- Always use comma's in a list such as in: A, B, C, and/or D.

 6- Check on double common words, such as "the the".

 7- Check on "a + vowel" which should be replaced by "an + vowel".
  For instance, "an integer", but also "an n x n matrix".
  NB: "a user" is correct.

 8- Avoid using the same word several times, particularly in the same paragraph.

 9- The last section should contain conclusions.
  It is good practice to include the main message of the paper in the abstract,
  the introduction, throughout the text, and in the conclusions.

10- Are the key words and AMS math codes complete?

11- Quotation marks: use `` and '' instead of "

12- In a revised version, please thank the referees.

13- Be careful using "novel" as this has the feeling of "shockingly new".


Math:
-----

14- SUPPORT ALL CLAIMS YOU MAKE, IN 1 OF 3 WAYS:
   * if the statement is more or less obvious, one can say something like:
       "it is easy to see that", "it follows that", "one can check that";
   * or give a reference to a paper or book (for books use a page number)
   * or give a proof.

15- Remove all equation numbers that are not referred to.

16- Be careful calling results "theorems", as this has a meaning of
"very important result". Use "proposition" or "lemma" instead.

17- Use $i$th instead of $i$-th etc.

18- Use m_{\max} instead of m_{max}; similarly for min, sin, cos, tan, etc.
  use m_{\rm{bla}} instead of m_{bla}.

19- Use \rm{diag}, \text{abs}, etc, instead of diag, abs, etc, in math mode.

20- Avoid the word "trivial"; use, e.g., "it is not difficult to see" or "it may be checked that".


Tables:
-------

21- Try a minimal number of lines, for instance at most 3 horizontal lines
(above and below the headers, and at the end of the table) and close to zero vertical lines.

22- Use "\hline \rule{0pt}{2.3ex}%" instead of just \hline to add more horizontal space under an \hline.
  Of course, the 2.3 may be adapted.

23- To get a column with layout such as
     n
    ---
      1
     12
    123
nicely outlined in the center (n), but numbers outlined right,
use \phantom{12}1 instead of the 1, and \phantom{1}12 instead of the 12.
\phantom means: pretend there is a "..." here, but don't show it.

24- Avoid using too many digits. for instance, displaying a value
of 1.2345 will usually not be interesting and relevant for readers.
Often, 2 to 3 digits is fine.


Figures:
-------

25- To save space, see if 2 figures can be put side by side.


Spaces:
-------

26- In names, to avoid large spaces, it is practical to write
  A.~B.~Name
instead of just
  A. B. Name
In the second case, latex thinks it is the end of a line.

27- Use "Smith~\cite{Smi12}" instead of "Smith \cite{Smi12}" to avoid the number
to be on the next line. Similar: "Theorem~\ref{...}".

28- Check that there are no errors or warnings in the compilation of the latex file,
including "overfull line" errors.


Language:
---------

29- If there are two names connected use '--' instead of '-', for instance
  Gram--Schmidt, Cauchy--Schwarz, Jacobi--Davidson.

30- Use either US or UK English.
  Example: don't use behaviour (UK) and summarized (US) in 1 document.

31- Avoid past tense as much as possible.


References:
-----------

32- Preferably only use initials for authors' names;
in any case do not use initials for some and full first names for others.

33- Book titles should have initial caps, for instance:
  Introduction to Numerical Analysis for Dummies.
  Paper titles should not have initial caps.

34- Check if all entries have a year, using a consistent notation.

35- Check if preprints in the literature list have appeared in the meantime,
especially when preparing a revision.

36- Use the standard abbreviations for journal names, and be consistent.

37- Order references alphabetically, and use only references that are used in the text.