LaTeX writing tips

Layout and Typesetting

See also: English writing tips

• Maintain the relation 1 paragraph = 1 thought across the document.
• English requires longer space after the dots terminating a sentence (see \@); French does not (see \frenchspacing}.
• Add footnote after the word or sentence they refer to (i.e. after the comma or periodrelated to a sentence after the terminating dot.
• Avoid ligatures crossing morpheme boundary in a composite word, like shelfful ([1])
• Use ` and ' or `` and as quotation marks in English (or << and >> in French)
• Use the correct dash for each use (X-rated, page 13--67, yes---or no?, $-1$)
• Use \dots{} instead of \dots to add a space after the dots:

This is the end\dots Bye!        # Bad
This is the end\dots{} Bye!      # Good

• Use the correct semantic \dotsx command, depending on context:

We have the series $A_1,A_2,\dotsc$,                  % for comma list
the sum $A_1+A_2+\dotsb$,                             % for binary op
the orthogonal product $A_1A_2\dotsm$,                % for multiplication dots
the infinite integral $$\int_{A_1}\int_{A_2}\dotsi$$. % for dots with integrals

• Use roman style for 'd' in the differential:

\newcommand{\ud}{\,\mathrm{d}}
\begin{equation*}
\int_a^b f(x)\ud x
\end{equation*}

• Use \textsubscript{} or \textsuperscript{} for subscripts our superscripts outside math (like CO₂ or 4^th). The preferred option for ordinals in mathematics texts (or even english) seems to use $n$th or $n$-th (like nth or n-th) [2], [3], [4]. Yet another option is $n^{\text{th}}$ (with amsmath package). Finally, there is the package nth that can render ordinal with \nth{4} but it only works with numbers.

The $4$th, or the $4$-th, or the $4^{\text{th}}$ or the $4^{\text{\tiny{th}}}$ or the $4$\textsuperscript{th} or \nth{4}?

• Cut long line by adding a % at the cut to avoid LaTeX adding unwanted space where the cut occurs:

  \State $u \gets (v_i - x)\cdot C_i \bmod \rsamod_i$, $x \gets x + u \cdot% This comment will prevent LaTex adding space
    \prod_{j=1}^{i-1}\rsamod_j$

• When using cleveref, use \Cref{} instead of \cref{} at the beginning of a sentence to enforce capitalization.
• Interword spaces [5] — “TeX assumes a period ends a sentence unless it follows an uppercase letter.” (Lamport p. 14). So, put a \ in a sentence like Smith et al.\ say that .... And, if an uppercase letter ends a sentence, do a \@ before the period: In the class, I gave Bob a C\@..
• The small package xspace (by David Carlisle) defines the \xspace command, for use at the end of macros that produce text. It adds a space unless the macro is followed by certain punctuation characters..

\newcommand\eg{e.g.\@\xspace}
\newcommand\ie{i.e.\@\xspace}
\newcommand\etc{etc.\xspace}

• Units [6] — Use a non-breaking space between quantity and unit: 10~m. Or use package siunitx package (\SI{10}{m})
• Use unbreakable space in compound names (like Van~Allen)

Conventions and Examples

__MATHJAX_DOLLAR__

usual conventions

• $\ln x$ is the natural logarithm of $x$; that is, the logarithm of $x$ to the base $e$.
• $\lg x$ is the logarithm of $x$ to the base $2$.

bitsize

• A $n$-bit integer $N$ ... we know the high order $(1/4+c)(log_2 N)$ bits of P ... $\lceil log_2 N \rceil$-bit integer

integers

• The set of integers $\Z = \{\dotsc,-2,-1,0,1,2,\dotsc\}$ (source ).
• The set of non-negative integers is $\Z_{\ge 0} = \{0,1,2,\dotsc\}$ (or $\Z_+$) (source )
• The set of strictly positive integers is $\Z_{> 0} = \{1,2,\dotsc\}$ (or $\Z_+^*$) (source )
• A finite set of integers is denoted $\{1,2,\dotsc,n\}$ (source )
  • Alternatively one can use $\N_{n}^*$ or $\Z \left({n}\right)$ (source )
• The set of integers modulo n is $\Z_n=\{0,1,2,\dotsc,n-1\}$ (source )
• The multiplicative group of $\Z_n$ is $\Z_n^* = \{a \in \Z_n | \gcd(a,n) = 1\}$ (source )
  • Also known as the set of coprime integers to $n$, denoted as $\Z'_n = \{ k \in \Z_n : a \perp n\}$ (source )
• The set of integer multiples $n \Z$ (source )

tuples

• a 2-tuple is an ordered pair (aka. couple in french, not be confused with pair where element order does not matter) (source ).
• a 3-tuple is a triplet (source ).

Graphs (tree...)

• Height of a node = distance to root node; height of the tree = maximum height.
• degree of a node = number of children of a node; node with degree 0 = leaf node; node with no parent = root node.

Matrices

• Vector or matrix transpose: Use ^\top $\mathbf M^\top$ (alt. ^\mathsf{T} $\mathbf M^\mathsf{T}$, or ^\intercal $\mathbf M^\\intercal$) [7]
• Vector or matrix conjugate: Use ^* $\mathbf A^*$