- Titles, headings, and placards. 

When you count words for sentence length, count each of these as one word:

1. Numbers

Examples in STE:

Do steps 13 thru 16 a minimum of three times. (10 words)

(“13” and “16” are numbers and each of them counts as one word.)

The spar box has twenty-one ribs. (6 words)
(“Twenty-one” is a number and counts as one word.)

2. Units of measurement

Usually, in technical texts, units of measurement follow the related number (for example, 10 mA). When you write an abbreviation or a symbol for a unit of measurement, count it and the number as one word. When you write units of measurement or their symbols in full, count them as one word.

Examples in STE:

Make sure that the temperature in the room is 10 °C. (10 words) 
Make sure that the temperature in the room is 10 degrees Celsius. (12 words) 
The unit weighs 20 kg. (4 words) 
The unit weighs 20 kilograms. (5 words) 
The resistance must be 10 Ω (5 words) 
The resistance must be 10 ohms. (6 words) 

3. Abbreviations

In technical texts, you can use abbreviations (also acronyms and initialisms) to make sentences shorter and easier to read. These abbreviations only help the reader, if the reader knows what they mean. Each abbreviation counts as one word.

Examples in STE:

We do a test of this system each day at 10 a.m. (12 words) 
(“a.m.” is an abbreviation and counts as one word.)

Make sure that the unit has the NATO code. (9 words)
(NATO is an abbreviation (acronym) and counts as one word.)

4. Alphanumeric identifiers

An alphanumeric identifier is a combination of letters and numbers that identifies something. Each alphanumeric identifier counts as one word.

Examples in STE:

Examine the No. 1 bearing installation. (5 words)
(“No. 1” is an alphanumeric identifier and counts as one word.)

Tag circuit breaker 36L7. (4 words)
(“36L7” is an alphanumeric identifier and counts as one word.)

5. Quoted text

Quoted text is usually given in quotation marks (“....”) Words between quotation marks count as one word in a sentence. Sometimes capital letters or differences in font can also show quoted text. Such text also counts as one word.

Examples in STE:

Touch the “Service Overview” arrow to select the function page. (9 words)
(“Service Overview” is quoted text and counts as one word.)

Release the SHORT-CIRCUIT TEST switch. (4 words)
(SHORT-CIRCUIT TEST is quoted text and counts as one word.)

6. Titles, headings, and placards

In some texts, there are words or groups of words that you cannot change. These are:

- Titles and headings 
- Placards (for example, a warning notice in a work area or public place.) 

Examples in STE:

Refer to Testing and Fault Isolation, page block 1001. (6 words)
(“Testing and Fault Isolation” is the title of a section and counts as one word.)

Refer to Requirements after Job Completion for the applicable procedures.(7 words)
(“Requirements after Job Completion” is a heading in a data module and counts as one word.)

This procedure is for the inspection of SSI No. 57-21-16, “Outer wing bottom skin lower surface spanwise skin joints at stringer 13 and stringer 20 between Rib 12 and Rib 27 excluding areas covered by flap track fairings 3, 4, and 5.”(9 words)

(The text given in quotation marks is not written in STE. It is the title of the Structurally Significant Item (SSI). It is not possible to change an SSI and it counts as one word. Thus, this sentence has a total of 9 words, in which also SSI No. 57-21-16 counts as one word.)

“Interior hazards exist to such a degree that interior operations may be conducted only after full examination, and with extreme caution.”(1 word)

(The text given in quotation marks is not written in STE. It comes from a placard and it is not possible to change it. It counts as one word.)