英文论文里的数字是写英文单词还是阿拉伯数字？一般可遵循以下原则：

Numbers one to nine without units should be presented as words; numbers 10 and over without units should be presented as numerals; and all numbers with units should be presented as numerals.

简而言之，如果是10以上的数字，一般写阿拉伯数字；如果是10以内的个位数，就看数字后面有没有带单位，如果不带单位则写英文单词，如果带单位则写阿拉伯数字。

这里说的数字特指整数，如果是小数那自然就写阿拉伯数字了。

上面说的“单位”有哪些呢？一般mmol/L、mL、mg、week、day、hour这些都是，但是person、case、dog、cat这些不算。

另外，还有几个特殊情况需要注意。

1. 如果10以下的数字和10以上的数字写在一起，为了统一也都用阿拉伯数字，比如：

The postsurgical stage was classified as IA in 16 patients, IB in 1 patient, IIA in 3 patients, IIB in 1 patient, and IIIA in 5 patients.

很多期刊对此都有类似说明：

2. 如果数字在句首，一般不写阿拉伯数字，当然，写阿拉伯数字并不算错，只是不太规范。

这种情况下，可以写英文单词，比如：

Thirty-seven patients were assigned to the treatment group.

也可以改写句子，不让数字在句首，比如:

在数字前面加点词：A total of 1896 patients were included in this retrospective study.

或者变换句式：This retrospective study included 1896 patients.

不过有几种特殊情况需要注意。

1）如果在句首的数字带小数点，不要写英文单词，毕竟这种情况下写出英文单词太冗长了，可以改写句子，尽量让带小数点的数字在句中，比如：

31.5% of all patients suffered from nausea or vomiting during the chemotherapy.

可以改写成：

Precisely 31.5% of all patients suffered from nausea or vomiting during the chemotherapy.

或

Nausea or vomiting was observed in 31.5% of all patients during the chemotherapy.

2) 如果句首的数字带有单位，一般也不要写英文单词，可以改写句子，比如：

5 mL of formalin was added to each tube.

可以改成：

Formalin (5 mL) was added to each tube.

当然，如果单位是全称，比如day、week这样的，写英文单词也可以，比如：

Four to five days of treatment is sufficient for meningococcal meningitis.

3) 如果句首的数字是年份，也可以直接写阿拉伯数字，比如：

2011 is a milestone for economic development of this country.

如果想要更加规范的话，可以加上The year:

The year 2011 is a milestone for economic development of this country.

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