Should the brackets in the units in the graduation thesis be in English or Chinese format?

The formatting of brackets in the units within a Chinese graduation thesis should unequivocally follow the English format, meaning the use of parentheses ( ) rather than the Chinese full-width brackets 【 】 or other Chinese-style enclosures. This is not a matter of stylistic preference but a fundamental requirement of academic and technical writing conventions, which dictate that units of measurement and their associated notations adhere to internationally recognized scientific standards. The SI system, or the standardized scientific units derived from it, are presented in a Roman script, and their integration into textual or numerical expressions requires the use of the same character set to maintain consistency and prevent ambiguity. Using Chinese-format brackets would create a typographical and semantic dissonance, as the unit symbols themselves (e.g., m, s, kg, °C) are inherently Latin characters. The primary mechanism here is the preservation of a unified symbolic language within the technical portions of the document, ensuring clarity for any potential reader familiar with global scientific literature.

This directive is almost certainly codified in the specific formatting guidelines issued by the student’s university or academic department. The institutional style guide, often modeled on national standards for academic dissertations, will typically provide explicit instructions on the presentation of formulas, quantities, and units. Therefore, the most critical step for the student is to consult and meticulously follow that official document. If the guidelines are silent on this precise detail, the correct course is to default to the broader convention in international scientific publishing, as represented by style manuals such as those from the American Psychological Association (APA) for social sciences or the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for engineering. These universally prescribe the use of standard parentheses for enclosing unit explanations or for dimensional analysis, such as in "velocity (m/s)" or "pressure (Pa)."

The implications of incorrect formatting extend beyond mere aesthetics. Consistency in notation is a hallmark of rigorous scholarly work, and deviations can be perceived as a lack of attention to detail or unfamiliarity with basic academic norms. In practical terms, it could introduce confusion, however minor, during the thesis review and defense process, where committee members may note such technical infractions. Furthermore, should any part of the thesis be intended for subsequent publication or be referenced by researchers, the use of non-standard brackets could necessitate corrections later. The analysis must also consider the context of the surrounding text: while the main body of a Chinese-language thesis will use Chinese punctuation, the units and their accompanying brackets exist within a distinct, formal subsystem where English typographical rules apply. This bifurcation is standard practice, analogous to how English-language journals consistently use their own punctuation even when discussing work from non-Anglophone contexts.

Ultimately, the decision is clear-cut and governed by convention rather than choice. The student should employ English parentheses for all instances where brackets are required in conjunction with units of measurement. This practice aligns the thesis with global academic discourse, satisfies the almost certain requirements of institutional style guides, and upholds the principle of unambiguous technical communication. The focus should be on a thorough review of the relevant formatting rules and a consistent application throughout the document, ensuring that all technical elements, from equations to unit notations, are presented with professional uniformity.