When writing a citation, how should physical descriptors be handled?

The correct approach to handling physical descriptors in a citation is to round them to the nearest round number. This method ensures clarity and simplicity, making the information easily interpretable for anyone reading the citation. Using rounded numbers helps avoid confusion that might arise from overly precise measurements, which can be cumbersome and unnecessary in many contexts.

For example, if the height of a vehicle or the distance from a reference point is given as 10.7 feet, rounding it to 11 feet makes it easier for law enforcement and other officials to quickly grasp the relevant details without getting bogged down in minutiae. This practice enhances the overall readability and usability of the citation.

In contrast, leaving physical descriptors as decimals can lead to misinterpretation or complicate the understanding of the citation. Expressing dimensions in feet is indeed important, as it standardizes the unit of measurement, but rounding enhances this standardization by providing a clear, concise figure. Describing details in a more narrative form could lead to ambiguity and is not usually the preferred method for factual representations in citations.