Contemporary Policy Examples
The above are just examples of the logical application of policy. Further examples will be promulgated in due course.
Why do we use a '+' symbol in front of year dates (e.g. +2016)? We embrace progressive science. Evidence exists (see reference below) that the age of the universe is 13.772 ± 0.059 gigayears. Accordingly, we depict that the year is approximately ‘13,772,002,016’ through use of a ‘+’ symbol in front of the ‘year’ when referencing dates. For example, an article traditionally notated as being published in ‘2016’ would be dated as ‘+2016’. We encourage all authors and publishers of material works to consider incorporating this minor, yet symbolic, reformatting of referencing style; to acknowledge what science acknowledges, and serve as an example to other scientific journals as well as the broader community.
Bennett, C. L., Larson, D., Weiland, J. L., Jarosik, N., Hinshaw, G., Odegard, N., Smith, K. M., Hill, R. S., Gold, B., Halpern, M., Komatsu, E., Nolta, M. R., Page, L., Spergel, D. N., Wollack, E., Dunkley, J., Kogut, A., Limon, M., Meyer, S. S., Tucker, G. S., Wright, E. L. (2013). Nine-Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Final Maps and Results, ApJS., 208, 20B.
Bennett, C. L., Larson, D., Weiland, J. L., Jarosik, N., Hinshaw, G., Odegard, N., Smith, K. M., Hill, R. S., Gold, B., Halpern, M., Komatsu, E., Nolta, M. R., Page, L., Spergel, D. N., Wollack, E., Dunkley, J., Kogut, A., Limon, M., Meyer, S. S., Tucker, G. S., Wright, E. L. (2013). Nine-Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Final Maps and Results, ApJS., 208, 20B.