In the past, if exercise problem numbers or their answer choices were enclosed in a circle or a box we would enclose the number/letter in parentheses. I could not find a reference to this or an example in the new Guidelines. (Example 19 in the old Braille Formats) Should this formatting still be followed, or is it considered unnecessary?
I don’t think the old Formats mentioned circled item numbers either. The only reference to that seems to be in that example. With the lack of a specific rule or even a comment, my own judgment is that’s the way someone thought it should be done. What is the purpose of these shapes? Do they add to the meaning or are they simply a visual or decorative device to draw visual attention to the number of the item? Note that in several places in tne Formats, there is commentary about transcriber judgments, especially with regard to the omission or inclusion of font attributes.
Please send a print page and I’ll be glad to take a closer look.
The ones I see over and over again in exercise materials, workbooks, questions after a story, test materials, etc. are always just a visual clue or eye-candy on the page. The only time I’ve seen it important to the material is in a math book. I’ve attached one page that has the question numbers in a box and one that has the answer choices circled.
The transcriber must determine if the circles, shadings, and other enhancements of item number/letters have any meaning. If this is merely decorative to visually emphasis the item number, ignore. If the transcriber determines that there is meaning added, use the shape indicator. However, as this single page appears to me, I would ignore.