Do not use constructions that contain a slash mark to indicate a choice, such as either/or and he/she. However, and/or is all right to use if you have no other choice. Localizers and non-native English speakers may not know whether the slash mark indicates a choice, indicates that the two words are synonyms, or indicates that the two words are part of a single construction, such as client/server.

Do not use a slash mark as a substitute for or. If the user interface uses a slash in this way, follow the interface in describing the label, but use or in describing the corresponding action.

Microsoft style

Click Automatic trapping to add or remove a check mark.

Not Microsoft style

Click Automatic trapping to add/remove a check mark.

Use a slash mark in constructions that imply a combination.

Microsoft style

client/server

CR/LF, carriage return/line feed

on/off switch

read/write

Use a slash mark to separate parts of an Internet address. Use two slash marks after the protocol name, as follows: http://mslibrary/catalog/collect.htm. Use a backslash with server, folder, and file names, as follows: \mslibrarycatalogcollect.doc.

To refer to a slash mark in documents, it may be useful to differentiate between a forward slash for URLs and a backward slash for servers and folders.

You can also use a slash mark between the numerator and denominator of fractions in equations that occur in text. The Word Equation Editor includes a format with a slash mark. See also Numbers (Chapter 7), Names of special characters (Chapter 7).

Microsoft style

a/x + b/y = 1

x + 2/3(y) = m