N/A or sometimes N/A, a common abbreviation in tables and lists does not apply to the expression[1][2][3][4] not available[3][4], or to no response. It is used to indicate when the information in a particular table cell is not provided, either because it does not apply to a specific case or because the answer is not available. Such notation can be used on many types of forms. [2] An abbreviation for “non-allocatur” is not allowed. Scoring was used at least in the 1920s, with a 1925 guide to conducting community surveys instructing those who asked questions for the survey: In the early years of computer programming, computerized forms that required field filling out could cause problems if the field was not applicable to certain people filling out the form. Before programmers became aware of a problem with a particular field, people filling out that field could fill it in with a term like this, which the program processing the form would mistakenly interpret as an intention to provide the requested information. [7] For example, if a form contains a middle name field and the person filling out the form enters “N/A”, the computer could interpret this as “N/A” as the person`s middle name. This, in turn, can result in the person receiving mail from the company that created the form with “N/A”, where a middle name would normally appear. [7] Meanings: (1) Not available; not applicable. (2) (Latin) Non allo- catur; Not allowed.
The guide further emphasizes that any gaps should be filled, if only to indicate that the gap is not true, so that those working on the investigations can see that the gap has not simply been overlooked. [5] U.S. Advisory Circular. The Bureau of Mines of the Department of the Interior stated in the same year that it used “NA” to indicate that information was “not available” and “NAp” to indicate that a category of information was “not applicable”. [6] Of course, some of the questions on the map are not always accurate. For example, a household with two widowed sisters who live on their income does not have a breadwinner. The survey manager should require that the initials “n a” (“not applicable”) be written next to these questions. No space should be left blank.
[5].