When using the same variables in many equations, should I redefine each time the variables and their meanings or is there other ways to avoid redundancy?
E.g.
c = a + b where a is...
z = a / b where a is...
It will maybe depend on the journal, but thanks for any general idea or opinion.
I think of this as a matter of "breadcrumbs." If a reader is constantly wondering what "a" is and having to look back to try to find its definition, that is a problem. On the other hand, if I put so much redundant definition in that the math gets hidden by uninteresting boilerplate prose, that's also a problem.
My preference is thus to take a two-pronged approach:
For example, if I were presenting Newton's laws, then I might say:
"The force exerted by an object is proportional to mass and acceleration: F = ma."
and in the table of definitions "F" and "m" and "a" would all have their formal definitions. In this way, I remind the reader about the definitions without repeating them, yet at the same time have a simple reference point at which all definitions may be readily found.
Different authors use different notations and when making a litereture review it might get confusing if there is no explaination of the symbols whatsoever.
In general I would say that it helps if all symbols are explained once in the paper, at a centralized table or by their first appearance. Even if to you it may be redundant, please keep in mind that the reader is not necessarily familiar with your topic.
