Analysts may use their own shorthand on worksheets and reports, but several words of caution are in order. Lawyers, judges, police officers and jurors will be seeing the report, so it should as clear and concise as possible. Worksheets may be seen by lawyers and jurors. Of course, you must understand your own shorthand and your shorthand must be readable by another chemist. Your notes should not be so obscure that only you can read them. The best approach is to use standard notations used by chemists as much as possible and to keep a 'translation' of any special shorthands you use in a lab notebook.