🚀 go-pugleaf

>>>>> On 26 Aug 92 13:04:22 GMT, J.Deane@ee.surrey.ac.uk (Jonathan Deane) said:
...
Jonathan> \def\sciamref#1#2
Jonathan> % #1 is the date, #2 the page number
Jonathan>     {({\em Sci.\ Am.}\enspace#1, p.\hskip2pt#2)}
...
Jonathan> What is going wrong?

\def\foo#1#2
   {xxx}
is equivalent to 
\def\foo#1#2 {xxx}

This makes #2 a delimited argument, and in this case #2 is
everything up until the next space token.

One solution is just to go

\def\sciamref#1#2% < this % is needed if you want to break the line here 
% #1 is the date, #2 the page number
    {({\em Sci.\ Am.}\enspace#1, p.\hskip2pt#2)}

Note that Lamport does not tell you about delimited arguments, but he
also tells you not to use \def !

So a better solution to your problem is to go:

\newcommand{\sciamref}[2]
    {({\em Sci.\ Am.}\enspace#1, p.\hskip2pt#2)}

It takes a few more keystokes, but it keeps LaTeX purists like myself happy  

David
--
                           David Carlisle
                                    JANET: carlisle@uk.ac.man.cs

                                    Computer Science Department
                                    Manchester University
                                    Oxford Road
                                    Manchester
                                    England
                                    M13 9PL