Learn English – Is “setup” an acceptable noun in formal writing

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I'm editing a draft of a scientific paper which repeatedly uses the word "setup" to refer to the, well, experimental setup.

Example:

The dimensions of the setup are 250 mm × 250 mm × 50 mm.

Every time I see the word "setup" appear by itself, I cringe a little, thinking of, say, Microsoft Windows' SETUP.EXE. However, the phrase "experimental setup" sounds OK.

Is "setup" accepted as a valid word to use for an experimental apparatus, in formal scientific writing in American English?

Best Answer

Yes, it's a common word in scientific literature. Experimental setup is a technical term referring to the collective apparati, procedures, and environmental conditions needed to carry out the experiment in a fashion expected to reproduce the original results. Setup is considered an acceptable shorthand for it, but I'd use "Experimental Setup" at least once before "Setup".