Capitalize first word of a string within parentheses which is also a full sentence?

Question

I have a sentence containing a parenthetical which is itself a full sentence. Do I capitalize the first word of the part in the parentheses?

Example:

The value is estimated by correcting the image for a bead size of 25nm (see above for bead size correction).

or

The value is estimated by correcting the image for a bead size of 25nm (See above for bead size correction).

Answer 1

Your sentence(s) can either be written as:

The value is estimated by correcting the image for a bead size of 25nm. (See above for bead size correction.)

or

The value is estimated by correcting the image for a bead size of 25nm (see above for bead size correction).

According to New Hart's Rules:

'A complete sentence within brackets is capitalized and ends in a full point unless the writer has chosen to place it within another sentence: "The discussion continued after dinner. (This was inevitable.)" "The discussion continued after dinner (this was inevitable)."'

If you're going to treat it as two separate sentences, then you need a full point/stop at the end of the previous sentence, and the sentence inside the parentheses must have its own full point/stop ALSO inside the parentheses.

Answer 2

I'd rewrite slightly to avoid this. Either:

The value is estimated by correcting the image for a bead size of 25nm. See above for bead size correction.

or

The value is estimated by correcting the image for a bead size of 25nm (see above).

would work. My sentences can run on a bit anyway, so if I can split out the additional information into a new sentence (because it's already a sentence) I probably should. Otherwise a shorter form works better.