Use of hyphens when writing repeated compound words that have common parts
In my native language, Norwegian, one uses hyphens when stating two or more copulated compound words that has common parts (words). In a thesis I'm working on, should I write
test specimens, test setups and test results
or could I write (like in Norwegian)
test specimens, -setups and -results?
You only repeat the hyphen if it was there in the original:
- With all test-specimens, test-setups, and test-results.
Becomes
- With all test-specimens, -setups, and -results.
However, without the hyphen, you mustn’t put it in:
- With all test specimens, test setups, and test results.
Becomes
- With all test specimens, setups, and results.
Some languages don’t even use the hyphen. Spanish “claramente, lentamente y fácilmente” becomes “clara, lenta y fácilmente”.
It's perfectly acceptable, although not extremely common usage, to continue a list of words with hyphens instead of prefixes; the opposite situation is perhaps even more common: a list of prefixes with a common root. Super-, sub-, and paranormal, for example.
In English, though, the examples you've given aren't compound words. So I'd say: don't use hyphens. Test specimens, setups, and results should be fine, or (if you want to be precise and don't mind sounding long-winded and awkward) Specimens, setups and results pertaining to the test(s).
A bit of hard work it may be but sorry, you just have to write out:
test specimens, test setups and test results.
These are terms with specific meanings significant in the context.
In general literary writing, you could use the license to rephrase as convenient, but not in a research paper.