 Alternating diagram signature formula

For a reduced connected alternating knot diagram, its knot signature is $s_A(D)-c_{+}(D)-1$, where $s_A$ counts circles in the all-$A$ bracket smoothing state and $c_{+}$ counts positive crossings. The convention is that the $A$-smoothing at a positive braid crossing is the oriented smoothing, and a positive trefoil knot has knot signature $-2$. Reversing the global knot signature convention negates the formula.