1.4 × 10-3

The sign of the power of 10 tells you which way to move the decimal.
If the power of 10 is positive, you move the decimal right.
If the power of 10 is negative, you move the decimal left.
The absolute value of the power tells you how many places to
move the decimal.

The sign of the power in your problem of 10 is -, so we will move 
the decimal LEFT.

The absolute value of the power of 10 is 3, so we move the decimal
in 1.4 three places left.  To do that we will put on three zeros in 
front, so we'll have enough places to move the decimal 3 places:

   0001.4 × 10-3

Now move the decimal 3 places left, and drop the × 10-3:

   0.0014

Edwin