House Style Guide
December 2014 edition
Contents
The basics ........................................................................................................................... 1
Standard text ........................................................................................................................ 1
Heading styles ...................................................................................................................... 1
Bold and italic text ................................................................................................................. 1
Bullet points and numbered paragraphs ................................................................................ 2
Applying basic style and structure .................................................................................... 3
Title of a document ............................................................................................................... 3
Using a template ................................................................................................................... 3
End matter ............................................................................................................................ 3
Managing styles .................................................................................................................... 4
Changing default settings in Microsoft Office ........................................................................ 5
Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... 7
Latin abbreviations ................................................................................................................ 8
Qualifications and forms of address ...................................................................................... 8
Capitalisation ...................................................................................................................... 9
General rules for title case .................................................................................................... 9
General rules for sentence case ......................................................................................... 10
Always in lower case ........................................................................................................... 10
Review method names........................................................................................................ 10
The Quality Code ................................................................................................................ 11
Publication titles .................................................................................................................. 12
Qualification types and titles................................................................................................ 13
Vocabulary and spelling ................................................................................................... 14
Preferences and conventions .............................................................................................. 14
Foreign words and phrases ................................................................................................. 14
QAA terminology and technical terms ................................................................................. 15
Numbers ............................................................................................................................ 16
Dates and times .................................................................................................................. 16
Percentages, ratios and currency ........................................................................................ 16
Levels, grades and stages .................................................................................................. 16
Punctuation ....................................................................................................................... 17
Apostrophes........................................................................................................................ 17
Hyphens.............................................................................................................................. 17
Ellipsis (lead dots) ............................................................................................................... 17
Forward slashes.................................................................................................................. 17
Quotation marks.................................................................................................................. 17
Punctuating addresses........................................................................................................ 17
Grammar ............................................................................................................................ 18
Both, either, neither ............................................................................................................. 18
Collective nouns.................................................................................................................. 18
Split infinitives ..................................................................................................................... 18
Subjunctive mood ............................................................................................................... 19
Presentation of graphic content ...................................................................................... 20
Captions and illustrations .................................................................................................... 20
Logos and Quality Mark ...................................................................................................... 20
Tables20
Referencing ....................................................................................................................... 21
Formal referencing of publications ...................................................................................... 21
Hyperlinks and cross references ......................................................................................... 22
Further information ........................................................................................................... 23
The basics
Our House Style is a set of rules to ensure that our communications are consistent and
professional. All staff and reviewers are expected to follow them. Additional guidance,
resources and a discussion board are available in the Writing Room1and the Brand Guide.
Standard text
The standard font for all text in Word, Excel and Outlook is Arial 11 point with 1.0 line
spacing. The exception are footnotes and captions, which are set in 10-point Arial (place the
footnote number after any punctuation). Text is aligned left with no indent and an 11-point
space after each paragraph. Designed publications use our brand font (Centrale Sans) and
palette of colours. PowerPoint presentations are based on branded templates. Standard text
can be applied using the quick styles in the standard QAA template (see page 3).
Heading styles
Use succinct headings to give the reader a clear and logical overview of the content.
Headings are aligned left, in sentence case with no full stops, set in bold Arial font. The
heading hierarchy is as follows.
Heading 1: 16-point bold (black, or a Brand colour)
Heading 2: 14-point bold (black)
Heading 3: 12-point bold (black, or grey from Brand palette)
Heading 4: 11-point bold, in black
This is an example of text as it should appear under Heading 4, with no space above. All
other headings are followed by an 11-point line space. The exception is the subtitle, which is
followed by two 11-point spaces. The Brand colour/grey would normally be added by the
Multimedia Team. If you need to add a colour/grey yourself, please ask the designers to
advise on those available.
Headings should generally not exceed one line and, ideally, should not be phrases that
include a colon. A lower level heading need not repeat the information in the heading above
it. To assist users of screen readers, use the headings in numerical order (don't skip straight
from Heading 1 to Heading 3, for example).
Bold and italic text
Bold type is used (sparingly) for key terms, without quotation marks.
Italic type is used only for the titles of published documents, including:
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1
documents that have an ISBN or ISSN
QAA publications and Chapters of the Quality Code
formal publications by government or other bodies
Acts of Parliament
annual reports or strategic plans.
http://qmmunity.qaa.ac.uk/sites/activities/writingroom/writingandeditingresources/forms/by%20category.aspx
1
Bullet points and numbered paragraphs
Bullet points are aligned left, with a 1.5 cm tab before the text, and a 1.5 cm hanging
indent. Any sub-bullets receive a hyphen and a further indent. There's an 11-point line space
before and after each group of bullet points, but no line space between them. If you need a
numbered list, numbers or Roman numerals can be used instead of bullets.
Bullet points that follow from an introductory sentence with a colon, like this one, should:
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begin with a lower case letter
end without punctuation
- except the last bullet point, which ends with a full stop unless it is an
abbreviation or hyperlink.
Bullet points that are full sentences work differently.
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Bullets introduced by a full sentence should themselves consist of full sentences.
Similarly, bullets that are full sentences must be introduced by a full sentence.
1
Set numbered paragraphs like this, so that the number is on the left in the form 1
or 1.1 with no punctuation after it. The tab space between the left margin and the text is 1.5
cm (as for bullet points), but the paragraph runs full width (no hanging indent). Unlike bullet
points or numbered lists, numbered paragraphs have 11-point line spaces between them.
2
Always use complete sentences for numbered paragraphs.
When and how to use bullet points and numbered paragraphs
Use bullet points only where they are the clearest way of getting information across. Try to
limit the list to no more than seven items, preferably fitting on one line.
Alternatives to bullet points include: paragraphs with subheadings; numbered paragraphs;
the quotation style (see below); lists with semicolons (as here).
Numbered paragraphs can be helpful in some documents, typically review reports; however
don't use them as a default. You can use up to two levels of numbering (1 and 1.1). For
further subdivision use lower-case roman numerals without punctuation or a bracket.
To get a paragraph number to restart at a different number, right click on the numbered
paragraph and choose 'Set Numbering Value' or 'Restart at 1' from the pop-up list.
Microsoft Office persistently reverts to its default settings for bullets and numbered
paragraphs, so you need to be aware of the house style and be prepared to adjust your
document. It's advisable to do one of the following (in order of priority):
1
2
3
4
use a template with preset styles
use a preset style set (guidance in the Writing Room under Tips and Tricks)
import the correct styles from another document
amend the existing style.
Further guidance is given below under Document structure.
2
Applying basic style and structure
There is a separate guide on Structuring Text which supplements these brief notes.
Title of a document
Short internal briefing documents should begin with the QAA logo top right at a width of 40
mm, followed by a Heading 1 aligned left.
Longer internal documents, and those produced in Microsoft Word for external publication,
should have a title page. This has the logo top right at a width of 40 mm, followed by a gap
of about 70 mm (equivalent to seven 24-point line spaces). This is followed by the title,
subtitle and date (if any), as specified below.
Title: 24-point Arial bold (black/colour)
Subtitle: 18-point Arial bold (black)
Date: 14-point Arial bold (black, or grey from Brand palette)
Using a template
There may be an established template for the document type you are creating (for example
a review report). If not, use a standard template:
1
2
3
4
Go to the relevant Qmmunity library.
Use the New tab top left. This provides a selection of templates.
Choose the template with the correct content type.
Go to Home > Styles to find 'quick style' buttons for most of the QAA styles.
Once you've used a template, you can use it again from
within Word.
1
2
Select New.
Ignore the 'Blank document' icon and choose one
of the templates in the pane below. The top one is
the template you last used.
End matter
Documents that we publish must include the standard end
matter, including a unique QAA number and our registered
charity numbers (see box).
3
End matter
QAAXXXX2 December 2014
© The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education 2014
Southgate House, Southgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1UB
Tel: 01452 557 000
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.qaa.ac.uk
Registered charity numbers 1062746 and SC037786
For more information consult the Production Manager. See also the guidance document
Charities Information and Use of Logos, available under 'Writing and editing resources' in the
Writing Room.
Managing styles
Styles can be applied or amended in the box on the Home ribbon, labelled Styles. This box
can be expanded using the tiny arrow in its bottom right corner (see 1 in diagram below).
The expanded Styles palette looks very full - Word creates a new style for every incidence of
formatting, and will not let you delete default styles - but you do have some control.
Adding to your Styles palette
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Go to Home > Styles
and expand the Styles
palette as above.
Hover over the style you
want access to and click
the downward arrow on
the right.
Select Add to Quick Style
Gallery.
The style will appear as a button
in the Home ribbon.
Suppressing styles
To remove a style buttons, rightclick it and select Remove from
Quick Styles Gallery.
To suppress certain styles in the expanded Styles palette, click the Options link at the
bottom, then reset the options that come up.
2
The master list of code numbers is at this link:
http://qmmunity.qaa.ac.uk/sites/activities/multimedia/Policies%20and%20Guidance/QAA%20publicati
on%20codes.xls
4
Importing styles or creating a style set
You can import the styles you want from another document using the Manage Styles
function. The diagram on page 4 shows the first three clicks.
A more permanent solution is to save a QAA 'style set'. Guidance on how to do this is in the
Tips and Tricks for Word 2007.
Correcting or updating a quick style
1
2
3
Apply correct formatting to one paragraph using Home > Font (or Paragraph).
Highlight the text and right-click it.
Choose Styles > Update [Style name] to Match Selection.
Saving formatted text as a quick style
1
2
3
Click into a correctly formatted piece of text and right-click.
Choose Styles > Save Selection as a New Quick Style.
Name and save the style. It appears as a new button/icon.
Creating a bespoke formatting style
If you want a more complex style you can do this using a macro. Jenny Drayden has written
an instruction sheet on how to do this, which is on Q-nection here:
http://q-nection.qaa.ac.uk/initiatives/housestyle/hshome.asp
For help with managing styles, contact a Word advanced user, or the Technical Editor.
Changing default settings in Microsoft Office
We use straight quotation marks, not 'smart' ones. We also use hyphens as dashes. These
are two examples of rules that can be done through your default settings in Microsoft Office.
If set correctly, your 'Word Options' default settings can automate these and other house
style rules (such as starting bullets with lower case). The reverse is also true: incorrect
defaults can waste time and cause frustration.
Word 2007
To house-style default settings in Word 2007,
1
2
3
4
5
click on the Office Button - the circular icon top left
click Word Options at the bottom of the window
click Proofing on the left tab of the next window
click AutoCorrect Options
explore the different tabs to adjust your settings.
Outlook 2007
To house-style default settings go to Tools > Options > Spelling > Spelling and
Autocorrection > Proofing > Autocorrect Options.
Writing Room >Tips and Tricks has more detailed guidance on the above.
5
Emails sent externally should follow full QAA house style and include a suitable signature as
shown below. To set up your signature go to Tools > Options > Mail format > Signatures.
You may find it useful to set up separate signatures for internal and external emails.
Signature template
Forename Surname
Job Title, Name of Team [OR Director/Manager, Name of Group]
Direct line | +44 1452 55 XXXX [Amend as applicable if based in London, Glasgow or Cardiff]
Work mobile | 07XXX XXXXXX [Delete if not applicable]
Optional personal note, for example about working days
[Edit/delete as applicable]
Internal email
Use 11-point Arial. It's fine to vary formatting and colours if this is helpful (for example, for
quoted material). Emails are classed as official records so think carefully before sending to
'All QAA Staff' or to 'Southgate House'. Beware of the 'Reply to All' button. Only copy in
colleagues who need to know, or respond to, the content.
For more details see the Electronic Communications Policy and Guidelines.3
3
http://qmmunity.qaa.ac.uk/sites/activities/hr/policies/electronic%20communications%20policy%20and%20guideli
nes.doc
6
Abbreviations
Abbreviations include initialisms (spoken as separate letters, such as 'AQC') and acronyms
(spoken as words, such as in 'ENQA'). Use them sparingly, and make sure the reader
understands their meaning.
In documents intended for publication write out the following terms in full:
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higher education, higher education provider, higher education institution
further education, further education college
degree-awarding body
educational oversight
student submission
self-evaluation document
Subject Benchmark Statement.
Always write a term out in full when it is first introduced, and supply the abbreviation (if
needed) in brackets. Then use the abbreviation as required. For example:
The Academic Quality Committee (AQC) handles all such matters. AQC minutes
recorded that the issue had been raised.
Very well known abbreviations (for example UK, USA) do not need to be preceded by the
term in full.
Acronyms work like names and should not be preceded by 'the'. For example,
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is consulting on the
quality assurance of higher education. We shall respond to HEFCE through the
formal channels.
Where possible, use a short name rather than an abbreviation. For example: 'the UK Quality
Code for Higher Education (Quality Code)'. The short name can appear in brackets at the
first reference and then be used instead of the full term. Be consistent. If you refer to the
Department of Business, Innovation and Skills as 'BIS', don't alternate this with 'the
Department'.
Keep abbreviations to a minimum in documents intended mainly for students and the public,
executive summaries, web copy, multimedia publications, headings and subheadings.
Avoid using an abbreviation if:
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the term occurs only once and its abbreviation is not well known
the term is short enough to be used in full
you have already used it several times in succession (write more succinctly).
A list of abbreviations commonly used in our work can be found in the Writing Room.
7
Latin abbreviations
Replace common Latin abbreviations with an English phrase:
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'for example' rather than 'eg'
'that is' rather than 'ie'
'and so on' rather than 'etc'.
The exception is in a table, where Latin abbreviations are acceptable, without punctuation.
Qualifications and forms of address
Punctuation should not be used in qualifications or after titles or initials. For example:
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Ms A Farmer
Revd Dr T C Palmer
DipHE
BA (Hons)
OBE
Formal salutations
For rules on addressing individuals formally, the Debretts website, www.debretts.com, is
useful and features a section on addressing academics.
Use salutations such as Mr, Mrs, Miss, Dr, Sir, Professor, only in formal lists and memos,
external publications, and correspondence. People may have a preferred form of address; if
in doubt ask them.
A person who is a knight or dame should be addressed using the relevant title and their first
name (for example, Sir David and Dame Judi, not Sir Attenborough and Dame Dench).
8
Capitalisation
Our style follows the general rule in English, which is that proper nouns are presented in title
case, (all main words have initial capital letters), while common nouns and generic terms
take lower case. However, as any editor knows, it is a little more complicated than that. This
section provides details of our house style for capitalisation, with examples.
Title case means giving an initial capital letter to all important words in a phrase. This
includes nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs and hyphenated terms. Do not capitalise:
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articles or demonstrative adjectives (a, an, the; this, that, these, those)
prepositions (of, in, at, for, by, before, after, with, towards, against - and so on)
conjunctions (and, but)
except when one of these is the first word of an italicised publication title. For more guidance
see www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/capital_letters_title_case.htm
Sentence case means using a capital letter only for the first word of a phrase and for any
proper nouns within it. Sentence case is used for subheadings and web page titles.
Lower case is used for generic references to qualifications, subject areas, national
expectations and so on (see also 'Qualification types and titles', page 13).
General rules for title case
Use title case for all titles and proper nouns, including:
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the UK Quality Code for Higher Education (Quality Code) and its parts and
chapters; see subsection below
names of our formal review methods; see page 10
all publication titles (set in italic); see table on page 11
names of providers, such as the University of Strathclyde4
specific job titles, such as Dean of the School of Drama
more than one of the above, such as Deans of the Schools of Drama and Music
formal names of processes or committees, such as the Bologna Process5
formal names of courses, such as Mathematics and Economic Modelling
specific and actual qualifications; see table on page 13
short references to a previously cited proper noun (for example, 'the Committee')
internal document titles (without italic; for example, House Style Guide)
conference titles and themes, and review themes (without italic)
online suites of resources (HEER Database, Knowledgebases)
references to specific items, named by category: Annex 1; Table 1; Figure 1;
Section 1; FHEQ Level 6; Quality Code, Part A; Quality Code, Chapter B3;
Expectation B3; the Indicators of Chapter B3
references to more than one of the above: Tables 2 and 3; Levels 10-12 of the
SCQF; the Expectations of the Quality Code
the Quality Mark
Access Validating Agencies
4
Names specific to a provider or organisation should be presented according to their own usage;
occasionally this may differ from our house style, for example in hyphenation style or use of the
ampersand (&).
5
See note 4.
9
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Tier 4 (referring to government immigration regulations)
[European] Diploma Supplement
geographical regions, such as the North East, South West.
General rules for sentence case
Use sentence case for:
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section/chapter headings in QAA documents
subheadings in documents and presentations
titles of web pages, web subsites and associated tabs
sub-themes of conferences.
Where a phrase in sentence case is in two parts separated by a colon (best avoided if
possible), use a lower case letter after the colon.
Where reference is made to a section/chapter/subsection, use quotation marks to clarify this,
unless a hyperlink does that job:
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
see also 'New or amended rules'
see also New or amended rules.
Always in lower case
annual monitoring
educational oversight
highly trusted sponsor
professional, statutory and regulatory bodies
transnational education
the government
the world
Review method names
When a new review method is introduced, establish with the Method Coordinator at the
outset what its formal name will be. Note the following accepted names:
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Higher Education Review
Higher Education Review (Plus)
Higher Education Review: Wales
Enhancement-Led Institutional Review
Review for Educational Oversight
Recognition Scheme for Educational Oversight
Review for Specific Course Designation.
10
The Quality Code
Write out the full title of the UK Quality Code for Higher Education (Quality Code) at first
mention, with the short title in brackets as shown. Thereafter refer to the 'Quality Code'. The
examples below assume that this rule has been followed.
The parts of the Quality Code take title case but are not italicised. This enables them to be
referred to more flexibly. The principal standard way of referring to them is as follows:
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
the Quality Code, Part A: Setting and Maintaining Academic Standards
the Quality Code, Part C: Information about Higher Education Provision
Depending on context, and on the type/level of detail required, it is also acceptable to refer
to the parts in the following ways:
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Part A of the Quality Code
the Quality Code, Part A
Part A: Setting and Maintaining Academic Standards
Part A
Present the reference points within Part A as follows:
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the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies
(Qualifications Frameworks)
OR
The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding
Bodies (when specifically referring to the publication - cannot be abbreviated)
The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern
Ireland (FHEQ)
The Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions in Scotland
(FQHEIS)
the Subject Benchmark Statements
Subject Benchmark Statement: Housing Studies - can later be called the Statement
the Subject Benchmark Statement for housing studies
The chapters of the Quality Code will be referred to as follows:
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
Chapter B7: External Examining
Chapter B7.
The Expectations and Indicators of the Quality Code will also take upper case (but no
italics):
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Expectation B7
the Indicators of Chapter B7
Note
Title case can look messy for longer titles. Please continue to question any that are
unnecessary lengthy, repetitive or unclear, and suggest viable alternatives.
11
Publication titles
Use title case and italic for all publication titles. Give QAA publications succinct titles and
separate the main title and subtitle with a colon. See the below for acceptable short forms.
Publications, frameworks and reference points
Full title of publication
Short title or
abbreviation
the UK Quality Code for Higher Education
Quality Code
The Frameworks for Higher Education
Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies
the Frameworks for Higher Education
Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies
The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
The Framework for Qualifications of Higher
Education Institutions in Scotland
the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
Higher Education Credit Framework for England:
Guidance on Academic Credit Arrangements in
Higher Education in England
Verification of the Compatibility of the Framework
for Higher Education Qualifications in England,
Wales and Northern Ireland with the Framework for
Qualifications of the European Higher Education
Area: Report of the FHEQ Self-Certification
Advisory Group
The Bologna Process in Higher Education:
Compatibility of the Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland with the Framework for
Qualifications of the European Higher Education
Area
Verification of the Compatibility of the Framework
for Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions in
Scotland with the Framework for Qualifications of
the European Higher Education Area: Report of the
Scottish Working Group
The Bologna Process in Higher Education:
Compatibility of the Framework for Qualifications of
Higher Education Institutions in Scotland with the
European Higher Education Area
Subject Benchmark Statement: Archaeology
the good practice and recommendations
Knowledgebase
the Higher Education Empirical Research
Database
Notes
Not a publication but a
reference point - hence
no italic.
For referring specifically to the publication;
otherwise cite as below, without italic.
Qualifications
Frameworks
FHEQ
Include short name or
abbreviation at first
mention.
FQHEIS
SCQF
Higher Education
Credit Framework
for England
Verification of the
Compatibility of
the FHEQ with
the FQ-EHEA
The Bologna
Process:
Compatibility of
the FHEQ with
the FQ-EHEA
Verification of the
Compatibility of
the FQHEIS with
the FQ-EHEA
The Bologna
Process:
Compatibility of
the FQHEIS with
the FQ-EHEA
the Statement
the
Knowledgebase
HEER Database
Not italic
Don't include shorter
name in brackets at
first mention. Instead,
use short title in text
with full title and
hyperlink in footnote.
Note that while the full
titles of the four
compatibility
documents are
inconsistent, the short
titles rectify this.
Don't include short
name in brackets at
first mention; just use it.
Include '(HEER)' in title
at first mention; then
use 'HEER Database'.
Where appropriate, a publication with a long title can be referred to in simple descriptive terms, with a
footnote reference, for example 'our report on employer engagement'. If a publication has a selfexplanatory title followed by a long subtitle, include both at first mention. Subsequently, or in a
webpage heading, just use the part before the colon.
12
Qualification types and titles
Qualification types should be in lower case. The titles of actual qualifications should be in
title case. The table illustrates this.
When referring to actual qualifications of a specific degree-awarding body, editors should
follow the provider's own conventions. Refer to 'year one' of a course/programme, but also
use 'first-year students'.
Qualification types and titles
Generic
qualification
type
Specific
qualification
type
higher
doctoral degree
doctorate
doctoral degree or doctorate
doctoral degree
professional
doctorate
master's degree
integrated
master's degree master's
degree
postgraduate diplomas
postgraduate certificates
honours
degree
bachelor's
degree
ordinary
degree
graduate diplomas
graduate certificates
foundation degree
diplomas
certificates
further or general education
Actual
qualifications
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy in
Social Anthropology
Doctor of Education
Master of Arts/Science
Master of Science in
Structural Engineering
Master of Engineering
Master of Engineering in
Systems Engineering
Postgraduate Diploma in Law
Postgraduate Certificate in
Education
Bachelor of Arts/Science with
Honours
Bachelor of Arts/Science
Postgraduate Certificate
in Education in English
Bachelor of Science with
Honours in Physics
Bachelor of Arts in
Geography
Bachelor of Science in
Chemistry
Scottish bachelor's degree,
eg Bachelor of Science
Graduate Diploma in Economics
Graduate Certificate in Counselling
Foundation Degree in Nursing
Diploma of Higher
Diploma of Higher Education
Education in Computing
Higher National Diploma
Higher National Diploma
in Accountancy
Diploma in Personal
Diploma
Counselling
Certificate of Higher
Certificate of Higher Education
Education in Social Care
Higher National
Higher National Certificate
Certificate in Business
Certificate
Certificate in Art History
Advanced Higher
Advanced Higher
Mathematics
A Levels
A Level Spanish
Higher
Higher Chemistry
13
Vocabulary and spelling
Use standard British English spelling. If unsure, use the first form given in the Concise
Oxford English Dictionary. For guidance on hyphenation see the Punctuation Guide. For
more help on grammar and syntax, see the guide on Structuring Text.
Preferences and conventions
Note the following preferences and conventions:
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advisers (not 'advisors')
among, while (not 'amongst', 'whilst')
annex (no 'e')
focused (one 's' only)
judgement (with an 'e', not 'judgment')
specialised (not 'z'; same rule for all similar words)
'a hotel' (not 'an')
'different from' (not 'to' or 'than').
Easily confused words
allude = to refer [to]
consist of = to be made up of
detract = to take [eg attention] away from
elicit = to draw out
enquiry = request for information
foment = to stir up [eg unrest]
licence = formal authorisation (noun)
mitigate = to lessen
placate = to appease
practice = the act of doing (noun)
quash = to suppress [something]
regrettable = worthy of regret
elude = to escape [someone's notice]
comprise = to include (not followed by 'of')
distract = to interrupt [someone]
illicit = not allowed; illegal or immoral
inquiry = formal investigation
ferment = to turn into alcohol and give off gas
license = to authorise (verb)
militate [against] = to counteract strongly
palliate = to make less bad
practise = to do something (verb)
squash = to physically crush [something]
regretful = feeling regret
Foreign words and phrases
If possible find an acceptable English alternative to a Latin expression or other foreign word
or phrase. Familiar foreign expressions can be used, set it in normal text, not italics (for
example, 'the status quo', 'a lingua franca', 'ad hoc requirements', 'vice versa').
Note the following Latin and Greek nouns with their correct plurals:
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addendum (singular), addenda (plural) - from Latin
curriculum (singular), curricula (plural) - from Latin
erratum (singular), errata (plural) - from Latin
memorandum (singular), memoranda (plural) - from Latin
appendix (singular), appendices (plural) - from Latin
criterion (singular), criteria (plural) - from Greek
thesis (singular), theses (plural) - from Greek.
However, use an English plural if this is already in widespread common use:
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forum (singular), forums (plural) - originally with the Latin plural 'fora'.
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Some Latin plurals are now used as singular nouns:
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data - Latin plural of 'datum'
agenda - Latin plural of 'agendum'.
It's acceptable to combine them with a singular verb:
'The data is analysed....'
'The agenda is available....'
However you can retain the plural verb if there is a particular rationale for doing so. For
example: 'All the individual data have been catalogued and are available on request.'
QAA terminology and technical terms
When first mentioning our organisation, name it in full: the Quality Assurance Agency for
Higher Education (QAA).
Abbreviated, we are 'QAA' not 'the QAA'. The abbreviation helps to avoid ambiguity in
narrative text; however by preference we use the first person plural (we, us, our, ours,
ourselves). Avoid referring to us as 'the Agency' in externally published documents.
Technical terms must be explained or made clear by context. The online glossary
www.qaa.ac.uk/about-us/glossary (available in both English and Welsh) may be used to
define terms or build bespoke glossaries for particular documents.
Standard wording referring to us, and key aspects of work, is available in the Writing Room.
This document offers both shorter and longer descriptions, which you can cut and paste,
depending on what your publication requires. Contact the Technical Editor to have new
entries added.
Use 'higher education providers' or 'providers' to refer to all organisations we review. In
informal contexts they can be referred to as 'universities and colleges'. Refer to 'degreeawarding bodies' rather than 'universities' or 'validating institutions' when referring to bodies
with degree awarding powers.
Where possible, avoid 'insider language' such as:
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'toolkit' - unless placed in quotation marks and made clear by the context
'road map' - this is a cliché that does little to clarify anything
'stakeholder' - unless a clear context/explanation is given
'the sector' - use 'the [UK] higher education sector'
'utilise' - substitute 'use' or 'make use of'
'transform' and 'transformative' - explain what you actually mean.
In general, it's also preferable to avoid:
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'collaborate' - use 'work in partnership'
'embed' - find a suitable alternative such as 'integrate'
'deliver' - except where this has a technical meaning that's clear in context
'oversight' - except where this has a technical meaning that's clear in context.
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Numbers
Write out numbers zero to nine in words. Write numbers 10 and above as figures (except at
the start of a sentence: 'Thirteen reviews were conducted in China').
For ranges of numbers, stick to the style above. For example: 'eight to 15 students'.
Use separation commas in numbers of 1,000 or more: for example 25,479; 300,000 (not
300K unless in financial documents); £13,877,508.
For multiples of a million or a billion, use the following form:
three million, 15 million (not 15,000,000 or 15M).
In tables and charts use figures for all numbers, percentages and sums of money. Explain
any abbreviations as appropriate.
Dates and times
For dates use the European order (day, month, year) without commas and using numerals
only: 2 January 2014, Friday 14 February 2014. (Don't use 2nd, 14th and so on.)
Use the following styles for years, decades and centuries:
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1999-2000, 2000-01
the academic year 2014-15 (not 2014/5)
the financial years from 2009-10 to 2014-15
the 1990s (no apostrophe)
the twenty-first century.
Use 24-hour clock, in this form: 10.00 or 15.30.
Percentages, ratios and currency
Use 10 per cent, 50 per cent. In tables or graphics use 10%, 50% (no space).
Express ratios using a colon with no spaces: 50:50, 60:40.
For currency units, use £, $ and € instead of GBP, USD and EUR. Use $ for US dollars, A$
for Australian dollars, C$ for Canadian dollars, NZ$ for New Zealand dollars and so on.
Levels, grades and stages
Use figures when writing about specific levels or stages: Level 4, Stage 2 and so on. The
exception is 'year one/two/three' of a degree programme.
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Punctuation
This section sets out some key rules on punctuation. For more detailed guidance please see
the Punctuation Guide.
Include only one character space after all punctuation marks.
Apostrophes
Use apostrophes for singular and plural possessives:

the Chief Executive's Group
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QAA's policy
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Chris's desk
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editors' opinions.
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Use them in contractions (where they denote a missing a letter; for example 'isn't').
Do not use them in simple plurals. Write 'GCSEs', 'portfolios' and so on.
Hyphens
When two words are used adjectivally in front of a noun they are linked by a hyphen to clarify
the meaning: for example 'a high-risk strategy' or a 'top-down process'. This rule does not
apply to adverb combinations ('a publicly available document' or 'a well established
procedure').
Hyphens can indicate an interaction or correlation: 'staff-student liaison committees'.
Hyphens are used instead of dashes, with one space either side - as in this sentence. For
details on how to set this as a default see page 5.
Ellipsis (lead dots)
Use an ellipsis (three 'lead dots' with no spaces) in place of missing text in a quotation. For
example: 'This feedback shapes the learning experience...the benefits are tangible.' At the
end of a sentence add a full stop, making four dots in total....
Forward slashes
Use the forward slash (/), where essential, to express alternatives.
Quotation marks
Use single quotation marks for in-text quotations. Quotation marks should be 'straight' not
'smart' (shaped), and you can specify this in your AutoCorrect Options (see page 5).
Punctuating addresses
Use one space (no comma) between the address and postcode, if the address is in a
passage of text. For example:
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, Southgate House, Southgate Street,
Gloucester GL1 1UB.
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Grammar
Both, either, neither
These words are commonly used in constructions that relate pairs of concepts to each other:
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collectively, in a positive sense (both...and)
as alternatives (either...or)
collectively, in a negative sense (neither...nor).
The trick is to make sure that the phrase following the first word (both/either/neither) is in
exactly the same form as the phrase following the second (and/or/nor). The following
constructions are correct.
The team was interested in both the method and its implementation.
The team was interested both in the method and in its implementation.
The system worked for both checking progress and identifying targets.
The system worked both for checking progress and for identifying targets.
The process was either fit for purpose or in need of review.
Either the process was fit for purpose or it was in need of review.
The College had capacity neither for additional teaching nor for a larger library.
The University had neither introduced such a system nor identified a need for it.
Collective nouns
A collective noun is one that collectively refers to a group of items or individuals. It normally
takes a singular verb, as in the following examples.
The committee was formed in 2013.
The University is drawing up an action plan.
Sometimes the plural is preferable, to achieve a particular emphasis or for logical reasons.
The council were not able to reach an agreement. [Emphasising their individuality.]
A variety of options were considered. [The options, not the variety, were
considered.]
Split infinitives
In English, the infinitive is the basic form of the verb ('to plan', 'to arrive' and so on). An
infinitive is said to be 'split' when a word is placed between 'to' and the active word.
The committee decided to carefully plan the programme of events.
The members seemed to tacitly agree with the proposals.
The Board decided to more than double the communications budget.
Split infinitives often feel quite natural in English, as in the examples above, and are
therefore permitted. In some cases, however, you may prefer to place the adverb elsewhere,
as follows.
The committee decided to plan the programme of events carefully.
The Board agreed to evaluate the proposals thoroughly.
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Subjunctive mood
The subjunctive is still correct in English to express hypothetical situations. It takes the form
of the past tense plural, as in the following examples.
If the College planned to make changes it would inform the degree-awarding body.
If the external examiner were concerned, she could take the matter further.
You may choose to avoid the subjunctive in contexts where it could be mistaken for an error.
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Presentation of graphic content
Captions and illustrations
Use Figure 1 rather than Diagram 1, with a capital letter after the colon.
Figure 1: Good practice in relation to size of provision.
In Word it's optional to wrap text around illustrations. Go to Page Layout > Arrange > Text
Wrapping.
Logos and Quality Mark
The QAA logo (or its variant for Scotland or Wales) should be used in accordance with the
Brand Guide. The QAA logos are registered trademarks protected by law and may not be
used by other parties without our permission. For more information, contact the Multimedia
Designers.
The Quality Mark can be used by subscribing institutions that meet UK expectations and
other criteria that we specify. The Review Graphic can be used by organisations that have
had a successful educational oversight review, again according to strict criteria. For more
information contact the Development Editor.
Tables
Keep tables as succinct as possible, especially the column headings.
Table text can be in shortened form to help with formatting. It's acceptable to use figures,
symbols, and abbreviations such as ie, eg and etc (without punctuation).
Instead of bulleted lists use line spacing and cell/row/column formatting to structure
information.
Table entries should not normally end in a full stop unless they consist of two or more
complete sentences.
A phrase or a single sentence should begin with a capital letter; however very short entries
may begin with lower case if appropriate.
Avoid using tables on the website unless absolutely necessary.
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Referencing
Formal referencing of publications
We use the Harvard referencing style. Note the following key features.
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References are in alphabetical order of author surname.
Publication titles are italicised, but articles/chapters are not.
The author name(s) and the date are expressed like this:
- Bostrum, J and Suter, W N (1993)
Page references are expressed using 'p' or 'pp' like this:
- p 14
- pp 23-25
Punctuation is minimal. The date is given in parentheses (brackets) but is not
followed by a colon. Article titles are not placed in quotation marks. There are no
full stops:
- after authors' initials
- after 'vol' or 'pp'
- at the end of the reference.
URL/web details are accompanied by a note of the 'last accessed' date.
Examples of referencing
Bostrum, J and Suter, W N (1993) Research utilisation, Making the link to practice, Journal
of Nursing Staff Development, 9, pp 28-34
Boud, D and Solomon, N (2001) Work-Based Learning: A New Higher Education?
Buckingham: Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press
Scottish Executive (2006) Annex A: Scottish Executive Response to the Report of the
Education Committee on the Early Years Enquiry, available at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/2006 (last accessed 15 September 2011)
Mills, V (2002) Employability, globalization and lifelong learning - a Scottish perspective,
International Journal of Lifelong Education, vol 22, no 4, pp 347-56
Winter, R (2001) A challenge to assessment and quality assurance in Higher Education, in
Boud, D and Solomon, N (2001) Work-Based Learning: A New Higher Education? pp 14154, Buckingham: Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press
In body text references should appear like this: 'Boud and Solomon (2001) state that…'. with
the full reference given in a footnote or a separate references section.
Where a publication has several authors they can be referred to in text as 'et al' (from Latin
et alia, 'and others'). For example: 'In their comprehensive study of the issue, Jones et al
(2002) propose that…'. All authors' names should be given in the full reference.
When referring to different articles or titles by the same author published in the same year,
use a, b, c and so on to differentiate. For example: 'Boud and Solomon (2001b) go on to
examine…'.
When referring to the same source a second or further time, use the shortest form of
reference that allows a reader to find the source, for example: 'Mills, page 21'.
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Hyperlinks and cross references
Use hyperlinks (sparingly) to help the reader find further information. Ensure that the link text
is informative: 'full analytical report' is a good choice; 'click here' is not.6 Keep hyperlinks
short within continuous text. Stand-alone hyperlinks can be full phrases on a separate line
without a bullet - this manner of presentation is especially useful on the website.
House style for hyperlinks is as follows.
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Hyperlinks are active, blue and underlined (this may differ in designed documents).
For worldwide web (www.) addresses, delete the preceding 'http://'.
Change all letters to lower case, for example www.qaa.ac.uk/about-us.
Remove any forward slash at the end.
Remove '/default.asp' or '/Pages/default.aspx' from the end.
Check that links still work after editing.
In Word documents, supplement embedded hyperlinks with footnotes stating the full URL.
To avoid broken links, a hyperlink should normally lead to a web page, not a PDF. Don't use
punctuation after a hyperlink that is a stand-alone bullet point, list item or footnote.
In designed documents, keep hyperlinks all on one line.
If a term is a publication but also a key term and/or a hyperlink, apply only one type of
formatting, as follows.
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Hyperlink supersedes bold.
Bold supersedes italic.
If a publication title is just descriptive you can use lower case.
For example:
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
6
For more information, see What Students Think of Their Higher Education.
A key resource is our report What Students Think of Their Higher Education.
We reported on students' views in What Students Think of Their Higher Education.
We published our findings on students' views.
This is helpful to users of screen readers (see www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFPtxCDUPqs).
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Further information
The Writing Room area in SharePoint contains further resources and guidance as well as a
discussion board and useful links. If you have any queries about these guidelines, or for
advice and support, contact the Technical Editor.
For more details on how to tackle linguistic challenges, please see the guide on Structuring
Text and the Punctuation Guide. For guidance on planning a document and setting the right
tone, see the Writing Guide.
For information on readability tests see these sites:
http://plainlanguage.com/newreadability.html
http://rfptemplates.technologyevaluation.com/readability-scores/flesch-kincaid-readabilityscore.html (Flesch Kinkaid system)
http://www.wordle.net/ (Generates images to show the frequency of certain words in your
text.)
The following reference books are available in the Multimedia Team.
Concise Oxford English Dictionary
Copy-editing by Judith Butcher
New Hart's Rules
New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors
Penguin Guide to Punctuation
Penguin Dictionary of English Grammar
The Economist Style Guide
The Times Style and Usage Guide
The following websites provide useful general guidance and information.
The Oxford Dictionaries website: www.askoxford.com.
The Economist online style guide: www.economist.co.uk/styleguide.
The Guardian online style guide: www.guardian.co.uk/styleguide.
The BBC Skillswise website: www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise.
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QAA1004 December 2014
© The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education 2014
Southgate House, Southgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1UB
Tel: 01452 557 000
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.qaa.ac.uk
Registered charity numbers 1062746 and SC037786
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