Department of Human Services
writing style guide
Department of Human Services writing style guide ii
Published by the Operations Division,
Victorian Government Department of
Human Services, Melbourne Victoria.
January 2003
© Copyright State of Victoria,
Department of Human Services, 2003.
This publication is copyright.
No part may be reproduced by any
process except in accordance with the
provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.
Authorised by the State Government of
Victoria, 555 Collins Street, Melbourne.
Also published on
intranet_1/communications/
toolkit/index.htm
(0330702)
Department of Human Services writing style guide iii
Contents
Introduction
Preparing your document
for publication
1
1
Tables
Table 1 Writing dates
4
Table 2 Slashes
5
Table 3 Abbreviations and acronyms 6
Department of Human
Services writing style
2
Table 4 Citation order
Headings
2
Table 5 Order of a document
Capitals and italics
2
Table 6 Plain and specialised words 12
Punctuation
3
Table 7 Effective writing approaches 13
Slashes (/)
5
Table 8 Active and passive tense
13
Lists
5
Table 9 Using plain English
14
Numbers
5
Table 10 Capitals
16
And/or
5
Table 11 Italics
18
Graphs, tables and figures
5
Using ‘example’ names
6
Table 12 Preferred hyphenation
and spelling
19
Abbreviations and acronyms
6
Citations and references
6
Table 13 Hyphenation varies
according to sentence
structure
20
Examples of correct citations
6
Table 14 Apostrophes
21
References to publications,
newspapers and magazines in text
Table 15 Numbers
22
7
Writing for the web
8
References
8
Appendixes
9
1 An outline of the publication
process
9
2 Order of a document
10
3 Elements of good and poor
documents
12
4 Capitals
16
5 Italics
18
6 Hyphens
19
7 Apostrophes
21
8 Numbers
22
7
10
Department of Human Services writing style guide iv
Department of Human Services writing style guide 1
Introduction
The Writing style guide provides a guide
to the Department of Human Services’
corporate editorial style. It helps authors
within the department maintain
corporate standards when presenting
information in print, online or in
other formats.
This guide is based on the Style manual
for authors, editors and printers (sixth
edition) as recommended by the
Department of Premier and Cabinet. It is
not exhaustive. For further information
on writing and editorial style, see the
Style manual or contact Corporate
Communications.
Preparing your document
for publication
Producing good publications and clear
and effective information takes time.
This guide will help you prepare a
well-written and structured document.
Use English and Australian dictionaries.
The recommended dictionary for all
Australian Government publications is
The Macquarie dictionary.
The spell-check in Microsoft Word is
usually set to American English. You can
change this through
Tools/Options/Spelling and
Grammar/Dictionaries/Language; then
choose ‘English (Australian)’.
Corporate Communications
recommends that all documents be
edited by a qualified editor prior to web
or print publication. The editor will
ensure that your document meets
corporate style standards. The editor will
also check spelling, punctuation,
grammar and meaning, and advise on
the structure of the document and its
effectiveness in communicating to the
target audience.
The editing and design stages do take
time, but they are essential to producing
a quality publication.
The following appendixes provide
useful tools for preparing your
document for publication:
• Appendix 1. An outline of the
publication process
• Appendix 2. Order of a document
• Appendix 3. Elements of good and
poor documents.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 2
Department of
Human Services
writing style
Headings
Effective headings
Readers want to access information
quickly without having to read through
sections they are not interested in.
Effective headings:
• are clear and brief
• convey the content concisely
• direct the reader to the required
material.
Headings should appear exactly in the
text as in the table of contents,
navigation bar or search results.
When creating a heading, think about
what the reader is looking for in the
contents list, then make sure you
provide the information that the heading
implies.
With minimal capitalisation, only the
first word of the title and any proper
nouns and names (and their
derivatives) are capitalised.
Titles of published works are in
italics; titles of unpublished works
and of articles or chapters within a
published work are set apart by
quotation marks.
For example:
A town like Alice
Women ’s worth: pay equity and job
evaluation in Australia
…in the chapter entitled ‘Three
Australian engineers’.
…in the article ‘On the menu:
organic food ’in last week ’s Bulletin.
(Snooks and Co., 2002)
Capitalisation within text
Heading hierarchy
You will also need to determine the
heading hierarchy (the level of
headings). Editors label headings as A,
B, C and so on (for example, A is the
chapter heading, B is a sub-heading).
The designer will apply a different style
for each level of heading (that is, each
level is in the same font and size and is
set on the page in a consistent way).
Capitalise proper nouns such as:
Department of Human Services
Eastern Metropolitan Region
University of Melbourne
Minister for Health
Use lower case for the defining term of
such names when used alone, even
though you are referring to a specific
organisation:
Capitals and italics
The Department of Human Services,
the department
Headings, contents, tables and
titles
Barwon-South Western Region,
the region.
Departmental style is to use minimal
or initial capitals for headings,
sub-headings, lists of contents and
table titles and descriptors, as
recommended by the Style manual.
Acts of Parliament
When an Act of Parliament is first
mentioned, use the full title of the Act
and the date it was passed and use
italics. Subsequent references should
use roman type and may omit the date.
Children and Young Persons Act 1998
(first reference)
Children and Young Persons Act
(subsequent reference)
Regulations are in roman:
the Pool Cleaning Regulations 1999
Children’s Services Centres
Regulations 1989
Periodicals
Titles of periodicals (journals, magazines
and newspapers) appear in ‘maximal
capitals’ or ‘title case’ and italics.
For example:
Business Review Weekly
the Journal of English Linguistics
Refer to Appendix 4 Capitals and
Appendix 5 Italics for further examples
of the correct use of capitals and italics.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 3
Punctuation
Quotation marks
Possession
Hyphens
The departmental style is to use single
quotation marks.
The fundamental rule:
Hyphens are used to join two words
together, as in compound adjectives:
non-government organisation
community-based service
Hyphens are also used to form words
that have two or more components:
re-enactment
step-parent
Hyphens can signify a combination of
adjectives. A term such as ‘smoke free’,
when used as an adjective preceding
a noun, is hyphenated, for example:
I like smoke-free restaurants.
Otherwise there is no hyphenation,
for example:
Hotels or licensed clubs are required
to be smoke free from 1 July 2001.
If speech is quoted as part of a
sentence, the full stop should be
outside the quotation mark:
The Minister added, ‘This initiative
will benefit all Victorians’.
Double quotation marks are used
only for quotations within quotations:
I told the class: ‘The first words of
Melville’s Moby Dick are “Call me
Ishmael!” and these words are full
of significance’.
A part of another publication or the
title of a published article should be in
quotation marks:
• add an apostrophe
• then add an s—(only if needed).
Contraction
For shortened forms, or where two
words are commonly pronounced as
one syllable and letters are missing, use
apostrophes, for example:
we’re
aren’t
don’t
can’t
Professional documents should avoid
contractions as they can be ambiguous.
See the section on ‘Growing your own’
in the guidelines.
Apostrophes
Apostrophes are used to:
Refer to Appendix 6 Hyphens for
further details. Dictionaries are also
a useful guide to hyphenation.
• write the word that owns something
• show possession
• indicate missing letters (contractions).
Do not use apostrophes in plurals,
including plurals of acronyms.
Refer to Appendix 7 Apostrophes for
further details.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 4
its and it’s
This contraction is the most
commonly misused.
‘its’ indicates possessive
‘it’s’ is a shortened version of ‘it is’
or ‘it has’—it never has any other
meaning
Semicolons (;)
Semicolons are used to indicate:
• the other half of a thought equation
Avoid multiple punctuation marks.
Never use a colon with a dash like this
( :- ).
We went far away—far away
from the cares and demands of
city life—to write up our research.
Introducing an example
I went to Rome to see the churches,
to Paris to look at the galleries, to
Vienna to hear the opera—but I see
I am boring you.
A colon often takes the place of an
implied ‘namely’.
In Chapter 2 you will learn three
critical concepts: design, pagination
and page layout.
Introducing a list
Use a colon to introduce a list.
• a related but contradictory thought
These steps should be repeated:
• a very strong division between items
in a list.
1. Press the mouse button.
Use the semicolon to show how
phrases within a sentence contrast with
each other. Also use it to separate long
lists of things that each contain a
comma.
As I went to market I saw: a hen with
two heads, one of them red; a small
dog with three legs; a yellow, brown
and white cat; a purple goose; and all
manner of other creatures.
My father drove a tractor for a living;
my mother drove a sewing machine.
The cancer had spread throughout her
lower parts; she didn’t even know it.
Colons (:)
A good way to remember how to use
the colon is to think of it as meaning
‘and here it is’:
She had two types of socks: white
and purple.
The colon usually introduces a list.
Colons are sometimes used to precede
quoted speech.
2. Drag the cursor to the right.
(Alternatively, an en dash with a space
on either side may be used to perform
this function.)
Dates
The department’s style is to present
the date from smallest unit to largest.
When describing a financial year,
use an en dash, not a slash.
Dashes
Table 1 Writing dates
En dash (–)
Correct
Incorrect
Use an en dash between words
indicating duration, such as hours,
months or years. In Word, find it under
Insert/Symbol, and choose the
medium length dash.
12 May 1998
May 12 1998
October–December
1995–96
pp. 57–95
The en dash is also used to show an
association between words that retain
their separate identity, such as:
Melbourne–Sydney flight
Commonwealth–State relations
Em dash (—)
The em dash is twice as long as the
en dash. Use it to indicate an abrupt
change in thought or where a
full stop is too strong and a comma is
too weak. In Word, find it under
Insert/Symbol, and select the em dash.
12th of May 1998
1997–98
1997/98
1997 – 1998
4 May 1971 to
30 June 2000
4 May 1971–
30 June 2000
Department of Human Services writing style guide 5
Slashes (/)
Use the slash to indicate alternatives,
Table 2 Slashes
Correct
Incorrect
Sydney–Brisbane flights
Sydney/Brisbane flights
the 1995–96 financial year
the 1995/96 financial year
‘per’, ‘a’ or ‘an’.
A’asia
A/asia
The solidus is not the same as a
fraction bar, and should not be used for
creating numbers. Spell out fractions.
three-quarters
3/4
such as ‘and/or’, but avoid this
whenever possible. The slash can
also be used to express the words
The slash should not be used to replace
other punctuation.
Lists
Numbers
Spell out numbers one to ten, except
when the number is connected to a
measurement.
The only time that ‘or’ will exclude
‘and’ is when the construction of the
sentence specifically gives a choice:
You can take the red tablet
or you can take the blue.
The use of capitals and punctuation in
lists depends on the type of list.
Refer to Appendix 8 which outlines
how numerals should appear in text.
Graphs, tables and figures
Lists featuring bullet points that are full
sentences, use initial capitals and a full
stop at the end of each point.
And/or
Editing graphs, tables
and figures
Some key issues for the endorsement
process identified by nurse
practitioner candidates were:
• Clinical practice guidelines should
focus primarily on areas of advanced
and extended practice of the nurse
practitioner role, rather than on
procedures or protocols related to
mechanisms of services provision.
• The written presentation of all
documentation to the Nurses Board of
Victoria for endorsement should be
carefully checked for grammar, spelling
and formatting.
Lists which contain sentence fragments
use lower case to begin each point and a
full stop at the end of the last item only.
Symptoms may include:
• fever
• headache
• pale or blotchy complexion.
There is often no need to use ‘and/or’.
It looks clumsy and implies complexity
that is not warranted. Simply ‘and’ or ‘or’
is usually sufficient to convey meaning.
For instance, readers will not be
confused if we write:
Parents or guardians can
accompany children.
rather than
Parents and/or guardians may
accompany child(ren).
‘And/or’ should only be used if there is
potential for confusion in the text. In
these circumstances, it is better to
restructure the whole sentence.
‘Or’ does not necessarily exclude the
possibility of ‘and’, except where the
sentence structure weights a choice:
Bring either skis or skates, because we
offer you a choice of sports on the day.
Apply to the office or the registrar
for your permit.
Graphs, tables and figures need editing
for the same reasons that text does.
There are often errors, inconsistencies,
incorrect units of measurement and
wrong descriptors in non-text material.
It is tempting to use abbreviations, but
they are often confusing and inaccurate.
Abbreviations can be confused with
other units of measurement or
concepts.
Accuracy in data reporting
Specialised skills are needed to use
scientific, statistical and technical
data. Graphs and figures should be
scrutinised and tested for accuracy.
Always keep a database of the original
data, figures, sources, labels
and so on. This is also useful for the
designer as they often need
to redraw figures produced on
desktop software like Excel.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 6
Titles and labels
All figures and graphs need titles.
The title of a graph is a product,
combination or relationship of the labels
of the two axes. For example, ‘Number
of target hits per participant’; not
‘Target hits’.
The title should describe what or how
much the graph shows or measures,
compared to the other axis types specified.
Using ‘example’ names
Do not use ‘real’ sounding names,
numbers, addresses or other personal
details as ‘examples’ in publications.
Many readers will believe your example
and take it as real.
Abbreviations and
acronyms
Examples of correct citations
Article
‘DHS’ is not acceptable in departmental
documents. Spell out ‘Department of
Human Services’ in full, or use ‘the
department’.
Shonky, P., 1967, ‘From sand to sea’, in
New Zealand Journal of Oceanography,
Volume 5, no 59, pp. 677–777.
Refer to Table 3 for further examples.
Adams, P., 1987, ‘Black and white and
read no more?’, Weekend Australian
Magazine, 7–8 February, p. 2.
Citations and references
When compiling your list of references
or bibliography, items should be placed
in alphabetical order, according to
author, separated by commas.
Refer to Table 4 for the correct order.
This is a legal and copyright issue.
The Department of Human Services is
liable for unauthorised use of names
and other identifying numbers or
designations in its publications. Make it
clear that it is an example.
Blaxter, M. 1976, ‘Social class and
health inequalities’, in C. Carter and J.
Peel (Eds), Equalities and Inequalities in
Health, Academic Press, London.
Book or document
Franklin, L. and Barry, J. (Eds) , 1998,
Other things, Second 2nd edn, National
Press, Washington DC.
Adam-Smythe, Q., 1978, The ANZACS,
Nelson Publishing, Melbourne.
Ansett Transport Industries Ltd, 1984,
Annual Report 1983–84, ATI, Melbourne.
Table 3 Abbreviations and acronyms
Item
Direction
Correct
Incorrect
&
Spell out ‘and—do not use an ampersand.
and
&
Acronyms
If you use an acronym, spell out the title in full for the
first usage, with the acronym following in parentheses.
Afterwards, make sure you use the acronym
consistently throughout the text. Acronyms should
not use full stops.
UNESCO
WA
AIDS
PhD
U.N.E.S.C.O.
W.A.
A.I.D.S.
P.h.D.
Time
The abbreviations ‘am’ and ‘pm’ do not have full stops.
am
pm
a.m.
p.m.
Common abbreviations
The abbreviations ‘ie’ and ‘eg’ are not acceptable.
Spell these words in full.
that is,
for example,
i.e.
e.g.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 7
References to publications,
newspapers and magazines
in text
Use the Harvard (author–date) system
of references. Wherever possible, the
details of the authority should be placed
at the end of the sentence, before the
concluding punctuation:
If the reference is to a newspaper or
magazine article and the author is
known, the above principles apply, but
where the author is not known, the
textual citation should appear as
follows:
They admitted that case was handled
perfectly (‘Justice Department does it
again’, The Age, 15 October 1991, p. 24).
Larsen first propounded the theory
(Larsen, 1970).
Table 4 Citation order
Item
Description
Example
Author
Family name, first name or initial (even if this is, for example,
the Department of Human Services).
Citizen, J
Date (year)
Not in parentheses.
1999
Article title
In single quotation marks.
‘The article’
Journal or book title
Italicised. Do not give abbreviated titles, like Aust. Chem. J. Phil.
These are often incorrect and impossible for the editor to guess.
Journal of Articles
The big book of
lists
Edition of book
Editions are not simply reprints. They often correct errors and
update information.
Fifth edition
Second reprint
Number of journal and issue number
or other identifier
The name of the journal is insufficient.
Volume 3,
number 34
Editor, reviser, complier or translator
Include this information if it differs from the author.
J. Rowl, trans.
Compiled by
Jack Rowl
Publisher
The publisher is usually the commissioner of the text, and has
responsibility for it.
City Publishers
Place of publication
This information is very important, but often omitted. The source
of the publication is relevant to its veracity and possible biases,
similar to the way readers position a work by its date.
City
Page numbers
If the whole text was read, then this information is unnecessary.
However, if only a section of the journal or book was consulted or
referred to, then the exact page numbers are necessary.
pp. 13–48
Department of Human Services writing style guide 8
Writing for the web
Online or electronic text is very different
from printed material. This section of
the Writing style guide suggests ways to
use the medium to your advantage, and
shows how to avoid common errors
when writing for the online environment.
Understand readers’ needs
Readers take about 25 per cent more
time to read text on screen.
Eighty per cent of readers scan pages.
They do not read word by word, or from
beginning to end.
• Keep web information simple.
• Great, long slabs of text are daunting.
Break up text into sections under
headings.
Use hypertext links to
guide your reader
Links guide your reader through the
document, and take them to:
• detailed background information
Be accurate and current
All the information you provide must be
accurate. Readers rely on government
sources and expect them to carry
authority. Regularly check content for
accuracy and currency.
• information for specialist readers
• contact information
• further reading (use a ‘see also’ format).
Links can also direct the reader down
the page to the section that is relevant.
Links should also be key words that
catch the reader’s eye.
Highlight words
Limit the words you highlight to:
• four or five words in each page
Prioritise your content
Make sure what readers scan—
particularly the headings—delivers
the important information.
Place the most important information at
the top of your site.
• words that summarise the page content
or important ideas.
Use bullet points
Bullets:
• slow down the scanning eye
Use headings to guide
your reader
• draw attention to important points
Guide your reader through the
information. Headings should be
snappy, descriptive summaries of the
paragraph.
• identify discrete points.
• help readers follow a list
Avoid capitals, italics
and underlines
• Choose a heading that accurately
summarises the content of the section
or page.
In online publishing, WORDS IN
ALL CAPITALS SEEM TO SHOUT.
They are difficult to read.
• Use subheadings to create different
levels of information.
Italics are also hard to read on screen.
• Avoid using a question in a heading.
Underlines are used to designate links
and should be avoided in other text.
References
Nielson, J, 1996, Inverted pyramids
in cyberspace,
www.useit.com/alertbox/9606.html
Snooks and Co., 2002, Style manual
for authors, editors and printers, sixth
edition, John Wiley and Sons, Australia.
For further information on producing
government publications please visit:
intranet_1/communications/
toolkit/index.htm
www.commstoolkit.dpc.vic.gov.au/
Department of Human Services writing style guide 9
Appendix 1.
An outline of the
publication process
1. Prepare first draft.
5. Revising the copy.
9. Final approval
Author prepares the first draft of the text
using this Writing style guide and other
recommended references.
The author signs off the final proof as
ready for print and instructs the
designer to prepare the files for print.
2. Manuscript assessment.
Author incorporates accepted editing
suggestions, provides additional
information required and updates as
necessary.
Editor reviews the draft text for major
structural issues.
6. Final check/preparing for design
and layout.
3. Second draft prepared.
Author, and editor if required, checks
final draft for errors and prepares copy
and instructions for layout and design.
Designer corrects any errors identified
and incorporates any changes requested
by the author. A final version is
produced ready for print or publication.
Author prepares next draft based on
editorial advice.
4. Editing.
It is recommended that all government
publications are edited by a professional
editor.
The editor:
• edits the copy for corporate style,
grammar and punctuation, accuracy,
consistency and readability
• highlights gaps and inconsistencies in
information and raises queries
• advises about material that needs to be
included or supplemented.
7. Layout and design.
Once final text and all content is
approved, a graphic designer lays out
the text and prepares any graphics and
design elements required. The designer
produces a proof version for the author
to check.
8. Final proofread.
The author checks the design proof.
Sometimes odd characters are
introduced during file transfers, are
wrongly set or parts are missing. This
final ‘once over’ is often overlooked but
is very worthwhile. Even ‘flipping’
through a printout can turn up
unexpected errors that other readers
may have missed.
10. Prepare for print.
11. Printing.
A printer is contracted to print and
deliver the publication.
12. Distribution.
This may be done internally or
contracted to a distribution house,
depending on the quantities, timelines
and budget.
13. Feedback/evaluation.
The author/unit should always seek
feedback on the publication to ensure
its effectiveness and to inform future
communications.
For further information on producing
government publications please visit:
intranet_1/communications/
toolkit/index.htm
www.commstoolkit.dpc.vic.gov.au/
Department of Human Services writing style guide 10
Appendix 2.
Order of a document
The reader is used to looking for certain
sections in their proper places and
working within this framework helps
readers access information quickly.
See table below for further details.
Table 5 Order of a document
Element
Description and contents
Title page
Title only, similar to the cover.
Imprint page
Includes copyright details.
For example: Published by the Disability Services Division
Victorian Government Department of Human Services
Melbourne Victoria
February 2003
© Copyright State of Victoria, Department of Human Services, 2003
This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in
accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.
Authorised by the State Government of Victoria, 555 Collins Street, Melbourne.
Printed by [include printer’s name and address].
This document may also be downloaded from the Department of Human Services
web site at: www.dhs.vic.gov.au
Foreword
Someone other than the author generally writes a foreword. In the case of departmental
publications, this may take the form of a letter from a minister or a chairperson of an
advisory committee.
Contents
The contents lists the major sections of the document to help the reader find information
quickly. The contents is created once the document has been laid out so that the page
numbers are accurate.
List of tables
List of figures
These lists give table and figure titles. Lists are only required if the document includes
several tables and figures. These complement the contents listing and help readers find
the information they need quickly.
Preface
The preface provides the rationale behind the publication and the method employed to
produce it. It is usually written by the author and can include acknowledgments if they are
brief. It should only be one to two pages long; otherwise it should be treated as an
introduction.
Acknowledgments
An opportunity for the author to acknowledge those persons or organisations that helped
in the preparation of the publication.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 11
Summary
The summary (or conclusions and recommendations) is a succinct summary of the main
points contained in the text and should only be about one or two pages long. It may
contain text lifted from other sections, but should avoid explanations, unnecessary
background, extensive details and other descriptive tracts. As a basic guide, it might
contain brief statements about:
• what the document covers
• what the text achieves
• an outline of the processes involved in the research, project or initiative
• the objectives of the program, research or initiative (perhaps including the terms
of reference)
• major findings or recommendations from the project.
Introduction
The introduction sets out the background to a project and outlines how the text
was prepared.
Text
The main body of the work.
Conclusion
This includes the outcome of research, guides or instructions that readers should follow
and generally sums up the content of the document.
Appendixes
Appendixes provide additional information that supports the text but is too technical or
detailed to be contained therein. Appendix may contain graphs or tables. When the
appendices contain matter that is essential reading, then it is unwise to separate it from
the main body of the text. The reader often assumes that appendices are extraneous or
irrelevant and they do not have time to read them. Consider naming back sections
‘Resources’, or ‘Tools’.
List of abbreviations
Includes lists of acronyms and other abbreviations and conventions.
Reference list, endnotes or bibliography
A bibliography contains only those references that have been referred to by the author in
the text, or consulted during the preparation of the publication. A reference list includes
material intended for further reading. Useful headings in a reference list may be: ‘Further
reading’, ‘Web sites’ or ‘Industry organisations’.
Index
An index is a detailed list of topics with associated page numbers. While desktop word
processing packages can generate an index, the layout and design process changes the
pagination. Different software also loses formatting. Indexing is an expensive and
independent task, usually undertaken by a person separate from the editing and design
processes. A comprehensive table of contents can overcome the need for an index.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 12
Appendix 3.
Elements of good and
poor documents
This section gives examples of
successful approaches to writing
corporate documents and contrasts
them with ineffective methods.
These examples are all drawn from real
experiences with corporate documents.
Write for your audience —
not for yourself
Keep the needs of your audience in
mind at all times. Use language they
use and avoid jargon. Generally, short,
simple words will have more impact
on your reader and allow your messages
to be clearly understood.
If you are writing a policy document or
addressing a specialised audience, such
as health professionals, you may need
to use more specialised language.
Be brief
Long sentences and paragraphs
can lose a reader’s attention.
Short paragraphs are appealing to the
eye and are absorbed more readily.
Sentences should communicate
one idea or a couple of closely
connected ideas.
When we try to write in the way we
speak, the result can be long,
convoluted sentences. Written
messages are easier to absorb than
speech and should be concise.
Avoid compound or superlative
adjectives and complex constructions
as they overload the reader.
Active voice
Table 6 Plain and specialised words
Use the active voice; it uses fewer
words and is easier to read than the
passive voice. The passive voice often
leaves out the subject of the verb and
prompts readers to ask: ‘Who did it?’
Plain English
Unnecessarily
technical words
aid
facilitate
Non-sexist writing
Avoid sexist language (language that
discriminates on the basis of gender).
For a complete description strategies to
avoid sexist language, see the Style
manual.
The Style manual suggests several ways
to avoid using gender-specific pronouns
such as ‘he’, ‘him’ and ‘his’.
For example, instead of:
The applicant should fill in the
document using his or her own
handwriting
• Recast the sentence in the plural:
Applicants should fill in the document
using their own handwriting.
• Rephrase the sentence so the subject
is inanimate or there is no subject:
The document should be filled in
by hand.
• Eliminate the pronoun altogether:
The applicant should fill in the
document using handwriting.
• Recast the sentence so that ‘you’ or
‘their’ is the pronoun:
You should fill in the form in your own
handwriting.
Avoid using the clumsy construction
‘his/her’ or ‘he/she’; use ‘their’ instead.
help
assist
buy
purchase
consume
stop
terminate
end
finish
try
attempt
can
may
might
on
upon
while
whilst
among
amongst
Department of Human Services writing style guide 13
Table 7 Effective writing approaches
Features of documents that work
Features of documents that fail to communicate
Written to meet the needs of the audience.
Focuses on what the author knows about the subject.
Focuses on the topic.
Includes unnecessary background information.
Considers readers’ needs.
Designed to fulfil the writer’s obligations to their superiors.
Uses language that the audience
is familiar with.
Uses jargon and specialist phrases.
Clearly explains key items.
Uses abbreviations and acronyms.
Uses plain language.
Written in a complicated, flowery or academic style.
Is divided into headed sections
that are easy to negotiate.
Contains long, unbroken tracts of text.
Adapts layout and style to suit the
readers’ needs.
Rigorously follows a formal, academic or professional style.
Highlights important information.
Assumes that the audience will read through the entire document from beginning
to end in one session.
Table 8 Active and passive tense
Active tense
Passive tense
Our clients need this information
This information is needed by our clients.
The literature reports that…
It is reported in the literature that…
We acknowledge that…
Practitioners acknowledge that…
It is acknowledged that…
When drawing conclusions, researchers should take into
account the limitations of the data.
The limitations of the data must be taken into account when
drawing any conclusions.
The Department of Infrastructure gives clients a choice of services.
Clients may be given choices between services.
Parents should fill in forms in private.
The forms should be filled in by parents in private.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 14
Table 9 Using plain English
Plain English
Difficult phrases
tends to
can
is able to
has a tendency to
has the capacity to
has the ability to
affects
can affect
can hinder/stifle/delay/rob/stunt (use a specific verb)
impacts upon
can have an enormous impact upon
has a significant effect upon
agree
come to an agreement
reach a consensus
must
should
are required to
for
on behalf of
for the purposes of
cannot
is unable to
lacks the ability to
is deficient in the resources to achieve
regarding
with regards to
pertaining to
apropos
soon
quickly
immediately
by return mail
in the near future
as soon as possible
as soon as you are able to
within a minimum timeframe
as expediently as possible
aims to
aims to ensure that
has the objective of
seeks to
aims to help to
before
prior to
in a previous timeframe
alternatively
on the other hand
in other situations
is without
lacks
does not have
in the absence of
is deficient in
despite
regardless
despite the fact that
even though
Department of Human Services writing style guide 15
Plain English
Difficult phrases
when
in the event of
if
when the occasion arises that
under circumstances in which
in the case of
and
plus
also
in addition to
as well as
we expect
it is anticipated that
it is expected that
about
concerning
in relation to
with respect to
:
the following
probably
it is likely that
in the expected circumstances of
is
should be seen as
should be understood as
should be taken to mean
could be described as
has been seen as
has been found to be
so
in order for
in order that
to achieve
so as to achieve the outcome of
some
(use the actual number)
a number of
studies show
research indicates
(state fact without preamble)
for many years it has been recognised that
it is commonly understood that
research concludes/found/shows
it has been found in a number of studies that
‘s role is to…
has a role to play in the … of…
usually
mostly
generally
commonly
in most cases
in the predominance of incidents
for
to
in relation to
with regards to
in respect of
Department of Human Services writing style guide 16
Appendix 4.
Capitals
Table 10 Capitals
Item
Direction
Correct
Incorrect
Special species,
items, places and tools
Writers often capitalise the
names of things that are
important in their field,
however this is often
incorrect.
Commonly used acronyms
might encourage writers to
believe that the spelled-out
version should also be
capitalised.
The rare and endangered lyrebird
frightened the ranger away.
The specially designed
Model helps Obstetricians
predict birth dates.
Generic job titles are always
lower case. There is a risk
that capitalising some
items (for example,
‘paediatrician’), but not
others (‘nurse’), implies
a hierarchy.
Don’t forget to see the doctor.
The unit manager was away.
Speak to the chair if you need to.
The relevant minister will help you.
Avoid annoying the control
management supervisor unnecessarily.
This is the responsibility of the local
general practitioner (GP).
Capitalise a specific
person’s job position.
John Smith, Head
Paediatrician, was the
keynote speaker.
The whole board was there,
including the Chair, Mr Citizen.
John Citizen, Minister of
Parliament, spoke to us.
Proper nouns
Capitalise proper nouns.
Department of Human Services
Eastern Metropolitan Region
University of Melbourne
Minister for Health
Institutions
Capitalise components of
the names of societies,
institutions, companies,
conferences and so on.
Australian Institute of Management
The University of Melbourne
the Third International Conference
on the Aged
Parts of a book
Parts of a book are
These terms are explained in the
capitalised when mentioned Glossary, page 162.
in the text.
The book’s glossary is barely adequate.
Job titles
No one was present in the emergency
department.
General Practitioner
the Manager
Chief Executive Officer
All the Head Paediatricians
were at the conference.
It was next to the bayside
medical centre.
The state theatre held 300
people.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 17
Item
Direction
Correct
Government
Most state items are
All the states and territories were asked.
capitalised, but some federal The Victorian State Government funds
matters are lower case.
this project.
Any government acting in Victoria in
the 1990s would have known.
The federal highway was a successful
example.
Some words are always
capitalised.
The Treasury, the Budget, the Crown,
the Constitution, the Cabinet, the
Senate, the House (of Representatives),
the Territory (Australian Capital Territory
or Northern Territory)
Act or Bill (when referring to legislation)
Foreign terms
Capitalise Latin scientific
names, such as bacteria.
Do not capitalise names
of diseases, except if
named after a person.
Legionella bacteria were found in the
cooling towers.
E. Coli is rife in waterways.
The poor man had legionnaire’s disease.
Twenty per cent of the population had
Down’s syndrome.
Plurals
Use lower case for the
defining term of such names
when used alone, even
though referering to a
specific organisation.
The University of Melbourne;
the university
The Ministerial Task Force on
Inequality; the task force
Use lower case for the
Crossing the Atlantic Ocean is difficult.
defining term of proper nouns We all rely on the Atlantic and Pacific
when used in the plural.
oceans for fish.
Incorrect
You know that all States and
Territories are included on
the list.
We followed the advice of the
Victorian state government.
Measles
Diphtheria
Department of Human Services writing style guide 18
Appendix 5.
Italics
Table 11 Italics
Correct use of italics
Example of correct use
of italics
Words that are written in
roman (not italics)
Correct examples of words
that are written in roman
(not italics)
Books
The getting of wisdom
Short stories
‘Peelings’, by Peter Carey
Plays
The seventeenth doll
Regulations and guidelines
The Pool Cleaning Regulations, 1998
Films
Breaker Morant
Committees, working groups
The Maternity Services Working Party
The Quality Control Committee
Television programs
‘Special People’, on
(but not the individual episode) The 7.30 Report
Projects
The Future Schools Project
Magazines
The Journal of Health Studies
Concepts and theories
De Bono’s ‘Six Hats’ theory
The Food Pyramid (note that this
is a copyrighted concept)
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Newspapers
Argus
Planes
Enola Gay
Ships
HMAS Enterprize
Trains
The Overlander
Note: Avoid using italics for online text as it is difficult to read; use singular apostrophe marks or bolding.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 19
Appendix 6.
Hyphens
This list shows the preferred
hyphenation and spelling in Department
of Human Services’ documents. Other
publishing houses and government
departments may use different
conventions. This list is not exhaustive.
The Macquarie dictionary is a good
source of further information on
hyphenations and compound words.
Table12 Preferred hyphenation and spelling
Hyphenated
words
antiblood-borne
broad-based
community-based
contra-indication
cost-effective
cost-efficient
cross-contamination
cross-infection
cross-reference
fit-out
half-life
high-rise
home-based
Words without
hyphens
antenatal
at risk
break up
breastfeeding
breast screening
care giver
childbearing
child care
collocated
cooperate
coordinate
decision making
home-like
hospital-acquired
hospital-based
hospital-specific
in-home
in-house
medico-legal
micro-organism
multi-storey
needs-based
non-acceptance
non-arrival
non-clinical
non-prescription
non-specific
non-tolerant
non-toxic
opiate-free
out-of-home
performance-based
pick-up
poly-drug
post-mortem
post-operative
pre-empt
pre-existing
pre-operative
pre-trial
same-day patient
self-esteem
self-confidence
self-contained
self-harm
self-help
drug free
email
en suite
first aid
flexitime
health care
health worker
high risk
inpatient
leftover
lifelong
long term
low cost
low risk
mass media
marketplace
multidisciplinary
multipurpose
no one
ongoing
outpatient
outreach
overreact
overriding
per cent
percentage
postgraduate
postnatal
preschool
printout
self-rating
self-reported
self-sufficient
semi-urgent
sub-acute
take-up
user-friendly
well-defined
well-intended
re-enactment
step-parent
proactive
psychogeriatric
readmission
reinfection
short term
stillborn
subgroup
throughput
undergraduate
underway
upgrade
wellbeing
workforce
Department of Human Services writing style guide 20
Table 13 Hyphenation varies according to sentence structure
Used as an adjective
Used in the predicate
We’re sick of these 12-hour days.
The shop is open 24 hours a day.
The town needs a 24-hour service.
Our doctor gives after-hours treatment.
The office is closed after hours.
We have age-specific activities for them.
Make sure the games are age specific.
It was an AIDS-related illness.
The cause was AIDS related.
It was an Australia-wide survey.
The survey was Australia wide.
Don’t go past the cut-off point.
That is the third cut off.
I dislike face-to-face meetings.
We met face to face.
Turn off the facility-wide resources.
The system operates facility wide.
We had a hospital-wide break-out.
The damage was hospital wide.
The church offered a one-off payment.
The win was just a one off.
Not enough on-site resources were available.
The meeting will be on site.
Another person-to-person infection was confirmed.
The germs spread from garment to garment, person to person.
They live in purpose-built houses.
It didn’t work because it wasn’t purpose built.
Too many ready-to-eat meals will make you fat.
The dinner needs to be ready to eat.
We need a site-specific plan in place.
The art installation is site specific.
An up-to-date report is coming in now.
Is that information up to date?
It’s just a short-term contract.
In the short term, we will need more coffee.
It’s a medium-term project.
Over the longer term, we will encounter more failures.
They gave him a full-time salary.
She’s only at the desk part time.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 21
Appendix 7.
Apostrophes
Table 14 Apostrophes
Item
Correct
Incorrect
Numbers
1990s
they came in twos and threes
1990’s
they came in two’s and three’s
they came in 2’s and 3’s
Acronyms
AIDS
GPs
We have three CEOs.
The CEOs’ offices are next to each
other. (plural people)
The CEO’s office was closed. (single person)
AID’s
GP’s
We have three CEO’s.
Other plurals
potatoes and tomatoes
on successive Januarys
the haves and have-nots
potato’s and tomato’s
on successive January’s
the have’s and have-not’s
Possession
One kid’s parents’ car was wrecked.
The department’s attitude
Juvenile Justice’s policy
The departments attitude
Juvenile Justices policy
Its and it’s
It’s on the other side.
It’s useless.
Place it on its side.
No one knows it’s whereabouts.
Its only rock ’n’ roll.
Pronoun possessives
theirs
hers, his
ours
their’s
her’s
ours’
our’s
Verb contractions
Frank’s in the garden.
(Frank is in the garden.)
Franks in the garden.
We would’ve gone already if we’d
known. (This construction is too
informal for business documents,
but it is correct.)
She’s got it. (She has got it.)
He’s already read the papers.
(He has already read the papers.)
Shes got it.
Department of Human Services writing style guide 22
Appendix 8.
Numbers
Table 15 Numbers
Item
Direction
Correct
Incorrect
Units of measurement
Use a space between a numeral and a
measurement, except when measuring degrees.
780 Hz
3 tbsp
780Hz
3tbsp
If the item might separate over a line or page,
insert a non-breaking space (Shift/Ctrl + space,
or Insert/Symbol/Special Characters).
37.5°C
13 kg
7 cm
37.5 °C
13kg
7cm
Symbols for units of measurement do not use full stops.
43.5 ha
43.5 h.a.
Units of measurement are never plural.
20 kg
20 kgs
Many units of measurement mix upper and lower cases.
Always check if you are unsure. Many diaries contain
lists of measurement and conversion tables.
1.9 mL
64 Mb
1.9 ml
64 mb
Some units of measurement couple two physical
quantities. These are often incorrectly written.
80 km/h
80 kph
Never start a sentence with a numeral.
If the number is too unwieldy to spell out,
try restructuring your sentence.
Thirty-four per cent
of clients refused
to make an
appointment.
34 per cent of
clients refused
to make an
appointment.
There were 764
superfluous
examples.
764 of the
examples were
superfluous.
One thousand
lives were lost.
1000 lives were lost.
‘M’ or ‘m’ for million is not acceptable.
20 million
$7 million
$14.8 billion
20m
7M
7m dollars
$7m
seven $M
Use comma separators for numbers over 999.
1,000
3,899
100,000
1000
3899
100000
Numbers at the beginning
of a sentence
Large numbers
Department of Human Services writing style guide 23
Spans of figures
Spans of figures should be separated by an en dash (–).
Use as few figures as possible.
pp. 402–05
rows 1321–36
pp402-405
rows 1321-1336
use the band
531–621 MHz
Years
Percentages
Years never contain commas.
the four-year project 2000/01
Financial year spans use an en dash, not a slash.
1999–2003
Departmental style is to use ‘per cent’ rather than
‘percent’ or a percentage sign (%), except in tables,
graphs and on buttons on web pages, where space
may be limited.
the financial year
1978–79
1998/1999
the year 1 July 1956
to 30 June 1957
the year 1 July 1956
30 June 1957
seven per cent
100 per cent
25 percentage
points
7%
7 percent