A–Z Editorial House Style Guide

for external publications

May 2012External RelationsCreative Media

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Introduction

The University’s ongoing attention to equality and diversity issues, together with the need for our

publications to be written in plain English, provides us with appropriate opportunities to revise our

editorial house style periodically.

This new edition builds on the previous University of Birmingham house style guide issued in October

2009. It introduces further changes that reflect modern best practice to ensure our external

(corporate) publications are accessible to the widest possible audience.

This University Editorial House Style Guide is not a comprehensive checklist of grammatical issues

but it does cover key areas of grammar and usage where standardisation is desirable as part of our

corporate identity. It is designed to complement other elements of the University’s brand and to be

used in conjunction with the copywriting guidelines.

Why do we need a house style guide?

When writing for printed or online publication as an employee of the University of Birmingham, we

should use a corporate voice rather than an individual one. Having a house style guide gives you a

set of accepted standards for the writing and design of printed and online documents within an

institution, usually with a particular purpose in mind. The resulting styled copy is clearer and easier to

read. It also supports the ethos of the given institution. Style guides differ from organisation to

organsition and no two style guides will be identical. Some house styles flout the conventions of

standard English usage and grammar while others bend the rules a little.

The University’s defined house style is based on grammatically correct plain British English usage (as

opposed to American English) with some distinctive features that include: not using full stops with

abbreviations and acronyms or at the end of single sentence bullet points; the general non-usage of

the ampersand (&), and only the essential capitalisation of letters.

Our defined editorial house style:

gives our printed and online publications a consistent look and feel that is professional but friendly

contributes to our corporate identity as the University of Birmingham

makes it easier to write copy for the higher education market

provides a standard against which to check (proofread) copy and eliminate errors

ensures we all work within a common framework and deliver a consistent message

Any comments about our editorial house style or suggestions for changes/improvements should be

emailed to editorial@contacts.bham.ac.uk

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Editorial House Style Guide

Abbreviations and acronymsAbbreviations and acronyms should be written in full at first mention. If you intend to use the term throughout your text, bracket the abbreviation or acronym after the full name, and use the shortened version thereafter; this way you give your reader a point of reference. If you need to refer to the same term frequently, consider using an alternative reference. In some cases it may be appropriate to write out the term in full again. ExampleFirst mention: the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) Subsequent mentions: the QAAAlternative reference: the Agency

Full stops should not be used with acronyms or abbreviations. This rule of our house style covers: academic awards and degrees – BA, BPhil, BSc, MA, MPhil, EngD, EdD, PhD, PGDip, PGCert eg, ie, etc Dr, Mr, Mrs (Please note that we do not abbreviate Professor to Prof.) am, pm

Note: we do allow contractions (we’ll, we’ve, you’re, you’ve, you’ll) but avoid overusing them, as too much colloquial language can weaken the text. Place the apostrophe in the position corresponding to the missing letter/letters.

Using 'the' with abbreviations and acronymsWhere the abbreviation/acronym is better known than the full title it should not be preceded by 'the'. CELC not ‘the CELC’ CWAS not ‘the CWAS’ INLOGOV not ‘the INLOGOV’ ISAS not ‘the ISAS’and HEFCE not 'the HEFCE' NATO not ‘the NATO’ NUS not ‘the NUS’ QAA not ‘the QAA’ UCAS not 'the UCAS'

Tips on usage Avoid an over-use of acronyms: they can look awkward and clutter the text with initials; our house

style is about producing clean and clear pages of text Be cautious of using abbreviations and acronyms that might be familiar to you but not necessarily

to your reader: question whether your reader will understand them before you use them Make sure abbreviations or acronyms are not ambiguous, having more than one possible

interpretation; for example: HEI familiarly stands for Higher Education Institution but other interpretations include High Energy Ignition and Human Environment Interaction, as well as being an abbreviation for the Heilongjiang Province in the People’s Republic of China, and the word ‘Hello’ in Finnish, Norwegian and Mandarin Chinese (informal)

As a general rule, avoid using abbreviations and acronyms in headings or subheadings; establish them in the main body of the text

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Advanced Level/A level When referring to these examinations: Upper-case both initial letters when writing it in full – Advanced Level Upper-case only the A when abbreviating to A level

American usageIn general, British rather than American conventions of English usage and spelling should be used.

Tips on usage –ise rather than –ize in words such as emphasise –ogue rather than –og in words such as catalogue –ou rather than –o in words such as colour, mould, smoulder and tumour –ph rather than –f in words such as sulphur and sulphate –re rather than –er in words such as centre and theatre single rather than double l in words such as fulfil ‘meet’ rather than ‘meet with’ transport rather than transportation

Note: American usage is standard in some specialised contexts; for example: program in computing, and specialty in medicine.

Ampersand (&)We generally don’t use the ampersand in our house style; always write the word ‘and’ in publication titles, headings and normal text. Only use the ampersand if:1. it is used as part of a company’s name – Procter & Gamble, Marks & Spencer, B & Q 2. writing references, as in a bibliography, or when sourcing a quote, in which case you must use the

ampersand if it appears in the original work3. you need to make a distinction, as in English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies

ApostrophesApostrophes have two main uses: 1. To show possession, as in ‘the professor’s lecture notes’, or ‘the student’s portfolio’ 2. To mark the omission of one or more letters , as in contractions such as don’t, can’t and we’ll

Singular and plural To show possession/belonging when the possessor is a single thing: add an apostrophe before

the letter s – the tutor’s desk If there is more than one possessor (plural) and the word already ends in the letter s: add an

apostrophe after the final s – the girls’ study room When plurals don’t end in s (men, women, children, people): use an apostrophe s – the children’s

favourite books

Names ending in ‘s’When names end in ‘s’ and you want to show possession, it is acceptable to use either of the following: Professor James’ degree programme Professor James’s degree programmeTo make the right choice, read the text aloud and opt for the version that sounds better.

It’s and its

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The word it’s (with apostrophe) is the abbreviated form of it is or it hasThe word its (without apostrophe) is a possessive pronoun that refers to an individual or thing (noun) whose identity is made clearer earlier in the text; for example: We appreciate the University and its many assets.

Numbers, dates, letters and abbreviationsWe do not use apostrophes in the plural form of numbers, dates, letters, abbreviations or in the names of wars known by their length: He got four As and two Bs This programme began in the 1960s We have ten PhDs in our department We have done well in all RAEs The Hundred Years War

Time and moneyWe do use apostrophes in time and money references: We will meet in one hour’s time I am taking a week’s holiday The Selly Oak Campus is about one mile’s drive from the main campus

Companies, organisations and institutionsKnowing whether or not you have to use an apostrophe when referring to commercial companies, organisations, or institutions and their belongings can be tricky; some choose not to use it: Examples with apostrophe :

Sainsbury’s Bank , Cadbury’s chocolate, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Hartley’s jam, Robertson’s marmalade, McDonald’s hamburger

Examples without apostrophe : Barclays Bank, Lloyds TSB, Tescos Travel Insurance, Bassetts Liquorice Allsorts, Trades Union Congress, Partners Stationers

Tips on usage If in doubt, check on their respective websites to see what they do If you find confusing/conflicting examples of usage and non-usage, go with what is grammatically

correct

@ signIn our publications, we only use @ for email addresses and social media like Facebook and Twitter. It should not be used in the body of written text as a substitute for the word ‘at’.

Note: the @ symbol originally meant ‘at the rate of’ and is an accounting and commercial invoice abbreviation.

Bullet pointsBullets are meant to draw attention to a piece of information and should convey key points only.

They are used as a means of breaking text into easily readable chunks of information and are great for lists (eg, modules in a programme) and outlining the steps in a process (eg, how to apply for a course). They should be fairly short and punchy in style.

The introductory text must agree grammatically with each bullet; check that this is the case by reading them aloud.

Example : incorrect agreement The University of Birmingham has:

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We have our own railway station First class facilities are available Internet access is provided in all rooms

Example : correct agreement

The University of Birmingham has: Its own railway station First class facilities Internet access in all rooms

Bullet symbols First level (main) bullet point symbol is square and aligned left (not indented) Second level bullets (subsidiary) are bullets within bullets and these can have a different symbol

or use letters or numbers Example You are required to attend such lectures, tutorials, examinations and other activities as form

part of your programme, including: the requirement to submit theses, dissertations and course work on time the observation of the University’s discipline regulations and codes of conduct

Tips on usage Main level bullets begin with a capital letter Second level bullets do not require an initial capital letter if they follow a colon There is no full stop at the end of a bullet unless it contains more than one sentence If a bullet contains several sentences; it is not a bullet, it is a pragaraph: consider rewriting!

CapitalisationThe following always take initial capital letters:1. Titles of government departments – Department for Education, Home Office, Ministry of Defence2. Titles of courtesy, honour and rank – Her Royal Highness, Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor,

Vice-Principal, Pro-Chancellor, and Professor3. Titles of degree programmes, modules and courses of study – the MA in Modern European

Cultures comprises six modules including Ideas of Europe and Nations and their Neighbours4. Titles of books and other publications, poems or songs (also usually italicised) – A Tale of Two

Cities, Woman’s Own, The Four Quartets, and My Way5. The word University whenever it refers specifically to the University of Birmingham – Welcome to

our University campus

Tips on usage Initial capital letters make a word or words specific in their reference – ‘the white house’ (a house

painted white) and ‘the White House’ (the official residence of the President of the United States): titles should be in initial capitals when referring to specific individuals or institutions but lower case when used generically

When organisations, government departments, official bodies and office-holders are referred to by anything other than their precise title, lower case should be used: the New York Stock Exchange but the London stock exchange, as this is its informal name the Minister of State for Health but the health minister

At the University we write about ‘heads of schools and departments’ (lower case) but capitalise specific

examples – Professor I M Crackers, Head of the School of Metaphysics we capitalise ‘the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, the School of Chemistry’,

‘the Department of Economics’, and the Institute of Local Government Studies but in general references we write about the University’s academic schools, departments, divisions and institutes

in exceptional cases where there may be potential for misunderstanding, generic terms can be capitalised, for example – Our Schools welcome visits from local schools and colleges

Capitalise the names of academic subjects only in the context of specific programmes, courses and examinations; for example:

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he read Chemistry he sat the Chemistry examination he received a degree in Chemistry he gained a chemistry degree he enjoyed chemistry above all other subjects

Lower case should be used for compass points (east, west, north, south), except when part of a name or recognised geographical or political group – North Korea, the West Midlands

Headlines, headings and sub-headings within our publications should be treated in the same way as sentences; there is no need to use initial capital letters for any words other than the first word and any proper nouns

Colons‘Think of the colon as a gate, inviting you to go on and explore further: you nearly always have a sense of what is going to be on the other side of the colon.’ Source: scribd.com

A colon separates two clauses that are logically related, fulfilling the same function as the following words and phrases: as as follows

because for example

namely such as

that is therefore

It is principally used:1. When the first part of the sentence is complete in both sense and construction, and the following

part naturally arises from it in sense, though not in construction, as in: ‘The professor had given lectures all over the world: I should like to be a professor’.

2. To lead from introduction to main theme, as in ‘The question is one of universal interest: what is the secret of a long and happy life?’

3. To lead from cause to effect, as in ‘It started to rain: the match was abandoned’4. To lead from a general statement to an example, as in ‘Birmingham has some excellent

restaurants: Simpson’s in Edgbaston has two Michelin stars’5. To introduce a list of items, especially after such expressions as ‘for example’, and ‘including’6. Before a quotation instead of a comma to give added emphasis

CommasThe comma is used in a wide range of ways to structure sentences and clarify meaning; for example: To separate clauses within a sentence Between adjectives that qualify a noun in the same way When a phrase would mean something completely different without it; for example: ‘Mozart’s 40 th

Symphony, in G minor’ as opposed to ‘Mozart’s 40th Symphony in G minor’ To separate items in a list of more than two items To mark the beginning and end of a parenthetical word or phrase; for example: ‘Edward Elgar,

Peyton Professor of Music, was appointed in March 1905’ Before a quotation, although a colon can be used for an increased weight of sentence In numbers of four or more figures, as in 4,500

The Oxford or serial comma This is an optional comma used before the word ‘and’ at the end of a list. It is not generally necessary to use a comma after ‘and’ or before the last item unless it helps clarify the sense and avoid ambiguity, as in the following examples: We have five colleges: Arts and Law, Engineering and Physical Sciences, Life and Environmental

Sciences, Medical and Dental Sciences, and Social Sciences. The membership of this group included James Watt (pioneer of the steam engine), Joseph

Priestley, who discovered oxygen, and Matthew Boulton. The notebooks are available in black and white, red and yellow, and blue and green.

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DatesDates should be written in the following ways: Tuesday 27 October 2012 27 October 2012 27 October

When abbreviating dates we use 27.10.12, and when using periods of years we express them as 2012–13 (using an en rule not a hyphen), unless the dates involve changes of century, when they are written in full (1999–2000).

Note: The University’s Annual Accounts uses a different format for expressing periods of years: 2012/13 and 1999/2000 using the solidus or oblique (forward slash).

Duplicating punctuation This should be avoided – a comma should not precede or follow a dash, nor a full stop an

exclamation or question mark It is not necessary to use an en rule after a colon (:–) before beginning a list

Ellipsis This is the omission of words and consists of three full stops (…) used to mark that omission When used at the end of an incomplete sentence, a fourth full stop is not required

Emails Always write ‘email’ as one word (no hyphen), capitalising the initial letter at the beginning of a

sentence – Email. Use lower case letters throughout in all email addresses:

u.r.lucky@bham.ac.ukdesign-publications@bham.ac.uk

To ensure your email information is clear and accessible to all users, we recommend using Arial font with a font size of 12 points. Avoid using coloured text or background colours, as this can create difficulties for visually impaired users.

En rulesAn en rule (–) is longer than a hyphen (-) and should be used in the following ways:1. As a parenthetical dash in informal contexts to replace a colon 2. To express a more profound break in sentence structure than commas and to draw more

attention to the enclosed phrase than brackets, as in:‘Managing your finances is a vital – and sometimes difficult – aspect of student life’

In these instances the en rule should be spaced.

An unspaced en rule should be used:1. In ranges of numbers, dates or days of the week; for example: pages 13–25, 1939–45, Monday–

Friday, where it stands for the word ‘to’2. To join words that have equal importance in phrases such as ‘Labour–Liberal alliance’, ‘cost–

benefit analysis’, ‘on–off switch’, where it stands for ‘and’

Tips for usage

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To find the en rule on your keyboard, hold down the Control button and simultaneously press the hyphen symbol on your Number key pad (Ctrl + –); alternatiely, choose ‘Insert’, then ‘Symbol’, then ‘Special Characters’: the en rule is second on the list.

Full stopsA full stop is used at the end of all sentences that are not questions or exclamations.

Full stops are not needed for: Headings (whether in text or tables) Subheadings Bullet points (unless they contain more than one sentence) Captions

Nor do we: insert full stops in abbreviations or acronyms or in initial letters use a further full stop at the end of a sentence that concludes with a quotation itself ending in a

full stop, quotation mark, or exclamation mark

HyphensHyphens are used:1. To join two or more words to form a compound expression (punch-drunk), and in phrases to

clarify the sense, as in ‘a blood-red hand’, or ‘ a well-known man’2. To join a prefix to a proper name or date, as in anti-Darwinian, or mid-1990s3. To separate a prefix from the main word to avoid confusion with another word, as in ‘re-cover the

chair with material’ to distinguish it from ‘recover the costs’4. To separate two similar consonant or vowel sounds in a word, as an aid to understanding, as in

co-operation, or bio-organic5. To prevent misunderstanding by linking words; for example: ‘a little-used car’, as opposed to ‘a

little used car’6. To represent a common second element in all but the last word of a list; for example: short- and

long-term7. In fractions (see Numerals)8. In a sequence of non-inclusive numbers, as in ISBN 0-123-45678-9

Here at the University the following are always hyphenated: Vice-Chancellor Pro-Chancellor Pro-Vice-Chancellor Vice-Principal

We do not use hyphens within telephone numbers: the STD code is separated from the main number by a space alone – 0121 414 3344 and +44(0)21 414 3344

InternetMost dictionaries capitalise ‘Internet’, ‘World Wide Web’ and ‘Website’, but modern practice has moved away from this; therefore, we now recommend that you: Use lower case in both specific and generic references to the internet, unless the word starts a

sentence and takes an initial capital: We are linked to the internet

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This is an internet-based resource All rooms have internet access Internet access is available for all students

Use lower case for ‘worldwide web’ (worldwide as one word) and ‘website’, unless the word starts a sentence and takes an initial capital, as in ‘Website addresses can be found on page six’

The most important principle is consistency within a document and within an institution.

ItalicsItalics are used: As a method of emphasising/distinguishing words; eg: ‘The weather was so cold last winter’ For the titles of books, newspapers, magazines and other publications For the titles of plays, films, TV and radio series, and CDs For the titles of paintings, sculptures and other works of art For the individual names of ships, trains, aircraft, spacecraft, and other means of transport For foreign words or phrases that are not naturalised

We do not use italics for quoted material but we use them for the attribution (name of the person who wrote or said it.

Names (proper nouns)When putting people’s names in print or online always check that – they are correctly written; especially if they are foreign names they include the person’s correct title

Misspelling someone’s name and/or getting their title wrong can cause offence and may be seen as disrespectful, as well as careless.

Also check the spelling of: Place names (Brougham, Findochty, Pontrhydfendigaid) Company names (Alfa Romeo, Coca-Cola, Crabtree & Evelyn, Ericsson, Häagen-Dazs, IKEA,

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Rolls-Royce, Tesco, Vodafone) – watch out for hyphenated and non-hyphenated names, ampersands, capitalisation, singular or plural formats and accented letters

Less familiar/specialist naming words belonging to various academic disciplines (Base anhydride, Census enumerators, Deoxyribonucleic acid, Helicobacter pylori)

Numerals We write words for numbers from one to ten but in keeping with most modern practice, we use

figures for all numbers over ten (one, two, three, four, five,...ten, 11, 12, 13...) Where fractions are used with whole numbers in the one-to-ten range, they are also spelt out, as

in ‘three and a half’ Where fractions are used with whole numbers in the over ten range, figures should also be used,

as in 16½ Figures are also used for decimal fractions, percentages, and in sets linking more than two

numerals where some are higher and some lower than ten; eg: ‘Deaths from this cause in the past three years were 14, 9 and 6’

Avoid starting a sentence with a figure; write the number in words instead; for example: ‘Eighty-six places will be available on this programme in 2012’

Simple fractions should be spelt out in words and hyphenated, even when figures are higher than ten; for example: two-thirds, five-eighths, one-twentieth

In statistical material, fractions are written numerically: ¼, ½, ¾

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Million and billion are spelt out as words, whether referring to people, objects or sums of money – 5 million people, 5 million donations, £5 million

The following are expressed in figures only: Dates – Tuesday 27 November Degrees of heat – It is 32°C in the shade Money – £5.50, £25.00 Races (for distance and time) Scores in games and matches Specific gravity Statistics Time of day, when followed by am or pm Numbers of votes Weights when abbreviated units, such as grams or kilograms, are given Page numbers (Note: in non-academic texts page ranges should be expressed as pages 21–30

rather than pp 21–30)

ParagraphsWe denote paragraphs with a single line break and do not indent the initial word.

Tips for usage Start a new paragraph as often as possible to present your reader with manageable chunks of

information rather than weighty blocks of it Consider adding subheadings (using key words) to denote a change in theme

ParenthesesParentheses (round brackets) are used: As a means of definition, explanation, reference, or translation – for example: Parentheses

(round brackets); Machtpolitik (power politics) To supply ancillary information such as abbreviations, references, cross-references and variants –

for example: Animal Biology (see page 230), Times Literary Supplement (TLS) When using reference figures or letters within text, such as (a), (b), (c)

In normal running text, try to avoid brackets within brackets: where this is inevitable, double parentheses are preferable to square brackets.

PercentagesPercentages should be written as figures followed by the symbol %, as in 62% unless it begins a sentence, in which case write ‘Sixty-two percent...’ in full

Tips for use1. Use decimals rather than fractions with the percent symbol/word – 6.5% or 6.5 percent not 6½%

or 6½ percent2. The word percent should be written in full when there is not a number with it – ‘a high percent of

people opted out of the scheme.’3. You can use the symbol rather than the word in tables and graphs, as it takes up less room!

NoteIn writing prose (essay/thesis,article) for Arts subjects (eg, English and History) it may be a requirement to write percentages in words only in the main body of the text.

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Possessive caseThe possessive case of a noun or pronoun shows ownership or some kind of association – something belonging to someone or something. Nearly all these words show possession by ending with the s sound. This is spelled with an apostrophe plus an s; for example: The University’s parking facilities Professor Smith’s students

Tips for usage1. In singular or plural nouns that end in a letter other than s, the apostrophe must precede the

added s, as in ‘the Queen’s Jubilee’. 2. In plural nouns that end in s, the apostrophe must follow the s, as in ‘the students’ essays’. 3. In singular words ending in s, the possessive case normally takes a second s after the apostrophe

(James’s), in line with their pronunciation. When the final s is silent in speech, it is generally omitted, as in ‘for goodness’ sake’.

Question markThis should follow every question where a separate answer is required.

Tips for usageA question mark may be placed before a word/date whose accuracy is doubted – Leonardo da Vinci,?1452–1519) is not required after an indirect question – the professor asked the students what they were doing

QuotationsAll extracts in the exact words of the original have quotation marks: at the beginning at the start of each paragraph at the end of the extract

Tips for usage Punctuation within the extract should be exactly as the original and the concluding full stop goes

within the quotation marks when it is part of the original

When a whole sentence is a quotation, full stops, commas and other punctuation marks are placed inside the quotation marksExample‘Most people use clichés in everyday speech and writing whether they are aware of it or not.’ Source: Munro: Clichés and How to Avoid Them; Chambers, 2005, p.3

If the quoted matter forms only part of the sentence, and the punctuation mark is not part of the quote, it comes outside the quotation marks.ExampleThe report praised the ‘tireless efforts of the dedicated and hard-working staff’.

Quotation marksThere are two types of quotation marks, or inverted commas:

1. single – ‘ ’

2. double – “ ”

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We follow standard British practice, enclosing quoted matter between single quotation marks (see note below on Quotations within quotations).

Tips for usage Single quotes and roman (regular) type are used when citing the titles of articles in magazines,

chapters of books, essays and songs. They may also be used to enclose an unfamiliar term, or one being used in a specific technical

sense; usually this is only necessary for the first occurrence of the word or phrase. Quotation marks are not used for

the titles of any books of the Bible where the substance only of an extract is given where the tense or the person has been altered

Quotations within quotations are indicated by the use of double quotation marks within single inverted commas: ‘When I say “immediately”, I mean some time before April,’ said the spokesman.’

Semi-colonA semi-colon separates those parts of a sentence between which there is a more distinct break than would call for a comma, but which are too closely connected to be made into separate sentences.

Tips for usage It should separate clauses or phrases that are similar in importance or grammatical construction:

ExampleI know the city well; I’ve lived there all my life.

In a list in which any of the elements contain commas, semi-colons are used to clarify the relationship of the components:ExampleI should like to thank staff at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge; King’s College, London; and the School of Medicine, University of Birmingham.

SpellcheckersWhile it is a good idea to run a spelling and grammar check on your documents, please be aware that spellcheckers do not spot all the errors and may even be responsible for creating some. If in doubt, try keying in the following text and run a spell check on it:

They’re know miss steaks in this peace off righting cause we used special soft wear witch checks your spelling. It is mower or lass a weigh too verify. However is can knot correct arrows inn punctuation ore usage: it will not fine words witch are miss used butt spelled rite.

Tips for usage1. If you do use a spellchecker, make sure that it is using UK English2. You can ignore a spellchecker: don’t automatically assume that the spellchecker is right and you

are wrong; think about it first – you might be correct

Split infinitivesAn infinitive verb fulfills the function of a noun and is most commonly formed with ‘to’ to take to laugh

to be to dream

to educate to work

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There are two types of infinitive:1. The to–infinitive, as in ‘They decided to go’2. The base–infinitive, which is without the word ‘to’, as in ‘We saw him go’

To split the infinitive is to insert one or more words (usually adverbs – words that describe/qualify the action) between the infinitive-marker or base-marker and the verb that follows.

A famous example of a split infinitiveYou will probably know the most famous split infinitive of all time, delivered by actor William Shatner in his role as Captain James T Kirk in the original Star Trek:

The word boldly splits the ‘to–infinitive’ to go. What should have been said was ‘to go boldly’ – but it doesn’t have as much impact; it shifts the emphasis from ‘boldly’ to ‘go’. So, in this instance, the infinitive was split for deliberate effect.

There have been countless arguments among grammarians about the split infinitive – and in modern practice, it is not particularly frowned upon. It is not a sin to split, but some people do have a preference for not doing it, including our own Vice-Chancellor.

The infinitive is the base form of a verb; one that describes an action or occurrence. The argument not to split infinitives is that the infinitive is a single unit and, therefore, should not be divided.

Correct(not split)

Incorrect(with split infinitive)

They decided to quickly go They decided to go quicklyWe saw him swiftly go We saw him go swiftly

Some people feel that it is bad style to split an infinitive by inserting any kind of modifying word or phrase after the ‘to’.

Examples of split infinitives: to greedily take to enthusiastically laugh to finally be

to lazily dream to successfully educate to slowly work

Examples of un-split infinitives: to take greedily to laugh enthusiastically to be finally

to dream lazily to educate successfully to work slowly

The best advice in terms of modern good practice is to avoid splitting infinitives if you can do so without distorting the sentence; but that sometimes a split infinitive is the lesser of two evils. A good

‘Space – the final frontier: these are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise; its five-year mission – to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before.’

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example of this is given in Butcher’s Copy-editing: The Cambridge Handbook for Editors, Copy-Editors and Proofreaders (CUP, 2007: p.165), as follows:

Sentence without split infinitiveVery honourable exceptions were Italian restaurants, said positively to like children, and Chinese ones, said positively to love them.

Same sentence with split infinitiveVery honourable exceptions were Italian restaurants, said to positively like children, and Chinese ones, said to positively love them.

In some cases, moving the adverb creates an ungrammatical sentence or changes the meaning.  In Mind the Gaffe (Penguin Books, 2001) R L Trask uses this example:

She decided to gradually get rid of the teddy bears she had collected. ‘Gradually’ splits the infinitive ‘to get’. However, if the adverb were moved, where could it go?

She decided gradually to get rid of the teddy bears she had collected. This might imply that the decision was gradual.

She decided to get rid of the teddy bears she had collected gradually. This implies that the collecting process was gradual.

She decided to get gradually rid of the teddy bears she had collected. This sounds awkward, as it splits the phrase "get rid of".

She decided to get rid gradually of the teddy bears she had collected. This is almost as awkward as its immediate predecessor.

The sentence can be rewritten to maintain its meaning, however, by using a noun or a different grammatical aspect of the verb, or by eschewing the informal ‘get rid’. She decided to get rid of her teddy bear collection gradually. She decided she would gradually get rid of the teddy bears she had collected. She decided to rid herself gradually of the teddy bears she had collected.

If not splitting the infinitive alters your intended meaning, or sounds awkward and ambiguous (has more than one meaning); you need to rewrite your sentence – or accept the split! Remember also that infinitives can be split for comic (ironic) effect:‘It was a beautiful sunny morning; perfect to not read Watership Down.’

Examples we might use at the UniversityWith split infinitives We aim to successfully find you a course The University will try to generally improve its position in the league tables We wish to carefully consider issues of equality and diversity on campus Our responsibility is to gently support you through your degree programme Historically, the University has tried to systematically push forward the boundaries of knowledge New ideas and research are to always be carried forward

Without split infinitives We aim successfully to find you a course The University will generally try to improve its position in the league tables

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We wish carefully to consider issues of equality and diversity on campus(Note that the meaning has now been changed: are we ‘carefully wishing’; or ‘carefully considering’? This one would have to be re-written to avoid having to make the split; the easiest way is to remove the adverb)

Our responsibility is gently to support you through your degree programme Historically, the University has systematically tried to push forward the boundaries of knowledge New ideas and research are always to be carried forward

Time of dayThe time of day is always written as figures, with a full stop to indicate the minutes and no space between the time and am or pm (eg, 9.00am, 3.45pm). We do not generally use the 24-hour clock, although this may be different for the International Office and is acceptable in some publications. You may consider giving the time of day in both 12-hour and 24-hour clock formats (eg, 3.45pm [15:45]) if you feel it is more accessible to your target audience or current students.

Tricky plurals – using ‘is’ or ‘are’There are four groups of words that some writers (and speakers) have difficulty with. It has to do with the agreement of plurals (or words that look like plurals) with the verbs/other words they go with.

Nouns that look like plurals Some nouns that end in -s look like they are plural, but they are singular Branches of knowledge like mathematics, physics, ethics, politics, or social studies are singular

Example: Physics is a tough but rewarding subject to study Names of foods, while plural, are treated singularly when they are treated as a single dish

Example: Baked beans is one of my favourite foods. Some diseases, while plural in origin, are treated singularly because just one disease is

discussed: Example: Measles is a nightmare of childhood

Nouns that express measurement A noun expressing an amount or measurement is normally singular. Some examples: Two spoons of coffee in a mug is too strong for me. (single measurement) Twenty pounds is less than what I want to sell it for. (single sum of money) Three-fifths of the UK is satisfied with the NHS. (part of a whole) But – if the unit of measurement refers to a number of individual items, it treated as a plural. Three-fifths of the people are satisfied with the NHS.

Titles Titles of books and other works of art are always considered singular even if the title sounds plural. According to englishplus.com the Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds was successfully (and correctly) advertised with a campaign that said, ‘The Birds is coming!’

Plurals that do not end in -s Some plurals do not end in –s This often applies to those words derived from Latin) – criteria, phenomena, memoranda, and

media (their singular forms are criterion, phenomenon, memorandum, and medium) The word data is also technically a plural; however, the singular form, datum, is uncommon in

English, so using data as a singular word is accepted; though not precisely correct. You could say ‘piece of data’ or ‘item of data’ for the singular if datum sounds inapproptriate.

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Some technically singular words are made of paired items and therefore treated as being plural – scissors, trousers, glasses, pliers, tongs, tweezers, and so on (see Note). Examples: These scissors are too blunt to cut this paper.These trousers are too long.These tongs are dirty.

Note Many technically singular words made of paired items are used with the word ‘pair’ as in ‘pair of scissors’. The noun pair can be followed by either a singular or plural verb. The singular is always used when pair denotes the set taken as a single entity:

This pair of shoes is on sale. A plural verb is used when the members are considered as individuals:

The pair are working more harmoniously now. After a number other than one, pair itself can be either singular or plural, but the plural is now

more common: She bought six pairs (or pair) of stockings.

University of BirminghamThere are a couple of issues that cause some difficulties for people when writing about the University of Birmingham: 1. when to use the word the before it2. when to capitalise or lower case the U

The/the The was dropped from our word marque (logo) some years ago. This means that The does not

appear in our address line, which should be written as follows: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, United Kingdom

In the general run of text, the should still be used but with a lower case t (unless it begins a sentence)Examples– Welcome to the University of Birmingham.– Students at the University of Birmingham enjoy state-of-the-art facilities.– The University of Birmingham has a long history of welcoming international students.

Upper case or lower caseUpper case UWe always use an upper-case U when referring specifically to the University of Birmingham and where we have simply omitted the words ‘of Birmingham’ –Examples The University is a great place to study and live... The University offers a large number of postgraduate programmes... Coming to the University makes you part of a diverse community... Fill in your University application form... Your University experience will be second to none. Your University accommodation will be in one of three villages. All applications to University undergraduate programmes must be made through UCAS... Once you apply to University, you automatically join Birmingham VIP... On coming to University you will become a member of our Guild of Students. Music and sport play a large part of University life on campus.

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Quick tipAs a rule of thumb: upper-case the U1. If you only mean the University of Birmingham2. If the words ‘of Birmingham’ fit into the sentence and have simply been omitted

Lower case uWe always use a lower-case u when referring to university/universities in general and are not referring specifically to the University of Birmingham.Examples Deciding which university to go to is a difficult decision to make. Starting university can be a difficult time for you. Some people feel homesick when they first start university. Going to university can enhance your career prospects. Having a university degree is an advantage. Taking a university degree requires commitment to study. Not everyone has the opportunity to go to university. Another university may follow a different scheme. Most universities are concerned with league tables. We are working in partnership with other universities...

Quick tipAs a rule of thumb: lower-case the u1. If you do not mean the University of Birmingham specifically2. If the what you are saying is generic and applies to all universities

NotesWhen it could be either or

Sometimes, when writing about university, the word fits both the University of Birmingham as well as universities in general. In this case, think about the following: What is the publication about? Who are you writing for? Who will use this publication?

Quick tips1. If the only people who will receive and use this publication are University of Birmingham students

or staff (they are already here) – eg, our student handbook, student diary, staff handbook, etc – then upper-case the UExamples– Collect your University handbook from Aston Webb Reception.– When arriving at University, go directly to your allocated accommodation.– Please note that University parking is free at weekends.– We will give you a voucher for any University food outlet on the Edgbaston campus.

2. If the publication will be disseminated more widely to be used by people outside our institution (they are not here yet) – eg, all prospectuses and promotional materials – then follow the upper and lower case distinctions above.Examples– Every university provides a student handbook.– Starting university can be difficult.– There is so much to see and do at University.– Here at University you will receive the highest possible standard of education.

Special circumstances for lower-casing the u

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The following are examples where you lower-case the u even though you mean the University of Birmingham: You will find that our university is among the best in the UK. We are a global university of distinction. For many years this university has welcomed international students. We are a university with a broad vision for the future. Our university boasts eight Nobel Prize winners. You will not regret coming to this university. As a university, we are fortunate to have a number of world-class resources. A campus-based university like ours has a number of advantages for students. This university offers an outstanding teaching and learning experience. Having unrivalled links with business and the public sector is a feature of this university.This is because you are either using a pronoun (a word that replaces a noun/nouns – eg, our, this) or are referring to the University of Birmingham as a generic higher education institution.

Websites Website is always written as one word. Website addresses should be written in the following way: www.birmingham.ac.uk with no full

stop or other punctuation marks immediately afterwards. If possible, website addresses should not appear within the main body of text but in a separate

box under the heading Learn more, usually placed at the end of a piece of copy. This is a standard element of publications within our brand.

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Sources of information

The following have been used in compiling this guide:

Publications

The Economist Style Guide (ISBN-1-86197-535-X)

The Guardian Style Guide – www.guardian.co.uk

The Oxford Guide to Style (ISBN 0-19-860564-1)

The Times Style and Usage Guide – www.timesonline.co.uk

Butcher’s copy-editing: The Cambridge Handbook for Editors, Copy-editors and

Proofreaders, Fourth Edition; Butcher, Drake and Leach, Cambridge University

Press, 2006.

Practical English Usage: Easier, faster reference, Third Edition, Fully Revised;

Michael Swan, Oxford University Press, 2005.

The Oxford Guide to Plain English, Third Edition, Martin Cutts, OUP, 2009.

Mind the Gaffe : R L Trask, Penguin Books, 2001.

Online resources

SCRBD online punctuation – www.scribd.com/doc/21245751/Puncuation-the-

Apostrophe

http://www.whitesmoke.com/5-parts-of-english-verbs

Accessible PublishingBest Practice Guidelines for Publishers

http://www.editeur.org/files/Collaborations/Accessibility/WIPO.html#towards_accessibility

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