A to Z Guidelines for Writing

A to Z guidelines for writing for the MS Society

For ease of reference, the guidelines are in alphabetical order. If there are items you feel could usefully be added, or have any issue to raise, tell us at

Abbreviations

The aim is always to keep things simple, so don't use punctuation in abbreviations.

· NHS not N.H.S.

· MRI not M.R.I.

· UK not U.K.

· NICE not N.I.C.E.

PaMS (people affected by MS) and PwMS (people with MS) are internal abbreviations and should not be used if there is any other intended audience. Unless it is well known by your particular audience, always spell out an abbreviation in full first, follow it with the abbreviation in brackets and then use the abbreviation for the rest of the document. Example: People affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) include family, friends and children of those with MS.

Adviser, not advisor.

Alternative therapies – see complementary.

Alemtuzumab

The generic name for what was formerly known as Campath 1H. Therefore, it appears in lower case: alemtuzumab.

Ampersands (&)

Avoid except when they are part of a brand like Proctor & Gamble.

Among/ amongst

Never use amongst (see also while/ whilst). The same applies to amid/amidst. The –st ending is archaic.

Apostrophes

· Use apostrophes to show possession. Example ‘The car belongs to the GP. It is the GP's car.’

· Where you put the apostrophe depends on whether the word is singular or plural. So: The GPs owned the practice. It was the GPs' practice. Be careful placing the apostrophe after words which are already plural before the letter s is added – words such as people and women.

Backslash (/)

Avoid if possible, especially in free-flowing text where they can needlessly/ pointlessly slow the reader down. Particularly avoid ‘he/ she’ (‘they’ works just as well)

‘Benign’ MS

The use of the word benign in relation to any diagnosis of MS is problematic because you can’t say MS is benign for a few years, until after a person has experienced the course of their MS. So, always use inverted commas, preferably with an accompanying explanation such as that found in the booklets Just diagnosed or What is MS?

Bold print

Use sparingly in print and on the web.

Botox

This is a brand name for one particular make of botulinum toxin. But as it’s

commonly used to refer to botulinum toxin in general, it makes sense to use it

in lower case (‘botox’, rather than ‘Botox’) and explain this use in the first

instance: ‘…botulinum toxin (commonly known as ‘botox’)…’

Brackets

Round brackets (or parentheses) are used to set off an interruption to a

sentence. This can be an explanation, or an aside from the writer.
Example Some people may go into remission (a period of recovery).

Square brackets are used within a direct quote to explain something that is

missing. Example “It [NICE] is overly cautious in my opinion,” said the consultant.

Square brackets are also used as instructions to designers. For example, [italics] to show which words should be in italics [end italics], and which shouldn’t.

Bullet points

Be consistent within a set a set of bullets, lean toward not using capitals or full stops unless a bullet or set contains more than one sentence.

Only number bullet lists if they are in order of importance, or they show procedures (ie, what must be done first, second etc).

Capital letters

Avoid where possible. Over capitalising is a barrier to easy reading and assigns importance to things that aren’t important.

Job titles

Lower case when they are generic. Upper case when a specific position.

So:

At the meeting were: neurologists John Roberts and Nigel Dempster, Mary Smith, MS nurse, and John Roberts, Chief Physiotherapist for Leominster PCT.

The same rule applies to MS Society job titles.Names of teams and departments within the MS Society are capitalised: the Research Team is part of the Policy and Research Department. When referring to teams and departments in general, use lower case. So- The communications team, the research team etc.

MS Society branch names

The word branch is not capitalised except where part of the specific branch name: Canterbury and District Branch. The same applies to regions: West Midlands Region.

Diseases are not capitalised. For example: influenza or measles. Exceptions are those named after an individual, such as Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

Drug names

Brand names are capitalised: Avonex and Rebif. Generic names are not capitalised, for example: beta interferon 1a.

We do not use copyright or trademark symbols to indicate brands. If you are uncertain whether a name is the generic or brand name for a drug, check with MIMS, the monthly drug listings guide (the Information Team can show you this in the MS National Centre Library).

Don’t capitalise:

· central nervous system

· magnetic resonance imaging

· disease modifying drugs (preferable to disease modifying therapies)

· local authority

· social care services

· social welfare departments

· Months, days of the week and special occasions (New Year's Day) need capitals. Seasons don't.

Writing for the web: avoid full words in capitals – it LOOKS LIKE SHOUTING. This goes for print too.

Complementary

Complementary and alternative therapies (or medicines)

Complementary therapies (or medicines)

But not

Alternative therapies or medicines

Conjunctions

Conjunctions can be used to start sentences. ‘However' has long been widely

accepted in this use. So it makes sense to also use ‘and', ‘but', and ‘so',

where it makes something clearer and easier to read.

Contractions

Use contractions like that's, don't, can't where possible. This helps convey a less formal tone, something our research shows that readers respond to.

Coordination, not co-ordination.

Counselling and counsellor, not counselling.

Disease

We say that MS is a condition, not a disease. ‘Disease' is only used in the context of disease modifying drugs and sometimes for a research audience.

Dates and time

Use this order, and don't use commas: Thursday 28 September 2009 Dates do not always need the day adding, but if they do, it must come first. Do not use the letters –st, -nd, -rd or -th with dates (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc).

Opening times

Open Monday to Friday, but 10am-3pm

Do not use “00” for times on the hour: 2.00pm. Use 2am, 2pm, 2.30am, 2.30pm. Do not use the 24-hour clock in prose. Use as in speech: 2pm. Don't use stops in am or pm, and leave no spaces between the number and am or pm.

Dietitian , not dietician.

Direct Payments – capitalise when referring to the government scheme for

payments towards social care services.

DLS – Disability Law Service

The Disability Law Service provides free legal advice on possible breaches of the Equality Act in employment and community care law, and in the provision of goods, services and post-16 education.

Focused and focusing, not focussed or focussing.

Font size and style

Our minimum size for body copy is 11pt, however 12-14pt is recommended for accessibility.

There are three font options.

· Lubalin Graph should be used for headlines and to give emphasis. It should not be used for large areas of copy (more than a column).

· Helvetica Neue should be used for large areas of text.

· Arial should be used where Lubalin Graph and Helvetice Neue are not available or appropriate. Arial should also be used for all on-screen applications, such as PowerPoint presentations and websites. Text should be black on white wherever possible. In all cases, a strong contrast is needed for good visibility.

Fractions

Write fractions in words: one-third, not 1/3.

Fundraising

Fundraising is one word, rather than two.

Further/ farther

Use further/ furthest and not farther/ farthest.

Health care, not healthcare.

Hyphens

Avoid using hyphens whenever possible.

· Coordination, not co-ordination

· Wellbeing, not well-being

· Polyunsaturated, not poly-unsaturated

· Primary progressive MS (no hyphen)

· Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (abbreviate only to relapsing remitting

· MS, not RRMS)

There will be occasions when a hyphenated word is easier to read. Some common examples:

· Neuro-physiotherapy

· Neuro-psychiatry

· Neuro-rehabilitation

· Multi-disciplinary

You should hyphenate two words that come in front of a word to modify it, such as long-term conditions, or post-natal depression. But don't hyphenate words when they are acting as nouns or verbs. So, hyphenate day-to-day treatment, but not how things happen day to day.

Headings

Justified left, as with text in general. The first heading of a document can be centred. Avoid underlining and bold together – one or the other should be plenty to make it stand out. Headings should use the Lubalin font if available.

Impairment

This should usually be reserved for a health professional or research audience.

Italics

Avoid them in the body of text. Long sentences, and blocks of text, are harder to read when in italics. Use them for book titles and other published document titles in the body of text. Use sparingly for emphasis. For example, italics are not necessary here, as the point would be clear without. Research suggests avoiding italics online altogether as screen resolutions make them largely illegible (especially if you have visual or cognitive problems). Also, some screen readers will read italics in a different tone.

Money

· £1 to £999,999

· £1 million

· £1 billion

· Don't abbreviate with ‘m' or ‘k'

· But if the number needs to be precise, write it out in full, using commas

· And full stops: £1,678,999.56

MS Society

Always use this form in print. On the web, spell out Multiple Sclerosis Society

for the first use (it helps search engines) and then use MS Society for

subsequent mentions. (Note that this is the only occasion that Multiple

Sclerosis has a capital ‘S'.)

When used as a noun in text, include “the”.

So: The MS Society is the UK 's largest charity dedicated to supporting

everyone whose life is touched by MS.

MS Society Wales/Cymru (abbreviate to MSS Cymru)

MS Society Northern Ireland (abbreviate to MSS Northern Ireland)

MS Society Scotland (abbreviate to MSS Scotland)

MS specialist nurse

MS nurse (not MS Nurse)

Multi-disciplinary, not multidisciplinary

Multiple sclerosis

Spell it out at the first mention, but don't capitalise it, and then abbreviate to

MS.

The National Centre

When used as a noun, always use ‘the': The meeting was held at the National

Centre.

Nations

MS Society Wales/Cymru (abbreviate to MSS Cymru)

MS Society Northern Ireland (abbreviate to MSS Northern Ireland)

MS Society Scotland (abbreviate to MSS Scotland)

National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions

The preferred abbreviation is: the NSF for Long-term Conditions. If the context

makes it clear, it can also be abbreviated to: the NSF.

Neuro-physiotherapy, not neurophysiotherapy

Neuro-psychiatry, not neuropsychiatry

Neuro-rehabilitation, not neurorehabilitation

NICE

The full name of this organisation (which assesses new treatments for the

NHS) is the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

NICE guidelines

The preferred abbreviation is: the NICE guideline for MS.

If the context makes it clear, it can also be abbreviated to: the NICE guideline

(singular), though never: the NICE guidelines (plural).

Other, more recent, guidelines may include ‘Health’ in the author’s title. Check

the original document online to be sure – www.nice.org.uk

Numbers

One to nine should appear as words. This includes terms such as the Four

Nations (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland).

Numbers from 10 onwards should appear as figures, even when there is a

mix in the sentence.

So: It appeared that one individual abstained, but 11 voted.

There is one exception. If you need to start a sentence with a number, spell it out. Then you should hyphenate twenty-one to ninety-nine (and so on).

So: Twenty-one members attended the branch meeting.

Use commas for sums of 1,000 and over.

Write fractions in words: one-third, not 1/3.

Spell out million and billion.

Older people, not OAPs, old people

Organisations

Organisations are singular.

Patient

The term patient is used only in the context of health care – people with MS are not patients in their day to day lives, only when they are receiving health care services. When communicating with professionals, rather than ‘patient’ please use ‘people with MS’

People, not persons

Per cent, not percent or %

Personal budgets are for social care.

Personal health budgets are for health care.

PIP

Personal independence payment – replacing DLA

Write it: Personal Independence Paymentand Personal independence payments

Practice/ practise

Spelt with an ‘s', this is a verb. With a ‘c', it is a noun.

Primary progressive multiple sclerosis

No hyphens or commas. Abbreviate only to primary progressive MS, not

PPMS.

Professional network

Full title: the MS Society professional network. This can be abbreviated to:

the professional network and, where context allows, the network (but never

the MS professional network).

Punctuation

Use proper punctuation to make your writing clearer and more accessible for your reader. If you're struggling with a long phrase, try to break it down into smaller sentences. A sentence should contain one idea, two max. Read your piece of writing out loud. Where you naturally take a breath is where you should insert punctuation. Don’t randomly use punctuation to avoid proper structure.

Comma

Use commas to separate words in a list of items. You only need a comma before the final 'and' if the meaning would be unclear without it.

Semicolon

Use a semicolon to join two complete sentences into a single one when they are too closely related to be separated by a full stop.

So: Richard likes cake; Susan likes salad.

Bill was going bald; his hair was falling out.

I didn’t see the step; I’ve now got a bandage on my head.

The semicolon can also be used like a comma in lists of items, especially when the list is complicated:

She planned to visit five locations: Soho, London; Brighton & Hove; New York, Mumbai and Hong Kong.

To play the piano well you need: a strong pair of hands; the ability to read music; and a certain passion to perform.

Colon

This indicates that what follows it is an elaboration or explanation of what precedes it. A list of items can be introduced by the colon. For example: