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…th-GDS-style Updating the style guide to align with GDS guide more closely
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| {% markdown %} | ||
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| The style guide includes words and language that differ from the <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style">Government Digital Service (GDS) style guide </a> that are used across multiple teams or areas in DfE. | ||
| Always use the <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style">Government Digital Service (GDS) style guide</a> first. | ||
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| This style guide includes words that differ the GDS style guide and are used across multiple teams or areas in DfE. | ||
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| It's a guide, not a set of rules. If your service uses niche language, or research shows your users say something else, use the words your users understand. | ||
| It is a guide, not a set of rules. If your service uses niche language, or research shows your users say something else, use the words your users understand. | ||
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| If a word you use isn't there, start a conversation in the <a class="govuk-link" href="https://ukgovernmentdfe.slack.com/archives/C6L4J5DK6"> DfE #contentdesign Slack channel</a>, or email <a class="govuk-link" href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>. | ||
| If a word you use isn't here, <a class="govuk-link" href="https://ukgovernmentdfe.slack.com/archives/C6L4J5DK6">start a conversation in the DfE #contentdesign Slack channel</a>, or email <a class="govuk-link" href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> and suggest it is added. | ||
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| You also can contribute to the DfE style guide on <a class="govuk-link" href="https://github.com/DFE-Digital/design/issues/111">GitHub</a>. | ||
| You can also <a class="govuk-link" href="https://github.com/DFE-Digital/design/issues/111">contribute to the DfE style guide on GitHub</a>. | ||
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| ## A | ||
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| ### academic year | ||
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| Use months rather than the academic year when communicating with the public. | ||
| Use months rather than the academic year when communicating with the public, especially if the content is aimed at an international audience. | ||
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| For example, teacher training lasts around 9 months, usually starting in September. | ||
| For example, "Teacher training lasts around 9 months, usually starting in September." | ||
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| Instead of, teacher training lasts one academic year. | ||
| Instead of, "Teacher training lasts one academic year." | ||
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| Use a forward slash to separate the two years within a single academic year, for example,'in the academic year 2016/17' | ||
| If you need to write about a specific academic year, <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#dates">follow GDS guidance for dates and date ranges</a>. | ||
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| ### acronyms | ||
| We follow the <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#abbreviations-and-acronyms">GDS style guide for acronyms</a>, however when the users of a product or service are civil servants, they often recognise the acronym more than the full name. | ||
| We follow <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#abbreviations-and-acronyms">GDS guidance for acronyms</a>, however when the users of a product or service are civil servants, they often recognise the acronym more than the full name. | ||
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| When this is the case, we write the acronym out first and then follow that with the full name in brackets. | ||
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| For example, Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) would follow the GOV.UK guidance. | ||
| For example, Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) would follow GDS guidance. | ||
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| We would write ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency) if writing for civil servants using a casework management system. | ||
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| You do not need to explain the acronym in full on every page in a series if the user will complete that journey in 1 sitting. For example, when completing a task on a task list. | ||
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| If the task in the task list was to "Contact the ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency) about a thing", you would not need to use the full name in the task on the next page. You could just use the acronym there. | ||
| If the task in the task list was to "Contact ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency) about a thing", you would not need to use the full name in the task on the next page. You could just use the acronym there. | ||
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| ### adult-led | ||
| Hyphenated when used to describe an adult leading something, for example, 'an adult-led activity'. Not hyphenated in other circumstances 'this activity is adult led'. | ||
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| ### capitalisation | ||
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| Write in sentence case whenever possible. This is easier to read. | ||
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| Capitalise division and department names, and specific job titles like Regional Director. | ||
| We follow <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#capitalisation">GDS guidance for capitalisation</a> and casing. | ||
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| ### child-led | ||
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| ## D | ||
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| ### dates | ||
| Use 'to' in date ranges, rather than a hyphen or dash, for example, 'January to September 2015'; '2012 to 2015'. | ||
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| The exceptions are: | ||
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| financial years - use an en rule to separate the 2 years within a single financial year, for example, 'in the financial year 2016-17' | ||
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| academic years - see <a class="govuk-link" href="/content-design/style-guide#academic-year">academic year</a> | ||
| We follow GDS guidance on <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#dates">how to write dates</a>. | ||
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| ### DBS check | ||
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| ### hyphenation | ||
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| We follow the <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#hyphenation">GDS style guide on hyphenation</a>. | ||
| We follow the <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#hyphenation">GDS guidance on hyphenation</a>. | ||
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| ## I | ||
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| ## K | ||
| ### key stages | ||
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| The <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#key-stage">GDS style guide uses lower case for key stages </a>. | ||
| Follow GDS guidance to <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#key-stage">use lower case for key stages</a>. | ||
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| Where key stages are referenced in services that are used by people who may not be familiar with the key stage system, add the age range in brackets afterwards. | ||
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| ## L | ||
| ### local council vs local authority | ||
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| The GDS style guide uses <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#local-council">local council</a>. Follow this unless you are writing for civil servants. They usually refer to a local authority instead. Use the language of your users. | ||
| GDS guidance says use <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#local-council">local council</a>. | ||
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| Follow this unless you are writing for civil servants. They usually refer to a local authority instead. Use the language of your users. | ||
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| ## M | ||
| ### multi-academy trust | ||
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| Create a consistent way of writing time periods of 12 months or more. | ||
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| Write the length of apprenticeships and courses in years and months while following the convention for numbers in the GDS style guide. | ||
| Write the length of apprenticeships and courses in years and months while following the convention for numbers in GDS guidance. | ||
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| For example: | ||
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| ### special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo) or special educational needs and disabilities co-ordinator (SENDCo) | ||
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| We follow <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#special-educational-needsspecial-educational-needs-and-disabilities-send">the GOV.UK style guide for SEN and SEND</a> and apply it to SENCo (special educational needs co-ordinator) and SENDCo (special educational needs and disabilities co-ordinator). | ||
| We follow <a class="govuk-link" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style#special-educational-needsspecial-educational-needs-and-disabilities-send">GDS guide for SEN and SEND</a> and apply it to SENCo (special educational needs co-ordinator) and SENDCo (special educational needs and disabilities co-ordinator). | ||
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| ### subject knowledge enhancement course (SKE) | ||
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