diff --git a/app/views/content-design/style-guide/index.html b/app/views/content-design/style-guide/index.html index b9be685c..2e3864e1 100644 --- a/app/views/content-design/style-guide/index.html +++ b/app/views/content-design/style-guide/index.html @@ -68,38 +68,40 @@ {% markdown %} - The style guide includes words and language that differ from the Government Digital Service (GDS) style guide that are used across multiple teams or areas in DfE. + Always use the Government Digital Service (GDS) style guide first. + + This style guide includes words that differ the GDS style guide and are used across multiple teams or areas in DfE. -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. -If a word you use isn't there, start a conversation in the DfE #contentdesign Slack channel, or email design.ops@education.gov.uk. +If a word you use isn't here, start a conversation in the DfE #contentdesign Slack channel, or email design.ops@education.gov.uk and suggest it is added. -You also can contribute to the DfE style guide on GitHub. +You can also contribute to the DfE style guide on GitHub. ## A ### academic year -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. -For example, teacher training lasts around 9 months, usually starting in September. +For example, "Teacher training lasts around 9 months, usually starting in September." -Instead of, teacher training lasts one academic year. +Instead of, "Teacher training lasts one academic year." -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, follow GDS guidance for dates and date ranges. ### acronyms -We follow the GDS style guide for acronyms, however when the users of a product or service are civil servants, they often recognise the acronym more than the full name. +We follow GDS guidance for acronyms, however when the users of a product or service are civil servants, they often recognise the acronym more than the full name. When this is the case, we write the acronym out first and then follow that with the full name in brackets. -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. We would write ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency) if writing for civil servants using a casework management system. 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. -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. ### 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'. @@ -125,9 +127,7 @@ ### capitalisation -Write in sentence case whenever possible. This is easier to read. - -Capitalise division and department names, and specific job titles like Regional Director. +We follow GDS guidance for capitalisation and casing. ### child-led @@ -140,13 +140,7 @@ ## D ### dates -Use 'to' in date ranges, rather than a hyphen or dash, for example, 'January to September 2015'; '2012 to 2015'. - -The exceptions are: - -financial years - use an en rule to separate the 2 years within a single financial year, for example, 'in the financial year 2016-17' - -academic years - see academic year +We follow GDS guidance on how to write dates. ### DBS check @@ -185,7 +179,7 @@ ### hyphenation -We follow the GDS style guide on hyphenation. +We follow the GDS guidance on hyphenation. ## I @@ -221,7 +215,7 @@ ## K ### key stages -The GDS style guide uses lower case for key stages . +Follow GDS guidance to use lower case for key stages. 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. @@ -230,7 +224,9 @@ ## L ### local council vs local authority -The GDS style guide uses local council. 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 local council. + +Follow this unless you are writing for civil servants. They usually refer to a local authority instead. Use the language of your users. ## M ### multi-academy trust @@ -251,7 +247,7 @@ Create a consistent way of writing time periods of 12 months or more. -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. For example: @@ -344,7 +340,7 @@ ### special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo) or special educational needs and disabilities co-ordinator (SENDCo) -We follow the GOV.UK style guide for SEN and SEND and apply it to SENCo (special educational needs co-ordinator) and SENDCo (special educational needs and disabilities co-ordinator). +We follow GDS guide for SEN and SEND and apply it to SENCo (special educational needs co-ordinator) and SENDCo (special educational needs and disabilities co-ordinator). ### subject knowledge enhancement course (SKE)