[Adapted from: Netmanners and The Effective Emailer and Email Replies] Perception is the only reality online. In an appropriate context, a cryptic exchange of messages can be a mutually understood method of communication between two people. In most cases, however, it is courteous to follow the conventions of effective communication. Why do companies need to implement …
Dates
My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places. - Winnie the Pooh The standard date format in Australian and UK English is Day Date Month, e.g. 30 October 2010 (not 30th); unless the document is a standard tender form that has ‘Signed this [30th] day …
Commas
Commas should aid understanding. Too many in one sentence can be confusing.
Colons and semi-colons
Semi-colons should be used to mark a pause longer than a comma and shorter than a full stop. Don't overdo them. Use them to distinguish phrases listed after a colon if commas will not do the job clearly.
Clichés and jargon
Sometimes idioms and expressions are so overused that they grate on the ear. I still believe colourful language can paint a more vivid picture and present ideas clearly, but of course there is no point using technical (I D 10 T computer error) or business (acronyms!) jargon to confound others; or overusing idioms for the sake …
Capitals and lower case
A balance has to be struck between so many capitals that the eyes dance and so few that the reader is diverted more by our style than by our substance. The general rule is to dignify with capital letters organisations and institutions, but not people. ... Even these, however, leave some decisions to individual judgment. If in doubt, use lower case unless it looks absurd. And remember that ‘a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds’ (Emerson). More exact rules are available on the website cited below.
Articles (the, a, an)
Use an before words that begin with a vowel sound and words that begin with a silent h.
Ampersand (&), ellipsis (…), en and em dash & the solidus (/)
Ampersand The ampersand (&) is not used for general purposes in printed text. Its use is restricted to company names and titles in display work, and it is sometimes used in references to the work of joint authors or editors, in bibliographies or in parentheses, e.g.: Bell P & Bell R (eds) 2007, Americanization and …
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