You should always use British English terms and spellings, not American or Scottish English. Use British EnglishAlways use British English and spellings.Examplesorganisation, not organizationcentre, not centerholiday, not vacationshop, not storeprogramme, not programOfficial namesIn official names, use the spelling the organisation uses.ExamplesWorld Trade Center, Karolinska InstitutetScottish termsAvoid using Scottish terms such as 'outwith', as an international audience may not understand. Use an alternative like 'outside' or 'beyond'.LatinLatin terms should be used sparingly. Some Latin words, and their plurals, are so common that many people don’t know they are plurals: words like ‘data’ and ‘criteria’.However, you should avoid many Latin terms where possible, in particular plural forms that look pedantic and put the reader off.Examplesforums, not forasyllabuses, not syllabiAlumniConsider using ‘former students’ or ‘graduates’ instead. If you do use the Latin term, use it as follows:Alumni - graduates pluralAlumnx - non-gendered term for a single graduateAlumna - female graduateAlumnus - male graduateGraduates and graduandsA graduand is someone to be awarded a degree. A graduate has been awarded and holds a degree.Spelling styleYou can find further guidance on spelling in the Spelling style section of this guide.Spelling style This article was published on 2024-09-17
