You should always use British English terms and spellings, not American or Scottish English. Use British English Always use British English and spellings. Examples organisation, not organization centre, not center holiday, not vacation shop, not store programme, not program Official names In official names, use the spelling the organisation uses. Examples World Trade Center, Karolinska Institutet Scottish terms Avoid using Scottish terms such as 'outwith', as an international audience may not understand. Use an alternative like 'outside' or 'beyond'. Latin Latin 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. Examples forums, not fora syllabuses, not syllabi Alumni Consider using ‘former students’ or ‘graduates’ instead. If you do use the Latin term, use it as follows: Alumni - graduates plural Alumnx - non-gendered term for a single graduate Alumna - female graduate Alumnus - male graduate Graduates and graduands A graduand is someone to be awarded a degree. A graduate has been awarded and holds a degree. Spelling style You can find further guidance on spelling in the Spelling style section of this guide. Spelling style This article was published on 2024-09-17
