The following editorial style sheet was prepared for an annual report I copy edited in 1999.
The purpose of a style sheet is to provide a convenient reference for anyone writing, copy editing or proofreading a particular document. What belongs in a style sheet? It should include anything that could be treated inconsistently or that someone might have to spend time looking up.
Some companies develop corporate style sheets to ensure that spelling, hyphenation, capitalization, etc., are consistent throughout all documents produced within the company -- everything from internal memos to procedures manuals to Web pages.
COPY EDITING | ANNUAL REPORTS
Spelling, Hyphenation and Capitalization
in the 1998 Annual Report
Spell out numbers from one to nine, except statistics or dollar amounts.
Do not use serial comma unless it is necessary for clarity. (A serial comma is one used in a list before "and" or "or"; for example, the car was fast, efficient, and affordable.)
The recommended dictionary is the ITP Nelson Canadian Dictionary and the style guide followed was The Globe and Mail Style Book.
among [not amongst]
back up [verb]
backup [noun, adjective]
benchmark
board of directors
Canadian Auto Workers (CAW)
cancellation
CAW
centre
CEO
Class A common shares
Company, the
computer-aided design
co-ordinate, co-ordination
cost-reduction [adjective]
cross-functional
DaimlerChrysler
enterprise-wide
favourable, favourably
first-quarter [adjective]
focused, focusing
foreign-currency [adjective]
foreign-exchange [adjective]
foreseeable
forward-looking
fourth-quarter [adjective]
frontline
fulfilling
full-service [adjective]
GM
goodwill
higher-than-expected [adjective before a noun]
higher-value-added [adjective before a noun]
in house [adverb]
in-house [adjective]
ISO 14001
landfill
less-than-projected [adjective before a noun]
long term [noun]
long-term [adjective]
low-risk [adjective]
millennium
modelling
moulding
non-compliance
non-critical
OEMs
off-site
ongoing
per cent
practice [noun]
practise [verb]
prerequisite
prior-year [adjective]
program
R&D
recognize
second-quarter [adjective]
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Securities Exchange Act, the
share-purchase [adjective]
start-up [noun]
third-party [adjective]
third-quarter [adjective]
three-dimensional
totalled, totalling
turnaround
under way
U.S. dollars
US$ [with figures]
vice-president
work force
world-class
worst-case scenario
write off [verb]
write-off [noun]