Style Guide/Ocean Defenders Alliance/page 1

Ocean Defenders Alliance Style Guide

Daniel Braithwaite
Updated: 9 December 2014
Ocean Defenders Alliance (www.oceandefenders.org) is a nonprofit organization that promotes
marine conservation by cleaning the worlds oceans. The organization was founded in 2002 by
Kurt Lieber, an engineer by trade, with the purpose of acting while others were only talking. The
organization is based in Huntington Beach, California, but has a global outreach program that is
conducted mainly through social media.
The Ocean Defenders Alliance (ODA) has two vessels, the Clearwater and the LegaSea, which it
uses to take divers out to gather marine waste. When the ODA is not able to be out cleaning the
oceans it sends members to schools to help educate people about marine conservation. The ODA
also uses volunteers to help fundraise and raise awareness about the damage that human
interaction causes in the oceans.
For the ODA to be effective in its goals it needs to present itself in an easily understood manner
to people around the globe. This style guide has been prepared to help the organization have a
consistent written presentation in an effort to make its goals easily understood by both native and
non-native speakers of English. This guide is not meant to be exhaustive and any issues that are
not addressed herein should be researched in Edmond H. Weisss The Elements of International
English Style: A Guide to Writing English Correspondence, Reports, Technical Documents, and
Internet Pages for a Global Audience (later referred to as Weiss) and The Chicago Manual of
Style (16th edition, later referred to as Chicago). While this guide will follow recommendations
by Chicago and Weiss in most cases, there will be a few deviations in an effort to make all
written material readily available to an international audience.

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Table of Contents
1 Usage
1.1 Reduced dictionary
1.2 Phrasal verbs
1.3 Coined words
1.4 Redundancies
1.5 That
1.6 Words with opposite meanings

2 Punctuation
2.1 Comma usage
2.2 Serial Comma
2.3 Hyphenation
2.4 Em dash usage
2.5 Em dash spacing
2.6 Ellipsis
2.7 Colons and lists

3 Spelling and Capitalization

3.1 Abbreviations
3.2 Ampersand
3.3 Slash
3.4 Acceptable abbreviations
3.5 Latin abbreviations

4 Names and Places

4.1 Verify names
4.2 Consistency of names
4.3 Places

5 Numbers
5.1 Use of numerals
5.2 Currency
5.3 Dates
5.4 Inclusive numbers

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1 Usage
1.1 Reduced Dictionary
Adopt a reduced dictionary to make the writing more accessible to an international audience.
Users of English as a second language (E2) often have a narrowed scope of language, and for
your message to reach the greatest potential it must be simply stated (Weiss 19).
Wrong:
After the liberation process, the waste is floated to the surface.
OK:
After the waste has been freed it is floated to the surface.
1.2 Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs, verbs that are made up of two or more words, are difficult for E2s to
understand and should be avoided (Weiss 24).
Wrong:
Divers buddy up to run tests.
OK:
Divers work together to run tests.
1.3 Coined Words
While coining new words is often useful and exciting, they should not be used. This ensures
that E2s can readily access the document (Weiss 29).
Wrong:
Sunken vessels leave behind a great deal of debris (for example, vessel
debris, floatables, and introduced material).
OK:
Sunken vessels leave behind a great deal of debris (for example, vessel
debris, floating rubbish, and introduced material).
1.4 Redundancies
Redundant adjectives and adverbs can cloud meaning for E2s who do not have a dictionary
handy and whose grasp of the language varies. By eliminating excess words, the meaning
often becomes clearer (Weiss 32).
Wrong:
The need for our work became appallingly apparent.
OK:
The need for our work became apparent.
1.5 That
Avoid deleting that when paring excess words to make the text more accessible to E2
readers. Eliminating that can make the writing more difficult to understand.
Wrong:
It is unlikely the reef will recover, unless debris is removed.
OK:
It is unlikely that the reef will recover, unless debris is removed.
1.6 Words with opposite meanings
In keeping with using a reduced dictionary, writing that is addressed to E2s should not
contain words that could potentially have two opposite meanings (Weiss 50).
Wrong:
Discarded nets are first clipped from the reef and are then clipped to a
floatation device for removal.
OK:
Discarded nets are first cut from the reef and are then attached to a
floatation device for removal.

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2 Punctuation
2.1 Comma usage
For E2s it is often easier to read and understand writing that has been broken up into small
chunks. Even if a comma could be left out, it is better to include it. This makes the text more
accessible (Weiss 72).
Wrong:
For instance volunteer divers help collect waste from the bottom of the
ocean.
OK:
For instance, volunteer divers help collect waste from the bottom of the
ocean.
2.2 Serial comma
In keeping with rule 2.1, the serial comma, or oxford comma, should not be left off. It is
useful for E2s to see the groupings in lists (Chicago 6.18).
Wrong:
Marine life can get tangled in discarded nets, lost traps and fishing line.
OK:
Marine life can get tangled in discarded nets, lost traps, and fishing line.
2.3 Hyphenation
Bilingual dictionaries often leave out many words that are only changed by a simple prefix or
suffix. Therefore, it is helpful for an E2 to see a hyphen that separates prefixes, even if they
would not be used in normal English (Weiss 73).
Wrong:
The ships often leave during the predawn hours and do not return till dusk.
OK:
The ships often leave during the pre-dawn hours and do not return till
dusk.
2.4 Em dash usage
An em dash, commonly called a dash, is often used to set off parentheticals or nonrestrictive
modifiers. As such, it can often be used in place of commas and parentheses. Be careful to
not use a hyphen or an en dash when an em dash is called for (Chicago 6.82 and Weiss 72).
Wrong:
Ghost gear-abandoned nets and other fishing equipment-can seriously
damage vital reef structures during storms as it is tossed violently back
and forth by the currents.
OK:
Ghost gearabandoned nets and other fishing equipmentcan seriously
damage vital reef structures during storms as it is tossed violently back
and forth by the currents.
2.5 Em dash spacing
It is not difficult to use the em dash incorrectly. Some word processing softwares will
mistakenly autocorrect dashes incorrectly as well. When using the em dash there are no
spaces before or after the dash (Chicago 6.82).
Wrong:
Coastal waters everywhere are littered with man-made debris plastics,
garbage, and abandoned fishing gear which adversely affects the
ecosystem.
OK:
Coastal waters everywhere are littered with man-made debrisplastics,
garbage, and abandoned fishing gearwhich adversely affects the
ecosystem.

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2.6 Ellipsis
Many word processors get the ellipsis wrong. When using ellipses, remember that they are
used to acknowledge omitted material. This is done by inserting three periods with a space
before and after each ( . . . ). If the quoted material is a complete sentence, but crosses
paragraphs before continuing, then the complete sentence would have a normal period
followed by an ellipsis (. . . . ).
Wrong:
Volunteers should have a willingness to work hard.and an appropriate
sense of humor.
OK:
Volunteers should have a willingness to work hard . . . and an appropriate
sense of humor.
2.7 Colons and lists
Lists are best introduced by a complete sentence followed by a colon (Chicago 6.124).
Wrong:
In this relatively small but intensively exploited area, over the last 10
years we have already removed:

OK:

12,000 pounds of squid nets

13,000 feet of polypropylene trap line
Over 150 traps (lobster and periwinkle snail)

In this relatively small, but intensively exploited, area a significant amount

of debris has already been removed over the last 10 years:

12,000 pounds of squid nets

13,000 feet of polypropylene trap line
Over 150 traps (lobster and periwinkle snail)

3 Spelling and Capitalization

3.1 Abbreviations
Avoid abbreviations or write out the full word followed by the abbreviation for clarity (Weiss
51 and Chicago 10.3).
Wrong:
ODA is committed to protecting near-shore ocean ecosystems.
OK:
Ocean Defenders Alliance (ODA) is committed to protecting near-shore
ocean ecosystems.
3.2 Ampersand
Do not use an ampersand (&) unless it is part of an official name (Chicago 10.23).
Wrong:
The California department of fish & game helped us in the acquisition of
permits to clean the ocean.
OK:
The California department of fish and game helped us in the acquisition of
permits to clean the ocean.

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3.3 Slash
A slash (/) in informal uses signifies or and in some cases and. For international audiences,
this usage should be avoided. Spell out what the slash is standing in for (Weiss 51 and
Chicago 6.104).
Wrong:
Volunteer divers will have their seamanship skills/qualifications checked.
OK:
Volunteer divers will have their seamanship skills and qualifications
checked.
3.4 Acceptable abbreviations
Abbreviations that appear in full capitals use no periods (Chicago 10.4).
Wrong:
Bill Cooper, Ph.D.
OK:
Bill Cooper, PhD
3.5 Latin abbreviations
In many cases E2s do not share many native speakers Western heritage. Latin words and
their abbreviations are therefore often incomprehensible to E2s and are often not listed in
bilingual dictionaries. It is best to avoid most Latin words that can just as easily be stated by
a simple English equivalent (Weiss 51).
Wrong:
Sunken vessels leave behind a great deal of debris (e.g., vessel debris,
anything that floats, and introduced material).
OK:
Sunken vessels leave behind a great deal of debris (for example, vessel
debris, anything that floats, and introduced material).

4 Names and Places

4.1 Verification of names
Always check names against reliable sources (for example, go to the California state website
to verify their departments). Nothing will hurt credibility more than misnaming someone or
something.
Wrong:
The California department of fish & game helped us in the acquisition of
permits to clean the ocean.
OK:
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife helped us in the
acquisition of permits to clean the ocean.
4.2 Consistency of names
For consistency, use a persons full name on first mention; only use the last name for each
mention thereafter.
Wrong:
Our Founder, Kurt Lieber, is an avid diver and photographer. . . .
Although a mechanical engineer by trade, Kurts passion has always been
the health of marine wildlife and their habitats.
OK:
Our Founder, Kurt Lieber, is an avid diver and photographer. . . .
Although a mechanical engineer by trade, Liebers passion has always
been the health of marine wildlife and their habitats.

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4.3 Places
In running text, spell out names of states (Chicago 10.28).
Wrong:
I was born in Chicago, Illinois, and my family moved to Cleveland in
1967.
OK:
I was born in Chicago, Illinois, and my family moved to Cleveland, Ohio,
in 1967.

5 Numbers
5.1 Use of numerals
We will deviate from Chicagos normal recommendations because it is clearer for
international audiences if numbers one through nine are spelled out, and numerals are used
for the rest (Chicago 9.3).
Wrong:
We were unable to find any debris within a 5-mile radius.
OK:
We were unable to find any debris within a five-mile radius.
5.2 Currency
When writing about money, state which currency is being used.
Wrong:
We require about $500 for fuel costs each month.
OK:
We require about US$500 for fuel costs each month.
5.3 Dates
In running text all month names should be spelled out. Spelling the date out is very helpful
for E2s and avoids ambiguity. If charts use dates and lack the space for the spelled-out date,
the chart should be reformatted to make additional space (Chicago 3.96 and Weiss 48).
Wrong:
On 10/15/2012 volunteer divers removed 430 pounds of discarded nets
from a kelp bed.
Wrong:
On Oct. 15, 2012, volunteer divers removed 430 pounds of discarded nets
from a kelp bed.
OK:
On October 15, 2012, volunteer divers removed 430 pounds of discarded
nets from a kelp bed.
5.4 Inclusive numbers
Make sure numbers are clear to the reader. To avoid ambiguity, use all digitsas opposed to
how numbers are treated in Chicago. Ocean Defenders Alliance does not need to list large
groups of numbers; it is, therefore, acceptable to use all digits (See Chicago 9.60 for its
treatment of inclusive numbers).
Wrong:
We at Ocean Defenders Alliance have a goal to clean 15075 hectares of
ocean floor each year.
OK:
We at Ocean Defenders Alliance have a goal to clean 150175 hectares of
ocean floor each year.