Introduction to

In-house Style Guide

 Abbreviations & Acronyms

• Minimise abbreviations in text

• Write the words in full on first occurrence and

state the abbreviation in brackets. Eg Trades
Union Congress (TUC)

• Do not abbreviate if the abbreviation appears

just once or twice. Give the abbreviation only if it
appears more than twice.

CONTD…
• Abbreviations: Capitalise first letter

• Abbreviations such as NATO which can be

pronounced do not require definite article.
Otherwise use definite article. E.g. the RBI

• Acronym is an abbreviation that can be

pronounced like a word.
 Currencies
• Economist prefers symbols; thus $ for US dollar
and £ for British pound

• To avoid confusion between dollars, use US$

for US dollar, A$ for Australian dollar, S$ for
Singapore dollar and Can$ for Canadian dollar.

• Use € for euro, £ for British pound and ¥ for

Japanese yen.

CONTD…
• Please do not put space between currency
prefix and figure as in US$000, Rs000,
€000, £000 and ¥000.

• Economist tends to convert figures in

lesser known currencies into US$.
 Currencies
• For lesser known currencies, give US dollar equivalents
in brackets.
• Group currency figures in sets of three using comma as
in US$000,000 or Rs000,000,000.
• Use m for million as in US$000m & Rs000,000m in text
and tables. No space between figure and m.
• Use ‘billion’ in text as in US$000 billion. Insert single
space between figure and the word billion.
• Use ‘bn’ in brackets, tables and charts as in US$000bn.
No space between figure and bn.
• Use lakh not lakhs. Use crore not crores.
 Units of Measurement

• If units are written in full, please include a single

space between figure and unit as in 1 tonne or
45m tonnes of coal.

CONTD…
• If abbreviations of units are used then do not
include a space between figure and unit as in
15kg or 11MW or 100mph or 10t (tonne).
Exceptions include more than one set of
abbreviations as in 60m bpd.

• Do not use full stops while abbreviating units

such as k.g. or M.W.

• Use British Spellings for units of measurement;

thus metre not meter, litre not liter and tonne not
ton
 Spelling

• Use British Spelling not American Spelling

• Exceptions include company names. Goodyear

Tire not Goodyear Tyre

• Ensure Language Option in Word is set to

English (UK). Go to tools-language

• Words end in ‘re’ not ‘er’ as in metre and meter

CONTD…
• Words end in ‘our’ not ‘or’ as in labour and labor

• ise and ize instead of ize only. Use ise and

isation throughout

• Words are spelled differently as in tyre not tire,

sulphur not sulfur.

• Program for computer programs and for the rest

use programme
 Figures
• Liberal use of numbers in text brings down readability.

• Economist minimises use of numbers in text. Uses tables

and charts instead.

• Do not begin a sentence with a numeral.

• Use words up to ten and figures from 11 upwards. This

does not apply to percentages and groups of figures where
even one figure exceeds ten.

• Round off decimals to one place. 9.67% is 9.7% and 9.62%

is 9.6%.

• Use symbol % for percentages in text and tables as in 6%.

No space between figure and symbol.
 Periods-Year
• Fiscal year means accounting period of twelve months.

• For figures from the income statement, use the phrase “for the
fiscal year ended March 31, 2009,” in the first mention and
thereafter fiscal 2003-04 or fiscal 2004. is allowed.

• For comparison, use the phrase “as compared to US$000 in

fiscal 2009-10.

• In tables, 2009*or 2009-10*is permitted

• For figures from the balance sheet, use the phrase, “On
March 31, 2009.”

• For comparison, use the phrase ‘as compared to US$000 on

March 31, 2009.”
 Period-Quarter
• Use the phrase “for the first quarter ended March 31, 2005,” for
income statements of companies which have adopted the
calendar year as fiscal year. Change quarter for companies
following other fiscal periods.

• For comparison, use the phrase “as compared to US$000 for

the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2004.

• For discussing balance sheet figures, use the phrase “on

March 31, 2005.” For comparing balance sheet figures, use
“as compared to US$000 on March 31, 2004.”

• In tables and charts, Q1 2005* or Q3 2004-05* allowed.

Mention period at the bottom of table or chart before source.

• Date: January 12, 2005. Month: March or Mar in tables and

charts.
 Numbering. Referencing.
Attribution.
• Numbering is necessary if large number of visuals are used.
• Use Arabic numerals for numbering (1,2 ,3,4).
• References need to be made to charts and tables in text at
appropriate places.
• Use (see chart) and (see table) if visuals are not numbered
• Use (see chart 1) and (see table 1) if visuals are numbered
• The references should be preferably at the end of a
sentence before the full stop, but could be placed in the
middle if needed.
• Always mention source for visuals.
 End

"If you are going to achieve excellence in big

things, you develop the habit in little matters.”
Colin Powell, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of
Staff (1989-93) & Former US Secretary of State.