Editorial style guide - C

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Capital letters

Proper nouns, official titles and course titles use initial capitals when written in full.

When referring to such titles in running text or using a word such as history in a generic sense, don't use an initial capital.

Department names use initial capitals, but the word department always uses lower-case d, unless it begins a sentence.

When referring to the University of Sheffield as the University use an initial capital. When referring to a university use all lower case.

Don't use initial capitals for the small connecting words in titles.

See also Title case and Headings and titles

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Careers adviser

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Centuries

In keeping with our general guideline on numbers, we use words for everything up to ninth. From 10th onwards, use numerals.

For nouns, use: fourth century, fifth century and so on, then: 10th century, 21st century. For adjectives, use a hyphen: fourth–century philosopher, 21st–century furniture.

See Dates and times and Numbers

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Colon (:)

Use a colon to introduce a list in a sentence:

Colons can also be used to separate statements in a sentence, when the second statement explains the first:

Never follow a colon with a dash (:-).

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Comma

In a simple sentence like the above there is no need for a comma before and.

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Compliment or complement

You pay someone a compliment. You have a full complement of students.

A book review may be complimentary. Two types of medical treatment or two colours can be complementary.

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Comprise or compose

The parts compose (make up) the whole. The whole comprises (includes) the parts. The whole is composed of the parts. Never use is comprised of, although consists of is correct.

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Computer-aided

Hyphenated when used as an adjective as in computer-aided design.

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Contact details

If a telephone number is given there should also be an email address. Fax numbers and web addresses are optional but strongly recommended.

Telephone numbers should always follow the format 0114 XXX XXXX. Don't put the area code in brackets.

If the publication or web page is for an international audience, then the telephone number should follow the format +44 (0)114 XXX XXXX.

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Contractions

There's nothing wrong with contractions. They’re not grammatically incorrect. If it feels right to use one, go ahead.

But don't overuse them. Too many contractions in a piece of writing can be irritating and distracting.

Contractions such as 'you'll and 'we'll' help establish an informal, friendly tone. They help you to replicate the flow of everyday speech, which can make your copy easier to read.

Some contractions can have the opposite effect. 'There've', for instance, looks strange and sounds forced.

See also Abbreviations

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Course titles

The correct way to write a course title is BA(Honours) History or BA(Hons) History. Note there is no space between BA and (Honours).

Award abbreviations

See also Capital letters