Writing Style Guide

Bold & Italics

• Use bold and italics when you want to emphasise a certain word or phrase. A common use for italics is to draw attention to a particular part of a text in order to provide emphasis. Italics is also used for book titles and research papers. Use bold and italics sparingly.
  Use : We made it into the Malaysia Book of Records for Most Number of Senior Citizens Cycling on Exercise Bicycle In An Event.
  Avoid : We made it into the Malaysia Book of Records for Most Number of Senior Citizens Cycling on Exercise Bicycle In An Event.

Time

• Use a.m. , p.m. Lowercase, with periods.

• Use figures to designate the hour.

• For noon and midnight, use the words noon and midnight without the figure 12.
  Use : The cafeteria is open from 8 a.m. – 11 p.m / The patient was discharged at noon.
  Avoid : The cafeteria is open from 8am – 11pm / The patient was discharged at 12 p.m.

Decimals and Fractions

• Spell out fractions.
  Use : two-thirds
  Avoid : 2/3

Currencies

• Use numerals and symbols to convey amounts ($100).

• Place the currency symbol before the numeral ($100).

• Spell out currencies in lowercase (dollars, euros, pounds).

Phone Numbers

• Always include the area code in parentheses.

• Always check any phone number on a mobile device, to ensure that numbers are displayed as clickable in mobile operating systems (iOS for Mac, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox).
  Use : (+65) 6877 6543
  Avoid : 6877 6543

Cardinal Numbers

• Spell out numbers under 10 (zero through nine) and use numerals from 10 and above (11, 12, 13). This also applies to ordinal numbers (first, second, 20th, 30th).

• However, spell out all numbers that begin a sentence (11 hospitals).

• Use figures for ages of people (9 years old).

Date

• Always use figures (without st, nd, rd or th).
  Use : 4 September, 2019
  Avoid : 4th September, 2019

• Don’t use a comma when it is just the month and year.
  Use : May 2014
  Avoid : May, 2014

• Do not abbreviate months or days of the week.
  Use : Monday, September
  Avoid : Mon, Sep

Percentages

• Use numerals even if less than 10 and the % symbol when expressing percentages, rather than spelling out the word “percent”.
  Use : 2%, 20%
  Avoid : two percent, 20 percent

Temperature

• This should be expressed as 30 °C. Note the space between the figure and °C . Also note that the ° symbol sits with C not with figure.
  Use : 30 °C
  Avoid : 30°C , 30° C

Acronyms/Abbreviations

• Spell out acronyms and abbreviations upon first use. Use the acronym upon second reference.
  Use : To maintain and build digestive health, you need a healthy gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Polyps commonly affect the lower GI.
  Avoid : To maintain and build digestive health, you need a healthy GI tract. Polyps commonly affect the lower GI.

Medical Jargon

• It is acceptable to use technical medical language if:
  The terminology is truly important and recognisable for patients.
  OR
  The terminology helps with search engine optimisation when writing for the website (i.e., it names a service or condition we assume patients search frequently).

• If you must use a word that is unfamiliar to consumers, include a definition to explain it.

Titles

• Use acronyms for commonly known titles (CEO, COO, CFO).

• Capitalise formal titles when used immediately before a name.
  Use : Mr. John Doe, Marketing Manager for South Korea, spoke at Mount Elizabeth Hospital Singapore yesterday.
  Avoid : Mr. John Doe, marketing manager for South Korea, spoke at Mount Elizabeth Hospital Singapore yesterday.

Professional Degrees

• For professional credentials that are abbreviated with two initials, such as M.D. and R.N., use periods.

• Longer credentials with three or more initials, such as CNP or BCPS, do not need periods.

• One exception is Ph.D. Use periods because the P and h count as one character.

• When referring to a doctor in writing, use credentials after their name.
  Use : Mr. John Doe, M.D.
  Avoid : M.D., Mr. John Doe

Dashes and Hyphens

• Use a hyphen (-) without spaces on either side to link words into a single phrase.
  Example : first-time users

• Use an en dash ( – ) with spaces on either side in setting off a phrase or list.
  Example : Ride sharing – just one of our exclusive benefits – is easy to use.

Commas

• If a phrase is essential to the meaning of the sentence, DO NOT use a comma.
  Example : Only caregivers listed on the form will be allowed in the room. (Removing listed on the form changes the meaning of the sentence.)

• If a phrase is not essential or would not change the overall meaning of the sentence, use commas.
  Example : The event, held in the cafeteria, was a great success.

• Be wary of inserting commas when they are not necessary. As a general rule, if you would not naturally pause as you read a sentence then a comma is not needed.
  Example : According to evidence, the treatment is not effective.

Quotation marks

• Use quotes to refer to words and letters, titles of short works, and direct quotations.

• Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes.
  Use : Expounding on the theme ‘Partnerships That Fly’, Dr.Ross, gave the keynote address.
  Avoid : Expounding on the theme Partnerships That Fly – Dr.Ross, gave the keynote address.

Apostrophes

• The most common use of the apostrophe is to show possession. If the word already ends with an s and it’s singular, you also add an ‘s.

• If the word ends in an s and is plural. just add an apostrophe.
  Use : The healthcare recipient of this year’s Nursing Award.
  Avoid : The healthcare recipient of this years’ Nursing Award.

Preferred Spelling for Common Terms

• accessible parking (instead of handicap parking)

• birth weight (separate)

• breastfeeding (together)

• caregiver

• check up (verb) ; checkup (noun)

• co-pay or co-payment

• CT scan

• diabetes type 1 and type 2 (not capitalised)

• disabled, disability (instead of handicap, handicapped)

• email

• e-newsletter (E-newsletter at the beginning of a sentence)

• evidence-based medicine

• follow-up (noun and adj) ; follow up (verb)

• healthcare (always one word)

• inpatient

• Internet (uppercase)

• intranet (lowercase)

• long-term care

• Web (capital)

• website (lowercase)