Writing guide

Use abbreviations sparingly.

General use:

Use plain English rather than Latin abbreviations. Write for example, that is and and so on. instead of e.g., i.e. and etc. 

Introducing abbreviations:

The first time you mention a term that can be abbreviated, write it out in full followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Use the abbreviation from then on.

• The Dutch Research Council (NWO) is based in Amsterdam.

Avoid introducing abbreviations in headings or introductions.

Common abbreviations:

Common abbreviations (LUMC, NATO, PDF, FAQ) do not always need to be written out in full, especially in internal communications or on specific web pages.

Use an apostrophe to indicate possession:

• the student’s book (one student)
• the students’ books (more than one student)

Never use an apostrophe with ‘it’ to indicate possession. ‘It’s’ can only ever mean ‘it is’ or ‘it has’:

• Correct: The university has its own style guide
• Incorrect: The university has it's own style guide

Use an apostrophe to indicate omission (contractions):

• It’s been raining (It has)
• I don’t know (I do not)

Do not use an apostrophe to indicate a plural.

• Dutch = video’s / English = videos

Use British English for university communications. This applies not only to spelling, but also to punctuation, abbreviations and other stylistic conventions.

Spelling

Common British English forms include:

• centre (not center)
• behaviour (not behavior)
• programme (not program)
• analyse, organise (-ise, not -ize)

Exception: Some institutions, like the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), use American English in their titles. Always check and follow the spelling on an institution’s own English-language website.

Abbreviations

English abbreviations are often in uppercase: 

• FTE (not fte), PC (not pc).

Boards, councils and job titles:

Capitalise the official name: 

• the Executive Board, the University Council.

Use lowercase for general references: 

• the board decided..., the council met...

Use lowercase for job titles unless they precede a name: 

• The mayor will give a speech. vs. Mayor [name] will give a speech.

Capitalisation in headings

Capitalise only the first word and proper nouns in headings.

• Researchers publish study of Dutch eating habits
• Avoid: Researchers Publish Study of Dutch Eating Habits

Degree programmes, specialisations and courses:

Capitalise the official name of a programme: 

• the Bachelor’s in International Studies.

Use lowercase for general references: 

• they are following a bachelor’s programme.

Use lowercase for a field of study when not part of an official title: 

• she is studying physics.

Faculties, institutes, and departments:

Capitalise the official name: 

• the Faculty of Humanities.

Use lowercase for general references: 

• the faculty.

University:

Capitalise when part of the official name: 

• Leiden University.

Use lowercase for general references: 

• the university has opened a new faculty.

Currencies

The plural of euro is euros: 

• a grant of 500,000 euros.

Do not add ,- after a round number: 

• The book costs €30 (not €30,-).

Dates and Times

Date format: Monday 23 January 2023.

Time format: Use the 24-hour clock with a full stop: 

• The lecture starts at 16.00. (Use hrs. to avoid confusion: 16.00-18.00 hrs.)

Formatting

Use a comma for thousands (1,632) and a full stop for decimals (10.5).

Words or numerals?

Basic rule: Write out numbers from one to ten. Use numerals for 11 and above.

The university has seven faculties and 15 research institutes.

Consistency: If you are using two or more numbers in a sentence, use numerals for consistency.

• The scores ranged from 5 to 23.

Measurements, percentages and ages: Always use numerals: 

• 8 km, 6 minutes, 5%, a 3-year-old.

Sentence start: Avoid starting a sentence with a numeral. Write the number out or rephrase the sentence.

• Sixty-three people participated. / A total of 63 people participated.

Use single quotation marks for direct quotes: 

• ‘The results look promising’, said the researcher.

Use double quotation marks for a quote within a quote (nested quotes): 

• ‘When I reviewed the results, I said, “It can't be possible!”’ said the researcher.

Punctuation goes inside the quotation marks if it is part of the quote.

• He asked, ‘Are we ready to start?’

Punctuation goes outside if it is not part of the quote.

•  Did she really say ‘we’re not ready yet’?

Follow English-language conventions 

In English, the academic titles most commonly used before a person’s name are Dr and Professor. Titles corresponding to Dutch qualifications such as drs., mr., ir., ing., and bc. are generally not used in running text.

Omit titles unless relevant

In general text, omit titles altogether. Use the person’s name unless their academic status or professional role is relevant to the context.

Do not automatically add bachelor’s or master’s degree designations after a name. Abbreviations such as BA, BSc, MA, MSc and LLM are normally reserved for CVs, author biographies, conference programmes, professional profiles and similar contexts, not for running text.

Use only one title

English normally uses only one academic title. Use the highest or most relevant title. For a professor, Professor is sufficient; do not also include Dr or PhD. (Avoid Prof. Dr [name]).

 Do not replace Dutch degree designations

Do not automatically replace Dutch degree designations with English abbreviations. Dutch qualifications such as drs., mr. and ir. do not always have exact English equivalents. Where a qualification must be mentioned, use the institution's official English degree designation; otherwise, omission is usually preferable.

Dutch titles

British English

Use the British English form Dr (Dr [name] not Dr. [name).

Adapt your language to your audience and the context.

Plain language

Write in the active voice. Avoid jargon and bureaucratic language. 

Gender-inclusive language

Use inclusive salutations: 

• Dear team, Dear colleagues, Dear visitor.

Use neutral job titles where possible

• chairperson or chair instead of chairman/chairwoman.

Only ask for people’s gender in forms if this is strictly necessary.