Page 132 - Planning Group Induction Pack

Example: Phyllopteryx taeniolatus (the Weedy Sea Dragon)

Letters, words and phrases being cited in a document.

Example: The word is spelt with an e not an a.

Lists

Lists must be in alphabetical order, or some other easily recognised order - for example, grants could be
listed according to amounts.
Numbers and measurement

Numbers one to nine are spelt out and numbers from 10 up are written as numbers. There are exceptions to
this rule, such as using words for numbers at the start of a sentence.

Example: Forty-eight people attended the opening of the new hospital wing.

Spell out per cent and place it after a number. The % symbol is for figures in graphs and data.
Larger numbers are used as a combination of words and numerals, eg 2.5 million. Decades are represented
as 1990s or 2000s. No apostrophe.

In dates:

Example: 3 July 2016 (not July 3, 2015)

There, their, they’re
there - relates to space and time e.g. over there

their - possession e.g. The team presented their findings.
they’re - they are

Proofread your document
Proofreading your document is the final stage of writing:
• Print it out and read it.
• Always proofread your document where you can concentrate and avoid distractions.
• Utilise your Australian English spell checker and grammar checker in producing drafts but don't depend on
them.
• Use the Track Changes function to make your comments apparent to other reviewers and ask other
reviewers to do the same.
After you have proofread your document, ask a colleague to proofread it to make sure you’ve covered
everything. A fresh pair of eyes is always useful.

12 Writing with style
Our guide to better writing and reaching your readers