For the new beginning after the summer, let’s start with a basic quiz about style guides.
Discuss with yourself or a colleague, then check against the answer key. The questions relate to United Nations style, but if you are working elsewhere you can answer from your organization’s perspective.
1. What is a style guide? Which one do you use?
Every organization decides what house rules to set for their official documents. If everyone in the organization familiarizes themselves with the rules, it can help give a consistent impression to the outside world.
2. Spelling choices
British or US style? Which is the main dictionary reference?
Which is both United Nations and WHO style?
- centre or center?
- behavior or behaviour?
- organization or organisation?
- analyse or analyze?
- traveler or traveller?
3. Capitalization
In headings and subheadings, which variety of English (British or US) uses capital letters?
In UN style, do we use capital letters or lower case in headings or subheadings?
4. Numbers, dates and time
Do you write time using a 12-hour or 24-hour clock?
How do you write the date? 26th April 2026, 26 April 2026 or April 26, 2026?
5. Abbreviations with punctuation
Do we use full stops or periods with these abbreviations or not in UN style?
Mr. or Mr? PhD or Ph.D.? WHO or W.H.O.?
Answer key
1. What is a style guide? Which one do you use?
The Editorial Manual is the United Nations style guide. WHO has its own style guide available on the intranet or here.
Here is more information:
https://padlet.com/ckwaites/MechanicsStyle
2. Spelling
For the United Nations and WHO, it’s British English with some exceptions. The Oxford dictionary is the main reference. Set your document language to the correct variety for your organization’s house style, either at the bottom left of the screen in Word, or under “review,” language,” “set proofing language.”
centre, behaviour, organization, analyse, traveller
3. Capitalization
In headings and subheadings, which variety of English uses capital letters?
US English
In UN style, do we use capital letters or lower case in headings or subheadings?
British style = lower case, except for the first word and names
4. Numbers, dates and time
For the United Nations, it’s the 12-hour clock and 26 April 2026. For WHO, it’s the 24-hour clock and 26 April 2026.
5. Abbreviations with punctuation
Do we use full stops or periods with these abbreviations or not in UN style?
Mr.
PhD
WHO
________________________________________________
Author: Carol Waites
Presentation/editing by Christina O’Shaughnessy
https://worldwidewriting.org/
________________________________________________
Carol Waites (PhD)
Email: carolswritingtips@gmail.com
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Carol’s memoir of her times at the United Nations, Behind the Flags, is available on Amazon and lulu.com
ISBN 9783952632703 Behind the Flags Amazon
9783952632727 Behind the Flags lulu.com
It is also available for sale at Payot, Pages & Sips, and in the UN bookshop at the Pregny entry in Geneva.