leeds university essay format

Skills for Learning : Essay Writing

An essay is a piece of academic writing that answers a question or explores one specific topic. Essays are the most common form of assessment in universities. You will be expected to build an argument based on evidence gathered from information sources. Essays tend to have three main parts: the introduction, main body and conclusion.

We run interactive workshops to help you develop your essay writing skills. Find out more on the Skills for Learning Workshops page.

We have online academic skills modules within MyBeckett for all levels of university study. These modules will help your academic development and support your success at LBU. You can work through the modules at your own pace, revisiting them as required. Find out more from our FAQ What academic skills modules are available?

How to approach your essay

• Research your question
• Organise your ideas
• Choose your thesis statement
• Plan your paragraphs
• Write your first draft
• Edit your work
• The final proofread

Use the question you’ve been set to help you develop a plan for literature searching. For most topics, there will be many books and journal articles available. When searching Discover and subject databases , focus on keywords from the question. Download the Evidence Matrix Worksheet to help you.

• Evidence Matrix Worksheet

Look for instruction words and phrases. These provide clues as to what the question is asking you to do. The key words in the question might include ‘What?’, ‘When?’ or ‘Why?’, in addition to topic-specific terms. Download the Essay Planning Worksheet and Understanding Assignment Questions Worksheets to help you.

• Essay Planning Worksheet
• Understanding Assignment Questions Worksheet

After doing some research, you can begin to organise your ideas. Making an essay plan will help you to formulate an answer. You should plan before you start to write so that your answer is clear and logical. Try making a detailed list of your ideas using bullet points. Download the Essay Planning Worksheet for helpful methods to organise your thoughts.

You need to paraphrase and summarise information from published sources. Download the Paraphrasing and Summarising Information Worksheet to help you develop this skill.

• Paraphrasing and Summarising Information

Comparing information from different sources will help you include critical thinking in your essays. Download our Synthesising Sources in Writing Worksheet to help you with this. 

• Synthesising Sources in Writing Worksheet

An academic essay is usually an argument, where you give evidence to make a case. A thesis statement is a summary of your main argument. It is usually expressed in one sentence in the first paragraph of your essay. The purpose is to tell your reader how you are going to answer the question. An example thesis statement might be: ‘Coffee is more effective at improving energy levels than tea because it contains a greater amount of caffeine’.

Your essay should provide evidence to show that your thesis statement is valid. Keep referring to your thesis statement throughout and be sure to maintain one central argument. This approach will allow you to remain focused as you write.

The structure of your essay is very important. Each paragraph should contain one key idea, and each idea should link to the next. The order of the paragraphs should be logical. Think about grouping similar ideas together – you might structure chronologically or by theme.

Each paragraph should contribute to your overall argument. The PEAL model  (which stands for ‘Point, Evidence, Analysis, Link’) provides a basic structure for your paragraphs. With this approach, each paragraph is built around one clear point backed up with evidence. Before moving on to the next paragraph, you must explain the relevance of the point. Finally, link back to your main argument or forward to the next paragraph. PEAL is especially useful if you struggle to structure your academic writing. Download the PEAL Paragraph Structure Worksheet to help you develop this skill. 

• PEAL Paragraph Structure Worksheet

Use reporting verbs to explain and comment on your evidence. Download the Reporting Verbs Worksheet to help you with using these.

• Reporting Verbs Worksheet

Your first draft does not have to be perfect. In fact, it may look very different from the finished essay. The first draft is about having a go at answering the question. Certainly, you should not see your first attempt as the final piece. You will always gain more marks by editing your work before you submit your assignment. Try making notes in the margins of your first draft to remind you of what to add or change.

This is your opportunity to check your work thoroughly. Examine the content and structure of the essay. Have you answered the question and fulfilled the assignment brief? Is your answer structured logically? Are there problems with grammar and spelling? Leave yourself plenty of time before the deadline to edit your work. You may want to put the essay aside for a day or so. When you return to it, you’re more likely to notice issues that need resolving.

Check the structure of your work by making a reverse outline. Download the Reverse Outlines Worksheet to help you with this. 

• Reverse Outlines Worksheet

Top tips! Keep referring to the question to see if each paragraph contributes to your overall answer. Take a look at our editing and proofreading advice to help with the editing process.

The final read-through is when you check for spelling, typographical and formatting errors. It’s also wise to check your referencing (both in-text citations and the reference list) is consistent and accurate. Take time and care over this stage. Your tutor is sure to notice if you skip this important step.

Top tips! Don’t leave proofreading until the last minute! If you rush, you’ll miss obvious problems and your work will be less polished.

Find out more about proofreading .

If you haven't already done so, this is a good time to review any feedback you have received on previous work. Download the Feedback Action Plan Worksheet to help you with this.

• Feedback Action Plan Worksheet

Main features of an essay

Introduction

This tells the reader how you are going to answer the question. Give your reader a clear summary of what you are going to argue (your thesis statement) and what points you will make. Additionally, outline any methodologies or theoretical frameworks you will use. In short, show what you’re aiming to achieve with the essay. The main body of the essay will expand on these aims.

This is the analytical part of the essay, where you will demonstrate your knowledge. You should use critical thinking skills to form your own argument. Each paragraph should make a different point and contribute to answering the overall question. The paragraphs should be presented in a logical order. You must give evidence from your reading to back up your argument. This is the longest part of the essay and your opportunity to show what you know!

The conclusion is where you summarise how you have answered the essay question. Return to the key points established in the introduction. Explain how the main body of the essay has examined these points to create your argument. In many essays, the conclusion can also be used to put forward your own ideas for future research.

Artificial intelligence tools

Before using any generative artificial intelligence or paraphrasing tools in your assessments, you should check if this is permitted on your course.

If their use is permitted on your course, you must  acknowledge any use of generative artificial intelligence tools  such as ChatGPT or paraphrasing tools (e.g., Grammarly, Quillbot, etc.), even if you have only used them to generate ideas for your assignment or for proofreading.

Tools for improving your essay writing skills

• Workshop Recordings
• Essay X-ray tool

Essay Writing:

Writing Academically:

Advanced Academic Writing:

Our interactive  Essay X-ray tool  can also help you begin to formulate sentences that demonstrate critical thinking. 

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• International Students' Academic Introduction
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Research and study skills

Our research and study skills support programme provides learners with access to a range of activities and resources to excel in their research assignment and hone their study skills.

Extended project qualification

The extended project qualification (EPQ) is an independent research project undertaken by students in post-16 education. It’s a great way for students to develop their academic research skills, prepare for university study and can often make a difference to their application success. 

A variety of online resources can also be accessed by students, in their own time, on our digital hub .

We offer a range of activities to support students, and teachers delivering the taught skills element of the EPQ. All our sessions are interactive, requiring an element of class participation – this can be facilitated by us in person, online, or as a bespoke on campus visit. Please note that delivery method is subject to availability.

The following workshops are listed in the order in which they can provide support to your students across their EPQ journey. If you would like to book an activity, please email the education outreach team at [email protected] .

Why do the EPQ

Duration: 60 minutes

This workshop introduces the EPQ, its benefits, challenges and the work involved to complete one. It helps students consider whether an EPQ is appropriate for them, and if it is, provides direction on what they might want to research. This workshop is most appropriate for the launch of the EPQ and for students who are considering undertaking it.

Production logs

This workshop breaks down the production log component of the EPQ. It helps students understand the value of the production log and how to effectively complete one as part of their EPQ journey. The workshop also explores each page of the log in detail, so students understand what they need to complete and when. It is most appropriate for those at the beginning of their EPQ.

Choosing a topic and writing a research question 

This workshop focuses on selecting a topic for the EPQ and writing a research question. We help students identify their topic and plan their research around an appropriate EPQ question. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those at the beginning of their EPQ journey.

Time and project management 

This workshop introduces students to the basic frameworks which support time and project management. Students will learn the skills needed to manage their time more effectively and productively, whilst developing an awareness of health, safety and risk management. Students will also explore the importance of communication skills to help them develop an understanding of using appropriate language and tone when working with others. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those at the beginning of their EPQ journey.

Starting to research

This session gives an overview of academic research and provides students with a basic framework to support them on their research project journey. Students will follow a case study and develop ideas around a topic to strengthen their understanding of research skills in relation to their own work.  This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who have decided on the topic of their EPQ and are finalising their question.

Research ethics and methodologies

Duration: 60 minutes 

This workshop introduces students to the principles of ethics and the research methods to inform their EPQ projects. Students will engage with different research methodologies – including those which are most common in university level study – and be guided through the ethical considerations when undertaking a research project.  This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who have finalised their EPQ question.

Critical thinking 

Duration:  60 minutes  

This workshop introduces students to critical thinking and explores some of the skills students need to develop their critical thinking. Students will analyse a wide variety of sources and learn to think critically about the information presented to them. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who are about to begin researching for their EPQ.

How to read an online journal

Duration: 60 minutes   

This workshop helps students to start navigating the world of online journals. Students will explore what online journals are, why they are useful, the challenges they can create, and how to overcome these to successfully use them in their own EPQ. A fully interactive workshop with guided activities which will help students practice their newfound skills. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

This workshop focuses on the themes of artificial intelligence and academic integrity. It explores what artificial intelligence is, its uses and its pitfalls, and it defines academic integrity and why it is important for researchers. Through interactive elements, which can be incorporated into the student’s production log, the session develops students’ understanding of when AI can and cannot be used for their EPQ. This workshop is most appropriate for those in the research phase of their EPQ journey.

Note making 

This workshop explores academic note making and the different techniques that can be used. Students will reflect on their note making abilities and develop their understanding of how to create meaningful notes.  This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who are currently researching for their EPQ.

Referencing and plagiarism

This session explores referencing and the different styles students may encounter while researching their topic. Students will consider what it means to plagiarise the work of themselves – or others – and learn how to avoid doing so. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who are currently researching for their EPQ.

Academic writing 

Duration : 60 minutes  

This workshop explores academic writing and the different writing stages involved when undertaking an independent research project. Students will reflect on their research question and develop their skills around understanding the key elements of composing an essay, including editing and proofreading. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who are finishing their research phase and about to undertake writing their final report or extended essay.

Presentation skills 

Duration: 60 minutes  

This workshop introduces students to the different skills needed to deliver a strong presentation at the end of their research project. Students will reflect on their research and develop ideas for their presentation such as a PowerPoint or poster. This workshop is designed to build students’ confidence and prepare them for the final stage of their EPQ. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who are preparing for the presentation element of the EPQ.

Study skills

Our range of interactive study skill workshops are designed to support the development of students’ study skills for exam success. Our programme provides tools and techniques for students to prepare for exams and supports the student journey from further education to university study. The following sessions are listed in order of how they can support the academic lifecycle from Year 11 onwards.

Subject to availability, our workshops can be delivered in person, online, or as a bespoke on campus visit for your students. If you would like more information, or to book an activity, please email the education outreach team at [email protected] .

Preparing and revising for exams: Note making

We explore the skills required to make good notes and the different techniques students can use when revising. Students will reflect on their note making abilities and develop their skills around understanding the importance of making effective notes for revision. This workshop uses interactive elements for students to discuss note making scenarios and reflect on their approaches.

Preparing and revising for exams: Managing your study time

This workshop explores the skills required to manage independent study time effectively. Students will learn how to effectively manage competing pressures and obstacles. This workshop also showcases different strategies that can be used to avoid and manage distractions. This workshop also uses interactive elements for students to discuss time management scenarios and reflect on their decision-making processes.

Managing exam anxiety

This session explores anxiety within the context of exams. It is designed to normalise exam nerves by helping students understand where their anxiety stems from and what they can do to help manage it. This workshop also considers student mental health/wellbeing and provides advice on where students can get support if they are struggling.

Understanding the question and writing an essay

This session is designed to support students in their understanding of a question and how to approach writing an essay. The skills covered in this workshop are applicable to both exam-based and coursework-based questions. Students will develop their skills around breaking down an essay question, understanding instructional verbs and writing within the parameters set in the question. The workshop guides students through a basic essay framework and provides tips on how to develop an academic writing structure, form a conclusion and incorporate evidence into an essay.

Online course: Skills to Succeed at University

This online course helps students transition to higher education smoothly. Designed to be flexible so students can learn at a time and pace that best suits them, the course covers essential academic skills such as essay writing and independent learning. 

Current students who came to the University through different routes – after completing a BTEC, A-levels or as mature students – also provide first-hand advice on how to start and thrive at university. 

Interested students can  register on the skills to succeed at university course via the FutureLearn platform .

Related links

• Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures
• School of English
• Undergraduate

Your personal statement

As part of your application to Leeds, you'll be asked to submit a personal statement of around 4,000 characters. This is a great opportunity to show that you have the passion, drive, and imagination to study with us.

Follow these tips to find out what makes a great personal statement - you can find more information about how to apply on the course page for your chosen degree.

Be thorough

Read up on the content of your chosen course and use it to inform your application. Check your grammar, spelling and punctuation very carefully.

If you're applying for a course which covers more than one subject area think about how those subjects interact with and complement each other; your course will constantly draw connections between them, so your application should demonstrate your ability to do the same.

Be specific

Passion for your subject is vital for studying at university level, and your application should reflect this. But don't forget to include specific detail about why that subject excites and challenges you.

You could tell us about a book or stage production you've encountered recently. What did you find interesting about them, and what themes or devices have you identified?

Evidence your abilities

Try to demonstrate your skills and abilities in English. Showcase your analytical skills in relation to texts and art forms you’ve explored beyond your A-Level studies.

We'd like to hear how you've engaged with your chosen subject so far through essays, productions, or other projects. But remember, you should keep information about extra-curricular activities to a minimum unless they relate directly to your subject.

Keep it simple 

A full, detailed and well-written statement will stand out in all the right ways. While we value creativity, you should prioritise showing us evidence of your critical thinking about the subject(s) you want to study, whether that's literature, language, creative writing, or theatre.

Aimen Mahmood BA English Literature

I have not disliked one moment of my degree, and most of the credit goes to the incredible teaching staff; the quality of teaching here is unparalleled. I have never met people who are more passionate about their careers and about imparting knowledge. Their passion becomes my passion every time.

Style guide (A-L)

This style guide is designed to help us produce consistent, clear and professional printed or online communications across the University.

Refer to the Guardian and Observer style guide and BBC News style guide for issues not covered here.

For grammar advice, check the Lexico website .

The University’s Equality Policy Unit has guidance on making your digital and printed information accessible .

Your suggestions

We hope you’ll find this style guide useful. If you have suggestions for improving it, please let us know at [email protected] and include 'style guide' in the subject line.

Abbreviations and acronyms

Alumni, alumnus, alumna, alum, apostrophes, bullet points, capital letters, colons and semicolons, contractions, eg, etc and ie.

Avoid acronyms and abbreviations if possible – they can alienate or slow down readers who are not familiar with them.

The first time you use an abbreviation or acronym, explain it in full, afterwards you can refer to it by the initials, eg School of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) or the Office for Students (OfS).

Where an organisation is best known by its abbreviated name (eg BBC, NHS, UCAS) use the abbreviation.

and, &, +

Use ‘and’ rather than ‘&’ unless it’s part of a brand name eg M&S. Use ‘plus’ rather than ‘+’ unless part of an academic grade or a brand name eg A+, Google+.

See eg, etc and ie

Never write Doctor in full in titles, use Dr instead (without a full stop). Always write Professor in full.

When referring to a group, use ‘alumni’ or ‘the Leeds alumni community’ (or ‘Leeds alumni’ for short).

Occasionally, we might use the singular terms, ‘alumnus’ (male) or ‘alumna’ (female), eg “The Leader of the Opposition, Keir Starmer, is a Leeds alumnus”, or “BBC presenter and Leeds alumna, Naga Munchetty” but we use these gender-loaded Latin terms sparingly and ideally not at all.

Instead, use ‘a member of our alumni community’, or where that is too unwieldly, the neutral term ‘alum’, especially when addressing a group of individuals. For example, in a letter to all graduating alumni: “as a Leeds alum, you are part of the University family”.

‘Alum’ is also the preferred term for use on social media posts. As it is an informal term, don’t use it in a very formal context (such as a letter from the Vice-Chancellor to an influential graduate) but it is perfectly acceptable for general written use and most UK universities now use it.

Although you can use the word ‘graduate’, be careful when doing so. All graduates are alumni, but not all alumni are graduates. When talking about our global community, always use ‘alumni’ not ‘graduates’.

Never use the phrase ‘an alumni’ in the singular as it is incorrect.

Never use the feminine plural ‘alumnae’. It is rarely used these days, except by universities with a very formal, traditional tone of voice.

Apostrophes show:

• where letters have been removed, eg don’t (= do not)
• that something belongs to someone or is part of something, eg 'the student’s results' (the results of one student) and 'the students’ results' (the results of more than one student) .

To understand how apostrophes work read guidance on the Lexico website .

For more about when we use ‘you’ll’, ‘we’re’, etc – see Contractions .

Common mistakes

• It’s and its – remember use ’s to indicate an omitted word, eg it’s not fair (= it is not fair), it’s been eaten (= it has been eaten), but not to indicate belonging, eg 'the dog scratched its nose'.
• Plural abbreviations – don’t use an apostrophe, eg 'several CVs or DVDs' (not CV’s or DVD's).
• Names that end in ‘s’ – usually you just add ’s after the word, eg 'Charles’s book' or 'St James’s hospital'. Where an additional ‘s’ would be difficult to pronounce people often prefer to use an apostrophe after the -s, eg Willams’ or Leeds’. In University publications we use Leeds’ (not Leeds’s).

Introduce a list of bullet points with a preceding sentence and colon. Bullets are usually short points, continuing a sentence, with no capital letter at the start and no punctuation, eg:

We have developed a sustainability strategy focused on four core themes:

• developing knowledge and capacity
• being a positive partner in society
• enhancing our resource management
• developing a collaborative organisation.

Occasionally, where the bullet points are made up of longer, independent sentences, they will need to start with a capital letter and end with a full stop, eg:

• We were awarded the Queen’s Anniversary prize, the country’s highest accolade for an academic institution, in 2009 and 2011.
• In the National Student Survey 2018, the University scored 88% for overall satisfaction.

Avoid long blocks of capital letters in body text as they are generally harder to read and can look ‘shouty’.

Initial capital letters are used for names and to make things clearer and aid understanding. For an organisation it’s important to be consistent. Here are some examples you might find in University communications:

Bachelor and Masters

Use an initial capital letter for Bachelor and Masters degrees, eg:

• The course requirement is a Bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons).
• All Masters courses are listed.

See also 'Courses, subjects and modules' and  in this section.

Use of upper and lower case letters is often a key part of brand identity. When referring to brand names, follow the organisation’s own capitalisation, eg:

• ShanghaiRanking’s Academic Ranking of World Universities

Use an initial capital for the name and the word ‘building’, ie: Marjorie and Arnold Ziff Building, E C Stoner Building (one space between the initials), Brotherton Library, Parkinson Court, Social Sciences Building.

Courses, subjects and modules

Capitalise the first letter of each word in a course title, eg:

• BA Interdisciplinary Studies
• Masters in Business Administration

but write the name of subjects in general in lower case, eg:

• molecular oncology
• computing and data analysis

except for the name of a language, eg:

• French and Thai

Similarly, a general type of study is lower case:

• international foundation year routes

but the specific qualification is upper case:

• University of Leeds International Foundation Year

Write module titles in lower case (eg geography, molecular oncology, computing and data analysis), unless the word is a proper noun (eg English grammar and Elizabethan history). Module titles appear in this way in our prospectuses.

However, on Coursefinder module titles appear with the first letter of every word is upper case because they are pulled from the University’s programme and module catalogue, where they appear in this format.

Dates, periods, seasons

Capitalise the names of days, months, festivals and holidays, eg New Year’s Eve, Easter, Ramadan.

But use lower case for seasons (eg spring, autumn), for decades (the sixties) and for modern periods (the jazz age).

Disabilities or diseases

Use lower case except for conditions named after a person, eg dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder but Asperger syndrome and Crohn’s disease.

Faculties, departments, institutes and schools

Use upper case for a particular faculty, school or institute, eg:

• Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures
• School of Medicine
• Leeds University Business School
• Institute for Medieval Studies

but refer to ‘schools’ and ‘faculties’ in general. If you are referring to more than one school, spell ‘school’ with a lower case ‘s’, eg 'the schools of Geography and Maths'.

Use upper case for the names of geographical regions and areas and named astronomical features (eg the Milky Way) but use lower case for: the earth, the sun, the moon, except when used in an astronomical context.

In the University’s publications and on its webpages (on Coursefinder), capitalise only the first letter of the first word in a heading, eg 'A global reputation', except for words which are names/proper nouns, eg 'Life in Leeds', 'Improving your English', 'How to use Coursefinder'.

IT systems and programs

Capitalise the first letter of these words: Banner, Word, Minerva and Coursefinder, but see also 'Brands' in this section.

Job titles and roles

Use an initial capital letter for a recognised individual position, but not for a general role, eg:

• Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: International
• Executive Dean, Head of School, Head of Geography
• Julie Smith, Health and Safety Manager
• a senior lecturer in the School of History
• the health and safety managers

Use upper case for names of payments, grants and loans, as on the gov.uk website (eg Maintenance Loan, Tuition Fee Loan, Postgraduate Doctoral Loan, Working Tax Credit), but use lower case when referring to these payments in general, eg student loans, benefits, tax credits.

Publications, websites, films and works of art

Capitalise the first letter in the title only, not the first letter in every word (eg Alumni bursary: staff guide) but don’t capitalise ‘the’ where this is part of the title, eg the Times, the Guardian, the Complete University Guide.

See also Italics

Qualifications

Capitalise as follows:

• Highers and Advanced Highers

We use Masters not Master’s, as it’s the simplest to follow, with the same spelling and punctuation in every context. Several other universities also follow this punctuation.

See Faculties, departments, institutes and schools

Capitalise the first letter of each word in the title, but not the word ‘team’, eg Student Fees team or Quality Assurance team.

Universities

Capitalise the first letter of:

• the names of individual universities – the University of Sheffield, Leeds Beckett University
• the University when referring to the University of Leeds – eg 'the University works closely with a range of partners'

Don’t use a capital letter when referring to:

• university in general – eg 'we are a research-intensive university'
• more than one university – eg 'the universities of Leeds and Birmingham'

University events

We capitalise the first letter of some special events, eg Freshers’ Week, Open Day, Virtual Open Days, Postgraduate Open Days, Undergraduate Open Days.

Use a colon before:

• a list – ‘There are only three ingredients: sugar, flour and coconut.’
• a summary – ‘To summarise: we found the camp, set up our tent and then cooked our first meal.’
• a quotation – ‘As Jane Austen wrote: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” ’

Use a semicolon:

• to link two separate statements that could stand as separate sentences, but are closely related – ‘The children came home today; they had been away for a week.’
• in a list that already contains commas, or where the items consist of several words – ‘Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry; Babylon 5, by JMS; Buffy, by Joss Whedon; and Farscape, from the Henson Company.’

But, remember that short, separate sentences work best online and for information people will probably scan, like promotional materials.

Use contractions (you’ll, we’re, it’s, etc) for a more conversational, less formal tone of voice. Examples in University-wide communications include:

• course overview text on Coursefinder, which ‘opens the conversation’ with the prospective student
• the front text of the University's prospectuses, which talks about the University, our services and facilities, eg ‘You’ll find everything you need for your studies’
• our student recruitment webpages on www.leeds.ac.uk, eg ‘You’ll gain skills that will be invaluable to you.’

Use the full words (ie without a contraction) for a more formal tone of voice, such as in finance or applying information, eg:

• You do not apply for this course through UCAS.
• You may be able to apply for a loan to contribute to the cost of your study.
• If English is not your first language, you will need a recognised English Language qualification

It’s ok to use both contractions and full words within a publication, as long as you have a reason for doing this, as above.

When using a dash in text we use an en dash – with space on either side (which is longer than a hyphen -).

We use a closed en dash (ie with no space at either side) for:

• a range, eg Monday–Saturday, 20–30
• things with an equal relation, eg the Dover–Calais crossing, an editor–author relationship, the health–illness spectrum

Use either ‘from … to’ or 'XX–XX', but never use a combination of the two, ie not ‘the war from 1939–45’.

See also Hyphens

See Numbers

In University publications we don’t use full stops within or after the abbreviations:

You can also spell out the phrases in full:

• for example

A hyphen joins together words or parts of words to make a single compound word, eg second-rate, ex-directory. Hyphens can clarify meaning for the reader and avoid confusion, eg ‘re-cover’ and ‘recover’; ‘four year-old children’ and ‘four-year-old children’.

Hyphens are used less nowadays than in the past, eg multicultural, interdisciplinary, wellbeing. Also, the hyphen is often dropped as a word becomes more familiar, eg email, website, online.

Examples of hyphenated words we use in University-wide communications are:

• pre-sessional
• the Vice-Chancellor

Hyphens in adjectives and adverbs

Sometimes a word can appear with or without a hyphen, depending on its role in the sentence. Use a hyphen when the word is an adjective (describing a noun), but not when it is an adverb (describing a verb), eg:

• 'part-time study is possible' (adjective) but 'you can study part time' (adverb)
• 'an up-to-date brochure' (adjective) but 'the brochure is up to date' (adverb)

However, when an adverb can also be an adjective (eg hard), you’ll sometimes want to use a hyphen to avoid ambiguity, eg:

• 'a hard-pressed person' not 'a hard, pressed person'
• 'an ill-prepared report' not 'an ill, prepared report'

Don't use hyphens after adverbs ending in –ly, eg:

• an internationally recognised university
• a constantly evolving newspaper
• genetically modified food

Avoid italics in online content, as they are harder to read, especially for people with visual impairments.

Limit your use of italics in printed materials to words or short amounts of text, as italics are harder to read.

Use italics for foreign words, such as coup d’état , but use roman (plain text) for commonly used words that have been accepted into English, such as 'café' or 'déjà vu'.

Use italics for names of books, newspapers, plays, songs, theatre productions and artworks, eg ‘Film producer Deborah Forster has produced a film, The Golden Compass , based on the book Northern Lights by author Philip Pullman’. For titles of chapters within a book use single quotation marks not italics.

In University printed communications we have decided to capitalise the names of websites we occasionally refer to in the text, to make it clearer to the reader, eg:

• the Leeds for Life website
• our For Students website

Links in online content can add context and depth. They avoid the need to repeat information and help keep online information concise.

Linked text should be meaningful and make sense independently. This helps the reader decide whether the link will take them to information they want. It also helps visually impaired people using screenreader software, which reads aloud headings and links to give the user an overview of the webpage. Avoid generic links like ‘click here’ or ‘read more’, which don’t tell the user anything about the information they are linking to.

Make links concise, linking only the most relevant part of the wording, eg ‘Read more about teaching and assessment in the School of Physics and Astronomy ’ instead of ‘ Read more about teaching and assessment on the School of Physics and Astronomy website .’

For online content, avoid providing the full URL as link text, eg don't write ‘visit https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk ’ because screen readers will read out every letter or symbol individually and will ignore any words in the URL which are not user-friendly. Instead, write the link text as ‘visit the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures website ’.

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Creative Writing MA

Year of entry 2024, sign up for masters updates.

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Course overview

Take a tour of our School

Get a taste for life in the School of English as Masters student Alex takes you on a tour of the School building as well as some campus highlights.

The MA in Creative Writing offers the opportunity to develop your skills in creative writing within the context of a School of English with a long and distinguished history in creative writing. The course appeals both to those who wish to deepen and broaden their creative writing practice, and to those who are working towards a single publishable piece of work.

With expert guidance from teaching staff who are actively engaged in producing and publishing creative writing, you will engage with a wide variety of literary genres, including poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. You will also have the chance to develop your literary and critical skills more broadly.

Throughout the course, you will be able to explore areas of personal interest and participate in workshops to hone your skills in diverse forms of writing.

You will also produce an independent research project, which can be dedicated to a single creative idea, or which might comprise a portfolio of your creative writing, according to your interests.

Our expertise

The School of English has a long and prestigious history in creative writing. Creative Writing at Leeds has a great history of alumni and former staff, including Wole Soyinka, Geoffrey Hill, JRR Tolkien, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Hannah Copley, Luiza Sauma, literary agent Caroline Hardman, and our recent Douglas Caster Poetry Fellows Helen Mort, Anthony Vahni Capildeo and Malika Booker.

Our current staff includes Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, JR Carpenter, Kimberly Campanello, Campbell Edinborough, Zaffar Kunial, Alison Peirse, Sarah K. Perry, Jay Prosser, Jess Richards, Ross Raisin, Caitlin Stobie and John Whale. Our practices and passions run across creative and critical writing. They include: visual and experimental poetry; eco poetics; the contemporary novel and contemporary lyric poem; literature and medicine; disability studies; autofiction; and transgender memoir.

We are home to the University of Leeds Poetry Centre, which brings together the University’s strength and heritage in creative writing. It hosts regular poetry readings by visiting international poets and supports a poetry reading group.

Our creative writing community benefits from partnerships with llkley Literature Festival, Leeds Playhouse and Leeds Grand Theatre. We also support a thriving range of events and workshops with visiting writers.

Specialist resources

The University of Leeds Library is one of the UK's major academic research libraries. It has extensive holdings to support your studies, including English Literature Collections that have been designated of national and international importance.

Our Special Collections offer a huge range of rare books, manuscripts and art, as well as the archives of poets like Tony Harrison, Geoffrey Hill and Simon Armitage, and literary publications such as Stand and The London Magazine.

Other highlights include materials relating to novelists like Arthur Ransome, Angela Thirkell, Melvyn Bragg and Sophie Hannah, and critics like George Wilson-Knight and Bonamy Dobrée. The library also holds original manuscripts by the Brontë family.

Take a 360 tour around our libraries:

Brotherton Library Laidlaw Library Edward Boyle Library

Course details

The MA in Creative Writing covers a range of literary forms, including poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction genres.

The course develops your skills as a creative practitioner. It also explores the history, generic conventions and experimental possibilities of creative literary forms. Through the Creative Writing core module you will learn about key practices in and approaches to creative writing, which you will then expand on through optional modules that allow you to tailor your studies to suit your interests and career ambitions. Optional modules include offerings in Creative Writing and English Literature, alongside modules in digital media and performance in the School of Performance and Creative Industries. Your research project will apply and expand upon what you have learned in these core and option modules.

Through your research project you will gain experience of creative practice as research. You will write a creative research project on a subject of your choice with support from a specialist supervisor and with access to the outstanding research resources of the University's Brotherton Library.

Hear from our students

In this student panel our current Masters students discuss why they chose Leeds and what it's like to study a Masters in the School of English.

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions .

Most courses consist of compulsory and optional modules. There may be some optional modules omitted below. This is because they are currently being refreshed to make sure students have the best possible experience. Before you enter each year, full details of all modules for that year will be provided.

For more information and a list of typical modules available on this course, please read MA Creative Writing (Full Time) in the course catalogue.

For more information and a list of typical modules available on this course, please read MA Creative Writing (Part Time) in the course catalogue.

Year 1 compulsory modules

Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)

For more information please read MA Creative Writing (full time) or MA Creative Writing (part time) in the course catalogue.

Learning and teaching

You’ll have weekly seminars or workshops in each module where you discuss the themes and issues arising from your reading and writing. You’ll have the opportunity to share your writing and receive feedback on work-in-progress. You’ll be able to enhance your learning by attending the wide range of seminars and talks by visiting speakers and creative writers that we arrange throughout the year.

Independent study is a vital part of the degree, as it allows you to build your skills and explore your own ideas as an academic researcher and a creative writer.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment for this programme includes both creative and critical reflection on your creative practice. Modules are assessed either by a combination of these equivalent to 4,000 words, or by a single essay of around 4,000 words. While formal assessment tends to take place at the end of the module, during term you may also be expected to submit work in progress in order to gain feedback, or give presentations in your seminars.

The research project is typically a 9,000-word (or poetry equivalent) creative writing project with a 3,000-word critical reflection.

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in English literature or Creative Writing, or a degree scheme that includes a significant proportion of English Literature or Creative Writing content, or a related subject. You will also submit a Creative Writing sample comprising approximately 1,000 words of prose or 3 pages of poetry (or a portfolio combining both genres). This gives us a chance to get to know some of the writing you have produced so far to help us determine suitability for this course.

Applications from those with degrees in other subjects may be considered on an individual basis, along with the sample you will submit.

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. Contact the Postgraduate Admissions Office for more information.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in each component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications .

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Arts and Humanities (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Arts and Humanities (10 weeks) .

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals.  Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional .

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses .

How to apply

Please see our How to Apply page for information about application deadlines.

You will need to apply for a place before applying for any scholarships, so check the deadlines for available scholarships on our website .

The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Documents and information you need

You’ll need to upload the following documents when completing the online application form:

A transcript of your completed BA degree or grades to date

A personal statement of around 500 words in response to the questions asked in the supporting statement section of the application form. It is important that you consider and respond to these questions.

A Creative Writing sample comprising approximately 1,000 words of prose or 3 pages of poetry (or a portfolio combining both genres)

If English is not your first language, you’ll need to submit proof of your English language results (eg IELTS).

We do not generally request references, unless further information is required to support the assessment of your application.

We will decide whether to offer you a place based on your application form, personal statement, transcripts, predicted or actual degree results and, where appropriate, any additional documentation requested.

The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures receives very large numbers of high-quality applications and regrets that it cannot make offers to all of its applicants. Some particularly popular schools may have to reject many that hold the necessary academic qualifications.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students . We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2025

This course is taught by

School of English

Postgraduate Administrator

Email: [email protected] Telephone:

UK: £12,000 (Total)

International: £25,250 (Total)

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees .

Read more about paying fees and charges .

Part-time fees Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page .

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview .

The School of English also offers a range of scholarships for taught postgraduate study. Find out more on our Scholarships page .

Career opportunities

This course will equip you with advanced transferable skills which are valuable in a wide range of careers.

You’ll be a confident researcher who can work independently as well as within a team. You’ll be a strong communicator, both verbally and in writing, and be able to think critically and analytically. In addition, you’ll have a strong level of cultural and critical awareness, and you’ll be able to look at a situation from different points of view.

All of these qualities are attractive to employers across sectors, and you’ll be well equipped to pursue a career in a wide range of fields depending on your interests. These could include teaching, journalism, publishing, advertising, broadcasting and law. Many of our graduates also progress to PhD-level study and you’ll be in a good position to develop a career in academia. Students from our programmes have gone on to have successful careers as literary agents, journalists and researchers, as well as to become published novelists and award-winning poets.

Careers support

Leeds for Life is our unique approach to helping you make the most of University by supporting your academic and personal development. Find out more at the Leeds for Life website .

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more about Careers support .

Whether you're looking to pursue further study, change career, or stand out in the competitive graduate job market, you'll receive expert support in applying the skills you've developed in your chosen career.

Watch: Careers support at Leeds

Find out more about the careers and employability support that you'll receive as a student in the School of English.

Related courses

English literature ma, postcolonial studies ma, rankings and awards, qs world university rankings by subject.

36th in the world for English Language and Literature

Complete University Guide 2025

13th in the UK for English

Dissertation Format Regulations

Please click on each of the seven headings below to see the regulations which must be followed to format your dissertation correctly:

1. Number of copies

One electronic copy must be uploaded to the Assessed Assignment Submission area, within the module section of Minerva.

A hard copy of the Dissertation is not required.  

If you need to upload any additional data in a separate document, there is an additional submission area to upload this.

2. Indicative length

The main body of the Dissertation must not exceed the word limit.

Does Count toward word count

The word count covers everything within the main text of the Dissertation, including:

• the abstract and contents page
• lists of tables and illustrative material
• any tables, diagrams, subtitles, footnotes and references which are included within the main text.

Does not Count toward word count

The word count does not include;

• the title page and front cover
• any acknowledgements
• bibliographies
• end lists of references

Words presented as images

Any words presented in graphs, tables, or other graphics must be included in the word count.

Words displayed in these formats may need to be counted manually, as they will not be detected by the word count function on most word processing software.

Appendix Abuse

You must not use appendices to present matters of substance which should be included in the main body of the text.

The text must remain understandable without reference to any appendices.

3. Text and Layout

Font and size.

Dissertations should be presented using a standard font, and a font size of between 10 and 12 points.

Text must not be presented using only upper case letters.

Line Spacing

All standard text must be presented using double or one and a half line spacing.

Indented quotations and footnotes have an exception to the above rule, and may use single spacing.

For Microsoft Word this means standard dissertation text should have a spacing setting of either 2.0 or 1.5

Margins along all sides of the document (left, right, top and bottom) should not be less than 2.5cm (25mm).

For reference, the "normal" margins setting on a Microsoft Word document is 2.54cm on all sides - this is acceptable.

4. Pagination

All pages of text and appendices in your dissertation should be numbered consecutively.

Images and diagrams should also have their own consecutive numbering where possible.

5. Title Page

You must use the Leeds University Business School Dissertation / Project coversheet as your title page.

This can be downloaded from the Forms and Guidance Page

6. Table of Contents

Your dissertation document must include a contents page.

The contents page should list all main numbered chapter headings (such as 1, 2 , 3).

It is good practice to break down chapters into numbered sections, and these should also be listed on your contents page (such as 1.1, 1.2, 1.3).

Please carefully check the section above on word counts (2. indicative length) for information on which text contributes to your maximum permitted word count.

7. Acknowledgements

It is common to include a list of acknowledgements at the start of your dissertation, but you do not have to do so.

Students may wish to acknowledge the help their Supervisor provided, as well as the support of others such as family members or friends.

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Types of Assessment

There are different types of assessments that may be used to assess and examine modules.

Information on how each module is assessed can be found in the Module Catalogue .

Assessed Coursework

Coursework is a piece of work or activity completed outside of formal timetabled sessions. This may include essays, projects, reports and online assessment.  The format of the coursework as well as the deadline to submit or complete will be confirmed by the school.

Students must complete a Statement of Academic Integrity for all assessment submissions. The statement reminds students of the University’s definition of plagiarism and that in signing the form they are confirming the work they have submitted is entirely their own.  The University takes plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice, including collusion and contract cheating very seriously. You may be excluded from the University without award if you present coursework in breach of the University’s rules which you have not wholly completed yourself.  Information regarding plagiarism can be found Academic Integrity  webpages.

Aural Examination (Listening Examinations)

Some modules (such as language modules) may be assessed with listening examinations where students will be required to listen to excerpts and complete the examination questions based on what they have heard.

Usually these examinations take place on campus as formal examinations, and are timetabled and invigilated centrally by the Progress & Assessment Team. These examinations fall under the university rules governing the conduct of examinations.  Information rule breaking in examinations can be found Academic Integrity  webpages.

Examination (On-Campus Examinations)

A university examination is a formal examination which will take place on campus in an examination venue and will be invigilated.  Usually these examinations are timetabled and invigilated centrally by the Progress & Assessment Team. 

These examinations fall under the university rules governing the conduct of examinations.  Information regarding rule breaking in examinations can be found on the  Academic Integrity  webpages.

Information regarding question papers, multiple choice examinations and instructions regarding preparations of what to do before and on the day of the examinations can be found on the  Preparing for your Assessments  webpages.

The timetable for each assessment period will be published in advance and students will be able to view personal timetables through Minerva.  For more information about timetables and when they will be published please see the  Key Dates and Locations  webpages.  (Though please note that there are schools that hold ad hoc or departmental examinations which may take place outside of the published assessment/examination periods.  If that is the case the dates/venues of the examinations will be communicated by the school.)

If appropriate for the programme of study, students will carry out field work. For certain modules, attendance on field work is compulsory for the successful completion of the module and/or progression to the next stage of the programme. Where this is the case, it is clearly stated in the module catalogue entry.  All assessment of this kind will have clearly set guidelines, and students are expected to follow the instruction of the module leader and members of the teaching team.

In-Class Test

In-Class Tests are normally short duration timed assessments which help to consolidate your learning of a particular topic. They may take the form of, for example, a multiple choice assessment (MCQ), a quiz, OTLA, etc. These may be carried out in scheduled teaching time, or outside of this, and may be completed online.  More information about assessment types can be found on the  Preparing for your Assessments  webpages.

When and where these tests will take place will be communicated by the school.

Students must complete a Statement of Academic Integrity for all assessment submissions.  More information about this can be found and downloaded in the Declarations of Academic Integrity PDF .  The statement reminds students of the University’s definition of plagiarism and that in signing the form they are confirming the work they have submitted is entirely their own.  The University takes plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice, including collusion and contract cheating very seriously. You may be excluded from the University without award if you present coursework in breach of the University’s rules which you have not wholly completed yourself.  Information regarding plagiarism, malpractice, contract cheating and fraudulent or fabricated coursework can be found on the  Cheating and Plagiarism  webpage.

Laboratory Work

If appropriate for the programme of study, students will carry out laboratory exercises. For certain modules, attendance in laboratory sessions is compulsory for the successful completion of the module and/or progression to the next stage of the programme. Where this is the case, it is clearly stated in the module catalogue entry.  All assessment of this kind will have clearly set guidelines, and students are expected to follow the instruction of the module leader and members of the teaching team. Students must adhere to the rules of the laboratory and Health & Safety requirements at all times.

Oral Examination (Speaking Examinations)

Some modules (such as language modules) will be assessed with speaking examinations where students will be required to complete the examination orally. 

These examinations may take place in the published University examination/assessment periods but also may be scheduled on an ad hoc basis by the school.  The school will confirm the details of when and where the examinations will take place.  If the examination does appear on the published timetable, usually students are given a specific timeslot by the school within the published duration.

An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a type of examination used in health sciences. It is designed to test clinical skill performance and competence in a range of skills. It is a practical, real-world approach to learning and assessment.

OSCE examinations will be scheduled by the school and details or when and where they take place will be communicated to students in advance.

Online Time Limited Assessment

An Online Time Limited Assessment (OTLA)   is a defined format of assessment at Leeds.  These are online assessments with a duration of 48 hours or less and are usually scheduled by the Assessment & Progress Team and take place during the University Assessment Periods.

The timetable for each assessment period will be published in advance and students will be able to view personal timetables through Minerva.  For more information about timetables and when they will be published please see the  Key Dates and Locations  webpages.

Students must complete a Statement of Academic Integrity for all assessment submissions.  More information about this can be found and downloaded in the Declarations of Academic Integrity PDF .  The statement reminds students of the University’s definition of plagiarism and that in signing the form they are confirming the work they have submitted is entirely their own.  The University takes plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice, including collusion and contract cheating very seriously. You may be excluded from the University without award if you present coursework in breach of the University’s rules which you have not wholly completed yourself.  Information can be found on the  Academic Integrity  webpages.

More information about OTLAs can be found on the  Online Time Limited Assessments  webpage.

Performance Examinations

For some modules students may be required to complete a performance (for example in music performance modules).

Presentations

Presentations are an important part of the learning process and sometimes these will be assessed. Assessed presentations can take the form of either an individual or group presentation to an audience which may include peers.  Details of when and where presentations will take place will be confirmed by the school.

Video Examinations

Some modules may be assessed with examinations where students will be required to watch excerpts and complete the examination questions based on what they have seen.

Usually these examinations take place on campus as formal examinations, and are timetabled and invigilated centrally by the Progress & Assessment Team. These examinations fall under the university rules governing the conduct of examinations.  Information regarding rule breaking in examinations can be found in the  Academic Integrity  webpages.

Some modules may include a viva voce examination as part of the assessment. This entails a live discussion between an Internal Examiner and an individual student, or group of students, based on a piece of work which has been prepared in advance (a project report, for instance). The function of the examination is to explore the student’s understanding of the material which they have presented and to enable them to remedy any deficiencies or omissions. Viva voce examinations which form part of the assessment of a module may be recorded and archived.

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The Leeds Beckett University website occasionally uses animations to page elements and animated gifs to add impact to pages. If you wish to stop them from playing for accessibility purposes or for personal preference then please see the guidance below. Please note that browsers sometimes change how they operate, so please refer to your browser help files to find their latest information.

How do I turn off animations?

Chrome users will need to use browser extensions. Animation Policy from Google will help you set your own preferences.

Microsoft Edge

There is currently no way to disable animations within Microsoft Edge. Users of Edge (Chromium) browser can install the Chrome extensions above and use them.

Internet Explorer

To stop animations on a single page you can just press the 'Esc' key. This will stop the animation on that page. If you wish to restart the animations you need to refresh the page. To permanently disable the playing of animated GIF images, open Internet Options > Advanced tab. Under the Multimedia section, uncheck the Play animations in webpage check-box, click Apply and Exit and then restart your computer.

Type about:config in Firefox address bar and hit Enter to open Settings. Search for the image.animation_mode flag and change its value from Normal to None. Once you restart Firefox this will disable animations.

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style guide

Well-written, clear information and stories are easier to understand..

This style guide provides the rules of spelling, punctuation and grammar for use across all of our university’s collateral.

If you can’t find what you are looking for you can get in touch or you can take a look at the BBC News style guide , which we are happy for you to follow. But be aware that as an academic organisation, some of our rules differ slightly from those presented by the BBC. Where we advise a different way of presenting grammar, this guide supersedes the BBC.

Spell any acronyms out in full at first reference. If it’s repeated later in the text, add the acronym in brackets, for example, The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) . In most cases, use all capitals with no full stops or spaces, for example FA, IRA or NUT. Alternatively, you can introduce it with a descriptive label, for example, the public sector union, Unite .

• If there really is absolutely no chance of any misunderstanding, you can use the abbreviated form of a title without explanation, for example, UN , NATO , IRA or BBC . When creating content for a specialist audience, for example, copy advertising an upcoming academic conference, other, less well-known abbreviations may be permitted, such as REF or OfS .
• One important point to remember is that Leeds Beckett University attracts students from around the globe. Understanding acronyms as a non-native speaker is particularly difficult and can add an extra barrier to comprehension.

Acronyms as names

Some acronyms are so well known, we usually pronounce the set of letters as a word, for example, Aids, Nasa or Opec. In these cases, write them like a proper noun, such as Friday, London, Martha or Unilever – so, first letter in upper case, lower case for the rest.

Some exceptions to the rules:

• The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is capped up to NICE
• The UK Independence Party is capped up to UKIP
• Strategic Health Authority becomes SHA , as ‘Sha’ looks like a typo
• Seasonal Affective Disorder becomes SAD , as ‘Sad’ would be confusing
• For names with initials, avoid full stops and spaces, for example JK Rowling and WH Smith
• When abbreviating a phrase, rather than a name or title, use lower case, for example, lbw , mph

Follow these rules for writing addresses:

• No full stops at the end of addresses
• No comma between the number and the street name
• Don’t abbreviate Road, Street, Avenue
• No comma between town or county and postcode
• Building numbers that cover a range, for example, 196-198, should be separated by a hyphen with no spaces

Where the address is in a city or major town, do not include the county:

Leeds City Council Merrion House 110 Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8BB

  If the address is for a department, put the department name first:

Community Services Leeds City Council Merrion House 110 Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8BB

And / ampersand (&)

We always use 'and' and never '&' unless the is part of a branded name or term.

When referring to our graduates, in most cases the term ‘graduate’ should be used . We generally use alumni when referring to specific groups of graduates within the context of their achievements, for example, alumni who’ve gone on to start businesses.

If you are using one of the Latin terms, please remember that as an academic institution, it’s important that we observe the correct use in each instance:

• Alumnus – male singular
• Alumna – female singular
• Alumni – male plural – also, used for mixed groups which comprise both male and female graduates
• Alumnae – female plural

Apostrophes

Don’t be scared of apostrophes. They have just two primary uses, which are to indicate:

• Possession , for example, our university’s new library – the library belongs to (is possessed by) the university. If the possessive noun is plural, the apostrophe moves after the ‘s’, for example, our libraries’ security systems – we have more than one library, and we’re referring to the security systems for them all
• The omission of one or more letters – usually in a contraction , for example, It’s busy on campus today (when we contract ‘ it is ’, it becomes ‘ it’s ’ with the apostrophe replacing the missing ‘i’)

Also see 'Contractions'.

As always, there are some uses that don’t follow the general rules or that need extra clarification:

• There is no apostrophe in the possessive ‘ its ’, for example, Virtue is its own reward
• Some common abbreviations don’t require apostrophes, for example, phone , plane , flu
• It’s wits’ end (wits are assumed to be plural) and winner’s medal (only one winner gets this medal)
• Dates don’t require apostrophes, for example, 1900s – unless the century is omitted, for example, the England squad of ’66
• Apostrophes aren’t used for plurals, for example, MPs , MBEs , but they are for the pluralisation of letters of the alphabet, for example, Our task now is to dot the i’s and cross the t’s
• For names, use the possessive ’s whenever possible, for example, Burns’s , Jones’s , Charles’s , James’s , Dickens’s , Phillips’s . But be guided by how the last syllable of the name is pronounced, for example, Jesus’ , Bridges’ , Moses’ , Hodges’ , Griffiths’ , Walters’ – also Wales’
• There should be an apostrophe before the word ‘time’ in sentences such as The game will be played in two weeks’ time or They stop work in an hour’s time

Buildings, campus names and locations

Correct names for buildings and facilities should be used, for example, the Great Hall and Sheila Silver Library , rather than City Campus Library. Also, Library should be capitalised.

When referring to different buildings, the word building should be lower cased, for example James Graham building .

Headingley Campus and City Campus should be capitalised. General references such as the campus should not be.

Leeds city centre should not be capitalised.

Bold text is used for emphasis and to draw the user’s eye to key points – use bold sparingly . Overuse will reduce impact. If everything’s in bold, none of it stands out.

Bullet points

Use a bulleted list for items that do not have to be in a specific order. Use a numbered list for items that must be in a specific order, such as steps or a timeline of events.

Always use sentence case for bullets – so, start each bullet with an initial capital letter followed by lower case. Bullets should never have a full stop at the end – we use bullets to make lists easier to read but also to split subject points that don’t require a separate sentence into easily digestible bullets. And because each bullet is a separate, standalone point, we never, ever put an and or similar joiner at the end of a bullet.

Where a full stop, or any other punctuation used at the end of a sentence, occur in the middle of a bullet, that’s okay, as is using a question mark at the end.

For example:

• Bullets should always begin with an upper-case letter
• They never have a full stop at the end
• But what if a bullet is a question?
• Shouldn’t it be able to end in a question mark? The answer is always ‘yes’

Try to minimise the use of capital letters unless referencing a branded / recognised name or term.

Titles work best for readability and online accessibility when they are in sentence case with no full stop at the end. For example:

Ways to find accommodation

University job titles have initial caps only when the title is next to the name, in whatever order. Thus:

• The School Secretary , Harold Thomas, said...
• Student Union President Jane Tucker

Any post mentioned without reference to the postholder should be in lower case, for example, the dean will be out of the country for several days . It should be Dr with no full stop and Professor written in full, never abbreviated – there are a few titles that are always capped up, whether you name the person or not, for example, the Queen , the Pope or the Archbishop of XX , but these are clearly not university titles.

For place names, use upper case for recognised regions, and for vaguer political or geographical areas. For example, the Middle East , Western Europe . Otherwise use lower case, for example, south-west France , east Lancashire , south Wales .

For Latin names of plants, animals, etc, use italics and cap the first word only, for example Corvus corone .

Colleagues should be referred to as such, don’t use staff. Job titles should be capitalised.

Also, see capitals above for how we write about our colleagues’ job titles.

Common phrases and words to watch / avoid

These have crept into the language from corporate-speak – they’re designed to make fairly mundane messages seem more dynamic. However, they’ve been around long enough that your users recognise them for what they are – don’t use them as they damage both trust and credibility within your readers:

Contractions

A contraction is a word or phrase that’s been shortened by replacing one or more letters with an apostrophe . They’re commonly used in speech and when we read – the voice in your head naturally contracts what you’re reading.

So, while they’re viewed as being informal, for web copy, we always use contractions – such as don’t (instead of do not ), isn’t (instead of is not ) and can’t (instead of cannot ).

Course titles, job titles and qualifications

Course titles

Quote the course title in full, for example MSc Landscape Architecture or BSc (Hons) Architecture . When referring to an area or sector, lower case should be used, for example, studying a course in the area of landscape architecture .

Acronyms should initially be written in full, with the acronym only following in brackets if it is to be repeated later in the text, for example, The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) .

• The School Secretary , Harold Hardy, said...

Any post mentioned without reference to the postholder should be in lower case, for example, the dean will be out of the country for several days .

Use academic titles whenever appropriate, remembering that it should be Dr with no full stop and Professor written in full, never abbreviated. Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancello r are not hyphenated.

Initial use of names for academic staff should include title, first and last names: Professor Jackie Bloggs , Dr Fiona Rabbit . Future uses should be Dr Rabbit or Professor Bloggs .

The exception to this is for internal feature pieces where first name use may be more appropriate.

Qualifications

Use Masters not masters, Master’s or Masters’ and PhD not phd or PHD.

When referring to A levels , please use this format, which is consistent with UCAS – no hyphen and capital A and lower-case l.

Dashes – Em and En

A hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark that’s used to join words or parts of words, for example, 20-year-old . It’s not interchangeable with other types of dashes. A dash is longer than a hyphen and is commonly used to indicate a range or a pause.

The most common types of dashes are the En dash (–) and the Em dash (—). The En dash is slightly longer than the hyphen but not as long as the Em dash. British online grammar in the 21st Century doesn’t really use the longer Em dash – you’ll generally only find mention of it in American grammar articles or in Victorian novels.

For consistency, follow these two simple rules:

• If the words separated touch the dash or hyphen, use a hyphen
• If there’s a gap between the separated words, use En dash

An En dash can be used instead of brackets – like this – and is considered to be easier to read online than brackets. They’re more versatile than brackets too and can be used for a closing remark – like this, ending in a full stop, where brackets need closing with ‘)’.

Also see ‘Hyphens’

Date and time

Use this format:

• Day , date , month and then year , for example, Monday 15 January 2019
• Show times using a 24-hour clock , for example, 21:00 or 17:00

Include the day , time and venue for forthcoming events, and when advertising an event for an international audience, such as an Online Open Day, state the time zone as well as the time. For example, 14:00-16:00 (BST) .

Don’t use ordinal indicators – the superscripted -st , -nd , -rd and -th following the day number. For example, write 15 January and not 15th January .

Direct, active language

Use an active voice when writing for the web. In active sentences:

• The thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence
• The thing receiving the action is the object

Most sentences are active, but it doesn’t hurt to take the time to ensure you’re using an active voice at all times. This is what the structure of an active sentence looks like (followed by examples):

Passive voice

You should only really use the passive form:

• If you think that the thing receiving the action is more important or should be emphasised
• If you don’t know who’s doing the action or don’t want to mention who’s doing it

In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence. The structure of a passive sentence looks like this (followed by passive versions of the examples above):

*This slight alteration of the example above shows you how passive voice can be used to make communications user-focused.

If used in a user-centric way, passive voice can make your sentences livelier, easier to read and generally more ‘human’. It also makes you naturally use more words like ‘you’, ‘we’ and ‘our’. It also helps users understand what our university is going to do for them and what they need to do for themselves.

E.G. for example

Don’t use E.G ., EG , e.g . or eg when writing web copy. It may seem counter-intuitive, but this abbreviation, along with I.E. , actually breaks the eye’s flow over the words. E.G. can also be read as ‘egg’ by screen readers.

Instead, always use for example , followed by a comma. For example, like that.

Also see ‘I.E.’.

Fewer or less

This is a funny one – in the strictest terms, use ‘ fewer ’ when you can count something , use ‘ less ’ when you can’t count something . However, descriptive grammarians – who look at how language is actually used – point out that this rule doesn’t correctly describe the most common usage of today or the past. For consistency, however, it’s best to stick to the following rules:

• Use fewer when you can count something, for example, the committee wants to have fewer meetings next year
• Use less when you can’t count something, for example, voters are calling for less bureaucracy
• The same goes for percentages – Less than 30% of the internet cares (you can’t count ‘internets’) and Fewer than 30% of readers care (because you can count readers)
• Never use no less than with numbers – always say no fewer than, for example, He exceeded the speed limit on no fewer than 12 occasions
• Use less for ages , heights and weights , for example, Tom Thumb was less than 3ft tall ; the man is less than 30 years old ; she weighs less than seven stone

Forward slash

Don’t use forward slashes in titles or headings. Try to replace them with ‘and’ / ‘or’.

Make sure that when you do use them, there’s a space on both sides of the slash. For example, ‘see policy on office maintenance / repairs’. This helps copy to remain ‘dynamic’ – that is, it responds to the size of the screen the user is viewing the website on.

Should be used at the end of proper sentences but not with titles.

For use of full stops with lists, see ' Bulleted lists' and ' Numbered lists' .

When we’re writing for the web, more than in any other media, we need to be succinct. We read differently online. Simple fact. Online copy has to make the journey from the page to user comprehension, as short as possible . And that’s what grammar’s for.

So, while the rules of grammar may sometimes seem archaic or overly fussy, just remember, they’re there for a reason and that reason is to help your reader , not to make more work for you. Look at the examples below that involve the simple comma – arguably the easiest piece of punctuation yet, when omitted from a sentence, it can cause chaos:

• With : Most of the time, travellers worry about their luggage
• Without : Most of the time travellers worry about their luggage
• With : Let’s eat, grandpa
• Without : Let’s eat grandpa

There are specific sections for how to use the most common forms of grammar that you’re likely to use. If in doubt, look at the BBC Style Guide .

But, be aware that, as an academic organisation, some of our rules differ slightly from those presented by the BBC. Where we present a different way of presenting grammar, this document supersedes the BBC.

Also see ‘Apostrophes’

Also see ‘Dashes – em and en'

Also see ‘Punctuation’

Also see ‘Quotes’

Like all punctuation, hyphens are there for a reason. In their simplest form, they help the text make immediate sense – they shorten the journey from eye to understanding by removing ambiguity. Despite being frequently misused, hyphens play a vital role in succinct communication, as shown in this example:

They can be pretty tricky, however, so we’ll keep the rules simple to aid consistency.

Compound adjectives

An adjective is a word naming an attribute of a noun, such as sweet, red or technical. A compound adjective is a single adjective made up of more than one word. For example, two-seater or free-range . Note that free-range is a single attribute, made of two words, but joined by a hyphen.

So, the words in a compound adjective are often linked together with a hyphen (or hyphens) to show they are part of the same adjective.

However, they’re not used when part of the adjective is an adverb ending in -ly. For example, ‘ badly researched report’, ‘ severely wounded person’, ‘ newly cleaned car’.

We’d say Jim Smith is a father of two , but it’s father-of-two Jim Smith because in the second example, father-of-two is an attribute – a compound adjective – of Jim’s. Likewise, Jim Smith is 25 years old but 25-year-old Jim Smith .

Phrasal verbs

These are constructions such as build up , turn out , drive in , take over . Some need hyphens when they are used as nouns:

• Those ending in -in, -to, -on or -up use a hyphen – check-up, break-in, turn-on
• Those ending in -off use a hyphen – pay-off, turn-off, drop-off
• Don’t use a hyphen for those ending in -out – payout, turnout, dropout, bailout
• Don’t use a hyphen for those where the second part is four or more letters – takeover, clampdown, giveaway, setback, lookahead, runaround
• Rare exceptions are where two vowels need to be separated by a hyphen, as in go-ahead, though this isn’t always necessary
• In most cases, use a hyphen to separate repeated letters in a compound word – re-emergence, co-operative, night-time – annoyingly, there are some random exceptions to this rule, including filmmaking, overrun, override, overrule, underrate, withhold

We use I.E. (ie, i.e.) to clarify a sentence but it’s not always well understood. And while terms like eg, ie and etc, are common, they make reading difficult for some.

Also, we have a high number of overseas visitors to our sites – anyone who didn’t grow up speaking English may not be familiar with terms like eg, ie and etc. Even those with high literacy levels can be thrown if they’re reading under stress or are in a hurry – like a lot of people are on the web.

As such, we don’t use I.E.

Instead, try writing sentences to avoid the need to use it. If that isn’t possible, use an alternative such as ‘meaning’ or ‘that is’.

Also see ‘E.G.’

Imperatives

This is any sentence that tells you to do something or not to do something – basically, to convey a command, a request or a forbiddance. They’re brilliant for giving instructions (firstly, turn off the electricity) and giving extra help (be careful not to touch any live wires).

Imperatives are excellent for conveying useful information in an easy-to-follow format, which is why you’ll find them in nearly all instruction manuals. As such, they’re a vital tool for web copy , as they let your users know quickly and easily what action they need to take to get what they want from your page.

Write like an instruction manual

Don’t be afraid to use simple, to-the-point language. This isn’t us ‘dumbing down’, it’s opening up – it helps your users get what they need from your content , whether that’s information, advice or instructions on actions they need to take.

Who’s your content addressing? Once you know that, ask yourself these questions:

• What do they want from your content?
• What action do they need to perform?

Try answering them as if you’re writing an instruction manual addressed to your audience – this is a great, really simple way to create the basic structure of your page.

Indirect speech

Also called reported speech – this is a means of expressing the content of statements, questions or other utterances, without quoting them explicitly. For example, He said “I’m joining the panel” is direct speech, whereas He said that he was joining the panel is indirect speech.

More often than not, the tense you need to use will be common sense. There are some general rules, however, so if in doubt, use the guidelines below. At its most simple, the tense in which someone speaks often has to be changed in indirect speech to avoid ambiguity. What determines this is the tense used in introducing the indirect speech.

For example, imagine Professor Jordan says, “I am resigning” . He uses the present tense. If you introduce this with either the present tense ( “He says” ) or the perfect tense ( “He has said” ), then you should retain the present tense within the quotation – so, the text can say either Professor Jordan says he’s resigning or Professor Jordan has said he’s resigning .

If you opt for the past tense ( “He said” ), then you have to ‘knock back’ by one tense from that used in the original. For example, Professor Jordan said he was resigning . By the same rule, if Professor Jordan’s next words are “I saw the Dean on Tuesday” , then you can write either Professor Jordan says / has said he saw the Dean on Tuesday or Professor Jordan said he had seen the Dean on Tuesday .

With remarks looking to future events, the word ‘will’ survives into reported speech only if the introduction uses the present or perfect tense. For example, if Professor Jordan continues, “I will leave our university on Saturday” then this can become either Professor Jordan says he’ll leave our university on Saturday or Professor Jordan has said he’ll leave our university on Saturday . But if you use the past tense as an introduction, then ‘will’ becomes ‘would’. For example, Professor Jordan said he would leave our university on Saturday .

Also see ‘Quotation marks’

Job titles, course titles and qualifications

Use academic titles whenever appropriate, remembering that it should be Dr with no full stop and Professor written in full, never abbreviated. Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor are not hyphenated.

The exception to this is for feature articles where first name use may be more appropriate.

Quote the course title in full, for example, MSc Landscape Architecture or BSc (Hons) Architecture . When referring to an area or sector, lower case should be used, for example, studying a course in the area of landscape architecture .

Acronyms should initially be written in full, with the acronym only following in brackets if it is to be repeated later in the text. For example, The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) .

Avoid jargon and university-speak.

Sometimes terms that are specific to our university, such as The Office for Students, cannot be avoided. Write these terms out in full the first time they are used.

See also ‘Acronyms’

Language – direct, active

Language - passive voice (as a contrast to active, direct)

Miscellaneous

• Freshers’
• Masters not masters, Master’s or Masters’
• PhD not phd or PHD

Numbered lists

Use a numbered list for items that must be in a specific order, such as when you’re explaining instructions that need to be performed in sequence, or a timeline of events. Use a bulleted list for items that do not have to be in a specific order.

Always use sentence case for numbered lists – so, start each number with an initial capital letter followed by lower case. Each item in a numbered list should have a full stop at the end – it’s part of a unified paragraph that’s been broken down purely to make steps in a task easier to follow. It’s also partly to drive home the difference between bullets and numbered lists – consistency and using the right tools for the right job are vital to making it easy for users to use the pages on our site.

• First of all, make sure your numbered list begins with an upper-case letter.
• After that, check that there’s a full stop at the end.
• Finally, ensure you’re using normal punctuation rules for each number. This means using full stops, question marks and En dashes as appropriate.

Numbers between one and nine should be written as words, numbers 10 and above as numerals. For example, ‘ seven, eight, nine, 10, 11 ’. Never start a sentence with a numeral, for example, 23 June is…

When writing one thousand in numerals, a comma should be used, for example, ‘ 1,000 ’.

When writing percentages use ‘ % ’ rather than ‘ per cent ’.

Always use the Leeds 0113 code with telephone numbers. When using the international code, the format should be: +44 (0)113 812 0000 . For UK only audiences, please use the following format: 0113 812 0000 .

When you’re writing about Leeds Beckett University , use the phrase ‘ our university ’ rather than saying ‘ the university’. Note that ‘university’, when used in this way, is lower case.

One permissible exception to this rule is for news copy and press releases intended for use by journalists, when it is permitted to use ‘the university’ rather than ‘our university’.

Our university’s name should be written as Leeds Beckett University, not Leeds Beckett, Beckett or Beckett University . Where an audience commands it or space is restricted (such as Twitter) common sense should be applied. For example, when tweeting about our institution, it is permissible to abbreviate the name of our university to Leeds Beckett or LBU.

School titles should be accurate and used in full wherever possible:

• School of Events, Tourism & Hospitality Management

Punctuation

When we’re writing for the web, more than in any other media, we need to be succinct. We read differently online. Simple fact. Online copy has to make the journey from the page to user comprehension, as short as possible . And that’s what punctuation’s for.

Punctuation is there for a reason and that reason is to help your reader.

• Avoid exclamation marks – your audience is web savvy and finds exclamations marks too shouty!
• The same goes for CAPITALISING IMPORTANT POINTS
• Don’t use speech marks or qualifying inverted commas to highlight words, for example, a ‘great’ place to work – it sounds sarcastic
• Don’t use ampersands (&) in copy as they look shabby and lazy – an exception is where an ampersand has become an established convention, for example, School of Events, Tourism & Hospitality Management

Also see ‘Em dashes and En dashes’

Also see ‘Grammar’

Quotation marks

Quotation marks are used for direct speech – always use double quotation marks when quoting someone, for example, “I love grammar,” said Professor Jordan .

Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes, for example, “When the student representative said, ‘We love grammar too’, it made me happy,” Professor Jordan told the panel .

Each section of direct speech ends with a punctuation mark. If there’s no reporting clause (where you tell the reader who said the quote, for example, ‘said Professor Jordan’), then the punctuation mark is likely to be a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark. For example, “It’s a great day for our university.”

Notice that punctuation marks are included inside the speech marks.

If there is a reporting clause , use a comma before the final speech marks. For example, “I think this really puts Leeds Beckett University on the map,” said Professor Jordan . Again, the punctuation marks are included inside the speech marks.

Also see ‘Indirect speech’

Reported speech

See ‘Indirect speech’

Singular and plural

Treat collective nouns – universities, the public, companies, governments and other bodies – as singular. For example, Leeds Beckett is going to… rather than, Leeds Beckett are going to…

There are some exceptions:

• Family, couple or pair, where using the singular can sound odd
• Sports teams – although they’re singular in their role as business concerns, for example, Arsenal has declared an increase in profit
• Rock / pop groups
• The police, as in Police say they’re looking for three individuals – but, individual forces are singular, for example, The Metropolitan Police says there is no need to panic

Some words remain the same even as plurals, such as aircraft , cannon , sheep and fish – although you would use fishes when referring to different kinds of fish. For example, He studied freshwater fishes of the UK .

Be careful with some words that are plural but often mistakenly used as singular:

• Criteria (criterion)
• Bacteria (bacterium)
• Phenomena (phenomenon)
• While data is strictly a plural, we follow common usage and treat it as singular
• The same goes for agenda
• For words ending in ‘-ium’, such as stadium , use stadiums
• For index , use indexes for the plural – the correct word, indices, is only in a mathematical / scientific context

If in doubt, use the first version offered by the Oxford English Dictionary .

Use just one space between sentences – there should never be more than one space in succession in online text, not even after a full stop.

As a general rule, refer to the Oxford English Dictionary . Where options are given, always choose the first use . Hence, say:

• Protester instead of ‘protestor’
• Medieval instead of ‘mediaeval’
• Focused / focusing instead of ‘focussed / focussing’

Two exceptions…

Firstly, always use ‘. ..ise ’ rather than ‘ ...ize ’ – the former is British, the latter is American. For example, recognise instead of ‘ recognize ’, specialise instead of ‘specialize’.

Secondly, never use ‘x’ in the middle of a word where there’s an alternative spelling of ‘ct’. For example, inflection instead of ‘inflexion’, reflection instead of ‘reflexion’, connection instead of ‘connexion’.

In the cases below, where there’s more than one spelling, use:

• Adviser (but advisory)
• Tsar (rather than czar)

Split infinitives

A split infinitive is created by placing an adverb, or adverbial phrase, between the to and the verb. For example, to boldly go, to casually walk, to gently push.

Split infinitives have been widely condemned in school classrooms, but they’re commonly used in writing of all kinds. As such, they aren’t banned .

Tautologies

A tautology is a phrase or expression in which the same thing is said twice in different words. Don’t use them – they’re considered to be a fault of style.

Common examples include:

That / which

As a general rule, ‘ that ’ defines, and ‘ which ’ informs.

What does that actually mean?

So, in the sentence, “The house that Jack built is to be knocked down” , the phrase “that Jack built” is included to differentiate his house from a group of houses.

Imagine four houses – one built by Jack, and one each by Jill, the Three Little Pigs and Wimpey. Of those four houses, only one is to be knocked down – the house that Jack built. ‘That’, in this sentence, defines which house we are talking about – which of the four houses will be knocked down.

In comparison, “The house, which Jack built, is to be knocked down” , assumes we know exactly which house we’re talking about. The fact that Jack was the builder is the new information. So, the phrase, “which Jack built” , gives us additional information – it informs.

Times and dates

Titles and headers

Titles and headers within the body copy of a page are all in sentence case, Not First Word Capitalised or ALL IN CAPITALS.

Where it’s appropriate to use capitalisation in titles and headers, this has already been built into the content management system (CMS) of our website. So, when adding titles, headings and subheadings, always apply sentence case.

This aids accessibility and readability. It’s also less jarring for people who didn’t grow up speaking English.

See our Accessibility guide  for more information.

Underlining

Because underlining is sometimes used to indicate links – either to an internal destination within the same website or an external site – text should never be underlined on a web page or in a document that is uploaded to a website. This helps to avoid confusion for the user.

Units of measurement

We should use both imperial and metric measures in most stories. Context will usually decide which measure comes first, but if the first figure is part of a quote it should be retained, with a conversion in brackets immediately afterwards.

Where instantly recognisable abbreviations exist, these should be used throughout, even at first reference. For example, don’t write the words ‘metre’, ‘kilometre’ out in full. Use the abbreviations m and km .

• All numbers preceding abbreviations should be rendered as digits
• Where units are written out in full, our usual numbers convention is followed
• There should not be a gap between number and abbreviated unit
• Units of measurement do not in general take an ‘s’ in the plural

A nanometre is one thousand millionth of a metre. Spell it out in full at first reference, then trim to nm, with the accompanying number expressed as digits, for example, 6nm, 52nm.

For weights , use grams, kilograms and tonnes (not the imperial ton).

• For kilograms, use the abbreviation kg throughout
• For grams – one thousandth of a kilogram – use the abbreviation g throughout
• This rule applies whether singular or plural
• They’re both lower case with no gap between number and unit, for example, she caught a 150g fish, he weighed at least 90kg
• Avoid the term ‘metric ton’ and the tautological ‘metric tonne’

For volumes , use litres – note that ‘litres’ is not abbreviated , because ‘l’ looks like a number one.

University events, students and graduates

Use an upper-case first letter for event titles, for example, Open Days and Graduation 2021 .

The terms undergraduate, graduation, postgraduate and international aren’t capitalised, unless they are part of an event title, for example, Undergraduate Open Day .

The use of UG and PG is acceptable for internal use only .

Also see ‘Alumni’

For wireless technologies - lower case and hyphenated. W capitalised in title case and sentence commencement.

LBU content team

If you can't find what you're looking for or need some extra advice, we're happy to help.

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