Style and spelling: editors' tools
Style guides present the preferred forms and styles for editors to apply to texts they are editing. Style guides collect the knowledge and experience of many editors over many years.
Australian style manual
In Australia, the style guide set for all Commonwealth government websites and government publications is now the online Australian Government style manual. Snooks & Co., Style manual for authors, editors and printers, 6th edition, published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, 2001, remains my preferred style guide for non-website publications. It has long been the preferred Australian style guide for all types of documents produced in Australia for an Australian audience. I have been using the Australian Style manual in my editorial work for more than 20 years, and this is the style guide I usually refer to when editing. Please let me know if you would prefer me to use another style guide featured on this page or if you have a house style you would like me to apply. |
Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition
As the preferred style guide for writers in the behavioural and social sciences, the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition, is the required style of many university faculties and journals. It is consulted not only by psychologists but also by researchers and students in psychology, education, nursing, social work, anthropology, ethnology, sociology and other social sciences. Many Australian universities ask their students to use the Australian Style manual for authors, editors and printers for general style decisions and the APA publication manual for citation and referencing. |
Dictionaries
When editing, editors refer to many references, none more so than dictionaries.
The Macquarie Dictionary is the accepted dictionary for Australian publishers. If your publication is for an international audience, you may wish to apply US spellings, for example, 'z' not 's' in organisation, or '-or' not '-our' in harbour.
Unless you prefer another dictionary, I will use the Macquarie Dictionary Online when editing your publication or document. Please let me know if you prefer another dictionary.
The Macquarie Dictionary is the accepted dictionary for Australian publishers. If your publication is for an international audience, you may wish to apply US spellings, for example, 'z' not 's' in organisation, or '-or' not '-our' in harbour.
Unless you prefer another dictionary, I will use the Macquarie Dictionary Online when editing your publication or document. Please let me know if you prefer another dictionary.