The Arqus English Style Guide is intended primarily for authors writing English texts and translating texts into English for central publication by the Arqus Alliance and on the Arqus website. It was developed by the Working Group Plurilingual and Intercultural Hub and is designed to help improve the quality and consistency of texts written for an international audience within the context of the Arqus Alliance.
The style guide is based on British English guidelines as described in the New Oxford Style Manual as well as on existing style guides such as the University of Granada’s English Style Guide and Leipzig University’s English House Style. It is divided into three main parts: the first part focuses on general characteristics of British English and clear and idiomatic writing, the second part is a quick guide for writing news items and the third part looks at a number of specific issues and can be used as a reference guide. We would encourage you to read through the entire style guide and then to use it as a handy reference when questions come up.
We want to ensure that the information and texts produced in the Arqus Alliance are as clear, reader-friendly and accessible as possible and believe that having a common English style guide for the Alliance is a first step to achieving this goal. It is, however, work in progress. If you have any questions or constructive feedback, please contact us at plurilingualism@arqus-alliance.eu.
The Arqus Terminological Database includes many key terms that you will need when writing Arqus texts. It currently has four terminology collections and seven languages. Go here to search the database: arqusterm.ugr.es.
Useful references include Oxford dictionaries and the New Oxford Style Manual. A free online dictionary is available at oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com.
