Version 2.2 (7 May 2021)

Version 2.2 made site-wide accessibility improvements to meet WCAG AA standards. View our updated accessibility page.

The changes include:

• consistently marking up headings in callout blocks
• consistently marking up lists in callout blocks
• improving logical flow and placement of focused elements
• consistent accessibility experience for mobile and desktop users
• HTML mark-up removing repetitive elements to meet accessibility standards
• ensuring text meets minimum contrast requirements.

Version 2.2 fixed some broken links in references and added guidance on PDF (Portable Document Format).

Version 2.1 (4 March 2021)

Version 2.1 added:

• blog functionality
• clarifications to the links topic page
• page not found page (404 error page)
• a link to the Style Manual Community of Practice.

Version 2.1 corrected minor errors on topic pages:

• medical terms
• nationalities, peoples and places outside Australia
• natural phenomena
• personal names.

Version 2.0 (11 December 2020)

Version 2.0 added:

• a new section landing page to User needs: Accessibility and inclusion 
• new accessibility and inclusion topic pages:
  - agency responsibilities and commitments
  - applying accessibility principles
  - designing for accessibility and inclusion.

Version 2.0 had:

• changed the pattern on accessibility requirements callout boxes to include user needs and fundamentals, as they relate to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines success criteria.
• updated accessibility requirements callout boxes on the following topic pages by section:

  Understanding user needs​​​​​​
  - how people find information
  - how people read
  - literacy and access

  Content formats
  - blogs
  - emails and letters
  - forms
  - images
  - alt text, captions and titles for images
  - tables
  - social media
  - video and audio
  - requirements and standards for video and audio

  Clear language and writing style
  - plain language and word choice
  - abbreviations
  - sentences
  - paragraphs

  Structure
  - types of structure
  - sequential structure
  - sentences
  - hierarchical structure
  - headings
  - links
  - text boxes and callouts

  Findable content
  - understanding search engines
  - keywords and search engines
  - on-page optimisation

  General conventions, editing, proofreading
  - editing and proofreading
  - italics
  - punctuation and capitalisation
   

• updated accessibility considerations callout boxes on the following topic pages:
  - user research and content 
  - easy read
  - periodicals
  - reports.

Version 1.0 (24 September 2020)

The following headings refer to published content for the digital Style Manual, version 1.0.

Each heading sets out changes from Content Guide and the sixth edition of the Style manual for authors, editors and printers.

Fixes to version 1.0 include minor edits, new examples, structural adjustments, internal cross-linking and new references. These fixes are listed under each heading.

Understanding user needs

Version 1.0 had:

• a new topic on user research and content.
• a digital focus for:
  - how people find information
  - how people read.
• more detail and updated statistics on literacy and access.

Content formats

Version 1.0 had new guidance on:

• blogs
• emails and letters
• forms
• social media.

Version 1.0 offered print considerations but focused on digital-first formats for:

• newspapers, journals and magazines (periodicals)
• reports.

It included:

• basic information on when and how to use images
• detailed information about accessibility and how to structure tables for digital content
• significant updates and expanded information about video and audio
• new and detailed content about alt text, captions and titles for images
• an overview of technical standards and accessibility requirements for video and audio formats\
• links to authoritative sources for compliance topics, such as security classifications and protective markings
• contextual links covering:
  - accessibility
  - copyright
  - information management requirements.

Between 9 and 13 October 2020 fixes included:

• a new example on alt text, captions and titles
• more examples on blogs
• more internal links on social media
• new internal links on video and audio
• minor edits, a definition of lower thirds and more internal links on requirements for audio and video

Clear language and writing style

Version 1.0:

• had practical guidance on plain language
• discussed plain English sentences
• had mostly new content on voice and tone
• supported plain language guidance with grammatical information on parts of sentences (including clauses and phrases)
• related word choice to grammatical information about types of words
• removed the requirement to use full stops with non-Latin abbreviations
• did not use full stops with acronyms and initialisms, or contractions
• avoided using Latin shortened forms.

Between 9 and 26 October 2020 fixes included:

• a structural adjustment on the page and relating inclusive language to plain language and word choice 
• adjustment to page structure, enhanced guidance and new examples on sentences 
• a minor edit and an updated example on phrases 
• minor edits, clarified examples and more internal links on clauses 
• minor edits, more examples and internal links on verbs 
• minor edits and updated examples on nouns 
• minor edits, more internal links and an added reference on pronouns 
• more examples and minor edits to text and page structure on paragraphs.

On 7 December 2020 fixes included:

• adjusted heading re use of 'no' with numerals in contractions
• new examples on expressing ideas and the persona and internal links on voice and tone.

Inclusive language

Version 1.0 had:

• significantly revised and updated guidance on content that relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• included a section on age diversity
• updated inclusive language guidance around cultural and linguistic diversity
• new guidance on inclusive language around gender and sexual diversity
• revised and expanded inclusive terminology on the topic of people with disability.

On 9 October 2020 fixes included:

• adjusted examples and more internal links on cultural and linguistic diversity.

Structure

Version 1.0 had:

• included print considerations, but focused on writing headings for online content
• significantly updated and expanded on information about links
• fleshed out the advice on topic sentences and other guidance on paragraphs
• provided information about text boxes and callouts
• a new focus on the inverted pyramid, and narrative structure in types of structure.

Between 29 September and 12 October 2020 fixes included:

• a minor edit on narrative structure (29 September 2020)
• a new internal link on parts of sentences (12 October 2020).

On 7 December 2020, fixes included:

• updated examples and guidance on when to use list styles to lists.

Findable content

Version 1.0 had:

• expanded on information on understanding search engines
• incorporated information from the Content Guide on:
  - keywords and search engines
  - on-page optimisation.

Between 11 September and 25 October 2020 fixes included:

• new internal link and definition for URL on on-page optimisation 
• minor edits to text and new supporting detail on understanding search engines 
• minor edits and new internal link on keywords and search engines.

General conventions, editing and proofreading

Version 1.0 had:

• provided an overview of editing and proofreading
• revised guidance on italics
• outlined how the principles of minimal punctuation and minimal capitalisation inform Style Manual topics.

The Australian concise Oxford dictionary, corpus data and consultation informed advice on spelling.

On 7 December 2020 fixes included:

• more examples and alphabetical ordering of common misspellings and word confusion.

Names and terms

Version 1.0 had:

• provided more direct advice about commercial terms
• made changes to punctuation used with expressions of dates and time
• revised guidance on government terms
• clarified the use of eponyms in disease names as medical terms
• significantly expanded style advice for referring to natural phenomena
• included a new section on hyphens in personal names
• linked to external sources from basic style advice for the names of plants and animals
• expanded on advice about ships, aircraft and other vehicles
• consolidated and expanded information about topographic terms
• included guidance on personal names and cultural and linguistic diversity to complement style advice for nationalities, peoples and places outside Australia
• a new general rule not to use full stops with abbreviations which removed the requirement to use a full stop with abbreviated:
  - Australian place names
  - months and days of the week
  - organisation names.

From 22 September to 10 November 2020 fixes included:

• minor edit with new internal link, and corrected and updated examples on ships, aircraft and other vehicles 
• minor edits to text, new internal link and extra reference list item on topographic terms 
• a new example on government terms.

On 7 December 2020 fixes included:

• added examples and internal links to nationalities, peoples and places outside Australia
• added words to clarify only capitalise Australian Government when the 2 words occur together on government terms
• altered examples re casing of terms and amended surrounding text to clarify exception in natural phenomena
• new subheading on how to treat family names, more examples and internal links to personal names.

Numbers and measurements

Version 1.0 had:

• updated the rule for using words for numbers in paragraph text
• recommended using the dollar symbol and numerals in most cases for Australian currency
• updated guidance on fractions and decimals
• revised guidance on the expression of mathematical relationships
• consolidated information about measurement and units
• revised guidance on ordinal numbers
• recommended using a number with the symbol for percentages
• expanded on information about telephone numbers.

On 14 October and 9 November 2020 fixes included:

• more internal cross-links on choosing words or numerals
• reworking a sentence for clarity on choosing words or numerals.

Punctuation marks

Version 1.0 had:

• updated guidance for using brackets and parentheses
• updated punctuation guidance for a bullet list
• revised guidance about the use of dashes
• revised advice about punctuation used with quotation marks
• consistency with the sixth edition in its advice on semicolons.

Referencing and attribution

Version 1.0 had:

• introduced stylistic changes to the author–date system for referencing
• revised guidance on the documentary–note system for referencing
• new and extensive advice on how to cite legal material
• expanded information about citing plays and poetry
• expanded and updated information about how to cite works of art
• covered citation style for:
  - broadcast media and podcasts
  - musical compositions
• consolidated information on shortened forms used in referencing
• new guidance to support style guidance for citing legal material, on abbreviations for authorised and unauthorised reports.

Titles, honours, forms of address

Version 1.0 had:

• updated guidance and examples on forms of address for royalty, vice-royalty and nobility
• detailed advice about titles and post-nominals related to awards and honours
• refreshed guidance on forms of address and titles for:
  - academics and professionals
  - Australian Defence Force
  - diplomats
  - the judiciary
  - members of Australian parliaments and councils.

On 30 October 2020 fixes included:

• updated and corrected on members of Australian parliaments and councils:
  - an error/omission about post-nominals for members of lower houses in states and territories
  - added text for clarification
  - carried corrections through examples on this page.