USAID BUREAU FOR LEGISTLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS EDITING AND STYLE GUIDE

The guide emphasizes the importance of clear and consistent writing to increase the ability of readers to understand content and the credibility of information. It recommends sticking to the grammar, spelling, and punctuation rules cited in the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook, with the OMB General Style Guidelines superseding the AP Stylebook in cases of conflict. The guide provides specific guidance on the use of abbreviations and acronyms, recommending the use of official acronyms or abbreviations found in the FY 2010 Agency Financial Report. It specifies that "USAID" should be used instead of "A.I.D" or "AID," and that "U.S." should be used with periods when used as an adjective, while "United States" should be spelled out when used as a noun. The guide also provides guidance on the use of numbers, recommending that numbers one through nine be spelled out, while numbers 10 and greater should be represented by figures. It suggests using a comma to separate four-digit figures or more, and that ages should be represented by numbers, hence "under-5 mortality" instead of "under-five mortality." In terms of capitalization, the guide recommends capitalizing the "G" in "government" when referring to the governing body of a country, and capitalizing the "A" in "Agency" when referencing USAID or other specific agencies. It also recommends capitalizing government terms such as "Federal" when referring to the Federal Government, but not capitalizing terms such as "congressional" and "presidential" unless they are contained in a title. The guide provides additional guidance on punctuation, recommending the use of long dashes with no spaces on either side, and suggesting that periods, commas, colons, and semicolons be enclosed within quotation marks. It also recommends using a hyphen between words when combined to form a unit modifier immediately preceding the word modified. In terms of formatting, the guide recommends using a comma before the last item in a sequence within a sentence, and suggests that formal names be used for acts, plans, and reports, with references to these documents in lowercase. It also recommends italicizing report names, such as the FY 2008 Agency Financial Report. Overall, the USAID Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs Editing and Style Guide provides a comprehensive set of guidelines for clear and consistent writing, with a focus on increasing the ability of readers to understand content and the credibility of information.