Style guidelines

The Culture Caleidoscoop style guidelines are just that – guidelines. They aren’t meant to be hard rules that every contributor has to follow. This is a living document; we hope to adjust it as we learn through our editorial process.

We will not reject any contributions based on language alone. The content is more important, and we will help you develop your idea and express it.

We want contributors to express themselves freely, in the way that feels most comfortable to them. We want to help contributors communicate their ideas and experiences clearly and effectively, without removing their voices and personalities from their contributions.

If you have any questions or concerns about the guidelines about language, please get in touch by emailing danielle@culturecaleidoscoop.com.

General

Our goal is to accept contributions in more than English alone. To do this, we need to collaborate with colleagues who speak the language of the contributor. If you’d like to contribute in a language other than English, please get in touch!

We will copyedit all contributions into UK English. Don't worry if you're not familiar with UK English conventions; we will adjust spelling, puncutation, etc. as necessary.
Variations in English and non-standard English are accepted, although some edits will be made in collaboration with the contributors in case something could potentially be confusing for readers or listeners.
If needed, references should be included as footnotes. No reference list or bibliography is necessary. Visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab for general guidance about how to format references in Chicago style.

Referencing, notes, and citations

References and citations are not necessary for publication in Culture Caleidoscoop. However, if they are included, please follow The Chicago Manual of Style. A free resource can be found here.

Some standards

Spell out numbers one through nine (e.g. three, but 10). Use numerals starting from 10.
Use of singular they is preferred to using he or she or other gendered singular pronouns.
In reference to identity, use the person’s or the community’s preference as much as possible. Try not to generalise about a community’s identity.
Include alternative text (alt text) for any illustrations, pictures, or videos that are included. The alternative text should be a short, relevant description of the non-text element. For examples and guidelines, visit WebAIM.
Centre yourself and other participants in the contribution: Use I or we pronouns instead of the passive voice as much as possible. If there are multiple authors, make it clear who is speaking or writing when.

Some tips

Keep sentences short. A good rule of thumb is about 25 words or fewer.
Keep the subject (the doer) and verb (the doing) close together.
Visit these websites for additional grammar or spelling help: Grammar Girl, English Language & Usage StackExchange, Merriam-Webster, Oxford English Dictionary.
Visit these websites for inclusive language help: Diversity Style Guide, Conscious Style Guide.
Centre yourself and other participants in the contribution: Use I or we pronouns instead of the passive voice as much as possible. If there are multiple authors, make it clear who is speaking or writing when.

All contributions will be copyedited for clarity and for correctness (e.g. spelling errors). No changes will be made without the contributor’s consent. Discussions about edits can be made via comments in a Word document, email exchange, and/or video call, depending on the contributor’s preferences.