Editorial guidelines for lunduniversity.lu.se

See the different British and American English spellings below, grouped by category. Use these rules as a guide, but note that there may be some exceptions.

-sation- versus -zation

• Write digitalisation, not digitalization.
• Write organisation, not organization.

-ise versus -ize

• Write organise, not organize.
• Write realise, not realize.
• Write recognise, not recognize.

-yse versus -yze

• Write analyse, not analyze.
• Write catalyse, not catalyze.

-our versus -or

• Write behaviour, not behavior.
• Write colour, not color.
• Write labour, not labor.

-ll- versus -l-

• Write travelling, not traveling.
• Write cancelled, not canceled.
• Write counsellor, not counselor.

-l versus -ll

• Write fulfil, not fulfill.
• Write enrol, not enroll.

-re versus -er

• Write centre, not center.
• Write theatre, not theater.
• Write litre, not liter.

-er versus -or

• Write adviser, not advisor.

-ce versus -se (nouns)

• Write practice, not practise (vice versa for verb).
• Write licence, not license (vice versa for verb).
• Write defence, not defense.
• Write offence, not offense.
• Write pretence, not pretense.

-se versus -ce (verbs)

• Write practise, not practice (vice versa for noun).
• Write license, not licence (vice versa for noun).

-ogue versus -og

• Write dialogue, not dialog.
• Write catalogue, not catalog.
• Write analogue, not analog.

-ae- or -oe- versus -e-

• Write aesthetic, not esthetic.
• Write gynaecologist, not gynecologist.
• Write leukaemia, not leukemia.
• Write anaemia, not anemia.
• Write paediatric, not pediatric.
• Write manoeuvre, not maneuver.

It can be difficult to know when British and American English have different words for something, and which one(s) to use.

We actually use a mixture of both on the website, depending on the context. Some words are more commonly used internationally. In other cases, the alternative can lead to confusion or misinterpretation. Choosing the right words consistently ensures that our content is clear to everyone.

Native speakers are likely to know both versions, although there may be subtle differences in meaning.

Commonly used British English words

The following words are more common in British English than American English:

• Autumn versus fall
• Holiday versus vacation
• Timetable versus schedule
• Adviser versus advisor
• Flat versus apartment
• Lift versus elevator
• Queue versus line

Other examples exist, but are less common for university websites.

When we don't use standard British English words

We don't use standard British words in the following cases:

• Use semester (American English) instead of term. Our academic year is divided into spring and autumn semesters. In the United Kingdom, it is common to have three terms.
   
• Use grade (American English) rather than mark. Some of our audiences (non-native speakers or speakers of American English) may be less familiar with the British word.

In British English, a course usually refers to an entire programme of study. It can also refer to a single unit within a programme, but this is more commonly called a module. To avoid confusion:

• Use programme for an entire programme of study, such as a Master's programme.
   
• Use course for a single unit of study, such as a maths course.
   
• Use module to refer to a smaller unit within a programme or course.

Use the link below to find out more about grammar differences. Some of these are only relevant to informal writing:

British and American English – dictionary.cambridge.org

Lund University

Write Lund University with two capital letters in English, L and U. In Swedish, it is written as Lunds universitet with a small u.

• Lund University brings together researchers and students from around the globe.
• Research at Lund University makes a difference locally, nationally and globally.

The University

Write the University with a capital letter U only when referring directly and specifically to Lund University.

• The University has three campuses in southern Sweden.
• If you are interested in collaborating with the University, see below.

This only applies if there are no words between 'the' and 'university' and the reference is more general. In all other cases, use a small 'u':

• Lund University ranks as the top university in Sweden for sustainability.
• Lund University is the broadest full-scale university in Sweden.

References to 'our university' are quite unusual. See if you can use 'we' instead, or use a small 'u'.

When referring to another university, avoid capitalising the word university.

A university

Use a small letter for the word university in general references. 

• We are a university with a strong focus on social and environmental sustainability.
• As a university, we offer a wide range of international opportunities for students and staff.

Capitalise the organisational unit only when part of an official name:

• Students at the Faculties of Humanities and Theology can choose from a wide range of stand-alone courses.
• Lund University School of Economics and Management has many exchange partners.

After introducing the official name, refer to 'the faculty' or 'the school', 'the centre', 'the department' in small letters. Also use small letters for broad terms such as 'research group'.

• The faculty/school/department/centre is well known for its international focus.
• The research group has published groundbreaking results.

This is to avoid unnecessary formality and improve readability.

Note that we capitalise 'the University' on the website when referring to Lund University as a whole. After the first mention, we usually use 'we,' 'us' or 'our.'

It is less logical to refer to faculties or other organisational units in the same way, as the website is not the primary sender. This also increases the risk of having to repeat the full name or 'the faculty' in faculty-specific content. Capitalisation in this context could negatively impact readability.

Degree types

Use capital letters for degree types: 

• We offer around 140 Master's programmes and 10 Bachelor's programmes.

Specific programmes or courses

Use capital letters only when referring to a specific programme or course by its full name:

• The Bachelor's in International Business is very popular.
• The Master's Programme in Geology gives you in-depth knowledge of geology.
• The course Advanced Cancer Biology covers the key concepts of cancer biology from the laboratory to the clinic.

General subject or research areas

Use small letters when referring to a general subject area within education or research:

• Find out more about studying architecture and design at Lund University below.
• You can take stand-alone courses in history or anthropology.
• Sustainable planet – environmental and sustainability challenges

Note that the last example is a page header, so it needs a capital letter at the beginning (and no full stop at the end). However, the second word of the research area, 'planet', still starts with a small letter.

Job titles when used with a name

Use capital letters for formal job titles when used in direct association with a name/person (including in contact information):

• Vice-Chancellor Erik Renström welcomed the new students.
• Read Vice-Chancellor Erik Renström's blog.
• The committee awarded the grant to Professor Svensson and her team.

Other references to titles

Use small letters when the title is used without a name or in a more general sense:

• Erik Renström took up the position of Lund University's vice-chancellor.
• Read the vice-chancellor's blog.
• The professor manages to attract a lot of funding.

Use small letters for titles in general references:

• All deans are invited to the meeting.
• Three senior lecturers will give a speech at the ceremony.

Capitalise the names of people and places:

• Erik Renström is a qualified medical doctor and professor of experimental endocrinology.
• We have many students from European countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.

Use capital letters for days of the week and months of the year.

• Monday, Tuesday, ...
• January, February, ...

Write website names with a small initial letter (for example in link texts): 

• Register your move abroad at skatteverket.se
• File a complaint at digg.se
• Check English requirements – universityadmissions.se
• About residence permits at migrationsverket.se

Use capital letters only when writing the name of the external party in the link text, for example:

• Visit the Swedish Tax Agency website

Note that the link texts above are examples – they are not linked to actual content. Items in bulleted lists that contain full sentences should normally end with full stops (see the sections on lists and link writing below). However, link texts should never end with full stops.

Check if a possessive form is really necessary. In some cases, you can drop the 's or ' without changing the meaning.

In other cases, a verb or an alternative phrase will make the sentence clearer. Possessive pronouns such as 'our' and 'its' may be more natural than using 's or '.

Here are a few examples:

• Original: The course's requirements include group work.
• Rewrite: The course requirements include group work.
   
• Original: The students' union is very active.
• Rewrite: The student union is very active.
   
• Original: The lecturer's advice to the students was to attend all the lectures.
• Rewrite: The lecturer advised the students to attend all the lectures.
   
• Original: The team's performance was better than expected.
• Rewrite: The team performed better than expected.
   
• Original: The University's position in rankings has improved.
• Rewrite: Our position in rankings has improved.
   
• Original: The company's recruitment policy was updated.
• Rewrite: The company updated its recruitment policy.

Note that each of the rewrites is shorter and more direct than the original.

Check if a passive form is really necessary. You can often rewrite passive sentences in the active voice to make them clearer and more direct.

Use the active voice to show who is doing or involved in the action. This makes the sentence more engaging.

Here are a few examples:

• Original: The scholarship was given to the most promising students.
• Rewrite: The most promising students received the scholarship.
   
• Original: The invitation will be sent by the organisers.
• Rewrite: The organisers will send the invitation.
   
• Original: The results have been analysed by the researchers.
• Rewrite: The researchers have analysed the results.
   
• Original: The project was completed by the team.
• Rewrite: The team completed the project.
   
• Original: The experiment is conducted by the researchers.
• Rewrite: The researchers are conducting the experiment.
   
• Original: The conference is being organised by the committee.
• Rewrite: The committee is organising the conference.

Note that each of the rewrites is shorter and more direct than the original.

Check if a negative form is really necessary. You can often rewrite negative sentences in a positive form to make them clearer and more direct.

Use positive language to create a more engaging and constructive tone.

Here are a few examples:

• Original: Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
• Rewrite: Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
   
• Original: The project group didn't meet the deadline.
• Rewrite: The project group missed the deadline.
   
• Original: The student didn't submit the assignment on time.
• Rewrite: The student submitted the assignment late.
   
• Original: There was no improvement in the test results despite the design changes.
• Rewrite: The test results stayed the same despite the design changes. 
   
• Original: The professor didn't approve the proposal.
• Rewrite: The professor rejected the proposal.
   
• Original: The event didn't attract many people.
• Rewrite: Few people attended the event.

Note that each of the rewrites is shorter and more direct than the original.

Whenever possible, choose

• simpler
• more intuitive
• less formal, and
• shorter

synonyms or near synonyms. Always consider the context to see if the simpler synonym fits in. For example, you may decide to use:

• keep instead of maintain
  • "Keep a record of your expenses." instead of "Maintain a record of your expenses."
     
• begin/start instead of commence/initiate
  • "Classes will start next week." instead of "Classes will commence next week."
     
• use instead of utilise
  • "Use the library resources for your research." instead of "Utilise the library resources for your research."
     
• get instead of acquire
  • "You need to get a student ID card." instead of "You need to acquire a student ID card."
     
• help/support/enable instead of facilitate
  • "The new system will support online learning." instead of "The new system will facilitate online learning."
     
• need instead of require
  • "You need to submit your assignment by Friday." instead of "You are required to submit your assignment by Friday."
     
• must/need to instead of are to/are required to
  • "You must attend the orientation session." instead of "You are (required) to attend the orientation session."
     
• about instead of regarding
  • "She asked a question about the scholarship requirements." instead of "She asked a question regarding the scholarship requirements."
     
• on instead of about
  • "Read the article on study tips." instead of "Read the article about study tips."
     
• also/in addition/at the same time instead of furthermore/moreover
  • "She takes advanced maths courses and also participates in the robotics club." instead of "She takes advanced maths courses. Moreover, she participates in the robotics club."
     
• question instead of inquiry/enquiry/query
  • "Do you have a question about your application?" instead of "Do you have an inquiry about your application?"
     
• thesis instead of dissertation
  • "He's working on his Master's thesis." instead of "He's working on his Master's dissertation."

In general, avoid using words or phrases that are likely to be familiar only to university staff or researchers.

For example:

• Use doctoral studies (preferably, or PhD studies) instead of third-cycle studies.
• Use Bachelor's and Master's programmes instead of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, as this can be ambiguous in English.

If you really can't find a way around a difficult or more internal term*, introduce it and explain it clearly. Also avoid overusing it:

• Pathogenic can mean capable of causing disease or harmful.
• Pan-resistant means resistant to all antibiotics.

*Sometimes it is difficult to avoid a term altogether, for example because:

• it's used in an external system or application platform, or in official documentation/legislation that you're referring to
• it's the only way to describe a subject or area, or
• it's an international standard within education or research.

Ask yourself whether everyone in your audience will understand an abbreviation or acronym, even if it is well known. As a general rule, explain it the first time it is used on a page.

If a heading on a page consists of an abbreviation and nothing else, spell it out there:

• H2: League of European Research Universities (LERU)
• H2: European Spallation Source (ESS)
• H3: Centre for Innovation Research (CIRCLE)

If the abbreviation is part of a longer heading, or is used for the first time in the body of the text, spell it out the first time it is used there:

• Global Dynamic Engagement (GDE) is our approach to increasing our international impact.
• Welcome to Lund University (LU for short).
• Lund is home to the European Spallation Source (ESS).
• EUGLOH – the European University Alliance for Global Health – is a network of nine European universities.

Common abbreviations include i.e. and e.g. (from Latin). These may not be intuitive or even confusing to some of our audiences:

• i.e. – use that is or in other words when you need a direct replacement.
• e.g. – use for example or such as when you need a direct replacement.

The examples below cover some of the punctuation and sign categories that require careful consideration.

Exclamation mark

Use exclamation marks only for short-term campaigns:

• Change your password today!
• Third in the world for sustainability!

Commas, en dashes, colons and semicolons as connectors or separators

In general, keep your sentences short and to the point. Where possible and natural, use a full stop instead of extending a sentence.

Use commas, en dashes or semicolons only when necessary to separate ideas or list items clearly. Avoid using colons for this purpose. Colons tend to introduce a new point, making the sentence unnecessarily long.

Examples:

• Our campuses in Malmö and Helsingborg are exciting in their own way, both being part of larger seaside cities (can also be split into two short sentences by inserting a full stop and replacing 'being' with 'are').
• You can choose electives in anthropology, gender studies or sociology.
   
• EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB accredited – one of less than 1% business schools worldwide.
• Find out more in our brochure – facts, study opportunities, student life and more. 

The following list with semicolons is for illustration only. It would normally consist of three bullets.

• Geography, 7.5 ECTS credits; Biology, 10 ECTS credits; Mathematics, 7.5 ECTS credits.

Oxford comma

The following lists are for illustration only. They would normally be bulleted.

• The three modules are physics and astronomy, biology and data science, and geology and geography (Oxford comma needed for clarity).
• The course covers linguistics, literature, history and anthropology (no Oxford comma needed for clarity).

Hyphens versus en dashes in compounds and ranges

Use hyphens to connect words that work together as compound modifiers to describe something before the noun.

• Well-known research
  • Compare "The research is well known" (no hyphen).
• State-of-the-art facilities
  • Compare "The facilities are state of the art" (no hyphen).
• Well-qualified candidate
  • Compare "The candidate is well qualified" (no hyphen).

Use en dashes to connect ranges or two equally important parts of a compound modifier:

• 10–15 students, 08:15–10:15, March–April
• Malmö–Copenhagen area, student–teacher relationship.

Single quotation marks

Use single quotation marks (instead of italics) to introduce or highlight concepts, Swedish terms and the titles of publications:

• This academic tradition is called an 'academic quarter'.
• In Swedish, this tradition is called a 'fika'.
• Use the online resource 'Academic Writing in English at Lund University' (AWELU).

If you want to emphasise certain words, phrases, clauses or short sentences because they are important, you can use bold text instead.

Double quotation marks

• "This is groundbreaking," he said.
• "What I like most about the University is how international it is" (student quote).

Ampersand (always avoid)

For accessibility reasons, always avoid ampersands (&):

• Architecture and design (not Architecture & design)
• Research and innovation (not Research & innovation)
• Scholarships and funding (not Scholarships & funding).

Company names or logos with an ampersand are the only exception.

Lists are useful for improving readability when presenting three or more items/links, or when breaking up a complex sentence or text into two or more parts. 

However, lists should be used with care. Short items may not always need a list, especially if another, more complex list follows closely.

Always use bullets for links when three or more links are presented together. For visual consistency, you can use bullets even for one or two links if there are other bulleted lists of three or more links on the same page. This doesn't affect accessibility.

Guidelines for lists

Use these general guidelines:

• Avoid lists that immediately follow other lists, unless you are dividing a long list into two. For lists of simple and short items, use a normal sentence or rewrite one of the lists.
• Divide long lists into two shorter lists, with a sentence or phrase in between.
• Avoid 'mixed' lists that combine action and information. For lists of actions, start each bullet with a verb (like this list).
• Avoid mixing normal text and links in lists.
• Use 'sub-lists' (with sub-bullets) only when absolutely necessary for clarity.
• Use bullets for links when three or more links are presented together. For visual consistency, you can use bullets even for one or two links if there are other bulleted lists of three or more links on the same page.

When it comes to capital letters and punctuation:

• Start a list with a colon when appropriate (unusual in Swedish). Don't use it when a bulleted list breaks up a complex sentence that ends after the list.
• Use capital letters and full stops for lists consisting of complete sentences.
• Use small letters (except for proper nouns) and a full stop at the end for lists consisting of items or clauses rather than full sentences.
• Consider using an Oxford comma for clarity in bulleted lists that divide complex sentences. Otherwise, we usually avoid Oxford commas.

Simple bulleted lists

LERU was founded in 2002 by some of Europe's leading universities, including:

• Cambridge
• Oxford
• Helsinki
• Heidelberg.

See the link below to learn about:

• reading lists
• how to borrow books from our libraries
• buying used versus new books.

Bulleted lists to divide complex sentences

Before you start your application in SoleMove, search the information available on each university to decide:

• which universities you wish to apply to, and
• the order of preference in which you want to add them to your application.

If you are admitted to Lund University, you will have several opportunities to learn Swedish. The options available to you depend on:

• whether you are an exchange, degree or doctoral student
• the length of your studies, and
• the availability of places.

Bulleted lists consisting of full sentences

Students with a Swedish Bachelor's degree, please note:

• If you are completing your Bachelor's degree in Sweden, please take a screenshot of your degree application (including name and date of birth) and upload it to your account at University Admissions.
• If you are completing your Bachelor's degree at Lund University, you don't need to submit a screenshot of your degree application.

Numbered lists

Use numbered lists sparingly. Use them only where there is a real sequence of steps or instructions to follow, and where things could go wrong otherwise. Even sequences sometimes don't need a numbered list, especially if they are short.

If you have been offered a place on a programme or course, follow the steps below:

1. Check to see if there are any instructions for accepting your place and. If so, follow them.
2. Pay your tuition fee instalment (if applicable).
3. Apply for a residence permit (if applicable).
4. Apply for housing.
5. Complete any other requirements to fulfil the conditions of your admission.
6. Follow any pre-arrival instructions or other requirements from your programme/department.
7. Register at your department once you have arrived.

Numbers below and above ten

Write the numbers one to ten as words, unless the sentence contains both numbers below and above ten:

• Choose from four English-taught Master's programmes in architecture and design.
• Choose from 2 English-taught Bachelor's and 13 Master's programmes in business, economics and management.
• Choose from 19 English-taught Master's programmes in engineering and technology.

Use numerals to refer to credits and decimals.

Ordinal numbers

Write out ordinal numbers for positions first through tenth. Use numerals for positions above tenth:

• We are ranked third in the world for sustainability.
• The Master's in Finance is ranked 36th in the world.

Ranges

Follow the rule above, and use an en dash (not a hyphen) for number ranges:

• one–nine weeks (or one to nine weeks)
• 25–35 students (or 25 to 35 students).

Thousands

Use a comma – not a space – for numbers over 999.

• 1,000
• 10,000
• 100,000
• 1,000,000.

Decimal numbers

Use a full stop (decimal point) for decimal numbers:

• 7.5 ECTS credits
• 20.5 hours per week.

Currencies

Use currency codes before the number:

• EUR 250
• SEK 1 million.

Dates

Write dates as day month (year). Use the same format consistently.

• Apply to be a mentor by 5 February.
• Join a writing session on 18 December 2025 or 8 January 2026.

Times

Write times and time ranges using the 24-hour clock:

• 08:00, 20:00
• 08:00–11:00 (or 08:00 to 11:00)
• 16:00–18:00 (or 16:00 to 18:00)

If relevant to the audience, include the time zone. This is either CET (Central European Time) or CEST (Central European Summer Time).

Avoid using italics or capital letters to emphasise or highlight. Instead, use bold text to emphasise or single quotation marks to highlight (see below).

Bold to emphasise

Use bold text sparingly. Use it only when you really need it, to emphasise important words, phrases or short sentences:

• Submit your documents by 3 February.
• Note that it takes time to put together a complete application and that only complete submissions will be processed.
• To meet the general entry requirements for Bachelor's studies, you must have completed your upper secondary education.

Sometimes you may want to use bold for a sentence starting with "Please note that..." or "Note that...".

Single quotation marks to highlight

Remember to use single quotation marks ' ' instead of bold text and italics to highlight: 

• new concepts
• Swedish terms, or
• publication titles.

Here are a few examples:

• This academic tradition is called an 'academic quarter'.
• In Swedish, this tradition is called a 'fika'.
• Use the online resource 'Academic Writing in English at Lund University' (AWELU).

Avoid using italics or capital letters to emphasise or highlight. Instead, use bold text to emphasise or single quotation marks to highlight (see above).

Italics

Always avoid using italics for emphasis. It has a negative effect on readability.

Capital letters

Always avoid using Capital Letters/CAPITALS for emphasis. It has a negative effect on readability.

These guidelines for writing links follow accessibility legislation. The purpose of each link must be clear from the link text alone, or from the link text and its immediate context.

Here are some general guidelines for writing links:

• Get to the keywords quickly and avoid starting the link text with non-essential phrases like 'Read/Learn more about' (always), 'More about' (where possible) or 'About' (where possible)*.
• Make sure that each unique link text refers to unique content. Avoid using the same link text to refer to different content.
• Place links underneath texts, not within them.
• Avoid mixing link text and regular text in bulleted lists.
• Choose to open links in a new tab if they lead to documents (always) or external systems (if you can't use the 'back button'/arrow to return to the original page). Add '(new tab)' in these cases.

*Screen readers may put all the links on a page in a single list, so it's even more important to get to the keywords quickly for people who rely on them. However, it can sometimes be difficult to avoid using such phrases after a brief mention or introduction to something that is discussed in more detail on another page or by another party/website. Find a good balance by considering the other link texts on the page.

Website names in link text

When it comes to website names in link text:

• Avoid possessive 's to keep the link text clear (for example, write 'the Skatteverket website' or 'the Swedish Tax Agency website' instead of possessive forms).
• Consider how intuitive the URL is and if there is a simple English translation for the authority/organisation owning the external website. For example, 'government.se' is more intuitive than 'krisinformation.se' and 'skatteverket.se'. In turn, it's difficult to replace 'Krisinformation' but possible for 'Skatteverket' (the Swedish Tax Agency).
• Write 'About personal identification numbers on the Swedish Tax Agency website – skatteverket.se' or, if 'Skatteverket' has been introduced in the text already, 'About personal identification numbers on the Skatteverket website'. Consider the balance with the rest of the link texts on the page.
• Use small letters for website addresses (skatteverket.se, migrationsverket.se, universityadmissions.se). Note that the full name, for example, 'the Skatteverket website,' would use a capital S.

Links to content in other languages

External content is not always available in English. In times of crisis, for example, there can be delays and a lack of information for international audiences. This applies to both translation and the adaptation of content for different audiences.

• Indicate in brackets if the content is in Swedish or in a language other than English (in Swedish/in the language concerned).

Links to documents

We try to avoid documents as much as possible, but sometimes we need to publish an accessible document on the website.

• Make the document open in a new tab.
• Format document links as 'Document name (PDF 255 kB, new tab)' or 'Document name (PDF 1.2 MB, new tab)'.
• Avoid adding 'new tab' in brackets if you've included a phrase that says all documents will open in a new tab.