#20465
Commas, semi-colons and colons are the sentence tidiers. Used correctly, they'll give your written language the 'punctuation' that pauses, voice modulations and gestures provide when you speak.
Right Words (2006). Articles>Writing>Style Guides>Grammar
#20469
'Agreement' refers to elements in a sentence having the same number, gender, case or person. In English, it's probably an issue only for number (that is, singular vs plural) and case (that is, 'I' vs 'me', 'he' vs 'him' and so on).
#20466
Many documents suffer from over-capitalisation. The writer sprinkles capitals everywhere in an attempt to make words stand out - with the result that nothing stands out. Here are some simple rules to help you avoid this capital offence.
#20471
Have you been told, perhaps by your computerised grammar checker, that too many of your sentences are passive? Have you heard the rule of thumb that at least 80 percent of the sentences in any passage should be active? If you've had the problem or heard the rule, and wonder what the terms active and passive mean, and why one is good and the other frowned on, this article is for you.
#20798
Choosing the Right Style Manual(s)
Editors should consider at least four points in selecting, or reevaluating, primary and secondary manuals.
Mulford, Carolyn. Writing that Works (2003). Articles>Style Guides>Writing
#20095
Communicating in Spite of TLAs (Three-Letter Acronyms) 
The unchecked use of acronyms and initialisms in technical writing presents a huge obstacle to clarity and readability. Although technical communicators are certainly more aware of this problem than are the engineers, scientists, and managers with whom they work, they need concrete guidelines and at least a small degree of self-righteousness on this subject to help them cope with the onslaught. That acronyms frustrate communication is well-founded in linguistic theory and common sense. Suggestions for mitigating their effect include issues of audience, term selectivity, frequency and occasion of use, and aesthetics.
Miller, Diane F. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Writing>Style Guides
#23501
Do Technical Writers Need an International Standard for English-Language Spelling?
He demonstrates how ministers of state who speak different languages often choose English as the most convenient language of communication. He cites the 11-nation European Central Bank in Frankfurt as a typical organization that works only in English. And he notes that many of the journals published by respected international organizations such as the Pasteur Institute also are published in English. TC-Forum is another example.
Blicq, Ronald S. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Style Guides>International>Technical Writing
#10807
How to be politically correct without mangling the English language. The goal is that the reader should not notice the writing.
Weber, Jean Hollis. Technical Editors Eyrie (1998). Articles>Writing>Style Guides>Gender
#20464
Like teenagers and salespeople, apostrophes are frequently there when they're not wanted, and not to be seen when they're needed.
#25785
Five FAQs About Business Writing
A few style guide tips for novice business writers.
ULiveandLearn.com (2005). Articles>Writing>Style Guides>Business Communication
#18924
Frequently Asked Questions About English
Asterisks.com answers some frequently asked questions about English usage.
Asterisks.com (1999). Articles>Writing>Style Guides
#20472
One of the most significant changes taking place in English is the rejection of the way that 'man' was assumed to include 'woman'. Most of us want our writing to be friendly and inclusive. How can we avoid using 'man', 'he', and 'his'?
#13363
Gender-Neutral Technical Writing
Gender-neutral writing uses language that does not stereotype either sex nor appear to be referring to only one sex when that is not the writer's intention. In this article, you'll see why gender-neutral writing is important for technical writers to use, what gender-neutral writing is not, and how you can use gender-neutral writing in the documents you develop.
Weber, Jean Hollis. TECHWR-L (2002). Articles>Writing>Style Guides>Gender
#13719
Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling
The Web abounds with sites teaching grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Not surprisingly, most of these sites are provided by educational institutions, teachers, or business-writing consultants, presumably to make up for the lack of grammar teaching in so many school systems for the past several decades. Some are tutorials (masquerading as style guides) for technical communicators. Here are a few sites that I have found useful or that other people have recommended to me.
Weber, Jean Hollis. Technical Editors Eyrie (2002). Articles>Style Guides>Writing
#27272
Intelligent Terminology Management
Using multiple terms to refer to the same concepts can be a major cause of confusion. Ray explains how to implement a process to consolidate the terminology used by your organization.
Ray, Rebecca. Intercom (2006). Articles>Writing>Style Guides>Glossary
#26152
Keep Spelling Consistent With a Style Sheet
Consistent spelling and punctuation increases your website's credibility. Often it's your decision: 'inhouse' or 'in-house', for instance? Either one is correct, but you must use the same punctuation throughout.
McAlpine, Rachel. Quality Web Content (2004). Articles>Writing>Style Guides
#20797
Look at Common Style Differences in Choosing Manuals
Style manuals often differ on important points, and one way to choose a manual is to compare them on some of those points.
#20468
When we are trying to communicate complicated ideas, it is important to be specific. One way to ensure that you will not be misunderstood is to look at your use of 'scope'. 'Scope' refers to which words go with which to form a 'sense unit' in a sentence; for example, which nouns are covered by a particular verb or preposition. Often, poor punctuation or poor sentence construction messes the scope up. Scope isn't easy to explain, but you can get a handle on it once you have seen a few examples of how it works.
#26068
Review: Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications
Microsoft is one of the largest software companies in the world. Thus, with their rich experience in documentation it is only natural that they share it with the rest of the IT industry. The Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications, Third Edition (MSTP) is the latest step in this direction and takes care of latest technologies and technical terms.
Sharma, Sangeet. Indus (2005). Articles>Reviews>Style Guides>Technical Writing
#19636
The Most Obvious Fault in Technical Writing
The most obvious fault is wordiness. Fortunately, long-windedness is something that editors are particularly well equipped to fix. Take a look at our manuals. They are huge, and their very bulk can make them inaccessible, especially when they are not equipped with a good index or adequate indicia in the corners of each page.
Bush, Donald W. Intercom (2003). Articles>Writing>Style Guides
#20470
Misplaced modifiers are usually obvious and easily fixed.
#24042
As writers and editors, we understand instinctively that readers need transitions, but we also work at getting rid of unnecessary words.
Dahl, Elisabeth. Editorial Eye, The (1996). Articles>Writing>Style Guides
#13975
The Passive In Technical and Scientific Writing 
Almost every discussion of technical or scientific style mentions the passive voice, usually as a stylistic evil to avoid. While I doubt that many of us would endorse such extreme prescriptions as 'Always use the active voice,' or 'A writer will almost automatically improve his style when he shifts from passive to active constructions,' we may be more ready to accept Freedman's position in 'The Seven Sins of Technical Writing.' His Sin 6 is 'the Deadly Passive, or, better, deadening passive; it takes the life out of writing, making everything impersonal, eternal, remote and dead,'3 but he adds that 'frequently, of course, the passive is not a sin and not deadly, for there simply is no active agent and the material must be put impersonally.'
Rodman, Lilita. JAC (1981). Articles>Writing>Style Guides
#20002
The Reference Book That Editorial Eye Built 
About three years ago we were asked whether we would be interested in writing a new and different kind of style manual: * In addition to covering all the traditional style topics, such as capitalization and punctuation, it would have chapters on grammar, confusable words, usage (including bias-free language), and all aspects of production, from design and typography to desktop publishing and printing. * Its audience would be the vast majority of working writers and editors, not just those who work with scholarly manuscripts. * It would be written and organized in a friendly, easy-to-read style and reflect the impact of the computer on every aspect of the publishing process. Although we were a bit cowed at the thought of tackling such a big project -- it turned out to be 836 pages -- we didn't see how we could turn down the chance to create a guide that was truly useful.
Sutcliffe, Andrea J. Editorial Eye, The (2003). Articles>Style Guides>Writing
#20474
Reported Speech: a Tense Issue
The tense of the verb in a statement is, as a general rule, shifted back in time in reported speech.
