COPY QUIRKS

Here’s a long, non-exhaustive, list of all those little copy quirks that we want to keep consistent:

ABCs

Do not use an apostrophe (ABC’s), as it is plural, not possessive.

123s

Do not use an apostrophe (123’s), as it is plural, not possessive.

2d And 3d

Don’t hyphenate 2D or 3D. Twodimensional and three-dimensional (spelled out) should be hyphenated.

Passive Voice

Avoid passive voice when possible. Active voice construction is often clearer, more concise, and more effective.

Passive Voice: Educational Insights has been creating award-winning products.

Active Voice: Educational Insights creates award-winning products.

Pronoun Agreement

When referring to a “kid” or “child,” use “they/them/their” to maintain gender neutrality. If referring to a specific child, make sure their pronoun agrees with the noun.

That child loves their GeoSafari® Jr. My First Microscope!

She loves her GeoSafari® Jr. My First Microscope.

OXFORD/PROPER/SERIAL COMMA

In a list of three or more, place a comma between the second to last item listed and the word “and.”

Our toys are fun, educational and family-friendly!

Our toys are fun, educational, and family-friendly!

Semicolons

Semicolons are used to join two related independent clauses. They are often used instead of a comma and a conjunction word or to offer more information on the first clause.

They can also be used to separate items in complex lists. DO NOT capitalize the first letter after a semicolon unless it’s a proper noun or title.

I scheduled a meeting about the project on Tuesday ; my Monday was booked solid.

I like the first packaging option more; however, I liked the logo on the second option.

The cities on my bucket list are London, England; Perth, Australia; Vancouver, Canada; Portland, Maine; and Kyoto, Japan.

The cake has three layers: vanilla with strawberry, raspberry, and lemon frosting; chocolate with peanut butter and caramel; and carrot cake with buttercream and vanilla frosting.