06/02/2022
Fulladu Publishers
MDI Rd, Kanifing, KMC
House Style
1 Linguistic accuracy Mark the manuscript for correctness, consistency, and content. Specifically, you should try to remove any remaining errors, ambiguities, and obscure or misleading English. But do not antagonize the author by making unnecessary changes.
2 Paragraphs Every first word under a paragraph, heading or subheading must be set flush to the margin.
3 Spelling Ensure that spelling is absolutely correct, in accordance with British English. Therefore, accept caliper, humour, programme, etc and reject their American forms – calliper, humor, program, etc. With regard to words ending in – ize or ise, use the former.
The following words however must have the – ise form: advertise, advise, affranchise, apprise, chastise, circumcise, comprise, compromise, demise, devise, disguise, enfranchise, enterprise, excise, exercise, expertise, franchise, improvise, incise, merchandise, premise, reprise, revise, supervise, surmise, surprise, televise, treatise.
Always use an s in words such as analyse and catalyse. When in doubt about whether to use z or s, consult your dictionary.
Letters appearing in mathematical formulas – eg (a + b)2 =a2 +2ab + b2 – should always be in italics.
For any other problem on spelling, consult Hart’s Rules for Compositors and Readers of the University Press, Oxford, or The Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors.
4 Punctuation marks All major punctuation marks – full stop, colon, and semicolon – should be followed by the same spacing as is used in the rest of the line. As a general rule, use an en rule preceded and followed by the word space of the line, as in the sentence above. But use em rules to indicate the omission of a name, part of a name, part of a date or an entire word.
Omit full stops after abbreviations and contractions of words which have come into much use, such as Mr, Mrs, Dr, ECOWAS, UNESCO, UAC, and others ending with the last letter of the contracted word. Do not use a punctuation mark in the plurals of abbreviations and figures, such as MPs, MAs, LGAs, 1980s, 1990s.
Use single quotes for a first quotation and double quotes for quotations within quotations.
Indented matter should not be set within quotation marks. It should be set in roman type, two points smaller than the text type.
Insert a comma immediately after the last named item before the word and, e g, mangoes, oranges, and bananas. The same rule applies to the word or when it occurs in a list. Use arabic numerals in initial numbering and the letters of the alphabet for secondary numbering. The arabic numerals should not have dots or brackets while the letters of the alphabet should be followed with full stops. Avoid the use of roman figures, except in the preliminary pages of the book.
5 capitals, small capitals, and italics All headings set in the same fount should be given the same spacing throughout the book. Italics are to be used for foreign words and phrases, titles of books, newspapers, and plays. The names of political organizations, restaurants, hotels, theatres, etc should however be printed in roman, whether English or foreign.
In bibliographical matter, book and periodical titles should be printed in italics and titles of articles in periodicals in roman single quotes.
NB: Use italics for emphasis.
6 Figures In text matter, numbers under 10 should be spelt out. Use figures when the matter consists of a sequence of stated quantities, particulars of age and years, etc. In dates etc use the fewest possible figures, eg, 1987 – 8; pp 191-4. However, use 1800 – 1802;pp 18-19, 111 – 12. Use an en rule without spaces.
7 Endnotes Endnotes should normally be set two points smaller than the text type. For numbering of the endnotes, use ordinary figures. Endnotes should be placed at the end of each chapter.
8 Folios Pagination should count from the first leaf in the book. Use Arabic numbering throughout. Note that no folio (page number) is expressed on the title, copyright page, dedication, and blank pages, and pages containing only illustrations.
9 Headings/Subheadings Each level of heading/subheading is distinguished from the others by point sizes – higher headings having higher point sizes than lower headings. As a general rule, use upper and lower case letters for all headings and subheadings.
10 Headings/Running heads Use only chapters titles as running heads. The titles should be placed on the top left and right-hand sides of the page close to the page number. They should be set in italics. However, do not place running heads on pages where chapters begin, or on other display pages, contents, foreword, preface, index, glossary, bibliography, etc.
11 Chapters Each chapter should start on a new page and its opening page should carry a drop folio and no running head. The chapter display consists of the number and title, ie, the word chapter is omitted.
12 Make-up Books should, generally, be made up in the following order:
a. Preliminary pages Half title page, title page, copyright page, dedication, contents, list of illustrations, list of abbreviations, foreword, preface, acknowledgements, introduction.
On the title page, include the author’s name (and degrees) in addition to their academic address, publisher’s name, and colophon mark, that is, the company’s logo.
b. The text of the book
c. Back (or end) matter Appendix, glossary, bibliography, and index.
Try as much as possible to begin each of the above (a&b), except imprint, on a recto ( or right-hand) page.
The Dedication is usually followed by a blank verso page.
The index should be set in two or more columns in type two points smaller than that of the text.
