Energy Information Administration (EIA) Writing Style Guide

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EIA Writing Style Guide
April 2015

U.S. Energy Information Administration
Office of Communications
This publication is available on the EIA employee intranet and at:
www.eia.gov/eiawritingstyleguide.pdf

U.S. government publications are not subject to copyright
protection, but you should acknowledge EIA as the source if you
use or reproduce this content.

Contents
Introduction to the EIA Writing Style Guide ........................................................................

Chapter 1: Editorial Voice and Words and Phrases To Avoid ..............................................

Chapter 2: Policy-Neutral Writing .......................................................................................

Chapter 3: Advice for Good Writing ....................................................................................

Chapter 4: Grammar ...........................................................................................................

Chapter 5: Commonly Misused Words ..............................................................................

Chapter 6: Capitalization ....................................................................................................

Chapter 7: Numbers ............................................................................................................

Chapter 8: Commas ..............................................................................................................

Chapter 9: Hyphens and Dashes ..........................................................................................

Chapter 10: Colons and Semicolons .....................................................................................

Chapter 11: Periods ..............................................................................................................

Chapter 12: Symbols .............................................................................................................

Chapter 13: Punctuating and Formatting Quoted Text ........................................................

Chapter 14: Abbreviations and Units ...................................................................................

Chapter 15: Itemized Lists and Bullets ................................................................................

107

Chapter 16: Footnotes, Sources, and Notes ........................................................................

113

Chapter 17: Hypertext Links ................................................................................................

121

Chapter 18: British versus American English ......................................................................

125

Index ....................................................................................................................................

129

Introduction to the
EIA Writing Style Guide
This style guide is
an update of the edition
released in November 2012.

Why a writing style guide?
We wrote this Writing Style Guide to help EIA writers produce consistent, correct, and
readable content. It provides guidance on those style issues—including capitalization,
punctuation, word usage, tone—most relevant to EIA writing.
This edition includes new content:
• An index to help you find major topics
• Information on using and sourcing nonoriginal work and third-party data

Did you know?
This version of the EIA
Writing Style Guide
reflects the latest
thinking of writers
and editors at EIA.
The fundamental
principles are the
same, but a few
rules have changed.

• Direction to use CO2, b (rather than bbl for barrel), and the % sign in all EIA
content
• An update on classic writing guidance
• An alphabetized list of hyphenated and nonhyphenated words
• Advice on copyediting and using spellcheck to find mistakes
• Guidance on using endnotes as a sourcing option
• Description of different uses of the letter M in energy units
• Format for writing mathematical equations
• Information about writing in plain language
This new edition also includes more examples, explanations, advice, and notes.
We included this additional material to answer the hundreds of questions asked by
EIA staff, to address writing mistakes caught while editing EIA content, and to cover a
few new writing style preferences.
The 2015 EIA Writing Style Guide is provided in html on the EIA employee intranet
(InsideEIA) and at www.eia.gov/eiawritingstyleguide.pdf, which allows you to search
or link to related sections of the document.
Two rules were changed since the 2012 Writing Style Guide was published and have
already been incorporated into EIA writing:
• Use the % sign in all EIA writing
• Write online as one word in all uses (on the computer, when a pipeline or
electricity generator opens or is operating)
Because the content was written to help you and has been improved by your
questions and comments, the Office of Communications welcomes feedback,
suggestions, corrections, and general comments.
The Writing Style Guide is designed to save you time. Have you ever wondered or
worried about which was correct:
• Periods or no punctuation for bullets?
• Which or that?
• % sign or percent?
You can quickly find answers to these questions—and most of your style-related
questions—in this Writing Style Guide.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Do these guidelines apply to print and web content?
This Writing Style Guide will help you produce uniform documents, regardless of
office, function, or publication form. The purpose of the Writing Style Guide is
to provide style consistency in all EIA content. It addresses some issues that are
particular to web writing, such as writing effective hypertext links. But most of the
advice applies to all the writing you do including reports, website content, and
PowerPoint presentations.

Are these hard-and-fast rules?
This is a Writing Style Guide—not a rule book. Unlike grammar, which has specific
rules that should not be broken, many style issues are preferences, such as how
and when to write out numbers, whether to use the serial comma, or when to use
ending punctuation for bullets. Writers and editors may differ. Famous style guides
differ. Areas of the world differ. Our goal is to provide guidance on style issues, so
EIA content has uniformity that conveys professionalism. Examples labeled preferred
mean preferred by EIA.
Style consistency enhances our credibility. Inconsistencies in style or misused
words cause users of our information to question the accuracy of our data.
A uniform style tells users that EIA has high quality standards for our words as well
as for our numbers.

Where can I get more guidance on editorial style?
We’ve addressed the most common style issues that EIA writers face. If you have a
question that isn’t covered in this guide, or if there is a topic you’d like to know more
about, consult these online references:
• The Chicago Manual of Style, the most widely used style manual. EIA has a
subscription to The Chicago Manual of Style
• U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) Style Manual, an authoritative source of
information about issues that are specific to writing for the federal government
• Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, EIA’s preferred dictionary

Other sources consulted in the preparation of EIA’s Writing Style Guide:
• Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing, Mignon Fogarty, 2008
• Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage, 1994
• The Elements of Style, William Strunk and E. B. White, 1999
• OECD Style Guide, Second edition, 2007
• The Subversive Copy Editor: Advice from Chicago, Carol Fisher Saller, 2009
• EERE Communication Standards and Guidelines: Style Guide, from the U.S.
Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
• Woe Is I, Patricia T. O’Connor, 2003
Please contact Colleen Blessing or Dale Sweetnam in the Office of Communications
with any questions, comments, or suggestions about writing or about the Writing
Style Guide.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Writing well at EIA
Use short sentences
Short sentences are easier to read, so aim for a maximum of 20 to 30 words. Consider
breaking a long sentence into two shorter sentences or eliminating unnecessary
words.

Use short paragraphs

Did you know?
Plain language is
the law, not just
something nice to
do every so often or
something EIA invented.
The Plain Writing Act
signed by President
Obama in October
2010 is a federal law
that requires federal
executive agencies to
use plain writing and to
train employees in plain
writing. The law says
federal agencies should
write all publications,
forms, and publicly
distributed documents
in a “clear, concise,
well-organized”
manner.
See the PlainLanguage.gov
website for background,
examples, and help.

Avoid long paragraphs or large blocks of text. Long paragraphs are daunting and
difficult for readers to scan. Try to write paragraphs of four or five sentences, or
approximately 100–125 words. Paragraphs as short as one sentence are fine. Use
bullets to list points.

Avoid jargon
Jargon may be appropriate when writing exclusively for experts. But EIA’s web content
is accessible to a wide range of readers, from experts on your topic to novices.
As much as possible, choose nontechnical terms so all your intended readers can
understand what you’ve written. If you must use jargon or technical language, be
sure to explain the term in simple language. You might also link to an EIA glossary
definition or to other source material. To make the concept clear to the layperson,
you can provide an example or an analogy.

Be consistent
Good writing is built on patterns, so be consistent within your content.
• Consistent terminology: Don’t call it gasoline in some instances and motor
gasoline in others.
• Consistent abbreviations: If you use Bcf/d for billion cubic feet per day, don’t use
any other abbreviation for that reference.
• Consistent punctuation: For example, always use the serial comma. (The flag is
red, white , and blue.)

Consider your audience
The best writers anticipate, and answer, their readers’ questions. Identify your
intended readers before you begin writing. Think about what they may already know
and what they will want to know about your topic. While planning and drafting your
content, consider their level of technical expertise, their depth of interest, and the
tasks they will be performing with the information you provide.
The 2014 EIA website customer survey showed that 16% of our customers are firsttime visitors, 26% do not live in the United States, and only about 20% identify
themselves as being in the energy industry.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Very few customers are just browsing. Most customers have a specific goal or task to
accomplish including the following (in order of the responses from the 2014 customer
survey):
• Researching a topic
• Accessing specific EIA data
• Educating themselves about energy
• Writing a report
• Making an energy forecast
• Making a business decision
Remembering that 80% of our web customers are not in the energy industry
reinforces the need for plain language, clear writing, and minimal jargon and
acronyms.

Does the Writing Style Guide answer every writing question?
Writing style choices change, new situations arise, and different content requires new
decisions. This guide attempts to cover most problems, situations, rules, and styles
faced by EIA writers. Because of the dynamic and complex nature of EIA’s content and
reports, there will always be room for additions and changes. For example, after the
2012 edition of the Style Guide was published, EIA decided to switch to using % rather
than the word percent in all content. We also decided that online should be one word.
Covering every possible writing question and establishing rules for every hyphen and
comma is a daunting task.

Quick Tips—Style, Writing, and Grammar
EIA style

• Use b to abbreviate barrels; barrels per day is b/d.
• Use the serial comma: red, white , and blue.
• Website, homepage, and email: one word, no hyphens.
• Spell out United States as a noun: U.S. oil is produced in the United States.
• Do not capitalize state, federal, or nation unless it’s a proper name (Federal
Register).
• U.S. Energy Information Administration and EIA; not U.S. EIA and not the EIA.
• Write Washington, DC, not Washington, D.C.
• Don’t use postal codes except in addresses and bibliographies: Cushing,
Oklahoma, not Cushing, OK (except for Washington, DC, where the postal code is
part of the city name).
• Writing time: Correct—3:00 p.m.; Incorrect—3:00 pm; 3:00pm; 3:00 PM.
• Writing dates: Correct—January 2012; Jan 5. Incorrect—Jan 2012; January, 2012;
January ’12; January 5th; January of 2012; the month of January.
• Write 1990s, not 1990’s.
• Don’t CAPITALIZE or underline for emphasis. Use bold or italics.

• American vs. British English: gray (A) vs. grey (B); traveled (A) vs. travelled (B);
forward (A) vs. forwards (B). EIA style uses American spelling and usage.
• Punctuating bullets: No ending punctuation (no commas or semicolons) unless
they are all complete sentences (then end each sentence with a period).
• Don’t link click here or here. Link to the subject: See the full report; Register now.
• Write the past 10 years, not the last 10 years.

Writing
• Always use %, not percent.
• Title case capitalization: Natural Gas Consumption Increasing (for titles and firstlevel headers). Sentence case: Natural gas consumption increasing (for secondlevel headers and graph and table titles). Be consistent for headers and titles
within a document.
• Spell out (or define or link to a full spelling) acronyms the first time used and
repeatedly in separate sections and chapters of a long document.
• Avoid overuse of due to—try because, as a result of, or following.
• Use since with time (Since 2014, natural gas use has grown.) and because when
you want to show cause (Because it was raining, we got wet.).
• Be policy neutral. Avoid words like plummeted, skyrocketed, slashed, spiked,
huge.
• Use simple words: additionally → also; utilize → use; in order to → to; numerous
→ many.
• Don’t use impact as a verb: The weather affected (not impacted) electricity
demand.
• Don’t begin a sentence with a numeral or a year. Incorrect: 2016 stocks are
increasing. Correct: Stocks in 2016 are increasing. Also correct: The year 2016
shows increasing stocks.
6

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EIA Writing Style Guide

Grammar
• Which or that? Which nearly always has a comma before it. If you can use that,
use that. These two words are not interchangeable. Which is not a more formal
word for that.
• Make bullets consistent: start with verb, verb, verb; noun, noun, noun; adjective,
adjective, adjective.
• A person is a who, and a thing (including a company) is a that. Correct: He is the
person who said yes. Incorrect: He is the person that said yes.
• The whole comprises the parts, and the parts compose the whole. Is comprised
of is not correct.
• Use an en dash to mean through or to: the temperature was 70–80 degrees. Use
the word minus in an arithmetic phrase. Correct: Net imports = imports minus
exports. Incorrect: Net imports = imports-exports.
• An em dash is the length of two hyphens. It’s used to show emphasis or a break
in thought and is almost always used in pairs. Correct: My sister Amy—who is
two years younger than I am—graduated from college before I did.
• Hyphens with adjectives: short-term forecast, end-use technology. No hyphens
with nouns: in the short term, three end uses.
• i.e. and e.g. must be followed by a comma. It is better to write out i.e.→ in other
words and e.g. → for example.
• “Punctuation goes inside the quote marks.”

Editorial Voice and Words
and Phrases To Avoid
Your writing speaks to your
readers; it has a voice. At EIA,
we want our writing voice to be
professional, clear, and concise.
This chapter covers some of the
ways to create EIA’s voice.

1. Using an inverted pyramid format to structure your
writing
Put your main message first, so your readers can quickly get the most important information and then decide if they want to read more.
Organize your content, so the information appears in order of importance, from the
highest level to supporting details.

2. Choosing active or passive voice
• Use active voice most of the time.
• In active-voice sentences, the subject is doing the action of the verb.
• In passive-voice sentences, the target of the action is moved to the subject
position. Passive-voice sentences often leave out the person or group responsible
for the action.
Active voice: The agency proposed new regulations.
Active voice: EIA projects that oil production will increase.
Passive voice: New regulations were proposed.
Passive voice: It is projected that oil production will increase.
• Active voice allows readers to scan and comprehend information quickly.
• Use active voice to write concisely, as active-voice sentences are normally shorter
than passive-voice sentences.
Active voice: The Clean Air Amendments of 1990 set the course for reducing
pollution. (12 words)
Passive voice: The course for reducing pollution was set by the Clear Air
Amendments of 1990. (14 words)
• Use passive voice sparingly. Passive voice can be used occasionally for these
purposes:
–– To emphasize the object of the action, not the doer.
Stringent emissions guidelines were issued by the California Air Resources
Board in 1990.
–– When the subject of the sentence (the doer) is unimportant or unknown. In
passive-voice sentences the doer may be left out.
Stringent emissions guidelines were issued in 1990.
–– To structure a headline, blurb, or lead sentence, place key words at the
beginning.
New Conservation Guidelines Are Adopted by Legislature
–– The writer of the above headline chose to use passive voice to
feature the words New Conservation Guidelines. If the writer
had chosen active voice, Legislature Adopts New Conservation
Guidelines, the emphasis would be on Legislature, not on the
New Conservation Guidelines.
10

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EIA Writing Style Guide

3. Words and phrases to avoid
Use simple and specific words—not bureaucratic or clichéd expressions.

Bureaucratic or clichéd

Simple and specific

accordingly
afford an opportunity
aforementioned
a great number of
all-time record high
a number of
additionally
approximately
as to whether
at the lowest levels
at the present time, at this point in time
at the time that
burgeoning
by means of
capability
close proximity
come to an agreement on
commence
completely destroyed
consequently
currently
demonstrate a preference for
due to the fact that
during the course of
endeavor to
equally as
equivalent
facilitate
finalize
for the most part
for the purpose of
furthermore
give approval for
identical
impacted by
in accordance with
incentivizing

so
allow, let
as mentioned earlier
many
record, record level
many, several, a few
also, in addition
about
whether
lowest
now
when
growing, increasing
with, in, by
ability, can
nearby, near
agree
start, begin
destroyed
so
now
prefer
because
during
try to
equally
equal
help
finish
mostly
for, to
also, in addition
approve
same
affected by
by, following, under
promoting, encouraging

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Bureaucratic or clichéd
including, but not limited to
indices
initial
in order to
in order to eliminate
in spite of the fact that
in the event that
in the month of January
in the near future
in the spring of 2013
in the vicinity of
in violation of
is able to
it is felt that
kind of
leverage
like
limited number
magnitude
majority of
make a choice
make a decision
multiple

Simple and specific
including
indexes
first
to
to eliminate
although, despite
if
in January
soon
spring 2013
near
violates
can
(omit)
rather
make use of, take advantage of
such as
few, some
size
most
choose
decide
many

myriad
new record
no later than
not strong
not well suited
numerous
of the opinion that
on a monthly basis
on or before December 2
on the basis of
on the part of
optimum
originally began
preeminent
presents a summary of
prior to
prior estimate
record high level

many
record
by, for
weak
unfit, poorly suited
many
think
monthly
by December 2
based on
by
best
began
primary, major
summarizes
before
previous estimate
record level, highest level

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Bureaucratic or clichéd
regarding
relative to
retain
since the time when
subsequent
subsequent to
sufficient
sunset
terminate
the question as to whether
therefore
the reason why is that
the table is a list of
time frame
time period
to perform an analysis
underutilized
until such time as
usage of
used for fuel purposes
utilize
whether or not
with regard to
with the exception of
would appear that

Simple and specific
about, of, on
compared to, compared with
keep
since
next
after
enough
end
end, stop
whether
so
because
the table shows
time or period
time or period
to analyze
underused
until
use of
used for fuel
use
whether
about
except
appears

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

4. Using parallel structure
• Use the same grammatical structure to present two or more ideas of equal value
in a sentence.
• Present the same type of information in a similar format to make the
information easier to read.
• Use parallel structure for items in a numbered or bulleted list and in a list of
items in a sentence. Every item or bullet must start with the same kind of
word (noun, verb, adjective, etc.), and all must be either phrases or complete
sentences, whenever possible.
Parallel structure: The project director is a strong leader, a skillful politician,
and an effective manager.
Not parallel structure: The project director is a strong leader, a skillful
politician, and he manages effectively.
• Good examples of parallel structure
• Educating the public

• Conducted a survey

• Informing the media

• Computed the results

• Updating decision makers

• Prepared a report

For more information on using parallel structure in bulleted lists, see page 109.

5. Maintaining consistent verb tenses
• Maintain consistent verb tenses to clearly establish the timing of the action.
Consistent verb tense: Natural gas is created by the underground
decomposition of organic matter. Much of the carbon and hydrogen is
converted to methane, the major component of natural gas.
Using the present tense consistently conveys that the action (both the
decomposition of organic matter and the conversion to methane) is
happening at the same time and is an ongoing process.
Inconsistent verb tense: Natural gas was created by the underground
decomposition of organic matter. Much of the carbon and hydrogen is
converted to methane, the major component of natural gas.
The shift in verb tense from past (was created) to present (is converted) is
confusing to the reader. It implies that the decomposition of organic matter
happened in the past, but that the conversion to methane is occurring only
now (present tense).
• Do not change verb tenses unless you want to indicate a clear shift in time.
Appropriate shift in verb tense: The regulations were adopted in 2000. The
regulations will be reviewed in 2015.
The first sentence uses the past tense (were adopted) to indicate action that
happened in the past. The second sentence uses the future tense (will be
reviewed) to indicate future action.
14

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EIA Writing Style Guide

6. Tailoring the formality of your writing to the audience
How formal should your writing be? At EIA, we tend to favor formal language over
informal language. But the formality of your writing depends on both content and
audience. Authors, supervisors, and the Office of Communications decide the level of
formality for each report or product.
For example, if you are writing a report for Congress, your language should be formal.
But if you are writing a Today in Energy story or content for Energy Explained, your
language can be more informal.

What makes writing formal or informal?
• Avoiding colloquial words or expressions makes your writing more formal.
Formal language: However, the formality of your writing depends
on the audience.
Informal language: But the formality of your writing depends on the
audience.
Formal language: Why are gasoline prices so high?
Informal language: What’s behind high gas prices?
Formal language: Is there enough oil to meet future needs?
Informal language: Are we running out of oil?
• Using the pronoun we instead of the noun EIA is more informal.
Using a noun rather than a pronoun makes your writing more formal.
Formal language: EIA projects oil production will increase.
Informal language: We project oil production will increase.
• Spelling out whole words rather than using contractions makes your writing
more formal.
Formal language: EIA will not comment on the legislation.
Informal language: EIA won’t comment on the legislation.

7. Using a consistent point of view
In your writing, you can choose to use one of three different points of view: first
person, second person, or third person. Each point of view expresses a different
relationship to the reader. Generally, third person is most appropriate for EIA writing.

Three points of view for writing
First person is when the person or object is speaking: We can produce steam
several ways.
Second person is when the person is spoken to: You can produce steam
several ways.
Third person is when the object is spoken about: It can produce steam
several ways.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

• Do not shift point of view within an article or report. The point of view you
choose will depend on your audience and the product you are writing.
Shifting point of view: Most commercially available electricity is
generated by turbines that convert steam into electricity. You can
produce steam in several ways.
This paragraph shifts from third person to second person (you).
Consistent point of view: Most electricity is generated by turbines that
convert steam into electricity. Steam can be produced in several ways.
This paragraph maintains the third person throughout.

8. Emphasizing content
• EIA prefers bold text for emphasis. Italics can be used to emphasize a word or
phrase, rarely a whole sentence or paragraph. If used too frequently, italics or
bold for emphasis lose their power.
• Never underline for emphasis.
• Underlining isn’t necessary for links. Most links in EIA writing are now shown in
blue type with no underline. The Annual Energy Outlook has forecasts through
2040.
• Never use capital letters for emphasis.
Correct emphasis: Your comments must be sent by mail—not email.
Incorrect emphasis: Your comment must be sent by MAIL—NOT EMAIL.
Incorrect emphasis: Your comments must be sent by mail—not email.
• Use bold sparingly to emphasize subheads or bullet introductions in text. Do not
bold words within a sentence as a substitute for subheads.
Correct: Spring. Prices increased from winter lows.
Summer. Prices remained constant.
Fall. Prices decreased after summer heat.
Incorrect: Prices went up in the summer. Then in the winter prices went down.
Never use all
capital letters
or underlining
for emphasis.
Use italics or bold
for emphasis.

9. Using italics
• Use italics for report and product names in report content and footnotes.
EIA projects that renewable-generated electricity will account for 12.6% of
total electricity generation in 2020.1
For EIA documents: 1 U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy
Outlook 2014, Table 8.
Citing EIA in non-EIA documents: 1 U.S. Energy Information Administration,
Annual Energy Outlook 2014, Table 8, accessed March 11, 2015.

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EIA Writing Style Guide

• Do not use italics for the report acronym.
Correct: The projections are in the Annual Energy Outlook 2015 (AEO2015).
Incorrect: Annual Energy Outlook 2014 (AEO2015)
• Use italics rather than quotation marks to call attention to specific words
or phrases.
Correct: Use the phrase use of foreign oil rather than oil dependence.
Incorrect: Use the phrase “use of foreign oil” rather than “oil dependence.”
• Use italics to set off a non-English word or phrase that might be unfamiliar to the
reader. If the foreign phrase is used frequently in the document, use italics only
for the first use. If the phrase is used infrequently in the document, use italics for
each use.
A laissez-faire approach to the market can have serious repercussions.
• Do not use italics if the foreign phrase is commonly used in English. (If the word
is listed in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, you do not normally use
italics.)
The used car had no warranty. Caveat emptor.
• Do not use italics for these items:
–– et al. (and all other items)
–– ibid (in the same place)
–– etc. (and other items)
–– i.e., ( in other words)
–– e.g., (for example)

Did you know?
Roman type means
not in italics. The
word roman is not
capitalized. Don’t
confuse roman type
with Roman numerals.

Correct: Greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) may contribute to global
warming.
• Key terms may be italicized on their first use. Do not use italics for subsequent
uses.
Correct: Some cities are participating in the Clean Cities program.
Other cities may participate in the Clean Cities program in the
future.

10. Formatting paragraphs
Separate paragraphs with a blank line. The first line of a paragraph should be flush
left, not indented.
Correct:
In 2004 and 2005, increased global demand for oil stretched capacity along
the entire oil market system and caused a surge in crude oil prices.
Incorrect:
In 2004 and 2005, increased global demand for oil stretched capacity
along the entire oil market system and caused a surge in crude oil prices.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Policy-Neutral Writing
The glass is never half
empty or half full. It’s just
an eight-ounce glass with
four ounces of liquid.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
spokesperson

EIA’s responsibility is to provide independent, policy-neutral information. We don’t
advocate or support policies, industries, fuels, or trends.
Sometimes our writing may seem repetitive, always saying increased or decreased,
rose or fell. Using different words to vary the text may seem like a good idea, but
often the new verbs or adverbs have subtle or not so subtle connotations, either
positive or negative.

Did you know?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics doesn’t actually
have an official list of
approved verbs, but it
often seems like they do.
There are verbs they are
trained to use (rose/fell,
increased/decreased),
and verbs and words
they are trained never
to use (skyrocketed,
phenomenal, dramatic).
They don’t use many
adjectives or adverbs
either, but when they do,
the words are objective.
EIA isn’t that strict, but
writers should not use
verbs or adverbs that have
connotations, feelings,
or tones for official and
public-facing content.
Rising gasoline prices
aren’t positive or negative,
they are just prices that
are increasing.

1. Use policy-neutral words
Neutral: Prices fell
Not neutral: Prices plummeted
Neutral: Production decreased, production dropped
Not neutral: Production was slashed
Neutral: Hydraulic fracturing requires large amounts of water
Not neutral: Hydraulic fracturing requires huge amounts of water
Neutral: Natural gas production reversed its downward trend
Not neutral: Natural gas production finally reversed its downward trend

2. Phrases to avoid

Quantify statements where possible, but avoid these words and phrases. A 50%
increase may seem to be surging or skyrocketing, but let the reader make the
quantifying judgment.
• Appropriate action

• Jumped

• Skyrocketed

• Burgeoning

• Huge

• Slashed

• Effective policy

• Massive

• Soared

• Enormous

• Obvious solution

• Spiked

• Gale

• Rebound

• Surging
• Tiny

3. Policy-neutral situations to watch for
• Rising or falling prices—To a consumer, rising prices are usually negative, and falling
prices are usually positive. An energy producer may have the opposite perspective.
EIA reports the trends with neutral words to avoid seeming like we are on one side
or the other.
• Instead of saying oil dependence, say use of foreign oil—The term oil dependence
inevitably leads to discussions about energy independence, which in a global
economy will never happen. Instead of dependence, use terms such as use of
foreign oil or imported oil as a share of U.S. oil consumption.
• Environmental impacts of energy production and consumption—EIA can discuss
that there are impacts and list what they are, but we should not use judgmental
or advocacy words.
• Policies that support or do not support a specific fuel technology—Avoid appearing
like a cheering section for a specific tool or technology. Just state the facts.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Advice for Good Writing
Clarity does not come from
simple ideas, but from
presenting ideas in the
simplest form possible.
OECD Style Guide,
Second Edition, 2007

EIA style includes advice from several different style guides that disagree on some
points. The style used by the U.S. Government Printing Office is sometimes too formal.
AP Style (Associated Press) is sometimes too informal. The Chicago Manual of Style is
close to EIA style, but not in all cases.
Remember, style is a preference; it is not right or wrong (unlike grammar, which does
have rules). The EIA Writing Style Guide reflects what works best for EIA.

1. Updates on classic writing guidance
The way many people were taught to write in school is not necessarily the best way
to convey key points in EIA writing, especially for Today in Energy stories and short
reports.
Writing advice to avoid:
• The old advice “Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em, tell ‘em, then tell ‘em what
you told ’em” leads to excessive repetition.
• The five-paragraph format—introduction, three supporting paragraphs, and
conclusion—also leads to wordiness and repetition.
• The thesis format of background, literature review, assumptions, research,
discussion, analysis, finally ending with the conclusion or findings completely
buries the main points.
Writing advice to follow:
Start with your main point. Avoid what some people call the voyage of discovery.
Give details and numbers as needed.
Use short sentences and short paragraphs.
Don’t state the calculation in a confusing number of different ways: for example,
consumption was up by 2 million barrels per day, or 6% from last year and 21%
over the five-year average, rising to 8 million barrels per day, which is 12% higher
than the peak in 1998, when it was 7.7 million barrels per day.
• Include supporting information and details in later paragraphs.
• Don’t write a conclusion that repeats points already stated. If your writing is
clear, you won’t need a conclusion.
•
•
•
•

Start with your main
points. Ending with the
findings or trends in a
conclusion buries the
main points.

Word choice advice to avoid:
• Always vary your word choice—don’t repeat the same term. Using different
words can confuse the reader.
Word choice advice to follow:
• Don’t feel compelled to vary your word usage (something English teachers
encouraged), especially for words with specific meanings. If you say consumption
first, stick with consumption. Avoid saying consumption was up during 2015, but
demand declined in 2016, when usage increased with higher economic growth.
If you say oil first, don’t switch back and forth with petroleum and liquids. Even
though you know certain terms are interchangeable, if you use different words,
readers might think you’ve changed concepts. Adding modifiers can also be
confusing because readers don’t know the terms mean the same thing. Don’t
switch from electricity consumption to utility-scale consumption, for example.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

2. Important guidance on sourcing nonoriginal work
All nonoriginal work must be sourced and attributed. Sourcing can be shown as
footnotes, endnotes, notes, or inline text references. The source must follow EIA
format. See chapter 16 for footnote format and more guidance. In general, the source
should include the author’s name(s), the publication name, the publication date, and
page number.
• You must provide footnotes listing sources for all nonoriginal work.
• You cannot reuse information you found on the Internet, in EIA reports, or from
any other source without attribution.
• If you are uncertain about EIA’s sourcing policy or are not sure if you need to
include footnotes or endnotes in your work, talk to your supervisor.
• Be aware of any reuse restrictions on third-party data. Send questions to
thirdpartydata@eia.gov.
• Reuse of graphs, images, or photos is allowed only with documented permission
from the content owner. For example, a note under a non-EIA photo could
say “Reprinted with permission from XYZ Company.” Call or email the author,
company, or source for permission.
• See Using Third-Party Data and page 114 for more information on EIA’s thirdparty data policy.

Read your work out
loud when proofreading.
Use spell check to find
common mistakes in
spelling and usage.

3. Tips for proofreading your writing
• Read your work slowly out loud—This method forces you to read every word
individually and increases the odds you will find a typo, missing word, or writing
mistake. This proofreading method almost guarantees you will find common
errors like missing words, repeated words, and subject-verb disagreement.
Remember: read out loud, not just out loud in your head.
• Use spell check—Microsoft Word and Microsoft Outlook include spell check,
which catches much more than misspelled words. Review each squiggly
underlined spot to determine what the mistake might be. (See tips in
section 4 below.)
• Force yourself to read each word—Consider each word. Read small sections.
• Proof a printed version—Many people find it easier to proofread on paper
rather than on a computer screen.
• Ask a colleague to help—Four eyes are better than two.

4. Spell check in Microsoft Word is a great copyeditor
Spell check looks at more than spelling. Spell check gives you three colors of squiggly
underlines in your content:
Spell check squiggly line color codes
Red = spelling error
Green = possible grammatical error
Blue = possible contextual error such as homonyms or similar words
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

These squiggles indicate possible mistakes. Don’t ignore them.

But remember: spell check doesn’t catch every mistake, and some possible errors
flagged by spell check may actually be correct. You still need to proof your writing
carefully.

Did you know?
The period-spacespace reflex is a relic
of the era of manual
typewriters, when all
letters (fat m, thin i)
took up equal amounts
of horizontal space.
The extra space after a
sentence helped with
clarity. Now that letters
take up proportional
space, typing two spaces
between sentences is no
longer necessary.

Sometimes the autocorrect feature in Microsoft Word can introduce errors such
as capitalizing words you meant to be lower case. Again, your eyes are critical in
reviewing your work.

5. Follow basic style rules
• Use short sentences.
• Use short paragraphs. They are easier to read, especially online. Even if a long
paragraph is all one thought or topic, consider breaking it into two smaller
sections, or use bullets if there are related points in the paragraph.
• Begin with the fact or main point. Don’t start with attribution or history or
assumptions.
• Avoid using too many introductory clauses.
Preferred: Oil production rose during the last half of 2015.
Less preferred: During the last half of 2015, oil production rose.
• Use bold text or italics rather than underline for emphasis.
• Use % in all EIA writing.
• Avoid using a string of adjectives to modify a noun. Adding too many qualifying
words before the noun requires the reader to deconstruct the meaning.
Stacked noun—difficult to read
1
2
3 4
5
6
7
8
Annual natural gas-fired electric power generation totals
Unstacked noun—easier to read
Annual totals for electric power generated from natural gas
• Use one space between a period and the start of the next sentence. The use of
one space is accepted by many style guides and is the default in html.
Modern preferred style: one space
Old-fashioned style: two spaces

I like chocolate. You like fruit.
I like chocolate. You like fruit.

6. Avoid run-on sentences
A run-on sentence isn’t just a long sentence (a common misconception); it is two
sentences squished together without proper punctuation.
Correct sentences: He ran home. She stayed behind.
Incorrect, run-on sentence: He ran home she stayed behind.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

7. Avoid excessive use of due to; because is better
The use of due to is rampant in EIA writing. Grammar advice says that if you are having
trouble figuring out whether to use due to or because, because is almost always the
better choice. Also consider using as a result of.
Correct: It gets light in the morning because the sun comes up.
Incorrect: It gets light in the morning due to the sun coming up.
Correct: Oil demand is down as a result of (or in response to) higher prices.
Incorrect: Oil demand is down due to higher prices.

8. Use parallel writing styles
• Bullets should begin with the same part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.).
• Sentences should be parallel.
Parallel: Natural gas was transported by pipelines and tankers.
Not parallel: Natural gas was transported by pipelines and tanker deliveries.
• Phrases and terms should be parallel.
Parallel: Natural gas imports and crude oil imports
Not parallel: Natural gas imports and imports of crude oil
• Tense should be parallel.
Correct: Oil production was steady from 2001 to 2005, then it was down
from 2005 to 2011, but recently it was up.
Incorrect: Oil production was up from 2001 through 2005, then it had been
decreasing from 2005 through 2014, but now it is up since 2014.
• References to charts and graphs should be parallel.
Parallel: (see chart above)
(see chart below)

Not parallel: (see chart above)
(see chart)

Note: EIA preference is see chart above (or see graph above), not see above
chart. In longer reports with numbered charts, write see Figure 3. You don’t
have to indicate above or below if the figures are numbered.

9. It’s OK to split infinitives
This rule was concocted by 19th century grammarians of English who tried to force
the consistency of Latin grammar onto English. In Latin, you can’t split the infinitive of
a verb because it is all one word. English isn’t Latin. It’s OK to split infinitives.
Correct split infinitive: To boldly go where no man has gone before.

10. Use first, second, third
• Use first, second, third for connected points in text, not firstly, secondly, thirdly.
• If you have more than three points, consider numbering the items or using
bullets. Saying seventh is cumbersome and confusing.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

11. Ending a sentence with a preposition is OK
• Sometimes it is relatively easy to rewrite the sentence so it doesn’t end in a
preposition and sounds fine, but don’t convolute the words or meaning to
follow this antiquated rule.
• Avoid awkward-sounding syntax as you try to keep the preposition out of the
sentence-ending spot.
• One grammar expert says not ending a sentence with a preposition is one of the
biggest grammar myths of all time.
Clear: This is where oil comes from.
Awkward: This is from where oil comes.

Clear: What did you step on?
Awkward: On what did you step?

12. This or that?
A common but somewhat confusing style choice in some EIA writing is the use of
sentences beginning with this or that or they where the subject is not stated. (You
have to look for the subject in the previous sentence.)
Clear: Oil prices are rising because demand is up and supplies are low. This rise in
oil prices is the result of…
Unclear: Oil prices are rising because demand is up and supplies are low. This is
the result of… (This what? Prices rising? Demand up? Supplies low? Don’t make
the reader guess.)
Clear: Electricity demand is affected by price and weather. These two factors are...
Unclear: Electricity demand is affected by price and weather. These are…(These
what?)

13. This is because or that is the result of… what?
Do not write sentences that begin with This is because, That is because, Those are
because, or It is due to. Repeat the subject from the previous sentence.
Correct: This change is because of the new law.
Incorrect: This is because of the new law.
Correct: The increase in demand is a result of the weather.
Incorrect: It is due to the weather.

14. Writing the possessive form
Correct and preferred EIA style: Colombia’s oil production (sounds like the country)
Correct but not preferred: Columbian oil production (sounds like the people)
Correct and preferred EIA style: Kansas’s legislature
Correct but not preferred: Kansas’ legislature
Correct: OPEC’s production
Correct: FDR’s policies
26

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

15. To use that or not to use that
Using the extra word that is not necessary in many sentences.
Preferred: The sandwich I ate yesterday was good.
OK: The sandwich that I ate yesterday was good.
Preferred: The cars sold in 2015 have more airbags.
OK: The cars that were sold in 2015 have more airbags.

16. And, as well as, in addition
The words you write after as well as or in addition to are not as important as the
words you write after and.
Equal: Prices went up because of weather and generator outages. (Both factors
are equally important.)
Unequal: Prices went up because of weather as well as generator outages.
(Outages are a less important factor.)

17. Small words are often better than big words
Try to avoid:
•
•
•
•
•

Additionally (use also or in addition)
Furthermore (use also or in addition)
Numerous (use many)
Utilize (use use)
Incentivize (use encourage or promote)

For a longer list of words to avoid, see page 11.

18. Repeat the full noun
Don’t omit words in a proper noun to make the list shorter. Include all the words in a
noun to be clear.
Correct: Central America and South America
Incorrect: Central and South America
Correct: North Dakota and South Dakota
Incorrect: North and South Dakota

19. Headline writing
• Be short and concise.
• Some headlines have character limits. Today in Energy titles are limited to 90
characters.
• Include the time period if it’s important to the story.
• Use the present tense for headlines and leaders; use past tense for the text, if
appropriate.
Correct: Headline: Natural gas consumption increases
Text: Natural gas consumption rose by 3% in 2016 over 2015 levels.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

20. When in doubt, use a write-around
Sometimes you just can’t figure out how to write something clearly or correctly, you
can’t find it in the style guide, or you don’t know where to look it up. Try this advice:
write around it. A write-around using slightly different words is a rephrasing that
avoids what’s confusing you.
Not sure?: Can a sentence begin with 4%?
Write-around: A total of 4% was included.
Not sure?: On-line or online? (EIA writes online as one word.)
Write-around: began service or began operating
Not sure?: Is data singular or plural? (It’s plural at EIA.)
Write-around: The information is, the data series is, the dataset is—if you want to
use a singular verb.

21. But it’s in the dictionary

Did you know?
There are two types
of dictionaries—
prescriptive and
descriptive.
Historically, most
dictionaries were
prescriptive. The 20th
century saw a move
toward descriptive
dictionaries. Today,
most dictionaries,
including MerriamWebster, are
descriptive.

Just because it’s in the dictionary doesn’t mean a word or phrase is correct. A
dictionary reflects how speakers use the language. As words such as irregardless
creep into our language, they are added to the dictionary. Inclusion in a dictionary
does not automatically make these words correct.
A style guide establishes standards of good usage. The EIA Writing Style Guide reflects
choices made by EIA to establish consistency and correctness in our writing.
• A prescriptive dictionary is more concerned about correct and standard English.
It would include only standard usage, spelling, and rules.
• A descriptive dictionary describes the language as it is spoken, so it includes
commonly used words, even if they are nonstandard (like ain’t and irregardless).
A descriptive dictionary might also include nonstandard spellings and guidance
about which words are nonstandard or offensive.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Grammar
An entirely adequate description
of English grammar is still a
distant target and at present
seemingly an unreachable
one, the complications being
what they are.
Robert Burchfield,
Unlocking the English Language, 1991

1. Which and that
• Which and that are not interchangeable. Which is not a more elegant or formal
or clever way to say that. Your choice is not a matter of style—this rule is a rightor-wrong choice.
• Which: a pronoun that introduces nonessential information. Use a comma
before a which clause. If a comma won’t work, then you should be using that. If
you crossed out the words in the which clause, the remaining words should still
be a complete sentence.
• That: a pronoun used to introduce essential information. Don’t use a comma
before that.
Correct: Power plants that burn fossil fuels emit pollutants.
Incorrect: Power plants which burn fossil fuels emit pollutants.
Correct: Power plants, which are one source of electric power, may emit
pollutants.
Incorrect: Power plants that are one source of electric power may emit
pollutants.

2. He and I, you and me, myself
Each of these examples says send the information to me, which is correct.
Correct: Send the information to Mike and me.
Correct: Send the information to me and Mike.
Correct: Send the information to me.
Incorrect: Send the information to Mike and I.
(What you are really saying here is send the information to I.)
Incorrect: Send the information to Mike and myself.
(You are saying send the information to myself.)

Which and that are
not interchangeable.
Here’s the bottom line
on which and that: If
you can use the word
that, use that. If you
don’t have a comma
before which, use that.

Correct: I did the work myself.
Incorrect: The work was done by Christine and myself.
Correct: The work was done by Christine and me.
(The work was done by me, not by I and not by myself.)
Correct: Christine and I did the work.

3. None is or none are, either...or, and neither...nor
• Deciding whether an indefinite pronoun such as neither, none, everyone, no one,
and some takes a singular or plural verb can be tricky.
• When an indefinite pronoun is the subject of a verb, it is usually singular.
Correct: None of the proposals was accepted. (Not one was accepted.)
Correct: Neither answer was sufficient.
• When comparing two items, you must say “either...or” or “neither...nor.”
Correct: Neither my officemate nor I was planning to attend the conference.
Correct: Either my officemate or my boss was the last person to leave.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

4. Showing possession for singular nouns ending in s
Both styles below are correct.
Preferred: Kansas’s legislature
Correct: Kansas’ legislature
Preferred: James’s
Correct: James’
More correct examples: Dickens’s novels, the Williams’s new house.

5. Using compound subjects
All examples below are correct.
Colleen’s and Melinda’s recipes (different recipes, some from Colleen and some
from Melinda)
Colleen and Melinda’s recipes (recipes both Colleen and Melinda use)
My aunt’s and uncle’s houses (each person has a house)
My aunt and uncle’s house (only one house)
The guest speaker and new author, Mr. Smith, will be at our meeting.
Ham and swiss is the only sandwich left on the plate.

6. A person is a who, not a that
Use who with he, she, people, etc. Use that with objects.
Correct: He is the person who came to the meeting.
Incorrect: He is the person that came to the meeting. (Many writers make this
mistake.)
Correct: This is the couch that I just bought.
Incorrect: This is the couch who I just bought. (No one makes this mistake.)

7. Fewer, less, lower, and under
Fewer and less mean the same thing, but you use them in different circumstances.
Use less for mass nouns (things you can’t count individually) and fewer for count
nouns (things you can count). Use lower for levels or percentages. Use under to
describe location or spatial position (under the table).
• Mass nouns—less salt, less tired, less money, less time (note: you can’t make
mass nouns plural)
• Count nouns—fewer apples, fewer refiners, fewer dollars, fewer hours
• Describing levels or amounts—lower imports, higher prices, lower production
Correct: Lower imports
Incorrect: Fewer imports

Correct: Gasoline costs less than $4 per gallon.
Incorrect: Gasoline costs under $4 per gallon.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

8. More than and over
The words more than and over have similar meanings. EIA style prefers more than to
over in these types of sentences.
Correct: Production increased by more than 5%.
Incorrect: Production increased by over 5%.
Correct: More than 15 students came to class.
Incorrect: Over 15 students came to class.

9. A and An
• Usually you use an a in front of nouns that start with consonants: a chair, a
piano, a barrel. You use an in front of nouns that start with vowels: an apple, an
electric power plant, an import level.
• But sometimes it’s not the beginning letter but the pronounced sound of the
beginning letter that determines the correct article.

Subject-verb
disagreement is a
common mistake
in EIA writing.
Proofreading your
writing out loud will
help you catch this
mistake.

Correct: a united front
Incorrect: an united front
Correct: an MA degree
Incorrect: a MA degree
Correct: an hour, an honor, an heir, a historic day, a utopian society, an unfair
law, an MBA

10. Subject-verb agreement
Singular nouns take singular verbs, and plural nouns take plural verbs. This advice
sounds easy, but it’s confusing with collective nouns (staff, family) and when plural
words are added between the subject and verb.
Correct: The author of the reports and analyses is…
Incorrect: The author of the reports and analyses are…
Correct: The import level of petroleum products and crude oil is…
Incorrect: The import level of petroleum products and crude oil are…
Correct: Our forecast, together with the appendix tables, shows that…
Incorrect: Our forecast, together with the appendix tables, show that…
Correct: One key factor, high oil prices, is the reason…
Incorrect: One key factor, high oil prices, are the reason…
Correct: Our experience in dealing with complex models makes us…
Incorrect: Our experience in dealing with complex models make us…
Correct: EIA staff includes economists and statisticians. (Staff is singular.)
Not preferred: EIA staff include economists and statisticians.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commonly Misused Words
Proper words in proper places
make the true definition of a style.
Jonathan Swift

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

about/around
(used with numbers)

about: approximately

around: near to, close to

preferred: about 4%; about 3 tons.

not preferred: around 4%;
around 3 tons

Don’t use either word with precise
number such as about 3.21 million
barrels.

accept/except

additionally, in addition
to, also, besides

accept: to receive; to agree

except: apart from; but;
excluding

I accept your suggestions.

We approve all your suggestions
except the last one.

Same meaning. EIA prefers in
addition and also. Avoid
additionally.
Just OK: Additionally, the price of
gasoline went up.
Better: The price of gasoline also
went up.

advice/advise

affect/effect

advice: recommendation;
guidance (noun)

advise: to recommend; to suggest
(verb)

EIA seeks advice from the
American Statistical Association.

We must advise you that email
is an insecure means of
transmission.

affect: to influence

effect: a result (as a noun); to bring
about, to accomplish (as a verb)

Policy decisions affect energy
markets.

What was the effect of the
committee’s work?
The committee’s work effected
major changes to the system.

aid/aide

aid: the act of helping (verb)

Accepted students must apply for
financial aid prior to enrollment.
a lot/alot/many/allot

a lot: a considerable quantity or
extent; a lot is always two words.

aide: person acting as an
assistant (noun)
The political candidates brought
campaign aides to the meeting.
many: consisting of or amounting
to a large but indefinite number

allot: to parcel out; to assign a share Correct: It takes a lot of coal to
generate electricity.
alot: not a word.
Correct: It takes a lot of coal to
generate electricity.

all ready/already

all right/alright

Better: It takes many tons of coal
to generate electricity.

Incorrect: It takes alot of coal
to generate electricity.

Best: It takes more than 100 tons
of coal to generate that much
electricity.

all ready: everything is ready

already: before a specified time

Once the papers are all ready, we
can send them.

The meeting is already finished.

all right: a statement of affirmation, satisfaction, agreement. EIA
preferred style

alright: a statement of affirmation,
but this spelling is less preferred
and not standard. Not EIA style

The calculations in the report were
all right.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

although/though

although: in spite of the fact that,
even though

though: in spite of the fact that,
even though. Not EIA style

EIA prefers the use of although, but
both are correct.

The dress, though expensive, was
just what I wanted for the party.
(although expensive is preferred)

although: in spite of the fact that,
even though

while: at the same time*
*Not a hard-and-fast rule. Often,
while can be used in place of
although. Be careful.

Although I was full, I still ordered
dessert.

While we were sleeping, an inch of
rain fell.

all together: in a group, always two
words

altogether: completely, in all, on
the whole

We sat all together on the lawn at
the concert.

Altogether, the songs on this album
present vivid imagery.

alternate: to change back and forth;
every other one in a series

alternative: a choice between two
things or possibilities

When I cross-train, I alternate
between running and cycling.

An alternative to driving your car is
taking public transportation.

I am the alternate member of
that group.

Because the weather is cold, the
alternative to freezing is wearing a
heavy coat.

allude to: to mention indirectly

refer to: to mention directly

although/while

all together/altogether

alternate/alternative

allude to/refer to

The report alluded to problems with The report referred to other referthe system.
ences on the subject.
amid/amidst

amid: American English.
EIA prefers amid.

amidst: British English

among/amongst

among: American English.
EIA prefers among.

amongst: British English

He chose among the many options.

He chose amongst the many
options. (not preferred)

any more: additional, any longer

anymore: an adverb meaning nowadays or any longer

any more/anymore

I don’t want any more pizza.
The difference between the two
meanings is shown in this sentence:
I don’t buy books anymore because
I don’t need any more books.
anyone/any one

backward/backwards

because/since

I don’t jog anymore.

anyone: any single person or thing

any one: any person or thing

Does anyone have a stamp?

Any one of the sandwiches on the
menu would be fine.

backward: American English.
EIA prefers backward.

backwards: British English

Count backward from 10 to 1.

Count backwards from ten to one.
(not preferred)

because: cause and effect; for that
reason

since: from a certain time. Not a
synonym for because

Because prices went up, demand
went down.

Since 1980, demand has gone up.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

because (of)/due to

because (of): for that reason

due to: as a result of

Note: Because is almost always the
right choice.

Not correct: Production went up
due to more exploration.
OK: The production increase was
due to more exploration.
Better: Production went up
because of more exploration.

between/among

biannual/biennial/semiannual

big/large

brake/break

between: connecting or comparing
two objects

among: in or into the midst of;
connecting or comparing more
than two objects

The driving distance between
Baltimore and Philadelphia is
surprisingly short.

Please speak freely. You’re among
friends.

I had to choose between chocolate
and vanilla.

I had to choose among the four ice
cream flavors.

biannual/semiannual: occurring
every half year, meaning twice a
year.

biennial: occurring every two years

Note: EIA preference is to say twice
a year, which removes any possible
confusion.

Note: EIA preference is to say every
two years.

We have a lease agreement
requiring that payments be paid on
a biannual basis in January and July.

Our group’s next biennial
conference will be in two years.

This poetry anthology is updated
on a semiannual basis in June and
December.

This insect has a biennial
lifecycle.

big: often countable (more
colloquial/common)

large: related to objects that are
quantifiable

Not preferred: big price increase,
biggest nuclear reactor

Note: In general, EIA prefers large.

brake: a device for stopping or
slowing motion

break: to separate into parts; to
smash; a disruption

The system captures excess energy
when the driver uses the brake.

The water in these tubes must be
very pure or the tubes might break.

Large price increase, largest
nuclear reactor, largest decrease

New commercial building practices
caused a break in the trend.
breakout/break-out

canceled/cancelled

breakout: shown in parts or
categories, as statistical data

break-out: adjective modifying table or meeting; smaller or separate
item

The breakout of petroleum imports
showed levels by country. (not
preferred)

The break-out session discussed
the issues.

canceled: American spelling,
preferred

cancelled: British spelling, not
preferred

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

carrot/carat/caret/karat

carrot: a vegetable
carat: unit of mass used to measure
gemstones
caret: ^ a wedge-shape editing mark
karat: a unit of purity for gold

compare to/compare with

compare to: to note similarities
between things.

Definition and example

compare with: to discern both similarities and differences between
things.
EIA writing more often compares
with something. Most definitions
say that with can be used for both
similarities and differences, so EIA
writers cannot go wrong using
compared with.

complement/compliment

comprise/compose

Correct: Life can be compared to a
roller coaster ride.

Correct: The U.S. Congress can
be compared with the British
Parliament.

complement: to complete;
something that completes

compliment: to praise; an
expression of praise

Pipelines complement tankers at
key locations by relieving bottlenecks.

My boss complimented me for my
good work.

This Climate Wise Primer is a
complement to EIA’s Form 1605.

We take it as a compliment that
journalists reuse Today in Energy
graphs.

comprise: to be made up of or
consist of; the whole comprises the
sum of its parts. Something is never
comprised of something else.

composed of: to make up; to form
the substance of

Comprise does not mean
include. Something is
never comprised of
something else.

Note: These two words are not
synonyms. Is comprised of is
generally incorrect. Comprise does
not mean include.
Correct: OPEC’s membership
comprises 12 countries.
Correct: The United States
comprises 50 states.

Correct: OPEC’s membership is
composed of 12 countries.

continental U.S./
contiguous U.S.

continental: on the continent,
which includes the Lower 48 states
and Alaska.

contiguous: sharing a common
border; touching. This group would
only include the Lower 48 states.

continuously/continually

continuously: uninterrupted or
constant

continually: continued
occurrence; one reoccurrence

The video plays continuously.

We continually review and
update our policies.

data: a collection of pieces of factual information including statistics;
the plural form of datum

datum: a single piece of factual
information

For written EIA products, the word
data is plural.

Datum is technically correct, but
not commonly used.

Correct: The data are correct.
Incorrect: The data is correct.

If you want to use a singular verb,
say information or data series or
dataset rather than data.

data/datum

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

different from/different
than

Similar meaning. EIA prefers
different from. Different from is
almost always the correct choice.

Definition and example

Correct: My ideas are different from
yours.
Less correct: My ideas are different
than yours.
due to/because (of)

due to: something that is owed or
expected; caused by

because (of): for that reason;
caused by; as a result of

Note: Wider use of due to is
becoming more acceptable,
although many uses are
technically not correct.

Note: Because of is almost always
the right choice. In general, use
because of when you can replace
it with on account of in your
sentence.

Use because of, as a result of, or
caused by in most EIA writing. In
general, use due to when you can
replace it with caused by.
Correct: The plant failure was due
to unexpected fuel shortages.
Incorrect: The plant failed due to
unexpected fuel shortages.

Correct: Oil prices increased
because of the recent crisis.
Incorrect: The increase in oil
prices is due to the recent crisis.

Correct: The increase in oil prices is
due to the recent crisis.
Incorrect: Oil prices have increased
due to the recent crisis.
email/e-mail

EIA uses email—one word, no
hyphen. This form is a style
decision.
Correct: email
Incorrect: e-mail, Email, E-mail

ensure/insure/assure

ensure: to make certain
We monitor network traffic to
ensure site security.
assure: to state with confidence;
to declare earnestly

insure: to protect against financial
loss
Indemnity clubs insure the tankers
that transport petroleum imported
into the United States.

The director assured the staff that
the project budget was adequate.
everyday/every day

everyday: commonplace; normal
These are my everyday shoes.

everyone/every one

every day: each day; regularly;
daily
I go for a walk every day.

everyone: every person, everybody,
all the people

every one: each one of a number
of people or things

Everyone is welcome to attend the
meeting.

Every one of the chairs must be
stacked in the corner.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

expected/forecast/projected

expected or forecast (to be):
Estimates of what is expected or
forecast to happen, given historical
trends, recent data, and specific
assumptions.

projected (to be): Generally, projections by EIA are not statements
of what will happen but of what
might happen, given the assumptions and methodologies used for
any particular scenario.

farther/further

farther: at or to a greater distance

further: moreover; to a greater
extent

An average vehicle traveled farther
in 2010 than in 2015.

fewer/less

In the United Kingdom, deregulation is further along than it is in
other countries.

fewer: for items you can count

less: for items you can’t count

Correct: There are fewer people at
the meeting this week.
Incorrect: There are less people at
the meeting this week.

This recipe calls for less salt.

flammable/inflammable

These words are synonyms. Both
mean ‘easy to burn.’ Best to avoid
the word inflammable.

forward/forwards/foreword

forward: American English
(preferred) to go toward

foreword: introduction to a book.
Foreword is only a noun.

The child walked forward.

I enjoyed reading the foreword to
that book.

forwards: British English (not
preferred)
forecast/projected/
expected

forecast or expected (to be):
Estimates of what is expected or
forecast to happen, given historical
trends, recent data, and specific
assumptions.

projected (to be): Generally, projections by EIA are not statements
of what will happen but of what
might happen, given the assumptions and methodologies used for
any particular scenario.

forth/fourth

forth: forward in time, place, and
order

fourth: next after the third. A
fourth, one fourth, and a quarter
are all correct.

Despite setbacks, we are moving
forth. (not preferred EIA style)

The Surry nuclear plant is the
fourth-largest facility in the region.
I ate a fourth of the cake.

half/one half/a half/half
of/half a

half: preferred

historic/historical

historic: famous; important in
history

historical: of, belonging to, or
referring to history

George Washington is a historic
figure.

Gone with the Wind is a historical
novel.

hone: to sharpen, make more
effective

home in: direct onto a point or
target

The candidate wants to hone her
argument.

The IRS is homing in on tax fraud.

hone/home in

Preferred: The glass was half full.
I ate half an apple.

one-half: not preferred
a half: not preferred

Hone in is used colloquially, but in
writing the correct usage is home in.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

impact/effect

impact: an effect, used only as a
noun

effect: a result; to bring about

Don’t use impact as a verb. Use
affected or influenced by.

Correct: What was the effect of
that legislation?

Incorrect: Prices impacted demand
for gasoline.
Correct: The weather affected (not
impacted) the price of natural gas.
impacted/affected

Internet/intranet

its/it’s

last/past

The past tense of lead
is led. The noun lead
(pronounced led)
is a metal.

later/latter

lead/led

impacted: packed or wedged in (like affected: to influence or to change
wisdom teeth); colloquially, affected
or influenced. Don’t use impacted
as a verb.
Correct: Britney’s wisdom teeth
were impacted.
Incorrect: Oil production was
impacted by the new technology.

Correct: Oil production was
affected by the new technology.

Internet: a global system of
interconnected public and
private computer networks

intranet: a private computer
network; an internal
organizational website

The World Wide Web is just one
service that uses the Internet.

Use the intranet to find
employee phone numbers.

Note that Internet is capitalized.

Note that intranet is not
capitalized.

its: belonging to it; its is the possessive form of it.

it’s: it is; it’s is a contraction

EIA has consolidated its analysis
of world oil markets into its latest
report.

Correct: It’s cold outside today.
(which means) It is cold outside
today.

last: final

past: previous

Incorrect: Prices increased the last
two months.

Correct: Prices increased the past
two months.

later: at some time after a given
time

latter: of, relating to, or being the
second of two groups or things or
the last of several groups or things
referred to

I can meet with you later.

I prefer the latter proposal.

lead: (verb) to guide; to show the
way

led: past tense of the verb lead

Our country continues to lead the
world in wind power growth.

Improved technology led to deeper
reservoir drilling and access to
more resources.

lead: (noun) a bluish-white, soft,
heavy metal
Lead was added to gasoline to
improve engine performance.
loose/lose

loose: not tight

lose: to give up; to misplace; to
not win

The loose standards extend
throughout the industry and allow
for abuse.

Both oil and coal lose market share
to natural gas.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

majority of/most of

majority of: only refers to a (countable) number of things or people.

most of: when writing about a
noncountable amount

Correct: The majority of the people
were Americans.

Correct: Most of (not the majority
of) the harvest was saved.

maybe: perhaps; possible

may be: might be; could be

Maybe I will be able to come to the
meeting tomorrow.

I may be able to come to the
meeting tomorrow.

more than: of a greater quantity

over: above (preferred) or in excess
of

maybe/may be

more than/over/above

The price increased by more than
(not over) 5%.
There are more than (not over)
1,000 applicants for the position.
none is/none are

none can be singular or plural.
none singular: None can mean not
one and be followed by a singular
verb. It can also take a singular verb
when followed by a mass noun.

The price of gasoline went above
(not over) $4 per gallon.

none plural: sometimes none
means not any, in which case the
sentence can take a plural verb.
none plural: None of those people
are coming to the meeting.

singular: None of the water is
polluted.
online/on line/on-line

online: Become operational; ready
for use; related to the Internet

on-line: old usage, not EIA
preferred style

Note: EIA uses online as one word
in all cases.

on line: not EIA preferred style

Use online in all cases—
one word, no hyphen.

Correct: When you’re on the
Internet, you’re online.
Correct: The nuclear power plant
came online last year.
oral/verbal

oral: spoken words

verbal: written and spoken words

The lawyer presented oral
arguments in the trial.

ambiguous: My partner and I had a
verbal business agreement.
clear: My partner and I had a
written business agreement.

overtime/over time

pair/pare

palette/palate/pallet

overtime: extra work

over time: over some length of
time

Bob had to work overtime this
weekend.

The stockpile was built over time.

pair: two of a kind

pare: to reduce; to peel

Each module has a pair of small
turbines.

We should pare down this extensive set of instructions to three
simple steps.

palette: an array of colors
palate: roof of the mouth

pallet: a wooden platform

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

personal/personnel

personal: private

personnel: employees

We do not collect personal
information for any purpose.

The UN Secretary-General
announced the withdrawal of all
humanitarian personnel from Iraq.

precede: to go before

proceed: to continue

The 2012 Style Guide preceded the
current one.

Proceed down the hallway to the
exit.

previous: coming before in time

prior: coming before in time

EIA preferred: our previous
estimate; our previous report

not preferred: our prior estimate;
our prior report

principal: foremost

principle: a rule; standard of good
behavior

precede/proceed

previous/prior

principal/principle

The principal use for this wax is in
candles.
principal: head of a school

The final decision was based on
principle, not profit.

Mr. Jones was named principal of
Maywood Elementary School.
principal: a sum of money
You paid back the principal of your
loan.
projected/ forecast/
expected

projected (to be): Generally, projections by EIA are not statements
of what will happen but of what
might happen, given the assumptions and methodologies used for
any particular scenario.

forecast or expected (to be):
Estimates of what is expected or
forecast to happen, given historical trends, recent data, and specific
assumptions.

proved/proven (reserves)

proved reserves: Term used in EIA
reports referring to reserves of
energy sources.

proven reserves: Not preferred EIA
style. Same meaning as proved reserves. Term referring to reserves
of energy sources.

quarter/fourth

quarter: one-fourth; one of four
equal parts

fourths: one of four equal parts

Note: both quarter and one-fourth
are OK.

regardless/irregardless

Correct: I ate a quarter of the pie.
Not preferred: I ate one-fourth of
the pie.

Correct: I ate a fourth of the pie.

regardless: despite everything

irregardless: not a word

Regardless of the dangers, the
hikers went on.
seams/seems

seams: lines formed by sewing
together fabric, or a fissure or crack
across a surface

seems: appears

Coal comes from deep seams in the
earth.

Gasoline demand in the Midwest
seems to be growing faster.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

sight/cite/site

sight: the act of seeing

site: a location

Customers were excited by the
sight of the new model.

We don’t know how much radium-bearing material is processed
at the site.

cite: to quote
Please cite all of your sources of
information.
stationary/stationery

than/then

that/which

stationary: not movable

stationery: writing paper

The monitor is stationary,
so you’ll have to move your chair if
you cannot see it.

Our office will need to order more
stationery with our logo on it.

than: compared with

then: at that time; next in time

Developed economies use oil
much more intensively than the
developing economies.

The maps were developed using
GIS software and then converted to
PDF format.

that: a pronoun used to introduce
essential information. That phrases
have no preceding comma.

which: a pronoun used to
introduce nonessential information. Nearly always has a comma
before it.

That and which are not
interchangeable.
Correct: I like books that have good
stories.
Incorrect: I like books which have
good stories.
their/there/they’re

Remember: The last vowel in both
paper and stationery is an e.

Correct: This book has a good
story, which is one reason I liked it.
Note: Which and that are not interchangeable. Which is not a more
elegant way to say that. If you can
use the word that, use that.

their: belonging to them

there: in that place

We used their research in our book.

Place your signed application over
there.

they’re: contraction of they are
The refineries undergo maintenance
when they’re switching from heating oil to gasoline.
thorough/through/threw/
though

thorough: complete; painstaking

threw: tossed

Before hiring a new person, the
Because your son threw the ball,
company conducts a thorough back- your insurance will not pay to
ground check of the applicant.
replace the window.
through: from side to side or from
end to end; completed
The DOE list includes resources for
students in kindergarten through
twelfth grade.
Preferred: I am finished with this
assignment.
Not preferred: I am through with
this assignment.

though: in spite of the fact that.
Informal version of although. Not
EIA preferred style. Use although
in formal writing.
Preferred: Although prices
increased, demand remained flat.
Not preferred: Though prices
increased, demand remained flat.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

toward/towards

toward: American spelling:
EIA prefers toward

towards: British spelling

She walked toward the exit.

She walked towards the exit. (not
preferred)

traveled/travelled

traveled: American spelling,
EIA prefers traveled

travelled: British spelling

upon/on

upon: more formal term for on

on: less formal than upon

Correct: (less preferred): Based
upon these assumptions.

Correct: (preferred): Based on
these assumptions.
Note: If the word on works in the
sentence, use on. No need to use
the more formal word upon.

upward/upwards

upward: American spelling.
EIA prefers upward
We revised the forecast upward.

variable/volatile

variable: likely to change; subject to
variation.
The weather in October is variable.

upwards: British spelling
We revised the forecast upwards.
(not preferred)
volatile: tendency to vary often or
widely; likely to change suddenly;
unpredictable
Note: remember to note if it’s high
or low volatility.
The stock market can be volatile.

verbal/oral

verbal: technically, both written and oral: spoken
spoken

weather/whether

weather: state of atmospheric
conditions

whether: used to introduce alternative possibilities

The city’s website has a link to the
local weather forecast.

This figure indicates whether markets are shifting.

web: an adjective meaning related
to the World Wide Web; when used
as an adjective, the word web is
lowercased.

the web: short for the World Wide
Web, when used as a noun.

I did web research to write my term
paper.

I used the web to research my
vacation.

website: a collection of web pages.
EIA uses website as a compound
word.

web page: a single web page (with
a single url). EIA uses web page
as two words, where web is an
adjective.

web/the web

website/web page

EIA’s website contains lots of information.
The word webcast is also a compound word.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

I researched electricity information
on EIA’s web pages.

Commonly misused words

Definition and example

which/that

which: a pronoun used to introduce
nonessential information. Nearly
always has a comma before it

that: a pronoun used to introduce
essential information. Phrases with
no preceding comma

This book, which is one of my favorites, is a historical novel.

I like books that have good stories.

Note: Which and that are not interchangeable. Which is not a more
elegant way to say that. If you can
use the word that, use that.
while/although

while/whilst

Incorrect: This is the book which I
bought yesterday.
Correct: This is the book that I
bought yesterday.

while: at the same time; sometimes
used to mean although

although: despite

Not preferred: While production
increased, prices stayed the same.

Preferred: Although production
increased, prices stayed the same.

while: American spelling. EIA
preferred spelling.

whilst: British spelling

While we were taking a test, the
teacher left the room.

Whilst we were taking a test,
the teacher left the room. (not
preferred)

Him and me, he and I
The use of the words me and I is tricky and often confusing. One way to figure out
if you’re using them correctly is to break the original sentence into two shorter
sentences. If your wording sounds correct when it’s separated, you’ve gotten it right.
If the wording sounds off or incorrect, you’re using me and/or I incorrectly.
Correct: Give it to him and me.
Separated into two shorter sentences: Give it to him. Give it to me.
Incorrect: Give it to he and I.
Separated into two shorter sentences: Give it to he. Give it to I.
This grammar question becomes more confusing when he and I are the subject of the
sentence rather than the direct object.
Correct: He and I went to the party.
Separated into two shorter sentences: He went to the party. I went to the party.
Incorrect: Him and me went to the party.
Separated into two shorter sentences: Him went to the party. Me went to the
party.

Give it to I is not correct,
so give it to he and I also
is not correct.
Give it to him.
Give it to me.
So, give it to him and me
is correct.

Correct: The party was fun for Sam and me.
Separated into two shorter sentences: The party was fun for Sam. The party was
fun for me.
Incorrect: The party was fun for Sam and I.
Separated into two shorter sentences: The party was fun for Sam. The party was
fun for I.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Capitalization
A certain amount of copy
editing has very little to do with
how great a writer you are.
Chicago Manual of Style
16th Edition, 2010

1. Capitalization (or not) for words and terms frequently used by EIA

the administration (the Obama administration)
the Arctic (when referring to the region; but arctic blast and arctic fox)
autumn

British thermal unit(s)—Btu is singular and plural. Not BTU (all caps is not correct)

Central time zone
Central America
central Asia
crude oil (but capitalize specific types or blends, for example, Brent, West Texas Intermediate)
Colorado state—or the state of Colorado
Census region, Census division
Congress
congressional committee or report
the continental United States

U.S. Department of Energy
DOE

earth (except uses like Earth Day, or in lists with other planets: Earth and Mars)
east (compass directions north, south, east, and west are not capitalized)
the East Coast
the East
Eastern Hemisphere
Eastern time zone
eastern part of the country
eastern United States—power comes from the northeastern part of the state. The weather is
hotter in the southern half of the country.
EIA (not the EIA and not U.S. EIA)
email (not Email, E-mail, or e-mail) The terms email and website have evolved over the past
decade and have become distinct words or terms that do not require hyphens or capitals.
email list (not Listserv, which is a protected trademark that EIA may not use)
ENERGY STAR®—all caps, with the register mark ® on first use
the equator
EU (European Union)—no periods
euro
ExxonMobil (one word; camel-case M)

fall
federal—lower case for general uses
federal government
federal law
federal report
Federal Register Notice
Federal Reserve Board
Federal Trade Commission

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Forrestal Building

gigawatt (GW)
governor of a state
gross domestic product (GDP)
Gulf Coast (unless there is confusion, do not specify U.S. Gulf Coast)
Gulf of Mexico (GOM)

homepage (one word, lower case)
Hoover Dam; a dam
HR 2454 (for House of Representatives: no periods)

Imported Refiner Acquisition Cost
Internet (capital I)
Internet service provider (ISP)
investment tax credit (ITC)—lower case, spelled out
intranet (lower-case i)

kilowatthour (kWh)

Lower 48 states (capital L and no hyphen)
Make sure you include the word states, not just Lower 48

megabyte
megawatt (MW)
megawatthour (MWh)
Middle Atlantic
Middle East
the Midwest (Census region)
midwestern states
moon
Mountain time zone

the nation (lower case)
New England
New York Harbor; the harbor
the North
north
northeastern states
the Northeast (Census region)
the North Pole
North Sea
North Sea Brent
Northern California
Northern Hemisphere
northern New Mexico
Nymex futures

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (don’t forget the the) (OPEC)

the Pacific Northwest
Pacific time zone
PAD Districts (PADD)
the Persian Gulf
polar regions
production tax credit (PTC) lower case when spelled out

Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) upper case when spelled out. It’s fuel (not fuels) standard.
renewable portfolio standard (RPS) lower case when spelled out
Rocky Mountain PADD
Rocky Mountains

seasons are lower case (spring, summer, winter, fall)—except when the seasons are part of a
proper noun such as Summer Olympics or Spring Semester
the South
the Southeast
the Southwest
spring
south (compass directions north, east, south and west are not capitalized)
the South Pole
Southern California

The word web is
lower case in all uses.

southern France
South Africa, but southern Africa
South Korea
Southern Hemisphere
Silicon Valley
states (lower case)
state energy policy
the South (Census region)
the Southeast region
southern states
the South Pole
the state of Colorado
summer
sun

the territories
the union (not preferred; use the nation or the United States)
the West (Census region)
the U.S. Energy Information Administration (but just EIA, not the EIA)

U.S. (with periods, never US; spell out United States when used as a noun)
U.K. (UK is not incorrect, just not EIA preferred style)
url

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Washington state—Washington State is a university
Washington, DC
the web (short for World Wide Web) (Chicago Manual of Style prefers web)
web page
webcast
webinar
website
Western Hemisphere time zones (Eastern standard time, Eastern time zone, Mountain time)
western United States
west
the West Coast
the West (but western part of the state)
winter
World Wide Web (if spelled out)

For more information on capitalizing names of regions, localities, and geographic
features, see The Chicago Manual of Style: Popular Names and Terms or GPO Style
Manual: Capitalization Rules.

2. Capitalizing and punctuating bulleted or numbered lists
• Capitalize the first word of each item in a bulleted or numbered list, whether the
bullets are complete sentences, phrases, or words.
• Don’t use any punctuation at the ends of the bulleted items unless they are
complete sentences.
Correct punctuation (none):
There are four energy-consuming sectors:
• Residential
• Commercial
• Industrial
• Transportation
Incorrect punctuation (don’t end with semicolons):
There are four energy-consuming sectors:
• Residential;
• Commercial;
• Industrial;
• Transportation;

In most cases, don’t
use any punctuation
at the end of bullets.
Never end bullets with
commas or semicolons.

Incorrect punctuation (don’t end with commas):
There are four energy-consuming sectors:
• Residential,
• Commercial,
• Industrial, and
• Transportation,

Capitalize the first
letter of each bulleted
item.

Incorrect punctuation (don’t end with periods):
There are four energy-consuming sectors:
• Residential.
• Commercial.
• Industrial.
• Transportation.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

• Sometimes it is tempting to not capitalize the first word of every bullet. This style
is not wrong; it’s just not EIA style.
EIA capitalization style:
I have three pets:

Alternative lower-case style
(not wrong, but not EIA style):
I have three pets:

• Bird
• Dog
• Cat

• bird
• dog
• cat

• Note: Use numbers only for items that have a sequence (step by step) or an
intended order (top 10 oil-producing states). Otherwise, use bullets.
Correct: Steps to apply:
Capitalize the first
word of each bullet
item, whether or
not the bullets are
complete sentences,
phrases, or words.

Correct: There are three top
coal-producing states:

• Fill out the form
• Sign the form
• Turn in the form

• Wyoming
• West Virginia
• Kentucky

Also correct (adding
numbers indicates order)
Steps to apply:
1. Fill out the form
2. Sign the form
3. Turn in the form

Also correct (adding numbers
indicates rank)
The top three coal-producing
states are as follows:
1. Wyoming
2. West Virginia
3. Kentucky

3. Capitalizing report titles and headings: title or sentence case
There are two types of capitalization for titles and headings:
Title case: Capitalize the first letter of each major word in the title and first-level
headings. Do not capitalize but, for, or, to, as, a, etc. Second-level headings and below
are sentence case.
Example of title case capitalization: Natural Gas Production Increased in 2015
Sentence case: Just like the capitalization in a sentence—only the first word of the
title or heading is capitalized (and, of course, any names and proper nouns). Use
sentence case for second-level headings and below. Also use sentence case for the
titles of graphs and tables.
Example of sentence case capitalization: Natural gas production increased in 2015
All titles except the report title and first-level headings should be sentence case in EIA
style. The EIA report template uses this rule for capitalization.

4. Using title case
• Capitalize the main words of table titles and most headings and subheadings,
including the second word in a hyphenated term (e.g., PV Program Five-Year
Plan, Short-Term Energy Outlook).
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U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

• Do not capitalize articles (i.e., a, an, and the) unless they begin the title or
heading; conjunctions (e.g., and, or, nor, and but); or prepositions (e.g., for, of,
and to) unless they contain four or more letters. When to is used in a title or
heading, it is capitalized as an infinitive and lowercase as a preposition. Verbs
are always capitalized, including is and are.
Correct title case:
Projected Summer Gasoline Prices Are Near Last Summer’s Level
Chavez’s Opponents Accuse Him of Squandering Venezuela’s Resources
North American Electric Reliability Regions Map
U.S. Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts (PADD) Map
International Energy Data and Analysis
• Capitalize all first and last words in title-case titles and headings even if the last
word is a preposition.
Correct: The Signal Scientists Wait For
• Capitalize hyphenated words that would be capitalized if standing alone.
Correct: Short-Term Energy Outlook
Correct: Long-Term Forecast Shows Growth

Use sentence case
capitalization for titles
of graphs and tables.

• Always capitalize the word to when it precedes a verb, if using title case.
Correct: Researchers To Discuss Recent Findings
Correct: How To Subscribe to the Newsletter
• Do not capitalize the word to in other uses.
Correct: Add International Data to Your Sample Set

5. Capitalizing governmental references
• Do not capitalize the words federal, state, nation, and government or the name
of any government entities below the state level, unless it is part of a proper
noun.
Correct: Which state uses the most electricity?
Correct: The renewable initiative is a federal program.
Correct: How much oil does our nation import?
• Do not capitalize government entities below the state level, unless the entity
name is part of the proper name.
Correct: Both county and city governments levy gasoline taxes.
Correct: I was born in Carson City, Nevada.
Correct: Los Angeles County is in California.
• United States: Spell out United States when it’s used as a noun. Use terms such
as United States, country, or nation. Avoid using the term American, which can
sometimes refer to more than just the United States.
Correct: Grand Coulee Dam is the largest electric power facility in the country.
Incorrect: Grand Coulee Dam is the largest electric power facility in America.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

• Congress: Capitalize the full names and shortened names of governmental
organizations. Congress is capitalized, but congressional is not capitalized.
Correct: The U.S. Congress is considering amendments to energy legislation.
The Congress did not pass the amendments.
Correct: The congressional session resulted in no action.
• Remember to be consistent in capitalization of governmental references within
each document.

6. Capitalizing acts, treaties, and government programs
• Capitalize formal or accepted titles of rules, pacts, plans, policies, treaties, acts,
programs, and similar documents or agreements.
Correct: The Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) was promulgated by EPA in
March 2005. This rule was published in the Federal Register.

Spell out United States
when it’s used as a noun.

• Do not capitalize incomplete or generic references to acts, treaties, and
government programs.
Correct: The treaty set international standards.
For more information on capitalizing governmental entities, see GPO Style Manual
Chapter 3: Capitalization rules and Chapter 4: Capitalization examples.

7. Using capitals in EIA organization names and titles
Capitalize names of specific offices and teams. Do not capitalize organization names in
generic, nonspecific references.
Correct: Office of Communications
Correct: Petroleum Marketing Statistics Team
Correct: John Krohn, Content Operations Team Leader
Correct: Gina Pearson, Assistant Administrator, Office of Communications
Correct: Meet with your office director.
Correct: EIA has many team leaders.

8. Using bold for emphasis instead of capitals
Do not write in all capital letters for emphasis, which is interpreted as shouting at
the reader. Use bold or italics instead of uppercase or underlining when you want to
emphasize a word or phrase.
Correct: Important note: We review databases annually.
Incorrect: IMPORTANT NOTE: We review databases annually.
Correct: That is why these technologies must never be abandoned.
Incorrect: That is why these technologies must NEVER be abandoned.
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U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

9. Capitalizing Internet-related words
Capitalization of Internet-related words is a style decision that has evolved over time.
Use these capitalization styles for EIA writing.
homepage
Internet
Internet service provider (ISP)
intranet
url
the web (short for World Wide Web)

web page (web is lowercased all the
time)
webcast
webinar
website
World Wide Web

10. Capitalizing embedded hypertext links
• When the text in the embedded link is the title of a publication or other proper
name, match the link capitalization to the capitalization of the publication’s title.
Examples:
Electric Power Monthly is released each month.
See What’s New in the Petroleum Supply Monthly for details.
• When the text in the embedded link is not a title, use lower case.
Example: Information on pipeline capacity covers all four regions of the
United States.
• Do not capitalize embedded links that are not proper nouns or titles.
Example: The updated information was released today.

11. Using capitals in company names
• Capitalize the same way the company does.
Example: Use Twitter and Tweet
• Use camelcase (capital letters inside the name or word) only if it is the formal
company name.
Examples:
iPod
PayPal
PowerPoint
TiVo
ExxonMobil (one word) but Exxon Mobil Corporation

Use bold or italics
instead of uppercase or
underlining when you
want to emphasize a
word or phrase.

• Avoid using all caps for company names and other names.
Examples:
Bentek, not BENTEK
Nymex, not NYMEX
Pepco, not PEPCO
Energy Star (don’t use the ® symbol)
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Numbers
If a page number in the table of contents is
wrong, the data in Table 4 is just as likely
to be wrong.
Carol Fisher Saller,
The Subversive Copy Editor: Advice from
Chicago, 2009

1. Writing out numbers or numerals
• Write out numbers from one through nine. Exceptions: When the numbers refer
to percentages (2%), time of day (4:00 p.m.), or measurement (3 inches, 9 miles).
Guidance on using numbers or words for measurements is tricky. EIA writes out
numbers for the calendar (four weeks, eight days).
Correct: The five renewable energy sources used most often are biomass,
hydropower, geothermal, wind, and solar.
Correct: We did eight experiments with two barrels of oil.
Correct: The report is due in four months.
• Use numerals for numbers 10 and above.
Correct: In this report, the U.S. Energy Information Administration presents
10 major energy trends.
Correct: Nearly 30 million tons of trash were processed last year in waste-toenergy facilities.
• Use numerals for each number when two or more numbers appear in a sentence
and one of them is 10 or larger.
Correct: Last month, 8 of the 16 geothermal sites were evaluated.
Incorrect: Last month, eight of the 16 geothermal sites were evaluated.
Correct: At the meeting of 12 offices and 3 divisions, they all had the same
ideas.
Incorrect: At the meeting of the 12 offices and three divisions, they all had
the same ideas.
• Write out any number that begins a sentence. Do not begin a sentence with a
number or a year.
Examples:
Twenty-two people came to the meeting.
Thirty-one municipalities have proposed commercial nuclear power plants.
Fifteen years later, production at the mine had increased.
Write out numbers from
one through nine.
Use numerals for
numbers 10 and above.

• Write out ordinal numbers (a number that indicates rank) under 10; use
numerals for ordinal numbers 10 and above.
Example: China is the fifth-largest producer of oil.
Example: As of January 2015, Louisiana ranked 15th in nuclear capacity.
Example: China ranked 5th and India ranked 12th in global coal production.
(Use numbers for both ordinal ranks if one number in the sentence is greater
than 9.)
• The letters in ordinal numbers should not be superscripts. Write 20th, not
20th. This format is not the default in Microsoft Word—you have to undo the
automatic superscript. This lowered th format is the default in html, so it will be
formatted correctly in the final version posted on the website.
• Use numerals (not words) usually until 1 million.

Preferred

Not preferred

3,000

3 thousand

680,000

680 thousand

3 million

3,000,000

15,500

15.5 thousand

$1.13

113 cents

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

• Consider a write-around if you have a sentence ending in a decimal number.
Correct, but confusing: Average cupcake consumption was 1.1.
Better: Guests ate an average of 1.1 cupcakes.

2. Writing out or using numerals for fractions
• Write out simple fractions and use hyphens.
Examples:
Coal typically fuels about nine-tenths of net electricity generation in Ohio.
Three-fourths of the congressional members voted for the bill. (Threefourths and three-quarters are both correct.)
The law passed by a two-thirds majority.
• Use numerals for mixed fractions.
Example: The 7½-inch pipeline crosses two states.
• Don’t use th for fractions or dates.
Correct: The tear was 1/64 of an inch.
Incorrect: The tear was 1/64th of an inch.

Correct: May 7
Incorrect: May 7th

Use the % sign in all
EIA writing.

• Write out fractions that are followed by a, of, or an.
Example: The cake recipe called for a quarter cup of milk.
• Use numerals in fractions that are followed by a unit of measure.
Correct: The coal beds are at least 3¼ miles apart.
Correct: The outage lasted for 1½ days.

3. Always use the % sign for percent
• Use the % sign in all EIA content.
• If you are updating a document that uses the word percent, be careful
when using global search and replace, because the word percentage
will become %age.
• No spaces between the numeral and the % sign.
Correct: 5%
Incorrect: 5 %
• No hyphen between the numeral and the % sign when the phrase is a modifier.
Correct: The price shock resulted in a 75% increase at the pump.
Incorrect: The price shock resulted in a 75%-increase at the pump.
• Express percentages in numerals.
Correct: In 2015, the inflation rate rose by 3%.
Correct: The oil price shocks result in a 25% rise in gas prices.
Incorrect: During 2015, the inflation rate rose by three percent.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

4. Writing ranges of numbers and adjacent numbers
• When writing a range, state the units or % with both values. If a budget increase
is written as $3-$4 million dollars, that might mean $3 to $4 million, or $3 million
to $4 million. State the units with each number to eliminate ambiguity.
Correct: Consumption rose 2%–4% across four regions. (repeat %. The en
dash means to)
Correct: Consumption rose 2% to 4% across four regions.
Incorrect: Consumption rose 2–4% across four regions. (% sign isn’t by both
numbers)
Incorrect: Consumption rose 2 to 4% across four regions. (% sign isn’t by both
numbers)
Correct: The temperature ranged between 32°C–40°C.
• Adjacent numbers—using numbers for two different things in the same sentence.
Correct: I drank four 2-liter bottles of Coke Zero.
Correct: The utility built ten 5-kW reactors.
Correct: The pipeline was built in fifteen 10-mile stretches.
Correct: The total consists of 67 turbines each with a capacity of 1.5 MW.
(not 67 1.5 MW turbines)

5. Writing negative numbers or minus signs
• When writing negative numbers, always use a hyphen (not an en dash) for the
negative sign.
Correct: The temperature was minus 4°F. (preferred)
Correct: The temperature was -4°F.
Incorrect: The temperature was negative 4°F.
• When writing about monetary decreases, put the minus sign before the $ sign.
Correct: -$0.07
Incorrect: $- 0.07
• When writing a calculation, spell out the word minus rather than using the minus
sign.
Correct: The total was 30 minus 27.
Incorrect: The total was 30-27. (This style makes the total look like a range
rather than a subtracted value.)

6. Using numerals with units of measure
Correct: I drove 8 miles.
Correct: The bottle contained 4 liters.
• Calendar references are not units of measure, so spell out the numbers.
Correct: The meeting is in three days.
Correct: I will go on vacation in six months.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

7. Using numbers with currency
• Write out the word cents or use the ¢ symbol when writing about cents only
(when not writing about dollars). Both options are OK. Be consistent within your
document.
Examples: The price of gasoline went up 15 cents per gallon last week.
The price of gasoline went up 15¢ per gallon last week.
• Sometimes when writing about prices (especially gasoline prices), it makes sense
to state the actual prices in dollars per gallon and the price changes in cents per
gallon. Again, be consistent in usage and style within a document. Check with
your supervisor if you are uncertain about units.
Correct: The U.S. retail price of gasoline decreased $0.15 per gallon last week
to $3.82 per gallon, $0.34 per gallon higher than last year at this time.
Correct: The U.S. retail price of gasoline decreased 15 cents (or 15¢) per
gallon last week to $3.82 per gallon, 34 cents (or 34¢) per gallon higher than
last year at this time.
• If numerals are used for dollars, use the dollar sign ($).
Correct: The average coal-fired power plant costs $850 million to build.
Incorrect: The average coal-fired power plant costs 850 million dollars to build.
Incorrect: The average coal-fired power plant costs $850 million dollars to build.
• If adjusting for inflation, use 2012 dollars or 2012$, not $2012.
Correct: The price of gasoline was adjusted for inflation using 2012$.
Correct: The price of gasoline was adjusted for inflation using 2012 dollars.
• Numbers or prices in the same sentence should be shown to the same
significance.
Correct: The cost of electricity rose from 6.7 cents per kWh to 7.0 cents
per kWh.
Incorrect: The cost of electricity rose from 6.7 cents per kWh to 7 cents
per kWh.
• When writing about international topics, note whether the dollar values are in
U.S. dollars. Spell out the unit the first time used; then use the abbreviation.
Correct: US $5 million
Incorrect: USD $5 million
Incorrect: $US 5 million
Incorrect: $U.S. 5 million

Correct: Euro (EUR) 5 million
Correct: Australian Dollar (AUD) 5 million
Correct: Canadian Dollar (CAD) 5 million
Correct: Japanese Yen (JPY) 5 million

8. Mixing numerals and written-out numbers for large numbers
• To make large numbers (beginning with million) easier to read, mix numerals
and written-out units.
Correct: In December 2007, two countries exported more than 1.5 million
barrels per day to the United States.
Correct: Libya has eight oil fields with reserves of 10 billion barrels or more
each, and four others with reserves of 500 million to 10 billion barrels.
Correct: The population is 3 billion people.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

9. Writing out or using numerals for dates and years
• Use numerals to refer to a span of years. Omit the first two digits of the second
number, if the two years are in the same century. This guidance applies to text,
headings, graph titles, and labels.
Correct:
The model year 2005-07 standards
2000-2040 (2000 is the end of the 20th century, so all four digits are used.)
FY 2000–FY 2016
1998–2016
January 2010–December 2015
• Use all four digits when referencing a specific year; don’t omit the first two digits.
Write 1980s, not 1980’s.
Write March 12, not
March 12th.
Write 2015–17,
not 2015–2017

Correct: New investment in clean energy sources increased in 2008.
Incorrect: New investment in clean energy sources increased in ’08.
• Write out the number associated with a century if the number is below 10. Use
lower case.
Correct: Wood fueled the country from its earliest years through the middle
of the 19th century.
Correct: Chinese merchants and traders arrived and settled in the ninth
century.
• Write out decades in lowercase, or use numerals. If you use numerals, do not use
the apostrophe between the numerals and the s.
Correct: 1990s
Incorrect: 1990’s
• Don’t use superscript for dates.
Correct: January 3
Incorrect: January 3rd
• Don’t begin a sentence with a year in numerals.
Correct: Nineteen ninety eight was a good year for business.
Correct: The year 1998 was a good year for business.
Incorrect: 1998 was a good year for business.

10. Writing out or using numerals for time
• Use numerals for exact times that are followed by a.m. or p.m.
Correct: Several thousand customers were affected by yesterday’s 5:15 a.m.
power outage.
• Write out the words noon and midnight and combine with numerals. Don’t use
12:00 p.m. or 12:00 a.m. or 12:00.
Correct: The market will run from 9:00 a.m. through 12:00 noon.
Correct: Ending stocks are held in storage as of 12:00 midnight.
• Write out the numbers when combined with the word o’clock.
Correct: Every day, Marie Curie read until three o’clock in the morning.
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U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

11. Using commas in numerals of four digits or more
Use commas between groups of three digits, starting from the right, to show
thousands, millions, etc., in writing and on graphs.
Correct: A short ton is a unit of weight equal to 2,000 pounds.
Correct: PV cells and module shipments increased from 181,116 kilowatthours to
226,916 kilowatthours.

12. Using decimals and significant digits
• Use a zero before a decimal point if there is no value in the first place to the left
of the decimal.
Correct: The price fell by 0.2%.
Incorrect: The price fell by .2%.
• Use the same level of significant digits in a comparison or section.
Consistent: Consumption rose by 2.0% in February and by 3.2% in March.
Inconsistent: Consumption rose by 2% in February and by 3.2% in March.
• Round to a whole number unless it is important to show the exact number.
Rounded: Crude oil imports in February 2015 were about 15 million barrels
per day.
More significance: Crude oil imports in February 2015 were 15.013 million
barrels per day.
• Omit zeros after a decimal point unless they indicate exact measurement and
the audience needs to know the level of significance. Use whole numbers to
show percent change if possible. Remember that 3% means something different
than 3.0%.
Correct: OPEC crude oil production will average about 32.2 million b/d during
the first quarter of 2015, down from 33.0 million b/d last year.
Correct: Prices rose about 3% between March and April.
• The number of significant digits might vary within a document. You don’t have
to show the same number of digits for each figure you write within a document.
Try to be consistent within sentences and paragraphs when you refer to the
same units.
For more information on numbers, see The Chicago Manual of Style, Chapter 9:
Numbers and GPO Style Manual, Chapter 12: Mathematics in Type.

13. Formatting phone numbers
Show the area code, and use hyphens between number groups. Do not use
parentheses or periods around or between numbers.
Technical inquiries
Phone: 202-586-8959
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

14. Writing about changes in values
• Be careful when writing that a value increased four-fold. If something goes from
1 to 4, that’s a four-fold increase but only a 300% increase. These calculations are
not easy for readers to understand.
Correct, more clear: Consumption increased from 1 unit to 4 units, or 300%,
between 2015 and 2016.
Correct, possibly confusing: Consumption increased four-fold between 2015
and 2016.
• Distinguish between percent change and percentage point change.
Correct: Oil share dropped from 50% to 48%, a decline of 2 percentage
points.
• Restating a change: If you state a change in physical units and then restate the
same change as a percentage, you must use a comma or commas to show you
are restating the same change.
Correct: Production fell by 6 million b/d, or 10%, in 2014.
Incorrect: Production fell by 6 million b/d or 10%. (Omitting the comma
means it fell by one value or the other. The commas signal that it fell by both
values.)
Correct: Oil prices rose from $80 per barrel to $100 per barrel, or 25%,
between 2007 and 2008.
Correct: Oil prices rose from $80 per barrel to $100 per barrel (25%)
between 2007 and 2008.
Incorrect: Oil prices rose from $80 per barrel to $100 per barrel or 25%
between 2007 and 2008.
Writers make this mistake when they state the change in units and then restate the
change as a percentage. It’s not that the item changed by this amount or this other
amount. Rather, it’s that the item changed by this amount, and restated, it changed by
this other amount.
If you state a change
in physical units and
then restate the same
change as a percentage,
you must use a comma
or commas to show
you are restating
the same change.
Production increased by
1.2 million barrels per
day , or 5% , in 2015.

15. Using the correct verb when writing about numbers
A number is singular, but what about a number of? A number takes a plural verb, and
the number takes a singular verb.
Correct: A huge number of people are going to the show.
Correct: A small number of children are waiting for the bus.
Incorrect: A number of them is going.
Correct: The number 15 is what we are aiming for.
Correct: I thought the number 50 was close to the right answer.

16. Writing about numbers (also applies to writing in general)
Be careful with more than/less than, over/under, and fewer/less. More than and less
than refer to a number or an amount. Over and under refer to positions or places.
Fewer is used with countable objects (e.g., apples, seats), while less is used for
noncountable objects (e.g., sand, salt).

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Preferred

Not preferred

U.S. reliance on imports

U.S. dependence on imports

natural gas

gas (ambiguous–could be gasoline)

net imports of gasoline

gasoline net imports

electricity demand, electricity generation

electric demand, electric generation

transportation fuel use

transportation energy demand

about 7 million barrels

around or approximately 7 million barrels

were the lowest since…

were at the lowest levels since…

use of coal

usage of coal

5 million tons

a total of 5 million tons

set a record

set a new record, all-time record high

more than $5 per gallon

over $5 per gallon

The class has more than 50 students.

The class has over 50 students.

Fewer than 10 kids came to the party.

Under 10 kids came to the party.

for more than two decades

for over two decades

more than 22%

over 22%

difference between

differential between

There are fewer rigs operating now.

There are less rigs operating now.

17. Typing scientific notations and footnotes
EIA publications often contain footnotes and scientific notations that normally appear
as superscript numbers. Use the following steps to make numbered characters appear
as subscript or superscript where necessary.
In Microsoft Word:
1. Type out the text that includes the character that you want to be in subscript
(or superscript).
2. Highlight the character (or number) to be subscripted.
3. Click on the Home tab.
4. Locate the Font box and look for this icon.
5. Check the Subscript icon.
6. The shortcut is ctrl+. Hold both keys together while the character you want
to be in subscript is highlighted.
EIA style prefers no subscripts when possible (CO2, for example, with an inline 2) so
the html spacing of the lines remains consistent. CO2 is OK for technical reports. Be
consistent within your document.

18. Writing mathematical equations
A mathematical equation is either a sentence or a clause within a sentence.
Mathematical symbols, however, are not plain English. Because sentences containing
equations often include mathematical details, they may be longer and more complex
than plain English sentences, and they may be formatted differently. Sentences
with equations follow the same grammar, punctuation, and capitalization rules as
sentences and clauses written in words.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Variable definitions may appear either before or after an equation. Each variable
definition is itself an equation and should be punctuated either as a sentence or as an
independent clause. Ending commas or semicolons are both correct.
Correct: Let wj,t,l be the weight of component model j, based on historical data
up to and including year t, in the calculation of l-step-ahead projections, where
j = 1, … , k and l ≥ 2. For j = 1,2, … , k ‒ 1, let

The inverse transforms are defined by

Correct: The static regression model for the Mont Belvieu ethane price is
where
When typing
mathematical
expressions, use a
font in which every
character is unique.
Readers often cannot
use the context to
distinguish between
characters.
Using fonts in which
letters or numbers
are indistinguishable
(e.g., l and I) can
lead to ambiguities.
Use the Microsoft
Word equation editor
(Insert Tab, Equation
Dropdown Menu) to
guarantee clarity.

yt = annual average Mont Belvieu ethane price (cents per gallon in 2011
dollars) in year t;
x1,t = ethane production (million barrels per day) in year t;
x2,t = total chemical demand (value of domestic shipments, in billions of
2005 dollars) in year t;
x3,t = annual average West Texas Intermediate crude oil price (2011 dollars
per barrel) in year t; and
εt = a normally distributed random error term.

Incorrect: The static regression model for the Mont Belvieu ethane price is:
Where:

= annual average Mont Belvieu ethane price (cents per gallon in 2011
dollars) in year t
x1,t = ethane production (million barrels per day) in year t
x2,t = total chemical demand (value of domestic shipments, in billions of
2005 dollars) in year t
x3,t = annual average West Texas Intermediate crude oil price (2011 dollars
per barrel) in year t
εt = a normally distributed random error term

Sometimes a large number of variable definitions (e.g., definitions for all variable
names used in a document) are compiled into a data dictionary, which is formatted as
a list or a table. In these cases, the style rules for lists or tables apply.
66

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Commas
Let’s eat Grandma.
Let’s eat, Grandma.
I like cooking my family and my pets.
I like cooking, my family, and my pets.
Commas save lives.

1. Using commas with items listed in sentences—EIA always uses
the serial comma
• Use commas to separate three or more items in a list. Don’t forget the comma
between the last two items. This comma is often called the serial comma (or the
Oxford comma) and is an EIA style choice.
Correct: The pump price reflects the costs of refiners, marketers,
distributors , and retail gas station owners.
Correct: The American flag is red, white , and blue.
• Sometimes the serial comma is imperative for clarity. Adding one comma in the
second sentence below adds two people to the meaning.
Example: Two girls, Christine and Michelle, went home. (two people)
Example: Two girls, Christine, and Michelle went home. (four people)
• If the last item in the list has more than one part, use this punctuation. The serial
comma is after french fries, not after chocolate.
Correct: For lunch I ate steak, french fries, and a chocolate and vanilla cake.
• Here’s a classic example of the reason to use a serial comma.
Ambiguous meaning: I would like to thank my parents, Albert Einstein and
Mother Theresa. (Who are my parents? Without the serial comma after
Einstein, my parents appear to be those two famous people.)

2. Using commas with introductory phrases
• Use a comma after introductory words, phrases, or clauses.
Example: After drafting the regulations, the agency called for comments.
• Using a comma after a short introductory phrase is often optional, but an
introductory phrase of four words or more should be followed by a comma to
make the sentence easier to read.
EIA always uses the
serial comma.

Correct (but optional) commas
Example: In addition, federal taxes are added to the price of gasoline.
Example: In 2015, EIA published an updated Writing Style Guide.
Example: Of course, we approved the report.
• Long introductory phrases require an introductory comma.
Example: When the Navy destroyers engaged North Vietnamese torpedo
boats in August 1964, the United States officially entered the Vietnam War.
• One way to avoid this comma-use dilemma is to change the order of the
components of the sentence, so no comma is needed. It depends on what you
are trying to emphasize in the sentence.
Example: The United States officially entered the Vietnam War when the
Navy destroyers engaged North Vietnamese torpedo boats in battle in
August 1964.
• Don’t use a comma after an introductory phrase that is followed by a verb.
Example: Issuing the regulations begins the review process.

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EIA Writing Style Guide

3. Using commas with which and that phrases
The words which and that are not interchangeable. You use the word which in cases
where the text that follows elaborates on the first part of the sentence. You use the
word that in cases where the sentence doesn’t need a comma to break up the two
thoughts in the sentence.
• Use a comma before a clause that begins with which.
• Do not use a comma before that.
Example: EIA’s conference chairs, which are old, will be replaced.
(All of EIA’s conference chairs will be replaced because they all happen to be
old.)

Use a comma before
a clause that begins
with the word which.

Example: EIA’s conference chairs that are old will be replaced.
(Only EIA’s old conference chairs will be replaced, but the new ones will not
be replaced.)
For more information on using which and that, see: Chapter 5 Commonly Misused
Words
• Use commas to set off supplemental or parenthetical information.
• Do not use commas if the phrase or clause restricts the meaning such that, if
you deleted the phrase or clause, the sentence would be unclear.
Correct: The amendments, adopted in 1960, changed enforcement
procedures.
The commas setting off adopted in 1960 signify that the date of adoption
informs, but does not restrict, which amendments are being discussed.
Example: The amendments adopted in 1960 changed enforcement procedures.
Without commas, the sentence above indicates that the amendments that
were adopted in 1960 set forth the procedures. The phrase restricts which
amendments are being discussed.

4. Using a comma to separate a name from a title
Don’t forget the second comma. The title or other additional information could also be
written in parentheses or with em dashes.
Correct: John Smith, human resources director, issued the regulations.
Correct: John Smith (human resource director) issued the regulations.
Correct: John Smith—human resource director—issued the regulations.

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EIA Writing Style Guide

5. Using commas with conjunctions and with two complete
sentences
Use a comma when two complete sentences (also called independent clauses) are
separated by a conjunction, such as and, but, and or.
Complete sentence, but complete sentence.
Complete sentence, while complete sentence.
Complete sentence, and complete sentence.
Two sentences separated by a comma
Correct: I would like to attend the conference, but I can’t find registration
information.
Correct: Paul pumped the gas, and Mary got a soda.
Correct: I was hungry, so I went to the store.
One sentence with no comma
Correct: Paul pumped the gas and got a soda.
Incorrect: Paul pumped the gas, and got a soda.
Correct: I was hungry and went for dinner.
Incorrect: I was hungry, and went for dinner.
Either put the thoughts in two separate sentences, or, if you put them together, use a
comma between the two complete sentences.

6. Using commas in dates
• Do not use a comma to separate the month from the year.
Incorrect: October, 2012
Incorrect: Oct. 2012
Incorrect: October of 2012
Use a comma when
two complete
sentences are
separated by a
conjunction.

• Use a comma to separate the date from the year but not the month from the
year.
Correct: October 4, 2012
Correct: October 2012

7. Commas after e.g. and i.e.
Always put a comma after e.g. and i.e. Do not italicize e.g. or i.e. EIA preferred style is
to say for example or that is rather than to use these abbreviations.
Preferred: I like ethnic food (for example, Thai, Mexican, and Indian).
Correct: I like ethnic food (e.g., Thai, Mexican, and Indian).
Preferred: The year has four seasons, that is, winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Preferred: The year has four seasons—winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Correct: The year has four seasons, i.e., winter, spring, summer, and fall.

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EIA Writing Style Guide

8. Using commas with however
Correct: However hard I tried, I couldn’t stop eating chocolate. (no comma after
however)
Correct: However, I didn’t gain any weight. (comma) (beginning a sentence with
however is not recommended)

9. Using commas with too
Either way is correct. Some style books say the comma puts a little more emphasis on
the word too.
Correct: I like it too.
Correct: I like it, too.

Always put a comma
after e.g. and i.e.

10. Using commas when restating a numerical change
Writers make this mistake when they state the change in units and then restate the
change as a percentage. It’s not that the item changed by this amount or by this other
amount. Rather, it’s that the item changed by this amount, or restated, it changed by
this other amount. The commas setting off the restatement are critical.
Correct: Oil prices rose from $80 per barrel to $100 per barrel, or 25%, between
2007 and 2008.
Incorrect: Oil prices rose from $80 per barrel to $100 per barrel or 25% between
2007 and 2008.

11. Using commas with large numbers
Use commas to show thousands in writing and on graph axes. Some graphing
packages drop the comma, just using 1000, 1200, 1400. This format is not EIA style.
Correct:
Incorrect:
International:

1,200
1200
1 200

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EIA Writing Style Guide

Hyphens and Dashes
Why we need hyphens: Because
a small-state senator is not the
same as a small state senator.
Grammar Monkeys blog and
other online sources

1. Hyphen (-), En dash (–), and Em dash (—)
The two types of dashes and the hyphen have different uses and are not
interchangeable. Simply put, hyphens bring words together, en dashes show a span or
relationship, and em dashes set words apart.
Example with all three: The three-year-old nuclear reactor—located at Crystal
Lake—will be closed 3–5 weeks for a safety evaluation.
Em dash and en dash are strange names for dashes, but they come from the historical
widths of the typeset capital letters M and N. You can remember an em dash is longer
than an en dash because a capital M is wider than a capital N.
The rules for using hyphens in compound words are somewhat flexible. Compound
words frequently have a hyphen stage when they are newly combined, then the
hyphen disappears as the compound is commonly used and becomes one word. For
example, on line became on-line and is now online.
• Hyphen (-) connects words for clarity. It is the shortest of the three dash lines.
Correct: short-term forecasts, combined-cycle plant, shut-in capacity
• En dash (–) shows a range from (something) to (something else), usually numbers
or dates. You should be able to substitute the word to for an en dash. An en dash
is longer than a hyphen but shorter than an em dash.
Correct: The party is from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Correct: The party runs 3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Correct: Consumption rose 2%–4%
Correct: Consumption rose between 2% and 4%.
Incorrect: The party is 3:00 p.m.—5:00 p.m.
Incorrect: Production decreased from 1997-2007.
Incorrect: Electricity demand ranged between 1-3 MWh.
The two types of dashes
and the hyphen have
different uses and are
not interchangeable.

• Em dash (—) is twice as wide as a hyphen and serves the same purpose as
commas or parentheses, with a phrase set between them. Em dashes are often
used in pairs. Use an em dash to indicate a sudden break or abrupt change in
thought, or to emphasize an idea. Also consider using em dashes rather than
parentheses to set off examples or specific items.
Correct: Consumption of liquid fuels is projected to decline in 2016—a sharp
reversal from previous projections.
Correct: Most—but not all—of the attendees were from EIA.
Incorrect spacing: Most — but not all — of the attendees were from EIA.
Correct: Three states (California, Texas, and New York) have high electricity
prices.
Correct: Three states—California, Texas, and New York—have high electricity
prices.
• EIA style does not use spaces between hyphens and dashes and the surrounding
text.
Correct spacing: I like cookies and—dare I say—cake.
Incorrect spacing: I like cookies and — dare I say — cake.

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EIA Writing Style Guide

Typing an en dash: There is no computer key for typing an en dash. You can insert it
as a symbol, or, in Microsoft Word you can press Ctrl-Minus (the minus key is above
and to the right of the 9 key on the number pad of a standard keyboard). Don’t use
spaces between words and an en dash.
Typing an em dash: There is no computer key for typing an em dash. You can insert
it as a symbol, or, in Microsoft Word you can press Ctrl-Alt-Minus (the minus key is
above and to the right of the 9 key on the number pad of a standard keyboard). In
Microsoft Word you also can type two hyphens after a word, and then leave no space
between the second hyphen and the next word. Microsoft Word will automatically
convert the two hyphens to an em dash when you continue typing. Don’t use spaces
between words and an em dash.

Never use a hyphen in
place of a dash. When
people say use a dash,
they almost always
mean an em dash.

2. Hyphenating compound words
• Use a hyphen between words when they are combined to modify the word that
follows.
Examples:
near-term contract
agreed-upon standards
long-term forecast
combined-cycle plant
five-year period

high-level discussion
high-volume wells
second-largest producer
fifth-largest region

• Don’t use a hyphen in compound words when the meaning is clear without the
hyphen and the hyphen will not aid readability.
Examples:
bituminous coal industry
child welfare plan
civil rights case
per capita
• Proper noun compounds: with hyphens.
Examples:
Spanish-American pride
Winston-Salem festival
African-American program
Franco-Prussian War
• Dangling hyphens: when two or more hyphenated compounds have a common
element and this element is omitted in all but the last term.
Examples:
coal- and natural gas-fired generation (not natural-gas-fired generation)
highly service- and technology-oriented business
pro- and anti-competitive practices
long- and short-term forecasts
mid- and late-2000s

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EIA Writing Style Guide

• Two modifiers before a noun with an adverb that ends in “-ly.”: no hyphen,
because ambiguity is unlikely.
Examples:
rapidly growing economy
frequently missed deadlines
heavily skewed results
competitively priced fuel
• Compound that includes a non-English phrase: no hyphen.
Examples:
bona fide transaction
ex officio member
per capita consumption
• Different hyphenation using the same words.
I walked the much-loved dog.
The dog was much loved.
We use a low-cost fuel.
That fuel is low cost.
It’s a day-to-day task.
I take life day to day.
I bought a new air-conditioning unit.
I am chilled by the air conditioning.
• The terms end use and end-use are often used in EIA writing. A hyphen is
required when end-use is used as an adjective but not when it’s used as a noun.
Correct: Residential is one of the end-use sectors.
Incorrect: Residential is one of the end use sectors.
Correct: The end uses of electricity include powering lights and providing air
conditioning.
Incorrect: The end-uses of electricity include powering lights and providing
air conditioning.

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EIA Writing Style Guide

3. Using a hyphen to avoid mispronunciation or ambiguity in
context
In some cases, you should use a hyphen to prevent mispronunciation or to avoid
ambiguity of a word.
Write:
pre-position
re-creation
re-sorting
un-ionized
re-press
re-treat
trans-shipment

To avoid confusion with:
preposition
recreation
resorting
unionized
repress
retreat
transshipment

• Sometimes a hyphen is needed to prevent ambiguity in a sentence.
Clear: The scientist tested a new defect-causing gas.
Not clear: The scientist tested a new defect causing gas.
The hyphen makes it clear the gas is causing defects.
Clear: The silver-jewelry cart has nice gifts.
Not clear: The silver jewelry cart has nice gifts.
The hyphen makes it clear the jewelry is silver, not the cart.

4. Using hyphens with numbers
• Use a hyphen when the number is a descriptor and a modifier.
Examples:
24-inch ruler
10-minute delay
275-page book
3-to-1 ratio
18-year-old power plant
over a 12-month period
five-year plan
three-week period
• Use a hyphen between the elements of a fraction.
Correct: one-thousandth
Correct: two-thirds
Correct: three-fourths of an inch

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EIA Writing Style Guide

• Do not use a hyphen to indicate a range. Use an en dash.
Correct: between 25 inches and 30 inches
Correct: 25–30 inches
Incorrect: 25-30 inches (hyphen isn’t correct)
• Do not use a hyphen to mean minus in text. The hyphen below looks like a dash,
not a subtraction sign.
Correct: Imports minus exports.
Incorrect: Imports-exports.

5. Using hyphens with civil and military titles
• Do not use a hyphen with a civil or military title denoting a single office, but do
use a hyphen for a double title.
Examples of single title: no hyphen
major general
former president Clinton
Examples of double title:
secretary-treasurer
treasurer-manager
• Use a hyphen with the adjectives elect and designate.
Example:
President-elect
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development-designate
ambassador-designate

6. Big list of commonly hyphenated and nonhyphenated words
and phrases
The Chicago Manual of Style says probably the most common spelling questions for
writers and editors concern compound terms. Often it’s difficult to decide which form
to use: spell the term as two words (in the long term, where long term is a noun);
hyphenate it (long-term forecast, where long-term is an adjective); or close up the two
words to make one word (no hyphen and no space, as in online and website).
Prefixes can be troublesome, The Chicago Manual of Style says. Some observations:
• Compounds formed with prefixes (pre, re, non, ex, anti, bi, co, mid, semi) are
normally closed, with some exceptions.
• A hyphen is used with the prefixes listed above if the second part of the word
begins with a capital letter: non-American, non-OPEC, sub-Saharan, pro-United
States, ex-Marine.
• With frequent use, open or hyphenated compounds tend to become closed
(e-mail to email, on-line to online).
For more information on hyphens, see The GPO Style Manual, Chapter 6:
Compounding Rules and Chapter 7: Compounding Examples.
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EIA Writing Style Guide

7. Hyphen guidelines

aboveground utility

energy-related legislation

above-target supply

English-speaking nation

agencywide

agreed-upon standards
air conditioning
air-conditioning unit
around-the-clock basis

feedstocks
first-half 2015
first half of 2015
flat-tax shortfall
freeze-offs

full-power days

baseload
belowground lines
bidirectional
breakout (not break-out)
Brent-like crude

government-owned stocks

heating degree days
higher-cost mines
high-octane fuel

cap-and-trade legislation

high-speed line

coalbed (methane)

high-value asset

coal-exporting infrastructure

homepage

coal-fired generation
combined-cycle unit
combined-heat-and-power facility

cooling degree days

in-state

coproducer

inter-island travel

copyeditor

intraregional

cost-of-living increase

coworker

kilowatthour

database

land-use restrictions

datasets
day-ahead prices
day-ahead schedule
day-to-day tasks
debottlenecking
decision makers
decommission
deepwater play
degree days

in depth
in-depth analysis

large scale
large-scale project
late-winter weather
lead-free paint
lifecycle
lightbulb
light-year
line-item veto

drawdown of inventory
draw down stocks

long term
long-term contract
long-term forecast

drought-stricken area

low-cost housing

dual-fired plant

low-demand hours

electrically powered furnace
email (not e-mail)
end use
end-use consumption
end-use sector
energy-consuming state

Lower 48 states
lower-cost coal
lower-than-usual demand
low-sulfur diesel
lump-sum payment
market-based pricing
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EIA Writing Style Guide

megabytes

onshore

mid-1990s

onsite

midday
mid summer
mid-summer weather

part time
part-time employees

mid-June

passenger-mile

midcentury

per capita

midcontinent

per household

midterm

per-household consumption

midweek

policymaker

multiple-purpose uses

power plant

multistage

preexisting

multiyear

prerecession
preregister

nationwide

presalt

natural gas-fired generation

pretax

near term
near-term contract

re-export

newly discovered resources

regasification

nonassociated

reinjection

nonattainment

reopen

noncovered sectors

run-up

nonenergy
nonessential
nonfederal

second half
second-half 2015

nonhighway

second-largest increase

nonhydrocarbon

self-contained units

nonhydroelectric power

short term
short-term outlook

nonliquid

shut down
shut-down mode

non-OECD
non-OPEC

shut in (e.g., the capacity is shut in)
shut-in capacity

nonproducing regions
nonprofit corporation

smaller-volume producers

nonrenewable

stakeholders

nonsalt

state-of-the-art technology

nonscientific

statewide

nonshale oil

subbituminous

nonspecific

subhourly

nonstatistical

subsalt

nonutility

systemwide

off-highway use

third-quarter prices

offline

third-largest producer

offshore

third-party data

one-on-one situation

T-shaped

one-stop shop

t-test

online

U.S. Energy Information Administration

U.S.-owned property
|

EIA Writing Style Guide

ultra-low sulfur diesel
up front
up-front money
up-or-down vote
vertically integrated utilities
web page
website
wellhead
winter-grade gasoline
world-class agency
worldwide
year-on-year increase

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Colons and Semicolons
Grammar is a piano I play by ear.
All I know about grammar is its
power. Many people know about
camera angles now, but not so
many know about sentences. The
arrangement of words matters.
Joan Didion

The purpose of the colon is to introduce, list, or define something. A colon transforms
the sentence into a word equation. It signals that what comes next is directly related
to the previous sentence. The word following the colon is normally lowercase.
The purpose of the semicolon is to signal that two clauses are related, but each clause
could stand on its own as a sentence if you wanted it to. The word following the
semicolon is normally lowercase.
A semicolon is stronger than a comma but weaker than a period.

1. Using colons with bulleted or numbered lists
• Use a colon to introduce a bulleted or numbered list if it’s introduced by a
complete sentence. Never use a colon after a sentence fragment.
Correct: The price consumers pay for heating oil can change for a variety of
reasons: (complete sentence, so the colon is used correctly)
• Seasonal demand
• Fluctuations in crude oil prices
• Competition in local markets
Correct: I have three pets: (complete sentence)
• Cat
• Dog
• Bird
Incorrect: My pets include: (not complete sentence)
• Cat
• Dog
• Bird
• But omit the colon if a word or phrase introduces a list.
Correct: Forecasts (phrase, so no colon)
Use a colon to introduce
a bulleted or numbered
list if it’s introduced by a
complete sentence.

• Annual Energy Outlook
• Short-Term Energy Outlook
• International Energy Outlook
For more information on punctuating lists, see Chapter 15: Itemized Lists and Bullets.

2. Using colons with examples
Use a colon to introduce an example or explanation of the idea to the left of the colon.
The word following the colon is normally lowercase, unless it is a proper name or more
than one sentence.
Example: The requirement for claiming a tax credit is clear: you must have
purchased the product in 2014.

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EIA Writing Style Guide

3. Using colons with quotations
When you have a quotation that is at least one complete sentence, you can choose to
introduce it with a colon. This option is stronger and more formal than using a comma.
Example: The Administrator said: “The forecast shows rising natural gas
production.”

4. Using semicolons to join independent clauses
• Use a semicolon instead of a period to join two independent clauses to
emphasize a close relationship between the two clauses. Do not capitalize the
word after the semicolon.
Example: The report is on our website; you can download it.
• Use a semicolon between two independent clauses (sentences) joined by a
transition word such as therefore and however.
Example: The price of the car is high; however, it includes taxes.

5. Using semicolons in a series
Use a semicolon to separate the items in a series when the items already include
commas.
Example: Our regional offices are in Miami, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; and Phoenix,
Arizona.

6. Using a colon to introduce a list
• Use a colon if the introductory phrase is a complete sentence.
Example: Data are available in three reports: STEO, AEO, and IEO.
• Don’t use a colon if the introductory phrase is not a complete sentence.
Example: Write sentences using commas, hyphens, and dashes. (no colon
after the word using.)

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Periods
The full stop is surely the
simplest mark to understand—
so long as everyone continues
to have some idea what a
sentence is.
Lynne Truss
Eats, Shoots & Leaves, 2003

• Use periods for U.S.
Correct: U.S. imports
Incorrect: US imports
Correct: U.S. Energy Information Administration
Incorrect: US E.I.A.
Incorrect: U.S. EIA
Incorrect: the U.S. EIA
• Use periods for time a.m. and p.m.
Correct: 7:00 a.m.
Incorrect: 7:00 am
Incorrect: 7:00 AM
• Periods inside or outside parentheses.
Period outside: …(phrase). If the content inside the parentheses is a phrase,
the period goes outside the close paren.
Period inside: (Complete sentence.) If the content inside the parentheses is a
complete sentence, the period goes inside the close paren.
Period outside and inside: Sentence...(Complete sentence.).
• Use a period at the end of notes and footnotes. Do not use a period at the end of
sources.
Correct source: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Correct: Note: PADD means Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts.
• Use only one period at the end of a sentence, if the last word also includes a
period.
Write time as 7:00 a.m.
and 8:30 p.m.

Correct: The greatest gains were at Apple, Inc.
Incorrect: The greatest gains were at Apple, Inc..

Not am/AM or pm/PM.
• No periods in abbreviations.
USSR (EIA prefers Former Soviet Union)
BC
HR (House of Representatives)
PhD

MA, MS
BA, BS
Washington, DC
Dec 2012 (in tables)

• Periods at the ends of some bullets.
Correct bullet punctuation:
• Full sentence (optional period)
• Full sentence (optional period)
• Full sentence (optional period)
88

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EIA Writing Style Guide

Correct bullet punctuation:
• Phrase (no period)
• Phrase (no period)
• Phrase (no period)

• Periods using i.e. and e.g.
Preferred: namely California, Texas, and Alaska (avoid using i.e. if possible)
Preferred: that is (or specifically) California, Texas, and Alaska
Correct, not preferred: i.e., California, Texas, and Alaska (always use a comma
with i.e.)
Preferred: for example, bridge and gin rummy (avoid using e.g. if possible)
Preferred: including (or such as) bridge and gin rummy
Correct, not preferred: e.g., bridge and gin rummy (always use a comma with
e.g.)

• Use only one space after the period between sentences.
Preferred:
I like chocolate. You like vanilla.
Not preferred (old fashioned): I like chocolate. You like vanilla.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Symbols
Our language is funny—a fat
chance and a slim chance are
the same thing.
J. Gustav White

& Ampersand

Almost never use the ampersand sign; use it only in very informal writing. You can use & if
it is part of a proper name (H&M Department Store or Oil & Gas Journal) or phrase (R&D).
Correct: cap and trade
Incorrect: cap & trade
Correct: imports and exports
Incorrect: imports & exports

[ ] Bracket sequence

Avoid using nested parentheses or brackets except in mathematical equations. In
text, rewrite the sentence or break it into two sentences to eliminate the need for the
nested parentheses. Pairs of em dashes can also be used to set off information that
might be put in parentheses.
First level: […(…)…]
Second level: {…[…(…)…]…}

… Ellipses

The most common and formal use of ellipses is to indicate an omission—to show that
you’ve dropped words or sentences from a quotation. The most common reason for
doing this is to focus attention on just part of what someone said or wrote.
A more informal use is in email messages, where the ellipses is used to indicate a pause
or break in thought. It can show a list is incomplete or the speaker has left something
unsaid. Do not use this form of ellipses in formal EIA writing. Do not use ellipses to
mean etc. or to indicate an unfinished sentence.
An ellipses is three dots, never two dots, and never four dots.
Almost never use the
ampersand sign.
An ellipses is three dots,
never two dots, and
never four dots.

To form the ellipses, type three periods in a row, and the AutoCorrect feature in
Microsoft Word changes three periods in a row to a single special ellipses character. If
your AutoCorrect feature is disabled, you can insert the ellipses by holding down alt +
ctrl + the period (.) key.

* Asterisk

An asterisk is usually used as an informal footnote. In most cases for footnotes, EIA uses
numbers (for text and graphs) or, in some cases, lower-case letters (in tables). It’s not
pronounced asterix or asterick.

! Exclamation point

Never use an exclamation point in formal EIA writing.

% Percent

Always use the % sign in EIA writing. There is no space between the number and the %.
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EIA Writing Style Guide

Punctuating and
Formatting Quoted Text
A writer is someone for whom
writing is more difficult than it is
for other people.
Thomas Mann
Essays of Three Decades, 1942

1. Using quotation marks with direct quotes
• Use quotation marks to set off direct quotes. Ending periods and commas go
inside the close quote.
Example: The Senator said, “We must pass the legislation during this session.”
• Do not use quotation marks if the text is paraphrased or not exactly what the
person said or wrote.
Example: The Senator said that it is important to pass the legislation in this
session.
• Periods and commas always go inside the quotation mark.
Example: “Good morning, everyone,” said Secretary Moniz.
Example: Secretary Moniz began his presentation by saying, “Good morning,
everyone.”
• Semicolons and colons always go outside the quotation mark.
Example: I always read The New Yorker’s “Talk of the Town”; it keeps me
up-to-date on many issues.
Example: I enjoy reading “Talk of the Town”: it’s a great current events
column.
• When the question or exclamation is part of the quotation, the punctuation goes
inside.
Example: “But you said the rate was $6.95 per pound!” he said to the cashier.
• When the question, exclamation, or interruption applies to the whole sentence,
the punctuation goes outside.
Example: What did the office director mean when he asked, “When will you
be finished with the report”?

2. Using a comma to set off quoted text
• Use a comma to separate text from quoted material when the quoted material is
a complete sentence or paragraph.
Example: The president said, “All federal employees will have the Friday after
Christmas off.”
• Omit the comma to separate text from quoted material when the quoted
material is a phrase or fragment integrated into the sentence.
Example: The director said that energy consumption in transportation had
“increased significantly.”

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

3. Using punctuation marks with closed quotation marks
• Place a period or comma inside the closing quotation marks.
Example: EIA is required to report “the number and type of alternative fuel
vehicles in existence.”
Example: “Clean air standards are under review,” said the director.
• Place colons, semicolons, question marks, and exclamation points outside of
closing quotation marks, unless a question mark or exclamation point is part of
the quoted material.
Example: Which congressional staffer said, “You must complete the report
by the end of the fiscal year”?
Example: The director asked, “Do you have a deadline for the project?”

4. Using single quotation marks to set off quoted content within
quotation marks
Example: The director explained, “The HR handbook says ‘employees have two
weeks of annual leave,’ not three weeks.”

5. Using ellipses in quoted text
• Use ellipses—three dots or periods—to indicate the omission of text from a
quoted passage. An ellipses consists of three periods (...).
Example: “The regulations specify clean air standards...and compliance
regulations.”
• Ellipses may be combined with other punctuation, such as a comma, period,
or question mark. There is no space between the final ellipsis point and the
punctuation.
Example: Will you come...?

Place a period or
comma inside the
closing quotation marks.

6. Formatting long quoted text as a block quotation
Integrate short quotes into the text; but indent a block of long text. Block quotes are
not enclosed by quotation marks. Remember to provide the appropriate attribution in
source notes, footnotes, or endnotes.
The press spokesman explained the purpose of the new publications:
Energy education is a critical part of EIA’s mission. At a time when consumers
face many energy-related challenges, it is more important than ever to provide
the public with reliable energy information in a format that is useful and
accessible by the widest possible audience.

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EIA Writing Style Guide

7. Never rephrase or add words or additional content to a quote
Never add more information to a quote, even in parentheses. This restriction includes
adding definitions or clarifications. Either put the new information in a footnote or in
a separate sentence at the end of the quote.

8. Avoid using double quotes to emphasize words or phrases
• In most cases, avoid using quotation marks around specific words. Where
possible, use italics for the word or phrase you want to emphasize.
Correct: The new production process is called fracking.
Incorrect: The new production process is called “fracking.”
• Nicknamed “scare quotes,” the double quotes signal to the reader that this is
not how the term is usually used. The intent may be to emphasize the quoted
words, but the quotes may actually mislead or confuse the reader.
Incorrect examples:
“Free” delivery
“Down” elevator
“Licensed” plumber

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

Abbreviations and Units
If I had more time, I would have
written a shorter letter.
Variations attributed to
Blaise Pascal, Mark Twain,
Ben Franklin, Woodrow Wilson,
John Locke, and others

1. Defining abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms
In this guide, the word abbreviation will be used generically to refer to abbreviations,
acronyms, and initialisms.
Abbreviation Shortened form of a word or phrase.
etc. for etcetera
Dec for December
Dr. for doctor
Acronym

A word formed from the initial letters of other words. It’s pronounced as a word
rather than read as separate letters.
OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)
NASA (National Aeronautic and Space Administration)

Initialism

A term read as a series of letters. Initialisms can’t be pronounced as words.
EIA
MER
FBI
IRS

2. Spelling out a term the first time it is used
Spell out an abbreviation or acronym when it’s first used. Follow it with the
abbreviation in parentheses. If in doubt about the full name or correct spelling, check
the primary source. Italicize report names but not the abbreviation (for example,
STEO).
Correct: This new Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) is now available. STEO
provides short-term energy forecasts.
Italicize report names
but not the report
acronym: Short-Term
Energy Outlook (STEO)

Correct: The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) projection shows the
price of natural gas is decreasing.
If your content is presented on one long web page with links to separate sections of
the content, and if that content has acronyms that you define at the top, you should
spell them out again farther down the page (or deeper in the report), so people who
don’t read from the top won’t have to hunt around for the definition.
This guidance also applies to long paper documents. If you haven’t used the acronyms
in several pages or when you start a new chapter, you should spell out the acronyms
again. If the acronym is spelled out in a section header or chart, you still need to spell
it out the first time it’s used in the text. The graphs should be able to stand alone,
independent of explanation in the text.
In general, avoid using too many abbreviations and acronyms. In a short document, try
to avoid using them at all, especially if the term is only used once or twice. Often it’s
easier to spell out the term twice. Don’t include the acronym if you aren’t going to use
it again later in the text.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

For more information on abbreviations, see the following sources:
• EIA’s current list of energy-related abbreviations
• GovSpeak: A Guide to Government Acronyms & Abbreviations
• GPO Style Manual, Chapter 9: Abbreviations and Letter Symbols
• The Chicago Manual of Style, Chapter 10: Abbreviations
Always use periods in
U.S. (do not write US).

3. Referencing EIA and DOE
Correct

Incorrect

EIA

the EIA

U.S. Energy Information Administration

the U.S. EIA

U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. DOE

DOE

the U.S. DOE

4. Abbreviating and spelling out United States
• Spell out United States when it is used as a noun.
Correct as a noun: Temperatures vary across the United States.
Correct as an adjective: U.S. temperatures vary widely.
Incorrect as a noun: Temperatures in the U.S. vary widely.
• Use the abbreviation U.S. when it’s used as an adjective, such as when it
precedes the name of a government organization or a domestic energy statistic.
• Always use periods in U.S. (do not write US).
Correct: Each committee reports to the U.S. Congress regarding national
energy needs and resources.
Correct: U.S. oil production rose in 2015.
• Spell out United States, as a noun or an adjective, when it appears in a sentence
or on a graph containing the name or names of other countries.
Correct: Mexican oil, United States coal, and Canadian natural gas.
Incorrect: Mexican oil, U.S. coal, and Canadian natural gas.

5. Abbreviating the names of states and foreign countries
• In running text, spell out the state name when it stands alone or when it follows
the name of a city. Do not use postal codes (CA, MI)—except for Washington, DC
where the postal code is part of the city’s name—in text or tables or graphics.
It’s only OK to use state postal codes in addresses and bibliographies.
Correct: Washington, DC (no periods)
Correct: The earthquake happened near San Francisco, California.
Incorrect: The earthquake happened near San Francisco, CA.

Do not use postal codes
in text, in tables, or in
graphics.

• In bibliographies, lists, and mailing addresses, use the U.S. Postal Service’s twoletter no-period abbreviations.
In an address: Los Angeles, CA
In a bibliography: Richmond, VA
• Rarely abbreviate the names of foreign countries except U.K. and FSU for Former
Soviet Union countries. Always spell out U.K. and FSU the first time you use it.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

6. Using periods with abbreviations
• Most abbreviations are written without periods, especially the ones that are
pronounced letter by letter, including units of measure.
Examples:
ATM
BA, BS (bachelors’ degrees)
Btu
CAFE (no accent on the E)
DOE

gal
kg (kilogram)
MA, MS (masters’ degree)
PADD (or PAD Districts)
PhD

• Do not use periods or spaces with abbreviations that appear in capitals, whether
two letters or more.
Examples:
OECD
OPEC
MER
AER

AEO
ENERGY STAR® (include trademark
symbol only for the first use)

• Do not use periods for the names of laws.
Correct: HR 2454
Incorrect: H.R. 2454
• If an abbreviation that takes a period is used at the end of a sentence, use a
single period.
Correct: The project team will meet at 10:30 a.m.

7. Using a or an before abbreviations
• If the abbreviation starts with a consonant sound (not a consonant letter), use a.
If the abbreviation starts with a vowel sound, use an.
Examples:
a TVA project (T consonant sound)
an EIA forecast (E vowel sound)
a RECS survey (pronounced wrecks‒begins with R consonant sound because
RECS is pronounced)
an RPS policy (begins with are vowel sound because each letter is pronounced)

8. Using abbreviations in lists
The Latin abbreviations e.g. and i.e. do not mean the same thing. Avoid confusion by
just writing for example, such as, or that is.
• e.g. = for example, like, such as; provides examples for the content being
discussed.
• i.e. = that is, in other words; provides a descriptive or definitive statement about
the statement already made.
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• ex. = for example. Very informal. EIA prefers writing out for example or such as.
Correct: There are many fun things you can do on the Internet (e.g., read,
plan travel, play games).
Correct: The three people who attended the meeting (i.e., Maya, Zoë, and
Carson) agree with the plan.
• Always put a comma after e.g. and i.e.
• Never italicize these abbreviations.

Use lowercase a.m. and
p.m. with periods.

9. Using the abbreviation first
In a few cases, when the acronym is widely known, you can write the acronym first
and then explain it in parentheses. Use this flexibility sparingly.
Correct: OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting countries)
Correct: IRS (Internal Revenue Service)
Correct: LED (light-emitting diode)

10. Forming plural abbreviations
• Add an s to form a plural abbreviation.
Examples: FAQs
FTEs
LDCs
Exception: Btu—do not add an s to the end of Btu. Btu is both singular and
plural. Also, remember abbreviations like LPG and GHG end in a plural word,
so you don't need to write LPGs or GHGs.
• Add an apostrophe before the s if the abbreviation consists of lowercase letters
or a single letter.
Examples: She earned all A’s on her report card.
The class recited the abc’s.

11. Forming possessive abbreviations
• To form a singular possessive, use an apostrophe before the s.
Examples: DOE’s policy
OPEC’s members
This LDC’s price hike
• To form a plural possessive, use an apostrophe after the s.
Example: The RNs’ strike
The various LDCs’ price hikes

12. Abbreviating months
• Names of months followed by the day, or day and year, may be abbreviated
in footnotes, tables, and bibliographies where space is limited. Spell out the
months in text.
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• In tables, EIA uses the style where periods are omitted and all months are
written as three-letter abbreviations.
Jan
Jul

Feb
Aug

Mar
Sep

Apr
Oct

May
Nov

Jun
Dec

• In text or in a footnote, either spell out the full name of the month or, if you must
use the abbreviation, put a period at the end.
Correct: February in Washington, DC can be brutally cold.
Correct: February 12, 2016
Correct: February 2016
Correct, less preferred: Feb. 12, 2016 (use only if space is limited)
Incorrect: February of 2016
Incorrect: February, 2016

13. Using abbreviations with time
• Time zones. Abbreviated time zones are written without periods.
Example: Release schedule: Monday between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET
• EIA prefers the abbreviation ET (Eastern Time), which is the unchanging definition
of the time zone of the far eastern United States. EST (Eastern Standard Time)
and EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) are correct, but each applies to roughly half of
the year, as daylight saving time is in effect in most of the United States from the
second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November.
• Time of day. Use lowercase a.m. and p.m. with periods. Put a space between the
number and a.m. or p.m. The abbreviation for ante meridiem (before noon) is
a.m. and the abbreviation for post meridiem (after noon) is p.m. If you note ET or
PT, don’t use a comma after a.m. or p.m.
Correct: 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Incorrect: 10:00 am and 2:30 pm
Incorrect: 10:00 AM and 2:30 PM
Incorrect: 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Time in history. Write 1,000 BC (no periods).

14. Abbreviating academic degrees
EIA style prefers no periods in abbreviations of academic degrees. Omit the periods
unless they are required for tradition, consistency, or personal preference for your
own degrees.
Correct: BA, BS, MA, MS, PhD
Incorrect: B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., Ph.D.

15. Referencing legislation
The acronym for the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 is EISA2007.
Adding the date to the acronym makes it clear this stands for legislation.
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16. Abbreviating units of measure and common acronyms

AC: alternating current
AC/DC: alternating current/direct current
a.m.: ante meridiem (not AM or am)

b: barrel(s)
Bcf: billion cubic feet

The EIA abbreviation
for barrel(s) is now b,
so barrels per day is
written b/d.

b/d: barrels per day
BkWh: billion kilowatthours
Btu: British thermal units. Not BTU or Btus
BTL: biomass to liquids
Bcf/d: billion cubic feet per day
Bcf/y: billion cubic feet per year
BOE: barrels of oil equivalent

CAFE: corporate average fuel economy
CAIR: Clean Air Interstate Rule
CHP: combined heat and power
CFL: compact fluorescent lighting
CNG: compressed natural gas
CO2 preferred, or CO2: carbon dioxide
cents/gal or ₵/gal: cents per gallon
cents/kWh: cents per kilowatthour
CO2e: carbon dioxide equivalent
°C: degrees Celsius
CDD: cooling degree day(s) (no hyphen)
cpg: cents per gallon (not preferred)

DC: direct current
$/gal: dollars per gallon
DWT: deadweight tons (vessel capacity)

EOR: enhanced oil recovery
EUR: enhanced ultimate recovery

°F: degrees Fahrenheit (75°F, no spaces)

gal: gallon(s)

FY: fiscal year ex. FY 2015

GHG: greenhouse gas(es)
GTL: gas to liquids
GW: gigawatt
GWe: gigawatt electric
GWh: gigawatthour(s) (capital G and capital W)

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HDD: heating degree day(s) (no hyphen)
Hg: mercury
HGL: hydrocarbon gas liquids, not HGLs

K: kelvin (temperature scale)
kV: kilovolt
kW: kilowatt
kWh: kilowatthour(s) (lowercase k and capital W)

LDV: light-duty vehicle, with a hyphen
LED: light-emitting diode
LPG: liquefied petroleum gas(es), not LPGs
LLS: Light Louisiana Sweet
LNG: liquefied natural gas

Mb: thousand barrels (not preferred usage)
Mb/d: thousand barrels per day (not preferred usage)
Mcf: thousand cubic feet (not preferred EIA unit)
MM: million (106). M is the Roman numeral for thousand, so MM equals a thousand times
a thousand, which is a million. (For more information on using M, see page 105.)
MMcf: million cubic feet
million b/d (preferred) or MMb/d: million barrels per day
million Btu (preferred) or million British thermal units
MMBtu: million British thermal units
million kilowatthours (not MMkWh)
million MWh: million megawatthours
MMBtu: million Btu
MMcf/d: million cubic feet per day
MMgal/d: million gallons per day
MMmt: million metric tons
MMst: million short tons
mpg: mile(s) per gallon
mst: thousand short tons (not preferred usage)
mt: metric ton (not written metric tonne, which is international spelling) (not commonly
used at EIA)
MW: megawatt
MWh: megawatthour(s)
MWAC/MWDC: megawatt AC/megawatt DC
MWe MW of electricity capacity
MY: model year (used for vehicles) MY 2015

NGPL: natural gas plant liquids
NGL: natural gas liquids (not NGLs)
N2O: nitrous oxide
NOx: nitrogen oxides (plural)
North Sea Brent (first use): subsequent use can be Brent

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OPEC: the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts: PADD (preferred) or PAD District
p.m.: post meridiem (after noon) (not PM or pm)
PTC: production tax credit
ppm: parts per million
PV: solar photvoltaic

quads: quadrillion British thermal units, or quadrillion Btu (which is plural)

rpm: revolutions per minute
RFS: renewable fuel standard
RPS: renewable portfolio standard
RTO: regional transmission organization

SOx: sulfur oxides

Tcf: trillion cubic feet

st: short ton

tonne: international spelling of metric ton (not preferred usage)
t-test: statistical test of the means of two samples (italicized t)
TWh: terawatthour(s) (capital T and capital W)

U
V

USD: U.S. dollar, when comparing with foreign currencies. Writing specific amounts:
US $5 million. Don’t use the D with the $.
V: volt

Did you know?

VMT: vehicle miles traveled

W: Watt
Wh: Watthour

Notes: For metric or International System of Units (SI) not covered here, see
standards and conventions on proper use and abbreviation of these units. All unit
abbreviations are assumed to be both singular and plural (MWh = megawatthours)
unless a plural form is provided.

The letter M is used
in a lot of EIA units:
MMb/d, Mcf, MWh,
mst. But the M’s mean
different things in
different units.

17. What do all the M’s and m’s mean?
The letter M is used in a lot of EIA units: MMb/d, Mcf, MWh, mst. But the M’s mean
different things in different units. It’s confusing.
In some units, M is the Roman numeral for 1,000. So a thousand is M, and a million,
which is a thousand thousand, is MM.
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105

And, yes, MM in Roman numerals does equal 2,000. So sometimes the M’s are added
and sometimes they are multiplied. Technical usage seems to support MM = 1 million.
This use of M to mean thousand and MM to mean million is true in these cases:
MMb/d = million barrels per day
MMBtu = million Btu
MMcf = million cubic feet
MMst = million short tons
On the other hand, the abbreviation for million short tons of coal is sometimes mst,
with a lower-case m. To complicate the issue, various sources also use MST and Mst as
abbreviations for million short tons.
In a third variation, acronyms for cubic feet for natural gas volumes other than Mcf
and MMcf do not use Roman numerals or lower-case letters. The B in Bcf stands for
billion, and the T in Tcf stands for trillion.
To confuse matters further, the M in MWh (megawatthour) stands for mega, not a
thousand or a million, even though a megawatthour happens to be equal to a million
watthours, or a thousand kilowatthours.
Sometimes mWh can mean milliwatthour. This isn’t a very common unit, but it’s yet
another use of the letter M.
So be careful when you use M. Spell out your units, and make sure you have the right
M and the right number of M’s.

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Itemized Lists and Bullets
Synonym (n): The word you use
when you can’t spell the other one.
Baltasar Gracián, 17th century author

107

Big paragraphs are difficult to read quickly. Bullets are a visual way to show a group of
similar ideas. Bullets make it easier for readers to see your main points. To improve the
scannability of content, use vertical lists rather than continuous text to present a series
of related items.
Don’t put semicolons or commas at the end of bullets. Only use ending periods for
long bullets that are complete sentences. Capitalize the first word of every bullet.

1. Introducing lists within text
• Introduce the list with a statement that encompasses all of the items in the list.
• Use a colon at the end of the introductory statement if it is a complete sentence.
Don’t use a colon if the introduction is a phrase.
Example:
The price that consumers pay for heating oil can change for a
variety of reasons:
• Seasonal demand
• Fluctuations in crude oil prices
• Competition in local markets
Example: The two reasons for increased demand are
• Lower prices
• Higher economic growth
• To enhance the scannability of your content, you can add a line of space between
introductory text and the beginning of a bulleted or numbered list.
Example: Carbon dioxide is emitted when burning three fossil fuels:
• Petroleum
• Coal
• Natural gas
Don’t put semicolons
or commas at the
end of bullets.
Capitalize the first
word of every bullet.

• Wrap lines of each bullet under each other, not under the bullet point itself.
Correct bullet wrap:
• There are 99 commercial nuclear reactors at 61 nuclear power plants in
31 states. Since 1990, the share of the nation’s total electricity supply
provided by nuclear power generation has averaged about 20%.
Incorrect bullet wrap:
• There are 99 commercial nuclear reactors at 61 nuclear power plants
in 31 states. Since 1990, the share of the nation’s total electricity supply
provided by nuclear power generation has averaged about 20%.

2. Introducing lists of links or items
Provide a descriptive heading at the top of each list, and don’t use a colon.
Forecasts
Annual Energy Outlook
Short-Term Energy Outlook
International Energy Outlook
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Recent Country Analysis Brief Updates
China
Argentina
Iraq
EIA Writing Style Guide

3. Using parallel structure for each item in the list
• Begin each item with the same type of word (noun, verb, infinitive, etc.).
Correct (parallel beginning words):
To reduce natural gas bills, customers can do three things:
• Check appliances for efficient operation
• Obtain an energy audit
• Reduce thermostat settings
Incorrect (not parallel beginning words):
How to create effective teams:
• To find the best solution to our problems
• Asking people to help us with the solution
• Identify champions for solution teams
• Strategic goals
• And have regular meetings
• Use the same grammatical form for each item (word, phrase, or sentence).
Correct: The working group should meet to perform the following functions:
(three verbs)
• Evaluate the department’s progress
• Provide suggestions for improving performance
• Collaborate on systems analysis
Correct: There are four types of coal prices: (four adjectives)
• Spot
• Captive
• Open
• Delivered

Begin each bulleted
item with the same
type of word.

• Present the same type of information, in a similar format, to make the
information easier for readers to understand.
Correct: Relevant definitions include
• Deepwater—water depth that is greater than 200 meters but less than
1,500 meters
• Ultra-deepwater—water depth that is equal to or greater than 1,500
meters
Correct: We emitted more CO2 from petroleum than other fuels:
• Petroleum—2.6 billion metric tons (44%)
• Coal—2.1 billion metric tons (36%)
• Natural gas—1.2 billion metric tons (20%)
Correct: Learn more
• For projections of U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, see the
Annual Energy Outlook.
• For projections of foreign energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, see
the International Energy Outlook.
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4. Punctuating itemized lists
• Listed items require no end punctuation unless they are complete sentences.
Items that are sentences can but do not have to be followed by a period.
• Do not use a comma or a semicolon at the end of each list item.
• Do not use a period at the end of the last bullet. Bullets either all have optional
periods (if they are complete sentences) or all have no ending punctuation (if
they are phrases or words).
Correct: Because the United States is the world’s largest importer, it is easy
to forget that it is
• The oldest major global oil producer
• Formerly the number one global oil producer
• Currently the number two global oil producer (no ending period)
Correct: Several consumer trends have increased demand and offset these
gains: (bullets are all complete sentences, so an ending period can—but does
not have to—be used)
• Homes are larger and consume more energy.
• Appliances such as flat screen TVs are larger and consume more energy.
• Computers and other electronic devices increase the demand for
energy.

5. Using a numbered list
• Use numbered lists to indicate steps, sequence, or ranking.
Correct: Use these steps to sign up for email subscriptions:
1. Enter your email address
2. Check the names of the publications you’d like to receive
3. Click subscribe
This is a sequence. Ending periods are correct—but optional—because each
item is a complete sentence.
• Use numbered lists to rank order or count the content.
Correct: Five countries supply most U.S. petroleum imports (listed by rank):
1. Canada
2. Mexico
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Venezuela
5. Nigeria
• Use numbered lists if you want to emphasize the number of items.
Correct: This report has two purposes:
1. To provide background information on alternative transportation fuels
2. To furnish preliminary estimates of the use of these fuels and of
alternative fuel vehicles

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6. Using a bulleted list
Use a bulleted list when the order of the items is not important and when the list
is not about steps or procedures. Use a bulleted list rather than sentences in a
paragraph when you want readers to clearly see the main points.
Correct: Steam is produced in several ways:
• From water that is boiled by burning fossil fuels, nuclear fission, or biomass
materials
• From geothermal resources where steam under pressure emerges from the
ground and drives a turbine
• From a fluid heated by the sun (solar power)

7. Ordering a bulleted list
When determining the order of the listed information, consider what order is most
logical from a user’s point of view. For example, lists can be ordered chronologically,
step-by-step, by ranking, by most requested, by most important, or alphabetically.
Avoid alphabetical order unless the listed items are commonplace proper names, such
as states, or the list serves as an index. Use bullets rather than numbers if the order of
the items doesn’t matter.
Correct: Most requested Information (in order of the number of requests)
• On-Highway Retail Diesel Prices
• Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update
• Natural Gas Storage Report
Correct: The mission covers four technology developments: (in order of
priority)
• Extending scientific understanding
• Developing new technologies
• Enhancing existing technologies
• Pursuing challenges
Correct: Four State Energy Profiles have been updated: (alphabetical order)
• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
Correct: Four State Energy Profiles have been updated: (chronological order)
• Michigan (August 2015)
• California (September 2015)
• Tennessee (December 2015)
• Alabama (January 2016)

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8. Capitalizing items in a list
Capitalize the first word of each bullet, even if the listed items are not sentences. This
rule is an EIA style choice. Be consistent.
Correct: Three factors compel the United States to reconsider how it
produces, delivers, and uses energy:
• Energy security
• Environmental quality
• International competition

9. Presenting successive points in text—first, second, third
Bulleted lists are preferred for highlighting points and improving readability. If you
must write your points in paragraph form, use first, second, third. Do not use firstly,
secondly, thirdly.
If you have more than three points, consider listing numbered items or using bullets.
Saying seventh, eighth, etc., is cumbersome.

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Footnotes, Sources, and
Notes
True, the writer’s name is in the
byline, but it’s not the author’s
right to offend or confuse the
reader, defy the rules of standard
English, fail to identify sources,
or lower the standards of your
institution.
Carol Fisher Saller
The Subversive Copy Editor:
Advice from Chicago

113

EIA writers must provide full source information when content from other sources is
used or referenced in EIA reports.

1. Rights, permissions, copyright, and author’s responsibilities
• EIA has a detailed policy on Using Third-Party Data in the Information Quality
section of InsideEIA. The policy includes resources to help authors determine if
information is protected by a copyright or license agreement, and, if so, how to
obtain or confirm that EIA has appropriate permission to use the material.
• From The Chicago Manual of Style: “Publishing agreements place on the author
the responsibility to request any permission needed for the use of material
owned by others.”1 And, “With all reuse of others’ materials, it is important to
identify the original as the source. This not only bolsters the claim of fair use but
also helps avoid any accusation of plagiarism.”2
• Academic, journalistic, and government information generally is not subject to
copyright protections. EIA authors only need to properly cite that information.
But data from private vendors that EIA subscribes to and content found on the
Internet are often protected by copyright and require permission for use in
addition to citation in accordance with the stipulations of the data owner and
the EIA Writing Style Guide.
• In a nutshell, don’t copy other people’s work, ideas, phrasing, content, images,
artwork, or graphs without attribution and, in some cases, explicit permission.
Just because it’s on the Internet or EIA’s website doesn’t mean it’s acceptable to
portray the content as your original ideas or your original work.
• A simple Internet search of a text string can determine the original source and
identify nonsourced content. Make sure to fully attribute content you use that is
not original.
• Most websites have a Copyright Notice or Terms of Service link at the bottom
of their home page that will clarify republication rights. Authors need to get
permission to reuse content from this website. Always check the agency or
company’s copyright policy. EIA has a Copyright and Reuse Policy posted on its
homepage.
• For internal documents, you should identify third-party sources in case the
document or any portion of it is used by others in EIA for a publication or
presentation outside of the agency. References in internal materials do not need
to adhere to the EIA Writing Style Guide.

University of Chicago Press, The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition, The
University of Chicago Press (2010), p. 185.
2
Ibid., p. 190.
1

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• Different EIA products have different sourcing formats including endnotes,
footnotes, or full inline attribution. EIA authors are responsible for citing
information appropriately and using the appropriate format for their reports.
• You must cite the source for ideas, phrasing, facts, and similar content taken
from other sources. Changing a few words does not exempt you from citing the
source.
• Citing the organization or publication name without providing information
about the source is not sufficient. Avoid writing “...according to...” without a
source. Include a link to the source or make sure you have a full source citation
elsewhere in the report.

Don’t use italics or
quotes when citing form
names.

2. Using footnotes for explanation, comment, and citation
Use footnotes for explanations or comments about specific information within the
body of documents, tables, or graphics.
In 2006, about 7.1 billion metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) of
greenhouse gases were emitted by the United States.1
Values expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) are calculated based on
their global warning potential.
1

Citing an online document: the title of the document should be a hypertext link within
the footnote.
EIA projects that electricity generated from renewable sources will account for
13% of total electricity generation in 2016.1
For EIA documents: 1 U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy
Outlook 2012, Table 8.
Citing EIA in external documents: 1 U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual
Energy Outlook 2012, Table 8, accessed March 11, 2008.
Citing a url: Company or publication name, “article name” (accessed June 8, 2015),
full url.
Citing EIA forms: Form 1, Form Name. No italics or quotes for the form name.
Form 914, Monthly Natural Gas Production Report

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115

3. Using endnotes or footnotes
Endnotes have the same information as footnotes, but instead of being at the bottom
of each page, they are all together in one list at the end of the report. In most cases,
use endnotes for EIA documents like the Annual Energy Outlook and the Country
Analysis Briefs that are mostly or entirely in html. Endnotes involve html coding on
one page rather than on many pages, which is faster and easier.
Footnotes are more appropriate for technical reports (such as model documentation)
and journal articles. These types of reports are predominately in PDF format.
Note that some EIA content—Today in Energy (TIE) is a good example—does not have
footnotes or endnotes. Source/attribution information in the TIE stories is either a
link directly to the source or in a note under the graph.
Ask the Office of Communications staff or your supervisor if you have questions about
which type of sourcing to use.

4. Using ibid in footnotes and endnotes
The term ibid (which in Latin means same as above, or in the same place) is
sometimes used in footnotes, endnotes, and biographic references to save space. The
term refers to the source mentioned in the immediately preceding reference. Ibid is
a fancy form of ditto marks. If the entire reference is the same, you can use the word
ibid. If any information (like a page number) is different from the previous entry, that
information must be included following ibid.
Example:
1. Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition, p. 669. (first footnote)
2. Ibid. (content being noted is on the same page of the previous source)
3. Ibid., p. 701. (content being noted is in the same source, but on a different page)

5. Deciding what terms to define and choosing the correct format
• Define terms you think a nonstatistical, nonscientific reader might not
understand. Definitions can be provided six ways:
–– In the text, add explanatory words either in the sentence or in parentheses
–– In a note (Note: RAC means refiner acquisition cost.)
–– In a footnote or endnote
–– With a link to the EIA Glossary
–– With a link to additional EIA material
–– With a link to an outside source
• Remember to link the term, phrase, or report name itself rather than saying click
here.
Correct: See the latest Short-Term Energy Outlook
Incorrect: For the latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, click here.
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6. Using the most appropriate path to definitions
• Use an in-text definition when
The definition is critical to the audience’s understanding
The definition is short and succinct
• Use a footnote or endnote when
The document is likely to be printed
The definition is not in the EIA glossary
The definition is too long or complicated to integrate into the text
• Use a link to the EIA glossary when
The document is likely to be read online
An understandable definition is in the EIA glossary
• Use a link to an outside source when
An understandable definition isn’t in the EIA glossary
The concept definition is long or technical–not appropriate for a footnote.
The best definition is on someone else’s site

7. Formatting footnotes correctly in text
• Footnotes are numbered consecutively beginning with 1.
• In short documents that don’t have chapters or sections, footnotes should be
sequential throughout the document.
• In longer documents that have chapters or sections, footnotes should be
numbered sequentially by chapter or section.
• Footnotes in an appendix should begin with 1.
• Footnotes should appear at the bottom of the page where the term or fact is
referenced. (Consider using endnotes as an alternative.)
• Footnotes should be identified by a superscript, both within text and in the
corresponding note at the bottom of the page.
• All footnotes end with periods, even if they are not complete sentences.
• Avoid overly long footnotes, if possible.
Numbered footnote example: Renewable energy consumption increased
7% between 2005 and 2006, contributing about 9% of total U.S. electricity
generation in 2006.1 Electricity producers 2 consumed 63% of total U.S.
renewable energy in 2015 for producing electricity.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Renewable Energy Consumption
and Electricity Preliminary Statistics, 2014.
2
Electrical utilities, independent power producers, and combined heat and
power plants.
1

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8. Formatting or displaying footnotes with tables, charts,
and other graphics
• Footnotes should be embedded into the image file so they print out as part of
the graphic.
• Footnotes should appear beneath the graphic in a smaller, but readable, font
size.
• In data tables, letters are recommended for footnotes to avoid confusion with
the numbers in the table.
Lettered footnote example:
Summary of oil prices 2014-15
WTI crude ($/barrel)
a

gasoline b ($/gal)
a
b

2014

2015

92.64

93.81

3.59

3.72

West Texas Intermediate.
Average pump price for regular gasoline.

9. Referencing graphs in text
• Always reference graphs in the order they appear. Don’t discuss/reference Figure
3 before you have referenced Figure 2.
• Follow the established numbering format for the specific report or document.
(For example, AEO uses MT-1, MT-2; MER uses 1.1, 1.2; Today in Energy doesn’t
number graphs.)
• Say see graph or see graph above/below, when graphs are not numbered in
short articles.
Correct: see graph above
Incorrect: see above graph
• Say see Figure 1 (not see Figure 1 above) when graphs are numbered.
• Make sure you recheck the sequential references to graphs if the text is
rewritten or reordered.

10. Formatting source citations
Include the following information in source citations that appear as either notes or
footnotes for online EIA articles, graphs, and images. The title of the report or product
should be in italics.
Correct: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Petroleum Supply Monthly,
Table 3, December 2016.
Correct: U.S. Energy Information Administration, using data from Bentek and
Reuters.
Correct: U.S. Energy Information Administration, based on Bentek data.
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11. Format for sourcing online information
Include these elements in the order listed here:
1. Organization or publisher (for example, U.S. Energy Information Administration,
or the U.S. Census Bureau)
2. Title of publication (if applicable); title of book or journal appears in italics
3. Publication number (if applicable)
4. Reference to specific web page, table, or graphic. This reference may be a
publication title, a web page title, or a title of a chart or other graphic. The title
should be hyperlinked to the referenced information. For example, if the data
are from a table, the link should be to the table, not to the beginning of the
document or section. All sources end with a period.
5. The date of publication of the information, or the date the information was
accessed
Example: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook
2014, Table 1A, Total Energy Supply and Disposition Summary, accessed
March 18, 2014.
Example: U.S. Energy Information Administration, State Electricity Profiles,
DOE/EIA-0348(01)/2 (Washington, DC, November 2014), p. 145.

12. Format for sourcing print articles and newspapers
Include these elements in the order they are listed.
1. Author: last name, first name (if known) or initial
2. Title of article: title is shown in quotation marks
3. Title of publication: title of book or journal appears in italics
4. Volume or publication number (if applicable)
5. Date of publication (in parentheses)
6. Page number of specific information being cited, ending with a period.
Examples: Saraf, S. “India Set To Revise Hydroelectric Policy,” Power in Asia,
No. 471 (February 1, 2007), p. 8.

13. Format for sourcing printed books
Include these elements in the order they are listed.
1. Author: last name, first name (if known) or initial
2. Book title: title of book appears in italics
3. Publisher
4. Date of publication (in parentheses)
5. Page number
Example: Simon, A., Energy Consumption in India, World Bank (December
2006), p. 6.
Two or more two authors example: Falter, Laurie and Stefanie Palumbo (only
the first name is inverted)
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14. Using notes
Use notes for definitions, explanations, or comments that refer to the overall content
of the document, table, or graphic, rather than for specific data.
Example with one note:

Note: Gain from processing is about 5%.

If there is more than one note, use Notes. Put the content for both together, or write
it in two separate sentences. If the combined note gets too long, consider numbering
the notes.
Example with two notes:

Notes: Gain from processing is about 5%.
Data for 2013 are preliminary.

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Hypertext Links
Say all you have to say in the fewest
possible words, or your reader will be
sure to skip them; and in the plainest
possible words, or he will certainly
misunderstand them.
John Ruskin

121

1. Using embedded and stand-alone hypertext links
• Hypertext links can be embedded, or they can stand alone.
• Embedded links are contained within text.
Example: The Primer on Diesel Fuel Prices explains how diesel fuel is made.
Example: Gasoline is refined from crude oil.
• Stand-alone links are menu links or links at the beginning or end of a section of
text, such as the Learn more links added to Energy in Brief articles.
Example: Forecasts
Annual Energy Outlook
Short-Term Energy Outlook
International Energy Outlook
Learn more: Petroleum Supply Monthly
• Try not to link to too many things within a block of text. Too many links makes
the content difficult to read.
• Hyperlink enough of the text to be clear about what the link is going to.
Good example: Diablo Canyon Unit 2 was taken offline on April 27.
Less clear: Diablo Canyon Unit 2 was taken offline on April 27.
Good example: The company presented the Integrated Performance Plan in
response to the flooding.
Less clear: The company presented the Integrated Performance Plan in
response to the flooding.
• If possible, the hyperlink should not contain two phrases separated by a comma.
Correct: Nuclear outages in 2011 were unusually high.
Not preferred: In 2011, nuclear outages were unusually high.
Never use click here.
Don’t underline links.
Just link the words,
which will automatically
make them blue.

2. Writing clear hypertext links
• Never use click here or click here or see here as a link. Don’t write text that
mentions the link itself.
• Using click here forces sighted users to read the surrounding text to understand
the context of the word here. It also prevents visually impaired users who rely on
screen readers from fully understanding where the link is going.
• Don’t underline links. When providing hyperlinks in text, just copy the link you
want to lead readers to, highlight the word or phrase you want to hyperlink,
right click on the highlighted word or phrase, select hyperlink, and insert the link.
Once the text is hyperlinked, remove the automated underline.
• Write descriptive, concise links that tell users what they will get or can
accomplish when they click the link.
Correct: EIA’s automated email system provides updates.
Incorrect: Click here to receive updates via EIA’s automated email system.
Incorrect: Receive updates via EIA’s email system on this link: http://www.
eia.gov/
Correct: Sign up for email updates.
Correct: Learn more about how to save energy.

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• Try not to create links that wrap to a second or third line. Wrapped links can be
hard for users to read and cut-and-paste.
Correct: Take advantage of lower heating fuel prices for winter 2016, and
guard against future price spikes by investing in energy efficient technologies.
Not preferred: Take advantage of lower heating fuel prices for winter
2016 and guard against future price spikes by investing in energy efficient
technologies.
• Emphasize only the distinctive words in a list of links.
Correct:
Below is renewable energy information for
• Homeowners
• Small businesses
Incorrect:
Below is renewable information for
• Renewable energy information for homeowners
• Renewable energy information for small businesses
• The wording of the link and the title of the destination page should be the same.
If the title of the page you are linking to is not clear, consider changing the
page’s title.
Correct link: See Short-Term Energy Outlook March 2016
Correct landing page: Short-Term Energy Outlook March 2016
Correct link: See Short-Term Energy Outlook March 2016
Incorrect (not matching) landing page: Spring Outlook

3. Using hypertext links to provide additional information
• Use links to provide related content such as glossaries, tables, reports, and
graphics.
Examples:
In 2016, about 20% of the petroleum consumed in the United States is
expected to be imported from foreign countries.
Table 4: U.S. Energy Consumption provides usage data by state.
See Short-Term Energy Outlook March 2016 for gasoline projections.
The chart, U.S. Oil Imports, shows how much oil the United States imports
from Mexico.

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• Use links sparingly throughout a report. Putting in too many links makes the text
hard to read.
• When linking to a file other than a web page, indicate the file format after the
link. Links should inform what kind of page will open if it’s not html, which is
normally the default. Use icons including pdf, xls, and ppt as appropriate for file
types.
Examples: The Comparison Calculator (xls) will help you choose a fuelefficient heating system.
• The linked words can identify EIA reports or analysis.
Examples: Learn more: EIA Weekly Retail On-Highway Diesel Prices.

4. Using fully qualified links in content that is printed
• If the link is in a printed report (pdf), the link should be fully qualified (www.
eia.gov/petroleum/ or http://www.eia.gov/petroleum/) so when the report is
printed, the full url is available.
• If the link is in a web report (html), link from real words in the text—use intuitive
names or phrases for the content you are linking to. Don’t underline linked
context. Examples: additional analysis or find emission data by state.
• Sources in footnotes and endnotes should be fully qualified.

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British versus American
English
A preposition is a terrible thing to
end a sentence with.
Winston Churchill

125

There are differences between British and American English in spelling, usage, and
punctuation. No wonder we get confused writing travelled to London. EIA prefers
American spelling and usage.

1. Spelling differences
American
amid
among
while

British
amidst
amongst
whilst

afterward
backward

afterwards
backwards

cooperation

co-operation

downward
forward
toward

downwards
forwards
towards

upward

upwards

canceled
traveled

cancelled
travelled

gray
license/license(noun/verb)
sulfur

grey
licence/license (noun/verb)
sulphur

analyze
organization
recognized

analyse
organisation
recognised

U.K.

2. Usage differences

126

American
presently = now, currently
loan and lend are synonyms
table an idea = postpone

British
presently = soon, in the future
loan is a noun; lend is a verb
table an idea = to present something,
to bring it to the table

slated = scheduled
scheme = devious or secret plan
(negative connotation)

slated = severely criticized
scheme = program, plan (no negative
connotation)

which and that = two different words

which and that = no distinction

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EIA Writing Style Guide

3. Punctuation differences
• British writers put closing punctuation outside the close quotation mark.
American writers put the punctuation inside.
American: She said, “Put it down.” (period inside)
British: She said, “Put it down”. (period outside)
• Americans put commas in number to mark thousands. European writers use a
space.
American: 1,000
British: 1 000
• Americans use a comma after i.e. and e.g., but the British don’t.
American: Greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) may contribute to global
warming.
British: Greenhouse gases (e.g. carbon dioxide) may contribute to global
warming.

I travelled to London,
where I was amongst
friends on a grey, cloudy
day. We walked towards
the British Museum
whilst analysing our
holiday plans.
Can you find the British
spellings?

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Index
%

% sign 2, 5, 6, 59, 92

a and an 32
with an abbreviation 100
a lot vs. allot, vs. a lot vs. many 34
a.m. and p.m. 102
period use with 88
abbreviations (also see acronyms)
and units 103–105
how to define 98
in a list with e.g. or i.e. 100
in tables and footnotes 101–102
no periods in 88
of academic degrees 102
of thousand, million, and billion 105–106
of month names 101
of United States 99
plural forms 101
possessive forms 101
units of measure list 103–105
when to spell out 98
with a and an 100
with periods 100
with time (a.m. and p.m.) 102
about and around 34, 65
above vs. more than vs. over 41
U.S. Energy Information Administration

academic degree, abbreviation of 102
accept vs. except 34
acronyms 6, 17, 98
active voice 10
acts (laws), capitalization of 54
adding information to a quote, restrictions 96
additionally, not recommended 27, 34
adjacent numbers 60
advice for good writing 22
advice vs. advise 34
affect vs. effect 34
aid vs. aide 34
all ready vs. already 34
all right vs. alright 34
all together vs. altogether 35
all-caps, not recommended 16
allot 34
allude to vs. refer to 35
alot (not a word) 34
alphabetical order in lists 111
already vs. all ready 34
also 34
alternate vs. alternative 35
although vs. though 35
although vs. while 35, 45
altogether vs. all together 35
ambiguity, avoiding it with hyphenation 77
American English vs. British English 6, 126–127
amid (U.S.) vs. amidst (U.K.) 35
EIA Writing Style Guide

129

among (U.S.) vs. amongst (U.K.) 35, 126
among vs. between 36, 126
ampersand 92
any more vs. anymore 35
anyone vs. any one 35
around and about 34, 65
as well as (when to use) 27
assure vs. ensure vs. insure 38
asterisk 92
attribution of third-party sources 114
audience awareness (EIA customers) 4–5, 15
audience, tailoring content to them 15
author’s responsibilities for sourcing 114

backward (U.S.) vs. backwards (U.K.) 35, 126
barrel, abbreviated as b 103
because 26
because of vs. due to 36, 38
because vs. since 35
besides, in addition 34
between vs. among 36
biannual vs. biennial vs. semiannual 36
big vs. large 36
billion, abbreviated as B 106
block text for long quotes 95
bold 24
for emphasis 6, 16, 54
bracket sequence, for mathematical equations 92
breakout vs. break-out 36
British English vs. American English 6, 126–127
bulleted lists 7, 108, 111
capitalization in 51
colon use with 84
how to punctuate 6
introducing the list 108
numbered vs. unnumbered list 110–111
ordering the bullets 111
parallel structure 109
period at end of 88
spacing with 108

canceled (U.S.) vs. cancelled (U.K.) 36
capitalization 6, 48–55
and punctuating bulleted or numbered lists 51
for emphasis, not recommended 54
for governmental references 53
for Internet-related words 55
for job titles 54
for report titles and headings 52–53
in abbreviations, period use with 100
in lists, capitalize first word of each bullet 112
list of examples 48–51
when not to 16
carrot vs. carat vs. caret vs. karat 37
cents, writing about prices 61
centuries, how to represent 62

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change in value, how to represent 64
charts, parallel references to 25
chronological order in lists 110, 111
citation of sources 114–120
cite vs. sight vs. site 43
civil and military titles, hyphen use with 78
clauses linked with semicolon 85
CO2 65, 103
colon
and semicolon 84–85
introducing a list 84–85, 108
no capitalization after colon or semicolon 84
with an example 84
with quotation 85, 95
comma 68–71
after e.g. and i.e. 70, 101
between independent clauses 70
in dates 70
in lists 68
in large numbers 71
in numbers with four or more digits 63
serial or oxford comma 68
when restating a numerical change 71
with e.g. and i.e. 70, 100
with however 71
with introductory words, phrases, clauses 68
with which or that 69
with quotation 95
commonly misused words 34–45
company names, capitalization of 55
ExxonMobil 55
Nymex 55
complement vs. compliment 37
compose and comprise 7, 37
compound subject, how to write it 31
compound words with hyphen 74, 78–81
comprise vs. compose 7, 37
conjunctions, comma use with 70
consistency 3, 4, 15
in bulleted lists 109
in point of view 15
in verb tenses 14
continental U.S. vs. contiguous U.S. 37
continuously vs. continually 37
contractions, use of in EIA writing 15
copyright 114–115
currency, numbers with 61

dash — hyphen, en dash, em dash 74
data vs. datum 37
dates 6, 62
as numerals 62
comma use with 70
DC (Washington, DC), how to write it 6
decades, how to write 62
decimals 63
at end of sentence 59
defining terms in text 116–117
colon use with 84
(U.S.) Department of Energy, how to write
the name 99

EIA Writing Style Guide

descriptive vs. prescriptive dictionary 28
dictionaries 28
different from vs. different than 38
direct quotations, formatting 94
document titles, using italics 16–17
DOE, how to write the name 99
dollar amounts 61
in foreign currency 61
dollar sign 61
due to 6, 25, 38
due to vs. because of 36, 38

e.g. 7, 100
comma use with 70
periods with 89
editorial voice and words and phrases to avoid 10–13
effect vs. affect 34
effect vs. impact 40
EIA, how to write it 6, 99
EIA organization names and titles, capitalization of 54
either…or; neither…nor 30
ellipses 92, 95
em dash 7, 74–75
email vs. e-mail 6, 38
embedded hypertext links 122
capitalization of 55
embedded (nested) parentheses 92
emphasis
preferred techniques 16
with bold and italics 6
with em dash 74
with quote marks, not recommended 96
en dash 7, 74–75
ending a sentence with a preposition 26
endnotes 23, 115–116
end-use vs. end use 76
(U.S.) Energy Information Administration
Office of Communications 3
(U.S.) Energy Information Administration,
how to write the name 6, 99
ensure vs. insure vs. assure 38
equation editor 66
everyday vs. every day 38
everyone vs. every one 38
examples, colon use with 84
except vs. accept 34
exclamation point, not recommended 92
with quotation 95
expected vs. forecast vs. projected 39, 42

farther vs. further 39
federal, when not to capitalize 6, 53
feedback on the EIA Writing Style Guide 2–3
fewer vs. less 31, 39, 64, 65
first person 15
first, second, third 25
firstly, not recommended 25, 112
firstly, secondly, thirdly 25

flammable (recommended) vs. inflammable 39
font choice with numbers and equations 66
footnotes 23, 115, 116, 117
asterisk use with 92
copyright rules 114
footnotes vs. endnotes 116
footnotes, how to format 117
in tables and graphics 118
period use with 88
rights and permissions 114
using ibid 116
for example, with i.e. and e.g. 7
forecast vs. expected vs. projected 39, 42
foreign country names, abbreviations of 99
foreign currency, how to write it 61
foreign language words and phrases 17
formal writing 15
formatting paragraphs 17
forth vs. fourth 39
forward (U.S.) vs. forwards (U.K.), vs. foreword 39
fourth vs. quarter 42
fractions 59
hyphenation with 77
write out or numerals 59
further vs. farther 39
furthermore, not recommended 27

good writing advice 22
government programs, capitalization of 54
governmental references, capitalization of 53
grammar 30–45
grammatical consistency in lists 109
graphics, footnotes in 118
graphs, how to reference in text 118
gray (U.S.) vs. grey (U.K.) 126

half vs. one half vs. a half vs. half of vs. half a 39
hard and fast rules? 3
he and I 30
headings
capitalization 52
for lists 108
headline writing 27
him and me vs. he and I 45
historic vs. historical 39
homepage, written as one word 6
hone vs. home in 39
however, comma use with 71
hypertext links 122–124
capitalization of 55
embedded and stand-alone links 122
fully qualified links 124
hyphen 74–81
en dash 74
em dash 74
list of hyphenated and nonhyphenated
words 79–81
typing 75

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hyphen (continued)
used to avoid mispronunciation and
ambiguity 77
with compound words 7, 75–76
with numbers 77

I
I vs. me 30
i.e. 7, 100
comma use with 70
periods with 89
Ibid in footnotes and endnotes 116
impact as a verb, not recommended 6, 40
impact vs. affect 40
impact vs. effect 40
in addition 27, 34
incentivize, not recommended 27
increase–decrease, words to use 20
indenting first line of paragraph 17
independent clauses
linked by conjunction, comma use with 70
semicolon use with 85
infinitives, ok to split 25
inflammable (not recommended) vs. flammable 39
informal writing 15
initialisms, definition 98
inline text references for sourcing 23
insure vs. ensure vs. assure 38
Internet vs. intranet 40
Internet-related words, capitalization of 55
interruptions, with quotation marks 94
introducing a list 108
introductory word, phrase, or clause,
comma use in 68
inverted pyramid format 10
irregardless (not a word) 42
italics 6
for emphasis 6, 16
for report titles 16
restriction on use with e.g. or i.e. 101
itemized lists and bullets 108–112
its vs. it’s 40

J
K

m as an abbreviation 105–106
majority of vs. most of 41
many 34
mathematical equations 65–66
maybe vs. may be 41
me vs I 30
Microsoft Word
equation editor 66
spell check for copyediting 23
military and civil titles, hyphen use with 78
million abbreviated as MM 105–106
minus sign 60, 78
mispronounced words, avoiding with hyphens 77
misused words list 34–44
months, abbreviations of 101–102
more than vs. over. vs. above 32, 41, 64, 65
most of vs. majority of 40
myself 30
he and I 30
and me vs. and I 30

name and title, comma use with 69
nation, don’t capitalize 6
negative numbers 60
neither…nor 30
nested parentheses 92
neutral writing 6, 20
new content in 2015 Writing Style Guide 2
newspapers, sourcing guidelines 119
none is vs. none are 30, 41
non-English words, how to write them 17
nonhyphenated words 78–81
nonoriginal content, attribution of 23, 114
nonparallel style 25, 109

karat vs. carrot vs. carat vs. caret 37

large numbers
comma use with 71
how to write them 61
large vs. big 36
last 10 years vs. past 10 years 6, 40
last vs. past 40
U.S. Energy Information Administration

jargon 4, 11–13

132

later vs. latter 40
lead vs. led 40
legislation, abbreviation with 102
less than 64
less vs. fewer 31, 39, 64, 65
lists
abbreviations in 100
alphabetical 111
bulleted 111
capitalization in 112
chronological 111
colon use with 84
commas in text lists 68
heading style 108
how to introduce 108
parallel structure 109
punctuation of 110
rank order 110, 111
time order 110, 111
use of parallel style in 25
within text 108
loose vs. lose 40
lower vs. under 31

EIA Writing Style Guide

notation, scientific, how to express 65
notes
and footnotes, period use with 88
in tables and other graphics 120
in text 23
nouns, when to repeat 27
numbered lists, 110
alignment of text 108
capitalization in 51, 112
colon use to introduce 84
numbers 58–66
adjacent references 60
at beginning of sentences 6, 58
changes in values, writing about 64
for dates and years 62
hyphen use with 77
in a range, 2%–4% 60
mathematical equations 65–66
negative 60
percent sign 59
range of, with en dash 74
singular or plural verb with 64
whether to spell or use numerals 58
with currency 61
with four or more digits, commas in 63
numerals
for fractions 59
in dates and years 62
in time 62
vs. writing out numbers 58
with units of measure 60
numerical change, comma use with 71
numerous, not recommended 27

Office of Communications, Style Guide contact 3
omissions with ellipses 92, 95
on vs. upon 43
online (EIA style) vs. on line vs. on-line 2, 5, 41
online information, sourcing guidelines 119
oral vs. verbal 41, 44
ordering bulleted lists 111
ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.) 25, 58, 112
over and under 65
over vs. more than vs. above 32, 41, 65
overtime vs. over time 41
oxford comma 6, 68

p.m. and a.m. 102
period use with 88
palette vs. palate vs. pallet 41
paragraph format 17
parallel structure
in lists 7, 14, 109
in text 25
paraphrased text, don’t use quote marks with 94
parentheses 92
parenthetical information 69
period use with 88

passive voice 10
past 10 years vs. last 10 years 6, 40
past vs. last 40
percent vs. % sign 2, 6, 24, 59, 92
percentage change 64
periods 88–89
at end of bulleted list 88
in abbreviations 88, 100
in U.S. 88
with a.m. and p.m. 88
with capitalized abbreviation 100
with e.g. 7, 89
with i.e. 7, 89
with parentheses 88
with quotation 95
permission to use copyrighted material 114
person: first, second, and third 15
personal vs. personnel 42
phone numbers, format of 63
phrases to avoid 11–13, 20
plain language 5
plural of an abbreviation 101
p.m. and a.m. 102
point of view, making it consistent 15
policy neutrality 6, 20
possessives, 26, 31
of abbreviations 101
postal codes 6, 99
precede vs. proceed 42
preferred vs. nonpreferred expressions for
numbers 65
prefixes, hyphen use with 78–81
prepositions 26
ending a sentence with 26
prescriptive vs. descriptive dictionary 28
previous vs. prior 42
prices, how to write 61
principal vs. principle 42
print articles, sourcing guidelines 119
print vs. web, application of writing styles 3
printed books, sourcing guidelines 119
prior vs. previous 41
proceed vs. precede 42
product names, how to write them 16
projected vs. forecast vs. expected 39, 42
pronouns 30
proofreading techniques 23–24
proved vs. proven (resources and reserves) 42
providing feedback on the EIA Writing Style
Guide 2015 2, 3
punctuation 4
colons and semicolons 83
commas 67
for quote within a quote 95
hyphens and dashes 73
inside or outside quotes 7, 94
of lists 110
periods 87

quarter vs. fourth 42

U.S. Energy Information Administration

EIA Writing Style Guide

133

quotations 94
adding information to (never do this) 96
as block of text 95
marks for emphasis, not recommended 17, 96
colon use with 85, 95
ellipses in 92, 95
exclamation point with 95
for emphasis, not recommended 96
formatting long quotes 95
punctuating 94–95
question mark with 95
semicolon use with 95
with an interruption 94
with direct quotation 95
within a quote 95

range of numbers 60
with en dash 74
ranking order in lists 110–111
references to charts 25
regardless vs. irregardless 42
repetition, how to avoid it 22
report title
capitalization of 52
using italics 17
restating numerical change, comma use with 71
run-on sentence, definition 24

scare quotes 96
scientific notation, how to write it 65
seams vs. seems 42
second person 15
secondly, not recommended 112
semiannual vs. biannual vs. biennial 36
semicolon and colon 84–85
in a series 85
no capitalization after semicolon or colon 84
restriction in lists 108
used to join independent clauses 85
with quotation 95
sentence case vs. title case 52
sentences
ending in a decimal number 59
in bulleted items, period use with 88
run-on 24
short sentences preferred 4, 22
spacing after period (one space) 24, 89
sequence of brackets 92
sequential order in lists 110
serial comma 4, 6, 68
series, semicolon use with 85
shift in verb tenses, when it’s OK 14
shift in point of view 15
short paragraphs, 4, 22, 24
sight vs. cite vs. site 43
significant digits in decimals 63
simple words are better 6, 11–13
since, used with time 6, 35

134

U.S. Energy Information Administration

since vs. because 35
single quote marks for quote within a quote 95
site vs. cite vs. sight 43
sources, citation of 114–116, 118–119
sourcing nonoriginal content 23, 114
spaces
between sentences, single space
recommended 24, 89
with hyphen 74
with en and em dashes 74
spacing in bulleted and numbered lists 108
spell check in Microsoft Word 23–24
split infinitives 25
stacked adjectives, not recommended 24
stand-alone hypertext links 122
state, when not to capitalize 6, 50, 53
state names, using abbreviations of 99
state postal codes, don’t use except in
addresses 99
stationary vs. stationery 43
subject–verb agreement 32
subscripts in scientific notation 65
superscripts
in dates 62
in ordinal numbers 58
in scientific notation 65
supplemental information, commas with 69
symbols 91–92

tables 118
abbreviating months in 101–102
footnotes in 118
tailoring your writing to the audience 15
temperature, writing °F, 103
th, as in 7th, how to write 58
than vs. then 43
that 27
that vs. who 7
that or this 26
vs. which 7, 30, 43, 44, 69
vs. who 31
their vs. there vs. they’re 43
thesis writing format, not recommended 22
third person 15
third-party data sources 114
this is because, don’t use 26
this is the result of, don’t use 26
that, beginning a sentence 26
thorough vs. through vs. threw vs. though 43
though vs. although 35
thousand abbreviated as a Roman numeral M
105–106
threw vs. thorough vs. through vs. though 43
time of day 6, 62
title and name, comma use with 69
title case capitalization 6, 52–53
title case or sentence case, definitions 52
too, comma use with 71
toward (U.S.) vs. towards (U.K.) 44, 126
traveled (U.S.) vs. travelled (U.K.) 44, 126
treaties, capitalization of 54

EIA Writing Style Guide

U.S.
how to write the country name 6, 99
noun vs. adjective, when to spell out 6, 99
period use with 88
U.S. DOE, how to write the name 99
U.S. Energy Information Administration,
how to write it 6
unclear pronoun reference 26
under and over 65
under vs. lower 31
underlining, not recommended 6, 16, 24
United States, spelled out 6, 99
unit list 103–105
units of measure
how to abbreviate 103–105
using numerals with 60
upon vs. on 44
upward (U.S.) vs. upwards (U.K.) 44, 126
use vs. usage 13, 65
utilize, not recommended 13, 27

years, written as numerals 62
you and me vs. you and I 30
your vs. you’re 44

value, writing a change in 64
variable vs. volatile 44
variables in equations 65
varying word choice, when not to do it 22
verb tenses, consistency with 14
verbal vs. oral 41, 44
verbs with numbers, singular or plural 64
verb–subject agreement 32
voice 10
volatile vs. variable 44

W
Washington, DC, how to write it 6
web links 122–124
don’t underline, just use blue 122
don’t use click here 6, 122
embedded vs. stand alone 122
fully qualified links 124
how to write them 122
web vs. print Style Guide application 3
web vs. the web 44
website (EIA style) vs. web site 6, 44
which vs. that 7, 30, 43, 45
comma use with 69
while vs. although 34, 45
while (U.S.) vs. whilst (U.K.) 45, 126
who uses EIA data? 4–5
who vs. that 7, 31
why a writing style guide? 2
word choice, when not to vary it 22
words to avoid 11–13
write-around 28
writing guidance 22
writing out numbers vs. numerals 58

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EIA Writing Style Guide

135

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Energy Information Administration (EIA) Writing Style Guide

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