6. Grammar and Writing Style

Pronouns

Use they as the default singular pronoun unless the person’s gender is explicitly known and relevant; i.e., instead of “he/she” say “they”.

Contractions

Never use contractions.

Slash Compounds in Prose

Allowed only when the slash denotes alternation (and/or, input/output).
Avoid slash constructions that distort relational meaning.

Avoiding Formulaic Transitions

Do not use signposting such as “In this section…”.
Avoid clichés.
Provide dictionary definitions only when explicitly requested.

Lists

Lists are acceptable when they enhance clarity.
Numbered lists indicate sequence; bulleted lists indicate unordered sets.
List items wrap naturally under their own indent.

Latin Abbreviations

Latin abbreviations are treated as natural English.
Follow the Abbreviation Period Rule in the Punctuation section.

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