dangling participles

avoid awkward constructions such as “Having died, the nurse washed him carefully”

data

“the data shows…”. Although data is strictly a plural, no one says agendum or datum

dates and times 

22 July 2010. In tables 22.7.10 is acceptable. The thirties or 1930s, not the ‘30s; 2011-12, or from 2011 to 2012.

With time, use the 12-hour clock, with am or pm: The meeting is at 10am.

day care

decision making

two words as in “she is good at decision making”; but “decision-making body”

decorations

no need to add OBE, CBE etc after names. Dames, knights etc: usually in full at first reference (“Dame Elsie Tanner”) then Dame Elsie

degrees

a first; a second; a 2:1; an MA

Department of Health

spell out, then DH; NHSScotland has no space between NHS and Scotland, but insert one for ease of reading

dependant; dependent

noun; adjective. A person’s dependants are dependent on him or her

developing countries

do not use “third world” to describe countries with poor infrastructure and low average income

diabetes, type 1; type 2

lower case t, use digit

dietician

not dietitian

different from

not different to

disabled people

avoid both “disabled people” and “the disabled” – use “people with disabilities” instead

discreet, discrete

discreet means circumspect, judicious; discrete means separate

diseases

lower case except where they include someone’s name; for example, Parkinson’s disease (but parkinsonism)

dos and don’ts

Down syndrome

not Down’s syndrome

drugs

usually known by two names: generic and brand – for example: diazepam (generic) and Valium (brand) are the same thing. Use the generic name (all lower case) unless the brand is relevant to what you are writing. Brand names have initial capital. Dosage – write like this: a dose of 500mg three times a day, not 500mgs x 3 daily

drug misuse

not drug abuse

dyslexia

“He has dyslexia” rather than “He is dyslexic”. Avoid “suffers from” dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia etc