Update content-style-guide.md Micky removed contractions.

content-style-guide.md

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ Focus your message, and create a hierarchy of information. Lead with the main po
 * Use specific examples.
 * Avoid vague language.
 * Be consistent. Adhere to the copy patterns and style points outlined in this guide.
-* Feel free to use contractions.
+* Do NOT use contractions as they cheapen the content and provide difficulty for seakers and readers of other languages.
 * Use the serial comma. Otherwise, use common sense. (Also known as the Oxford comma, it helps clarify when items in a list of three, four, or more things are their own items.)
 * Don’t use underline, and don’t use any combination of italic, bold, caps, and underline.
 * When in doubt, read your writing out loud.
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ Place similar topics in the same paragraph, and clearly separate different topic
 
 * Use active voice.
 * Avoid double negatives.
-* Use contractions with caution.
+* Do NOT use contractions as they cheapen the content and provide difficulty for seakers of other languages.
 * Avoid using synonyms for the same word in a single piece of writing.
 * Write briefly, but don’t sacrifice clarity for brevity. You may need to repeat or add words to make the meaning of your sentences clear to a translator.
 * Avoid slang, idioms, and cliches.
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ In order to achieve those goals, we make sure our content is:
 
 One way we write empowering content is by being aware of our voice and our tone.
 
-What’s the difference between voice and tone? Think of it this way: You have the same voice all the time, but your tone changes. You might use one tone when you're out to dinner with your closest friends, and a different tone when you're in a meeting with your boss.
+What’s the difference between voice and tone? Think of it this way: You have the same voice all the time, but your tone changes. You might use one tone when you are out to dinner with your closest friends, and a different tone when you are in a meeting with your boss.
 
 Your tone also changes depending on the emotional state of the person you’re addressing. You wouldn’t want to use the same tone of voice with someone who’s scared or upset as you would with someone who’s laughing.
 
@@ -119,13 +119,13 @@ Agaric’s voice is:
 
 Agaric’s tone is usually informal, but it’s always more important to be clear than entertaining. When you’re writing, consider the reader’s state of mind. Are they curious about a post on our blog? Are they distrustful after being burned by a previous vendor? Are they excited to be engaging in a redesign? Once you have an idea of their emotional state, you can adjust your tone accordingly.
 
-Agaric has a sense of humor, so feel free to be funny when it’s appropriate and when it comes naturally to you. If in any doubt, don't make the joke. Generally avoid humor in written communication to clients.
+Agaric has a sense of humor, so feel free to be funny when it’s appropriate and when it comes naturally to you. If in any doubt, don not make the joke. Generally avoid humor in written communication to clients.
 
 #### Running gags
 
 ##### "The Agaric way"
 
-We've been saying it from the beginning and are only half-serious about it.
+We have been saying it from the beginning and are only half-serious about it.
 
 ### Style tips
 
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ Here are a few key elements of writing Agaric’s voice. For more, see the Gramm
 
 ## Writing About People
 
-We write the same way we build software: with a person-first perspective. Whether you’re writing for an internal or external audience, it's important to write for and about other people in a way that’s compassionate, inclusive, and respectful. Being aware of the impact of your language will help make Agaric a better place to work and a better steward of our values in the world. In this section we'll lay out some guidelines for writing about people with compassion, and share some resources for further learning.
+We write the same way we build software: with a person-first perspective. Whether you’re writing for an internal or external audience, it is important to write for and about other people in a way that’s compassionate, inclusive, and respectful. Being aware of the impact of your language will help make Agaric a better place to work and a better steward of our values in the world. In this section we will lay out some guidelines for writing about people with compassion, and share some resources for further learning.
 
 ### Age
 
@@ -157,8 +157,8 @@ Don’t refer to a person’s ability unless it’s relevant to what you’re wr
 
 ### Gender and sexuality
 
-Don’t call groups of people “guys.” "Y'all" is a useful, non-gendered term for addressing groups of people.
-Don’t call women “girls.”
+Don not call groups of people “guys.” "All" is a useful, non-gendered term for addressing groups of people.
+Do not call women “girls.”
 Avoid gendered terms in favor of neutral alternatives, like “server” instead of “waitress” and “businessperson” instead of “businessman.”
 It’s OK to use “they” as a singular pronoun.
 
@@ -172,13 +172,13 @@ Use the following words as modifiers, but never as nouns:
 * queer
 * LGBT
 
-Don’t use these words in reference to LGBTQIA people or communities:
+Don not use these words in reference to LGBTQIA people or communities:
 
 * homosexual
 * lifestyle
 * preference
 
-Don’t use “same-sex” marriage, unless the distinction is relevant to what you’re writing. Avoid using “gay marriage," instead use “marriage.”
+Do not use “same-sex” marriage, unless the distinction is relevant to what you’re writing. Avoid using “gay marriage," instead use “marriage.”
 
 When writing about a person, use their communicated pronouns. When in doubt, just ask for their pronouns or use their name.
 
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ Use the adjective “blind” to describe a person who is unable to see. Use “
 
 ## Grammar and mechanics
 
-Adhering to certain rules of grammar and mechanics helps us keep our writing clear and consistent. This section will lay out our house style, which applies to all of our content unless otherwise noted in this guide. (We cover a lot of ground in this section—the search feature will help if you're looking for something in particular.)
+Adhering to certain rules of grammar and mechanics helps us keep our writing clear and consistent. This section will lay out our house style, which applies to all of our content unless otherwise noted in this guide. (We cover a lot of ground in this section—the search feature will help if you are looking for something in particular.)
 
 
 ### Basics
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ When writing out an email address or website URL, use all lowercase.
 micky@agaric.com  
 agaric.com  
 
-Don't capitalize random words in the middle of sentences. Here are some words that we never capitalize in a sentence. For more, see the Word list.
+Do not capitalize random words in the middle of sentences. Here are some words that we never capitalize in a sentence. For more, see the Word list.
 website  
 internet  
 online  
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ e-mail
 
 #### Contractions
 
-They’re great! Though you won’t see Micky use them. :) They give your writing an informal, friendly tone. In most cases, use them as you see fit. If you want to convey more authority and formality do not use them.
+They are bad! Even though they may give your writing an informal feel, they provide difficulty for readers that donnot speak English. You can surely make your email look informal without the use of contractions.
 
 #### Emoji
 
@@ -374,8 +374,8 @@ Austin thought Brad was the donut thief, but he was wrong— it was Lain.
 
 **Ellipses**
 Ellipses (...) can be used to indicate that you’re trailing off before the end of a thought. Use them sparingly. Don’t use them for emphasis or drama, and don’t use them in titles or headers.
-“Where did all those doughnuts go?” Christy asked. Lain said, “I don't know...”  
-Ellipses, in brackets, can also be used to show that you're omitting words in a quote.  
+“Where did all those doughnuts go?” Christy asked. Lain said, “I do not know...”  
+Ellipses, in brackets, can also be used to show that you are omitting words in a quote.  
 “When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, [...] a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
 
 **Periods**
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ Brad said, “A wise man once told me, ‘A fool and his doughnut are easily par
 Go easy on semicolons. They usually support long, complicated sentences that could easily be simplified. Try an em dash (—) instead, or simply start a new sentence.
 
 **Ampersands**
-Don't use ampersands unless one is part of a company or brand name.  
+Do not use ampersands unless one is part of a company or brand name.  
 Ben and Dan  
 Ben & Jerry’s  
 People, Places, and Things  
@@ -434,10 +434,10 @@ The first time you mention a person in writing, refer to them by their first and
 Capitalize the names of departments and teams (but not the word "team" or "department").  
 Marketing team  
 Support department  
-Capitalize individual job titles when referencing to a specific role. Don't capitalize when referring to the role in general terms.  
+Capitalize individual job titles when referencing to a specific role. Do not capitalize when referring to the role in general terms.  
 Our new Marketing Manager starts today.  
 All the managers ate donuts.  
-Don't refer to someone as a “ninja,” “rockstar,” or “wizard” unless they literally are one.  
+Do not refer to someone as a “guru,” “rockstar,” or “wizard” unless they literally are one.  
 
 **Schools**
 The first time you mention a school, college, or university in a piece of writing, refer to it by its full official name. On all other mentions, use its more common abbreviation.  
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ Capitalize the proper names of Agaric products, features, pages, and tools.
 
 ## Writing about other companies
 
-Honor companies’ own names for themselves and their products. Go by what’s used on their official website. Unless they end with an exclamation point ('!'); that's absurd and will not be respected!
+Honor companies’ own names for themselves and their products. Go by whatever is used on their official website. Unless they end with an exclamation point ('!'); that is absurd and will not be respected!
 
 Refer to a company or product as “it” (not “they”).  
 
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ Use italics to indicate the title of a long work (like a book, movie, or album)
 Dunston Checks In  
 Brandon really loves Dunston Checks In.  
 Use italics when citing an example of an element, or referencing button and navigation labels in step-by-step instructions:  
-When you're all done, click Send.  
+When you are all done, click Send.  
 The familiar A/B testing variables—Subject line, From name, and Send time—have now been joined by Content, and up to 3 combinations of a single variable can now be tested at once.
 Don’t use underline formatting, and don’t use any combination of italic, bold, caps, and underline.  
 Left-align text, never center or right-aligned.  
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ Content at Agaric takes many forms. Here’s a rundown of the types of content w
 What: Short message that alerts the user to a problem in their account or on their site 
 Length: 20-75 words  
 Owner: Developer  
-Example: Looks like you've left our default header content unmodified. Specifically, we still see ‘Use this area to offer a short preview’ in the pre-header/header area.  
+Example: Looks like you may have left our default header content unmodified. Specifically, we still see ‘Use this area to offer a short preview’ in the pre-header/header area.  
 
 #### Interface copy  
 What: Explanatory messaging that guides and informs users  
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ Social media
 What: Posts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn that highlight blog posts, events, notable Agaric clients, and more  
 Length: 20-30 words  
 Owner: Marketing, support  
-Example: The City of Camrbidge uses Agaric's Find It platform to make it easier for people to find activities, events, and resources. Here's how: https://agaric.coop/work/find-it-cambridge
+Example: The City of Camrbidge uses Agaric's Find It platform to make it easier for people to find activities, events, and resources. Here is how it works: https://agaric.coop/work/find-it-cambridge
 See also: Writing for social media  
 
 #### Success message  
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ Every piece of content we publish is supported by a number of smaller pieces. Th
 ### Guidelines
 
 #### Alt text
-Alt text is a way to label images, and it's especially important for people who can’t see the images on our website. Alt text should describe the image in a brief sentence or two.
+Alt text is a way to label images, and it is especially important for people who can’t see the images on our website. Alt text should describe the image in a brief sentence or two.
 For more on how and why we use alt text, read the Accessibility section.
 
 #### Buttons
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ Titles are (you guessed it) in title case.
 Don’t use punctuation in a title unless the title is a question.  
 
 #### SEO
-We write for humans, not machines. We don't use gross SEO techniques like keyword stuffing to bump search results. But we also want to make it easy for people and search engines to find and share our content. Here are some not-icky ways to do this:  
+We write for humans, not machines. We do not use gross SEO techniques like keyword stuffing to bump search results. But we also want to make it easy for people and search engines to find and share our content. Here are some not-icky ways to do this:  
 Organize your page around one topic. Use clear, descriptive terms in titles and headings that relate to the topic at hand.  
 Use descriptive headings to structure your page and highlight important information.
 Give every image descriptive alt text.  
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ We update the main Agaric blog a couple times every month. We generally publish:
 * Agaric case studies
 * Tips and tricks for web developers
 
-We publish blog posts that explain the “why” behind the work we do at Agaric. We want to show people that we're an industry leader and we use our blog to tell the stories behind our work and services.
+We publish blog posts that explain the “why” behind the work we do at Agaric. We want to show people that we are an industry leader and we use our blog to tell the stories behind our work and services.
 
 
 ### Guidelines
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ This isn’t a term paper, so there’s no need to be stuffy. Drop some knowledg
 
 #### Be specific
 
-If you're writing about data, put the numbers in context. If you're writing about an Agaric client, give the reader plenty of information about the organization’s purpose, workflow, technical needs and results.
+If you are writing about data, put the numbers in context. If you are writing about an Agaric client, give the reader plenty of information about the organization’s purpose, workflow, technical needs and results.
 
 #### Get to the point
 
@@ -680,11 +680,11 @@ Feel free to link away from Agaric if it helps you explain something.
 
 #### Make 'em laugh
 
-Agaric is a fun company, and we want our blog to reflect this. Feel free to throw in a joke here and there, or link out to a funny GIF or YouTube video when appropriate. Just don't overdo it.
+Agaric is a fun company, and we want our blog to reflect this. Feel free to throw in a joke here and there, or link out to a funny GIF or YouTube video when appropriate. Just do not overdo it.
 
 #### Use tags and keywords
 
-In Drupal, add keywords that apply to your article. Look through existing posts for common tags. If you’re not sure if a word should be a tag, it probably shouldn’t.
+In Drupal, add keywords that apply to your article. Look through existing posts for common tags. If you are not sure if a word should be a tag, it probably should not be a tag.
 
 #### Use pictures
 
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ We edit technical content based on three goals:
   * Use specific, active verbs for certain tasks.  
   * Choose basic words and phrases to facilitate consistency across translated content.  
 * Helpfulness  
-  * Stay conversational, using contractions when appropriate.  
+  * Stay conversational, without using contractions.  
   * Avoid qualifiers that muddy meaning.  
   * Express understanding when appropriate.  
   * Craft clear transitions from section to section to orient the reader.  
@@ -852,14 +852,14 @@ Do your best to adhere to Agaric style guidelines when you’re using our social
 
 When appropriate, you can tag the subject of your post on Twitter or Facebook. But avoid directly tweeting at or otherwise publicly tagging a post subject with messages like, “Hey, we wrote about you!” Never ask for retweets, likes, or favorites.
 Yes: “We talked with @dinarcon about configuring YAML definition files https://agaric.coop/blog/drupal-migrations-reference-list-configuration-options-yaml-definition-files”
-No: “Hey @mlncn, can you RT this post we wrote about the training you're giving? https://agaric.coop/blog/learn-how-migrate-drupal-8-successfully-nonprofit-technology-pre-conference-day”
+No: “Hey @mlncn, can you RT this post we wrote about the training you are giving? https://agaric.coop/blog/learn-how-migrate-drupal-8-successfully-nonprofit-technology-pre-conference-day”
 
 ### Hashtags
 We employ hashtags rarely and deliberately. We may use them to promote an event or connect with users at a conference. Do not use current event or trending hashtags to promote Agaric unless it applies directly to our work (eg: #drupal #freesoftware #netneutrality).
 
 ### Trending topics
 * Do not use social media to comment on trending topics or current events that are unrelated to Agaric.  
-* Be aware of what’s going on in the news when you're publishing social content for Agaric.
+* Be aware of what’s going on in the news whenever you are publishing social content for Agaric.
 * During major breaking news events, we turn off all promoted and scheduled social posts.  
 
 ### Writing for Accessibility
@@ -931,16 +931,16 @@ Agaric serves users in several countries and territories, not just the United St
 We call the process of writing copy for translation “internationalization.” This section will address things you can do to help international audiences, including translators, better comprehend your text.
 
 ### Basics
-We try to write all of our content in standard, straightforward English that can be understood by users with limited English proficiency. It's much easier for a translator to clearly communicate ideas written in straightforward, uncomplicated sentences.
+We try to write all of our content in standard, straightforward English that can be understood by users with limited English proficiency. It is much easier for a translator to clearly communicate ideas written in straightforward, uncomplicated sentences.
 Here are some guiding principles for writing for international audiences:
-Use active voice. We always aim for this, but it's especially important when writing for translation.
+Use active voice. We always aim for this, but it is especially important when writing for translation.
 
-Use the subject-verb-object sentence structure. It’s not used by all languages, but it’s widely recognized.
+Use the subject-verb-object sentence structure. It’s not used by all languages, but it’s widely recognized. That does not mean we should rely on it.
 
 Use positive words when talking about positive situations. For example, because a question like “Don’t you think she did a great job?” begins with a negative word, a non-native English speaker may interpret its implication as negative. A better version would be “She did a good job, right?”
 
 ### Guidelines
-When writing for international audiences, we generally follow what's outlined in the Voice and tone and Grammar and mechanics sections. But in this section more than others, some style points contradict what's stated elsewhere in the guide. If you’re writing something to be translated, the guidelines in this section should take precedence.
+When writing for international audiences, we generally follow what is outlined in the Voice and tone and Grammar and mechanics sections. But in this section more than others, some style points contradict what is stated elsewhere in the guide. If you’re writing something to be translated, the guidelines in this section should take precedence.
 
 ### Consider cultural differences
 Agaric’s voice is conversational and informal. However, in some cultures, informal text may be considered offensive. Check with your translator to see if this is the case for the particular language you’re writing for.
@@ -960,8 +960,8 @@ Yes: Agaric can build your website or can train your development team to build m
 No: Agaric can build your website or train your development team to build more powerful websites. 
 
 #### Repeat subjects and verbs
-Yes: Most Agarics use contractions, but Micky does not. 
-No: Most Agarics use contractions, but not Micky.  
+Yes: Most Agarics have used contractions, but Micky has not. 
+No: Most Agarics used contractions, but not Micky.  
 
 #### Repeat markers in a list or series
 Yes: Use Agaric's Find It platform to post opportunities, to list service providers, and to connect kids with activities. 
@@ -969,8 +969,8 @@ No: Use Agaric's Find It platform to post opportunities, list service providers,
 
 #### Leave in words like “then,” “a,” “the,” “to,” and “that," even if you think they could be cut  
 
-Yes: If there is not a test site set up, then you’ll need to create a test site before you can safely evaluate functionality changes.  
-No: If there is not a test site set up, you’ll need to create a test site before you can safely evaluate functionality changes.
+Yes: If there is not a test site set up, then you will need to create a test site before you can safely evaluate functionality changes.  
+No: If there is not a test site set up, you will need to create a test site before you can safely evaluate functionality changes.
 
 Yes: When sending an email, it is necessary to have a “From:” name, a “From:” address, and a subject line.  
 No: When sending an email, it is necessary to have a “From:” name, “From:” address, and subject line.  
@@ -1025,7 +1025,7 @@ No: From our backyard, we could hear the planes taking off from the airport.
 * Converting one part of speech into another if it isn’t already commonly used (use "Send us an email” instead of “message us”)  
 * Non-standard or indirect verb usage (use “he says,” not “he’s like” or “he was all”)  
 * Double negatives  
-* Synonyms, generally. Don't use a lot of different words for the same thing in a single piece of writing. Instead of mixing it up with “campaign,” “newsletter,” “bulletin,” etc., pick one term and stick with it.
+* Synonyms, generally. Do not use a lot of different words for the same thing in a single piece of writing. Instead of mixing it up with “campaign,” “newsletter,” “bulletin,” etc., pick one term and stick with it.
 
 #### Beware words with multiple meanings