Dates and times
1. Write out the month to avoid confusion due to several different ways of writing dates across the world.
e.g. 30 September 2012 or September 30, 2012
2. Usually the full year is given (1980s).
3. When indicated a span of years, an en dash connects the numbers. In four-digit dates, the last two digits are repeated except within the first decade of the century. When dates span the turn of a century all four digits should be repeated.
e.g. 2013–14, 2001–2, 1998–2004.
4. A slash or solidus is used to indicate a period that doesn’t coincide exactly with one calendar year.
e.g. 2010/11
5. For denoting morning or evening: AM/PM or a.m./p.m. should be used. British English often uses “am/pm” with no punctuation, but for this publication periods will be used.
6. Never use st, nd, rd, or th after figures in dates.
7. Within one article use a consistent form for dates. One of the following is suitable:
- October 14, 1999
- Japan Times, 12 October 2000.
- The third of June 1956.
- June 9 (never June 9th).
8. Spell out times within text, however you may use digits to express an exact time.
e.g.
Our youth group meets at eight-thirty.
The train departs at 7:36.
9. 30 minutes past the hour is written “half past”.
e.g. 7:30 = half past seven
10. 15 minutes before the hour or after the hour is written “quarter to” or “quarter past”.
11. American English uses a colon between hour and minutes. British/Commonwealth English uses a full stop.
e.g. 7:30 p.m. (US) 7.30 p.m. (B/C)