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I've seen "do's and don'ts" written several different ways. My instinct is to use Do's and Don'ts?, since it flows better, but what does Ed think?

Your instinct was correct!

do's and don'ts

Whew, thank you! Those darn apostrophes can be so tricky.

(On a related note, my friends think I'm crazy. They rant about tricky video game levels, I rant about tricky punctuation... )

Was that the one on online education that just got sold? Congratulations!

Best
CW

It was indeed, canywriter! Thanks! Totally made my day to see the sale, 'cause I had to revise and resubmit it before it got accepted (me and my clarity issues, grr... ). But it paid off! -happy dance-

I hate to drag this on since Ed gave such a happy answer, but I wanted to point out that "Dos and Don'ts" is also technically correct, and preferred in some style manuals. I saw both versions on Owl Purdue's writing website. I prefer Dos and Don'ts - the other way irks me. I think I'll just resolve never to use this phrase again! (Now, because I made that resolution, fate will bring an enticing public request for "Do's and Don'ts of Punctuation.")

Cute poem regarding this, "Words to the Whys", here:
http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2007/ ... donts.html

Emma

Glad you posted this, Emma, as I didn't want to be the one to stick my head above the parapet and say that “dos and don'ts” is (also) correct. I think that “do's and don'ts” is perhaps more aesthetically pleasing (but not necessarily technically correct). If there’s an apostrophe in the word “do’s” then why isn’t there one in the word “don’t’s” (as in “do not’s”)?!

However, I’m sure that both would be accepted, and I’m almost certain that I’ve had an article accepted with “dos and don’ts” in the title.

Jane

Thanks for pointing that out, Emma. Was there a page on the Purdue site that discussed this phrase? Search doesn't turn up any results for me.

Unfortunately, no, Purdue didn't offer any wisdom. (Else I would have posted it.) All I saw in my search were various articles with that phrase in the title, and both versions were used (though not within an article).

But aside from the fact that both are correct, I wanted to say that some people might not find "Do's and Don'ts" to be aesthetically pleasing at all. Me, for instance. Surely I'm not the only one? But I guess it doesn't matter. Happily, I can do what I wish in this case, and if it matters to a client, he can change it with a full rights purchase.

Sorry, Jane - I guess I'm not the only one!

Emma

Maybe it's just me who likes the symmetry of the apostrophe use in "do's and don'ts" then! Although, as I said, I wouldn't use it myself (unless instructed to - and even then I would find it hard not to suggest dropping the first apostrophe).

A bit of trivia on the use of apostrophes: In the UK, the city of Birmingham has ruled that no apostrophes will be used in district names and street names, etc as it's become just too confusing for everyone (King's Norton or Kings' Norton?). One newspaper article said that the council had to do it to "end time-consuming queries from local pedants once and for all." Now how are we going to get our fun?(!)

Have a great day.

Jane

Thanks for the trivia, Jane. Amazing, isn't it, that we just LOVE spending time on these little trivialities? A reader of these forums must think we are the most boring lot of home-bodies. At least we're happy. (Well, excepting a few curious UK residents...)

Yes, I can see the symmetry. And "Dos" might look like a Spanish article... or is it? So I promise not to poo-poo anyone's version of that phrase.
Emma