guidelines about

USAGE SUMMARY

"guidelines about" is a perfectly acceptable combination of words in written English.
You can use it when referring to rules or regulations involving a specific subject. For example: "The company has provided detailed guidelines about its new dress code policy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Guidelines about inlets.

The Washington Post

Guidelines about assistantships are here.

Cornell University

TV Tropes guidelines about handling spoilers.

Cornell University

All clinical trials have guidelines about who can take part.

Stanford University

Experts do not agree on guidelines about monitoring.

The New York Times

We have clear guidelines about what schools can and cannot teach.

The Guardian

The company said it is bound by strict guidelines about how many Papuans should be employed.

The Guardian

The Ministry of Labor also issued guidelines about moral standards for businesses that employed both sexes.

The New Yorker

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network has established some guidelines about when to switch to comfort care.

The New York Times - Health

It was closed for violating guidelines about reporting on the war against separatist Tamil rebels.

The New York Times

Guidelines about who disseminates information, who gets information and when are more common.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "guidelines about", ensure the context clearly defines who established the guidelines and to whom they apply. This adds clarity and authority to your writing.

Common error

Avoid stating that "guidelines about" a topic are universally accepted without verifying. Different organizations or fields may have varying or even conflicting guidelines. Always specify the source or context of the guidelines you are referencing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "guidelines about" serves as a prepositional phrase introducing the subject matter of a set of recommendations or rules. Ludwig shows various examples where it precedes topics ranging from social media usage to moral standards.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Academia

22%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "guidelines about" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed phrase used to introduce the subject of a set of recommendations or rules. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is perfectly acceptable in written English. Its widespread presence across diverse sources, particularly news, academic, and scientific domains, underscores its versatility. When employing "guidelines about", it's crucial to clearly identify the origin and intended audience of the guidelines. While acceptable and widely used, consider context-appropriate alternatives like "recommendations regarding" or "instructions concerning" to enhance precision. Always remember to specify the source of the guidelines and avoid overgeneralizations about their universal applicability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

recommendations regarding

This alternative uses "recommendations" instead of "guidelines" and "regarding" instead of "about", slightly changing the focus to suggestions.

instructions concerning

This alternative replaces "guidelines" with "instructions" and "about" with "concerning", emphasizing a more directive approach.

directives relating to

Using "directives" implies a stronger sense of authority than "guidelines", while "relating to" maintains the connection to the topic.

protocols for

This option uses "protocols", suggesting a more structured and formal set of procedures, and "for" to indicate purpose.

rules concerning

Substituting "guidelines" with "rules" indicates a more rigid and enforced set of standards, while keeping "concerning" to specify the subject.

recommendations on

This option uses "recommendations" instead of "guidelines" and "on" instead of "about", which has a lighter, advisory feel.

advice regarding

Replacing "guidelines" with "advice" softens the tone, indicating a suggestion rather than a strict rule, and using "regarding" to connect it to the topic.

procedures for

This choice shifts the focus to a defined series of actions, using "procedures" and indicating purpose with "for".

principles governing

This alternative introduces "principles", focusing on fundamental truths that influence actions, with "governing" indicating control.

standards for

This alternative utilizes "standards", indicating an established norm for quality, and "for" to point out purpose.

FAQs

How do I use "guidelines about" in a sentence?

Use "guidelines about" to introduce a specific set of rules, recommendations, or procedures pertaining to a particular topic. For example, "The company issued "guidelines about" social media usage for its employees".

What are some alternatives to "guidelines about"?

You can use phrases such as "recommendations regarding", "instructions concerning", or "protocols for" depending on the context and the level of formality.

Which is correct, "guidelines about" or "guidelines on"?

Both "guidelines about" and "guidelines on" are acceptable, but "guidelines about" is generally used to introduce the subject of the guidelines, while "guidelines on" is often used to indicate the specific aspect or area covered. For example, "guidelines about data privacy" vs. "guidelines on how to protect data privacy".

What's the difference between "guidelines about" and "policies about"?

"Guidelines about" typically offer suggestions or recommendations, while "policies about" are usually more formal and binding rules. Guidelines provide a framework, whereas policies enforce specific behaviors.