I know that editorial exactitude gets up most people’s noses, but words matter to me. So I was delighted to discover an ally in an argument I have long been having with a succession colleagues: ‘data set’ (two words) versus ‘dataset’ (one word). I have always favoured the one-word spelling, but NODWE and CMoS prefer ‘data set’. Grrrrr … But happily for me, in a recent online update, the AMA’s latest style guide has declared ‘dataset’ to be their preferred spelling (https://amastyleinsider.com/2024/07/18/odds-and-ends/). Cheers, AMA – you’re my new best friend!
I wonder how many people will care? Perhaps I should conduct a survey and produce a dataset 😊.