information technology

• Spell out and do not capitalize in general use.

in order to

• Avoid using in order to; the word to is sufficient.
  • We ride the bus to help reduce air pollution.
  • Not: We rode the bus in order to help reduce air pollution.

Internet (See also URL)

• Capitalize and spell out Internet.
• The World Wide Web, also WWW or the web, is a subset of the Internet. The web is acceptable in all uses.
• Internet addresses include website designations and email addresses. Follow the spelling and upper/lower case designations of the website owner. Certain addresses may be case-sensitive, so be sure to follow the owner’s address specifications.
• Use the / (forward slash) at the end of a web address only if the mark is required to connect to the site. In most cases, it is not needed.
• Do not italicize or emphasize web addresses in running text.
• Do not underline web addresses, which sometimes include an underscore ( _ ) character that would be obscured if the entire address is underscored. (Check the help menu for how to turn off autoformatting of hyperlinks.)
• Avoid using lengthy and complicated addresses – instead, use a shorter URL and “click on” instructions if possible – and try to keep addresses on one line. If an address must break between lines, split the address immediately before a slash or a dot. Use a period when an address falls at the end of a sentence; if the address occurs in mid-sentence, punctuate with a comma or similar mark as appropriate. Never hyphenate any word within a URL.
• Always test web addresses. To ensure accuracy, include http:// or other prefixes such as ftp://.
  • Students may find out more about the University on the web at www.colostate.edu.
  • Click on “The Basics” at http://welcome.colostate.edu for more details.
  • The address www.colostate.edu belongs to Colorado State University.
• The terms website, webcam, webcast, webpage, and webmaster are now commonly accepted as one word and are not capitalized.
• When transmitting information via email or over the Internet, such as public relations releases, use quotation marks for titles instead of italics, which may not transmit correctly to the recipient’s screen.

italics

• Use italics when available instead of underlining.
• Use italics for the titles of longer works or compilations, shorter works published separately, and works of art such as paintings, drawings, and sculptures. (See also composition titles. This differs from the AP Stylebook.)
  • Death of a Salesman is showing on Broadway.
  • What time is All Things Considered on the radio?
  • My favorite novel is Rabbit is Rich.
• Translate foreign titles into English unless a specific work’s original name is well known.
• Puccini’s La Bohème is on stage at the Met.
• Do not italicize commonly used foreign terms or abbreviations. (see abbreviations)

its, it’s

• It’s is a contraction for it is or it has. Its is the possessive form of the neuter pronoun.
  • It’s going to be fine.
  • It’s beyond me.
  • The troll lost its prey.
• Memory aid: To be sure of the proper form, spell out or include the contraction as appropriate.
  • It’s going to be fine. (Translates to the correct form: It is going to be fine.)
  • Not: The troll lost it’s prey. (Translates to the incorrect form: The troll lost it is prey.)

J

job titles (See also names; academic degrees; titles of people)

• Capitalize job titles only when they immediately precede the individual’s name or when they are named positions or honorary titles. Do not capitalize or abbreviate titles that come after a name, but set them off with commas.
  • President Blake Gray will deliver the opening address.
  • Social sciences Associate Professor Leslie Martinez leads the meeting.
  • Leslie Martinez, social sciences associate professor, is leading the meeting.
  • The president will arrive soon to meet with the pope.
• Vice president has no hyphen.
• Do not capitalize an occupational title used either before or after a name.
  • Local artist Chris Morales hosts a show.
    Surgery was done by world-famous veterinarian, Terry Abe.
• Courtesy titles such as Dr., Mr., Mrs., and Ms. generally are not used in either first or subsequent references. However, Dr. may be used on first reference as part of a title if the person is a medical doctor or veterinarian. (See “doctor” when using the AP Stylebook.)
  • The world-famous veterinarian, Dr. Terry Abe, performed the surgery.
• Place long titles after names and enclose in commas
  • Terry Abe, assistant dean for undergraduate studies in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, will hand out the diplomas.
• Abbreviate titles before names such as Sen., Maj., Gov., Hon., and Rev. (These may be spelled out in formal applications.) However, always spell out Reverend and Honorable when used with the.
  • Gen. Taylor Silva
  • Lt. Col. Pat Parker
  • the Reverend Blake Abe
  • the Honorable Kelly Martinez

journal titles (See also composition titles)

• Use italics for the titles of journals.
  •  The quote came from the New England Journal of Medicine.
  • African Affairs is published on behalf of the Royal African Society.

K

K (measurement)

• Use the capital K with no space after the numeral for measurements of computer transmission speed.
  • 56K modem
• Use the capital K with no space after the numeral for measurements of distance, such as in a race.
  • 5K race
  • FORTitude 10K
• Do not use K in place of 1,000 or $1,000.
  • $34,000 (Not: $34K)
• Use K as an abbreviation for kindergarten only in reference to primary education levels such as K-12.

L

languages

• Capitalize proper names of languages and dialects.
  • Spanish
  • Yiddish
  • Persian
  • Ilocano
• Italicize foreign phrases but not commonly used foreign expressions or abbreviations. (see abbreviations)

Latino, Latina, Latinx (See inclusive language)

lectures, lecture series

• Capitalize principal words and use quotation marks for the titles of lectures.
  • The adventurer’s lecture explores “How the West Was Lost.”
• The titles of lecture series stand alone without quotation marks or italics.
  • Read more about the Monfort Lecture Series on CSU’s website.

legislative titles

Senators, representatives, other formal titles

• Abbreviate and capitalize representative, representatives, senator, and senators as formal titles before one or more names in regular text. Spell out and capitalize these titles before one or more names in a direct quotation.
  • Rep. Pat Morales spoke to the audience.
  • Reps. Chris Gray and Pat Morales attended the event.
  • Sen. Blake Abe cut the ceremonial ribbon.
  • Sens. Blake Abe and Leslie Khan voted with the majority.
  • “Senators Blake Abe and Leslie Khan voted with the majority,” she said.
• Spell out and lowercase representative and senator in other uses.
• Spell out other legislative titles in all uses.
• Avoid use of gender-specific titles, such as assemblyman, assemblywoman. Use instead assembly member.
• Capitalize formal titles such as city councilor, delegate, etc., when they are used before a name. Lowercase in other uses.
• Add U.S. or state before a title only if necessary to avoid confusion.
  • U.S. Sen. Blake Abe spoke with state Sen. Leslie Khan.
• Generally use a title such as Rep. or Sen. in first reference. It is not necessary, however, if an individual’s title is given later in the story. Omitting the title on first reference is appropriate when an individual is well known.
  • Barry Goldwater endorsed President Gerald Ford. The senator said the president deserved another term.

Congress member

• Rep. and U.S. Rep. are the preferred first-reference forms when a formal title is used before the name of a U.S. House member.
• Use congress member, in lowercase, in subsequent references that do not use an individual’s name. Avoid use of gender-specific congressman and congresswoman, unless in a direct quotation. In the case of a direct quotation, capitalize when used as a formal title before a name.

Organizational titles

• Capitalize titles for formal, organizational offices within a legislative body when they are used before a name.
  • Speaker Pat Morales
  • Pat Morales, speaker of the House
  • Majority Leader Blake Abe
  • Chris Khan, minority leader
  • Democratic Whip Terry Garcia

legislature

• Capitalize government entities when part of a proper noun, an agency’s formal name, or a formal title.
  • Federal Reserve Board
  • Secretary of State
• Capitalize Legislature when preceded by the name of a state.
  • The Colorado Legislature is meeting.
• Keep the capitalization when the state name is dropped but the legislative reference is specific to that state.
  • Both houses of the Legislature are meeting today.
• Use lowercase in generic or plural references.
• The Wyoming and Colorado legislatures are complex.
  The study of legislative bodies is complex.
• Amendments, ordinances, resolutions, and rules are adopted or approved. Bills are passed. Laws are enacted.

less than (See also fewer and under)

Use less or less than with amounts or quantities and fewer or fewer than with individual items. Use under when referring to spatial relationships.

• Less than 20 percent of students report immediate post-graduation employment.
• Fewer than 20 students reported immediate post-graduation employment.
  • Not: Under 20 percent of students report immediate post-graduation employment.
• Fewer lawsuits result in less litigation.
• Less debris and fewer fish have been seen under the bridge.
• The estate is valued at less than $1 million.
  • Not: The estate is valued at under $1 million.

library (See CSU Libraries)

lists (See also commas; parallel structure; semicolons; series)

• Use commas to separate a series of items and before concluding conjunctions. (This differs from the AP Stylebook.)
  • The sale runs today, tomorrow, and next month.
• Use semicolons to separate elements in a series in which commas are used within one or more of the elements in the series.
  • New members are Terry Vitas, president; Pat Ellis, vice president; and Sandy West, secretary.
• If a series or list is all-inclusive, do not introduce the series with include, which means there is more than what is listed.
  • The committee includes deans, directors, and department heads.
    • [implies other groups are represented]
  • The committee consists of deans, directors, and department heads.
    • [only those groups listed are represented]
• Strive to be consistent among lists within a document. Also, be consistent in the capitalization and construction of the elements within a list.

Numbered and bulleted lists

• In lists, introduce items with numbers only when the order matters. Otherwise, use bullets or typographical symbols.
  • To operate the dispenser:
  1. Deposit one quarter in the slot.
  2. Turn the knob one complete turn clockwise.
  3. Lift the flap and remove the gumball.
• When numbering a list within a sentence, enclose figures within parentheses.
  • The priorities for the coming year are (1) increasing revenue, (2) building morale, and (3) improving customer service.
• If items in a bulleted list are complete sentences, or if each item in the list completes the sentence that preceded the list, end those items with appropriate punctuation.
  • The vice president said:
    • We will protect our domestic interests.
    • Some people will question our commitment.
    • Sometimes you have to punt.
• The research came to the conclusion that:
  • All cows have horns.
  • All cows are ruminants.
  • All cows are horned ruminants.
• A list also may be formatted as a paragraph without bullets.
  • The meeting will include discussion on entry-level computer workshops, building morale in cubicle environments, and improving customer service.
• If items in a list must be connected with either and or or, follow each with a comma or semicolon depending on construction, place the final conjunction (e.g., and or or) at the end of the next-to-last item, and end the last item with a period (or other end punctuation).
  • The admission application must include:
    • your high school transcript,
    • your ACT or SAT test score, and
    • your essay.
• To fulfill the requirements, you must take:
  • 12 credits of literature, English composition, or journalism;
  • 12 credits of a foreign language; or
  • 12 credits of history, economics, or political science. For short entries, omit the punctuation at the end of each item, including the last item.
• Topics will include:
  • my agenda
  • your input
  • our consensus

login, log on, logoff

• In computing, a login is a user’s identification and password required to gain access to a computer, program, or network. Use two words for verb forms.
  • Go to the login page to make sure you have access.
  • I’ll log on to my computer.
  • He didn’t do the logoff procedure correctly.

Long form vs. abbreviations (See also addresses and dates)

Long forms are acceptable for formal invitations; otherwise use abbreviations, per style.

• Spell out days and months.
  • Tuesday, September 5, 2018
• Spell out address (road, street, avenue).
  • 2212 East Main Street
• Allow times to include :00 when visually beneficial (for alignment purposes)
  • 5:00 p.m. Networking
  • 5:45 p.m. Cocktails
  • 6:30 p.m. Dinner

Longs Peak

• No apostrophe in Longs Peak, whether used as the name of the room in Lory Student Center or the name of the mountain peak in Colorado
  • We hiked up Longs Peak.
  • The reception is in the Longs Peak room at Lory Student Center.

long term, longterm

• Hyphenate when used as an adjective.
  • Our long-term assignment is due.
  • Our assignment is long term.
  • We’ll be here for the long term.

long time, longtime

• Use as one word without spaces when used as an adjective.
  • We’re longtime friends.
  • We’ve been friends for a long time.

M

magazine titles and articles (See also italics and composition titles)

• Use italics for the titles of magazines, but use quotation marks for articles within magazines.
  • The article, “Play Defensive Ping-Pong!” is found in Rigorous Sport Quarterly.

majors and programs of study

• Do not capitalize majors, minors, specializations, or concentrations of study.
  • He is majoring in business.
  • The Department of Journalism and Media Communication offered a technical and science communication minor.
• Capitalize formal names of programs.
  • She has been admitted to the Program for Ecological Studies.
• For details on programs of study at Colorado State University, see the Colorado State University General Catalog at catalog.colostate.edu and the Colorado State University Graduate and Professional Bulletin at graduateschool.colostate.edu.

man, mankind (See inclusive language)

measurements (See also time)

• Use numerals for measurements, but spell out inches, feet, and other units of measure, except in technical matter or where space is limited. Hyphenate adjective forms before nouns.
  • He’s 5 feet 9 inches tall.
  • The 5-foot-6-inch man is walking ahead.
  • He’s a 6-footer and short for an NBA player.
  • The sloop is 36 feet long and 12 feet wide.
  • The 9-by-12-foot rug is colorful.
  • The 4-pound, 3-ounce toad is a record size.
• When using feet or inch marks in technical contexts, place periods and commas outside the marks, and use the marks with both dimensions. (Note: This rule does not apply with single or double quotation marks, which always go outside periods and commas. (see quotation marks)
  • The ad dimensions are 2″ x 8″.
  • Not: The ad dimensions are 2 x 8″.
  • Note: Use straight single quotation marks ( ‘ not curved) to indicate feet and straight double quotation marks ( ” not curved) to indicate inches. Check the software’s help menu for how to do this.
• Percentages are treated as singular nouns when standing alone or when a singular word follows of. A percentage is treated as plural when a plural word follows of. In running text, writers may use either the word percent or the percent sign (%). The sign is used with no space between it and a figure. Regardless of which style is used, it is important to be consistent in using one or the other throughout an entire document.
  • The professor said 60 percent was a failing grade.
  • He said 50% of the group was there.
  • He said 50 percent of the members were there.
• Always use figures (Arabic numerals) for percentages. For amounts less than 1 percent, precede the decimal with a zero. Repeat percent for each separate figure.
  • The range is between 0.4 percent and 60 percent.
  • He said 50 percent of the group was there.
  • It’s between 1% and 5%.
• Do not use a in place of per.
  • Americans generate millions of tons of waste per year.

millions, billions

• Use figures in all except casual uses.
  • She won’t do it in a million years.
• The city has 8 million residents.
  • Rebuilding will cost $2 billion.
• Use decimals instead of fractions, but don’t go beyond two decimal places.
  • 3.52 million people
  • 1.5 million (Not: 1 1/2 million)
• Use million or billion with both figures in a range.
  • The city will request between $2 million and $3 million.
• Do not use hyphens to join figures and million or billion.
  • The finance committee submitted a $21 million budget.

minorities (See inclusive language and nondiscrimination statements)

money

• Use numerals with the dollar sign. For whole dollars, do not use .00.
  • $15, $15.25, $15.50, $20
  • Not: $15.00
• For dollar amounts in the thousands, use commas.
  • $1,256
  • $323,256
• Beyond thousands, use the dollar sign, figure, and appropriate word, and do not use a hyphen between the figure and the word.
  • The grant was $14 million, and the budget is $82.6 billion.
  • The $14 million grant was approved.
  • Not: The $14-million grant was approved.
    Not: The grant was $14,000,000, and the budget is $82,600,000.00. 

months (See also dates; time; events)

• Capitalize months and abbreviate as appropriate when months are used with specific dates.
  • His birth date is March 10, 1952.
  • She will graduate Dec. 16.
• Spell out months when used alone or with a year alone.
  • January can be cold.
  • February 1992 was a good month.
• Do not abbreviate March, April, May, June, or July in any usage.

more than, over, greater than

• Over refers to spatial relationships; greater than or more than is preferred with numbers.
  • The plane flew over the city, where more than 500,000 people live.

movie titles

• Use italics for movie titles.
  • Gone With the Wind is available on DVD. 

mph

• The abbreviation mph without periods is acceptable in all references for miles per hour.

musical titles

• Enclose in quotation marks the titles of songs and italicize the titles of compilations, albums, or CDs.
• Italicize titles of operas, long musical compositions, and their descriptive titles.
  • Listen to Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony (the Pastoral Symphony).
• Translate the foreign title of a song or composition unless it is well known.

N

names (See also titles and Colorado State University)

• For initials, use with periods and no spaces.
  • T.R. Smith is a former faculty member.
• Do not abbreviate names such as George, William, and Benjamin.
• Do not enclose Jr., Sr., or other personal suffixes with commas.
  • Robert Silva Jr.
  • Richard Williams III
  • The Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering is an exception, based on donor preference.
• When inserting a nickname into a given name, use quotation marks.
  • Thurman “Fum” McGraw
• When stating names and relationships, be sure to use commas as needed to clarify the meaning of the sentence. (see essential, nonessential clauses)
  • The president and her spouse, Pat, attended the dedication.
  • Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and first gentleman, Marlon Reis, attended.
    • (Pat and Marlon Reis are added information in the examples above, not needed to identify which spouse or which first gentleman.)
  • Groucho Marx’s brother Chico went on to become an orchestra leader.
    • (Using Chico without commas indicates which brother.)
• On second reference, use only a person’s last name without a courtesy title. If more than one person shares the same surname, use the first and last name in subsequent references.
  • Pat and Terry Parker are pillars of their community. Pat Parker is a longtime employee of the city, and Terry Parker is a high school English teacher.

national origin (See inclusive language)

Native American (See inclusive language)

newspaper and newsletter titles (See also composition titles)

• Italicize the formal and shortened names of newspapers and newsletters. Place headlines in quotation marks. Do not capitalize or italicize the unless it is part of the newspaper’s preferred name.
  • The Daily Bugle is popularly known as the Bugle.
  • A feature story, “Radiation Scientist Unearths Surprise in NASA Twins Study,” is in CSU Matters, the monthly newsletter from the Office of the President.

nondiscrimination statements

• Three statements affirm Colorado State University’s nondiscrimination policies. One of these statements should be used in publications and advertisements that represent the University. Contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity at (970) 491-5836 with questions regarding the use of the statements.
• The long statement follows and should be used on University publications of widespread distribution such as the General Catalog and Graduate Bulletin.
  • Nondiscrimination Statement
  • Colorado State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status. The University complies with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, related Executive Orders 11246 and 11375, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 402 of the Vietnam Era Veteran’s readjustment Act of 1974, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, and all civil rights laws of the state of Colorado. Accordingly, equal opportunity of employment and admission shall be extended to all persons, and the University shall promote equal opportunity and treatment through a positive and continuing affirmative action program. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity is located in 101 Student Services. In order to assist Colorado State University in meeting its affirmative action responsibilities, ethnic minorities, women, and other protected class members are encouraged to apply and to so identify themselves.
• The short statement may be used whenever the long statement would appear awkward, such as on calendars or fliers or when the nature of the publication does not warrant using the long statement, such as in conference programs.
  • Nondiscrimination Statement
  • Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and complies with all federal and Colorado state laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding affirmative action requirements in all programs. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity is located in 101 Student Services. In order to assist Colorado State University in meeting its affirmative action responsibilities, ethnic minorities, women, and other protected class members are encouraged to apply and to so identify themselves.
• An abbreviated statement must be used for journal and newspaper advertising where space is extremely limited.
  • Nondiscrimination Statement
  • CSU is an EEO/AA employer. EO-AA Office: 101 Student Services Building.

nonrestrictive clauses (See essential, nonessential clauses)

numbers, numerals, figures (See also millions, billions)

Note: These guidelines apply to general interest writing and not to scientific, statistical, technical, and mathematical writing.

• Spell out whole numbers one through nine and use figures for 10 and above. Always use figures for specific quantities such as dimensions, percentages, ages, weights, distances, addresses, computer-storage capacities, and room numbers. Spell out grade levels one through nine.
  • 4 inches
  • 2 megabytes
  • 4-year-old child
  • 3 credits
  • a score of 4-3
  • a 20:1 ratio
  • ninth through 12th grades (but Grades 9-12)
• Always use figures for the ages of people and animals but not for inanimate objects less than 10 years old.
  • The child is 15 years old.
  • They have a 3-month-old puppy.
  • The law is eight years old.
  • Our 25-year class reunion is next month.
• Spell out numbers when they begin sentences, except for years. Hyphenate only numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine, and do not use and between the parts of a number. Use Roman numerals as appropriate to the source or context. Never spell out dates or other serial numbers.
  • One hundred twenty-one students registered for the ninth grade.
    • (Not: One hundred and twenty-one)
  • 1976 was the year of the United States’ bicentennial.
• When mixing numbers of more than 10 and less than 10, adhere to the guidelines above.
  • The count is eight meerkats, 56 puff adders, 75 ocelots, and six grouse.
• Spell out ordinal numbers first through ninth and use figures with appropriate letter suffixes for 10th and above. Do not use superscripts such as 21^st (see century).
  • first semester
  • second place
  • 11th grade
  • seventh grade
  • 10th sample
  • 53rd anniversary
  • 60 degrees
• Use a comma for figures in the thousands and greater.
  • 1,025
  • 125,463
• Use figures and words for quantities in the millions and greater. Avoid line breaks that separate the figure from the word.
  • 14.3 million
  • 1.3 billion
• When approximating figures, use more than and less than (or fewer than or nearly) instead of over and under.
  • More than 50 students attended the event, but fewer than 10 stayed.
    • Not: Over 50 students attended the event, but under 10 stayed.
• About may be used in place of approximately in all references.
  • The march attracted about 950 people.
• Do not use about or approximately when the amount is exact.
  • The march attracted 956 people.
    • Not: The march attracted about 956 people.
• Use figures for identifying numbers and capitalize the preceding word. Use Roman numerals as appropriate to the source or context.
  • Chapter 23
  • Highway 5
  • Pages iv-x
  • Route 66
  • Grades 9-12
  • Chapter XIV
• To describe mountains of 14,000 feet or higher in Colorado, use the figure and the suffix er. In the plural form, add only s, no apostrophe.
  • They planned to climb all 58 of Colorado’s 14ers.
  • I hiked a 14er this weekend.

O

offices (See also departments)

• Capitalize office only when part of the official name of an office.
  • The Office of Admissions
  • the dean’s office
  • the Oval Office

ordinal numbers

• Ordinal numbers indicate order in a series.
  • first page
  • second in line
  • third chair
• In general use, spell out ordinal numbers less than 10 and do not capitalize. For ordinals 10 and larger, use figures and do not superscript the suffix – instead, place the suffix (-th, -st, -nd, -rd) in the same size and on the same baseline as the running text. (To override the autoformat superscript function of the word processing program, check the program’s help menu.)
  • first place
  • First Amendment
  • 21st century (Not: 21^st century)
• Use figures in ordinals when the sequence has been used in forming names.
  • 1st Congressional District
  • 322nd Battalion
  • 23rd Psalm
• Hyphenate an ordinal phrase when used as a compound adjective.
  • 19th-century literature
  • first-place trophy

over, greater than, more than

• Over refers to spatial relationships; greater than or more than is preferred when using figures and quantities.
  • The plane flew over the city, where more than 500,000 people live.

P

page numbers

• Use numerals and capitalize Page when used with figure(s).
  • Page 3
  • Pages 2-5
  • Pages iv-xii
• Use an en dash enclosed in spaces to separate a range of page numbers that already includes hyphens.
  • Pages 9-3 – 9-11
  • Better: Page 9-3 through Page 9-11

paired conjunctions (See also parallel structure and plurals – agreement)

• Paired conjunctions consist of two elements that should be used in pairs such as both … and; either … or; neither … nor; not only … but also; whether … or.
  • Neither a borrower nor a lender be.
  • International exchange programs provide students opportunities not only to gain direct experience in cross-cultural communication but also to learn to think critically and comparatively.
• Omitting also in not only … but also constructions intensifies the meaning.
  • I received not only one but two job offers.

parallel structure, parallel construction (See also lists)

• Be consistent in the parts of speech in series.
  • Preregistration is both necessary and worthwhile. [both adjectives]
    • Not: Preregistration is both a necessity and worthwhile. [noun, adjective]
• Parallelism is important in lists, whether in paragraph or bulleted form.
  • Topics will include communication skills, customer service, and crisis management.
  • Topics will include:
    – communication skills
    – customer service
    – crisis management
  • Not: Topics will include:
    – how to improve communication skills
    – customer service
    – dealing with crises

parentheses

• In general, avoid the use of parentheses. Use commas or dashes to set off incidental information, or rewrite the sentence or break it down into one or more additional sentences. Use parentheses to insert background or reference information.
• Place the period inside the parentheses when the matter enclosed is an independent sentence and is not included in the preceding sentence; otherwise, place the period outside the end parenthesis.
  • Many students bike to class. (Many also walk.)
    Many students bike to class (even more when the weather is nice).
• If the parenthetical phrase is a complete sentence but is dependent on the rest of the sentence, do not capitalize or use end punctuation within the parentheses.
  • Many students bike to class (many also walk), especially when the weather is nice.
• Use parentheses if inserting a state name into a proper name.
  • The Loveland (Colorado) Reporter Daily Herald carried the story.
• If all words within parentheses are italicized, italicize the parentheses also. Otherwise, do not italicize the parentheses.
  • My favorite book (A Tale of Two Cities) is my child’s favorite too.
  • My favorite book (Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities) is my child’s favorite too.

per, a

• Do not use a in place of per.
  • Americans generate millions of tons of waste per year.

percent

• In running text, writers may use either the word percent or the percent sign (%). The sign is used with no space between it and a figure. Regardless of which style is used, it is important to be consistent in using one or the other throughout an entire document
• In citing percentages, always use figures expressed in whole numbers and/or decimals (not with fractions). If the figure is less than 1, precede the decimal with a zero.
  • 5 percent
  • 10.5%
  • 0.5 percent
• For a range of percentages, use to instead of a hyphen and repeat percent for each figure.
  • They found that 10 percent to 15 percent of the students attended the event.
• Use a singular verb with a percentage when the percentage is followed by a singular word or phrase. Use a plural verb with a percentage when the percentage is followed by a plural word or phrase.
  • Nearly 40% of the total was profit.
  • Nearly 40% was profit.
  • About 10 percent of the members were women.
  • About 10 percent were women.
• Use percent with figures but percentage in all other uses.
  • What percentage of the students are seniors?

periods (See also ellipsis)

• In U.S. English, commas and periods always go inside single or double quotation marks. (In the United Kingdom, they always go outside the marks.)
• Use only one space after any punctuation anywhere, including periods at the end of sentences.
• Use periods with initials with no space between two or more consecutive initials.
  • J.S. Smith
• Use a.m. and p.m. with periods and without spaces.
• In general, use periods with abbreviations (a shortened version of a word or phrase) but not with acronyms (a word formed from the first letter or letters of a series of words).
  • CWRRI
  • NREL
  • Colo.
  • Sept.
  • USGS (for United States Geological Survey)
    • But: U.S. (for United States when used as an adjective; spell out as a noun)
  • et al.
• Do not use periods when commonly known rates of measurement are abbreviated or when used in technical or scientific text or where space is limited.
  • mph
  • ppm
  • psi

Ph.D. (See academic degrees)

phrases (See also essential, nonessential clauses)

• Avoid splitting verb phrases with adverbs unless the results sound awkward or unnatural.
  • They recently were awarded a grant.
    • Or: Recently, they were awarded a grant.
    • Rather than: They were recently awarded a grant.
• Be sure that a phrase immediately precedes or follows the word it refers to.
  • The farmer watched the cattle grazing in a large field.
    • Not: Grazing in a large field, the farmer watched the cattle.
  • Inflicting death and destruction, the hurricane headed for me.
    • Not: Inflicting death and destruction, I ran from the hurricane.

places (See also buildings, places, and states)

• Enclose a state, province, country, or larger entity or jurisdiction with commas if it follows a city, town, or smaller jurisdiction or entity.
  • Fort Collins, Colorado, is the county seat of Larimer County.
  • Melbourne, Australia, is the first stop of the trip.
• In U.S. place names, do not abbreviate Fort, Point, Mount, or Port.
  • Fort Collins
  • Fort Carson
  • Mount Rainier
• In U.S. place names, abbreviate Saint.
  • St. Louis

plurals (See also possessives)

• Form plurals of proper nouns by adding s or es. Do not use ‘s (which denotes possession) to create the plural of a proper noun.
  • The Johnsons arrived late last night.
  • The Jameses, including both Terrys, will perform the next three Mondays.
• With acronyms and decades, add only s without an apostrophe. (The apostrophe creates a possessive.)
  • The CEOs met to discuss the local economy.
  • The CEOs’ main concern was the local economy.
  • Student activism peaked during the late 1960s.
  • Ben-Hur was 1960’s top-grossing film.
  • Candidates for Ph.D.s entered the auditorium first.
• When creating plurals, add ‘s if adding only s leads to confusion.
  • p’s and q’s
  • cross your t’s and dot your i’s
• When a choice of plurals exists, consult Merriam-Webster Dictionary for the first, preferred form (though either is correct and may be used).
  • appendixes rather than appendices
  • symposiums rather than symposia
  • memorandums rather than memoranda
  • millenniums rather than millennia
  • data rather than datums
  • indices (mathematical term) rather than indexes
  • indexes (as in a book) rather than indices
• Use alumnus (alumni in the plural) when referring to male graduates. Use alumna (alumnae in the plural) for female graduates. Use alumni when referring to a mixed-gender group of two or more. Alum and alums can be used as gender-inclusive terms.
• Use freshman (singular) when referring to an individual or the class. Use freshmen (plural) when referring to more than one individual.
  • Incoming freshmen should register for freshman English during their first semester.

plurals – agreement

• Subjects and their verbs, as well as pronouns and the words they refer to, should agree in number (singular or plural). Do not be misled by words or phrases that are placed between a subject and its verb.
  • The sound of drums stirs the crowd.
  • The sounds of the band stir the crowd.
  • The manager along with the employees was invited to the seminar.
  • Tip: To be sure agreement is correct, “remove” intervening words or phrases, then re-read the sentence.
    The manager [along with the employees] was invited to the seminar.
• Treat multiple subjects joined by and as plural unless the subjects refer to a single person or thing.
  • Red and yellow are my favorite colors.
  • His best friend and companion is his dog.
• Multiple subjects that are singular and are joined by or, neither … nor, not only … but also, and either … or usually are treated as singular; when one subject is singular and one is plural, the verb should agree with the subject closest to it.
  • Either a parent or legal guardian is required to sign the document.
  • Neither the professor nor the students were surprised by the results.
  • Not only the students but also the professor was surprised by the results.
• When a sentence contains both positive and negative subjects, the verb should agree with the positive subject. The negative subject should be enclosed in commas unless it is preceded by and or but.
  • Test scores, not attendance, determine the final grade.
  • Test scores but not attendance determine the final grade.
• When used as a subject, words such as each, anyone, everybody, nobody, nothing, and anything take singular verbs.
  • Anything is better than nothing.
  • Everyone was assigned a number.
  • Each of the students has an adviser.
• Words such as none, any, most, some, and more may be either singular or plural depending on the context.
  • Most of the class was prepared for the exam.
  • Most of the students were prepared for the exam.
• Collective nouns such as staff and faculty take singular verbs and pronouns. However, faculty members is preferred.
  • The faculty has determined its agenda for the meeting.
  • Several staff members recently have retired.
• Collective nouns such as couple and group can be singular or plural. A phrase that denotes a quantity or is regarded as a unit is treated as singular.
  • That couple likes to dance.
  • Be sure that couples are seated together.
  • The group meets every month.
  • The groups meet annually to discuss the issues.
  • One hundred participants was considered a good turnout.
  • One hundred participants have enrolled for the seminar.
• Sometimes plurals can be treated as singular.
  • American politics is today’s topic.

p.m., a.m.

• Always lowercase with periods and no spaces.

political parties, movements

• Capitalize terms that refer to a specific party or its members. Capitalize the word party if it is customarily used as part of the organization’s name.
  • Democratic Party
  • Republican Party
  • Communist Party
  • Communist
  • Conservative
  • Democrat
  • Liberal
  • Republican
  • Socialist
• Generally, lowercase the name of a philosophy in noun and adjective forms unless it is the derivative of a proper name: communism, communist, fascism, fascist. Do capitalize Marxism, Marxist, Nazism, Nazi.
  • The liberal Republican senator and their Conservative Party colleague said they believe that democracy and communism are incompatible.
  • The Communist said they are basically a socialist who has reservations about Marxism.
• The word politics usually takes a plural verb. However, as a study or science it takes a singular verb.
  • Their politics are liberal.
  • Politics is a demanding profession.
• Identify U.S. House members by party and state. In contexts where state affiliation is clear and home city is relevant, identify representatives by party and city.
  • U.S. Reps. Leslie Martinez, D-Cambridge, and Pat Parker, R-Wellesley, supported the bill.
• Identify state legislators by their party affiliation of Republican or Democrat. Use a short-form listing only (such as D-Fort Collins) if the legislator’s home city is relevant.
  • Democrat Mary Smith sponsored the bill
  • Mary Smith, D-Fort Collins, sponsored the bill.

possessives

Note: These guidelines differ from the AP Stylebook.

• In general, add ‘s to make a word possessive.
  • child’s play; children’s books
  • woman’s voice; women’s rights
  • mouse’s ear; mice’s cage
  • the boss’s office
  • a business’s assets
• If a noun is a plural ending in s, form the possessive by adding only an apostrophe.
  • bosses’ offices
  • my parents’ car
  • the Joneses’ yard
  • businesses’ assets (Better: the assets of the businesses)
• Add just an apostrophe if adding ‘s makes a word difficult or clumsy to pronounce or if the final letter is silent.
  • the Grand Prix’s history
• To show joint ownership, make only the last noun possessive. To show separate ownership, make both nouns possessive.
  • Dylan and Pat’s house
  • Dylan’s and Pat’s shoes
• Do not use an apostrophe if a word ending in s is used in a descriptive rather than possessive sense. However, if the phrase involves a plural word that does not end in s, add ‘s.
  • users manual
  • writers guide
  • Rams cheerleaders
  • savings account
  • women’s center
  • men’s basketball
  • children’s hospital
• Be careful not to confuse contractions with possessive pronouns – contractions have apostrophes; possessive pronouns do not. Tip: To test if a contraction is used correctly, spell out the contraction.
  • Who’s [Who is] going to the game?
  • Whose book is this?
    • Not: Who’s [Who is] book is this?
  • It’s [It is] the dawn of a beautiful day.
  • The dog lost its bone.
    • Not: The dog lost it’s [it is] bone.
  • They’re [They are] going to the game.
  • Their mission is threefold.
    • Not: They’re [They are] mission is threefold.
  • You’re [You are] in trouble!
  • Your comments are important to us.
    • Not: You’re [You are] comments are important to us.
  • The decision was theirs to make.
  • There’s [There is] still time to decide.
  • There are too many cooks in the kitchen.
    • Not: There’s [There is] too many cooks in the kitchen.

precede, proceed, proceeds

• Precede means to go before; proceed means to begin; proceeds are net profits.

prefixes, suffixes

• In general, do not use a hyphen either after a prefix or before a suffix.
  • nontraditional
  • nondiscrimination
  • nonprofit
  • nonexistent
  • campuswide
  • Universitywide
  • bilingual
  • biannual
• Use a hyphen to prevent a word from being mistaken for another word, such as co-op. Hyphens also should be used if a prefix or suffix is being added to a compound word (such as pre-groundbreaking ceremony or common sense-wise) or is otherwise confusing or difficult to comprehend. Better yet, rework the sentence to make the meaning clear.
• Hyphenate if the word following the prefix is capitalized or a number.
  • pre-Victorian
  • mid-December
  • post-1980s
  • non-University
• Hyphenate co- words that indicate occupation or status.
  • co-worker
  • co-author
  • co-editor
  • co-chair
• In general, use a hyphen if the prefix ends in a vowel and the following word begins with a vowel: co-exist, pre-eminent. Do hyphenate co-op, but never hyphenate coordinate or cooperate.

prepositions

• It no longer is considered incorrect to end a sentence with a preposition; it is more a matter of emphasis, tone, and desired effect. Often, it may be better to rewrite the sentence.
  • Informal: Be careful that clauses immediately follow the words they refer to.
  • Formal: Be careful that clauses immediately follow the words to which they refer.
  • Rewritten: Be careful that clauses immediately precede the words they reference.
• Sometimes, prepositions are understood or unnecessary.
  • Where are you going [to]?
  • What size [of] shoe do you wear?
• However, do not omit essential prepositions.
  • A couple of students led the discussion.
    • Not: A couple students led the discussion.
  • What’s the use in trying?
    • Not: What’s the use trying?
• In a series of prepositional phrases, be sure to use the correct prepositions.
  • The project will study animals on the land, in the air, and on the sea.
    • Not: The project will study animals on the air, land, and sea.
• Use the correct preposition for the intended meaning. Examples of commonly confused combinations follow.
  • agree on (reach an understanding): They agreed on the price.
    agree to (accept): I agree to your plan.
    agree with (concur): I agree with your conclusions.
  • angry about (something): I am angry about the decision.
    angry with/at (someone): I am angry with you.
  • argue for/against/over/about (something): They argued against the proposal.
    argue with (someone): I don’t want to argue with you.
  • compare to (assert similarities): He compared the comfort of the sedan to that of a luxury vehicle.
    compare with (analyze similarities and/or differences): He compared the black car with the red one.
  • differ from (to be unlike): He differs from her in age and temperament.
    differ with (to disagree): I differ with you on that point.
  • different from, preferable to different than (not alike): My opinion is different from yours.
  • independent of, not from: The project is independent of special-interest funding.
  • retroactive to, not from: The salary increase is retroactive to last July.
  • speak to (tell someone): I will speak to her about her tardiness.
    speak with (discuss with): I will speak with her about our options.

president

• Capitalize president only when used as a title before a name:
  • President William E. Morgan
  • William E. Morgan, president

principal, principle

• Principal is the most important, the chief figure or leader, or sum to repay. Principle is a fundamental law, truth, or standard.
  • elementary school principal
  • principal goals
  • principal of a loan
  • values and principles
  • The Principles of Community are part of Colorado State University culture.

program

• Capitalize program only when it is part of an official name; do not enclose program names in quotation marks.
  • International Programs offers various study abroad programs.
  • The Graduate Degree Program in Ecology is an interdisciplinary program.

pronouns (See also that, which, who; who, whom; inclusive language)

• Use me, not I, following prepositions.
  • The president wants to speak with me.
  • The president wants to speak with Alex and me.
  • Alex and I spoke with the president.
• Do not use an apostrophe with possessive pronouns its, hers, ours, yours, whose, and theirs. Its is the singular possessive form of it; theirs is the plural possessive.
  • The decision was theirs to make.
  • The dog lost its bone.
  • The dogs lost their bones.
• In most cases, a plural pronoun should agree in number with the antecedent.
  • The children love the books their uncle gave them.
• They/them/theirs is acceptable in limited cases as a singular and/or gender-neutral pronoun, when alternative wording is overly awkward or clumsy. However, rewording usually is possible and always is preferable. Clarity is a top priority; be sure that the phrasing does not imply more than one person.
• Avoid using masculine pronouns – he/him/his – when referring to a generic group.
• Do not use “he/she,” “he or she,” or “his or her” when referring to a generic group. Instead, use plurals as appropriate.
• Colorado State University does not use other gender-neutral pronouns, such as “xe” or “ze,” in written communications.

proper nouns

• • 50 Year Club (no hyphens)
  • 50 Year Club Luncheon (no hyphens)
  • All public, external references will be to the Office of CSU Events
  • All public, external references will be to the Alumni Association

punctuation (See also commas; dash; ellipsis; hyphens; periods; semicolons)

• Use only one space after any punctuation mark, anywhere.
• Punctuation marks following emphasized text such as book titles should appear with the same emphasis (bold, italics, underlined, etc.). (See also parentheses)
  • Have you read War and Peace?
  • Warning: Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
• A period is not required in an RSVP or more information statement, especially after a URL. “RSVP by March 21 at www.alumni.colostate.edu” Because invitations can be considered marketing/advertising pieces, use periods to close sentences only when in paragraph format. “Join us for this one‐of‐a‐kind event” is an acceptable lead on an invitation.

Q

question mark

• Question marks go inside or outside quotation marks depending on the context.
  • Did you hear him say, “Class is dismissed”?
  • Did you hear him ask, “Is class dismissed?”
  • He asked, “Is class dismissed?”
• Do not use a question mark after an indirect question.
  • He asked what was the question.
  • They demanded to know who was responsible.

quotations, quotation marks

• When possible, use typographic (also called “curved” or “smart”) quotation marks ( “ ” ) instead of “straight” quotation marks ( “ ” ). Check your software help menu for how to do this.
• Use double quotation marks to enclose full and partial quotations. Use single quotation marks to enclose quotations within quotations.
• Always put commas and periods inside single or double quotation marks. (In the United Kingdom, they always go outside the marks.) Other punctuation marks go inside the quotation marks when they are a part of the quoted matter. Otherwise, they go outside.
  • Who said, “I have a dream”?
  • The sergeant ordered, “Attention!”
  • “Attention!” the sergeant ordered.
  • He said my attitude is a “reflection of my commitment.”
  • He said my attitude “reflects my commitment,” but I disagree.
• ­Insert a space (a “thin” space, if available) between consecutive single and double quotation marks (for example, when there is a quotation within a quotation).
  • “I was told, ‘Children should be seen and not heard,’” she said.
• When a sentence continues beyond a quotation that ends in a question mark or an exclamation mark, do not add a comma.
  • The sergeant ordered, “Attention!” and the soldiers quickly obeyed.
    • Not: The sergeant ordered, “Attention!,” and the soldiers quickly obeyed.
• Capitalize the first word of a direct or complete quotation. Do not capitalize the first word of an indirect or partial quotation. Indirect or partial quotations also do not require commas before or after quotation marks. Do not use quotation marks to report ordinary words that a speaker has used.
  • He said, “I am pleased by the progress they are making.”
  • He said he was pleased by the progress they were making.
    • Not: He said he was “pleased” by the progress they were making.
• Do not put a question mark at the end of an indirectly quoted question.
  • He asked who read the assignment.
• Superscript numbers and symbols that refer to footnotes follow any punctuation marks (except a dash) and are placed outside a closing parenthesis­. If the entire reference goes within parentheses, the superscript goes inside as well.
  • In Elements of Style,³ William Strunk says, “Write with nouns and verbs, not with adjectives and adverbs.”
  • In Elements of Style (Strunk and White, 1999³), William Strunk says, “Write with nouns and verbs, not with adjectives and adverbs.”
• When a quotation from the same source runs more than one paragraph without interruption, insert opening quotation marks at the beginning of each paragraph and closing quotation marks only at the end of the final paragraph in the quotation.
  • He said, “The vehicle should not be driven until the necessary repairs can be made.
  • “Once these repairs are completed,” he continued, “the vehicle should run like new.”
• On interrupted quotations, insert a comma and an ending quotation mark where the interruption occurs, a comma at the end of the intervening phrase, and a beginning quotation mark where the quotation resumes. Do not capitalize the first word of the resumed quotation unless it is a new sentence. End the entire quotation as usual.
  • “Once these repairs are completed,” he continued, “the vehicle should run like new.”
  • “The repairs have been completed,” he said. “The vehicle should run like new.”
• A colon may be used to introduce longer quotations. If the entire quotation is indented, do not use quotation marks.
• Use an ellipsis to indicate that words are missing within a direct quote. Ellipses are not necessary at the beginning or end of a quotation – quotation marks indicate that material has been excerpted. (See ellipsis)
• Words being introduced to readers may be placed in quotation marks on first reference, but do not put subsequent references in quotation marks.
  • The board unveiled a series of “stretch goals” to establish Colorado State University as a world-class comprehensive research university. Next month, the president will meet with the board to discuss those stretch goals at length.
• Sometimes when a quotation must be used as is with a misspelling or error, the foreign word [sic] (meaning so) is inserted after the error, italicized and within nonitalic brackets, to indicate that the error occurred in the original text. Do not use when it is more appropriate to simply correct the error or to paraphrase without using quotation marks.
  • He then wrote, “You know what they say, ‘The pin [sic] is mightier than the sword.’ ”

R

race, ethnicity (See inclusive language)

radio programs, radio station

• Enclose in quotation marks the titles of radio programs and stories.
• The call letters alone are generally adequate and don’t require periods. Lowercase radio station if used. If AM or FM is used, place after the call letters with a hyphen between.
  • The students planned programming for the radio station KCSU-FM.
• If used, enclose nicknames for radio stations in quotation marks.
  • The game will be broadcast on 107.9 FM, “The Bear.”

rooms (See buildings, places)

S

scholarships (See awards, fellowships, medals, prizes, scholarships)

school districts

• Capitalize only when preceded by a township or county name.
  • Poudre School District has named a new superintendent.
  • Blake Abe has been named superintendent of the school district.

scientific terminology

• For technical and scientific papers and journal and refereed articles, check with the publisher for the preferred style conventions and usage. When writing for the general public, the following guidelines are suggested.
• On first reference, italicize the genus and species (Latin name) of a plant, animal, or microorganism name, and capitalize the genus name but not the species name. On subsequent reference, abbreviate the genus name. Do not capitalize or italicize English versions except for proper nouns.
  • Echinacea purpurea; E. purpurea; purple coneflower
  • Festuca arizonica; F. arizonica; Arizona fescue
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis; M. tuberculosis; tuberculosis
  • Dendroctonus ponderosae; D. ponderosae; mountain pine beetle
• Capitalize but do not italicize division names larger than genus (i.e., kingdom, phylum, class, order, and family). Do not capitalize English versions of scientific names.
  • Animalia; animal
  • Primata; primate
• Capitalize animal breeds and types based on Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
  • American eagle
  • golden retriever
  • peregrine falcon
• When referring to vitamins, do not capitalize vitamin but do capitalize the letter of the vitamin, and use a hyphen followed by a figure for the type.
  • vitamin A
  • vitamin B-12
• Do not capitalize names of diseases or other medical terms except for proper nouns.
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • West Nile virus
  • Down syndrome
  • influenza
• Do not capitalize names of laws or theories except for proper names.
  • Einstein’s theory of relativity
  • laws of motion
• Capitalize the names of planets, stars, constellations, asteroids, galaxies, satellites, etc., but not the generic terms.
  • The Milky Way Galaxy is one of billions of galaxies in the universe.
  • The North Star, which is in the constellation commonly called the Little Dipper, is one of the brightest stars in the night sky.
• Do not capitalize or italicize northern lights or aurora borealis.
• Do not capitalize earth unless it is used as the proper name of the planet. Do not capitalize sun or moon.
  • The astronauts returned to Earth.
  • The Earth’s resources are finite.
  • He has a down-to-earth attitude.

seasons

• Do not capitalize spring, summer, fall, or winter or derivatives such as springtime. Capitalize only when part of a specific time or name.
  • Fall 1993
  • spring semester
  • Winter Olympics

second or subsequent references (See also acronyms and names)

• On second reference, an acronym may be used if its reference is obvious. If it is not obvious, the acronym should not be used.
• On second reference, use only a person’s last name without a courtesy title. If more than one person shares the same surname, use the first and last name in subsequent references.

semesters

• Do not capitalize unless citing a specific term and year:
  • next fall
  • fall semester
  • Fall Semester 2020
  • Fall 2020

semicolons

• Use a semicolon to separate elements in a series in which commas are used within one or more of the elements in the series.
  • The rooms share a living room; kitchen, complete with refrigerator, stove, and oven; and bathroom.
  • The new officers are Terry Johnson, president; Pat Ellis, vice president; and Sandy West, secretary.
• Use a semicolon to separate independent clauses that are not joined by a conjunction.
  • Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.; the program follows at 9 a.m.
• Use a semicolon to separate clauses joined by transitional words such as however and therefore.
  • We agree with the general terms of the contract; however, we disagree on a few minor points.
• Semicolons always go outside quotation marks.
  • My favorite song is “Feelings”; however, “Boogie Nights” runs a close second.

Sept. 11, 2001

• Use on first reference to the terrorist attacks that occurred on that date. On subsequent reference, Sept. 11 or 9/11 may be used.

series (See also lists)

• Use commas to separate a series of items within sentences and before concluding conjunctions. (This differs from the AP Stylebook.)
  • The collection will be on display today, tomorrow, and next month.
  • The lecture is sponsored by the departments of Accounting, Management, and Finance and Real Estate.
    • Note: Without the final comma in the above example, readers unfamiliar with the departments would not know whether the second and third departments are Management and Finance and Real Estate or Management and Finance and Real Estate. Use of the final comma expedites writing, ensures consistency, and clarifies meaning. The examples of departments above are formal names and therefore capitalized (the departments of is not capitalized because it goes with all the departments, like College and Mountain avenues).
• Use a/an or the before each item in a series, unless the series is a single concept.
  • The lecture will describe the goals, the methodology, and the outcome of the research.
  • Each report should include an introduction, a final summary, and a bibliography.
  • A news article should include the who, what, where, why, when, and how of an event.
• To ensure clarity, do not combine separate phrases into one series. (In the following example, president of begins the first phrase and member of the second.)
  • He was president of ASCSU and the debate team and a member of the chess club.
    • Not: He was president of ASCSU, the debate team, and a member of the chess club.
• Use semicolons to separate elements in a series in which commas are used within one or more of the elements in the series.
  • New members are Terry Vitas, president; Pat Ellis, vice president; and Dylan West, secretary.

[sic]

• A foreign word (meaning so) sometimes inserted in a quotation after a misspelling or error to indicate that the error occurred in the original text. Italicize sic but not the brackets. Do not use when it is more appropriate to simply correct rather than draw attention to the error.
  • “The beetle is crawling toward the door.”
    Rather than: “The beatle [sic] is crawling toward the door.”

spaces following periods (See also typography)

• Use only one space following any punctuation, anywhere.

speech titles (See also composition titles)

• Enclose titles of speeches in quotation marks.

spelling (See entries of specific words or word pairs)

split infinitives (See verbs)

Spur campus

• The correct style for the facility at the National Western Center in Denver is Spur.
• The buildings at Spur are Vida, Terra, and Hydro. If the word “building” is used with the name of the building, lowercase it (e.g., Vida building).
• The word “campus” is lowercase in all references, even when used with the word “Spur.”
• The above style has been set by the CSU System for Spur campus, and should be followed in all communications regarding the campus and its buildings.

state board (See Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System)

state names

• The correct term for a person from Colorado is Coloradan (not Coloradoan).
• Spell out the names of states in running text. (This is a change from previous style, which required use of the standard state abbreviation when the name of a state was written with a city, town, or county.) When used with the name of a city, town, or county, enclose the name of the state in commas.
  • Recreational opportunities abound in Colorado.
  • Fort Collins, Colorado, is home to Colorado State University.
• In charts or other uses were space is an issue, the standard state abbreviation may be used, instead of spelling out the state name. (see list below)
• Use Washington state or state of Washington when the context requires distinction. Do not abbreviate Washington in Washington, D.C.

State abbreviations

• Use a two-letter postal abbreviation only in an address and only with a ZIP code. On all Colorado State University business forms, stationery, and publications, spell out Colorado in the return address. (See the Communicator’s Toolbox at brand.colostate.edu).

State	Standard Abbreviation	Postal Abbreviation	Term for Resident
Alabama	Ala.	AL	Alabamian
Alaska	Do not abbreviate	AK	Alaskan
Arizona	Ariz.	AZ	Arizonan
Arkansas	Ark.	AR	Arkansan
California	Calif.	CA	Californian
Colorado	Colo.	CO	Coloradan
Connecticut	Conn.	CT	Connecticuter
Delaware	Del.	DE	Delawarean
Florida	Fla.	FL	Floridian
Georgia	Ga.	GA	Georgian
Guam	Do not abbreviate	GU
Hawaii	Do not abbreviate	HI	Hawaiian
Idaho	Do not abbreviate	ID	Idahoan
Illinois	Ill.	IL	Illinoisan
Indiana	Ind.	IN	Indianian
Iowa	Do not abbreviate	IA	Iowan
Kansas	Kan.	KS	Kansan
Kentucky	Ky.	KY	Kentuckian
Louisiana	La.	LA	Louisianian
Maine	Do not abbreviate	ME	Mainer
Maryland	Md.	MD	Marylander
Massachusetts	Mass.	MA	Massachusettsan
Michigan	Mich.	MI	Michiganian
Minnesota	Minn.	MN	Minnesotan
Mississippi	Miss.	MS	Mississippian
Missouri	Mo.	MO	Missourian
Montana	Mont.	MT	Montana
Nebraska	Neb.	NE	Nebraskan
Nevada	Nev.	NV	Nevadan
New Hampshire	N.H.	NH	New Hampshirite
New Jersey	N.J.	NJ	New Jerseyite
New Mexico	N.M.	NM	New Mexican
New York	N.Y.	NY	New Yorker
North Carolina	N.C.	NC	North Carolinian
North Dakota	N.D.	ND	North Dakotan
Ohio	Do not abbreviate	OH	Ohioan
Oklahoma	Okla.	OK	Oklahoman
Oregon	Ore.	OR	Oregonian
Pennsylvania	Pa.	PA	Pennsylvanian
Puerto Rico	Do not abbreviate	PR	Puerto Rican
Rhode Island	R.I.	RI	Rhode Islander
South Carolina	S.C.	SC	South Carolinian
South Dakota	S.D.	SD	South Dakotan
Tennessee	Tenn.	TN	Tennessean
Texas	Do not abbreviate	TX	Texan
Utah	Do not abbreviate	UT	Utahn
Vermont	Vt.	VT	Vermonter
Virginia	Va.	VA	Virginian
Virgin Islands	Do not abbreviate	VI	Virgin Islands
Washington	Wash.	WA	Washingtonian
Washington, D.C.	Do not abbreviate	Washington, DC
West Virginia	W.Va.	WV	West Virginian
Wisconsin	Wis.	WI	Wisconsinite
Wyoming	Wyo.	WY	Wyomingite

streets (See addresses)

student designations

• CSU preference is to use first-year student, rather than freshman.
• Do not capitalize freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, graduate, transfer, or first-year student unless part of a formal designation or title.
  • The Senior Class sponsored the lecture.
  • Terry Martinez is a senior economics major.
  • All first-year students are expected to attend Ram Welcome activities.
• Hyphenate compound student descriptions, such as student-athlete, student-mentor, and student-veteran.
• One in four CSU students is a first-generation college student.

subject-verb agreement (See plurals – agreement)

suffixes (See prefixes, suffixes)

superscript

• Do not include a space between the superscript and the preceding word. If a punctuation mark follows the word, place the superscript immediately after the punctuation mark.
  • Superscript marks should look like this.¹
• Here’s an example of too much space. ²
• Do not use superscripted suffixes with ordinals.
  • 12th (Not: 12^th)

T

telephone numbers (See also numbers, numerals, figures)

• Use area codes with all phone numbers. Place the area code in parentheses and use hyphens, not periods, without spaces to separate numbers.
  • (970) 555-6565
  • (800) 555-6565
• If extensions are needed, use a comma to separate the main number from the extension and abbreviate and lowercase extension.
  • Call (970) 555-6565, ext. 426, for more information.

television

• Italicize the titles of television programs. (This differs from the AP Stylebook.)
  • Her favorite television show was Game of Thrones.
• Use quotation marks for the title of an episode.
  • “The Dance of the Dragons” was her favorite episode.
• Program and episode titles may be combined within quotation marks.
  • An all-time favorite TV show is “The Big Bang Theory: The Adhesive Duck Deficiency.”
• Capitalize the call letters and abbreviations of television stations and networks, but do not use periods.
  • CBS
  • MSNBC
  • KWGN-TV or television station KWGN

temperature (See measurements)

than, then

• Than means in comparison with; then means at that time or soon after.

that

• Use that to introduce dependent clauses if the sentence sounds or looks awkward without it. It often can be omitted, but if in doubt, leave it in.
  • Be careful you don’t fall.
• That usually can be omitted immediately following verbs such as say or said.
  • She said she really has to study.
• Include that when a period of time falls between the verb and phrase that follows.
  • She said yesterday that she really has to study.
• That usually is necessary after such verbs as assert, contend, state, propose, etc.
  • She asserted that she really has to study.
• Use that before clauses beginning with conjunctions such as until, before, after, while, and although. (Note there is no comma after that.)
  • She said that although she would like to go, she really has to study.

that, which, who (See also essential, nonessential phrases)

• Use that to introduce essential phrases and which to introduce nonessential phrases that refer to inanimate objects and animals without a name.
  • The dog that lives at the end of the block barks at squirrels.
  • Our car, which is parked in the driveway, won’t start.
• Use who to introduce essential or nonessential phrases that refer to people or animals with names.
  • Fido, who lives at the end of the block, barks at squirrels.
  • The person who lives next door has a damaged car.
• Use that or who to introduce a phrase essential to the meaning of the sentence. Do not enclose essential phrases in commas.
  • The dancers who were dressed in white entered the stage. [implies more than one color of costume and differentiates which dancers are referenced]
  • The laboratory contains refrigerators that maintain constant temperatures.
• Use which or who to introduce a nonessential phrase, which adds information to the sentence but which can be deleted without changing the meaning of the sentence. Enclose nonessential clauses in commas.
  • The dancers, who were dressed in white, entered the stage. [implies all dancers were dressed in white, information which is not essential]
  • The Morrill Act of 1862, which created the nation’s first land-grant universities, was a significant piece of legislation for the Agricultural College of Colorado.

theater, theatre

• Use theatre only as preferred in an official name or title. Otherwise, use theater in the general sense.
  • Lory Student Center Theatre
  • the theater in the Lory Student Center
  • Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance
  • the University’s theater program

time

• Do not capitalize a.m. or p.m.; use with periods and without spaces.
• For time references, use figures with a.m. and p.m. and do not capitalize. Eliminate the :00 in 5 p.m. (not 5:00 p.m.), although use of :00 is acceptable in formal use, such as invitations.
• Avoid redundancies such as 10 a.m. this morning and 10 p.m. tonight.
  • The concert begins at 8 p.m. and ends at 10:30 p.m.
  • The concert begins at 8:30 Friday evening.
• Use noon and midnight in place of 12 p.m. and 12 a.m. respectively.
• When stating a range of times, be sure to include a.m. and p.m. as needed, but do not repeat if the times are in the same part of day – that is, morning or afternoon.
  • 9-11 a.m.
  • 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • 9 a.m.-noon
  • midnight-6:30 a.m.

title capitalization, title case

• When capitalizing titles and subtitles:
  • capitalize the first and last words.
  • capitalize the principal words and proper names.
  • capitalize all words four or more letters long.
  • capitalize both words in a hyphenated word.
  • capitalize verb forms such as are and is but not to in verb phrases such as to Believe.
    • To Kill a Mockingbird
    • A Farewell to Arms
    • Gone With the Wind
    • Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
    • “The Star-Spangled Banner”
    • “We Are the World”

titled (See entitled, titled)

titles of people (See also names)

• Enclose professional designations and degrees such as C.P.A. and D.V.M. following a full name in commas.
  • Richard Anderson, C.P.A., will be the keynote speaker.
• Courtesy titles such as Mr. and Ms. generally are not used in either first or subsequent references, except in formal contexts. Dr. may be used for medical doctors (M.D., D.D.S., etc.) and veterinarians (D.V.M.) in first and/or subsequent references (but generally not for Ph.D.s).
• When a title is part of a name in an address or in display type, capitalize the title even if it appears after the name.

toward, towards

• The preferred use is toward rather than towards.

trademarks

• Use generic names instead of trademark names unless the trademark name is essential to the meaning.
  • adhesive bandage instead of Band-Aid
  • cellophane tape instead of Scotch Tape
  • cotton swab instead of Q-Tip
  • elastic bandage instead of Ace Bandage
  • fabric fastener or hook-and-loop fastener instead of Velcro
  • facial tissue instead of Kleenex
  • flying disc instead of Frisbee
  • gelatin dessert instead of Jello
  • lip balm instead of Chapstick
  • photocopy or photocopier instead of Xerox
  • plastic foam instead of Styrofoam
  • portable media player instead of iPod
• When used, capitalize trademark names but do not use ™ or ® symbols. Check with the manufacturer for preferred company name usage.

truly

• Truly is the correct spelling (not truely).

TV (See also television)

• TV is capitalized; television is preferred.

typography

• Use the following typesetting conventions and tips when possible in formatting text. Consult the software users guide or help menu for procedures.
  • Replace all double spaces with single spaces. If more space is needed, use em or en spaces or tab stops.
  • Use extra space before and after headings and subheadings and between paragraphs rather than double spacing.
  • It is not necessary to indent and put extra space between paragraphs. Only one or the other is needed.
  • In tabulated matter or tables, set specific tab stops instead of using multiple spaces or multiple tabs.
  • Set up hanging indents rather than inserting multiple spaces or tabs in text.
  • Use “straight” typographers quotation marks ( ” ) and apostrophes/single quotation marks ( ‘ ) only for inch and foot marks, respectively.
  • Use “curly ” (“smart ”) typographers quotation marks ( “ ” ) and apostrophes/single quotation marks ( ‘ ’ ) in all other instances.
  • When eliminating the century in a year, use a single closing quotation mark
    • Class of ’65
  • With ordinals 10 and larger, as in 21st century, use figures and do not superscript the suffix – instead, place the suffix (-th, -st, -nd, -rd) in the same size and on the same baseline as the running text. (To override the autoformat superscript function of the word processing program, check the program’s help menu.)
  • Convert underlined text to italics.
  • Use all caps sparingly – they are difficult and tiring to read if there are more than just a few words.
  • When fully justifying text (both left- and right-justified margins), especially on short line lengths, allow/turn on hyphenation. Without hyphenation, large gaps of white space may appear, which is more difficult to read and more distracting than hyphenation.
  • In languages in which text is read left to right, left-justified text is more readable than centered or right-justified text.
  • Whenever possible, use special characters as appropriate for diacritical marks (also called diacritics or accent marks), in foreign names and words. Check the software users manual or help menu for how to insert special characters or symbols. (See also foreign/non-English names, words.)
  • Do not hyphenate or justify headlines, callout quotations, and other display type.
  • Use an en dash [ – ] with a space before and after to replace all double hyphens [ — ] and single hyphens [ – ] intended as dashes. (See also dash)
  • Avoid line breaks that would separate the dollar sign and figure from million, billion, etc.
    • A grant was awarded to fund the
    • $14 million research project.
    • Not: A grant was awarded to fund the $14
      million research project.

U

under, less than, fewer than

• Under refers to spatial relationships; less than is preferred with amounts or quantities, and fewer than is preferred with individual items.
  • The dog slept under the table.
  • Vehicles on the road travel at speeds of less than 20 mph, especially when they are traveling under the overpass.

University (See Colorado State University)

United States

• Spell out United States when used as a noun. Abbreviate using periods with no spaces only as an adjective.
  • U.S. economy
  • the economy of the United States (This differs from the AP Stylebook.)
• According to the AP Stylebook, use United States or U.S. when referring to the United States of America. America can refer to either North or South America. America or American may be used when it is clear from the context that you are referring to residents of the United States.

upon

• Considered archaic. Use on in most cases.

URL

• URL is the abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator, the global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web.
• Avoid underlining URLs since some URLs contain underscores, which the underlining obscures. Do not emphasize URLs in running text.

utilize, utilization

• Avoid the bulky word utilize. Use says the same thing.
  • We use 100 percent canola oil in our car.
    Not: We utilize 100 percent canola oil in our car.

V

verbs

• Avoid splitting verb phrases, compound verbs, and infinitives (to plus a verb). (Underlining denotes verb phrases.)
  • They usually do not attend the meeting.
    Not: They do not usually attend the meeting.
  • He also will play the violin.
    Not: He will also play the violin.
  • He felt the seminar would teach him to listen more effectively.
    Not: He felt the seminar would teach him to more effectively listen.
    Not: He felt the seminar would more effectively teach him to listen.
• In some cases, it may be awkward not to split a phrase. Splitting a phrase may be necessary to convey the intended meaning.
  • He is passionately committed to scientific exploration and discovery.
  • She wanted to really help the hurricane victims.

Veterinary Health Complex

• The Veterinary Health Complex is the collection of College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences buildings and facilities, including James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories, C. Wayne McIlwraith Translational Medicine Institute, Gail Holmes Equine Orthopaedic Research Center, Johnson Family Equine Hospital, and all associated facilities, barns, and corrals. The Veterinary Health Complex (not campus) is part of South Campus.

videotape

• One word.

W

Web (See Internet)

website, webcam, webcast, webpage, webmaster

• These terms are now commonly accepted as one word and are not capitalized.

weekdays (See days of the week)

which (See that, which, who)

white, Caucasian (See inclusive language)

who, whom

• Use who when referring to people or animals with names and who are subjects of a sentence, clause, or phrase.
  • Who is going to the game?
  • Students who are going to the game should purchase tickets early.
  • Dogs that bark can be a nuisance.
  • Fido, who barks at strangers, is a good watchdog.
• Use whom when someone is the object of a verb or preposition.
  • With whom are you going to the game?
  • Informal: Who are you going to the game with?

-wide (See prefixes, suffixes)

World Wide Web (See Internet)

XYZ

years (See also numerals; century; dates)

• Use an s without an apostrophe to indicate decades or centuries; use an apostrophe when omitting the century. To avoid confusion, leave in the century when context could include other than the current century.
  • the 1920s
  • the 1800s
  • the ’90s
  • Class of ’18
  • the 1990s and 2000s
• When your context refers to dates in other than the current year, include the year with the dates to eliminate confusion. If it is obvious the reference is to the current year, omit it. However, do include a year in all e-communications and content that resides online, to eliminate questions about how recent or dated the information might be.
  • The seminar will be held Sept. 12, 2017, and again Feb. 17, 2018.
  • This year’s event begins Oct. 3.
• Use a comma after the year when complete dates (month, date, and year) are used.
  • The seminar is scheduled Sept. 12, 2017, and I intend to go.
• Use a single hyphen to link two years that represent a continuous sequence. Single hyphens, and, to, or through also may be used between years if the sequence is introduced by the words from or between. (This differs from the AP Stylebook.)
  • Elijah Edwards served as president from 1879 to 1881.
  • Charles Ingersoll served as president between 1882 and 1891.
  • Alston Ellis served as president from 1892-1899.
  • Barton Aylesworth served as president during the years 1899-1909.
• In a span of years within the same century, the second year may be expressed without the century figures. Use this style only for sequences of years when they occur frequently and only after initial reference. In isolated cases, do not abbreviate.
  • This is the only reference to the period 1997-1998; thus, the reference is an isolated case.
  • Multiple references to the period 1997-1998 may be abbreviated as 1997-98 after the first reference.
  • Do not abbreviate the second year in reference to the period 1992-2002 since the centuries are not the same.
• When citing a specific fiscal year, capitalize and include both years, Fiscal Year 2016-17, or, when space is limited, FY16-17. The form FY17 should be used only if the time span – FY16-17 – is clear in the context. (See also fiscal year).

ZIP codes (See addresses)