University Style Guide
A
Academic degrees: In most cases, use bachelor's degree rather than B.A. or B.S.; master's degree rather than M.A. or M.S.; doctoral degree or doctorate rather than Ph.D. or Ed.D.
She has a bachelor's degree in English, a master's degree in translation and a doctorate in comparative literature.
If the publication’s audience is more formal, it is acceptable to use Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Science, etc.
Addresses: 921 S. 8th Avenue, Stop XXXX, Pocatello, ID 83209-XXXX.
Alumni: Use alumni when referring to a group of men and women. Use of the term alum is discouraged. A woman is an alumna; a man is an alumnus.
Alumni Association: Idaho State University Alumni Association, ISU Alumni Association on second reference.
Ampersand: In bodies of text, do not use.
ASISU: On first reference, Associated Students of Idaho State University, or, if Idaho State University has already been written in the piece, Associated Students of ISU.
Associate degree: not associates or associate’s degree.
B
Bachelor’s degree: Use instead of B.A. or B.S. Do not capitalize.
Bengal Pharmacy: Bengal Pharmacy is owned by the ISU Foundation and operates in cooperation with the ISU College of Pharmacy. Bengal Pharmacy employees include technicians, pharmacy students, and pharmacists, including ISU faculty and residents.
BengalWeb: one word, both capitalized.
Bennion Student Union: This is located at University Place in Idaho Falls and is where many ISU-Idaho Falls activities take place.
Bilyeu Theatre: This theater is located in Frazier Hall. On first reference it should be the Diane and Chick Bilyeu Theatre.
Bistline Theatre: Beverly B. Bistline Thrust Theatre in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center on first reference.
Black Box Theatre: Black Box Theatre in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center on first reference.
Building names: For commonly used building names not listed here, refer to ISU Directory for proper spellings.
Business and Technology Center: Idaho State University's Business and Technology Center is located in the ISU Research and Business Park on Alvin Ricken Drive.
C
Campuswide: one word
Capitalization:
buildings, rooms: capitalize formal building names and capitalize "room" as in Room 213; capitalize formal room names, such as Pond Student Union Ballroom.
committees, commissions and boards: Capitalize full formal names of committees, commissions, task forces and advisory boards. Lowercase shortened, informal or descriptive names of committees. Strive for consistency within stories.
- Campus Safety Advisory Board
- The department's finance committee
distinguished titles: Capitalize all words except "of" in titles of named and distinguished professors.
- Ronald T. Borchardt, the Summerfield Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Valentino Stella, a University Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
On second reference or if the entire proper name of the professorship is not used, do not capitalize.
She was named a distinguished professor in 1994. He also holds a distinguished professorship in medicinal chemistry.
divisions and affiliates of the university: Capitalize the formal names of schools, academic departments and divisions of the university. Lowercase names that are flopped or shortened.
- College of Business, business school
- Department of Chemistry, chemistry department
- Office of the President, president’s office
- University Registrar, registrar's office
Always capitalize units that don't normally use "Office of" or "Department of" in their formal titles.
- Continuing Education
- Facilities Operations
Capitalize "College" on second reference to the College of Arts and Sciences to avoid confusion with the general term meaning college level or college related.
In plural constructions, lowercase department, school, program, office and other descriptive titles.
I have friends in the schools of engineering and education.
position titles: Capitalize titles appearing before a name and lowercase those appearing after a name.
- Joan Jones, director of the Center of Latin American Studies
- Chancellor Robert Hemenway
- William Tuttle, professor of history
- Professor William Tuttle of the Department of History
CAES: Center for Advanced Energy Studies on first reference.
Center for Archeology, Materials and Applied Spectrometry: CAMAS on second reference
Center for Advanced Energy Studies: CAES on second reference.
Center for Higher Education: This is a classroom building located at University Place in Idaho Falls where many ISU-Idaho Falls classes are held.
Chapter: Lowercase chapter in names of local branches of national organizations. Also, chapter is the preferred term over house for sororities and fraternities.
Commencement: Lowercase. Describe graduates using the semester (not the month) in which they graduated.
Bob Smith is a fall 2005 graduate (not a December 2005 graduate).
Course Work: two words
Courtesy Titles: Use Dr. only if the subject is a medical doctor and the story relates to the medical field. Use Rev. on first reference when referring to members of the clergy.
CW HOG: On first reference it is the Idaho State University Cooperative Wilderness Handicapped Outdoor Group, and then can be abbreviated CW HOG, without any periods.
D
Dates
Commas: Omit the comma between month or season and year if no day is included. The word “of” need not be used in these constructions.
The symposium was in summer 2009.
Set off the date with commas when it follows a day of the week and is in apposition to it. Omit the comma when only day or date is used with the time.
- The event is at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the Pond Student Union
- The event is at 8 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Pond Student Union
Hyphens: Use hyphen or from/to, not through, in giving inclusive dates.
The class runs from May 13 to 26; the seminar is May 13-26.
In body copy, hyphenate when giving fiscal or academic years.
The 2000-01 academic year.
news releases: References to upcoming events should include day and date as a double check for editors. References to events in the past or in the distant future are expressed by date only. Include the year only if different from the present.
Dean, dean's list: dean (uppercase only before a dean's name), dean's list
Degrees, Academic: Use bachelor's degree or bachelor's rather than B.A. or B.S.; master's degree or master's rather than M.A. or M.S.; doctoral degree or doctorate rather than Ph.D. or Ed.D.
She has a bachelor's degree in English, a master's degree in translation and a doctorate in comparative literature.
Department: Uppercase in official titles (Department of History) lowercase in other instances (history department, departments of mathematics and history).
Division of Health Sciences
Doctor, Dr.: In news releases, reserve the title for people with medical degrees. Use the abbreviation Dr. with the name in first reference; drop it in subsequent references.
Doctoral degree, doctorate: Doctoral is the adjective, doctorate the noun. Doctoral degree and doctorate are interchangeable. Do not use doctorate degree.
Dormitories: Do not use. Refer to on-campus housing as residence halls.
E
Eli M. Oboler Library: Oboler Library on second reference.
Emerita, Emeritus, Emeriti: Use emeriti when referring to a group of men and women.
Email: one word, no hyphen.
Eugene O Leonard Hall: This is where most Pocatello College of Pharmacy activities take place. Please note: there is no period after the "O" in the formal name.
F
Fellowships, fellows: Capitalize only proper names when referring to fellowships and their recipients.
Foreign students: use international students
Frazier Hall: Older building on campus traditionally used for theater. The Diane and Chick Bilyeu Theatre is located inside of Frazier Hall.
Fullbright grants, Fullbright scholars: Fulbright grants are awarded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State under guidelines established by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
G
Gale Life Sciences Building:
Garrison Hall: An ISU housing residence.
Girls: Use women for all female students.
Goranson Hall: This is located in the Fine Arts Building.
Grade-point average, GPA: Use GPA on first reference when used with figures.
A 2.5 GPA is required.
Grades: Capitalize but don't quote.
A grade of B or better is required.
Use an apostrophe for plurals.
I earned A's and B's in school.
Grayson Costume Design Studio: Kathryn Grayson Costume Design Studio in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center on first reference.
H
Holt Arena: Big dome where they play football and have events.
Homecoming: Lowercase homecoming, homecoming steering committee, homecoming parade and homecoming game. Uppercase Homecoming Week as the formal title that includes all events.
Hutchinson Quadrangle: Use full name on first reference; quad is acceptable on second reference.
Hyphen: Hyphenate inclusive times and dates.
Workshop hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. May 13-26.
Hyphenate terms such as editor-in-residence and artist-in-residence in all cases, whether the term is before or after the person’s name.
Hyphenate such terms as first-year and second-year when referring to students.
I
Idaho Accelerator Center: The Idaho Accelerator Center is a nuclear research facility at ISU. The center has three laboratories- on the university campus, in the Universities' Business and Research Park and at the Pocatello Airport.
Idaho National Laboratory: INL on second reference
Idaho State Board of Education: State Board or board OK on second reference.
Idaho State University-Idaho Falls: ISU-Idaho Falls on second reference. Most classes at ISU-Idaho Falls are located in the Center for Higher Education or the Tingey Administration Building at University Place in Idaho Falls. The Bennion Student Union is located near these two buildings at University Place in Idaho Falls.
Idaho State University- Meridian Health Science Center: ISU-Meridian on second reference
Idaho State University-Twin Falls: ISU-Twin Falls on second reference. Most ISU-Twin Falls classes are held at the College of Southern Idaho.
International students: Not foreign students
J
Janet C. Anderson Gender Resource Center: Full name on first reference, Anderson Center is OK on second reference.
Jensen Grand Concert Hall: Joseph C. and Cheryl H. Jensen Grand Concert Hall in the L.E. and Thelma Stephens Performing Arts Center on first reference.
K
Kasiska School of Health Professions:
L
L.S. Skaggs Pharmacy Complex: This is located in the Idaho State University Meridian Health Science Center.
Lectures, lecture series: Capitalize when using the whole title of the lecture or lecture series. Capitalize only proper names when shortening.
Library: Eli M. Oboler Library
M
Marshall Rotunda: Barbara J. Marshall Rotunda in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center on first reference.
Master’s degree: Use master’s degree rather than M.A. or M.S.
Memorandum of Agreement: MOA on second reference
Memorandum of Understanding: MOU on second reference.
Molecular Core Research Facility: This is located in the Gale Life Sciences building. Routine activities include automated DNA sequencing and microsatellite analysis (Genotyping), PCR, electrophoresis, and gel documentation and analysis
Museum: Idaho Museum of Natural History
N
Notice of Intent: NOI is OK on second reference
Numbers: Spell out whole numbers one through nine; use numerals for 10 and above. Fractions standing alone are spelled out. For fractions with whole numbers, use numerals.
Right: She has eight cats and 11 dogs. About one-fifth of her salary goes to buy 2 1/2 tons of pet food each year.
Ages, dimensions
Use numerals for ages and dimensions. (The boy was 2 years old. She is 7 feet tall.)
Percent
Spell out the word "percent." Do not repeat the word in a range. Do not spell out the numbers in percentages; use numerals.
Wrong: More than 30% of the students were below average.
Wrong: Fewer than five percent of students own airplanes.
P
Ph.D.: Use doctoral degree or doctorate if possible
Phone numbers: Use (208)282-2222, not 208-282-2222 or 208.282.2222. For internal publications, ext. 2222 is acceptable.
Pond Student Union: Do not add building to the title.
Postdoctoral: Do not hyphenate.
Q
Quotation marks: Put titles (books, movies, lectures) in quotes. Do not quote titles for people, such as Best Teacher of the Year.
R
Reed Gymnasium: Spell out gymnasium on first reference.
Rendezvous Complex: Do not use Rendezvous Center.
RFC Complex: The Roy F. Christensen Complex. This houses the main administration for the College of Technology.
Room: Capitalize "room" when referring to a room in a building such as Room 213 in the Liberal Arts Building.
S
Scholarships: Uppercase when used with the full name of a scholarship only. On second reference or if the entire proper name of the scholarship is not used, do not capitalize.
Semesters, seasons: lowercase academic periods and seasons of the year.
Servel House: Name of the President's residence on Seventh Avenue.
Stephens Performing Arts Center: On first reference, L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center, Stephens Performing Arts Center on second reference. Stephens Center is also an acceptable second reference.
Southeast Idaho: Capitalize Southeast Idaho, lowercase southeastern Idaho
Student Activities Board: Funded through ASISU, but managed under the Student Unions umbrella.
Summer Programs: Located under Involvement Center, which is under Students Unions. Provides summer entertainment and programming such as concerts and movies.
T
Times: Use noon and midnight. Omit the colon and two zeros when writing hours: 8 p.m.
Set off the date with commas when it follows a day of the week: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the Rendezvous Complex. Omit the comma when only day or date is used with the time: 8 p.m. Thursday at the Pond Student Union or 8 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Pond Student Union.
Titles: In press releases, follow Associated Press style and avoid the use of Dr. except in cases of medical doctors. In publications such as newsletters, Dr. is acceptable, but make sure titles are consistent. Capitalize titles in front of names, and lowercase if the title is after the name.
Tingey Administration Building: Located in Idaho Falls
TRiO Student Services: Please note lowercase "i".
Turner House: Turner House is a co-ed residence hall for students.
U
Universitywide: one word
URLs: Bold URLs in publications. In most cases, the http:// is not necessary.
