Purdue Engineering Communications
Editorial Style Guide
(updated 9/08)

Download the Microsoft Word document

Based on the Purdue Marketing Communications Style Guide

References:
The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition (CMS)
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition

Note: Refer to Random House only when a word isn't in Webster’s. If there is a conflict, defer to Webster’s.

Secondary references include The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual and Wired Style: Principles of English Usage in the Digital Age.



a and an
See Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) 7.46 (p. 289).


academic subjects, courses, and lectures
See CMS 8.91–8.93 (pp. 345–46).


addresses
In return addresses and in running text, use the following style:

Return address:
Pfendler Hall, Room 128
715 W. State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2061

Running text:
Pfendler Hall, Room 128, 715 W. State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2061

This style takes addresses from the “Search Campus Addresses” site
(http://www2.itap.purdue.edu/printsvc/mds/search/search.cfm) and
adds punctuation where necessary, particularly after compass points.

Note: When addressing an envelope to someone for a bulk mailing,
use U.S. Postal Service style — all capital letters and no punctuation.


advisor


Affirmative Action Statement
An equal access/equal opportunity/affirmative action university

See Appendix A-I: Legal Statements, Disclaimers, and Verbiage.



African American
See CMS 8.41–8.42 (p. 325).


aircraft
See CMS 8.124–8.126 (p. 355)


“All-American” Marching Band

alum.
Okay to use in casual context for alumna or alumnus

Alumna (pl. alumnae)
Female graduate

Alumnus (pl. alumni; for men or for mixed sex)
Male graduate

Ampersand
In ordinary text and for general purpose, spell out ‘and’ (Not &).

Apostrophe
The mark, which indicates possession or, in some cases, plurality, looks like this: ’. Note which way the mark is turned. The mark t’ is a single quotation mark used at the beginning of an embedded quotation but also commonly and erroneously used for the apostrophe. To produce the proper mark (’ ) on your computer when the apostrophe appears after a space (as in BSME ’77), omit the space, type the apostrophe, and then insert the space in front of the apostrophe.


Asian American
See CMS 8.41–8.42 (p. 325).


Big Ten
In this phrase, “Ten” is always spelled out.

The Big Ten, established in January 1895, actually has 11 conference members: University of Illinois, Indiana University, University of Iowa, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, The Ohio State University, The Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, and University of Wisconsin.


Board of Trustees/board of trustees
Capitalize “Board of Trustees” in reference to the Purdue University Board of Trustees; thereafter, use “the board” or “the trustees” when referring to that specific group. Do not capitalize “board of trustees” in conjunction with a company name.


Boilermakers
When including Purdue’s nickname in text, use the term “Boilermakers.” Intercollegiate Athletics discourages use of the shortened form, “Boilers,” but understands that there are exceptions, such as headlines and cheers.


Boilermaker Special
The Boilermaker Special, Purdue’s official mascot, resembles a train locomotive. The fifth version of the Boilermaker Special was dedicated September 25, 1993.


brackets
See CMS 6.104–6.110 (pp. 267–268) and CMS 11.66-11.68 (pp. 463–464).


brand names
See CMS 8.162 (p. 365).


building names
In mailing addresses and running text, it is acceptable to use short forms of building names, e.g., “Beering Hall” instead of “Steven C. Beering Hall of Liberal Arts and Education.” If your client voices a preference for listing the whole name or using an alternate short form such as “Beering Hall of Liberal Arts and Education,” defer to the client and be consistent in this usage across the client’s publications.

Bullet format
When using bulleted lists, punctuation at the end of each line depends on how the list is created. If each bullet completes a sentence that is begun by the text introducing it, then each line should end in a period. If the bullets would otherwise join to complete one sentence, then each line should end in a comma and the final bullet ends with a period. If they are a random list, no punctuation is necessary.  


Bylines
By Joe Smith or Joseph P. Smith or Joseph Paul Smith…however the writer prefers it. In Impact magazine, main stories receive full bylines, related  sidebars by the same author do not need a byline. Subsequent smaller stories by the same author (Up Close, for example) use the writer’s initials at the end of the text.

Campus
Lowercase the ”c” in “campus” whenever referring to particular Purdue locations — e.g., “West Lafayette campus,” “North Central campus,” etc.


campus names
The following are the full names of the University and its campuses:
    • Purdue University
    • Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne
    • Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
    • Purdue University Calumet
    • Purdue University North Central
    • Purdue University West Lafayette

Note: The punctuation mark used in the IPFW and IUPUI references above is a hyphen, not an en dash. In addition, try to avoid using the word “regional” when referring to campuses outside of West Lafayette, as some think the word diminishes the stature of the campuses. Rather, favor verbiage that emphasizes the Purdue identity of these institutions.


campus-wide
This term should be hyphenated in all uses to avoid misreading.


capitalization

captions
See CMS 12.31–12.39 (pp. 484–487).

Impact magazine captions should be full sentences with a period at the end journalistic in style and impart information that adds to the story.

Avoiding stating the obvious (“Professor Jim Jones sits in front of a microscope.” Instead: ”Professor Jim Jones with the SuperMega Microscope, one of only two in the world, and a key player in his successful materials research.”). As in AP style, the first sentence describes what the photo shows. The second sentence gives background or significance. Try to keep captions to two sentences in length.

People need to be identified whenever possible and their position within the photo included. Example, “Graduate student Joe Smith (left) floats in the Vomit Comet as Professor Joe Blow looks on.” When groups of people are included, use the most logical and efficient way of identifying them (clockwise from top, left to right, etc.)

The preferred caption style is described in the AP Stylebook under “Photo captions.”

Headshots get simple namelines with no title: Andrew Weiner…not, Professor Andrew Weiner.


CAREER Awards
These are formally called the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Awards. They are given by the National Science Foundation.

centuries
Contrary to CMS 9.36, centuries are not spelled out, unless describing a single-digit century or beginning a sentence.
    the fifth century
    the 20th century

The Chao Center
Legally named: Purdue GMP Center LLC Doing Business as The Chao Center for Industrial Pharmacy & Contract Manufacturing. Don’t use the full legal name in our publications; it’s “The Chao Center.”

The law firm Stuart & Branigin LLP has written guidelines for referring to The Chao Center. See Appendix A-II: The Chao Center for examples of appropriate and inappropriate references to The Chao Center.


charts
See CMS 12.56–12.61 (pp. 491–492).


childcare
In all uses, spell as one word, no hyphen. Exceptions: If the word is treated differently in a proper noun, then follow that usage.


citations
See CMS 11.72–11.84 (pp. 465–469).


class
When referring to a group of juniors and/or seniors, “upperclassmen” may be used. When referring to a group of first-year students and/or sophomores, “underclassmen” may be used. “Upperclassmen” and “underclassmen” are gender-neutral words; do not use “upperclass students,” lowerclass students,” or “underclass students.”


college/school names
Use capitalization when listing a college or school by its formal name (e.g., College of Liberal Arts) or when using a shortened form (e.g., Liberal Arts) to make clear you are referring to the college/school versus a field of study. Do not capitalize “college” or “school” in generic, subsequent references such as “the college” or ”the school.”

Do not capitalize the words “colleges” or “schools” when referring to more than one individual school or college, e.g., “the colleges of Science and Agriculture.”

When referring (generically) to all the colleges and schools at Purdue, list “colleges” first then “schools,” e.g. colleges/schools, colleges and/or schools.

When alphabetizing college and school names, organize them by their discipline and not by the “College of” or “School of” part of the name.
The following are the colleges and schools on the West Lafayette campus:
College of Agriculture
College of Consumer and Family Sciences
College of Education

College of Engineering
        Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering
        School of Aeronautics and Astronautics
        School of Agricultural and Biological Engineering    
        Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering
        School of Chemical Engineering
        School of Civil Engineering    
        School of Construction Engineering and Management
        School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
        School of Engineering Education
        School of Industrial Engineering
        School of Materials Engineering formerly Metallurgical Engineering)
        School of Mechanical Engineering
        School of Nuclear Engineering

College of Liberal Arts
Krannert School of Management
College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Sciences
        School of Health Sciences
        School of Nursing
        School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
College of Science
College of Technology
School of Veterinary Medicine


colons
See CMS 6.63–6.69 (pp. 257–258).


commas
See CMS 6.18–6.56 (pp. 244–255).


company/institution names
See CMS 8.73–74, 8.163 (pp. 338–339, 366).

The proper names of companies and institutions should be treated
as they are by the company/institution. If an article preceding the company/institution name is part of the proper name and is capped by the company/institution, then it should be capped. If there is unusual capitalization or spacing, then maintain it.
    • BusinessWeek (no space between the “s” and the “W”)
    • eBay, iMac (lowercase first letter)
    • The Ohio State University (“The” is part of the proper name.)
    • the RAND Corporation (all caps in “RAND”)
    • U.S.News & World Report (no space between “U.S.” and “News”)
If a sentence begins with a brand/company name that has a lowercase initial letter, recast the sentence so the name does not begin the sentence. Remove commas preceding the words company, corporation, incorporated, LLC, etc.


computer terms
See CMS 7.81 (p. 299).


Córdova, President France A.
The 11th president of Purdue University is identified as “President France A. Córdova” on first reference; thereafter, use” President Córdova” or “the president.”

Note: Create the diacritical mark in “Córdova” by striking the option and “e” keys, then the letter “o.”

President Córdova is married to Christian Foster. An example of the style for addressing them in the same sentence is:
    President France A. Córdova and her husband, Purdue’s First Gentleman Christian Foster, attended the banquet in the Purdue Memorial Union.


course names
It is acceptable to abbreviate a subject field when followed by the course number in text: ENGL 560

When listing the whole course name, use the following treatment: ENGL 560 (Modern American Poetry)


coursework


credit lines
See CMS 12.40–12.51 (pp. 487–490).


dates
See CMS 6.46 (p. 253).


DEA
Distinguished Engineering Alumni (note: a recipient is a Distinguished Engineering Alumna and Alumnus). Selected at the end of the year and honored in a convocation in February.

deans
There are 10 deans at the West Lafayette campus.



decades (CMS 9.37, p. 389).
Because CMS doesn’t like to capitalize decades like “the twenties” or “the sixties,” PMC’s preference is for using numerals.
        1860s
        1920s or the ’20s
        1960s or the ’60s

Note that the apostrophe on the shortened version is NOT an open single quote mark.

Certain decades, like other traditional names, are capitalized (CMS 8.79–8.80, pp. 340–341).
        the Roaring Twenties
        the Swinging Sixties
        the Gay Nineties
        the Jazz Age


degrees
Degree abbreviations should be formatted as follows:
        • BA
        • MA
        • PhD
        • HDR (honorary doctorate)
Refer to general degree names in lowercase as follows:
        • a bachelor’s degree
        • an associate’s degree
        • a master’s degree
        • a doctorate (note that “degree” does not follow “doctorate”)

See CMS 8.32 (p. 321) and CMS 15.21–15.22 (pp. 563–564) for more style pertaining to academic degrees.

Purdue engineering degrees

BSAAE (formerly BSAE)
BSABE
BSChE
BSCE
BSECE
BSENE
BSIE
BSBME
BSMSE (formerly BSMetE)
BSNE

Example: Joe Doe (BSME ’79, PhD 2006). Include all four digits for degrees from year 2000 forward. The school is not listed with the doctorate, unless the degree is outside of engineering. Example: Joe Doe, BSME ’79, PhD 2006 (Sociology).


department names (CMS 8.73, p. 338)
Use capitalization when listing a department by its formal name (e.g., Department of Physics) or when using a shortened form (e.g., Physics) to make clear you are referring to the department versus a field of study. On successive references, use “the department.” Avoid using phrases such as
“the physics department” so that you don’t appear inconsistent. That said, though, try to lowercase as much as possible.

For named departments, use the full title on first reference. A shortened version of the title may be used on subsequent references, e.g., “Patti and Rusty Rueff Department of Visual and Performing Arts” on first reference and “Visual and Performing Arts” or “VPA” thereafter.


disabilities
The wording is “students with disabilities” as specified by the Office for Civil Rights. Place emphasis on the person, not the disability. In certain contexts, “students with special needs” might be the best verbiage.


disclaimer
See Appendix A-I: Legal Statements, Disclaimers, and Verbiage.


distinguished professor

See “professor” entry.

dollar amount
Avoid breaking the amount from the dollar in lines of print. $5 million; not $5
Million.


dorm/dormitory
Do not use. The preferred terminology is “residence hall” or ”residence.”


dot-com
Online business, usually selling retail goods and/or services to individual consumers.


Dr.
Use the title “Dr.” only when referring to a doctor of medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine.

Du Pont

e-
Words that start with “e-” (such as e-mail) should be capitalized only at the beginning of a sentence or in a title.


EAC
Engineering Advisory Committee


ELT
Engineering Leadership Team
The membership can be found online at:
engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/People/Committees/ptPeopleListing?group_id=22824


ellipses
See CMS 11.51–11.66 (pp. 458–463).


em dash
An em dash (—) should be placed in text with a space before and after.
Note: To create an em dash in Microsoft Word (on a Macintosh platform), hold down the shift and option keys, then press the hyphen (-) key.


emeritus/a professor
See “professor” entry.


en dashes
See CMS 6.80 (p. 260) and CMS 6.83–6.86 (pp. 261–263).
Note: To create an en dash in Microsoft Word (on a Macintosh platform), hold down the option key, then press the hyphen (-) key.


EPICS
Engineering Projects in Community Service


equal access statement
(Title IX/EO statement)

The statement is “An equal access/equal opportunity university”. It should be spelled out whenever possible, not abbreviated.

•   Preferably, the EA/EOU statement should be large enough to be noticed. The Produced by ECO statement can be smaller and         should not be as noticeable as the EA/EOU statement.
    See Appendix A-I: Legal Statements, Disclaimers, and Verbiage.

ethnic group names
See CMS 8.41–8.43 (pp. 325–326).


exclamation points
See CMS 6.76–6.79 (p. 260).


First-Year Engineering Program
Formerly the Department of Freshman Engineering, merged with the Division of Interdisciplinary Engineering to create this department. The graduate program and multidisciplinary engineering undergraduate program launched in fall 2005.


foreign words, names, titles, and institutions
See CMS 7.51–7.56 (pp. 291–292), CMS 7.62 (p. 294), and CMS 10.1–10.154 (pp. 400–441).


Foster, Chris
He is married to Purdue President France A. Córdova. On first reference, use “First Gentleman Christian Foster”; thereafter, use “Foster.”

In reference to the two of them, the style is:
    President France A. Córdova and her husband, Purdue’s First Gentleman Christian Foster, attended the banquet in the Purdue Memorial Union.


freshman
The phrase “first-year student” is preferred; however, “freshman” is still used in cases where a distinction needs to be made between a beginning college student and someone who has transferred but is in his/her first year at Purdue. “Freshman” also is acceptable in headlines and in phrases such as “freshman class.”


fundraising
The term fundraising is to be written as one word with no hyphenation.


Gala Week


GEARE

Global Engineering Alliance for Research and Education

gender: adjectives/nouns
When you need to specify gender, use “female” or “male” as the adjective and “woman” or “man” when you need a noun.

        France A. Córdova is the first female president of Purdue University.
        France A. Córdova is the first woman to be appointed president of Purdue University.


government bodies
See CMS 8.66–8.70 (pp. 334–336).


Graduate student
This is the preferred way of referring to them; not grad student, unless in casual context.


graduation rates statement
See Appendix A: Legal Statements, Disclaimers, and Verbiage.


Grand Prix


Greater Lafayette
Do not use the phrase “Greater Lafayette” unless it’s part of a formal name, such as the United Way of Greater Lafayette. Instead, refer to the local community as “Lafayette–West Lafayette” with an en dash between the city names.


Headlines
These should follow news style; short; no period at the end

Avoid the use of the articles a, an and the unless they are needed for clarity


healthcare
In all uses, spell as one word, no hyphen. Exceptions: If the word is treated differently in a proper noun, then follow that usage.


Hispanic
See entry for “Latina/Latino.”


home page
The term is to be written as two words in lowercase letters.


hyphenation
See CMS 6.80–6.82 (pp. 260–261) and CMS 7.82–7.90 (pp. 299–308). In addition, the dictionary is a great resource for determining whether or not a word should be hyphenated.


indexing (CMS 18.56–59, pp. 774–75)
PMC uses word-by-word indexing for catalogs, handbooks, and other reference books of this type. In a letter-by-letter sort, spaces, commas, hyphens, and other nonletters are ignored. Here is an example of a list sorted letter-by-letter:
        Newark
        New Hampshire
        New Jersey
        Newton
        New York


Intercollegiate Athletics
Refer to this Purdue entity as “Intercollegiate Athletics,” not as Athletic Department, Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, or Athletics. In addition, leave out the words “Division of” in references to this area.

        Neovision is the official eyecare provider for Intercollegiate Athletics.


Internet
Uppercase


Jischke, Martin C.
The former president of Purdue University is officially President Emeritus Martin C. Jischke.


Jr., Sr., III
No punctuation precedes these (example: Harold Smith Jr. NOT Harold Smith, Jr.)


Kelvin
Don’t use a degree sign with a temperature on the Kelvin scale.


Krannert School of Management
Because the Krannert School of Management is a named school, do not omit the word “Krannert” on first reference. On second reference, use “the Krannert School,” “the school,” or “Krannert.”


Lafayette–West Lafayette
When referring to the local community, use “Lafayette-West Lafayette” separated with an en dash. Do not use “Greater Lafayette.”


land-grant/land grant
Requires a hyphen when used as an adjective. No hyphen is needed when used as a noun. This rule applies to sea-grant/sea grant and space-grant/space grant also.

When using all three together follow this order:
Purdue is a land-, sea-, and space-grant university.


Latina/Latino
See CMS 8.41–8.42 (p. 325).


Lightyear
A unit of distance, not time


line breaks
See CMS 7.33–7.45 (pp. 286–289).

Bad line breaks: In designed copy, avoid widows (short lines at the end of a paragraph) or orphans (if a single word is alone on the last line of a paragraph it must have five or more letters).


listserv
Listserv is the name of a company; listserve or list service is an e-mail service.


Liquefy
Not liquify


Mach-6
Always capitalized


majors (CMS 8.91, p. 345)
In running text, do not capitalize the names of majors unless the major itself is a proper noun, e.g., English, American history, etc. However, in tables or bulleted lists, it’s acceptable to capitalize majors.

        She is majoring in apparel design and technology.
        He is an English major.

middle initials
Avoid using middle initials. Special events may be the exception; the key is to stay consistent within a publication.


millennium
Two l’s, two n’s


military terms
See CMS 8.120–8.123 (p. 353).


Minority Engineering Program (MEP)


Minuscule
Not miniscule


Mr., Mrs., Ms.
Omit courtesy titles in most contexts, including journalistic articles.

This style extends to First Gentleman Chris Foster, so you would not say “Mr. Foster.”

This style also extends to Patty Jischke, who is married to President Emeritus Martin. C. Jischke. She prefers “Patty Jischke” in most contexts, not “Mrs. Jischke.” E.g., President Emeritus Martin C. and Patty Jischke.


NSF
National Science Foundation.


named professor
See “professor” entry.


names (of people)
See CMS 8.5–8.20 (pp. 312–317).


names, possessives of
Add ” ’s” to the end of a name to form the possessive. E.g., Mark Simons’s photos.

For exceptions, see CMS 7.20–22 (p. 283).


nanoHUB
The first letter is lowercase, even at the start of a sentence.


Native American
See CMS 8.41–8.42 (p. 325).


Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering
When referring to the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering a second time, use “Neil Armstrong Hall” instead of “Armstrong Hall.” “Stanley Coulter Hall” is the precedent.


nondiscrimination policy statement
See Appendix A-I: Legal Statements, Disclaimers, and Verbiage.


numbers
Follow the alternative rule in CMS 9.6: “[spell] out only single-digit numbers and [use] numerals for all others.” Ages, however, are always listed as numerals, regardless of their being over or under 10.


Octoberbreak
The official spelling is “Octoberbreak” — all one word, with a lowercase “b.”


online
The term “online” is written as one word in all uses.


orphans
A single word alone on the last line of a paragraph must have five or more letters.


parentheses
See CMS 6.97–6.103 (pp. 265–267).


Percent, percentage, percentile
Do not use percent when percentage point is meant. If a quantity rises from 10 percent to 11 percent, the rise is equal to one percentage point but 10 percent. Also: a student whose test score is higher than the score of 99 percent of the group of test takers is at the 99th percentile.

%
Spell it out—percent—unless space is at a premium.


periods
See CMS 6.13–6.15 (pp. 243–244).
One space after a period (not two).


phone numbers
Format phone numbers as follows:
    • 49-48745 for on-campus publications
    • (765) 494-8745 for publications going off campus
    • (800) 555-1212 for toll-free numbers

Note: The preferred style is to place parentheses around the area code in long-distance numbers and leave a space between the closing parenthesis and next digit.


Physical and Chemical Terms
See CMS

Names of chemical elements and compounds are lowercased when written out; the chemical symbols, however, are capitalized and set without periods. (sulfuric acid, H2SO4). Only proper names attached to the names of laws, theorems, principles, and such are capitalized (big bang theory, the second law of thermodynamics, BUT Boyle’s law).


places (names of)
See CMS 8.46–8.63 (pp. 326–333).


Planetary names

Moon, Earth, Sun and planet names are capitalized


plurals
See CMS 7.6–7.16 (pp. 279–281).


possessives
See CMS 7.17–7.30 (pp. 281–286).


postscript
When adding a postscript to a letter, use capital letters and place a period after each letter.

P.S. Your participation is crucial to our goal of increasing participation in the Krannert Annual Fund by 500 alumni.


Produced by the Engineering Communications Office


Professional Organizations

American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Institute for Industrial Engineers (IIE)
National Academy of Engineering (NAE)
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
National Science Foundation (NSF)
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)



professor (CMS 8.31, p. 321)

When referring to Purdue staff members, use the title or rank given to them by the University. Apply the title “professor” only before the name of a staff member of professorial rank: professor, associate professor, or assistant professor — not before the name of an instructor, teaching assistant, or staff member.

Do not qualify the title professor with “associate” or “assistant” before a person’s name, but do qualify it after the name.

Prof. Samuel Brown, Professor Brown
Samuel Brown, associate professor of biology

Do not abbreviate “associate” and “assistant” when used in a title.
    assistant professor of bacteriology

After referring to an individual by full name, use the spelled-out title and last name: e.g., Professor Smith, only if the person has a professional title.

The title “professor” may be abbreviated when it precedes the first name or initials; spell out titles when they are used before the surname alone.
    Prof. E. B. Smith
    Professor Smith
    Profs. E. B. Smith and J. T. Jones
    Professors Smith and Jones

For distinguished and named professors, capitalize full title on first use.
    Wilbur G. Lewellen, Herman C. Krannert Distinguished Professor of Management
    Glenn R. Parker, Distinguished Professor of Political Science

Subsequent usage follows the rules for professor.

For emeritus/a professors, indicate status following the name on first use.
    Janice Lauer, professor emerita of English
    Professor Emerita Mary Fuqua

Subsequent usage follows the rules for professor.

For faculty members with more than one title, include both on first reference.
    Connie Weaver, head and distinguished professor, Department of Foods and Nutrition


proofreaders’ marks
See CMS pp. 100–101.


Purdue Alumni Association/Purdue Alumni
In written correspondence, such as press releases, magazines, and newsletters, refer to the organization as the “Purdue Alumni Association” on first reference. All other mentions in the publication should simply be “Purdue Alumni.”

For formal letters and invitations the signature name should be “Purdue Alumni Association.”

The abbreviation “PAA” should not be used.


question marks
See CMS 6.70–6.75 (pp. 259–60).


quotation marks
Use single quotation marks in headlines. See CMS 6.120 (p. 270) and CMS 11.33–11.50 (pp. 453–458) for other styles pertaining to quotation marks.


religious names and terms
See CMS 8.97–8.119 (p. 347).


RSVP/R.s.v.p.
According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, the abbreviation should be treated with all capital letters and no periods. Note, however, that in promoting events at Westwood, the usage should be R.s.v.p.

To avoid redundancy, never use the word “please” before RSVP; the term is an abbreviation of the French expression répondez s'il vous plaît, which means “please reply.”


SATS
See “Student Access, Transition and Success Programs” entry.


school/college names
See “college/school names” entry.


scientific terminology
See CMS 8.127–8.161 (p.356).


seasons (fall, winter, etc.)
See CMS 8.94 (p. 346).


slashes
See CMS 6.111–6.119 (pp. 268–270).


spring break/spring vacation
The official term used by the Office of the Registrar is “spring vacation”; however, “spring break” may be used also. Lowercase both terms in running text. Capitalization may be used when the terms are used in calendars, tables, etc.


state names
Do not abbreviate names of states when following names of cities and towns, except in footnotes and class notes.
        West Lafayette, Indiana.

When you do abbreviate, use U.S. Postal Service abbreviations.
Always abbreviate the District of Columbia to Washington, DC. Omit periods from DC and surround with commas where necessary in running text.
        Dave and Tim went to Washington, DC, to help with an event.


State of Indiana
Lowercase the word state (the state of Indiana), except in formal reference to a state’s government. The State of Indiana brought the lawsuit. Also: New York State, Washington State.


Student Access, Transition and Success Programs (SATS)
An official department name. Do not use a serial comma after “Transition.”


SURF
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships


system-wide
This term is perhaps the best adjective/adverb to use when talking about things that span all Purdue campuses/locations.


theater vs. theatre
Because the Patti and Rusty Rueff Department of Visual and Performing Arts consistently refers to its academic area of study as “theatre” and its performance stages as “theatres,” all VPA-related references should use the “re” spelling. However, references to movie or other performing theaters — and other generic usages — should use the “er” spelling unless referring to a proper name.


The Campaign for Purdue
Note that the “T” is uppercase.


times (CMS 9.41–9.43, p.391)
Unlike CMS style, PMC style is to use numerals for times of day in running text.
    She goes running at 5:00 a.m. each day.

The abbreviations “a.m.” and “p.m.” should be set in lowercase type with periods. Zeros should be used for even hours. Separate times with an en dash and with no space on either side of the en dash. When stating a beginning and ending time in running text, use “from” and “to”. Noon and midnight should be spelled out and lowercased unless they begin a sentence.
        The meeting began at 9:00 a.m. and was over by noon.
        The meeting will be held from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
        The meeting will be held 9:00 a.m.–noon.
        9:00 a.m.–noon
        9:00–11:00 a.m.
        9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
        noon–3:00 p.m.

In some types of publications, such as agendas, invitations, etc. there is some flexibility.


time zones (CMS 8.96, p. 347)
When spelled out, time zones are lowercased. Abbreviations are capitalized.    
        eastern standard time
        daylight saving time

Note: Purdue University West-Lafayette campus observes Eastern Time year round. This means that the time on the West Lafayette campus is always the same time as New York and one hour ahead of Chicago.


titles and offices
See CMS 8.21–8.35 (pp. 317–323).

Capitalize a title when it precedes a name as part of the name (Professor Jones); when, in formal usage, it follows a name and refers to a named professorship (John Jones, Harvey P. Smith Professor of Chemical Engineering); or when it is used informally in place of a name in direct address (But, Professor, consider this!). Otherwise lowercase titles when used as a modifier (We heard from mechanical engineering professor John Jones) or when separated from the name by a comma (John Jones, professor of mechanical engineering).


titles of works (books, television shows, etc.)
See CMS 8.164–8.208 (p. 366).

italicize
Books
Movies
operas
paintings, drawings, statues, other works of art
Pamphlets
plays
Proceedings and collections
Periodicals
Newspapers and sections of newspapers published separately
Titles of long poems that have been published separately (titles of short poems are set in quotation marks)
Poetry collections


quotation marks and roman type
Titles of articles
Dissertations and theses
Lectures
Papers read at meetings
Features in periodicals and newspapers
Chapter titles and part titles
Titles of short stories
Essays
Individual sections of books
Television shows and radio programs (Unless they are a limited series such as Masterpiece Theater, in which case they are italicized)
Radio programs


trademarks
See CMS 8.162 (p. 365).


University
The word “University” should be capitalized in instances where it stands for the longer phrase “Purdue University.” Note that such references to “University” are always preceded by the word “the.”
        Several famous astronauts have graduated from the University.
        But: Purdue is a land-grant university.


University-wide
When referring to Purdue University, capitalize “University-wide” and hyphenate it in all uses.


upperclassmen
A gender-neutral group of juniors and/or seniors. Do not use “upperclass students.”


underclassmen
A gender-neutral group of first-year students and/or sophomores. Do not use “lowerclass students” or “underclass students.”


URLs
URLs should be set in plain type, not underlined or set in italics, etc.

Don't print the “http://” portion of a URL unless the URL won’t work without it.

If a URL can’t be listed on one line, never break it with a hyphen; rather, break the URL after a period, slash, or double slash.


U.S.
Use periods when abbreviating “United States.” Note, however, that the abbreviated form is only acceptable as an adjective.


Usenet


Washington, DC
Always abbreviate the District of Columbia to Washington, DC. Omit periods from DC and surround with commas where necessary in running text.
        Dave and Tim went to Washington, DC, to help with an event.


Web
Web should be used with a capital “W” when it refers to a Web page, site, or search engine.


West Lafayette
Do not abbreviate “West” in “West Lafayette.”


West Lafayette campus
The “c” should be lowercase in running text.


Women in Engineering Program (WIEP)


year-round

yearlong

See “class” entry.


years
In cases where the century doesn’t change, inclusive years should be formatted as follows:
        1998–99
        2002–03

Recommended reference works
The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition

Note: Refer to Random House only when a word isn't in Webster’s. If there is a conflict, defer to Webster’s.

Secondary references include The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual and Wired Style: Principles of English Usage in the Digital Age.


8/08












Appendix A

I.  Use of Legally Required Statements

                Affirmative          Graduation    
Publication    Disclaimer    Nondiscrimination    Title IX/EO    Action    OCR    Rates

About Admissions    X    X    X        X    X    
Admissions Series    X        X        X
Facts at Your Fingertips    X        X        X    X    
Faculty/Staff Handbook    X    X        X    X    X    
Financial Aid Series    X        X        X    X    
General Information    X    X    X        X    X    
Get Involved    X        X        X
Introducing Purdue    X    X    X        X    X    
Family Handbook    X    X    X        X    X    
Undergraduate Catalogs    X    X    X        X    X    
University Regulations    X    X    X        X    X    
You and Purdue    X    X        X    X


All Purdue publications must contain the Title IX/EO Statement or the Affirmative Action Statement in order to ensure that every University publication contains a statement about equal access/equal opportunity.

• In addition to appearing in our in-house publications as indicated in the above chart, the Title IX/EO Statement also should appear on all materials for student recruitment or educational programs.
• And in addition to appearing in our own in-house publications as indicated in the above chart, the Affirmative Action Statement should appear on all materials for faculty/staff recruitment or employment purposes.

The OCR wording should be used in all publications when referring to students with disabilities.

The Graduation Rates statement should not appear in any materials produced for specific schools or departments, except for selected publications produced for, or in consultation with, the Office of the Registrar or the Office of Admissions.


The Statements

Disclaimer
The information contained in this bulletin is subject to change as a result of action by federal and/or state governments, the trustees of Purdue University, and the administration of Purdue University. Questions concerning the contents of this bulletin should be directed to the appropriate University department or official.
    Abbreviated Disclaimer: Subject to change without notice.
Nondiscrimination Policy Statement
Purdue University is committed to maintaining a community which recognizes and values the inherent worth and dignity of every person; fosters tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect among its members; and encourages each individual to strive to reach his or her own potential. In pursuit of its goal of academic excellence, the University seeks to develop and nurture diversity. The University believes that diversity among its many members strengthens the institution, stimulates creativity, promotes the exchange of ideas, and enriches campus life.

Purdue University views, evaluates, and treats all persons in any University related activity or circumstance in which they may be involved, solely as individuals on the basis of their own personal abilities, qualifications, and other relevant characteristics.

Purdue University prohibits discrimination against any member of the University community on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, disability, or status as a veteran. The University will conduct its programs, services and activities consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and orders and in conformance with the procedures and limitations as set forth in Executive Memorandum No. D-1 which provides specific contractual rights and remedies. Additionally, the University promotes the full realization of equal employment opportunity for women, minorities, persons with disabilities and veterans through its affirmative action program.

Any question of interpretation regarding this Nondiscrimination Policy Statement shall be referred to the Vice President for Human Relations for final determination.


Title IX/EO Statement
    An equal access/equal opportunity university
    EA/EOU in capital letters


Affirmative Action Statement
    An equal access/equal opportunity/affirmative action university
    EA/EO/AAU in capital letters


OCR (Office for Civil Rights)
    students with disabilities
   

Graduation Rates
Graduation rates for the West Lafayette Campus are available in the
Office of Enrollment Management, Schleman Hall, 475 Stadium
Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2050, (765) 494-0292, enrollmentmanagement@purdue.edu. These rates are calculated and made available as required by the Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act.



II.  The Chao Center
When referring to The Chao Center in publications or other mediums, be careful about how you explain the center’s relationship to Purdue University. Stuart & Branigin LLP notes “… while The Chao Center was formed to serve Purdue, Purdue does not own or operate it.” The law firm has provided the following guidelines for referring to The Chao Center:
 
Some examples of appropriate wording:

• The Chao Center is a limited liability company formed to serve the needs of Purdue and its School of Pharmacy.
• The Chao Center in the Purdue Research Park.
• The Chao Center is an LLC owned by Purdue Research Foundation (or by McClure Park, Inc., a PRF affiliate).
• PRF’s Chao Center.
• The Chao Center is an affiliate of Purdue Research Foundation.
• The Chao Center is a cGMP facility devoted to meeting the educational, research and training goals of Purdue’s School of Pharmacy and its Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy.
• Profits from The Chao Center will support Purdue University, including its School of Pharmacy and Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy.
• The Chao Center was formed using funds contributed to Purdue by Dr. Allen Chao to train students and professionals in using cGMP’s.
• The Chao Center gives Purdue access to an operating cGMP facility to train students and professionals from around the world.   
• The Chao Center has access to the industry and educational expertise of Purdue’s highly ranked School of  Pharmacy  

Some examples of inappropriate wording:

• Purdue’s or the School of Pharmacy’s Chao Center.
• Purdue’s manufacturing facility, Purdue’s facility, or the Purdue facility.  
• Purdue’s products manufactured at The Chao Center.  
• The Chao Center at Purdue.   
• Purdue’s or the School of Pharmacy’s cGMP facility.  
• The MDR-TB project is Purdue’s first foray into drug manufacturing.

Please do NOT embed your digital photograph into a PowerPoint or Word file.


DIGITAL FILES
--------------------------------------
ECO will need the highest resolution images possible in order to insure
quality print reproduction.

ECO preferences, in order of desirability:

1. 300 dpi scan with at least 1500 x 2100 pixels.
    Save as a tiff file--not as a jpeg.
    THE MORE PIXELS THE BETTER.

2. The same size file as above, but saved as highest quality jpeg (10-12).


PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS (hardcopy)
-----------------------------------------------------
You can also send original, high resolution <photo quality> GLOSSY prints instead of a digital photo.

This option provides excellent reproduction since the print can be scanned on a high-end scanner at whatever size is needed.

Please be sure that the print you send is <at least> 1400 dpi and a true
continuous-tone photographic print.


-----------------------------------------------------
Purdue e-mail can handle relatively large files (10MB).

 

• Web readers are impatient
 They scan first, and won't stay to read unless you grab their attention immediately.
• Write like a newspaper
 the first paragraph should deliver the conclusion and catch the eye; the middle supports the conclusion, and full details are at the end.
• Be direct, emotional, and personal
 "You" and "I" are strong in the right context.
• Short paragraphs 
They're easier to scan—aim for 50 words or less; single sentences can stand alone.
• Short sentences 
Help keep paragraphs short; sentence fragments are OK. ("Really!" or "For variety!")
• Short Anglo-Saxon words
 "Walk," not "ambulate."
• Sub-heads
Use sub-heads more frequently than in print to help readers scan, choosing action words that motivate, not just labels. ("Reduce the cost of your education," not "Financial aid")
• Bullet points for simple lists 
Grocery lists are easier to scan as bullet points than when everything's lumped into comma-delimited paragraphs.
• Paragraphs for in-depth explanation
• You shouldn't try to condense a complicated argument into a list of bullet points. To create a persuasive web page, think essay, not PowerPoint. Help the reader understand the relationship and progression of your ideas—don't just plop down a series of cryptic declarations and expect your audience to fill in the blanks.
• Prompt readers to act
 "Please call us to schedule a visit," not "Visits can be schedule by calling our office."
• Informative link text
 "Please send us your comments," not "A comment form is available here."
• Avoid underlined text
 Readers will expect a link.

Most of this was copied and paraphrased from a talk by Robert E. Johnson, Senior V.P. and Director of Strategy for Creative Communication Associates. I've condensed and edited them, and there may be some of Jakob Nielsen's influence in the final product.

--Compiled by Hilary Mark Nelson