[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]
A
academic degrees: Use periods (B.A., B.Mus., M.A., Ph.D.)
Academy of Music
advisor, not adviser
aesthetics, not esthetics
African American: Capitalize, no hyphen
Alabama: Ala.; AL
Alaska: Alaska; AK
Alexander Gymnasium (1929, renovated 1986)
alma mater: do not italicize
alumnus/a:
alumnus = masculine singular
alumna = feminine singular
alumni = masculine plural
alumnae = feminine plural
Remember: All graduates are alumni, but not all alumni are graduates.
Alumni Association (LUAA)
Alumni House
ampersand (&): Avoid using the ampersand for and in
either text or headline. (Exception: corporate or firm names that use & as
part of the company name.)
archaeology, not archeology
Arizona: Ariz.; AZ
Arkansas: Ark.; AR
Atrium: Capitalize: Science Hall Atrium
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B
B.A.: Bachelor of Arts degree
Baccalaureate: Capitalize the June ceremony but not baccalaureate degree.
Banta Bowl (1965)
Björklunden vid Sjön
B.Mus., not B.M.: Bachelor of Music degree
Board of Trustees
Boynton Society
Lucia Russell Briggs, second president of Milwaukee-Downer College.
Lucia R. Briggs Hall (1997)
Brokaw Hall (1910)
Buchanan Kiewit Center (1986)
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C
California: Calif.; CA
catalog, not catalogue
Center for Teaching and Learning
centuries: Use numerals; lowercase the word century: the 21st century, 18th-century literature.
chair (noun), not chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson
Chemistry Show
classes: Do not capitalize the following when referring to individuals: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior.
class years: When identifying current students or alumni by
their class years, the year is expressed in two digits and preceded by an apostrophe:
John Doe '60
and Jane Doe '00. Identify parents of current or former students by the initial
P and the class year(s) of the students(s): Mr. and Mrs. James Doe P'97,'01.
Identify alumnae of Milwaukee-Downer College as Jane Doe M-D'26. When desired, alumni/ae of the Conservatory
of Music may be identified as Mary Roe C'57.
college, university: Do not capitalize the college or the university when referring to Lawrence.
Colman Hall (1956)
Colorado: Colo.; CO
commas: Use a comma before and or or in a series of three or more items: red, white, and blue. The abbreviations Jr. or Sr. following a name are set off by commas, but Roman numerals in the same situation are not: John Doe, Sr., but James Doe III.
Commencement: Capitalize
compose, comprise: The parts compose the whole, and the whole comprises the parts.
Connecticut: Conn.; CT
conservatory: Capitalize only on first, full reference: the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music. Second and subsequent references: the conservatory.
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D
dash: See em dash, hyphen
dates: No spaces before or after a hyphen used with days and dates: May-June 1962, November 4-6, Friday-Sunday. In a sentence, use to, not a hyphen: She worked here from 1992 to 1994. Spell out days of the week and months. Always use the time/day/date sequence for events: The committee will meet at 3:00 p.m, Monday, September 23.
days of the week: Capitalize days of the week and months of the year: Tuesday, November.
Dean's List: Singular, possessive, capitalize
decades: Use numerals, with no apostrophe before the s: The 1960s, the '70s.
degrees: Capitalize the names of academic and honorary degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Doctor of Laws.
Delaware: Del.; DE
departments: Do not capitalize names of academic or administrative departments (except language departments) that begin with the subject: admissions office, dean's office, chemistry department, French and Francophone Studies department. Do capitalize: Office of Admissions, Office of the Dean, Department of Chemistry, Department of French and Francophone Studies. Capitalize department names that are specific places: the Career Center, the Counseling Center, International House.
District of Columbia: D.C.; DC
Diversity Center
Downer: see Milwaukee-Downer College, Jason Downer Commons
Draheim House (1959)
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E
e.g., i.e.: The abbreviations e.g. and i.e. stand for specific Latin phrases and are not interchangable: e.g. (exempli gratias) is used when the English phrase for example would be appropriate; i.e. (id est) substitutes for the English phrase that is.
ellipses: Ellipses are used to signal that words have been omitted. At the beginning or in the middle of a sentence, use the three-period ellipses (type OPTION/; to get a set of elipses). At the end of the sentence, the three periods are followed by whatever end punctuation is required, often a fourth period.
e-mail: Not capitalized, except at the beginning of a sentence or title
em dash (—): Used to set off words or phrases:
Lawrence University celebrated its 150th year —- its sesquicentennial — in 1997.
Type
SHIFT/OPTION/- to get an em dash, or use two hyphens (--).
emeriti: do not italicize
emeritus = masculine singular
emeriti = masculine plural
emerita = feminine singular
emeritae = feminine plural
events: Capitalize events of the college year: Commencement, Baccalaureate, Fall Visit Day, Family Weekend.
extension: In internal publications, four-digit campus telephone extensions are preceded by the abbreviation Ext.: Ext. 6593.
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F
Florida: Fla.; FL
Founders Club
Fraternities:
Beta Theta Pi,
Delta Tau Delta,
Phi Delta Theta,
Phi Kappa Tau,
Sigma Phi Epsilon
Fund raising: As a noun – two words (fund raising). As an adjective – hyphenated (fund-raising program).
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G
Georgia: Ga.; GA
GLOW: Student organization for gay, bisexual, lesbian, and transgendered persons
Guest House
Gymnasiums: see Alexander Gymnasium, Buchanan Kiewit Center
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H
Hawaii: Hawaii; H
Hiett Hall (2003)
home page: Two words
Hulbert House (1908)
hyphen (-): Hyphenate adjectival phrases formed of an adjective
and a noun preceding the noun modified: first-year student, 19th-century
architecture. Phrases formed of an adverb ending in -ly and an adjective
are not hyphenated: highly developed intelligence, liberally educated students.
Telephone numbers are separated by hyphens: 920-832-7000.
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I
Idaho: Idaho; ID
i.e.: See e.g.
Illinois: Ill.; IL
Indiana: Ind.; IN
International House (1900)
Iowa: Iowa; IA
its, it's:
It's, with an apostrophe, is the contraction for it is. Its,
without an apostrophe, is the possessive form of the pronoun it.
ITC:
Information Technology Center
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John B. Johnson, third president of Milwaukee-Downer College
Jr., Sr.: The abbreviations Jr. or Sr. following a name are set off by commas, but Roman numerals in the same situation are not: John Doe, Sr., but James Doe III.
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K
Kansas: Kan.; KS
Kentucky: Ky.; KY
Kohler Hall (1967)
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L
Lambda Sigma: National honorary society for sophomore men and women
Landis Health and Counseling Center (1966)
Landis Peabody Building (1966)
Latin words in English: Italicize ad eundem,
honoris causa, cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude.
LCF: Lawrence Christian Fellowship
LI: Lawrence International
Lawrentian
Legacy Circle
Library: See Seeley G. Mudd Library
London Centre: spelled Centre, not Center
Louisiana: La.; LA
LUCC: Lawrence University Community
Council
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M
Main Hall (1853)
Maine: Maine; ME
Maryland: Md.; MD
Massachusetts: Mass.; MA
master class: two words
Memorial Chapel (1918,
renovated 1993)
Brombaugh Organ, Opus 33 (1995)
Felgemaker Organ (1906, 1999)
Union Station (College Store)
Viking Room
The Coffeehouse
Union Grill
Riverview Lounge
Michigan: Mich.; MI
Milwaukee-Downer College
Minnesota: Minn.; MN
Mississippi: Miss., MS
Missouri: Mo.; MO
Mortar Board: National honorary society for senior men and women
Montana: Mont.; MT
Mursell House (1889)
Music-Drama Center (1959)
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N
NAEA: National Art Education Association
Nebraska: Neb., NE
Nevada: Nev., NV
New Hampshire: N.H., NH
New Jersey: N.J., NJ
New Mexico: N.M., NM
New York: N.Y., NY
nonprofit, not non-profit
North Carolina: N.C., NC
North Dakota: N.D., ND
numbers: Spell out numbers from one to ten. Use numerals for 11 and above. Do not use the abbreviations th, rd, or nd with numerals or dates: second edition, not 2nd edition, September 23, not September 23rd. Exception: 18th century, not eighteenth century.
Do not use ciphers: $6, not $6.00. Exception: 11:00 a.m., not 11 a.m. (Use 12:00 noon and 12:00 midnight, not 12:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m.)
Use commas in four-digit numbers: 1,000 or 7,265.
Always use numerals when stating ages: His son is 24. His 17-year-old son. They are 17 year olds. She is 5.
numerals, following names: The abbreviations Jr. or Sr. following a name are set off by commas, but Roman numerals in the same situation are not: John Doe, Sr., but James Doe III.
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O
Ohio: Ohio; OH
Oklahoma: Okla.; OK
online: Spell as one word
Oregon: Ore.; OR
Ormsby Hall (1889, renovated 1973)
ORC: Outdoor Recreation Club
Outreach Programs
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P
parents: Identify parents of current or former students by the initial P and the class year(s) of the student(s): Mr. and Mrs. James Doe, P '95, '97.
Pennsylvania: Pa.; PA
percent, not per cent or %
Phi Beta Kappa: Honor society for seniors who have demonstrated superior scholarship
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia: Men's music honorary society
Phi Sigma: Honor society in biology
Pi Kappa Lambda: Music honor society
Plantz Hall (1961)
possessives For singular proper nouns ending in s, use only an apostrophe.
President's Home (1904, renovated 2000)
Presidents of Lawrence College and Lawrence University
Pride: See GLOW
Proofreaders' marks: See chart.
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Q
quotation marks: usage
Use quotation marks around the titles of articles, poems, songs, one-act plays, television programs, series of books, and sculptures.
quotation marks and end punctuation:
The colon is placed outside the quotation mark.
The comma is placed inside the quotation mark.
The period is placed inside the quotation mark.
The semicolon is placed outside the quotation mark.
(Place the exclamation point or question mark inside the parentheses or brackets when the matter enclosed is an independent sentence forming no part of the preceding sentence; otherwise, outside.)
The Center for Teaching and Learning has a useful pamphlet on this subject.
R
Raymond House (1905)
Rhode Island: R.I.; RI
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S
Ellen C. Sabin, first president of Milwaukee-Downer College
Sabin House
Sage Hall (1917, renovated 1972)
Sampson House (1881)
Scarff House (1880): Residence of the Stephen Edward Scarff Memorial Visiting Professor
Science Hall (2000)
seasons: The four seasons are not capitalized when standing by themselves, but sometimes are part of proper names: Homecoming takes place in the spring. Fall Term. Winter issue.
Seeley G. Mudd Library (1975)
semicolon: See the Center for Teaching and Learning's pamphlet on this subject.
Shattuck Hall: Ruth Harwood Shattuck Hall of Music (1991)
Sigma Alpha Iota: Professional music fraternity for women.
Sororities:
Delta Gamma, Kappa
Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma
SOUP: Student Organization for University Programming
South Carolina: S.C.; SC
South Dakota: S.D.; SD
states: Spell out names of the 50 United States when they stand alone; see individual state listings for abbreviations (use two-letter postal abbreviations only in addresses that contain Zip Codes.
Stephen Edward Scarff Memorial Visiting Professorship
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T
Teakwood Room
Tennessee: Tenn.; TN
terms: Capitalize as proper names the divisions of the academic year: Fall Term, Winter Term, Spring Term
Texas: Texas; TX
that/which:
That is the restrictive pronoun; it serves to identify the noun preceding it: The road that he took was narrow and rocky. Which is used with nonrestrictive clauses, which add information rather than define or limit what has gone before: The back road, which was straight and narrow, was the better choice.
theatre: Not theater (except in certain proper names — e.g.,
Guthrie Theater)
time of day 11:00 a.m., not 11 a.m. (Use 12:00 noon and 12:00 midnight, not 12:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m.).
titles, academic, professional: Capitalize titles when they appear before the name: Professor of History John Doe. Do not capitalize titles following the name: John Doe, professor of history. Do not capitalize titles used without the name: professor of history, dean of students. Exception: titles of named professorial chairs are always capitalized in full: Bertrand A. Goldgar, the John N. Bergstrom Professor of Humanities. Use lowercase for words used as descriptions rather than as formal titles: classicist Daniel Taylor, pianist Michael Kim.
titles, books, plays, music: Italicize (or underline, if italics are not available) names of books, newspapers, journals, films, full-length plays, symphonies, titled art works, operas, ships, spacecraft, and airplanes. Use quotation marks around the titles of articles, poems, songs, one-act plays, television or radio programs, series of books, and sculptures.
titles, course: Italicize course titles: The Knowledge of Gender, Intermediate German II.
traveled or traveling: Not travelled or travelling
Trever Hall (1963)
Trivia: The Annual Great Midwest Trivia Contest
Trustees: Capitalize Board of Trustees but not trustee (except before the name as a title): The Board of Trustees meets three times a year. She has been a trustee for five years. Alumna Trustee Jane Doe, '55.
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U
Ultimate Frisbee
unique: The word unique means "one of a kind": there are no degrees of uniqueness. Something cannot be "more unique" or "the most unique"; it is either unique or it is not. "Unusual" and "uncommon" are alternatives.
Utah: do not abbreviate; UT
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V
Vermont: Vt.; VT
VERSA: Vegetarian Education Representation Support and Advocacy
vice president: Do not hyphenate
Vikings: The name Vikings only requires an apostrophe when it is possessive: Vikings' schedule, but not Vikings' football team.
Virginia: Va.; VA
Volunteer and Community Service Center
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W
Washington: Wash.; WA
Web: capitalize; abbreviation for World Wide Web
Web page: two words, capitalize Web
Web site: two words, capitalize Web
West Virginia: W.Va.; WV
Whiting Field
Wilson House (1904): Admissions Office
Wisconsin: Wis.; WI
WLFM
Wriston Art Center (1989)
Wyoming: Wyo.; WY
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Y
Youngchild Hall (1964, renovated 2001)
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References:
The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition
Online Style Guide, Pavlicin and Lyon
The Bias-Free Word Finder, Rosalie Maggio
Lawrence University Center for Teaching and Learning pamphlets.