EIU Publications Style Guide

The EIU Publications Style Guide dictates the proper capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation and usage of words and phrases used by the Department of University Communications; we would like to see it used throughout campus to ensure consistency, but this is not mandated.

The style guide is a work in progress, and suggestions for additions are welcome. Please contact Janice Hunt at or 581-7400.

The style guide is based on Associated Press style. An asterisk (*) denotes a departure from AP style.

adviser not advisor

building/facility/office names at EIU Booth Library, Health Service, Lantz Arena, Library Quad, Life Sciences Building, McAfee Gym, O’Brien Stadium, Physical Science Building, Martin Luther King Jr. University Union or MLK Jr. Union.

central Illinois

commas don’t use a comma before last item in a series unless it considerably helps readability

committees capitalize when referring to the formal name of the group (Presidential Search Advisory Committee), but lowercase when using an informal/shortened version (search committee)

course titles * capitalize (Nutrition in a Global Society)

degrees Avoid abbreviations if possible. Instead, use bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctorate, bachelor of arts, etc.

department math department, captialize if part of proper name (Department of Math)

department chair * (not chairman or chairwoman) Capitalize when directly before a name (ex.: “math department Chair John Doe,” “John Doe, chair of the math department”)

Dr. only use Dr. if the person is a medical doctor; for others with doctorates, use Ph.D. after the name (ex.: "Mike Smith, Ph.D., won the award."), if necessary

east-central Illinois

e-mail

fall lowercase unless referring to the academic calendar

grade point average

greek lowercase when referring to sororities and fraternities

Internet

Jr. Ray Parker Jr. (no comma before Jr.)

log on (verb), logon (noun)

majors/minors don't capitalize

months Spell out months when used with a year (January 2004), but abbreviate when used as part of a full date (Jan. 3 or Jan. 3, 2004). When abbreviating: Jan., Feb., March, April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.

more than not "over," unless you're addressing a spacial issue

OK not “okay”

online

phone numbers 217-581-7650, 800-555-5555

president lowercase unless directly before the name

semicolon Use when a series includes an item that contains one or more commas (ex: “He attended Bagelfest; Red, White and Blue Days; and the Coles County Fair.”). Can also use to connect two sentences (ex.: “He loves to paint; she loves to shop.").

spring lowercase unless referring to the academic calendar

states Use the following abbreviations when used in sentence form: Ala., Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Kan., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Mont., Neb., Nev., N.C., N.H., N.J., N.M., N.Y., N.D., Okla., Ore., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.D., Tenn., Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo. (Don’t abbreviate Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas or Utah.) With full addresses that include a ZIP code, use standard, capitalized two-letter USPS abbreviations.

summer lowercase unless referring to the academic calendar

theatre *

times Don't use ":00" on times on the hour (it's 7 p.m., not 7:00 p.m.). The proper format for a.m. and p.m. is as follows: 9 a.m. (space after the numeral; periods after both letters).

titles always lowercase unless directly in front of the name (ex.: "Lou Hencken, president, spoke." "Speakers included President Lou Hencken.")

vice presidents' titles Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Blair Lord; Vice President for Business Affairs Jeff Cooley; Vice President for External Relations Jill Nilsen; Vice President for Student Affairs Dan Nadler (don’t capitalize a title if not directly in front of a name)

Web, Web site