Editorial Guidelines
Our goal is to promote 91勛圖厙 and its programs in a clear, coherent and consistent manner.
The following guide provides our standards for editorial consistency and serves as an easy-to-use reference regarding the University style, punctuation and word usage. If a rule or word is not covered in this guide, first check泭The Associated Press Stylebook, then泭Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.
The guide will be reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure current and relevant rules.泭Please follow these guidelines when writing for the University, whether for print materials, emails or website content.
A
A is used before consonant sounds: a fantastic foursome, a three-year contract. An is used before vowel sounds: an obvious answer, an NHL mark, an accelerated MBA, an MFA in Creative Writing.
Only use abbreviations if necessary, when space dictates or on second reference. If so, use standard abbreviations. A&S is not acceptable to abbreviate the College of Arts and Sciences. Frequently used standard abbreviations include the following:
- ACT
- a.m.; p.m.
- GPA
- MLB
- Mr.; Ms.
- NBA
- NFL
- RN
- SAT
Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary泭provides an extensive list of standard abbreviations. Some names can be used on first reference, including the names of government agencies, associations, service organizations and unions: CIA, NAACP, UN, YMCA.
For most two-letter abbreviations, do not use periods, like degrees. Lisa earned a BA in Anthropology.
See also:泭acronyms泭and泭degrees.
Adelphis accreditation statement must appear in descriptive, programmatic publications that are more than four pages in length. It should read as follows:
Safety First
Colleges and universities are required under federal law to publish and make available an annual campus security report, which includes, among other information, statistics on campus crime. The crime statistics for all colleges and universities required to comply with this law are available from the United States Department of Education.
91勛圖厙s annual security report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by 91勛圖厙; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, emergency response plan, timely warnings, fire statistics, missing students and other matters. The advisory committee on campus safety will provide upon request all campus crime statistics as reported to the U.S. Department of Education. You may obtain a copy of this report by contacting the Department of Public Safety and Transportation, Levermore Hall, lower level, 516.877.3500 or by accessing adelphi.edu/safety-transportation/.
The United States Department of Educations website for campus crime statistics is泭.
As a reminder, the rear of any 91勛圖厙 ID card provides you with weather advisory and alert numbers to obtain information on any possible delayed openings or school closings. To register for Rave Alert emergency notifications, log on to eCampus () and click on Services, University Mass Notification.
Accreditation
91勛圖厙, an independent, comprehensive institution, is chartered by the University of the State of New York and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2680, 267.284.5000; the New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234, 518.474.3852; the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202.887.6791; the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language-Pathology, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20850-3289, 800.638.8255; the Council on Social Work Education, 1701 Duke Street, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314, 703.683.8080; the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), 1140 19th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202.223.0077; and AACSB International-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, 777 South Harbor Island Boulevard, Suite 750, Tampa, FL 33602-5730, 813.769.6500.
Equal Opportunity
91勛圖厙 is committed to extending equal opportunity in employment and educational programs and activities to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, color, creed, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, disability, genetic disposition or carrier status, veteran status, status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran, gender expression, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state or federal laws. 91勛圖厙 does not discriminate on the basis of sex with any education program or activity it operates as required by Title IX. All questions regarding Title IX should be referred to our Title IX Office at titleix@adelphi.edu. The discrimination coordinator for student concerns pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is Rosemary Garabedian, Director of the Student Access Office, Post Hall, 516.877.3145,泭sao@adelphi.edu; the discrimination coordinator for employee concerns pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is Allison Vernace, chief of community concerns and resolution, Room 106, Levermore Hall,泭516.877.6808
Acronyms are abbreviations that spell out pronounceable words: NATO, UNICEF, EXCEL. Periods are generally not used in acronyms. If it is not a commonly used acronym, spell out the entire name on first reference and put the acronym in parentheses on first reference: science, technology, math and engineering (STEM).
If a commonly used acronym, put full name in parentheses on first reference. Some acronyms dont have a spelled-out version: radar, scuba.
Note: Acronyms are often a barrier to clear and accessible communication.泭 For this reason, 泭Adelphi泭usually泭discourages their泭use on our website, in our stories, and in communications with students and families.泭泭Before you use泭 an acronym, please consider how it would be pronounced if spoken aloud and if the meaning of the word best represents the project.泭If you need to repeatedly use a long proper name in a story or email, try to refer generically to泭the project, the organization, the program,泭etc., rather than using an acronym.
See also:泭abbreviations泭and泭degrees.These words are not capitalized.
John said acting President Julie Smith would give a lecture on the humanities. Julie stated she wanted former President Clinton to make an appearance.
Spell out and capitalize泭avenue, street, building, boulevard, lane, court, parkway, expressway, place, road, square泭and泭terrace泭when they are part of an address or name.泭When they stand alone or are used collectively following two or more proper nouns, lowercase:泭First and Second avenues.泭When space is limited and the street number is listed, it is OK to abbreviate泭avenue,泭boulevard, etc., but never in running text:泭123 West Main St., Garden City, NY 11530. Turn right at South Avenue.
Capitalize and spell out building when it is part of a proper noun, but not when it stands alone or is used collectively:泭the State Tower Building, the Empire State and Chrysler buildings.
Distinguish whether it is a phone or fax number, but not an email or web address. Emails, phone numbers, including extensions泭(ext. 0000), and泭URLs泭are always泭bold in publications. For consistency, use these terms in the same order throughout the document. Fax is used to distinguish from a telephone number.
It is unnecessary to indicate telephone, email or website with these elements.
The correct form of return address for most general usages is as follows:
91勛圖厙
One South Avenue
P.O. Box 0701
Garden City, NY 11530-0701
Our editorial style is adviser; use advisor only if part of a proper noun.
Affect, as a verb, means to influence.泭Sallys decision will affect the schedule of summer vacations.
Avoid affect as a noun, though some psychologists use it to describe emotion. Also, avoid misusing affect (to influence) and effect (to bring about).
See also泭effect.The preferred term is Black, since individuals may identify as African, Afro-Caribbean or other.
Use泭African American泭if a group (or individual) refers to itself as such. Refer to groups as Black students, Black faculty members, etc., not Blacks.
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.This term is one word when used as an adjective and describing a program.泭Johnny has several afterschool activities.
Otherwise, after school is two words.泭She went to work after school.
Ages are always set in numerals.泭She has a 2-year-old son. Sam is 7 years old. Jamie plays football with 8-year-olds.
Use of all capitals is discouraged in standard writing as a way to emphasize text. It should be used only in advertising copy.
See also:泭headlines,泭acronyms,泭capitalization.Alphabetize letter by letter and up to the first comma that is not part of a series. Spaces, hyphens, apostrophes, slashes and the letters that follow them are considered part of one word. For example:
left
left, far
left, radical
left field
left-hand
leftism
leftism and the 1980s
left wing
lefty
Initials in personal names are used in place of a given name if they come before any name beginning with the same letter:
Smith, C. Michael
Smith, G. Thomas
Smith, Sally
Smith, Susie
Alphabetize acronyms by letter, and alphabetize numbers as if they were spelled out. Accented or other specially treated letterssuch as those with umlauts should be alphabetized as though unaccented.
Treat personal names containing particles such as泭de, la, di, la, von, van泭and泭saint泭on a case-by-case basis, because spacing after such elements varies according to personal preference. Alphabetize泭紼, Mc泭or泭Mac泭letter by letternot as though the泭紼泭or泭Mc泭were an abbreviation for泭Mac.
Depending on the context,泭alum泭is acceptable in running text.
Always use the correct word for gender and number.
- Alumna泭is feminine singular.
Laura is an alumna of 91勛圖厙. - Alumnus泭is masculine (or mixedgender) singular.
Sebastian is an alumnus. - Alumni泭is masculine (or mixedgender) plural.
James, Chris and Wendy are alumni.
- Alumnae泭is feminine plural.
Cindy and Lauren are alumnae.
Use the following forms for undergraduate class year:泭Peter Rodgers 03.
Only 91勛圖厙 graduates are identified by two-digit abbreviated years.
For alumni with a degree higher than a bachelors, use a comma after the name and after the degree.泭Ann Brown, MA 08, and John Petrov 83, MBA 85.
For Adelphi alumni, we list the degrees and years received for all degrees. For non-alumni, we include doctoral degrees only.
Use泭freshman泭or泭first-year student,泭sophomore,泭junior泭or泭senior泭when referring to a student who has not graduated. We do not use anticipated years of graduation unless using the name as a writer byline on the Adelphi news site or in a print publication.
When listing two or more alumni:
List the name of an earlier graduate first.
It is OK to list the graduation year only once for couples who graduated the same year.泭Chris and Christina Smith 03.
If a couple is married and graduated in different years, list the earlier graduate first and the class year after each name.泭Chris 02 and Christina Smith 03.
Two or more alumni from the same family can be referred to with full names and dates of graduation following each name.泭Siblings Georgette Smith 89, Josephine Jones 91 and Michael Smith 93 wore pink in honor of breast cancer awareness.
See also:泭alumni.Only use the ampersand (&) if it is part of an official name or title:泭AT&T, Simon & Schuster, Procter & Gamble Co.
Do not substitute an ampersand for the word泭and.
Use a smart apostrophe () and not a dumb apostrophe (‘). Make sure it faces in the correct direction (i.e., same as the right single quotation mark).
All quotes and facts obtained from other sources should be attributed. Use said or another verb in the past tense when attributing quotes. The speaker usually comes before said to keep the writing in the active voice.泭Excuse me, the man said.
The inverted order is acceptable when the speaker is identified with a long title.泭Pass the remote, said Joe McIntosh, president of the Technology Committee.
Our preference is to use person-first language and refer to a person or group as being on the autism spectrum rather than泭with autism spectrum disorder.泭On second reference,泭on the spectrum can be used. However, it is acceptable to refer to someone with autism spectrum disorder if the individual or group prefers it.
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.B
Between refers to two persons or things. Among refers to more than two.
The conversation was between Betty and Sally.
We selected among King Kullen, Key Food and Stop & Shop.
Hyphens are usually not used with bi-:泭bilingual, bipolar, biweekly, bimonthly.
Biannual means twice a year and is a synonym for semiannual; biennial means every two years.
Only capitalize when using with the formal or full title of an organization.泭91勛圖厙s Board of Trustees meets once a month. He is on the board.
List only the publisher and year when referring to a book:泭Sebastian Gardenhire 04 wrote The Art of Stitching (Random House, 2011).
Book titles are always泭italicized, except when the font is already italicized, in which case, use roman.
Adelphi has several building and conference rooms on campus. The following are their official names:
- Adele and Herbert J. Klapper Center for Fine Arts
- Alice Brown Early Learning Center
- 91勛圖厙 Performing Arts Center (AUPAC)
- Black Box Theatre
- Concert Hall
- Westermann Stage
- Dance Studio
- Lucia and Steven N. Fischer Box Office
- Olmsted Theatre
- Recital Hall
- Alumnae Hall
- Angello Alumni House
- Blodgett Hall
- Center for Recreation and Sports
- Campbell Lounge
- Chapman Hall
- Earle Hall
- Eddy Hall
- Hagedorn Hall of Enterprise
- James Riley, Jr. Trading Room
- Harvey Hall
- Hy Weinberg Center for Communication Disorders
- Janet L. Ficke Field
- Levermore Hall
- Linen Hall
- Motamed Field
- Residence Hall A
- Residence Hall B
- Nexus Building and Welcome Center
- Below-grade parking garage
- Post Hall
- Ruth S. Harley University Center
- Angela and Barry Zeman Commuter Student Lounge
- Thomas Dixon Lovely Ballroom
- Science Building
- McDonell Chemistry Laboratory
- Social Work Building
- Swirbul Library
- Waldo Hall
- William J. Bonomo Field
- Woodruff Hall
- Arvilla E. Nolan Swimming Pool
Bulleted items should begin with a capital letter and end with punctuation only if they are complete sentences. If they are fragments, still capitalize, but drop ending punctuation.
If necessary, avoid combining bullets with complete sentences and fragments. Rewrite if necessary for consistency.
C
Lowercase campus in running text, but capitalize in all other uses (listings, stacked text, etc.).
Only proper nouns should be capitalized. Avoid capitalizing other words unless they are part of a company or organizations name. If there is no listing in this style guide for a particular word or phrase, consult泭The Associated Press Stylebook泭and泭Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary.
The,泭a泭or泭an泭are never capitalized unless they are part of a name.
Capitalize 91勛圖厙s majors, minors, programs of study, departments or offices when referring to an official title.泭Valerie is majoring in biology. The Department of Art and Art History is hosting an event. She is pursuing a BS in Chemistry.
On second reference,泭College, School泭and泭Institute泭(e.g., Derner) should be capitalized when referring to Adelphis academic units.
On forms, it is acceptable to capitalize all words, even if they are not proper nouns. Just be consistent.
See also:泭building and room names,泭bullets,泭certificates,泭civic titles,泭commencement,泭corporate titles and offices,泭course names,泭degrees, academic,泭departments and offices,泭directions and regions,泭governmental bodies,泭headlines,泭hyphen, hyphens in titles,泭Internet,泭lists,泭majors,泭minors,泭months,泭names of organizations,泭names of people,泭programs,泭room numbers,泭seasons,泭semesters,泭Social Security number,泭titles, business and personal,泭Visa,泭Web泭and泭ZIP codes.Do not use a period unless it is a complete sentence.
Usecatalogue only if part of a proper noun, as it is the British spelling.
Adelphi has several academic centers on and off campus. The泭Hauppauge Education and Conference Center, Manhattan Center, Hudson Valley Center泭and泭Adelphi Sayville泭are all Adelphi locations off campus.
Use full name upon first reference; afterward they can be referred to as centers or learning hubs.泭The Learning Center泭and泭Writing Center泭are both on the Garden City campus.
Certificates should be treated like degreescapitalize only when referring to an official title.泭Jim obtained a Certificate in Accounting.
This term is always one word.
Note: This is a change from the 2015 edition of the University Editorial Manual.
This term is always two words and unhyphenated.
Spell out the names of cities and towns on first reference.
In running text, use:
Barack Obama, president of the United States; President Obama; Hillary Clinton, secretary of state; Secretary of State Clinton; the secretary of state; Andrew Cuomo, governor of the state of New York; Governor Andrew Cuomo; the governor of New York.
Abbreviate泭Honorable, unless it is preceded by泭the:
Hon. James Stewart, the Honorable Roger T. Jackson III.
Always lowercase terms designating the academic years:泭first-year, sophomore, junior泭and泭senior.
Hyphenate when forming nouns, verbs and adjectives indicating a title:泭co-chair; co-author; co-worker.
Hyphens are not used in almost all other cases:泭coed; coeducation; cooperation; cooperate; coexist.
A&S is not acceptable to abbreviate College of Arts and Sciences. Always spell out the entire proper name.
91勛圖厙 comprises eight colleges and schools. After first reference using the full name of the school (Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences), the abbreviated school names may be used (e.g.,泭Ammon College of Education). Acceptable abbreviations follow in parentheses:
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences
- College of Nursing and Public Health
- Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology (Derner School of Psychology)
- Honors College
- Robert B. Willumstad School of Business (Willumstad School of Business)
- School of Social Work
- College of Professional and Continuing Studies
In most instances, the colleges and schools of the University should appear in alphabetical order. However, for certain publications, such as the Commencement Program, they should appear in order of founding. Publications that list the schools in order of founding should note that they have done so.
On first mention of any of the schools or colleges above in running copy, use 91勛圖厙 as part of the school or colleges full name.
Do not use the final comma when using泭and泭or泭or泭in a series, unless part of a proper noun or for sense.泭The Hudson Valley Center offers the newest technology, modern facilities and great opportunities for Adelphi students.
Capitalize the formal ceremony; lowercase the generic usage.
Capitalize only when part of a formal name:泭Advisory Committee on Campus Security.
Continual means frequently occurring or intermittent. Continuous refers to actions that are uninterruptible.
The 2020 novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has introduced several words and terms that we are using in our everyday language.
coronavirus泭
This refers to a family of viruses, named for the crownlike spikes on their surfaces. There are many coronaviruses, including the common cold, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome). The novel coronavirus that was identified in 2019 is called COVID-19. It is acceptable to use泭the coronavirus泭when referring to this particular strain (include泭the).
COVID-19
We prefer using all caps, per the泭AP Style Guide泭and Merriam-Webster. CO stands for corona, VI for virus, D for disease, and 泭19 for 2019.
cancel, canceled, canceling, cancellation
Spell these words with one泭l,泭the preferred spelling in American English, as opposed to the British spelling泭(cancelled, cancelling).泭
epidemic, pandemic
An epidemic is the rapid spreading of a disease in a particular region. A pandemic is an epidemic that has spread worldwide.
social distancing
Maintaining a greater than usual physical distance from other people or objects to minimize exposure. Two words, no hyphen.
isolation, quarantine, self-quarantine
Isolation泭is separating people who are sick from healthy people.泭Quarantine泭is restricting movement of healthy people to see if they become ill. Hyphenate泭self-quarantine,泭the practice of refraining oneself from contacting other individuals for a period of time.
front line, front lines, front-line
Front line is two words as a noun and hyphenated as an adjective.
For more words and definitions, see Merriam-Webster.coms 泭and泭
Corporate titles and offices are always lowercase in running text when following the name:泭Charles Charge, president and chief executive officer, CNN; the president and chief executive officer; Herman Harowitz, chairman and chief executive officer, United Way; the chairman of the corporation.
This term is always one word.
Note: This is a change from the 2015 edition of the University Editorial Manual.
Use credits, not credit hours, since the latter is redundant. Always use numerals for credits, even if it is less than 10, unless the number begins a sentence.泭Lisa needs 3 credits to graduate.
D
Always use an泭em dash泭() with no spaces when emphasizing a separate clause in a sentence. Use泭em dashes泭to enclose a word or word group that interrupts the main structure.泭The projectsall three of themare due this afternoon.泭Dashes can be substituted for a colon (:).
An泭en dash泭() is used to show duration.泭He brought between 1214 apples, 10:00 a.m.11:00 a.m., 20102015.
Dates are spelled out unless space constraints disallow:泭August 28, 2015. However, 9/11 is acceptable when referring to September 11, 2001.
Dont use a comma when listing only a month and year: February 2021.
Never abbreviate days of the week, unless space dictates.
Words or numbers are both acceptable, as long as style remains consistent.泭Peter graduated in the 90s. The sixties were tumultuous times.
Do not use an apostrophe before the泭s. A hyphen is used when mid- precedes the decade.
Capitalize official names of degrees.:泭Bachelor of Science in Biology; MS in Professional Accounting,泭are always capitalized. Lowercase if not using the official name.泭George earned an MS in Professional Accounting;泭Jane has a masters in accounting; Jim graduated with a bachelors in biology.泭
Degrees are referred to as a bachelors, masters or doctoral degree. A泭doctorate泭is synonymous with泭doctoral degree.
Avoid the redundancy of combining the word degree with a degree name.泭He received an associate degree in digital technology;泭not泭He received an MBA degree.
The plural and singular form of degree is the same. They have masters degrees.
We no longer use periods with degree abbreviations:泭AA, BA, EdD, MA, MBA, MS, PhD, RN.
Capitalize when referring to official department or office names:泭Office of University Communications and Marketing, Office of University Advancement, Department of Biology.
Lowercase when unofficial names are used:泭members of the history department.
For the official names of programs and offices,泭check the directory.
East, south, northeast, etc., are always lowercase when indicating compass direction.泭Valerie is heading north.
Regions are capitalized.泭The South is warm throughout December.
Widely known and legendary names can be capitalized, and not in quotation marks:泭the Big Apple, the Bay Area, the Lone Star State, the West Side, Long Islands East End.
Directions泭(long version)
When included in a publication, directions should read as phrased泭on the泭Visitors Guide.
Directions泭(short version)
In shorter publications, use the following abbreviated directions:
How to Reach the Adelphi Garden City Campus
By Car
Adelphi is on the western quarter of Long Island in Garden City, between the Southern State Parkway and the Northern State Parkway. The University sits off South Avenue, east of Nassau Boulevard. For detailed directions to reach Adelphi by car from your point of departure, call the directions hotline at 516.877.6844.
By Rail
The Long Island Rail Road runs on a frequent schedule. Travel time from New York City is roughly 45 minutes. The Hempstead line runs from Penn Station in Manhattan, Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn or the Jamaica Station in Queens to the Nassau Boulevard Station. Adelphis campus is a short walk east on South Avenue.
By Plane
91勛圖厙 is conveniently located within 45 minutes of John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports. Public transportation is available.
In general, we use person-first language: a泭person泭with a泭disability;泭person with autism.泭However, some people prefer what is called identity-first language:泭a disabled person; an泭autistic泭or泭autistic person. If referring to a specific individual or group, use the term preferred by them.
Avoid outdated, offensive words such as泭handicapped.
Adelphi makes accommodations for persons with disabilities. Our disability statement must be placed on every on-campus event publication, including emails. It reads:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and 91勛圖厙 require that all events be accessible. To request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the event host identified on the event webpage; please allow for a reasonable time frame. The event host, when necessary, will collaborate with the Student Access Office.
D.C. is abbreviated when used with Washington (Washington, D.C.); spell it out if standing alone.
E
I.e. is the abbreviation for Latin words meaning that is, while泭e.g.泭means for example. Use泭e.g.泭to illustrate something already stated. Use泭i.e.泭to clarify a statement that has just been made.
Effect, as a verb, means to cause.泭Julie will effect changes throughout the company. Effect, as a noun, means result.泭The effect was substantial.
See also泭affect.An ellipsis can be used when quoting someone and words are omitted or to indicate a pause in the flow of a sentence. Treat an ellipsis as a three-letter word, constructed with three periods and no spaces. When an ellipsis begins or ends a sentence, leave a space between the ellipsis and the period.
Only capitalize泭email泭if it starts a sentence, otherwise it is always lowercase.
Email addresses and URLs are mostly lowercase and always泭bold泭in print publications. Do not bold on web pages. Please note that email addresses and URLs are not case sensitive: jsmith@adelphi.edu.
Never use http:// or www.泭They are not necessary.
Avoid breaking email addresses and URLs. If the address will not fit on a line, dont add a hyphen or other punctuation. Break it before existing punctuation, such as periods, hyphens, slashes, double slashes, etc.
See also:泭URL addresses.Emeritus泭is singular, masculine. References to women should be泭emerita泭(singular) or泭emeritae泭(plural).泭Emeriti泭may serve as the plural for a group that is composed of men only or of men and women together. All references follow the noun and are set in roman type.
Unless an official title or direct quote from a person or historical document, use the terms泭enslaved person,泭enslaver, and泭enslavement泭instead of泭slave, slave owner泭and泭slavery泭to acknowledge the humanity of those were or are enslaved, both past and present.
Many people are still enslaved today. The family were the enslavers of four people.
But:泭The spokesperson for Anti-Slavery International said, Slavery did not end with the nineteenth century.
Do not hyphenate national origins even if they are used as adjectives.泭Irish American, Polish American, Japanese American.
Use preferred ethnic designationsinstead of other identities.泭Asian, African American, Latino/Latina.泭Native American泭is preferred over泭American Indian.
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.F
Faculty泭is a collective noun that takes a singular verb when referring to individuals acting as a single unit.泭The faculty meets once a month.泭When referring to group members acting individually, use泭faculty members泭to avoid confusion.泭Our faculty members led various study-abroad trips this semester.
Always denote faculty ranks in formal lists:泭Laura Esposito, Ph.D., professor of anthropology; Christian Rabinowitz, assistant professor of computer science.泭On second reference use泭Dr.泭for those with doctoral degrees; use last name only for those without a doctorate. Never use泭Professor泭as a prefix.
Lowercase in generic use. Capitalize when designating a semester.泭John joined the Adelphi community in Fall 2011.
Fewer is used for individual items and less for quantity.泭Peter has fewer than 18 DVDs.
Never capitalize the names of majors, minors or fields of study, except English and foreign languages. Do not capitalize the words泭major, minor泭or泭program only the program name if it is a formal title.
Use the term泭first-year泭as a noun and adjective to describe students beginning their first year in higher education.
If necessary for clarity, include泭freshman泭in parentheses:泭a first-year student (freshman); first-year students (freshmen).
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.Italicize only those foreign words and phrases not found in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
Only hyphenate when used as a compound modifier.泭Louis works full time.泭Lisa has a full-time designer position.
See also泭part time.G
Unless subject has strong preference otherwise, use gender neutral nouns:泭chair, firefighter, police officer, flight attendant;泭not泭chairman, fireman, policeman/policewoman, steward/stewardess.
See also:泭gender泭pronoun usage泭and the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.Use the singular泭they泭when referring to someone whose gender is not specified. When possible, use the plural form to avoid the ungrammatical use of泭they/their.
Instead of: Each author was chosen based on his or her research.
Use: Authors were chosen based on their research.
When this is not possible, use the singular they:
If your child registers after this date, they will have to make up the additional work.
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.Capitalize all specific references to governmental legislative bodies:泭the U.S. Senate; the Senate; state Senate.
The abbreviation for grade point average is always capitalized and never with periods.
H
Use泭he泭or泭she泭and泭him泭or泭her泭as a gender neutral pronoun, never泭he/she泭or泭him/her.
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.All words in headlines are capitalized, except for articles:泭a, an, the,泭etc. It is OK to italicize titles of works in headlines. Prepositions of four letters or more are capitalized.泭Is泭and other forms of the verb泭to be泭should be capitalized in headlines.
This term is always one word.
Hispanic泭refers to people from Spanish-speaking countries.泭Latino/a/LatinX泭is a person of Latin American descent who can be of any background or language. Therefore, people from Chile, Guatemala or Cuba who speak Spanish are both Hispanic and Latino/a/LatinX. Brazilians who speak Portuguese are Latino/a/LatinX, not Hispanic, and Spanish-speaking people in Spain and outside Latin America are Hispanic but not Latino/a/LatinX.
In general, our style is泭Hispanic, but use the term preferred by the individual or group, who may identify as, for example, Puerto Rican, Brazilian, Mexican American or Cuban American. If the individual or group does not identify as either Latino or Latina, the gender-neutral term泭LatinX泭can be used.
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.Try to avoid using hyphenation if possible.
When a prefix ends and a root word begins with the same vowel, some remain one word:
- cooperate
- cooperative (but co-op)
- nonprofit
- preeminent
- reelect
- reevaluate
Compound Nouns:
Some noun compounds are hyphenated:
- brother-in-law
- ex-president
- follow-up
- one-half
- well-being
- 18-year-old
Many noun compounds are not hyphenated:
- day care
- decision making
- lowest common denominator
- problem solving
- vice president
Many compounds are written as one word:
- copyediting
- database
- healthcare
- statewide
- workforce
- workplace
- workstation
- worldwide
Compound Numbers:
Fractions are hyphenated when written out, especially when it begins a sentence.泭Three-fourths of the pizza was eaten. Seven thousand and thirty-five evictions were made.
A hyphen is always used between the numerator and denominator when a fraction is written out and used as an adjective.
Compound Adjectives:
Some compound adjectives are hyphenated:
- 6-foot-6 shooting guard
- 12th-century literature
- 210-pound bait
- blue-green eyes
- best-selling book
- matter-of-fact statement
- problem-solving techniques
- two-thirds majority
- well-known man
Other compound adjective forms are not hyphenated:
- northern New Jersey
- day care center
- food service industry
- healthcare plan
Some compound adjective forms are written as one word:
- catlike movements
- statewide referendum
Adverb and a Verb (Hyphenated when the adverb doesnt end in ly):
- an ill-favored hero
- a plainly marked trail
- a well-marked trail
Words with Prefixes:
When a prefix stands alone, it carries a hyphen:
- over- and underused
- macro- and microeconomics
Words formed with co- also are usually spelled without a hyphen, but note some exceptions:
- co-author (no hyphen in verb form)
- co-chairman
- co-editor
- co-host (no hyphen in verb form)
- co-op
- co-opt
- cofounder (no hyphen)
Between a Prefix and a Proper Name:
- mid-Atlantic
- pre-Cambrian
- pro-Doonesbury
Capitalization:
When hyphenated words appear in headlines and titles, capitalize both words:
- Non-Christian
- Non-European
I
This phrase is unnecessary. Write in the active voice.
Incorrect:泭In order to win, Miami must win the turnover battle.
Correct:泭To win, Miami must win the turnover battle.
There is no space between initials:
For example, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling.
This term is lowercased unless beginning a sentence.
Note: This is a change from the 2015 edition of the University Editorial Manual.
See also:泭泭web,泭webpage,泭webmaster泭and泭website.K
Use as one word as a noun, two words as a verb.
- The Dolphins kick off at 4:15 p.m.
- The kickoff meeting is scheduled for today.
L
Last refers to something that wont happen again or hasnt happened again.泭He performed his last task before resigning.
Past refers to something that can continue.泭Hal Linden performed at Adelphi the past three years.
Adelphi has several academic centers on and off-campus.
The Hauppauge Education and Conference Center, Manhattan Center and Hudson Valley Center are all Adelphi locations off-campus.
Use full name upon first reference; afterward, they can be referred to as centers or learning hubs.
The Learning Center and Writing Center are both on the Garden City campus.
Use the inclusive term泭LGBTQIA+,泭which stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual,泭transgender, questioning or queer,泭intersex, and asexual/agender/allies, and others.
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.When inserting hyperlinks into a webpage or email, refrain from using the convention of click here or here or similar phrases. You should link a descriptive phrase as a best practice for the best user experience and search engine optimization.
See also:泭URL泭addresses泭and泭website.
Lists should be alphabetized with the first letter capitalized. It is acceptable to capitalize all words in a list for consistency.
The abbreviated usage is LIE, without periods.
M
Italicize magazine titles. Do not include泭the泭if it isnt in the official title.
Majors are always lowercase except English and foreign languages. The only exception is in lists.
Use泭manikins, not泭mannequins,泭when referring to models of the human body used for medical educational purposes.
Do not use the term泭minority. Refer instead to泭people of color,泭students of color, etc. or泭underserved泭or泭underrepresented populations.
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.Minors, except English and foreign languages, are always lowercase, except in lists.
Money is always shown as figures, even in amounts under a dollar:泭$3.50;泭$1,575;泭$25,893;泭$1.2 million;泭8 cents.
Dont use a decimal point and zeroes if a dollar value has no cents.泭Tickets cost $10.
Always capitalize the names of months. Do not abbreviate and do not use a comma between the month and the year when no date is included.泭Jim graduated in May 2015. If you must abbreviate for space limitations (only on websites or in tables), shorten as follows:泭Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, Jun., July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.
Use泭more than泭to convey quantity.泭Chris has more than 15 projects on his desk.
Over泭refers to space/direction.泭The horse jumped over the obstacle.
N
On first reference, use the companys full, formal name as per the copyright at the bottom of the homepage of its website. A short version may be used on second reference to preserve space.泭General Electric Company turned in profits during the first quarter. GE announced a plan to go green last year.
Formal titles of organizations and their departments and divisions are capitalized. Lowercase shortened versions, such as泭company, department, school: Department of Anthropology, the department, College of Arts and Sciences, the college.
A persons full name is used on first reference. On second reference use泭Dr.泭for those with doctoral degrees; use last name for those without a doctorate.
A middle initial is acceptable if the person prefers it and in names of buildings. Robert B. Willumstad School of Business.
Jr., II, 3rd,泭etc., are only used with the persons complete name. Do not use a comma after the name.
Dont use periods when people are referred to by initials:泭JFK, FDR.
A maiden name should be used in alumni publications or if a woman prefers it. If using a maiden name, use泭nee泭in italics between the married and maiden name (Jessica Smith nee Lombardi).
Nicknames, if used, are not in quotation marks. See also,
See also,泭titles, business and personal.Neurodiversity泭refers to the variation in the human brain regarding the ways we learn, socialize, behave and process emotions. Do not use the term泭neurodiverse泭to describe an individual: a person can be described as either泭neurotypical, meaning someone whose brain functions within standard norms in how they learn, behave, socialize and process emotions, or泭neurodivergentsomeone whose brain functions differently, for example, a person with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, obsessive compulsive disorder or bipolar disorder.泭
No. is the abbreviation for number. It is accepted to use泭No.泭or泭no.
It is in the writers discretion to use either option because they have the same meaning.
91勛圖厙 is a nonprofit organization.
The Long Island Bombers, a not-for-profit beep baseball team, practices every Sunday in Rockville Centre.
One through nine are always spelled out, as well as first through ninth. Use numerals for higher numbers:泭the sixth man, the 106th time the Yankees won, fourth-grade student.
Use numerals for round numbers in the millions and billions:泭9 billion seashells; 17 million residents.
Use decimals when numbers are not round:泭3.6 million geocaches.
Ages and hours of the day are always numerals.泭A 3-year-old boy. Sam is 7 years old. The meeting is at 6:00 p.m.
Percentages are also always numerals.泭Enrollment grew 8 percent in 2010.
Spell numbers out when beginning a sentence. Rewrite the sentence, if necessary.泭Seventeen students won the spelling bee.
A hyphen should be used between the tens and units number when writing out the numbers twenty-one through ninety-nine in words (beginning a sentence):泭Three thousand seventy-nine.
Use a hyphen between the numerator and denominator when a fraction is written out and the fraction is an adjective.泭Two-thirds of the pizza was eaten.
Use numerals for scores, court decisions and legislative votes:泭a 72 win; a 5644 Senate vote.
Casual expressions are spelled out.泭He was among a hundred civilians.
Commas are used in numbers more than 1,000, except when referring to SAT scores.泭Rent is $1,500. Jason scored 1210 on the SAT.
O
Either term must be hyphenated when it is used as a modifier. Drop the hyphen when campus is used as a noun.
- The on-campus bookstore offers great prices.
- Gina works off campus.
All formal titles are capitalized:泭The泭Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, the Office of University Communications and Marketing, the Institute for Parenting.
Unofficial forms are lowercase:泭the office, the college.
On second reference, capitalize University, School, College and Institute when referring to Adelphi and its official schools.
Both are acceptable and under the writers discretion. Just be consistent.
One word when referring to being digitally connected.
Avoid the use of泭actually, awesome, basically, really, totally, kind of, sort of泭and similar words and phrases.
P
Only hyphenate when used as a compound modifier.泭Louis works part time. Lisa has a part-time designer position.
See also泭full time.Do not use the term泭minority. Refer instead to泭people of color,泭students of color, etc. or泭underserved泭or泭underrepresented populations.
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.Spell out泭percent泭in running text and, if space allows, in charts, graphs, etc. It is acceptable to use the percent sign (%) in scientific and statistical copy, if necessary.
Percentages should always be in numerals, including when listing percentages under 10. The noun in the phrase determines whether the verb is singular or plural.泭Eighteen percent of the team is playing this season.
Do not hyphenate when using percent as an adjectival phrase:泭a 20 percent increase.
Periods are used when a URL or email address ends a complete sentence. They are not set in bold type unless part of the URL or email.
Phone numbers are always listed with periods: 516.877.3267.
Do not include 1 in long-distance and 800 numbers: 800.678.7887.
Phone numbers, including extensions (ext. 0000), are bold in running text in print pieces and email. Do not bold on web pages.
Do not use a plus symbol (+) in body copy.泭Plus泭can be used as a substitute for泭and, also, besides泭or泭in addition.
Programs are capitalized when using the official name of a program:泭Jaggar Community Fellows Program. In unofficial references, lowercase and treat like majors and minors, which are always lowercase, except English and foreign languages.
Q
Physical quantities follow the numbers rule:泭20 miles, seven square feet, 570 volts, three meters.
Use figures to show fractions and quantities comprising whole numbers:泭5.58.5-inch paper.
Use numerals if an abbreviation is used for the unit of measure:泭2 mi., 3 hrs., 80 mph.
Always use smart quotes (), not dumb quotes ().
Quotations are used to enclose direct quotations, names of presentations, lectures, speeches, titles of songs, poems, short stories and chapters. Never use quotation marks around words without attribution to who said it.泭Leaders dont follow, he said. As she walked, she looked and said, Joe said I dont want to disturb anything.
See also泭titles of works.In quote usage, the comma comes before the closed quote marks.
Course names are capitalized and never in quotation marks or italics.泭Freshmen must take SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology to begin the program.
Semicolons are placed outside quotation marks.泭Chris said he exhausted all of his options; yet he still persevered.
Colons are placed outside of quotation marks.
Question marks, and all other punctuation, are placed inside or outside quotation marks depending on their use in the sentence.泭What was that? he said. Are you going to the lecture, Changing the Times?
R
Use an en dash with no spaces to show range such as time, etc.:泭7:00 p.m.10:00 p.m.,19951997, AF, pages 211215.
Use the term泭residence hall,泭not泭dorm.
Use泭residence halls, resident student, resident assistant.
Use accents for the document of someones job and education history. Without accents, it is a verb.
Capitalize class years when used as a proper noun:泭Class of 1986.泭Only capitalize泭25th reunion class泭in headlines.
Room泭and泭Booth泭are capitalized when followed by a number.泭Floor,泭lobby泭and泭lounge泭are all lowercase.
Do not use periods.
Dont include泭pleaseit is redundant.
S
Do not use commas:泭1260.
Adelphi has many scholarship opportunities. Their formal names can be found on the泭Student Financial Services泭website.
The names of泭泭are listed in the泭University Bulletin.
Capitalize seasons when referring to a specific time:泭the Fall 2018 semester.
Lowercase general usages:泭The summer is over.
Capitalize references to semesters:泭the Spring 2018 semester.
Omit the serial comma unless necessary for sense or part of a title.
If the text in a series is bold, or if listing a name with degree obtained, the comma following the period in the degree or the period or comma following the final piece in the series will also be bold.
For easier reading, exclude Office of and Department of for campus signage:泭Human Resources,泭not泭Office of Human Resources; Public Safety,泭not泭Department of Public Safety.
All terms are acceptable to use.泭Phone泭can refer to either a mobile phone or landline.泭
Do not capitalize泭number泭unless it is part of a title.
SSN泭or泭Social Security no.泭may be used if space dictates.
Use a single space after a period or colon.
Do not use spaces around hyphens, en dashes or em dashes.
See also:泭period泭and泭dash.SUNY is no longer used as a modifier.
For the formal names of universities and colleges within the system, refer to their official websites.
This term is hyphenated.
T
That泭refers to inanimate objects and introduces an essential clause.泭Noelle uses a program that allows her to create intricate designs.
Which泭is the only acceptable pronoun to introduce a nonessential clause that refers to an inanimate object.泭Lauren passed the test, which the professor gave unannounced.
That泭is used for objects and泭who泭is used for people.
Correct:泭He is the man who married my sister.
Incorrect:泭He is the man that married my sister.
Use泭theater泭generically and泭theatre泭only if part of a proper noun:泭Department of Theatre, Black Box Theatre, American Ballet Theatre.
Use figures for all times, including泭12:00 noon泭and泭12:00 midnight. A colon separates hours from minutes:泭11:00 a.m., 1:15 p.m., 3:45 p.m.
Use a space between泭11:00泭and泭a.m., and always use periods for泭a.m.泭and泭p.m.泭Never use phrases such as泭10:00 a.m.泭this morning,泭10:00 p.m.泭tonight; they are redundant.
Repeat泭a.m.泭and泭p.m.泭when a span is given, and separate using an en dash with no spaces:泭6:30 a.m.10:00 a.m.
All words are capitalized in titles except articles (a, an, the) and conjunctions (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet) and prepositions (at, by, in, to, etc.) of less than four letters, except when they come at the beginning or end of a title. Always capitalize the principal words, including prepositions and conjunctions of four or more letters. That includes the word泭With.
Italicize the titles of:
- Books, magazines, pamphlets
- Long works and compositions
- Works of art and art exhibitions
- Legal cases
- Plays, movies, television programs
- Symphonies, concerts and operas, albums
If the text is already in italics, the above should be in roman type to differentiate. Titles of short poems, stories, speeches, lectures, presentations, chapters of books, TV show episodes and other short works are in quotation marks.
Use Roman, Quotation Marks for the Titles of:
- Short poems, short stories
- Articles
- Speeches, presentations, posters
- Chapters of books, TV show episodes and other short works
- Songs
His favorite episode of泭I Love Lucy泭was The Candy Factory.
Song titles are in quotation marks and album names are in italics. The Beatles Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds is on the album泭Yellow Submarine.
Use Roman, No Quotes for Titles of:
- Parts of a book. Spelled out and set lowercase: part III, page ix, chapter 19.
- Names of apps, software, board games and video games: Monopoly, chess, Dungeons and Dragons, Angry Birds, Adobe Acrobat.
Hyphens in Titles:
Capitalize both parts of a hyphenated compound in headlines if both are actual words:泭Cease-Fire, Able-Bodied, Sit-In, Make-Believe.
Capitalize if the title appears before a name. Lowercase when used after a name.泭Executive Director of Personnel Susan Schmidt attended the workshop. Claire Moynahan is the associate editor.
For Adelphi alumni, we list the degrees and years received:泭Sarah Goldstein 88, MA 90, PhD 95.泭For non-alumni, we include doctoral degrees only:泭Amir Patel, PhD.
On first reference, use full name, degree and graduation years (if applicable) and title. Thereafter, use last name only for those who have not earned doctoral degrees and泭Dr.泭for those who have:泭Rick Garcia 18 worked with Associate Professor Gail泭Chen,泭PhD, on her research. Garcia said working with Dr. Chen was a life-changing experience.泭
Use泭freshman泭or泭first-year student,泭sophomore,泭junior泭or泭senior泭when referring to a student who has not graduated. We do not use anticipated years of graduation unless using the name as a writer byline on the Adelphi news site or in a print publication:泭by Lucy Considine 22 (anticipated).
Use泭the American Englishtoward, etc. rather than the British towards. The same applies for泭forward,泭afterward,泭backward, etc.
Refer to as泭transfer students泭on first mention. Afterward it is permissible to say泭transfers.
Transgender泭refers to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their birth sex.
A泭trans woman泭is someone assigned male at birth who identifies as a woman; a泭trans man泭is someone assigned female at birth who identifies as a man.
Cisgender泭refers to someone assigned a gender at birth who identifies as that gender.
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.U
Use the gender-neutral terms泭first-years and sophomores泭instead of泭underclassmen,泭and泭juniors and seniors泭instead of泭upperclassmen.泭
See the泭Guide to Inclusive Language.
United泭States泭should be used as a noun.泭U.S.泭is used as an adjective.
Email addresses and URLs should be lowercase unless to do so would cause a technical issue.
Always泭bold泭email addresses and URLs in print publications.泭Do not bold on web pages.
Never use http:// or www. They are not necessary.泭URLs do not need the / at the end.
Avoid breaking URLs. If the address will not fit on a line, dont add a hyphen or other punctuation. Break it before existing punctuation, such as periods, hyphens, slashes, double slashes, etc.
Examples:
In print: For more information, visit adelphi.edu/academics/.
On web or in email: For more information, visit adelphi.edu/academics/.
See also:泭email addresses and URLs.V
When referring to the credit card, use泭Visa, not泭VISA. Lowercase when referring to an immigration or travel document.
W
Web is lowercased unless beginning a sentence, whether泭it stands alone or as part of a phrase.
Keith is the director of web technologies.
See also:泭泭internet,泭webpage泭and泭website.Webpage泭is always one word, never two, and lowercased unless beginning a sentence.
See also:泭泭internet,泭web泭and泭website.Website泭is one word in all references.
See also:泭 internet, web泭and webpage.Used as the subject of a verb,泭who泭is a nominative pronoun or the predicate nominative complement of a linking verb.泭Whom泭is the object of a preposition.
Serena is the copywriter who takes care of the Open House pieces.
She is the person to whom we sent the invitation.
Use泭WiFi, not泭Wi-Fi泭or泭wifi, when referring to a wireless connection.
Y
喊棗喝r梗泭means you are.
Your泭is a possessive pronoun.
Z
ZIP泭stands for Zoning Improvement Plan and all three letters should be capitalized and never have periods. Two spaces are used between the state designation and the number.
For Adelphi, use 11530-0701 only if P.O. Box 701 is listed. If it just refers to 1泭South Avenue, do not use the extension.
See also:泭addresses.