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General Usage/Editorial Guidelines

  • Abbreviations and Acronyms:
    • Acronyms: Spell out the first reference with the acronym in parentheses. All additional references, use the acronym.
    • Plurals: Do not use an apostrophe to form the plural (IBMs).
  • Ampersand: Do not use unless it is part of the property. For example, FO&M.
  • And/or: "Or" will fill most needs.
  • Bulleted lists: If you have a bulleted list, all sub-lists under that list are also bulleted lists (not numbered lists).
  • Centuries: Spell out, in lower-case (seventeenth century). But 1600s is an acceptable alternative.
  • College: Capitalize it when referring to Dartmouth.
  • Comma:
    • Required when setting off a word or phrase that is added in a parenthetical way.
    • In a series, use a comma before the conjunction (name, address, and phone number).
    • With suffixes, do not use a comma before Jr., Sr., II, III.
    • With reference to a person's class, no comma is necessary (Sue Smith '81).
  • Commands: Commands and menu options are shown in bold type.
  • Dates:
    • Avoid abbreviations: Use February 3 (not Feb. 3, February 3rd, or February third).
    • Specifying a period of time, use a dash. If from is used, to is used instead of the dash; likewise, between takes and.
  • Decades: Use twenties, sixties, eighties, or use 1960s (without an apostrophe). Avoid using '60s.
  • Department names: They do not need to be capitalized, unless it refers to the formal name of a department.
  • Examples:
    • System output is in roman type.
    • User input is in bold type.
  • Help Desk: When referring someone to help, always use the following standard blurb: If you have questions, please contact the Computing Help Desk at 646-2999 and select from the options provided, send electronic mail to help@dartmouth.edu, or contact your department's computing support office.
  • Hyphens and dashes:
    • Compound words frequently take a hyphen.
    • Use a hyphen (-) to form a modifier with two or more words (six-figure salary).
    • Em-dash or en-dash are currently not valid code; use a dash.
  • Italicize titles of books, periodicals, works of art, software, etc. Use quotation marks for articles and short works, such as songs and television programs.
  • Its vs. It's: "Its" is the possessive of the neuter pronoun. "It's" is the contraction for "It is."
  • Keyboard keys: Keys are indicated in bold type enclosed in brackets. Combination keystrokes (that is, keys that you press simultaneously) are shown as [Command-X]; do not type the hyphen in between the keystrokes.
  • Names:
    • Use the name the person is called conversationally, unless asked to do otherwise.
    • When using birth names, use parentheses around birth names [Jane (Smith) Brown].
    • Use the title on the first reference (Professor James Garner). For subsequent references, use the last name only (Garner).
  • Numbers:
    • Spell out numbers from one through nine; use numerals from 10 up. Be consistent within a series or a list.
    • When referencing a time of day, in general, use a colon and zeros to indicate a whole-hour (9:00 a.m.). If space is limited, the hour can be noted as 9 a.m.
    • Do not use an apostrophe in dates (for example, life in the 1990s, not 1990's).
    • Use commas between every group of three digits in numbers of 1,000 or more (1,200). Do not use a comma between dates referenced simply as month and year (February 2004).
  • Numbered lists: If you have a numbered list, all sub-lists under that list are also numbered lists (not bulleted lists).
  • Phone numbers: Set off the area code with parentheses. For example, (603) 646-1110.
  • Plurals: Do not form a plural with an apostrophe. Use "s" or "es." An exception is for single letters, for clarity (Mary earned straight A's).
  • Possessives: Use the apostrophe and "s" in all singular possessives and only the apostrophe in plurals.
  • Program titles and documents: Program titles and documents are in italic type.
  • Punctuation:
    • Treat an ellipsis (the omission of words) as a three-letter word with a character space on both sides.
    • Quotation marks should be outside of a comma or period, and inside other punctuation marks, unless the punctuation mark is part of the material being quoted.
  • Seasons: Should be lower-case, except when in a title (Winter Carnival).
  • Software: When referring to a specific version or range of versions for software, use "or higher" (e.g., Mac OS X 10.4 or higher).
  • Symbols: Avoid using them except in scientific usage or tabular matter.
  • Titles: Do not capitalize a title unless it immediately precedes the person's name.
  • Word usage: Use the following standards for word usage: online, pop-up, dial-up, disk (not disc), desktop, e-mail (not email), AntiVirus, College (when referring to Dartmouth), Web, Web site (two word; capitalize the "W" in Web), information (not info), home page (two words), Web-based, Mac OS X, Internet, user name (two words), Carson Hall (not just Carson), Computer Sales and Service (not Computer Store or Sales and Service).

06/24/08

Last Updated: 6/24/08