Skip Navigation

Office of Communications and Marketing

Style Guidelines

Content

Introduction

In order to present Angelo State University to the world as a quality institution, all written materials must be of the highest quality. To accomplish that goal, adherence to a consistent editorial style is essential.

Writers should speak with one voice, present information clearly and communicate precisely the messages of the university.

Angelo State University uses “The Associated Press Stylebook” as a basic style guide.  AP Style is used because of its economy of space and ease of reading.  It is the standard style that should be followed for ASU publications, including brochures, newsletters, posters, etc., and for the ASU Web site. In certain instances, however, journalistic style may not be appropriate. Correspondence may follow a different style as long as it is consistent within the document. When writing for a specific discipline or journal, it is appropriate to use that discipline’s preferred style manual.

Before submitting copy for publication, writers and editors should read copy for accuracy and check thoroughly for errors in spelling, grammar, syntax and punctuation. Remember, the spell-check option such as on Microsoft Word will check only for correct spelling of a word; the program does not check for proper use of a word. It is expensive to correct errors in later stages of production.

Proper Names

Angelo State University is a member of the Texas Tech University System, which comprises Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Publications should be careful to follow the Angelo State University Writing Guidelines and use the legal names of these components:

First and Subsequent References

The full legal name should be used in all first references of Angelo State University.  When referring to the institution in subsequent references, it is acceptable to use the name “Angelo State” or abbreviation “ASU.”  If the word “university” is used in place of the proper name, it must be clear that it refers to Angelo State University and “university” should be in lower case letters.

Abbreviations

The abbreviation ASU is permissible.
Do not abbreviate the names of colleges.

Campus Names

Ram Page – ASU student newspaper, two words, not one.
RamPort – ASU portal, one word, capitalize the “P”

Titles for Individuals

Academic Degrees

“Dr.” is an appropriate title for the holder of a doctoral degree. Degrees are not commonly used after a person’s name in text but may be used in printed and Web listings, directories, bulletins or catalogs at the discretion of the editor. The person’s specialty should be stated in the first or second reference. Using the last name alone is acceptable after the first reference. For example:

Holders of honorary degrees do not receive the title.

Faculty in Nursing and Physical Therapy

Initials may be used after a health professional’s full name to designate the appropriate degree and/or certification, such as Ph.D., R.N., M.S.N., Ed.D., etc. The person’s title should follow on the first reference. Using the last name alone is acceptable after the first reference. For example:

Certifications

Certifications following a name should be avoided, particularly if they are vague to the general public. “While Jim Smith, R.N.,” is acceptable for instance, “Jane Sims, F.N.C.,” is not because the certification is not generally recognized outside the health care profession. However, if the certification is a pertinent part of the information, then include it by writing out the certification. For example, instead of writing Alexia Green, R.N., Ph.D., F.A.A.N, write Alexia Green, R.N., Ph.D., also is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.

No more than two titles should be used after a name.

Institutional Titles

A formal title is capitalized when it precedes a name, but is not capitalized when it follows a name. For example:

“Professor” may be used as a formal title when a person holds that distinction. When the title precedes a proper name, it is capitalized and never abbreviated. When “professor” follows a proper name, it is preceded by appropriate rank, i.e., “assistant” or “associate” and is not capitalized.

Courtesy Titles

“Mr., “Mrs.,” “Miss” and “Ms.” are social or courtesy titles and should be avoided. On second reference, refer to people, men and women, by their last names only. In cases of sensitive development publications, if a courtesy title is used, always use the individual’s preference. Avoiding social titles can help lessen chances for sexism in writing. Courtesy titles may be used for clarification in text referring to both spouses or to parents and their children.

Group Designation

“Faculty” and “staff” are collective nouns that may be used in the singular or in the plural. Whether the writer chooses singular or plural, antecedents should agree.

Abbreviations

In publications, writers and editors should avoid abbreviations wherever possible. Do not abbreviate the name of a school, college, department or office. The name of a center, institute or organization may be abbreviated if the abbreviation or acronym follows in parentheses after the first or second reference.

In news releases, catalogs and bulletins, abbreviations may be used as long as the abbreviations are understood by the general public or listed in parenthesis after the first or second reference.

Names of States

In press releases and most other text, the following style should be used when state names follow a city name:

Ala.
Alaska
Ariz.
Ark.
Calif.
Colo.
Conn.
Del.
Fla.
Ga.
Hawaii
Idaho
Ill.
Ind.
Iowa
Kan.
Ky.

La.
Maine
Md.
Mass.
Mich.
Minn.
Miss.
Mo.
Mont.
Neb.
Nev.
N.H.
N.J.
N.M.
N.Y.
N.C.
N.D.

Ohio
Okla.
Ore.
Pa.
R.I.
S.C.
S.D.
Tenn.
Texas
Utah
Vt.
Va.
Wash.
W.Va.
Wis.
Wyo.

When a full mailing address is given in a text or in a press release, the two-letter Postal Service abbreviation should be listed.
 
Addresses

Use the abbreviations “Ave.,” “Blvd.” and “St.”only with a numbered address.  Spell out when part of the formal name of the street.

  • 1620 University Ave.
  • 2602 W. Avenue N
  • University Avenue

Similar street names such as “alley,” “drive,” “road,” “circle,” etc. are always spelled out completely. Capitalize when part of a formal street name and lowercase when used alone or with more than one street name.

  • 2602 Dena Drive
  • Dena Drive
  • intersection of Dena and Varsity drives

Abbreviate compass points used to indicate direction in a numbered address.  Do not abbreviate if the number is omitted.

  • 222 E. 42nd St.
  • 2025 S. Johnson St.
  • East 42nd Street
  • South Johnson Street

Use periods in the abbreviation P.O. for post office box numbers.

Months

Spell out the names of months in text material when they stand alone.

The following abbreviations are used when providing a date, as in Jan. 13.

Jan.
Feb.
March
April
May
June 		July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.

Businesses

Use “Co.,” “Cos.,” “Corp.” or “Inc.” for businesses that use “Company,” “Companies,” “Corporation” or “Incorporated” after their names.

Spell out the word if it falls within a business name, for example, “Aluminum Company of America.”

Time of Day

For times, use “a.m.” and “p.m.” with the hour.

Use “noon” instead of “12 p.m.”

Use “midnight” instead of “12 a.m.”

Do not use “12 noon” or “12 midnight” as these terms are redundant.

Capitalization


Titles

Use lower case for professional titles unless they immediately precede a name. When a person is identified strictly by title on second or subsequent references, the title is not capitalized. For example,
  • Joseph C. Rallo, president, spoke Friday.
  • President Joseph C. Rallo, awarded staff excellence awards Monday.
  • The president spoke to the ’Belles after the team’s win.
Degrees

Capitalize academic degrees as follows:
  • M.B.A., M.S., M.A., M.S.N., B.S., B.A.
  • Always include the periods.
  • Use these abbreviations only after a complete name. Do not use with only a last name. 
  • In news releases, limit designations to only two degrees.
Generic terms for degrees are not capitalized, for example: “doctoral degree” or “doctorate,” “master’s degree,” “bachelor’s degree.” If you are using the formal name of a degree, it is capitalized, for example: he earned a Master of Science degree from Angelo State University.

Academic Subjects

Avoid capitalizing an academic subject when it is used as a general field of study. Capitalize academic subjects when they are part of the official title of a university entity, when they are the name of a language, and when they are the official title of a course or a short title that includes the course number. For example:
  • “The College of Sciences offers programs in agriculture, biology, chemistry and biochemistry, computer science, mathematics and physics.”
  • She majored in physics and minored in Russian.
  • Department of  Physics
  • Department of English
  • Women’s Studies Program
  • He teaches Sociology 3350.
Buildings, Rooms and Room Numbers

Capitalize “building” if it is an integral part of the building’s name. Do not abbreviate.
  • Mayer Administration Building
  • Vincent Nursing-Physical Science Building
Capitalize the names of specially designated rooms.  Capitalize the word “room” when used in conjunction with a room number.
  • Nasworthy Suite
  • Tucker Room
  • Rassman Building, Room 205
Other University-Related Uses

Capitalize “institute,” “center,” “program,” “division” or “office” when it is part of the formal name, but not when used alone or informally. For example:
  • The Center for Academic Excellence is sponsor.
  • The center uses advanced technology in research programs.
It is appropriate to refer to a center, institute, program, division or office by the appropriate designation, in lower case letters, on subsequent references. For example:
  • The Center for Innovation in Teaching and Research received a major grant today. The center will use the money for a new project.
Avoid capitalizing such words as “freshman,” “senior” or “graduate” when the words refer to a stage of study or the classification of a student rather than to the group. For example:
  •  She was a freshman, majoring in agricultural communications.
AP style requires the use of a capital letter when referring to the World Wide Web.
  • Web site
  • the Web
  • Web page
Government

Avoid capitalizing the words “city,” “government,” “federal” or “state.” For example:
  • United States government
  • federal government
  • the state Legislature
  • Texas Legislature
  • the state of Texas, unless referring to the state government, then State is capitalized
  • the city of San Angelo,  unless referring to the city government, then City is capitalized
Capitalize the formal names of federal or state agencies. For example:
  • U.S. Department of Defense
  • Texas Department of Agriculture
Seasons and Location

Use lower case for seasons. For example:
  • Transfer students may begin studies in the spring, summer or fall.
  • The spring semester begins Wednesday.
Capitalize “west” and other compass points when referring to a region: For example:
  • In architecture and lifestyle, Angelo State University reflects the American West.
  • The people of West Texas were determined to have their own university.
Use lower case for compass points when indicating a direction. For example:
  • Many students travel west to the recreation areas of New Mexico.
Racial and Ethnic

Capitalize the proper names of nationalities, peoples, races and tribes. For example:

Arab
Hispanic
Arabic
Jewish
African-American
Latin American
Japanese
Caucasian
Asian
Cherokee
Lakota
ChineseEskimo

Lower case “black,” “white” and other racial designations, whether used as adjectives or nouns.

Numbers

General Use

Spell out numbers one through nine and first through ninth.  Use figures for numbers 10 and greater. Also use figures to refer to a numerical ranking, a unit of scientific measurement, a percentage or a unit of money. For example:

Treat numbers consistently within a category. For example: Addresses

Always use figures for an address number.
Spell out and capitalize First through Ninth when used as street names.  Use figures with two letters for 10th and above.
Telephone Numbers

Parentheses should be used around the area code, even for toll-free numbers.  For international numbers, use the parentheses around the country code and the city code.  Hyphens should be used between numbers.

If extension numbers are given, use a comma to separate the main number from the extension. Starting a Sentence

Always spell out a number at the beginning of a sentence. A better approach is to rewrite the sentence to avoid using a number at the beginning. For example: Percentages, Fractions, Large Numbers

Use numerals for percentages and spell out percent. For example: Spell out fractions in text material. Hyphenate fractions when they are used as adjectives or adverbs. For example:

Use a comma in numerals of 1,000 and above except for temperatures, years, street addresses, broadcast frequencies, room numbers, serial numbers and telephone numbers.

Punctuation

Serial Comma

A comma is not required before “and” or “or” in a series of three or more items unless it improves clarity. For example:

Commas and Multiple Adjectives

Use a comma to separate two or more adjectives equal in rank preceding a noun. For example:

Commas in Dates

Use commas in full dates, but not between month and year or season and year. A comma also should follow the year when used with a month and day in the middle of a sentence. For example:

Commas in Names

Associated Press style eliminates a comma after a name and before “Jr.” or “Sr.” or a name and a numeral. For example: Semicolons in a Series

Use semicolons for clarity in long lists.  The semicolon is used before “and” or “or” in a series. Hyphenation

Hyphenate compound words used as adjectives, but not those that include an adverb ending in    –ly. For example: Apostrophe for Possession

Use the apostrophe to indicate possession. Note, however, that “its” is a possessive pronoun that lacks an apostrophe. “It’s” is a contraction of “it is.”

Apostrophe for Plurals

When words designate a word, do not use  ’s (apostrophe s) to indicate plural. For example: Plurals of figures add an s not an  ’s (apostrophe s). For example: For plurals of single letters, use ’s: For example: For plurals of multiple letters, including acronyms, add s. For example:

Composition Titles

Composition titles are the names of books, movies, operas, plays, poems, songs, television programs, lectures, speeches, works of art, etc. Associated Press style requires that these titles are enclosed in quotation marks and not italicized.  This style should be followed for news releases, though italics may be used for titles of books, plays, journals, movies, etc., as long as the style is consistently followed within other documents or publications.

Quotation Marks

Do not use quotation marks, bold font or italics casually and only rarely for emphasis. Commas, periods, question marks, bold font, underline or italics and exclamation points always go within quotation marks.

Exclamation Marks

Avoid exclamation marks for emphasis. Use them only sparingly for emotion or a strong feeling.

General Style

The following words have more than one spelling. These are preferred versions:

For publications, the names of companies and corporations that support Angelo State programs should be spelled and punctuated as they appear on their letterhead or corporate statements. For example:

Avoid redundancies. For example:

Avoid passive voice. For example:

Avoid beginning sentences with “There are” and “It is.”

In formal writing, avoid first person (I, we) and second person (you).

In less formal documents, first and second person sometimes may be used to create a more personal tone.

Alumni

The word “alumni” is plural and should be used when referring to multiple men or a group of men and women who have attended a school or university. The singular form of the word is “alumnus” when referring to a man and “alumna” when referring to a woman.  If referring to a group of women, use the plural form “alumnae.”

Locations in Texas

When referring to a city within Texas, it is unnecessary to list the state after the city unless it is important for clarification.  Cities outside the state of Texas should be followed by the state name unless the city is so well know as to be identifiable in its own right: Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, St. Louis, Minneapolis, etc.

Diversity

Every effort should be made to include women and minorities in photographs and copy. Access for persons with disabilities is often best illustrated in photographic images.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Language

It is recommended that letterhead and publications, where appropriate, from Angelo State University should include some form of Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action statement.

At a minimum, letterhead should use: “Equal Opportunity Employer.”

Terminology

Re-read copy carefully to avoid racist, sexist or insensitive implications.

“Handicapped,” “disabled” and “impaired” should be used carefully and only when clearly pertinent and appropriate for your material. Keep in mind the following meanings and choices:

Gender-specific language

Writers of Angelo State publications should avoid suggestions that programs and aspects of general university life are limited to or directed at a specific gender.

Do not use “he” when the intent is “he or she” or “she or he.” For example:

Though “he or she” or “he/she” may be used occasionally, careful attention to writing will avoid awkward language and the over-use of these terms.

In some cases, the male and female references can be alternated. In other cases, no gender-specific word need be used at all.

Proper Gender Use

When reference to a specific gender is necessary, “men” and “women” generally are the preferred titles. For example:

Sometimes “male” and “female” may be appropriate. For example:

“Boys” and “girls” properly refer to children.

“Alumnus” (“alumni” in the plural) refers to a man who has attended a college or university. “Alumna” (“alumnae” in the plural) refers to a woman who has attended a school. “Alumni” is the correct Latin plural for use when referring to both men and women who have attended a school.

More Information

If you have questions about style, please contact the Office of Communications and Marketing at (325) 942-2248.