St. Edward's University Communications Style Guide

Communications Style GuideStandards for St. Edward’s University Version 3.0, Last Updated March 2015

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PUBLISHED BY

Marketing OfficeSt. Edward’s Universitystedwards.edu512-448-8775

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4 Introduction

7 The St. Edward’s University Brand

11 St. Edward’s University Style12 Strategic Plan 13 University References 15 International Partner Universities16 Academics: Schools, Programs, Degrees, Courses21 Administration: Schools, Offices, Programs22 Athletics24 Buildings and Facilities27 Faculty28 Fulbright Program 29 Grammar and Punctuation36 Names36 Semesters/Seasons37 South by Southwest 38 States39 Students/Alumni40 Technology41 Time/Dates42 Titles

44 Holy Cross Style45 Bible References/Catholic Church46 Holy Cross47 Members of Religious Orders

48 Writing and Proofreading Guidelines 49 Active Voice 50 Common Usage Errors 54 Proofreader Marks 55 Web Copy Guidelines 56 Words to Watch Out For 57 Writing Techniques

Contents

COMMUNICATIONS STYLE GUIDE, V.3.0

A Unified VoiceAs the St. Edward’s University community works together to achieve Strategic Plan 2015, it’s essential that we present a purposeful, clear and unified voice to our audiences around the world. By using this Communications Style Guide, you’ll contribute to a higher standard of consistency in our online and print communications. This uniformity will enhance the university’s image and assist us in being strong stewards of our brand.

When you craft written communications for St. Edward’s, refer to this style guide often. Use it for help with common questions about basic grammar, spelling and punctuation. You’ll also find clarification on some frequently misspelled and misused words, and the proper forms of university-specific terms, locations and descriptions. We’ve even included guidelines for writing effective web copy.

An important update to this edition is the university’s brand platform, with key messages that reinforce our vision: to educate students for the opportunities and challenges of a 21st century world.

Just like the English language, this guide is a work in progress; outdated information routinely gives way to new information. Please contact the Marketing Office if you have questions about our communications guidelines or suggestions for additions.

Introduction

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Clear, Accurate, Effective CommunicationsThe Marketing Office developed the following guidelines for university communications by consulting a range of respected guide books, university staff and faculty, and style guides at other educational institutions.

St. Edward’s University communications use the Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law (2014) as the primary reference for style, usage, spelling and punctuation. The AP Stylebook is available in the St. Edward’s University Bookstore and directly from the Associated Press online at www.apbookstore.com. Webster’s New World College Dictionary, fifth edition (2014), is our primary dictionary. Use the first entry as the rule.

Some style guidelines are specific to St. Edward’s University. When there is a discrepancy, the university’s style guide takes precedence over any entries in the AP Stylebook or other references.

News releases should be coordinated through the Marketing Office. Copy for news releases also should adhere to guidelines specified in the AP Stylebook.

5INTRODUCTION

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This guide is not exhaustive.For issues not covered by this guide or the AP Stylebook, the Marketing Office recommends the most current edition of these additional references.

A. The Elements of Style. Written in the early 1900s by William Strunk Jr. as a textbook for courses he taught at Cornell University, this classic work was revised and expanded in the 1950s by Strunk’s former student, writer E.B. White. Topics include elements of usage, composition, form and style, as well as a glossary and a guide to misused words and expressions.

B. CNS Stylebook on Religion from the Catholic News Service. “From abbey to Zionism,” it provides style guidelines and reference material for communications about religious subjects. Available online at amazon.com, via e-mail at [email protected], or via phone at 202-541-3290.

C. The Chicago Manual of Style. Primarily geared toward the publishing industry, it addresses many issues not covered by the AP Stylebook or this style guide.

D. The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style. An abridgement of the Dictionary of Modern American Usage, it helps readers “use language deftly.”

E. Words into Type. Primarily for writers, copy editors and editors of books, it answers questions of grammar, usage and style and is a primer on manuscript production.

F. Wired Style: Principles of English Usage in the Digital Age. Guidelines for writing about technology and deciphering jargon, acronyms and newly coined terms for our digital age.

INTRODUCTION

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The St. Edward’s University BrandSt. Edward’s University is a unique educational institution that makes a powerful impact on all who join its community. In order to communicate the extraordinary experience shared by students, faculty and alumni at St. Edward’s, a project was undertaken to establish the university’s brand identity.

The following three pages show the impact of this effort on our written communications. It begins with three brand tenets that characterize St. Edward’s. From these tenets grew our overarching brand promise, which succinctly conveys the university’s outstanding educational experience. Next, our brand platform describes St. Edward’s University, explains our purpose and tells our story. Our brand platform sets the stage for our brand voice, which is bold, optimistic and purposeful. Within the platform is our brand promise (in italic). Use these as a guide for creating communications that reflect our brand identity and voice.

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Brand Tenets• Academic challenge• Global perspective• Make a difference

Brand PromiseSt. Edward’s University offers an extraordinary educational environment that challenges, inspires and empowers students by providing a global perspective that prepares them to make a difference in their world.

THE ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY BRAND

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Brand PlatformThe world today is more connected and interdependent than ever. What happens anywhere in the world impacts everywhere. And everyone. Including you.

For those who are up to the challenge, St. Edward’s University offers an extraordinary environment that educates, inspires and empowers students by providing a global perspective that prepares them to make a difference in their world.

At St. Edward’s every student is challenged to discover his or her unique passions and purpose, overcome the uncertainties of different and demanding environments, and pursue lives that offer not just professional achievement but also deep personal fulfillment.

We believe in a rigorous, immersive educational experience that promotes critical thinking through study of the arts, sciences and humanities. Students are encouraged to ask complex questions and seek answers through research and collaborative intellectual exploration.

Faculty mentorship extends far beyond classroom time and office hours. Our small classes ensure that every student benefits from a personalized learning experience. This supportive environment helps students to push themselves intellectually, personally, spiritually and geographically in their quest for knowledge and personal growth.

Students are encouraged to be socially conscious as they study in communities around the world and work on local projects that promote the greater good. These experiences provide students with a deeper understanding of diverse cultures and provide excellent preparation for careers where a strong international perspective is appreciated and valued.

Are you prepared to ask for more from your educational experience? Are you willing to do the hard work that will prepare you for the next stage of your life? Are you ready to explore other cultures and discover yourself?

Then answer the challenge to make a difference in the world. And experience the difference it makes in you.

St. Edward’s University Take on your world.®

THE ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY BRAND

1010 THE ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY BRAND

St. Edward’s University Brand Voice Copy SampleUsing the brand platform as a guide, here is an example of one of the many ways the brand voice can be used to describe the St. Edward’s University educational experience.

St. Edward’s University offers an extraordinary environment that educates, inspires and empowers students to make a difference in their world.

At St. Edward’s, every student is challenged academically and personally to discover his or her unique passions and purpose. We believe in a personalized approach to learning, including small classes and an education that promotes critical thinking through the study of the arts, sciences and humanities. Students are encouraged to be socially conscious as they study in communities around the world

and work on local projects that promote the greater good. These experiences provide students with a deeper understanding of diverse cultures and provide excellent preparation for careers where a strong international perspective is appreciated and valued.

St. Edward’s is committed to ensuring that students experience an education that provides a global perspective and prepares them to pursue lives that offer not only professional achievement but also deep personal fulfillment.


St. Edward’s University Style

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2015 Vision Statement:

St. Edward’s University will educate students for the opportunities and challenges of a 21st century world.

Strategic Plan 2015 – 4 Elements:

I. Holy Cross, Catholic Heritage St. Edward’s will sustain an ever-deepening commitment to its Holy Cross, Catholic heritage.

II. Academic Challenge St. Edward’s University will enable all our students to attain the fullest potential of their intellectual, personal and career goals.

III. Global Preparedness St. Edward’s University graduates will be distinctive for their understanding of the world and its cultures and for being prepared to make significant contributions in an increasingly global world.

IV. Resource Development St. Edward’s will develop and manage resources in support of its academic quality and global preparedness goals.

Note: Always cap “Strategic Plan” when referring to Strategic Plan 2015.

Strategic PlanIn 2010, the leadership of St. Edward’s created a five-year strategic plan that is extending the presence and impact of the university around the globe. Fueled by our 2015 vision statement, Strategic Plan 2015 guides us in preparing our students to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world — while maintaining an academically challenging, personalize educational experience that emphasizes critical thinking, social justice and a global perspective.

Strategic Plan 2015 includes four key elements that lead us in fulfilling our 2015 vision.

ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY STYLE 13

University References

University Registered Trademarks

The legal name of the university (St. Edward’s University), Take on your world.®, Topper and all related registered trademarks are the property of St. Edward’s University. Any trademark which identifies or is associated with St. Edward’s University may not be used without prior expressed written permission from the Marketing Office.

The registered trademark symbol — ® — is used with the St. Edward’s University logo and the tagline: Take on your world. It is not used when referring to the university name in text. When the university logo and tagline are presented together, the ® symbol is used only with the tagline. The ® symbol is also used with the Topper logo, but not when referring to Topper in text.

When referring to the university:• Spell out St. Edward’s University on first reference in formal

communications. For publications and casual communications, using St. Edward’s is fine — follow the writer’s and editor’s preference.

• For official university communications — including those targeted for admission, alumni, community partnerships, fundraising, media and university events — the acronym SEU should be avoided, except when used sparingly in headline text.

• For materials directed at current students, staff and faculty, the acronym SEU is acceptable when space is limited.

• Do not use St. Ed’s — ever. It demeans our founders.• “St.” is never spelled out in the university’s name.• Capitalize university only when included in the institution’s full

name, St. Edward’s University. Elsewhere, university should be lower case.

• Always keep “St. Edward’s” together in a line of copy.• In the university’s address, spell out all words except “St.” Only

use the “TX” postal abbreviation when addressing envelopes or mailing panels. St. Edward’s University 3001 South Congress Avenue Austin, Texas 78704-6489

• Use hyphens when listing phone numbers. (The exception to this rule appears on university business cards, which use dots instead of hyphens as a design element.) 512-448-8435

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University ReferencesPossessive problems:

Be careful when omitting “university” from St. Edward’s University. It often causes possessive problems since part of our name is possessive.

• Wrong St. Edward’s students are challenged in the classroom. St. Edward’s’ students are challenged in the classroom.

• Right Students at St. Edward’s are challenged in the classroom. St. Edward’s University students are challenged in the classroom Every St. Edward’s student is challenged in the classroom.

Avoid using a double possessive, which looks awkward and may confuse the reader.

• Wrong St. Edward’s University’s MBA program …

• Right The St. Edward’s University MBA program … The MBA program at St. Edward’s University …

About St. Edward

St. Edward was king of England from 1046 to 1066. Known for his compassion and piety, he was canonized by Pope Alexander III in 1161. His feast day is Oct. 13, around which the university celebrates Founders Week.

The university’s name honors St. Edward because Father Edward Sorin, CSC, who established the university in 1885, was St. Edward’s namesake. (See “Holy Cross” for more details.)

St. Edward is referred to in two primary ways:

• St. Edward, the Confessor, …• St. Edward, the Confessor and King, …

ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY STYLE

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International Partner UniversitiesSt. Edward’s University in France

• The partnership program the university has established with Université Catholique de l’Ouest (UCO) in Angers, France, should be referred to in these ways: – the university’s flagship study abroad program in Angers,

France – our partner university in Angers, France – St. Edward’s University in France

• Do not refer to UCO as the St. Edward’s University: – portal campus in Angers, France – campus in Angers, France

International Partner Universities

The university has established international educational partnerships with the following universities:

• Université Catholique de l’Ouest (UCO) in Angers, France• Paris L’Institut Supérieur de Gestion in Paris, France • Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland• Fachhochschule Koblenz in Koblenz, Germany• Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in Eichstätt, Germany • Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid, Spain• Universitat Jaume I in Castello de la Plana, Spain• Asia Pacific University in Beppu, Japan• Catholic University of Korea in Seoul, South Korea• Tecnológico de Monterrey, with programs throughout Mexico• Universidad Argentina de la Empresa in Buenos Aires, Argentina• Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Viña del Mar, Chile• Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María in Valparaíso, Chile• The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in

Hong Kong, China• University of Notre Dame in Fremantle, Australia• Franklin University Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland• Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan (R.O.C.)


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Academics: Schools, Programs, Degrees, CoursesCapitalize the names of the schools within St. Edward’s:

School of Behavioral and Social Sciences

School of Education

School of Humanities

The Bill Munday School of BusinessNOTE: When referring to The Bill Munday School of Business, always use the full name. Do not shorten to Munday School of Business. Note that “The” is part of the full name. For brevity on second reference, use “the school of business” or “our school of business” in lower case.

School of Natural Sciences

New College

Capitalize the formal names of degrees offered by St. Edward’s:

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)

Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS)

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Graduate

Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC)

Master of Arts in College Student Development (MACSD)

Master of Accounting (MACT)

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Master of Liberal Arts (MLA)

Master of Science in Leadership and Change (MSLC)

Professional Science Master’s in Environmental Management and Sustainability (MSEM)


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Academics: Schools, Programs, Degrees, CoursesWhen abbreviating degrees offered by St. Edward’s, omit periods between the letters:

BA

BBA

BLS

BS

MAC

MACSD

MACT

MBA

MLA

MSLC

MSEM

With informal references to degrees, use an apostrophe in bachelor’s and master’s.

• She earned a bachelor’s degree at St. Edward’s.• Their master’s degrees proved beneficial.• Students can choose from two degrees: a bachelor’s in Digital

Media Management or a master’s in Business Management.

Spell out the first reference to a degree, followed by its abbreviation in parentheses if used in subsequent references.

• Lauren is interested in the MA in College Student Development program.

• Jorge is pursuing a Master of Accounting (MACT), like his mentor, Justin Taylor MACT ’10. Taylor’s MACT degree has enabled him to …

Do not spell out first reference to a degree when it is used with a graduation year.

• Justin Taylor MACT ’10 will participate on the alumni panel.

Use these same rules when referring to degrees earned at other universities.


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Academics: Schools, Programs, Degrees, CoursesKeeping Capitalization Consistent

The following guidelines for capitalizing the university’s degrees, academic programs, majors, co-curricular programs and course titles are designed to avoid style inconsistencies. St. Edward’s has a number of unique degree names (i.e. Accounting Information Technology, Interactive Games Management, English Writing and Rhetoric) that are best understood when capped. They set the standard for capitalizing all majors, including the more general ones (i.e. Chemistry, History, Psychology).

Note the following examples, and use editorial judgment to determine when the “official” capped style or the “general areas of study” lowercase style applies based on the context of the copy.


Capitalize official names of the university’s degrees, academic programs, majors, co-curricular programs and course titles.

The Master of Liberal Arts program/degree …

The English Writing and Rhetoric program/degree/major …

Courses offered in Freshman Studies include …

Our Psychology program/degree/major is one of the most popular …

Business Communication is taken in the first semester of …

She earned a Master of Arts in Counseling at St. Edward’s.

In the BA in Philosophy program, students are required to take Ethics and Public Policy.

Courses in Self and Society, General Psychology, American National Government, and State and Local Government are required in his chosen major.

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He is interested in computer science [general area of study] but plans to major in Accounting Information Technology [official degree].

He wants to take computer science [general area of study] courses but plans to major in Accounting Information Technology [official degree].

He wants to take courses in the Computer Science [official degree] program but plans to major in Accounting Information Technology [official degree].

In the Criminal Justice program [official degree], students study psychology, government, crime analysis and American history [general area of study].

She wants to study French and creative writing [general area of study] but plans to major in Theater Arts [official degree].

Along with teaching high school, chemistry graduates [not referring specifically to St. Edward’s University graduates] may work in research or …

She is a graduate in international business [general area of study].

She is interested in international studies [general area of study] but plans to pursue a degree in political science [general area of study].

He wants to earn a master’s in kinesiology [general area of study].

Students are required to take courses in biology, mathematics and chemistry [general area of study].

You’ll research a topic within chemistry [general area of study] and present your findings.

The philosophy professors [general work title] are traveling to a conference next week.

Academics: Schools, Programs, Degrees, CoursesDo not capitalize when referring to general areas of study, even when the area of study matches an official name. To better understand these examples, the editorial context is given in brackets.


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Academics: Schools, Programs, Degrees, CoursesWhen using the term “major,” “graduate” or “student” directly following an official degree name, capitalize the degree name.

• BA in Criminal Justice majors complete supporting courses in …• Work by several Photocommunications students was included in

the exhibit.• Many of our Biology graduates continue their studies in

graduate school.

Abbreviating Degrees

When abbreviating academic degrees, omitting the periods is our preferred style. You may either omit or use periods, as long as you are consistent (including being consistent with religious order classifications):

• BBA or B.B.A., MBA or M.B.A., PhD or Ph.D., LLD or LL.D., etc.


Plural Abbreviations

To form the plural of a degree abbreviation, add “s” if no periods are used. Add “apostrophe s” if periods are used.

• BAs, MLAs, PhDs or Ph.D.’s, LLDs or LL.D.’s, etc.To avoid odd-looking plural constructions, rewrite or add the word “degrees” after the abbreviation.

• MACSD degrees, MAC degrees• They earned BS degrees in Computer Information Technology.

Capstone

Capitalize “Capstone” when referring to the program or course.

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Administration: Schools, Offices, ProgramsWithin the organizational structure of St. Edward’s University, academic subjects are organized by schools (School of Humanities, New College, etc.), which are made up of programs and areas.

• The Biology program is offered by the School of Natural Sciences.

• The Public Safety Management program is offered by New College.

• The Art area coordinator organized the exhibit.

The word “program” is not capitalized, except in these cases:

• Academic Exploration Program• Alumni and Parent Programs• College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP)• Fellows Program• Fulbright Program• Honors Program• Programs for Accelerated College Education• University Programs

Administrative offices within the university are not referred to as departments:

• “Marketing Office” instead of “Marketing Department”• “Office of Residence Life” instead of “Department of

Residence Life”

Capitalize the official names of offices, otherwise, lowercase:

• Contact the Office of Admission for an application.• Pick up an application at the admission office.

Note: Our university style spells “admission” as singular: “Admission” not “Admissions”

St. Edward’s University Schools:

• School of Behavioral and Social Sciences• School of Education• School of Humanities• The Bill Munday School of Business• School of Natural Sciences• New College

Graduate programs are offered within the university’s schools.


AthleticsCommon descriptors:

Use “first-team All-America,” unless it’s before someone’s name, as in “First-Team All-American Joe Buck” (notice the “n” added for that instance).

Do not capitalize “honorable mention” when referring to:

• Daktronics honorable mention All-America (treat the same as first-team)

Use “conference championship,” unless it’s the same occurrence as above (i.e. Conference Champion St. Edward’s).

Use title case when a conference’s proper name is used (i.e. Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Week, Heartland Conference All-Tournament Team, Heartland Conference Championship).

Athletics teams aren’t capitalized, as in men’s tennis team or women’s basketball team.

However, if the team has an actual name, capitalize it (i.e. ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team).

All women’s athletics programs are referred to as “women’s” teams, never “girl’s” or “ladies” teams.

Students who play sports are referred to as “student-athletes.”

St. Edward’s University Athletics competes in NCAA Division II as a member of the Heartland Conference. Prior to that, St. Edward’s played in the NAIA.

“NCAA” needn’t be spelled out.

RBI vs. RBIs – Run(s) Batted In (singular or plural use determined by editorial context)

Student-athletes may be referred to by their class (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) instead of by their graduation year as classification can differ from expected graduation.

• Freshman Blake Blackwood won the day for the Hilltoppers.

Athletics vs. Athletic• “Athletic” is an adjective describing one’s physical ability.• “Athletics” is a noun describing the training and practice of

sports activities.

In most cases regarding university copy, “athletics” is the correct term, whether referring to Hilltopper athletics or to the athletics banquet.

Refer to the program as “Athletics” or “St. Edward’s University Athletics” (capitalize when referring to the entity as a whole).

Do not capitalize if referring to “Hilltopper athletics,” “men’s athletics,” “women’s athletics” or “varsity athletics.”

Most variations on “Hilltopper” are acceptable (i.e. Hilltopper baseball, Hilltopper basketball).

All-America

All-American

All-Heartland

all-conference

all-district

all-region

all-tournament

first-team

second-team

Elite Eight

Nationals

Sweet 16


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AthleticsAvoid the “SEU” abbreviation in sports.

In sports writing only, the University of Texas is abbreviated to “UT” and UT–Austin is referred to as “Texas.” All other UT branches should be listed with city location. For example: UT–Arlington; UT–Permian Basin; UT–Dallas. When writing about tournaments or competitions, use “4 on 4” instead of “4 v. 4” or “four on four.”

The school colors “blue and gold” are not capitalized in a sentence.

Athletics Facilities:• Brother Emmett Strohmeyer Varsity Courts (tennis) • Diane Daniels Field (softball)• Lewis-Chen Family Field (soccer)• Lucian-Hamilton Field (baseball)• Onion Creek Country Club (golf)• Recreation and Convocation Center (RCC)• Recreation Field


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Buildings and FacilitiesAthletics:

• Brother Emmett Strohmeyer Varsity Courts (tennis)

• Diane Daniels Field (softball)• Lewis-Chen Family Field (soccer)• Lucian-Hamilton Field (baseball)• Onion Creek Country Club (golf)• Recreation and Convocation Center (RCC)• Recreation Field

Buildings and Facilities:• Brother Stephen Walsh, CSC, ’62

Campus Ministry Building – Claire Kolodzey Memorial Garden

(meditation garden)• Carriage House• Doyle Hall• Fine Arts Center

– Fine Arts Gallery• Fleck Hall• Fondren Hall• Health & Counseling Center• Holy Cross Hall• John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences

Center – John Brooks Williams Natural

Sciences Center–North

– John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Center–South

– Carter Auditorium• Main Building

– Maloney Ballroom• Mary Moody Northen Theatre• Moody Hall

– International Lounge• Munday Library• Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto• Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel• Physical Plant• Premont Hall• Recreation and Convocation Center• Robert and Pearle Ragsdale Center

– Jones Auditorium – Mabee Ballrooms

• Sorin Hall• St. Edward’s University Wild Basin

Creative Research Center• St. Joseph Hall• Trustee Hall• UFCU Alumni Gym• Woodward Office Building

Campus Dining:• Doyle Café (Jo’s Coffee)• Hunt Hall Café • Meadows Coffeehouse (Jo’s Coffee)• South Congress Market• The Huddle

Campus Housing:• Andre Hall• Basil Moreau Hall• Casa and Casitas• East Hall• Hilltopper Heights Apartments• Jacques Dujarié Hall• Maryhill Apartments• Residential Village

– Edmund Hunt Hall – Lady Bird Johnson Hall – Le Mans Hall

• Teresa Hall


25ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY STYLE

Buildings and FacilitiesUse proper building and facility names in all formal university communications. It is respectful of the heritage for which, or the individuals for whom, buildings and facilities are named.

Brother Stephen Walsh, CSC, ‘62 Campus Ministry Building• Use Brother Stephen Walsh, CSC, ‘62 Campus Ministry Building

on first reference; Campus Ministry Building on second reference.

Claire Kolodzey Memorial Garden • The Claire Kolodzey Memorial Garden is commonly referred to

as the meditation garden (lower case). For formal messages, use the full name on first reference; the Memorial Garden (initial caps) on second reference. For most marketing writing, it can be referred to as the meditation garden on first reference. In either case, do not shorten to “the garden.”

Main Building, Holy Cross Hall, Trustee Hall• Use Main Building, not “the” Main Building. Use Holy Cross Hall,

not “the” Holy Cross Hall. Use Trustee Hall, not “the” Trustee Hall.

Recreation and Convocation Center• Use Recreation and Convocation Center on first reference; RCC

on second reference.

Residence Halls• The term “residence hall” is preferred over “dorm.”• The residence halls have live-in “residence directors” and

student “resident assistants.”• The Casa and Casitas are a specific type of residence hall

on campus.• Lady Bird Johnson Hall, Le Mans Hall and Edmund Hunt Hall are

collectively known as the “residential village.” After first reference it can be called “the village.”

• The “residential village” (always lower case) should never be referred to as a “residential complex.”

• Hall names can be abbreviated to Johnson Hall and Hunt Hall. When referring to the halls collectively, do not capitalize “halls:” – Johnson, Le Mans and Hunt halls – Le Mans and Hunt halls

Robert and Pearle Ragsdale Center• The Robert and Pearle Ragsdale Center may be shortened on

second reference to Ragsdale Center, never RC. It should never be referred to as the Ragsdale Student Center or the Ragsdale Campus Center.

Buildings and FacilitiesJohn Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Center

Avoid using the acronym JBWNSC for the John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Center. The center is composed of two buildings (note the en dash to designate which building).

• John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Center–North• John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Center–South

When only one of the buildings is covered in copy, drop the “North” or “South” after first reference if necessary to save space. When referring to both buildings as a unit, omit the North” or “South” reference, and after first reference, shorten to “natural sciences center” or “the center” to save space if necessary.

• John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Center (when referring to both buildings)

• The natural sciences center (after first reference, when referring to both buildings)

• The center (after first reference, when referring to both buildings)

In copy that refers to both buildings as separate entities, distinguish between them as the North and South buildings. Always capitalize

“North” and “South” but never “building” or “buildings.”

• A shaded walkway connects the North and South buildings (after first reference, when referring to both buildings as separate entities)

• The South building was completed in 2013.• Carter Auditorium is located in the South building.

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Mary Moody Northen Theatre

St. Edward’s University uses “theatre” when referring to the facility Mary Moody Northen Theatre and “theater” for all other instances. When referring to external buildings or organizations, use that entity’s preferred spelling.

• John is majoring in Theater Arts.• The Mary Moody Northen Theatre is near Sorin Hall.• The theater is located on campus.• The Transit Theatre Troupe performs on campus and in Austin.

Trustee Hall

Trustee Hall is home to The Bill Munday School of Business.

Do not refer to the building as The Bill Munday School of Business.

St. Edward’s University Wild Basin Creative Research Center

Always use the full name on first reference. On second reference, the name can be shorten to:

• Wild Basin Creative Research Center• Wild Basin• the Creative Research Center• the center

Never refer to Wild Basin as “the Basin” or its former name: “Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve.”



Faculty“Faculty” refers to the entire instructional staff. It takes a singular verb. Its plural is “faculties.” When referring to an individual, use the phrase

“faculty member.” When referring to a group of individuals numbering less than the entire faculty, use the phrase “faculty members.”

Use “adjunct instructor,” not “adjunct,” “adjunct teacher” or other variations for non-contracted full-time faculty.

Likewise, use “postdoctoral associates” for instructors with this title.

Commas precede and follow academic degrees, and designations:

Gary Morris, PhD, is dean of the School of Natural Sciences.

Judith Smith, CPA, will consult on the new budget.

Use “professor” over “Dr.” and “PhD.”

When not using “professor,” use “PhD” over “Dr.”

Capitalize “Professor” when it precedes a name:

• Professor Susan Reed received her grant.

Capitalize “Professor” and program name when it precedes a name:

• Professor of Psychology David Smith teaches Theories of Personality.

Lowercase “professor” when it follows a name:

• Susan Reed, professor at St. Edward’s, received her grant.

Lowercase “professor” and capitalize program name when they follow a name:

• David Smith, professor of Psychology, teaches a course in childhood behavior.

• Russell Rains, associate professor of Digital Media Management at St. Edward’s, explains how the school’s digital media programs originated.

• Candace Lawrence, postdoctoral teaching associate in Chemistry, will lead the discussion.


Fulbright ProgramAbout the Fulbright Program

The Fulbright Program is a highly selective scholarship/grant program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The program offers grants for graduating college seniors, graduate students, teachers, young professionals and artists to study, conduct research and/or teach abroad.

Graduating college seniors in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program may be referred to as “Fulbright Students,” “Fulbright U.S. Students,”

“Fulbrighters,” “Fulbright Fellows” or “Fulbright Scholars.” For consistency, we use “Fulbright Students” as the common description.

The Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship grant is one of several Fulbright U.S. Student Programs. This program places recent college graduates and young professionals as English Teaching Assistants in schools or universities overseas to help teach English language while serving as ambassadors for U.S. culture. English Teaching Assistants may also pursue individual study/research plans in addition to their teaching responsibilities.


Grammar & PunctuationOnly the most common punctuation issues are covered below. Webster’s New World Dictionary includes a helpful punctuation section, and many of the guidebooks listed on page 5 offer grammar usage rules.

Abbreviations

Each initial in a person’s name should be followed by a period and one space:

• C. S. Lewis

When a person’s initials stand alone, do not use periods or spaces:

• LBJ

United States: used as an adjective or a noun; US in headlines and U.S. in body copy.

Acronyms

Spell out on first reference unless acronym is universally known (e.g., MBA but Master of Liberal Arts). Put acronyms in parentheses immediately after and use the acronym consistently on subsequent references. See also degrees.

• The university offers a Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) degree. Associate Professor Ramsey Fowler directs the MLA program.

Exception: FAFSA and other acronyms that are pronounced as words can be introduced as so:

• Free Application for Federal Student Loans, or FAFSA.

Ampersands (&)

Avoid the use of ampersands except in titles where they are designated:

• U.S. News & World Report; Health & Counseling Center.

In print or web copy, ampersands are permitted in headlines and subheads where space is limited or they enhance readability.

However, do not use an ampersand in a proper name.

• Incorrect: School of Behavioral & Social Sciences

Apostrophe

Only use an “apostrophe s” with numbers when indicating possessive.

• The hilltop experienced new growth during the 1950s.• Year as possessive: 1982’s music scene was dominated by

Michael Jackson.• Decade as possessive: The 1980s’ style of clothing included

parachute pants and leg warmers.

Apostrophes should not be used when making acronyms or other abbreviations plural:

• A wide range of DVDs and VCRs


Grammar & PunctuationBulleted Lists

When the items in a bulleted list do not complete the sentence, use initial caps to begin each item listed and do not use a period at the end of each item.

Colon [:]

Used to introduce a list or for emphasis. When a complete sentence follows the colon, capitalize the first word.

• The Marketing Office offers expertise in six areas: design, writing, editing, event coordination, marketing and public relations.

• The university’s goal: achieving recognition among the best small universities in the nation.

• The result: Students develop critical skills that distinguish them among candidates for admission to graduate schools or for professional employment.

Colons are always placed outside of items in quotation marks.

• He always says “please”: to his parents, teachers and friends.

When using complete sentences, always use punctuation and a period at the end.

Each entry begins with a capital letter, even if it is a sentence fragment.

Do not mix sentence styles; use all complete sentences, or use all sentence fragments.

Exception: For formal, non-marketing writing, this style can be used:

If the items in the list complete the sentence begun in the introductory element, use lower case letters, separate each item with a comma or semicolon, and use a period after the final item.

• The new residence hall amenities include the following: – Laundry rooms – Study lounges – Wireless Internet access

• Each floor features a: – laundry room – spacious kitchen and – recreation area.


Grammar & PunctuationCommas

Used to separate items in a series. A comma is not necessary before a conjunction in a simple series.

• The U.S. flag is red, white and blue.

Do use a comma to set off the concluding element of a series where one or more of the items in the series contains a conjunction.

• St. Edward’s offers master’s degrees in business administration, accounting, counseling, leadership and change, and liberal arts.

Used when multiple adjectives precede a noun.

• A small, private university …

Note: Commas should only go between equal adjectives. To determine equal adjectives:

• Flip the order of the adjectives. If they can be reversed without a problem, they are equal. – A small, private university … – A private, small university …

• Add the word “and” between the adjectives. If “and” belongs between them, they are equal. – A small, private university … – A small and private university …

Used to attribute a quote.

• “We will achieve this goal,” he said.

Used to distinguish nonessential information.

• Mary Rogers, at 42 years old, was nervous when she visited the professor’s office.

Used with a conjunction to join two separate sentences that are closely linked.

• He announced the plan in mid-December, and it was fully implemented by Feb. 3.

Do not put a comma between two parallel verbs that share the same subject, even if the first verb is part of a long phrase.

• WRONG: The alumni joined local chapters, and participated in events on campus.

• RIGHT: The alumni joined local chapters and participated in events on campus.

As an alternative, restate the subject before the second verb. This creates two independent clauses linked by a comma and a conjunction — a grammatically correct construction.

• RIGHT: The alumni joined local chapters, and they participated in events on campus.

When indicating a month, day and year in the middle of a sentence, a comma follows the year. If only the month and year are given, do not use a comma, and do not abbreviate the month.

• The event took place Feb. 15, 2009, in Main Building.• The project was completed between February 2010 and

January 2011.

Commas and periods are always placed inside of ending quotation marks, except when just a letter or a number.

• He always says “please,” but he rarely says “thank you.”• On her last exam, the math student expected an “A”.


Grammar & PunctuationCompound Words

When the dictionary is unclear about the correct spelling of a noun that may just as easily be two words, keep the words combined. For example:

• “website” instead of “web site”• “username” instead of “user name”• “login” instead of “log in”• “healthcare” instead of “health care”• “fundraising” instead of “fund raising” or “fund-raising”

Keep words separate when they are verbs.

• Adjective: “I typed the login password.”• Verb: “I will log in tomorrow.”• Noun: Checkout begins at 3 p.m.• Verb: Check out by 5 p.m.

Ellipsis […]

Indicates omission of words, a pause or continuation.

In copy, place a space on either side of the ellipsis. Apply these guidelines … to all campus communications.

Em Dash [—]

Used for emphasis or to signal an abrupt change.

• Our program — one of the top five in the nation — was chosen for the award.

Used to avoid confusing comma punctuation. The AP Stylebook explains, “When a phrase that otherwise would be set off by commas contains a series of words that must be separated by commas, use dashes to set off the full phrase.” AP lists the following example:

• He listed the qualities — intelligence, humor, conservatism, independence — that he liked in an executive.

Used to identify the source of a quote:

• “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” — Martin Luther King Jr.

Include space before and after the em dash. (This differs from other styles — including AP — that don’t use space.)

On a MAC

hold down three keys simultaneously: option and shift and hyphen

On a PC

hold down the Alt key and — on the number pad — type 0151


Grammar & PunctuationEn Dash [–]

Used to signal inclusive numbers, dates and times.

• Jan. 1–10, 2003• May–July 1987• April 1, 1965–June 15, 1967• pages 11–24• 7–9 p.m.• John 4:7–6:1• $5,000–$15,000

According to the Chicago Manual, the en dash also is “used in place of a hyphen in a compound adjective when one of the elements of the adjective is an open compound (such as ‘New York’) or when two or more of the elements are hyphenated compounds.” Chicago lists the following examples:

• New York–London flight• post–Civil War period• quasi-public–quasi-judicial body• pre–physical therapy

Hyphen [-]

Hyphenation of proper nouns is hotly debated. To maintain consistency, we follow the common practice of eliminating hyphens in proper nouns and modifiers:

• He is an African American.• Asian Americans are a growing segment of the student body.• She studies African American poets.• Native American traditions are celebrated on campus.

Used to aid clear communication when compound modifiers precede a noun, except — according to the AP Stylebook — for “the adverb ‘very’ and all adverbs that end in ‘–ly.’” See the AP Stylebook for additional guidelines and examples.

• student-centered curriculum• short-lived season• very short lived season• nationally ranked university

Used to eliminate duplicated vowels or tripled consonants:

• pre-empt, shell-like

Suspending Hyphen: When a series of hyphenated adjectives has a common basic element and this element is shown only with the last term, insert a “suspending hyphen” after each of the incomplete adjectives.

• Long- and short-term plans• A three- or four-color cover

Exclamation Point

Indicates extreme emphasis or excitement. Use sparingly and singly (double and triple exclamation points are redundant).

On a MAC

hold down three keys simultaneously: option and hyphen

On a PC



Grammar & PunctuationItalics

Titles of books, magazines, plays, journals, films, TV, radio programs and art exhibits are italicized.

Titles of book chapters, articles and individual TV and radio episodes are placed in quotation marks.

Numbers

Spell out numbers below nine. Use numbers for 10 and above.

Use numbers when used with financial figures, items, dimensions:

• $9 million; 6.27 billion people; 1,000 books; 12th place; 427 square feet; 6,000 miles

Spell out numbers at the beginning of a sentence, except for decades.

• 2015 is our anniversary …• Fifteen years ago, the university …

Use decimals or words to convey fractions.

• 2.5 inches• One-third of users

When numbers are adjacent, spell out one number and use numbers for the other.

• We need 100 ten-page booklets.• There were 8 six-foot-tall statues in the museum hall.

Ordinals

• Spell out first through ninth.• Starting with 10th, use numbers. Do not use superscript.• Exception: In headlines, use numbers for emphasis.

Hilltoppers Take 3rd Place in Nationals• If the ordinal is part of a name, use the name’s

standard formatting. 125th Anniversary Celebration Twentieth Century Fund He lives in the 7th Ward.

Page References

When referencing a page in text, spell out “page” and use the numeral.

• See page 84


Grammar & PunctuationParentheses

For parentheses within a sentence, a final punctuation mark goes outside the parenthesis (like this).

• John Hiatt ’99 never dreamed of starting his own cupcake stand, but there he stood in the kitchen that Friday morning, baking away (and in a “kiss the chef” apron, no less).

If material inside the parentheses within a sentence requires a concluding punctuation mark such as an exclamation point or question mark (but not a period!), the parentheses can be followed with a period (like this!).

• The class was incredibly thorough, teaching the students everything they needed to know about the history of Victorian banking (more than they probably wanted to know!).

Don’t substitute parentheses for a comma. Place a comma outside parentheses if it’s part of a clause or list that needs a comma anyway.

• He brought orange juice, bagels (including that tasty cream cheese), coffee and napkins for breakfast.

• It’s not that I mind the class (Victorian banking being a favorite subject), it’s just that I find it rather dry.

Pronoun Agreement

Correct: A facilitator should prepare his or her presentations.

Incorrect: A facilitator should prepare their presentation.

Quotation Marks

Use single quotation marks only for quotes within quotes.

• “The dirigible pilot observed that ‘His Majesty’ had arrived.”

Use the smart (“curly”) quotes,” not the straight quotation marks that denote measurement. Word processors and other programs have preference setting for making smart quotes.

Semicolon [;]

Used when the comma does not provide the required separation of information.

• The siblings Margo (Reese) Griffin ’71, of Plano; Thomas Griffin ’76, of Austin; and Alex Griffin ’77, of San Francisco, Calif., established the trust.

Used to link independent clauses when a conjunction is not used.

• The president announced the plan in mid-December; it was fully implemented by Feb. 3.

Used between items in a series when the items themselves contain commas or other marks of punctuation.

• Our athletic facilities include a 25-meter indoor pool; fitness center; gymnasium; basketball, racquetball, volleyball and tennis courts; and an intramural recreation field.

Semicolons are always placed outside of items in quotation marks.

• She always says “please”; why would she not, given her etiquette training?

NamesSpell out full name on first reference. Use person’s last name on subsequent reference. In university publications such as magazines and newsletters, highlight in bold the names of alumni, students, parents, donors, faculty members and staff, and other members of the St. Edward’s community on first reference.

• Cindy Smith ’90 has fond memories of the hilltop.• Michael Larkin, vice president for Advancement, also attended

the fundraiser.


Semesters/SeasonsCapitalize semester designations when referring to a specific year; lower case elsewhere.

• Classes for Spring 2011 begin …• During the spring semester, we offer …• Visit campus during spring break …

Organization Names and Acronyms

When referring to a proper name that is also known as an acronym, follow the organization’s full name with the acronym in parentheses on first mention if the acronym is used after first mention. (This is an exception to AP Style.)

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides student internships. Six of our students are participating in internships with the USDA.

University Names and Locations:

Follow a university’s style for presenting its name and location. If no consistent style is evident, use the full university name followed by an en-dash or comma.

• University of Texas at Austin• University of Illinois at Chicago• Texas A&M University–College Station• Texas A&M University, College Station• University of Colorado–Denver• University of Colorado, Denver


South by Southwest (SXSW)South by Southwest® (SXSW®) is a set of film, music and interactive festivals and conferences that take place in Austin, Texas, and is run by SXSW Inc. In addition to the three main South by Southwest events, SXSW Inc. produces other conferences such as: SXSWedu, a conference on educational innovation; SXSW Eco, an environmental conference; and SXSW V2V, a conference focused on innovative startups. Due to the numerous SXSW events and the lack of style guidelines from SXSW Inc., we’ve established these guidelines for our use.

How we refer to SXSW:

For the majority of university communications, we present the overarching SXSW name in this way:

First mention in body copy:

• South by Southwest® Conferences & Festivals (SXSW®)• South by Southwest® Music, Film & Interactive Conferences &

Festivals (SXSW®) (Include ® in first mention. Not required for editorial copy. If your copy does not include a second mention of the name, you may drop the (SXSW®) acronym in first mention.)

In headlines and second mention in body copy:

• South by Southwest• SXSW

When referring to specific SXSW conferences and festivals, use the names as follows:


• South by Southwest® Music & Media Conference & Festival (SXSW®)

• South by Southwest® Film Conference & Festival (SXSW®)• South by Southwest® Interactive Festival (SXSW®)

(Include ® on first mention. Not required for editorial copy. If your copy does not include a second mention of the name, you may drop the (SXSW®) acronym in first mention.)

In headlines and second mention in body copy:

• South by Southwest Music• SXSW Music• South by Southwest Film • SXSW Film• South by Southwest Interactive• SXSW Interactive

When referring to events within a specific SXSW conference and festival, use both names on first mention.


• South By Southwest® Interactive Festival (SXSW®) Gaming Expo (Include ® on first mention. Not required for editorial copy. If your copy does not include a second mention of the name, you may drop the (SXSW®) acronym in first mention.)

In headlines and second mention:

• South By Southwest Interactive-Gaming Expo• SXSW Gaming Expo


StatesWhen citing the names of towns, cities and other places, include the state abbreviation for every state except for Texas. Otherwise, when referencing a state without a town or city name, spell out the full state name.

When addressing letters, use the USPS’s two letter abbreviations (listed in parentheses).

In all other writing, spell out or abbreviate the state, using the following AP guidelines. Be consistent in the style throughout the copy.

Eight state names — Alaska (AK), Hawaii (HI), Idaho (ID), Iowa (IA), Maine (ME), Ohio (OH), Texas (TX) and Utah (UT) — and District of Columbia (DC) are not abbreviated. (The postal abbreviations are listed in parentheses.)

Use a comma after the city and after the state.

• She moved from Portland, Maine, where she served …• The program began in Las Cruces, N.M., where …

(Note: do not use the state’s postal abbreviation in a sentence.)• The conference took place in Washington, D.C., last month.

(Note: a comma is used both before and after D.C.)

Alabama: Ala. (AL)

Arizona: Ariz. (AZ)

Arkansas: Ark. (AR)

California: Calif. (CA)

Colorado: Colo. (CO)

Connecticut: Conn. (CT)

Delaware: Del. (DE)

Florida: Fla. (FL)

Georgia: Ga. (GA)

Illinois: Ill. (IL)

Indiana: Ind. (IN)

Kansas: Kan. (KS)

Kentucky: Ky. (KY)

Louisiana: La. (LA)

Maryland: Md. (MD)

Massachusetts: Mass. (MA)

Michigan: Mich. (MI)

Minnesota: Minn. (MN)

Mississippi: Miss. (MS)

Missouri: Mo. (MO)

Montana: Mt. (MT)

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)

North Carolina: N.C. (NC)

North Dakota: N.D. (ND)

Oklahoma: Okla. (OK)

Oregon: Ore. (OR)

Pennsylvania: Pa. (PA)

Rhode Island: R.I. (RI)

South Carolina: S.C. (SC)

South Dakota: S.D. (SD)

Tennessee: Tenn. (TN)

Vermont: Vt. (VT)

Virginia: Va. (VA)

Washington: Wash. (WA)

West Virginia: W.V. (WV)

Wisconsin: Wis. (WI)

Wyoming: Wyo. (WY)


Students/AlumniApply the correct Latin terminology.

• alumnus: singular, male• alumni: plural, male or male and female• alumna: singular, female• alumnae: plural, female

NOTE: “Alum” refers to a double sulfate of a trivalent metal.

When referring to student, graduation year and major:

• Joana Ortiz ’11, Global Studies

When referring to alumni, include the years they graduated or would have graduated. Include a designation for alumni from the high school or graduate programs.

• June Chen ’95 [bachelor’s degree]• Percy James hs ’67 [high school]• Laura Prasifka MBA ’98 [master’s degree]

Put “(deceased)” at the end of deceased alumni:

• Sidney Marceaux ’69 (deceased)

Use a comma between multiple degrees:

• Cullen Mitchell ’78, MAHS ’99 (bachelor’s and master’s degree)• Brother Stephen Walsh, CSC, ’62, PhD

(degree from St. Edward’s and elsewhere)• Nancy Koughan ’85, DO, MPH, MHA

(degree from St. Edward’s and elsewhere)

When referring to a married couple with the same last name who are both alumni, list their names/class years separately to avoid confusion. Include the woman’s former name in parentheses if that is how she was known as a student.

• David ’89 and Cindy (Calhoun) Smith ’90 of Austin, …• Jane (Smith) Williams ’93 has recently …

Handle references to parents of students this way:

• David ’89 and Cindy (Calhoun) Smith ’90, and their son Eric ’12 …

• David Smith ’89 and Cindy Calhoun ’90, and their son Eric Smith ’12 …

• David Smith ’89 and Cindy Calhoun ’90, parents of Eric Smith ’12 …

Do not place a graduation year after a name that includes an apostrophe (i.e. John Smith’s ’13) Rewrite to avoid this scenario.

NOTE: The apostrophe [ ’ ] — not the open, single quotation mark [ ‘ ] — is used before the year to indicate that numbers have been omitted. (It is used similarly in a contraction, such as “can’t,” to indicate omitted letters.) Most word processing software places an open, single quotation mark when a space precedes the apostrophe. To permanently place the apostrophe before the year, you must type a combination of key strokes.

On a MAC

hold down three keys simultaneously: option + shift + }

On a PC



Technology“Internet” is capitalized.

One word:

Spelling/Capitalization:Two words:

• help desk• chat room• log in (as a verb: Log in to view the video.)

No hyphenation:

• email

The proper term World Wide Web may be spelled out on first reference; however, it is acceptable to use “web” in all instances.

• website, webpage, webcast, webinar, webmaster

When listing a specific website — sometimes referred to more precisely as a URL (uniform resource locator) — omit the “http://www.” that generally precedes all website addresses. This is generally understood and simplifies the address for easy reading.

• Information is available at stedwards.edu.• Visit libr.stedwards.edu for access to our online catalog.

When listing a secure server, such as those used for online payments, list “https://” as part of the URL because the “s” after “http” indicates the site’s secure nature.

• Facebook• Flickr• Google +• Instagram• LinkedIn• MySpace

• Pinterest• Storify• Twitter• Wi-Fi• YouTube

• website• microsite• online• homepage• database• upload• download• username• password

• login (as an adjective: login name; as a noun: use your login to access your account)

• multimedia• metadata• hashtag• webpage


Time/DatesUse numerals (without zeros for even hours) when listing a time.

• The program begins at 3 p.m.• The play runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Spell out noon and midnight (but do not capitalize). It is not necessary to say or write “12 noon” or “12 midnight.”

• The office is closed from noon to 1 p.m.• 10:30 a.m.–noon• noon–3 p.m.• 4 p.m.–midnight

Months are spelled out when they stand alone or are listed with only a year. When used with a specific date, abbreviate January, February and August through December. Follow the year with a comma when used with a specific date within a sentence.

• The event takes place in February.• The event took place in February 2004.• The event took place Feb. 15, 2004, on campus.

Do not abbreviate days of the week unless pressed for space online.

Avoid using “th” after a date on formal invitations. Preferred:

• You are cordially invited to a party on Feb. 15• You are cordially invited to a party on the fifteenth of February

Use “to” in a sentence when the time or date is preceded by “from” or “between.” Use an en dash without “to” or “from.” Showtime: Thursday 5–6:30 p.m.

• The play runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.• During the years 2004–2008• From 2004 to 2008

42

TitlesCapitalize and spell out titles and rank when they precede a name.

Use lower case when titles follow a name or stand alone.

(Also see Faculty on page 27)

Professor Russell Frohardt …

Professor of Psychology Russell Frohardt …

psychology professor Russell Frohardt … (lowercase titles that are strictly occupational)

Isaiah Parker, professor of History, …

Stanley Horner, director of the MBA program at St. Edward’s …

Contact the director of Student Financial Services for assistance …

Head Coach Lindsay Gardner led her team …

Submit inquiries to the dean of the School of Humanities …

She served as interim dean of New College.

He was appointed director of Career and Professional Development.

Associate Vice President for Admission Tracy Manier spoke at …

The associate vice president for Admission, Tracy Manier, spoke at …

Karin Dicks, director of Alumni and Parent Programs, attended …

Brother Larry Atkinson, CSC, assistant director of Campus Ministry, …



TitlesWhen referring to the university president, guidelines are:

In certain cases, such as event programs, lists and quote attributions, it is acceptable to capitalize titles following a name.

George E. Martin, PhD, president of St. Edward’s University (formal communications and invitations)

George E. Martin, president of St. Edward’s University

St. Edward’s University President George E. Martin

(Avoid using: President George E. Martin, PhD)

President George E. Martin

She reports to the president of the university.

“We have a strong legacy of undergraduate accomplishment in both research and preparation for education in the medical professions.”

— William J. Quinn Professor of Biology

Do not use courtesy titles (Dr., Mr., Ms., etc.), except in letters. This applies to everyone at the university.

There is no comma before “Jr.” or in a name such as John Smith III.

Use “for” between “Vice President” and their office:

• Vice President for University Advancement


Holy Cross Style

45 HOLY CROSS STYLE

Holy Cross StyleBible References

Per a conversation with Father Louis Brusatti in September 2012, the following bibles are acceptable references:

• The Jerusalem Bible• New Catholic Bible• Revised Standard Bible• New International Version• The New American Bible, also known as The Catholic Study Bible

Please avoid referring to:

• The King James Bible• The Young People’s Bible or those with similar names• Any bibles that use “thee” and “thou” as they tend to be archaic

Catholic Church

The word “catholic” is lower case when it means “general” or “universal” and uppercase when used in the denominational sense. Guidelines for other Christian denominations and other religions are included in the AP Stylebook and the CNS Stylebook.

Abbreviate the word “saint” in proper names of saints and the places and institutions named for them: St. Edward.

The word “rosary” is all lower case.

Capitalize “church” when used in the formal name of a building, a congregation or a denomination.

• St. Ignatius Martyr Church• Roman Catholic Church• Founded by the Catholic Church

Do not capitalize “church” when used in the institutional sense or in plural uses where two formal names are combined.

• The church teaches that …• The event, sponsored by Trinity and St. Mary’s churches, offers …• The Lutheran and Episcopal churches …

Do not capitalize “council” when used alone. Upper case “C” when used with a specific name, i.e., Second Vatican Council.

Mass: Capitalize when referring to the Catholic ceremony. Do not capitalize preceding adjectives (e.g., high Mass, requiem Mass).

Do not capitalize “sacramental preparation” unless referring to a program.

• Campus Ministry offers sacramental preparation for baptism.• The Sacramental Preparation program offered by Campus

Ministry includes baptism.

HOLY CROSS STYLE 46

Holy CrossBrief History

Blessed Basil Anthony Moreau* (1799–1873), CSC, founded the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1837 in the small French town of Sainte-Croix (Holy Cross), near Le Mans, France. In 1841, Father Moreau sent six brothers and one priest — Father Edward Sorin, CSC — to the United States. In 1842, they established the first Holy Cross school in the country in South Bend, Indiana, which became the University of Notre Dame.

In 1872, Father Sorin traveled to Austin, Texas, with plans to establish a Catholic school. St. Edward’s Academy was founded in 1877 and opened for classes in 1878. In 1885, the academy secured its charter as a college, and in 1925, it received its university charter.

Preferred styles for Moreau:

• Blessed Basil Moreau, CSC• Father Moreau or Basil Moreau (second reference)

*NOTE: The French spelling of Moreau’s first name is “Basile.”

We use the English version of “Basil.”

As of Sept. 15, 2011, St. Edward’s University is part of the Moreau Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross. The Province Center (headquarters) for Moreau Province is located adjacent to the St. Edward’s campus.

Holy Cross Institute

St. Edward’s is home to the Holy Cross Institute, which forms a Catholic community of learning and practice for Congregation of Holy Cross educators in the U.S. and beyond.

Use “Congregation of Holy Cross,” never these:

• Wrong: “Holy Cross Congregation”• Wrong: “Congregation of the Holy Cross”• Wrong: “The Congregation of Holy Cross” (when used as the

congregation’s name)

Do not capitalize “congregation” when used in the institutional sense.

• During the congregation’s first years …

Do not capitalize “heritage” when used with these proper names:

• Holy Cross heritage• Catholic heritage

As of 2010, “Founders Day” is no longer possessive. The holiday honors Father Edward Sorin, CSC, and the Holy Cross founders of St. Edward’s.

47 HOLY CROSS STYLE

Members of Religious OrdersPriests may be referred to as Reverend or Father. Reverend is usually reserved for formal uses in letters and introductions. Father, the more common and informal term, is used in most instances at St. Edward’s.

Bishops also may be referred to formally as Most Reverend.

Abbreviations for religious orders have no periods between letters and are always bracketed by commas. (comma space CSC comma)

• Brother John Paige, CSC, will lead the discussion.

When referring to a member of a religious order, use the person’s full name in the first reference.

• Brother John Paige, CSC, …• Father Peter Walsh, CSC, …• Sister Donna Jurick, SND, …

Holy Cross Brothers with degrees from St. Edward’s must have “, CSC,” between the name and their graduation year:

• Brother Stephen Walsh, CSC, ’62, PhD

Always capitalize and spell out the title “Brother,” “Sister,” “Father,” etc.; do not abbreviate (no Br., Bro., Sr., Fr.).

In formal communications, use the person’s last name on second reference.

• Brother Paige• Father Walsh• Sister Jurick

If communication recipients are familiar with St. Edward’s, use the person’s first name on second reference if he/she is known by that name.

• Brother John• Father Peter• Sister Donna

Do not capitalize “priest” or “brothers” except in the phrases “Holy Cross Brothers” and “Holy Cross Priests” (i.e. “student brothers,” “the priests and brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross”)


Writing and Proofreading Guidelines

49 WRITING AND PROOFREADING GUIDELINES

Active VoiceCreate dynamic and powerful writing by using active verbs instead of passive verbs. When the sentence is written in the active voice, the subject performs the action. When a sentence is written in the passive voice, the subject is acted upon.

Passive

The verb contains a form of the verb “to be”:

• Instead of: The budget was presented to the staff by the department head.

• Use: The department head presented the budget to the staff.

The main verb is written in the past form.

• Instead of: It was recommended that the policy be changed.

• Use: Tom recommended that the policy be changed.

The sentence often has a “by” phrase:

• Instead of: A study of the report was made by Jones.

• Use: Jones studied the report.

Disadvantages of the passive:

It is wordy and roundabout.

It muddles the meaning and hides responsibility.

It is unnatural and dull.

But the passive is not always bad. It is appropriate when:• “Doer” is unknown.

The stadium was built in 1974.• “Doer” is unimportant.

Your books were shipped yesterday.• “Doer” is better left unsaid. Use tact.

Your invoice was written for the wrong amount.

WRITING AND PROOFREADING GUIDELINES 50

Common Usage ErrorsAdmissionAlways singular (e.g., Office of Admission, admission counselor, admission application).

Advisor/AdviserSpelled “advisor,” not “adviser,” an exception to AP style.

Affect/Effect• Affect: a verb. Means “to influence, change or assume.”

– The concert affected me emotionally. I affected an English accent for the play.

• Effect: usually a noun. Means “a result or impression.” – The long-term effect will be decreased sales.

• When used as a verb, it means “to bring about.” – It is essential that we effect a change.

Altogether/All Together• Altogether: means “entirely.”

– He is altogether too lazy to get anything done.• All together: means “in a group”

– The papers are all together in the folder I gave you.

Among/Between• Among: use when referring to more than two persons or things.

– The prices are to be divided among the five players.• Between: use when referring to two persons or things.

– There are distinct personality differences between Charlie and Sara.

Bad/Badly• Bad: use the adjective after the verb “feel” or “look” (not the

adverb “badly”). – I feel bad about the misunderstanding.

Campuswide/University-wide

When wide can be combined with another word and still be readable, we use it without a hyphen or break, as in campuswide event, statewide referendum, nationwide celebration or countrywide phenomenon. With university or company, however, we use a hyphen with the compound when it appears before whatever it modifies and an open compound when it appears after: “a university-wide survey and a survey that was university wide.” (See “Words to Watch Out For” on page 56.)

Capital/Capitol• Capital: a city.• Capitol: a building.

CommunicationAlways singular when referring to the St. Edward’s University major and program.

Compose/Comprise• Compose: means “to make up.” • Comprise: means “to include, contain, consist of.”• The parts compose the whole, and the whole comprises

the parts. – Four work teams compose (make up) the department. – The department comprises (consists of) four work teams.

Different FromThings and people are different from, not different than, one another.

• John’s car is different from Megan’s.

51

Each Other/One Another• Each other: use to refer to two persons or things.

– The two contestants were jealous of each other’s winnings.• One another: use to refer to more than two persons or things.

– The four partners congratulated one another.

Fiscal Year/FY• Spell out and cap “Fiscal Year” on first reference and in later

references when space permits. If pressed for space, especially in charts, use “FY”: – Fiscal Year 2012 – FY 2012

Ensure/Insure/Assure• Ensure: means “to make certain.”

– I want to ensure that this gets done.• Insure: means “to protect against loss.”

– I want to insure this bracelet for $1,000.• Assure: means “to give someone confidence.”

– I want to assure you that everything will be on time.

Freshman/Freshmen• Use “freshman” as a noun and as an adjective.

– I will be a freshman in the spring. – The freshman class of 2011 is the largest yet.

• Use “freshmen” only as a noun. – Incoming freshmen should sign up for classes by the deadline.

Fulbright Scholarship/Fulbright StudentGraduating college seniors in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program may be referred to as “Fulbright Students,” “Fulbright U.S. Students,”

“Fulbrighters,” “Fulbright Fellows” or “Fulbright Scholars.” For consistency, we use “Fulbright Students” as the common description. For more details and guidelines about the Fulbright Program, see page 28.

Good/Well• “Good” is an adjective.

– Sally got a good grade on her paper.• “Well” is usually used as an adverb.

– They did the job as well as they could.• “Well” may be used as an adjective to refer to the state of

someone’s health. – She doesn’t feel well today.

Into/In to• Into: a preposition. It indicates entry, insertion or transformation.

– She jumped into the pool. (entry) – She dropped her books into the box. (insertion) – She puts her faith into action through service. (transformation)

• In to: a combination of the adverb “in” + the preposition “to.” Often part of phrasal verbs or is used to mean “in order to.” – She gave in to his demands. – She went in to get out of the rain.Common Usage Errors

It’s/Its• It’s: the contraction of it is.

– It’s my coat.• Its: the possessive form.

– What is its name?

Common Usage Errors

WRITING AND PROOFREADING GUIDELINES

52

Lay/Lie• Lay: means “to put” or “to place” and requires an object.

– Lay the papers on the table.• Lie: means “to recline, rest, or stay.”

– He is lying on the floor.

Like/Such as/As• Like: use to compare with nouns and pronouns.

– Right: “Jim blocks like a pro.” – Wrong: “He worshipped pros like Joe Namath and

Refrigerator Perry.” [in the above example, there’s nothing to compare]

• Such as: use as a synonym of “for example.” – He worshipped pros such as Joe Namath and

Refrigerator Perry.• As: use when comparing with phrases and clauses that contain

a verb. – Jim blocks the linebacker as he should.

Merit and Need Awards• Alone: merit-based awards, need-based awards,• Together: merit- and need-based awards.

Over/More Than• Over: refers to spatial relationships.

– The plane flew over the city.• More than: use with figures.

– There were more than 1,000 fans in the crowd.

Common Usage ErrorsPercent %

For marketing and promotional copy, always use the % mark in headlines, subheads and body copy.

For percentages in academic and editorial writing, either spell out “percent” or use the percent mark, keeping the style consistent throughout.

RSVP

Use “RSVP by …” or “Please reply by …” but never “Please RSVP by.”

Scholarship• University style no longer uses “scholar award.”

Use “scholarship” instead.

Sign-up/Sign up

Noun: “sign-up”

Adjective: “sign-up”

Verb: “sign up”

• “I can’t wait to sign up for the Residence Hall Sign-Up to complete my sign-up activities.”

(See “Words to Watch Out For” on page 58 for more examples.)

T-shirt

Not “t-shirt” – capitalize the T.


53

That/Which• That: tends to restrict the reader’s thought and direct it the way

you want it to go. – The lawnmower that is in the garage needs sharpening. (We

have more than one lawnmower, and the one in the garage needs sharpening.)

• Which: a nonrestrictive term that introduces a nonessential clause set off with commas. – The lawnmower, which is in the garage, needs sharpening. – Our lawnmower needs sharpening: it’s in the garage.

United States• “United States” and “U.S.” are used as a noun.

– At colleges located outside the United States … – At colleges located outside the U.S. …

• Use “U.S.” as an adjective. – At U.S. colleges …

• In headlines, use “US” (no periods).• Use “USA” (no periods) for the abbreviated form of United States

of America.

Unique

Avoid using the term “unique” as a descriptor — nothing is. Opt instead for terms such as individual, uncommon, special, rare, etc.

URLs• When presenting a URL in a callout, if possible, set up on two

lines, with the URL on a dedicated line and bolded. Do not bold the period that follows the url. – Apply today for Spring 2015 admission at stedwards.edu.

• Whenever possible, try not to split the URL between lines. If you must, insert the line break between punctuation within the address. – stedwards.edu/academics/

masters/supportservices

Upon/On• Use “upon” and “on” interchangeably to indicate position in

contact with the top surface of an object, such as a table. – The book was placed on/upon the table.

• Use “on” for all other instances. – The light is on. She arrived on time.

Who/Whom• Who: use whenever “he, she, they, I, or we” could be substituted

in the “who” clause. – Who is arranging the conference call? (He is arranging the

conference call.)• Whom: use whenever “him, her, them, me, or us” could be

substituted as the object of the verb or as the object of a preposition in the “whom” clause. – The man to whom I was referring was Bob. (I was referring to

him.)

Whose/Who’s• Whose: the possessive form of “who.”

– Whose car is it? (It is hers.)• Who’s: a contraction that means “who is” or “who has.”

– Who’s the owner of that car? Who’s had the most sleep?


Common Usage Errors

54

Proofreader Marks

49St. Edward’s University Communication Style Guide, v.2.0

Proofreader MarksINSERT TEXT She earned a degree. /bachelor’s

REPLACE TEXT She earned a master’s degree. /bachelor’s

DELETE TEXT He cannot enroll in the program.

DELETE/CLOSE SPACE He ennrolled in the program.

LEAVE UNCHANGED He does not want to apply. STET

INSERT PERIOD Join our community Apply now.

INSERT COMMA Contact us by email phone or mail. ,

INSERT COLON Use two colors blue and gold. :

INSERT SEMI-COLON They ask we answer. ;

INSERT APOSTROPHE It s a liberal arts college. ‘

INSERT QUOTATIONS It’s a beautiful campus, she said. “/”

INSERT PARENTHESIS It’s the best currently available. (/)

INSERT BRACKETS It’s the best currently available. [/]

INSERT ELLIPSIS and so on ...

INSERT LEADERS $24.50 ... INSERT HYPHEN The university is very well respected. =/

MAKE ITALIC The university is very well-respected. ital

MAKE BOLD The university is very well-respected. bf

MAKE BOLD ITALIC The university is very well-respected. bf & ital

MAKE ROMAN The university is very well-respected. rom

MAKE LIGHTER FACE The university is very well-respected. lf

CAPITALIZE The mba is a popular program. CAP

MAKE LOWER CASE The MBA is a POPULAR program. lc

CAP & SMALL CAP edshare provides easy access CAP & sc

NEW PARAGRAPH Visit our campus. Would you like

NO NEW PARAGRAPH Visit our campus. Would you like

MOVE TO NEXT LINE Scholarships totaled more than $50 runover million last year.

MOVE UP FROM NEXT LINE Scholarships totaled $50 million last year. move up

WRONG FONT We challenge students to excel. wf

TRANSPOSE LETTER We challenge students ot excel. tr

TRANSPOSE WORD We challenge to students to excel. tr

INDENT TEXT We challenge students to excel. indent

NO INDENTATION We challenge students to excel. flush

ADD SPACE Students gain a globalperspective.

CLOSE UP SPACE Students gain a glo bal perspective.

EQUALIZE SPACE Students gain a global perspective. eq

MOVE TEXT students gain a global perspective during their time at St. Edward’s tr

CENTER TEXT Students gain a global perspective. center

MOVE TEXT RIGHT 2012 Enrollment

MOVE TEXT LEFT 2012 Enrollment

INSERT UNDERSCORE 2012 Enrollment

DELETE UNDERSCORE 2012 Enrollment

ALIGN HORIZONTALLY Students learn to think critically align

ALIGN TEXT/ Students learn to think critically, communicateCOLUMN VERTICALLY effectively, appreciate diversity and

INSERT LEADING Students learn to think critically, communicate effectively,appreciate diversity and

DECREASE LEADING Students learn to think critically, communicate

effectively, appreciate diversity and

SPELL OUT Vice Pres.

INSERT EM DASH Study abroad the best way to discover

INSERT EN DASH 2012 2013

CORRECTION NEEDED

No

sp

TEXT MARK-UP MARGIN NOTE CORRECTION NEEDED TEXT MARK-UP MARGIN NOTE

reduce

M1

N1


55

Web Copy GuidelinesStrive for simplicity.

When writing for the web, keep copy simple, easy to scan and short. Large blocks of text are uninviting and bury important information. Break your copy into small, digestible chunks. Organize content in the simplest way possible with the most important information first, at the top of the page. Use straightforward heads and subheads whenever possible.

Apply this test.

Is my copy: Concise? Scannable? Objective?

Concise

Practice brevity. Write short, concise sentences. Avoid extraneous words and phrases that aren’t essential to your point.

Scannable

Use lists, subheads and other formatting tools whenever possible. Emphasize with italics and bullets. Keep paragraphs short. Make exceptions for easier scanning (3 vs. three, % vs. percent).

Objective

Don’t embellish. Use detail, not adjectives. Write clearly without jargon; use your audience’s language instead.


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Words To Watch Out ForOur usage of the following terms:

• award-winning (hyphenate)

• campuswide (one word)

• check-in (noun/adj./adverb)

• check in (verb)

• checkout (noun/adj./adverb)

• check out (verb)

• coed (one word)

• coeducational (one word)

• coursework (one word)

• credit-bearing (hyphenate)

• creditworthy (one word)

• doubleheader (one word)

• extracurricular (one word)

• farmwork (one word)

• farmworker (noun or adj.)

• firsthand (one word)

• full-time (adjective)

• full time (adverb)

• fundraiser / fundraising (one word)

• hilltop (lowercase)

• Hilltopper (cap “H”)

• HillRaisers (cap “H” & “R”)

• Homecoming (cap “H”)

• homepage (one word)

• jumpstart (one word)

• lifelong (one word)

• log in (verb)

• login (noun/adj./adverb)

• nonprofit (one word)

• on-site (hyphenate)

• postdoctoral (one word)

• postgraduate (one word)

• pre-professional (hyphenate)

• pre–physical therapy (en dash)

• problem solving (noun)

• problem-solving (adjective)

• sign-up (noun/adj./adverb)

• sign up (verb)

• slideshow (one word)

• spring break (lowercase)

• Strategic Plan 2015 (cap “S” & “P”)

• study abroad (never hyphenate)

• student-athlete (hyphenate)

• university-wide (adjective)

• university wide (adverb)

• upper-division (adjective)

• upper division (adverb)

• well-being (hyphenate)

• work-study (adjective)

• work study (noun)

• worldview (one word)

• world-class (hyphenate)


57

Writing Techniques1. Start in the middle.

Tune your ear to leave off the initial part of a sentence and get straight to the meat.

(better) Drop everything but the meat.

2. Be interesting.

Find contrast. Find irony. Find wonder.

• Same as it ever was. In a city where things are always changing, we find it refreshing that the spring-fed water at Barton Springs, Austin’s most beloved outdoor swimming hole, holds steady at 68 degrees.

3. Horde details.

Web copy delivers bite-sized information.

• Who is Alejandro Aravena? Harvard lecturer. Three-time author. Jury-wowing architect. See how Aravena redefines

“residence hall.”

4. Enable choices.

Most copy leads to a decision. Inform your audience, and they’ll choose what interests them most.

• Academic Exploration Program Undecided about your major? The Academic Exploration Program helps you sort through our academic programs and make a well-considered choice of a major — one that ignites your passion, builds on your talents and prepares you to make an impact. Learn more »

• Study Abroad » Ready to explore other cultures? International learning abounds at St. Edward’s and is essential in preparing you for an interconnected world. Gain a global perspective through our study abroad programs, exchange programs with international partners, service-learning courses, faculty-led field opportunities and more. Learn more »

5. Maintain warmth.

Avoid embellishment, but don’t settle for institutional coldness. Be conversational. Personalize the copy and feel free to write to the “you” or “you understood” noun style.

• Instead of: You may be interested in accessing our guide for more information.

• Use: Download the guide now to find out more.

In this example, words such as “wishing,” “select” and “variety” keep tone warm/upbeat while delivering facts.

• Beyond Freshman Year Sophomores and upperclassmen wishing to remain in on-campus housing select from a variety of dorm and apartment-style options, all based on availability.


58

Writing Techniques6. Tell a story.

Brevity should never trump story.

• Father Paul J. Foik, CSC Looking for any edge in passing that mid-term or completing a final paper? It’s become tradition for students to rub the nose of a plaque honoring former University librarian Father Paul J. Foik, CSC, set just outside the entrance of Trustee Hall. Foik was far more than a bookworm — during the height of anti-Catholic bigotry in the mid-1920s, Foik mobilized a number of diocese leaders across Texas to stand up to forces such as the Ku Klux Klan.

7. Sweat every headline.

It may be all someone reads.

• Belly Flop at Barton Springs• Learn to Texas Waltz at Gruene Hall• Make a Night of Bat-Watching• Find Your Musical Groove• Get to Know Lyndon and Lady Bird

8. Call website visitors to action.

Sell your idea first, then call to action without being pushy. Repeat yourself naturally but not excessively. Address your audience’s needs.

• Spring Break is a great time to visit St. Edward’s. Tour our campus. See what it’s really like to be a student here. Schedule your campus visit today!

Consider the page’s flow.• Write important copy above the fold.• Web copy should have a goal. What does your audience want?

Guide readers to the solution.• Start with the juicy parts – main point first, details following.• Make the destination of all links clear. Use action phrases. Avoid

web-specific words such as “click here.”

Format your copy deck clearly.• Use the current URL to reference existing pages.• Italicize and reference a full page link within the copy document.

Give to The St. Edward’s Fund. [http://www.stedwards.edu/support]

• Page break for each new web content page in your Word document.


CHAPTER | PAGE TITLECHAPTER | PAGE TITLE

ResourcesBranding Standards and Graphic Identity

For questions related to Brand and Style Guidelines, call the Marketing Office at 512-448-8775.

Athletic Identities and Usage

For questions related to the Athletic Identities and Usage, call Debbie Taylor at 512-448-8744.

University Stationery and Business Cards

For questions related to or placing orders for university stationery and business cards, call the Copy Center at 512-448-8586.

Documents

St. Edward's University Communications Style Guide