University Marketing and Communications

Style Guide Quick Tips

Academic Degrees

  • In text, spell out and lowercase the name of the degree. Use an apostrophe in bachelor's degree, a master's, etc., but there is no possessive in bachelor of arts, master of science, or associate degree. It is okay to use the degree acronyms-M.A. and B.A.-for major options in flyers.
  • For MBA, MPAcc, and PA do not use periods. Ph.D. and Pharm.D. use periods.
  • Use doctoral degree or doctorate in text.

Addresses

Abbreviate Ave., St., and Blvd. when they are preceded by a street name and number. Always spell out Drive and Road.

Alumni Names/Graduation Year

  • One degree, use an apostrophe and last two digits of graduation year.
  • Two degrees, list the bachelor's degree first.
  • Married alumni, list graduation year after first name and list the alumnus first.
  • When only one person is a graduate of Butler, list them first.

Ampersand (&)

Use the ampersand only when it is part of a company's formal name, composition title, or professional title.

Bullets

Unless the list has just one or two words, put a period at the end of each bulleted item. Capitalize the first letter in each bulleted item.

Capitalization

  • Capitalize acronyms, formal names, nationalities, nicknames, proper nouns, races, and tribes.
  • Capitalize and spell out names of centers, departments, divisions, and offices on all references in first reference. Use lowercase or an acronym in second reference.

Doctor/Dr.

Use Dr. before a professor's name only in formal academic programs (i.e. Commencement). The use of Dr. when referring to a medical doctor should be used in all instances.

Em Dash (-)

Use to denote an abrupt change in thought in a sentence or an emphatic pause. Do not put spaces on both sides.

En Dash (-)

En dash is used to connect numbers (chapters, years, etc.), and, less often, words.

Names

Use an individual's first and last name in first reference. It is acceptable to use the first name only on second reference in less formal communications, such as a message to the campus community or a letter to a donor following a meeting.

Numbers

Spell out numbers under 10.

Percent

With the exception of use in advertisements, spell out percent in text rather than use the symbol (%).

Period (spacing)

Only put one space after a period.

Titles

  • Capitalize formal titles when they appear before a person's name.
  • Do not capitalize titles if they are informal (e.g., University spokesman Marc Allan…),
  • Adjectives that designate the status of a title should be lowercase.
  • Common title abbreviations include Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Rep., the Rev., and Sen.

University

Uppercase the word University in text when referring to Butler University.