Style Guide | May 2015
College of Humanities Style Guide 2
Table of Contents
Introduction
3
Grammar
4
Usage
4
Punctuation
5
Spelling, Distinctive Treatment of Words, and Compounds
7
Names and Terms
8
Numbers
14
Abbreviations
15
Foreign Languages
17
Social Media
17
Documentation
17
Index
18
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College of Humanities Style Guide 3
Introduction
BYU’s College of Humanities strives for a consistent image in both print and online communication. This
style guide outlines both the style and usage principles for communication within the College of
Humanities.
Within BYU’s College of Humanities, there are two main communication styles: (1) general
communications and (2) news and media communications. This style guide outlines the principles to be
followed for both types of communication
For all general communication, the College of Humanities follows the principles as outlined in the
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition),1 as well as Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (or mw.com), the BYU Style Guide,2 the Style Guide for Publications of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints (4th Edition). Emphasis and exceptions to those principles are outlined in this style guide.
Writing that falls under general communication includes the alumni newsletter, website content, the
magazine, weekly events email, and posters.
For all news and media communications, the College of Humanities follows the principles as outlined in
the Associated Press Stylebook 2013. Emphasis and exceptions to those principles are outlined in this
style guide. Social media and news articles for the website are considered news and media
communications.
1
2
The Chicago Manual of Style can be accessed through the BYU Library webpage (http://lib.byu.edu/) with a BYU Net ID.
BYU Style Guide (July 6, 2012). http://styleguide.byu.edu/.
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Grammar
Parallel Structure
Keep sentences and phrases parallel. “Every element of a parallel series must be a functional match of the
others . . . and serve the same grammatical function in the sentence.” (Chicago 5.212)
He read from Moby-Dick, quoted To Kill a Mockingbird, and explained Pride and Prejudice.
NOT
The professor read from Moby-Dick, quotes many things from To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as
explaining themes from Pride and Prejudice.
In sentences with series, repeat the preposition or determiner (i.e., a or the) with every element unless
they are all the same preposition or determiner. (Chicago 5.213)
I studied in my apartment, in the library, and outside.
I studied in the library, Wilkinson Center, and dorms.
NOT
I studied in my apartment, in the library, and in the park.
I studied in the library, the Wilkinson Center, and the dorms.
Indefinite Pronouns
When an indefinite pronoun is the subject of a verb, it is usually singular. (Chicago 5.64)
Possessives
For both general and media writing, use AP style. The general rule is that singular nouns should have an
apostrophe and an s (e.g., house’s roof, cat’s food, hostess’s dining room). Plural nouns not ending in s
should also have an apostrophe and an s (e.g., alumni’s contribution, women’s voices); plural nouns
ending in s only require an apostrophe (e.g., ships’ sails, girls’ toys). Proper nouns ending in s only
require an apostrophe (e.g., Achilles’ heel, Descartes’ theories, Euripides’ dramas, Jesus’ life)
Usage
Word Usage
Refer to Chicago 5.220 for a list of problematic words and phrases.
Avoiding Biased Language (Chicago 5.221–5.230)
Pronouns should match the nouns they refer to in number, so avoid the singular “they,” etc., in attempts to
avoid sexist language. If possible, avoid the clunky “his or her” pronoun set. In most cases, a revision of
the sentence can avoid the need to use gender-specific pronouns (see Chicago 5.225).
Students will receive their scholarship awards by June 10.
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NOT
Each student will receive his scholarship award by June 10.
Each student will receive his or her scholarship award by June 10.
Avoid irrelevant personal characteristics such as sex, race, ethnicity, disability, age, religion, sexual
orientation, or social standing.
The writing TA helped me get an A on my history paper
NOT
The Hispanic writing TA helped me get an A on my history paper.
Punctuation
Punctuation and Spacing
One space, not two, should be used between sentences and most punctuation. Two spaces can be easily
removed through the search and replace function. (Chicago 6.7)
Punctuation and Quotation Marks
Periods and commas precede closing quotation marks. Colons and semicolons follow closing quotation
marks. Exclamation points and question marks follow closing quotation marks unless they belong to the
quoted matter. (Chicago 6.9–6.10).
The dean said, “Humanities are important.”
The professor asked, “What is the topic of your paper?”
Did the professor say, “No one received an A”?
NOT
The dean said, “Humanities are important”.
The professor asked, “What is the topic of your paper”?
Did the professor say, “No one received an A?”
Commas are used before quotations unless the quotation is introduced by that, which or a similar
conjunction (Chicago 6.50).
The dean said, “Humanities are important.”
The dean said that “Humanities are important.”
NOT
The dean said “Humanities are important.”
The dean said that, “Humanities are important.”
A comma is not needed before the word entitled or the like (see usage in Chicago 14.6 text).
Albert Smith’s award-winning article entitled “Blooming Fields in May” was inspired by his
childhood memories on the Isle of Man.
Quotations within Quotations
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Use single quotation marks within already existing double quotations. When single quotation marks
appear next to double quotation marks, use a thin space between the two marks. (Chicago 6.11)
The homework instructed, “Read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘The Birthmark.’”
Use curly or smart quotes rather than straight quotes.
Serial comma
Use the serial comma for general writing (Chicago 6.18).
I studied English, Latin, and Greek.
Avoid the serial comma in media writing (AP 305), unless a complex series would benefit from the
comma.
I studied English, Latin and Greek.
The main points to consider are whether the athletes are skillful enough to compete, whether they
have the stamina to endure the training, and whether they have the proper mental attitude.
Dashes
In general writing, the em dash and en dash are used distinctively (Chicago 6.75–6.91). The em dash is
used for parenthetical or interjecting information. The en dash is used to connect numerals. The hyphen is
used for compound words.
The professor spoke Latin—as in ancient times—and French.
March 13–19, 2014
NOT
The professor spoke Latin – as in ancient times – and French.
March 13-19, 2014
In media writing, an en dash, or “dash,” is used in place of the em dash (AP 307). Also in media writing,
hyphens replace where en dashes would be (AP 309). Hyphens are also used with compound words.
The professor spoke Latin – as in ancient times – and French.
March 13-19, 2014
NOT
The professor spoke Latin—as in ancient times—and French.
March 13–19, 2014
For compound words, use Merriam-Webster to determine whether a term is an open, closed, or
hyphenated compound. Also, the hyphenation table found in Chicago 7.85 or online at
chicagomanualofstyle.org is a helpful resource.
Apostrophes
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When apostrophes are used to stand in for missing letters or numerals, be sure the apostrophe faces the
correct way. (Chicago 6.114)
The building was built in the ’90s.
NOT
The building was built in the ‘90s.
Spelling, Distinctive Treatment of Words, and Compounds
Plurals of Compound Nouns
(Chicago 7.7)
bachelors of science
masters of arts
Plurals of Proper Nouns
An apostrophe is never used to form the plural of a family name. (Chicago 7.8)
The Smiths study at BYU.
NOT
The Smith’s study at BYU
Emphasis
Use italics for emphasis sparingly. Do not use capital letters or set whole words in capitals for emphasis
(Chicago 7.47–7.48).
Non-US Spelling
Chicago prefers to change spelling to match American spelling for consistency (i.e., colour to color). In
quoted material, spelling is left unchanged. (Chicago 7.3) Merriam-Webster is our dictionary of choice in
determining spelling.
Foreign Words
In general writing, use italics for unfamiliar foreign words. If the word is repeated throughout a work, use
italics only on the first reference. A translation following a foreign word or phrase is enclosed in
parentheses. (Chicago 7.49-50)
The natives taught the professor the word pescar (to fish).
In media writing, foreign words are put in quotation marks and explained (AP 110). Use quotation marks
only on the first reference.
The natives taught the professor “pescar,” a Spanish word meaning “to fish.”
However, foreign proper nouns are not italicized. (Chicago 7.51)
We studied the history of la Ciudad de Mexico.
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Computer Terms
Similar to most professional news outlets, follow modern practices for tech terms.3
email, the web, website, webpage, homepage, e-book, e-commerce
NOT
e-mail, the Web, web site, web page, home page
Articles written on blogs are posts, not blogs. Also, blog should not be capitalized unless it is part of the
official name of the blog.
The Humanities+ blog is a great resource for students
NOT
The Humanities+ Blog is a great resource for students
Names and Terms
Capitalization Styles of Titles
For both general and media writing, use headline-style capitalization. (Chicago 8.157). Capitalize the first
and last words in titles and subtitles, all other major words (i.e., nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives,
adverbs), and some conjunctions (see Chicago 8.157 for complete rules on headline-style capitalization).
Composition Titles
In both general and media writing, use italics for larger works, including books, journals, movies, and
paintings. Use quotation marks for titles of subsections within a work, including chapter and article titles,
songs, and titles of poems in a collection. Some titles, such as websites and book series, are neither
italicized nor put in quotation marks. (Chicago 8.2)
The Grapes of Wrath, BYU Magazine
the Harry Potter series, the Aims of a BYU Education
“America the Beautiful”
When a title appears in italicized running text, such as the news synopsis at the beginning of website news
articles, put title in roman font to distinguish it as a title within the italicized text (Chicago 8.171).
BYU’s English Society celebrated the life of C.S. Lewis, the author of The Screwtape Letters.
Personal Names
Capitalize all personal names.
Kevin Worthen
3
Corbett, Philip B. “The Latest Style,” The New York Times (October 29, 2014). Accessed May 9, 2014.
http://afterdeadline.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/29/the-latest-style/
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Be sure to verify the preferred spelling of a name by asking the person or department directly. For
example, Russian professor Neal Anthony Brown may prefer to go by Tony Brown.
When making reference to a person, use their full name on the first occurrence and their last name on all
following occurrences.
Dean John Rosenberg . . . Rosenberg . . .
Graduate student Jesse Knight teaches Writing 150. Knight’s students love his class.
For non-English names, be sure to verify the use of only their last name. For example, with distinguished
English professor Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, his name literally means “Ngũgĩ, son of Thiong’o,” so it would be
appropriate to use Ngũgĩ for all references after the first full name mention. If an article mentions two
people with the same last name, first name references may be necessary. Also, with individuals that have
two last names, such as with some Spanish names, use the first surname unless the individual prefers or is
widely recognized by both (AP 225).
Gabriel Garcia Marquez . . . Garcia . . .
Gabriel Garcia Marquez . . . Garcia Marquez . . .
Refer to Chicago 8.7 to 8.17 for instructions on the use of non-English names.
Academic Titles
Verify and use the correct academic title. Use the online faculty directory or call the department.
Kimberly Johnson, associate professor of English
NOT
Kim Johnson, professor of English
Casual references to title and distinction may be appropriate, but use the correct academic title whenever
possible.
Kimberly Johnson is a professor in BYU’s English Department.
Capitalize academic titles only when they immediately precede a personal name and are used as part of
the name (Chicago 8.18; AP 3). If the title precedes a person’s first and last name, avoid capitalizing the
title.
Dean Rosenberg; Humanities College Dean Rosenberg
The dean of the College of Humanities, John Rosenberg, was reappointed.
Professor Burton;
BYU English professor Gideon Burton specializes in early British literature.
Gideon Burton, a professor of English, teaches British literature.
College Title
Capitalize the name of the university or college when the full name is used. Do not capitalize university
or college when used alone.
Brigham Young University; university
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The College of Humanities; the college; the humanities
NOT
The University; the College; the Humanities
Department, Program, and Degree Titles
Capitalize a department, program, or study when the full and actual title is used and is referring to an
official title. Lowercase in other instances (AP 3).
He is a professor in the College of Humanities.
He is a humanities professor.
I worked for the Office of Digital Humanities.
I studied digital humanities at BYU.
Make an appointment with Humanities Advisement and Careers.
The English Department is housed on the fourth floor of the Joseph F. Smith Building.
The Department of English is housed on the fourth floor of the Joseph F. Smith Building.
The American Studies Program combines coursework from many disciplines.
The advisement center is available to help students.
Students often combine a philosophy major with an editing minor.
The International Cinema shows two or three different films each week.
BYU Humanities Departments and Programs
Departments:
Asian and Near Eastern Languages
Comparative Arts and Letters
English
French and Italian
German and Russian
Linguistics and English Language
Philosophy
Spanish and Portuguese
Centers, Offices, and Programs:
American Studies Program
Humanities Advisement and Careers
Center for Language Studies
Chinese Flagship Center
English Language Center
Humanities Center
Office of Digital Humanities
Humanities Learning Resources
Humanities Publication Services
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International Cinema
Office for Christian Values in Literature
Affiliated or Jointly Sponsored Center and Programs:
Kennedy Center for International Studies
National Middle East Language Resource Center
Women’s Studies Program
Undergraduate Majors and Minors:
American studies
Arabic
art history and curatorial studies
Chinese
classics
comparative literature
digital humanities and technology
editing
English
English language
French studies
German studies
Hebrew
humanities
Italian
Japanese
Korean
language certification
linguistics
philosophy
Russian
Spanish
Scandinavian studies
women’s studies
Graduate Degrees:
art history and curatorial studies
comparative studies
English
French studies
second language teaching
l inguistics
Portuguese
Spanish
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TESOL
Humanities-Related Clubs
American Sign Language Club
Brigham Young University Italian Club
Brigham Young University Chinese Club
Brigham Young University French Club
Comparative Literature Student Association
English Society
Humanities College Student Council
Linguistics and English Language Graduate Student Society
Sigma Delta Pi
STET: The Editors’ Network
Welsh Club
Humanities Terms
Capitalize but don’t put in italics or quotation marks.
Humanities+, H+: Program to provide ideas and resources for bridging the traditional humanities
major to the professional work world.
+Humanities, +H: Program to provide students in business, social science, engineering, prelaw, etc.,
with reasons and strategies for enriching vocational training with skills provided by the College of
Humanities.
Humanities Pathways: The College of Humanities’ data visualization project.
Academic Designations
Terms denoting student status are lowercased. Names of degrees, fellowships, etc., are lowercased when
referred to generically (Chicago 8.28–8.29).
Smith was a sophomore when he decided he wanted to pursue a master’s degree.
NOT
Smith was a Sophomore when he decided he wanted to pursue a Master’s Degree.
Language certificates are capitalized when referring to the BYU Language Certificate; lowercase in
general references.
John Smith studied Spanish and received the BYU Language Certificate.
John Smith received his language certificate and is now proficient in Spanish.
Academic Degrees
(AP 3)
associate’s degree
bachelor’s degree, Bachelor of Arts
master’s degree, Master of Arts
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Humanities Lectures
P. A. Christensen Humanities Lecture
James L. Barker Lecture
Church Titles and Terms
Use the complete name of the Church—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—in the first
reference. For a subsequent reference, the full name or the contraction “the Church” are appropriate.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can be referred to as Latter-day Saints.
Regarding BYU’s relationship to the Church, “BYU is affiliated with the Church” is preferred over “BYU
is sponsored by the Church.” 4
Ethnic Groups
Be cautious of correct usage for ethnic, racial, and religious groups.
Names and adjectives of ethnic and national groups are capitalized.
Arabs, Arabian nights
the British, a British author
American Indians, American Indian paintings
African American: African American is the preferred term. Do not hyphenate as a noun or an adjective.
Black may also be used (lowercase unless the name of a specific place or organization). Context may
determine usage.5
African American students
The spectrum of black leadership
The Black Cultural Center is a base for whites as well as blacks.
Maya: Maya is used in reference to the indigenous people of southeastern Mexico and all aspects of their
culture. Except their language, for which the adjective Mayan is appropriate.
The Maya people
Maya temples
The class discussed the Maya empire.
The paper explained the Mayan language.
Historical and Cultural Terms
Periods are lowercased unless part of a proper noun (Chicago 8.70).
the twenty-first century, the nineties
the Fifth Republic
Descriptive designations for periods are lowercased unless part of a proper noun (Chicago 8.71).
4
5
BYU Style Guide (July 6, 2012). http://styleguide.byu.edu/.
Vanderbilt University Style Guide (September 2011), http://www.vanderbilt.edu/styleguide.pdf.
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the baroque period, ancient Greece, the Victorian era
Some traditional period names are capitalized to avoid ambiguity (Chicago 8.72).
the Dark Ages, the Jazz Age, the Restoration
Prehistoric cultural periods are capitalized while modern periods are often lowercased (Chicago 8.73).
the Bronze Age, the Ice Age
the age of reason, the nuclear age
Refer to Chicago 8.70–8.83 for an extensive list of capitalization rules for historical events, speeches,
cultural movements, government programs, legal cases, and awards.
Refer to Chicago 8.90–8.151 for an extensive list of rules using religious, military, and scientific names
and terms.
Names of Places
In historical works, use the form or names appropriate to the period under discussion (Chicago 8.43).
Foreign Terms for Geographical Entities
When a foreign generic term is part of the geographic name, avoid including the English term (Chicago
8.54).
The Rio Grande
The Sierra Nevada
NOT
The Rio Grande River
The Sierra Nevada Mountains
Words Derived from Proper Nouns
Adjectives derived from proper names are normally capitalized. Words derived from personal, national,
or geographical names are usually lowercased in nonliteral meanings (Chicago 8.59–8.60).
Shakespearean language.
french fries, arabic numerals
Numbers
Follow AP guidelines for issues relating to numbers (AP 194–197).
Spell out numbers smaller than 10. Use numerals for numbers 10 and above. Follow this rule even when
some of the numbers in a sentence are smaller than 10 and some are larger. Use numerals with millions
and billions, except in casual use. Percents always use numerals with percent spelled out.
One professor and 12 students went on the tour.
Thanks a million.
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A little over 5 percent of the students failed the test.
Numbers beginning a sentence are spelled out.
Thirteen students signed up for the class.
NOT
13 students signed up for the class.
With ordinal numbers, use normal font and not superscript.
He was the 9th dean of the college
NOT
He was the 9th dean of the college
Telephone numbers use numerals. The area code is not enclosed in parentheses.
801-422-2222
For number ranges, use about or a range but not both.6
The class has about 20 students.
The class has 20 to 30 students
NOT
The class has about 20 to 25 students
Abbreviations
Generally, do not use abbreviations or acronyms that readers would not quickly recognize. Spell out
abbreviations on first occurrence as a courtesy to readers who might not easily recognize them.
Abbreviation rules vary within general and media writing.
Geographical Terms
Spell out geographical terms.
The professor was born in Portland, Oregon.
NOT
The professor was born in Portland, OR.
Academic Terms
General writing omits periods (Chicago 10.20).
PhD, BA, MA, MBA
6
Corbett, Philip B. “The Latest Style,” The New York Times (October 29, 2014). Accessed May 9, 2014.
http://afterdeadline.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/29/the-latest-style/
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Media writing abbreviations take periods (AP 1-2).
Ph.D., B.A., M.A., M.B.A.
Dates and Time
For time of day, lowercase and use periods.
a.m., p.m.
For systems of chronology, general writing omits periods in running text (Chicago 10.39) while media
writing uses periods. Also, AD comes before the year while BC follows the year.
General Writing: AD, BC
Media Writing: A.D., B.C.
When a month is used with a specific date, abbreviate only Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. Spell
out when using alone.
The lecture will take place in October.
The lecture will take place Oct. 3, 2014.
The lecture series will take place in October 2014.
Spell out days of the week.
Professor Barnes teaches classes Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Professor Barnes cancelled class Friday, Jan. 22.
Common BYU Abbreviations
Brigham Young University
BYU
NOT
B.Y.U.
Brigham Young University Campus
BYU, BYU–Idaho, BYU–Hawaii
NOT
BYU–Provo, BYU–I, BYU–H
Campus buildings: Spell out campus buildings and places for general reference on first use; abbreviations
may be used in subsequent uses. See list of campus buildings and abbreviations at the back of the BYU
directory. It may be appropriate to use the abbreviated terms for addresses.
BYU Television
BYUtv, KBYU
BYU Student Service Administration
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BYUSA
Grade Point Average
General Writing: GPA
Media Writing: G.P.A.
Common BYU Humanities Abbreviations
Asian and Near Eastern Languages (ANEL)
Comparative Arts and Letters (CAL)
International Cinema (IC)
Foreign Languages
Refer to Chicago 11 for extensive instructions regarding foreign language.
Because there are various languages and studies within the humanities, depending on context, it may be
appropriate to use common foreign spelling. For example, if the text is about a Spanish lecture, it may be
preferable to use “Quijote” instead of the common English spelling “Quixote.” In all cases, verify
accuracy and context. If in doubt, ask a professor or scholar of the given topic.
Social Media
For social media, follow the media style in writing.
Refer to AP’s “Social Media Guidelines” (AP 372-378) for an extensive list of key terms and definitions
of social media.
Some websites and social media pages may have limited text-formatting features, such as the inability to
use italics, etc. In these cases, refer to the AP style (AP 63), which uses quotation marks in place of italics
for composition and other titles.
Documentation
Use in-text citations if there are two or fewer citations in the article. An in-text citation can simply be the
author and title in parentheses. If there are more than two, use MLA- or Chicago-style endnotes (be
consistent throughout an entire piece or publication).
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities).
Since most college communication is not that of an academic journal, if the context provides enough
information about the source, no citation is needed.
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BYU’s mission is “to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.”
Index
A
a.m., p.m.
abbreviations: Generally, do not use abbreviations or acronyms that readers would not quickly
recognize. Spell out abbreviations on first occurrence as a courtesy to readers who might not easily
recognize them. Spell out geographical terms. For academic terms, general writing omits periods (e.g.,
PhD, BA, MA, MBA); media writing abbreviations take periods (e.g., Ph.D., B.A., M.A., M.B.A.). For
time of day, lowercase and use periods (a.m., p.m.). For systems of chronology, general writing omits
periods in running text (i.e., AD, BC) while media writing uses periods (i.e, A.D., B.C.). Spell out days of
the week.
academic degrees: bachelor’s degree, Bachelor of Arts, doctoral degree, doctorate, master’s degree,
Master of Science. For academic abbreviations, general writing omits periods (e.g., PhD, BA, MA,
MBA); media writing abbreviations take periods (e.g., Ph.D., B.A., M.A., M.B.A.).
academic titles: Verify and use the correct academic title—use the online faculty directory or call the
department. Capitalize academic titles only when they immediately precede a personal name and are used
as part of the name (e.g., Dean Rosenberg or the dean of the College of Humanities).
African American: African American is the preferred term. Do not hyphenate as a noun or an adjective.
Black may also be used (lowercase unless the name of a specific place or organization). Context may
determine usage.
Aims of a BYU Education, The: Capitalize but don’t put in italics or quotation mark.
Alcuin fellow
Alumni Association, BYU
alumnus (male singular)
alumni (male plural, female and male plural)
alumna (female singular)
alumnae (female plural)
alum (informal male or female)
American Indian; Native Americans, Indians: Many American Indians prefer American Indian to Native
American, and in certain historical contexts, Indians may be more appropriate (Chicago 8.37).
Americana (American studies student journal)
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ampersand: Avoid using the & symbol except in titles and by necessity.
Aporia (Philosophy student journal)
Application forms: Capitalize but do not put in quotation marks.
Application for Admission to Graduate Studies
Application for Graduation
B
Barker Lecture, James L.
BYU: Not B.Y.U. Also, BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, and BYU (not BYU-Provo)
BYU Magazine (alumni magazine)
BYU Studies (scholarly journal)
BYU Student Service Association; BYUSA
BYU Television; BYUtv
Brigham Young University; BYU, the university
buildings, campus: Spell out campus buildings and places for general reference on first use. For
subsequent uses, the standard abbreviation may be used. See list of campus buildings and abbreviations at
the back of the BYU directory. It may be appropriate to use the abbreviated terms for addresses or
campus communication.
C
campuswide
capitalization styles: Use headline-style capitalization for titles in both general and media writing.
centers in the College of Humanities:
Humanities Advisement and Careers
Center for Language Studies
Chinese Flagship Center
English Language Center
Humanities Center
Office of Digital Humanities
Humanities Learning Resources
Humanities Publication Center
International Cinema
Office for Christian Values in Literature
Kennedy Center for International Studies (College of Humanities affiliated/jointly-sponsored)
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National Middle East Language Resource Center (College of Humanities affiliated/jointly
sponsored)
Christensen Humanities Lecture, P. A.
Church Education System (CES)
Church, the; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Regarding BYU’s relationship to the
Church, “BYU is affiliated with the Church” is preferred over “BYU is sponsored by the Church.”
clubs, Humanities-related:
Humanities College Student Council
Brigham Young University Italian Club
Brigham Young University Chinese Club
American Sign Language Club
Welsh Club
STET: The Editors’ Network
Sigma Delta Pi
Linguistics and English Language Graduate Student Society
English Society
Comparative Literature Student Association
Brigham Young University French Club
College of Humanities, the; the college
colloquium: Colloquium is singular. Colloquia is plural.
commencement: BYU Commencement, 132nd Spring Commencement, university commencement,
summer commencement
composition titles: In both general and media writing, use italics for larger works, including books,
journals, movies, and paintings (e.g., The Grapes of Wrath, BYU Magazine). Use quotation marks for
titles of subsections within a work, including chapter and article titles, songs, and titles of poems in a
collection (e.g., “America the Beautiful”). Some titles such as websites and book series are neither
italicized nor put in quotation marks (e.g., the Harry Potter series, the Aims of a BYU Education). When a
title appears in italicized running text, such as the news synopsis at the beginning of website news
articles, put title in roman font to distinguish it as a title within the italicized text (e.g., BYU’s English
Society celebrated the life of C.S. Lewis, the author of The Screwtape Letters.) (see Chicago 8.171).
course numbers: Capitalize and spell out (e.g., Spanish 339, Introduction to Spanish Literature).
Criterion (literary criticism publication)
D
Daily Universe: It is now The Universe.
days: Spell out days of the week.
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dashes: General writing uses the em dash for parenthetical or interjecting information, the en dash with
numerals, and the hyphen with compound words. Media writing uses the dash for parenthetical or
interjecting information and the hyphen with numerals and compound words.
dean: Dean Rosenberg, dean of the college.
departments in the College of Humanities:
Asian and Near Eastern Languages
English
French and Italian
German and Russian
Comparative Arts and Letters
Linguistics and English Language
Philosophy
Spanish and Portuguese
departments and programs: Capitalize a department or study when the full title is used (e.g., He is a
professor for the Office of Digital Humanities). Lowercase in all other instances (e.g., I studied digital
humanities). Folllowing BYU’s styleguide, department is capitalized when it comes before or after the
name of the discipline (i.e. the English Department, the Department of English).
devotionals: University Devotional Assembly, BYU devotional, devotional assemblies
documentation: Use in-text citations if there are two or fewer citations in the article. An in-text citation
can simply be the author and title in parentheses. If there are more than two citations, use MLA- or
Chicago-style endnotes (e.g., “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” (Charles Dickens, A
Tale of Two Cities)), but be consistent throughout an entire document or publication. If the context
provides enough information as to the source, no citation is needed (e.g., BYU’s mission is “to assist
individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.”).
E
e-book
e-commerce
ellipsis: For general writing, use spaces between periods (see Chicago 13.51–52). For, media writing, use
a space, three periods, and a space for ellipses (i.e., … ) (see AP “ellipses,” p. 291–292).
email
emphasis: Emphasize sparingly using italics—do not capitalize letters or words for emphasis.
eras: the ’90s
ethnic groups: Be cautious and use correct usage for ethnic, racial, and religious groups. Capitalize
names and adjectives of ethnic and national groups (e.g., British literature, African American art).
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F
fellow, fellowship: Fulbright fellow, Fulbright fellowship
foreign words: In general writing, use italics for unfamiliar foreign words on first reference. A translation
following a foreign word or phrase is enclosed in parentheses (e.g., The natives taught the professor the
word pescar (to fish).). In media writing, foreign words are put in quotation marks and explained (e.g.,
The natives taught the professor “pescar,” a Spanish word meaning “to fish.”). However, in both general
and media writing, foreign proper nouns are not italicized (e.g., We studied the history of la Ciudad de
Mexico).
foreign languages: Refer to Chicago 11 for extensive instructions regarding foreign language. Because
there are various languages and studies within the humanities, depending on context, it may be
appropriate to use common foreign spelling. For example, if the text is about a Spanish lecture, it may be
preferable to use Quijote instead of the common English spelling Quixote. In all cases, verify accuracy
and context. If in doubt, ask a professor or scholar of the given topic.
Foreign Language Student Residence (FLSR): foreign language student housing
Freshmen Seminar
full-time, part-time: The words are hyphenated only when used before a noun (e.g., My professor
teaches full time. I have class with a part-time professor).
G
GPA: grade point average; 3.5 GPA for general writing; 3.5. G.P.A. for media writing
graduate degrees in the College of Humanities:
art history and curatorial studies
comparative studies
English
French studies
second language teaching
linguistics
portuguese
Spanish
TESOL
geographical terms: Spell out place names. However, when referencing the United States in general
writing, use US as an adjective, spell out as a noun. In general writing, use Washington, DC.
When referencing the United States in media writing, use U.S. as an adjective, spell out as a noun. In media
writing, use Washington, D.C.
H
homepage
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humanities, the; the College of Humanities; Comparative Arts and Letters. Refrain from using the term
humanities department since there is no department of humanities (the department that houses the
humanities degree is the Department of Comparative Arts and Letters). See “program” for further
discussion.
Humanities+, H+: Program to provide ideas and resources for bridging the traditional humanities major
to the professional work world.
+Humanities, +H: Program to provide students in business, social science, engineering, pre-law, etc.,
with reasons and strategies for enriching vocational training with skills provided by the Humanities.
Humanities (college alumni magazine)
Humanities Pathways: The College of Humanities’ data visualization project. Capitalize but don’t put in
italics or quotation marks.
I
indefinite pronouns: Indefinite pronouns are singular when they are the subject of a verb. (e.g., Everyone
is required to take Writing 100).
Independent Study
Indian; Native Americans; American Indians, Many American Indians prefer American Indian to Native
American, and in certain historical contexts, Indians may be more appropriate (Chicago 8.37).
information desk: ASB Information Desk; WSC Information Desk
Inscape (creative writing student journal)
International Cinema: International Cinema (IC) is sponsored by the College of Humanities; an
International Cinema film, an International Cinema lecture.
International Study Programs: International Study Programs, through the David M. Kennedy Center
for International Studies, includes Study Abroad, International Volunteers, International Internships, and
Field Studies.
Internet
J
James L. Barker Lecture
J. Reuben Clark Law School; BYU Law School
journals, BYU:
BYU Magazine
BYU Studies
Humanities
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Marriott Alumni Magazine
journals, BYU student:
Americana (American studies)
Aporia (philosophy)
Criterion (literary criticism)
Inscape (creative writing)
La Marca Hispanica (Spanish)
Leading Edge (science fiction and fantasy)
Lingua Romana (French, Italian, and Romanian)
Political Review
Prelaw Review
Rice Papers (Asian ttudies)
Schwa (linguistics and English language)
Sigma (political science and international studies)
Stowaway (travel)
Studia Antiqua (classical)
Women’s Studies
K
Kennedy Center for International Studies, David M.: Should be referenced as David M. Kennedy
Center for International Studies. On subsequent use, Kennedy Center is appropriate.
L
La Marca Hispanica (Spanish student journal)
language certificates: Capitalize when referring to a BYU Language Certificate (e.g., John Smith studied
Spanish and received the BYU Language Certificate); lowercase in general references (e.g., John Smith
received his language certificate and is now proficient in Spanish).
Law School, BYU: J. Reuben Clark Law School, BYU Law School
Leading Edge (science fiction student journal)
libraries: Harold B. Lee Library, Lee Library, BYU Library; Howard W. Hunter Law Library, Hunter
Law Library, law library
Lingua Romana (French, Italian, and Romanian student journal)
M
majors: Lowercase the names of majors except those that are already part of a proper noun (e.g., English,
German studies, philosophy).
Marriott Alumni Magazine (Marriott School alumni magazine)
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Marriot School of Management; Marriot School
Maya: Maya is used in reference to the indigenous people of southeastern Mexico and all aspects of their
culture (e.g., the Maya people; Maya temples; The class discussed the Maya empire), except their
language, for which the adjective Mayan is appropriate (e.g., The paper explained the Mayan language).
mentored learning experience
mentored-student learning
Modern Language Association (MLA)
months: When a month is used with a specific date, abbreviate only Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov.,
Dec (e.g., The lecture will take place Oct. 3, 2014). Spell out the names of the months when using with
the year or alone (e.g., The lecture will take place in October).
mottoes and slogans: Capitalize and don’t put in quotation marks or capitalize the first letter and put in
quotation marks (e.g., Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve or “Enter to learn; go forth to serve”).
Multicultural Student Services
museums:
Earth Science Museum
Education in Zion Exhibit
Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum
Museum of Art
Museum of Peoples and Cultures
N
names: Capitalize personal names. Verify preferred spelling. Use a person’s full name on first reference
and use their last name on following occurrences (e.g., Dean John Rosenberg . . . Rosenberg . . . ).Verify
preferred use of non-English names (Refer to Chicago 8.7 to 8.17 for instructions on the use of nonEnglish names.)
Native American; American Indians, Indians: Many American Indians prefer American Indian to Native
American, and in certain historical contexts, Indians may be more appropriate (Chicago 8.37).
Net ID
numbers: Follow AP guidelines for issues relating to numbers (AP 194–197). Spell out numbers smaller
than 10. Use numerals for numbers 10 and above. Follow this rule even when some of the numbers in a
sentence are smaller than 10 and some are larger. Use numerals with millions and billions, except in
casual use. Percents always use numerals with percent spelled out, but avoid beginning a sentence with a
percent (e.g., More than 5 percent of the students failed the test). Numbers beginning a sentence are
spelled out (e.g., Thirteen students signed up for the class). With ordinal numbers, use normal font and
not superscript (e.g., He was the 9th dean of the college). With telephone numbers use numerals, and the
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area code is not enclosed in parentheses (e.g., 801-422-2222). For number ranges, use about or a range
but not both (e.g., The class has about 20 students or The class has 20 to 30 students).
O
off campus; on campus: No hyphenation after the noun (e.g., My apartment is off campus); hyphenate
before the noun (e.g., I live in on-campus housing).
only: Only emphasizes the word or phrase that immediately follows it.
P
P. A. Christensen Humanities Lecture
parallel structure: Keep sentences and phrases parallel (e.g., I ate cheese, bread, and soup).
periods: Time periods are lowercased unless part of a proper noun (e.g., twenty-first century). Descriptive
designations for periods are lowercased unless part of a proper noun (e.g., the baroque period, ancient
Greece, the Victorian era). Some traditional period names are capitalized to avoid ambiguity (e.g., the
Dark Ages, the Jazz Age, the Restoration). Prehistoric cultural periods are capitalized while modern
periods are often lowercased (e.g., the Bronze Age, the Ice Age, the age of reason, the nuclear age).
Political Review (student publication)
possessives: For both general and media writing, use AP style. The general rule is that singular nouns
should have an apostrophe and an s (e.g., house’s roof, cat’s food, hostess’s dining room). Plural nouns
not ending in s should also have an apostrophe and an s (e.g., alumni’s contribution, women’s voices);
plural nouns ending in s only require an apostrophe (e.g., ships’ sails, girls’ toys). Proper nouns ending in
s only require an apostrophe (e.g., Achilles’ heel, Descartes’ theories, Euripides’ dramas, Jesus’ life)
pre-engineering
predental
prelaw
Prelaw Review (student journal)
premedical
president: president of BYU, BYU President Kevin Worthen, president of the Church, President Monson
programs: The following program titles should be capitalized: American Studies Program and Women’s
Studies Program. However, do not capitalize when referring to the major or minor (i.e., women’s studies
minor and American studies major). All other degree programs should be lowercase (e.g., editing
program, French program, philosophy program, classics program).
proper nouns: Apostrophes are not used to pluralize a family name (e.g., the Smiths study at BYU).
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Q
question-and-answer session
quotations: Use quotation marks according to usage. Periods and commas precede quotation marks (e.g.,
The dean said, “Humanities are important.”); colons and semicolons follow closing quotation marks;
exclamation points and question marks follow closing quotation marks unless they belong to the quoted
matter. (e.g., The professor asked, “What is the topic of your paper?” or Did the professor say, “No one
received an A”?) Use single quotes within already existing quotation marks (e.g., The homework
instructed, “Read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘The Birthmark.’”).
R
room numbers: 4002 JFSB, 1175 Joseph Fielding Smith Building. For student and faculty
communication, building abbreviations may be appropriate; for any off-campus use, use the building’s
full name.
Rice Papers (Asian Studies student journal)
S
Salt Lake City International Airport
scholar and scholarship: Lowercase scholar (e.g., Fulbright scholar, Rhodes scholar, Sterling scholar).
Capitalize scholarship in the official name of the scholarship (e.g., National Merit Scholarship,
Presidential Scholarship).
schools:
J. Reuben Clark Law School
David O. McKay School of Education
School of Family Life
Marriot School of Management
School of Music
School of Social Work
School of Technology
semesters, terms: fall and winter semesters and spring and summer terms.
Schwa (linguistics and English language student journal)
serial comma: Use in general writing (e.g., He studied English, Spanish, and French). Avoid the serial
comma in media writing (e.g., He studied English, Spanish and French).
Sigma (political science/international studies student journal)
social media: Follow media style. Refer to AP’s “Social Media Guidelines” (AP 372–378) for an
extensive list of key terms and definitions of social media.
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spacing: Use one space, rather than two, in between sentences and after most punctuation.
state names: For media writing, use rules found in the Associated Press Stylebook under “state names.”
Stowaway (student travel journal)
Studia Antiqua (classical studies student journal)
Study Abroad Program, the; a study abroad program
T
terms, semesters: fall and winter semesters and spring and summer terms.
Testing Center
theatres and concert halls:
Department of Theatre and Media Arts
de Jong Concert Hall (Lowercase de unless it begins a sentence)
Madsen Recital Hall
Margetts Theatre
Nelke Experimental Theatre
Pardoe Theatre
Varsity Theatre
ticket office: BYU Tickets, BYU Ticket Office
Transfer Evaluation Office
U
undergraduate catalog: BYU Undergraduate Catalog. Title is capitalized only when preceded by BYU.
undergraduate degrees of the College of Humanities:
American studies
Arabic
art history and curatorial studies
Chinese
classics
comparative literature
digital humanities
editing
English
English language
French studies
German studies
Hebrew
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humanities
Italian
Japanese
Korean
language certification
linguistics
philosophy
Russian
Spanish
Scandinavian studies
United States: When referencing the United States in general writing, use US as an adjective, spell out as a
noun. When referencing the United States in media writing, use U.S. as an adjective, spell out as a noun.
Universe, the (BYU newspaper)
University Accessibility Center
University Police
V
visiting professor
Visiting Student Program, BYU
W
Washington, DC: In general writing, use Washington, DC. In media writing, use Washington, D.C.
Washington Seminar
web, the
webpage
website
who; whom: Who and whoever are nominative forms and are used as subjects and predicate nominatives
(e.g., I’ll talk to whoever will listen to me). Whom and Whomever are the objective forms and are used as
the object of a verb (e.g., Whomever you chose will suit me).
Women’s Studies (publication)
X
Y
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Y Group; Y Group leader
Y News
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