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Style Guide | May 2015

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 2

IntroductionBYU’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 m-w.com), the BYU Style Guide,2 the Style Guide for Publications of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day 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 The Chicago Manual of Style can be accessed through the BYU Library webpage (http://lib.byu.edu/) with a BYU Net ID.2 BYU Style Guide (July 6, 2012). http://styleguide.byu.edu/.



http://styleguide.byu.edu/

GrammarParallel StructureKeep 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.NOTThe 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.NOTI studied in my apartment, in the library, and in the park.I studied in the library, the Wilkinson Center, and the dorms.

Indefinite PronounsWhen an indefinite pronoun is the subject of a verb, it is usually singular. (Chicago 5.64)

PossessivesFor 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)

UsageWord UsageRefer 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.NOTEach 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 paperNOTThe Hispanic writing TA helped me get an A on my history paper.

PunctuationPunctuation and SpacingOne 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 MarksPeriods 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”?NOTThe 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.”NOTThe 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 QuotationsUse 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 commaUse 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.

DashesIn 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, 2014NOTThe 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, 2014NOTThe 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.

ApostrophesWhen 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.



NOTThe building was built in the ‘90s.

Spelling, Distinctive Treatment of Words, and CompoundsPlurals of Compound Nouns(Chicago 7.7)

bachelors of sciencemasters of arts

Plurals of Proper NounsAn apostrophe is never used to form the plural of a family name. (Chicago 7.8)

The Smiths study at BYU.NOTThe Smith’s study at BYU

EmphasisUse italics for emphasis sparingly. Do not use capital letters or set whole words in capitals for emphasis (Chicago 7.47–7.48).

Non-US SpellingChicago 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 WordsIn 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.

Computer TermsSimilar to most professional news outlets, follow modern practices for tech terms.3

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/



email, the web, website, webpage, homepage, e-book, e-commerceNOTe-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 studentsNOTThe Humanities+ Blog is a great resource for students

Names and TermsCapitalization Styles of TitlesFor 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 TitlesIn 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 Magazinethe 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 NamesCapitalize all personal names.

Kevin Worthen

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 TitlesVerify and use the correct academic title. Use the online faculty directory or call the department.

Kimberly Johnson, associate professor of EnglishNOTKim 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 RosenbergThe 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 TitleCapitalize 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; universityThe College of Humanities; the college; the humanitiesNOTThe University; the College; the Humanities

Department, Program, and Degree TitlesCapitalize 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 ProgramsDepartments:

Asian and Near Eastern LanguagesComparative Arts and LettersEnglishFrench and ItalianGerman and RussianLinguistics and English LanguagePhilosophySpanish and Portuguese

Centers, Offices, and Programs:

American Studies ProgramHumanities Advisement and CareersCenter for Language StudiesChinese Flagship CenterEnglish Language CenterHumanities CenterOffice of Digital HumanitiesHumanities Learning ResourcesHumanities Publication ServicesInternational CinemaOffice for Christian Values in Literature

Affiliated or Jointly Sponsored Center and Programs:

Kennedy Center for International StudiesNational Middle East Language Resource CenterWomen’s Studies Program



Undergraduate Majors and Minors:

American studiesArabicart history and curatorial studiesChineseclassicscomparative literaturedigital humanities and technologyeditingEnglishEnglish languageFrench studiesGerman studiesHebrewhumanitiesItalianJapaneseKoreanlanguage certificationlinguisticsphilosophyRussianSpanishScandinavian studieswomen’s studies

Graduate Degrees:

art history and curatorial studiescomparative studiesEnglishFrench studiessecond language teachingl inguisticsPortugueseSpanishTESOL

Humanities-Related ClubsAmerican Sign Language ClubBrigham Young University Italian ClubBrigham Young University Chinese ClubBrigham Young University French ClubComparative Literature Student AssociationEnglish Society



Humanities College Student CouncilLinguistics and English Language Graduate Student SocietySigma Delta PiSTET: The Editors’ Network

Welsh Club

Humanities TermsCapitalize 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 DesignationsTerms 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.NOTSmith 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 degreebachelor’s degree, Bachelor of Artsmaster’s degree, Master of Arts

Humanities LecturesP. A. Christensen Humanities LectureJames L. Barker Lecture

Church Titles and TermsUse 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 GroupsBe cautious of correct usage for ethnic, racial, and religious groups.

Names and adjectives of ethnic and national groups are capitalized.

Arabs, Arabian nightsthe British, a British authorAmerican 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 studentsThe spectrum of black leadershipThe 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 peopleMaya templesThe class discussed the Maya empire.The paper explained the Mayan language.

Historical and Cultural TermsPeriods are lowercased unless part of a proper noun (Chicago 8.70).

the twenty-first century, the ninetiesthe Fifth Republic

Descriptive designations for periods are lowercased unless part of a proper noun (Chicago 8.71).

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 Agethe age of reason, the nuclear age

4 BYU Style Guide (July 6, 2012). http://styleguide.byu.edu/.5 Vanderbilt University Style Guide (September 2011), http://www.vanderbilt.edu/styleguide.pdf.



http://styleguide.byu.edu/

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 PlacesIn historical works, use the form or names appropriate to the period under discussion (Chicago 8.43).

Foreign Terms for Geographical EntitiesWhen a foreign generic term is part of the geographic name, avoid including the English term (Chicago 8.54).

The Rio GrandeThe Sierra NevadaNOTThe Rio Grande RiverThe Sierra Nevada Mountains

Words Derived from Proper NounsAdjectives 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

NumbersFollow 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.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.NOT13 students signed up for the class.

With ordinal numbers, use normal font and not superscript.

He was the 9th dean of the college



NOTHe 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 studentsNOTThe class has about 20 to 25 students

AbbreviationsGenerally, 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 TermsSpell out geographical terms.

The professor was born in Portland, Oregon.NOTThe professor was born in Portland, OR.

Academic TermsGeneral writing omits periods (Chicago 10.20).

PhD, BA, MA, MBA

Media writing abbreviations take periods (AP 1-2).

Ph.D., B.A., M.A., M.B.A.

Dates and TimeFor 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

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/



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 AbbreviationsBrigham Young University

BYUNOTB.Y.U.

Brigham Young University Campus

BYU, BYU–Idaho, BYU–HawaiiNOTBYU–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

BYUSA

Grade Point Average

General Writing: GPA Media Writing: G.P.A.

Common BYU Humanities AbbreviationsAsian and Near Eastern Languages (ANEL)

Comparative Arts and Letters (CAL)

International Cinema (IC)



Foreign LanguagesRefer 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 MediaFor 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.

DocumentationUse 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.

BYU’s mission is “to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.”

Index

Aa.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)

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 StudiesApplication for Graduation

BBarker 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.

Ccampuswide

capitalization styles: Use headline-style capitalization for titles in both general and media writing.

centers in the College of Humanities:

Humanities Advisement and CareersCenter for Language StudiesChinese Flagship CenterEnglish Language CenterHumanities CenterOffice of Digital HumanitiesHumanities Learning ResourcesHumanities Publication CenterInternational CinemaOffice for Christian Values in LiteratureKennedy Center for International Studies (College of Humanities affiliated/jointly-sponsored)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 CouncilBrigham Young University Italian ClubBrigham Young University Chinese Club



American Sign Language ClubWelsh ClubSTET: The Editors’ NetworkSigma Delta PiLinguistics and English Language Graduate Student SocietyEnglish SocietyComparative Literature Student AssociationBrigham 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)

DDaily Universe: It is now The Universe.

days: Spell out days of the week.

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 LanguagesEnglishFrench and ItalianGerman and RussianComparative Arts and Letters



Linguistics and English LanguagePhilosophySpanish 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.”).

Ee-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).

Ffellow, 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).

GGPA: 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 studiescomparative studiesEnglishFrench studiessecond language teachinglinguisticsportugueseSpanishTESOL

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.

Hhomepage

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.

Iindefinite 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

JJames L. Barker Lecture

J. Reuben Clark Law School; BYU Law School

journals, BYU:

BYU MagazineBYU StudiesHumanitiesMarriott 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 ReviewRice Papers (Asian ttudies)Schwa (linguistics and English language)Sigma (political science and international studies)Stowaway (travel)Studia Antiqua (classical)Women’s Studies

KKennedy Center for International Studies, David M.: Should be referenced as David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies. On subsequent use, Kennedy Center is appropriate.

LLa 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)

Mmajors: 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)

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 MuseumEducation in Zion ExhibitMonte L. Bean Life Science MuseumMuseum of ArtMuseum of Peoples and Cultures

Nnames: 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 non-English 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 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).

Ooff 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.

PP. 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).

Qquestion-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)

SSalt 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 SchoolDavid O. McKay School of EducationSchool of Family LifeMarriot School of ManagementSchool of MusicSchool of Social WorkSchool 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.

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

Tterms, semesters: fall and winter semesters and spring and summer terms.



Testing Center

theatres and concert halls:

Department of Theatre and Media Artsde Jong Concert Hall (Lowercase de unless it begins a sentence)Madsen Recital HallMargetts TheatreNelke Experimental TheatrePardoe TheatreVarsity Theatre

ticket office: BYU Tickets, BYU Ticket Office

Transfer Evaluation Office

Uundergraduate catalog: BYU Undergraduate Catalog. Title is capitalized only when preceded by BYU.

undergraduate degrees of the College of Humanities:

American studiesArabicart history and curatorial studiesChineseclassicscomparative literaturedigital humanitieseditingEnglishEnglish languageFrench studiesGerman studiesHebrewhumanitiesItalianJapaneseKoreanlanguage certificationlinguisticsphilosophyRussianSpanishScandinavian 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

Vvisiting professor

Visiting Student Program, BYU

WWashington, 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

YY Group; Y Group leader

Y News



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