STYLE GUIDE

Introduction

The University of Central Florida is on the verge of becoming one of the nation's great metropolitan universities of the 21st century. In the years to come, our university will have much to contribute to the central Florida, state, national and international communities.

The way we spread our news is vital to our reputation as a university. Crisp writing, solid editing, good presentation and excellent proofreading in our publications are a reflection on UCF.

The UCF Stylebook has been developed to help writers, editors and proofreaders of the University of Central Florida's many publications magazines, newsletters, brochures and pamphlets present the university in a consistent, quality voice.

This stylebook establishes a writing and editing style that best suits our publications, and it should be used in conjunction with The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual. Writers and editors should use the UCF Stylebook first when determining style, The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual (available in the UCF Bookstore) second and Webster's Collegiate Dictionary third. Questions not answered in any of these resources should be relayed to editors in the University Marketing Department. This manual is not meant to be used as a guide for scholarly work, reports or letters.

Additional suggested reference books are: Guide to News Writing, by Rene J. Cappon; The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White; The Elements of Editing, by Arthur Plotnik; and The Elements of Grammar, by Margaret Shertzer.

• University of Central Florida Always capitalize "U," "C" and "F" when the full name is spelled out.
  
  
• UCF Always capitalize UCF and never separate the "U," "C" and "F" with periods or split from one line to the next.
  
  
• Capitalize the formal names of schools, departments, units, buildings, offices, etc., but not subsequent abbreviated references.
  
  the University of Central Florida; thereafter, the university
  
  the School of Communication; thereafter, the school
  
  the Student Center; thereafter, the center
  
  the English Department; thereafter, the department
  
  
• Capitalize all conferred and traditional educational, occupational and business titles when used specifically in front of the name. However, it is best to avoid titles in front of names. Do not capitalize when the title follows the individual's name.
  
  John Hitt, president of the university; UCF President John Hitt; the president
  
  Sandra Robinson, dean of the College of Education; Dean Sandra Robinson; the dean
  
  
• Capitalize names of races and nationalities.
  
  African-American; Irish; Japanese
  
  
• Capitalize college degrees when spelled out.
  
  Bachelor of Arts in History
  
  
• Do not capitalize these words:
  
  alma mater
  
  a.m. or p.m.
  
  annual
  
  baccalaureate
  
  bachelor's degree
  
  doctorate
  
  master's degree
  
  undergraduate

• When in doubt, spell it out.
  
  
• Abbreviate titles when they precede a name: Dr.; Mr.; Mrs.; the Rev.; Sen.; Rep.; and all military titles.
  
  
• Do not abbreviate professor, assistant professor, associate professor or instructor.
  
  
• A short list of correct (or, in some cases, the preferred) spelling for words and phrases that commonly appear in UCF materials follow:
  
  campuswide
  
  ground breaking
  
  theater
  
  universitywide

• Italicize the titles of books, magazines, newspapers, motion pictures, plays, paintings and statues, collections of poetry and poems, and names of ships.
  
  
• Put the titles of unpublished works, magazine articles, short stories, speeches, TV and radio programs, songs, etc., in quotation marks.
  
  

  "The Knight Charged On" in the March/April Pegasus
  

  In John Grisham's The Pelican Brief ...

  ABC's "Monday Night Football"

Numbers and Figures

• In general, spell out the numbers one through nine, use numeral for 10 and above. Very large numbers should be expressed in figures followed by million, billion, etc.

  The two professors are conducting research.

  She scored 20 points.

  The building cost $3.2 million.

Common Punctuation

• Do not use a comma before the words "and" and "or" in a series unless it is necessary to distinguish elements.

  Colleges of Engineering, Arts and Sciences, and Health and Public Affairs

  Colleges of Business Administration, Engineering and Education

• When abbreviating, punctuate college class years with an apostrophe.

  Class of '89

  Kim Minana '76