This style guide is intended to promote consistency of style for written and electronic materials produced by Worcester State University. It presents a set of editorial rules reflecting Worcester State’s preferences on questions of word usage, grammar, punctuation, and more. It also presents information specific to Worcester State University.
If you have questions about this quick reference, please contact the Communications and Marketing Office at 508-929-8492 or email us at news@worcester.edu.
Use state postal abbreviations only in mailing addresses. When using state names within text, abbreviate state names only when listed with a city (Worcester, Mass.). Spell out the names when they stand alone. (He lives in Missouri.) Do not abbreviate Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, and Utah. All other state names should be abbreviated as follows:
Ala. Ariz. Ark. Calif. Colo. Conn. Del. Fla. Ga. Ill. Ind. Kan. Ky. La. Mass. Md. Mich. Minn. Miss. Mo. Mont. N.C. N.D. N.H. N.J. N.M. N.Y. Neb. Nev. Okla. Ore. Pa. R.I. S.C. S.D. Tenn. Tex. Va. Vt. W. Va. Wash. Wis. Wyo.
Stands for African, Latine, Asian, Native American and/or Black, Indigenous, People of Color. This is the preferred term when writing about these populations. This is the university’s preferred language for our diverse student body. Do not “unbundle” this term or use alternate spelling of the words. It should be written out fully on first reference. See policy for more information. See also Latine.
See ALANA/BIPOC
John F. Coughlin Memorial Field
Kevin D. Lyons Baseball Diamond at Rockwood Field
Rockwood Field
Eager Auditorium (in Sullivan Academic Center) Multimedia Auditorium (Room 102, Ghosh Center)
Sullivan Auditorium (south wing of Sullivan Academic Center)
Campus Ministry House
Chandler Village
Dowden Hall
Gene J. and Julianne DeFeudis Wellness Center
Ghosh Science and Technology Center (also the Ghosh Center)
Latino Education Institute (LEI)
Learning Resource Center
Helen G. Shaughnessy Administration Building (also the Shaughnessy Administration Building)
Sheehan Hall Student Center
Sullivan Academic Center (also Sullivan Building) Wellness Center
Wasylean Hall
Worcester Center for Crafts
Blue Lounge (in Student Center)
Charter Business TV Lounge (also the Living Room – in Student Center)
Fallon Room (in Student Center)
Foster Room (in Student Center)
Lancer Landing (Student Center)
Multipurpose Room (Sheehan Hall)
Pulse on Dining (in Sheehan Hall)
Seven Hills Lounge (in Wasylean Hall)
Fuller Theater
Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery Speech-Language-Hearing Center
Bullets are graphic devices that separate items in a list. In bulleted lists within text passages, follow these guidelines:
Avoid unnecessary capitalization by following these guidelines:
Ex: The university reserves the right to enforce parking lot rules unto issuance of citation 24/7.
Capitalization style for publication headlines, headings, and subheadings:
◊ Always capitalize the first word.
◊ Articles, prepositions, coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, or, nor), or modifiers such as “flat” or “sharp” following musical key symbols aren’t capitalized.
Ex: Visual and Performing Arts Capstone Event to Feature Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor
Insert a reverse apostrophe to replace the first two numerals of alumni class years. Designate year of graduation as follows:
Microsoft Word users: If you type an apostrophe and then begin typing the last two digits of a class year, Microsoft Word assumes you are starting to put it in single quotes. However, if you hit the space bar after the last digit, Word automatically reverses the direction of the apostrophe.
Mac users: Type option-shift-close-bracket to change the direction of the apostrophe.
Use Oxford commas (also known as serial commas): Worcester State staff, faculty, and students.
Avoid four common comma errors by following these rules:
Ex: Worcester, Massachusetts, is home to several colleges and universities.
Ex: On September 11, 1874, Worcester Normal School was founded.
He was born in February 1987.
Ex: Caroline Harper, MBA, PhD, is the guest speaker.
Identity-first language (“disabled person”) is the university’s policy, but person-first language (“person with a disability”) may be used if the sentence would otherwise be awkward. Do not use euphemisms for disability (“differently abled,” “challenged,” “special needs,” etc.). See disability language guidelines for more information.
The Chicago Manual of Style has dropped the hyphen in email in all instances.
denotes individuals who have retired, but retain their rank or title
Ex: Professor Emerita Sylvia Johnson is visiting us today.
Professors Emeritae Sylvia Johnson and Gloria Jones are visiting us today. Professor Emeritus John Johnson is visiting us today.
Professors Emeriti John Johnson and Jim Jackson are visiting us today. Sylvia Johnson and Jim Jackson, professors emeriti, are visiting us today.
For internal-only materials, it is appropriate to use ext. before a person or department’s phone number. Always use the full phone number, 508-929-XXXX, for external/off-campus materials. Don’t abbreviate the word extension with an x.
Ex. For more information about the program, call Bob Jones at ext. 1234.
Faculty and staff are collective nouns that may take a singular or plural verb, depending on whether the writer is referring to the group as a single unit or to the members of the group.
The faculty is voting on the matter next week. Our staff is very efficient.
Our adjunct faculty are very dedicated.
Our staff are working on many projects at the moment.
The Chicago Manual of Style doesn’t have a preference for either healthcare as one word or health care as two words. Worcester State’s health-care educators prefer health care as two words. Therefore, the Communications and Marketing Office has adopted this style.
Use lowercase and italicize cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude.
Hyphenate compound modifiers when they precede the noun they modify: “one-on-one meeting.” Do not hyphenate when they follow the noun: “the meeting will be face to face.”
Hyphens aren’t necessary for common compounds: “high school teacher.”
Compounds made up of three words take an en dash rather than a hyphen: “Pulitzer Prize–winning article.”
Do not use hyphens with adverbs ending in -ly: “a highly regarded professor.”
Remember the first hyphen when using successive compound modifiers.
Ex. We accept both part- and full-time students.
The Chicago Manual of Style now considers internet to be generic when used alone or in combination with other generic terms; therefore, it can be lowercase in all instances.
Naming opportunities enable donors to make a lasting impact and to enjoy immediate and perpetual recognition on the Worcester State campus. On first usage, give the full name. In subsequent references, use its shortened name, if necessary.
One 2-credit course
Take care to use the appropriate pronouns for students, faculty, and staff. See the Office of Communications and Marketing Policy on Personal Pronouns in University Communications for detailed guidelines.
See academic divisions.
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
School of Science, Technology, and Health
Education, Liberal, and Interdisciplinary Studies should never be referred to as a school.
Graduate programs – Department of Graduate and Continuing Education
Italicize each word in a scientific name and capitalize the first name.
Ex: The student’s research focuses on the radiophile, Rubrobacter radiotolerans.
Always lowercase seasons and semesters.
Ex: The 2013 fall semester.
Ex: Register tomorrow for spring 2014.
AFSCME American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees – classified employees
APA Association of Professional Administrators – non-exempt employees
MSCA/MTA/NEA Massachusetts State College Association / Massachusetts Teachers Association / National Education Association – faculty union
Spell out the name when referring to the country as a noun. “U.S.” is acceptable only when used as an adjective. Use “U.S.” rather than “U.S.A.”
Ex. There are more than 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States.
Ex. An estimated 253 million cars and trucks travel on U.S. roads each year.
The Chicago Manual of Style now considers web to be generic when used alone or in combination with other generic terms; therefore, it can be lowercase in these instances.
When adding a website/page address to a document, the entire address you see in the browser bar is not always necessary to reach the site/page. Many Worcester State University websites/pages have short URLs that help to make the page more marketable and memorable. Do not include http:// or https:// in the URL. Over 2 billion people are online! Don’t forget to include the appropriate website URLs in your communication to internal and external audiences.
www.worcester.edu/about or worcester.edu/about
www.worcester.edu/graduate or worcester.edu/graduate
www.worcester.edu/myWSU or worcester.edu/myWSU
www.worcester.edu/calendar or worcester.edu/calendar
To avoid having a URL span more than one line, use a bitly or vanity URL if the full URL is longer than the width of the column.
Always test all URLs before having them printed on your materials. If you do not know if a Worcester State page has a short URL or would like to request a short URL for your office/department web page, please contact the Marketing Office via worcester.edu/marketingsupport.
Worcester State may be used after Worcester State University has been. Avoid using the acronym WSU. If space is limited, WooState is preferred.
Ex. Worcester State University has been selected to participate in a national initiative on civic learning and democratic engagement. Worcester State has been named one of 70 colleges and universities in the nation as a Lead Institution by NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, the leading voice for the student affairs profession.
