Editorial Style Guide

Academic degrees
Use periods with degree abbreviations. MBA is an exception to this rule. Degrees are written in lowercase in running copy.

Examples:
B.A.
M.S.Ed.
Bart has a B.S.
Sawyer earned his bachelor of science in business last year. 

Associate degree
Note that this is not possessive.

Athletics
Lowercase. Capitalize only when the proper name is used. 

Examples:
The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is recruiting for the next season.
Norah was excited to see the newly released athletics schedule.

Capitalizing Academic Disciplines
Except for languages, such as English, Spanish, and French, the names of academic disciplines should not be capitalized.

Examples:
Alec is a music major.
Ray studied Spanish.

Department Names
Capitalize the words school, college, division, and department when the entire proper name is used. Do not capitalize informal constructions.

Examples:
The Department of Communication sponsored Kate's lecture.
Heath had a meeting with the organizational leadership staff.
The biology department is part of the College of Science.

Office Names
Capitalize the word office only in the Office of context.

Examples:
The cabinet is a part of the Office of the Chancellor.
Students read a message from the chancellor’s office.

As a general rule, capitalize only proper nouns, acronyms, and initialisms. Respect the capitalization of business entities (LinkedIn). The following list contains just a few examples of some of the most common computer and social media terms. If in doubt, consult Merriam-Webster’s.

Terms

• ebook (no hyphen)
• email (no hyphen)
• Facebook
• FAQ (not FAQs)
• Google
• home page (two words)
• hyperlink
• Instagram
• internet
• LinkedIn
• login (This is a noun. The information you use to access Facebook is your login, which you input on the login page.)
• log in (This is a verb. You must log in to see your new messages.)
  online
• Snapchat
• X

Course Numbers and Titles
Capitalize course titles. Do not place punctuation between the course number and title. In publications that discuss curricula, it’s useful to specify the department in which the course is listed.

Examples:
13100 Reading, Writing, and Inquiry I
ENGL 13100 Reading, Writing, and Inquiry I

Credits
Use numerals to refer to credits.

Example:
Lincoln has a course load of 9 credit hours.

Numbers
Single-digit numbers should be spelled out, and numerals should be used for all others. This is CMOS’s alternative rule for numbering (9.3). 

Examples:
Amy took a walk around campus and saw seven squirrels.
Twenty-six native tree families populate the campus, and there are more than 15,000 trees in total.

Time
Use numbers with the abbreviations a.m. and p.m. Do not use zeros for the exact time. For time ranges, use an en dash (with no spaces), and do not repeat a.m. or p.m.

Examples:
Connor's meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m.
The class is 9–11 a.m.

Academic Units

• College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science
• College of Liberal Arts
• College of Science
• College of Visual and Performing Arts
• Department of Accounting
• Department of Anthropology and Sociology
• Department of Art and Design
• Department of Biological Sciences
• Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering
• Department of Communication
• Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Department of Computer Science
• Department of Counseling and Graduate Education
• Department of Criminal Justice
• Department of Economics and Finance
• Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Department of English and Linguistics
• Department of History
• Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
• Department of Human Services
• Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
• Department of International Language and Culture Studies
• Department of Management and Marketing
• Department of Mathematical Sciences
• Department of Organizational Leadership
• Department of Physics
• Department of Political Science
• Department of Psychology
• Department of Theatre
• Division of Continuing Studies
• Doermer School of Business (officially known as the Richard T. Doermer School of Business)
• Integrated Studies
• School of Education
• School of Music
• School of Polytechnic

Administrative Units

• Administrative Business Services
• Campus Credentials and Transportation
• Campus Recreation
• Career Development Center
• Center for Economic Education
• Center for Healthy Living
• Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching
• Center for Veteran and Military Student Services
• Communication Disorders Clinic
• Community Relations
• Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
• Disability Access Center
• Division of Campus and Community Wellbeing
• Division of Enrollment Management and the Student Experience
• Environmental Health and Safety
• Facilities Management
• First Year Advising Center
• Graduate Admissions
• Human Resources
• Mastodon Academic Performance Center
• Mastodon Alumni Community
• New Student Programs
• Office of Academic Affairs
• Office of Accounting and Budget
• Office of Admissions
• Office of Assessment and Institutional Review
• Office of Development and Alumni Engagement
• Office of Engagement
• Office of Financial Aid
• Office of Financial and Administrative Affairs
• Office of Graduate Studies
• Office of Institutional Equity
• Office of Institutional Research and Analysis
• Office of International Education
• Office of Major Scholarship Advising
• Office of Strategic Communications
• Office of Student Conduct and Care
• Office of the Bursar
• Office of the Chancellor
• Office of the Registrar
• Purchasing
• Purdue Information Technology
• Student Housing on the Waterfield Campus
• Student Leadership
• Student Life
• Telephone Operations
• Testing Services
• TRIO Student Support Services
• TRIO Upward Bound Program
• University Archives
• University Police
• University Research and Innovation

Affiiates

• Allen County Purdue Extension Office
• Believe in a Dream
• Campus Ministry
• Fort Wayne Area Community Band
• Fort Wayne Children’s Choir
• Fort Wayne Philharmonic and Youth Symphony
• Indiana Suicide Prevention Coalition
• Indiana University Credit Union
• Mastodon Campus Store
• Mikautadze Dance Theatre
• Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (NIIC)
• PBS39 WFWA-DT
• Purdue University Fort Wayne Foundation
• Questa Foundation for Education
• Shakespearemachine
• Small Business Development Center
• The Alliance for Teaching Enrichment
• The Family Project
• The Learning Community (TLC)
• Unity Performing Arts Foundation

Campus Facilities and Structures

• Athletics Field Storage (AFS)
• Auer Performance Hall
• Bon Bon’s
• Chiller Plant (CP)
• Classroom Clinic Building (CLCB)
• Cole Clubhouse (COLE)
• Davies Greenhouse (GH) (officially known as H. William Davies Greenhouse)
• Development Building (DEV)
• Doermer School of Business Building (DSB) (officially known as Richard T. Doermer School of Business Building)
• Dolnick Center (DK) (officially known as Bernard Dolnick Center)
• Don’s at Walb
• Einstein Bros. Bagels
• Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science Building (ET)
• Environmental Resources Center (ERC)
• Equipment and Material Storage (ES)
• Gates Sports Center (GC) (officially known as Hilliard Gates Sports Center)
• Ginsberg Hall / Physical Plant Building (GB) (officially known as S. T. Ginsberg Hall)
• Helmke Library (LB) (officially known as Walter E. Helmke Library)
• Herd Hideout
• Hobson Center
• IDEASpace
• Java Spot
• Kettler Hall (KT) (officially known as Alfred W. Kettler Hall)
• Kiln Building
• Larson Ticket Office
• Learning Commons
• Liberal Arts Building (LA)
• Life Sciences Resource Center (LS)
• Lutheran Health Fieldhouse
• Medical Education Building (IU School of Medicine) (MEC)
• Modular Classroom Building (MCB)
• Music Center (MC)
• Neff Hall (NF) (officially known as Floyd R. Neff Hall)
• Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (NIIC)
• Parker–Cole Crossing
• Parking Garage 1 (P1)
• Parking Garage 2 (P2)
• Parking Garage 3 (P3)
• PBS39 WFWA-DT (officially known as Dr. Rudy and Rhonda Kachmann Teleplex)
• Press Box / Concession Building (PBC)
• Purdue Cooperative Extension Service (ACX)
• Purdue Fort Wayne Holiday Inn
• Purdue Fort Wayne Sweetwater Music Center
• Rhinehart Recital Hall
• Venderly Bridge (officially known as Ron Venderly Family Bridge)
• Schatzlein Box Office
• Science Building (SB)
• Skybridge
• Soccer Support Facility (SSF)
• Steel Dynamics Keith E. Busse Mastodon Alumni Center (AC)
• Student Housing Building A (SHA)
• Student Housing Building B (SHB)
• Student Housing Building C (SHC)
• Student Housing Building D (SHD)
• Student Housing Building E (SHE)
• Student Housing Building F (SHF)
• Student Housing Building G (SHG)
• Student Housing Building H (SHH)
• Student Housing Building I (SHI)
• Student Housing Building J (SHJ)
• Student Housing Building K (SHK)
• Student Housing Building L (SHL)
• Student Housing Building M (SHM)
• Student Housing Maintenance Facility (SHMF)
• Student Housing on the Waterfield Campus
• Support Services Building (SS)
• Surck–Sweetwater Music Industry Center
• Sweetwater Music Center (SWMC)
• Trace
• The Plex North
• Vehicle Storage (VS)
• Visual Arts Building (VA)
• Visual Arts Gallery
• Walb Student Union (WU) (officially known as Walter W. Walb Student Union)
• Williams Theatre (WT) (officially known as Ernest E. Williams Theatre)
• W. Paul and Carolyn Wolf Bridge

Centers of Excellence

• Center for Applied Mathematics and Statistics in the College of Science
• Center for Collaborative Media in the College of Liberal Arts
• Center for Marine Conservation and Biology in the College of Science
• Center of Excellence in Systems Engineering in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science
• Community Research Institute in the Doermer School of Business
• Environmental Resources Center in the College of Science
• FIRST Molecules Research Center
• Gold Top Music Group in the School of Music
• Information Analytics and Visualization Center in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science
• Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies in the College of Liberal Arts
• Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics in the College of Liberal Arts
• Scanning Electron Microscope Laboratory in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science
• School of Education Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics Education Resource Center
• Three Rivers Language Center in the School of Education

Programs

• AmeriCorps Program
• Behavioral Health and Family Studies Institute
• Bridges to Education and Careers
• Chapman Scholars Program
• Collegiate Connection
• Community Arts Academy
• Community Counseling Center
• Dean’s Diplomats
• Disability Friendly Fort Wayne
• ETCS Outreach Programs
• Honors Program
• Military Science (ROTC Program)
• National Student Exchange
• Project Compass (Community Partners Against Student Suicide)
• Sponsored Programs
• Student Government Association
• Study Away Program
• Summit Scholars Program
• Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program

Streets, Grounds, and Landmarks

• Achievement Drive
• Alumni Plaza
• Alumni Walk
• Aquarius Park
• Artists Drive
• Baker Drive
• Blue Hippo
• Broyles Boulevard
• Chessboard
• Chiller Plant Road
• Connie and Dan Dickey Alumni Fountain
• Dean Drive
• Delivery Drive
• Development Lane
• Dirrim Quiet Spot (officially known as Richard J. Dirrim Quiet Spot)
• Dr. Jack A. Sunderman GeoGarden
• Dr. Rudy and Rhonda Kachmann Tennis Center
• East California Road
• East Campus Drive
• Friends Circle
• Fuller Drive
• Geib Drive
• Gold Drive
• Hefner Soccer Fields
• Indiana Landscape
• Iris Children’s Garden
• Katter Park
• Kettler Circle
• Lascaux Stacked Plus One
• Lawshe Drive
• Main Campus
• Mastodon Drive
• Mastodon Statue
• Mastodon Way
• McKay Farm (MKAY)
• Meeks Drive
• Millennium Marker
• Mirro Drive
• Music Circle
• Native Trees of Indiana River Walk
• North Campus
• Obelisk
• Onwood Memorial Wildflower Garden
• Paul Shaffer Drive
• Pole Clock
• River Sculpture
• Science Mall
• Set in Stone
• Sirlin Drive
• South Campus
• South Campus Drive
• Student Legacy 25th Anniversary Sculpture
• Sundial
• Teaching Sculpture
• Union Circle Drive
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial Marker
• Visual Arts Plaza
• VPA Service Drive
• Walb Service Road
• Waterfield Campus
• West Campus
• West Campus Drive

Student Support

• Center for Student Counseling
• Doermer School of Business Student Success Center
• Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science Student Success Center
• First Year Advising Center
• FRIENDS of the University Pantry
• Help Desk
• Mastodon Advising Center
• Math and Science Tutoring and Testing Center
• Professional Studies Student Success Center
• Student Activities Board
• Student Information Support Services
• Tutoring Center
• Writing Center

University Organizations

• All Professional Staff Advisory Council (APSAC)
• CARE Team
• Crisis Management
• Campus Support Staff Advisory Committee (CSSAC)
• Leadership Academy

Acronyms and Initialisms
Refrain from using them because they may cause confusion. Spell out initially, and then use another form on subsequent references if spelling out again becomes difficult.

Examples:
The Office of Financial Aid. The office.

Advisor
This spelling is a variant of Merriam-Webster’s preferred spelling.

Alumni Identification
Set off the person’s degree and class year with commas.

Examples:
Ashley Smith, B.S. ’90, was at the meeting.
Harold DeVray, B.A. ’10, M.A. ’14, is an ornithology expert.

Chair
Use instead of chairperson, chairwoman, or chairman.

Commencement
Lowercase. Uppercase only when using as an official name.

Examples: John will attend commencement.
Tina is looking forward to the 2019 Commencement.

Coursework
See Merriam-Webster’s.

Dean’s List
Lowercase in all references.

Example:
Kevin made the dean’s list.

Commencement
Use as an abbreviated version of Mastodons. Do not use ’Dons.

Esports
Lowercase. Do not use a hyphen.

Example:
Johnathan joined the esports team last year.

Events Calendar
Capitalize. This is the official name.

Federal Work-Study Program
Capitalize when the entire proper name is used. Lowercase in all other instances.

Examples:
Cassady's financial aid package included funds from the Federal Work-Study Program.
Students at Purdue Fort Wayne are encouraged to participate in federal work-study.

goPFW
Maintain the lowercase treatment at the beginning of a sentence.

Healthcare
This spelling is a variant of Merriam-Webster’s preferred spelling.

Homecoming
Lowercase. Uppercase only when using as an official name.

Examples:
Samantha will have fun at homecoming.
Landon will participate in the 2019 Homecoming festivities.

Job Descriptions, Academic
Use the preposition of to join a professional title to a discipline. Use the preposition in for instructors.

Examples:
Thomas is an assistant professor of biology.
Joyce is an instructor in Spanish.

Mastodon Card
Uppercase.

Example:
Kareem never leaves the office without his Mastodon Card.

Notes
Set in roman followed by a colon.

Example:
Note: Elliana will bring cookies to the next meeting.

Practica
The plural form of practicum.

Example:
Penny enrolled in multiple practica last semester.

Purdue Fort Wayne Scholarship
Do not shorten.
The latest group of admitted students eagerly awaited the letter containing their Purdue Fort Wayne Scholarship award.

Theatre
This spelling is a variant of Merriam-Webster’s preferred spelling. Make an exception for official names.

Examples:
Sakara is going to Williams Theatre.
He enjoys performances at First Presbyterian Theater.

University
Lowercase when referencing Purdue Fort Wayne in general.

Example:
He came to the university two years ago.

Upperclassmen
Avoid using. The term refers only to juniors and seniors. If the desired meaning is non-freshmen, use sophomores, juniors, and seniors instead.

World Language
Use instead of foreign or global.

Example:
Maddie has fulfilled her requirement for a world language. 

Apostrophes
Be sure to use smart (or curly) apostrophes. Do not use foot marks.

Example:
Nan’s class starts at 9 a.m.

Oxford Comma
In a list of three or more items, be sure to use the Oxford comma (also referred to as the serial comma) before a conjunction such as “and” or “or.”

Example:
Jerry loves reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Quote marks
Be sure to use smart (or curly) quote marks. Do not use inch marks.

Example:
Nick said, “I really enjoy reading the Editorial Style Guide.”