Editorial Style Guide Index – Editorial Style Guide

9/11

9/11 is acceptable in references to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; see also CMS 9.35

a while, awhile

generally a preposition (typically for, after, or in) precedes a while, but awhile stands alone

a.m., p.m.

lowercase with periods (also see times)

abbreviations

In general, avoid abbreviations in running text. The ampersand (&) is not a substitute for and. Use abbreviations and the ampersand only when part of official names. If the name of the abbreviation may be unknown to some readers, use the full name on first reference. See individual entries for usage for specific abbreviations.

academic degrees

see degrees

academic departments

see departments

academic titles

Capitalize and spell out formal titles such as professor, dean, president, chancellor, professor emeritus, and chair when they precede a name: Chancellor John Doe, Professor Jane Doe, Dean John Smith; but John Doe, chancellor; John Smith, dean; or Jane Doe, professor. Lowercase modifiers: music professor Jane Doe, department chair Jane Doe, or Jane Doe, professor of music. Capitalize formal titles of named professorships on all references: Jane Doe has been named the Bascom Professor of Art; Jane Doe, Bascom Professor of Art, received the award; Jane Doe, Bascom Professor Emerita of Art, gave the lecture. Named/endowed professorships, deanships, and the like should be listed before other titles in signature lines and biographies. See also titles of people.

acronyms and initialisms

Although we refer to campus units by acronyms in speech and internal publications (such as DoIT for the Division of Information Technology), acronyms should not be used exclusively except for those commonly used both inside and outside the university community (NASA, FBI). To eliminate confusion when using lesser-known acronyms, spell out the full name on the first mention, with the acronym in parentheses following. Acronyms are made plural by adding an s if there are no periods in the acronym (IOUs) and adding ’s if there are periods in the acronym (vol.'s). See the Chicago Manual of Style for more on the appropriate use of acronyms.

AD

stands for anno Domini, Latin for in the year of the Lord; do not use periods; AD precedes the year; see also CMS 9.34 and 10.38

addiction

A treatable disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior. Drug and alcohol use can cause changes in the brain that lead to compulsive use, despite damage incurred to a person’s health and relationships. Genetics, mental illness, and other factors make certain people susceptible to addiction. Addiction is the preferred term. The term substance use disorder is preferred by some health professionals and is acceptable in some uses, such as in quotations or scientific contexts. Alcoholism is acceptable for addiction to alcohol. Avoid words like abuse or problem in favor of the word use with an appropriate modifier such as risky, unhealthy, excessive, or heavy. Misuse is also acceptable. Avoid alcoholic, addict, user, and abuser unless individuals prefer those terms for themselves or if they occur in quotations or names of organizations, such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Avoid derogatory terminology such as junkie, drunk, or crackhead unless in quotations. Avoid describing sobriety as clean unless in quotations, since it implies a previous state of dirtiness instead of disease. Not all compulsive behaviors, including shopping, eating, and sex, are considered addictions. Gambling is the only one classified as an addiction in the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual. The World Health Organization says excessive video gaming can be an addiction. (Source: AP Stylebook)

addresses

In running text, use numerals and figures for numbered addresses (123 Main Street) and spell out the words Street, Avenue, Place, Boulevard, etc. (except for news releases or copy for Inside UW–Madison, in which such words are abbreviated when using numbered addresses according to AP Style). Abbreviate directions in street names: single-letter directions take a period (N. Main Street, E. Washington Avenue); two-letter abbreviations take no periods (NW Maple Street, Seventh Avenue, SE). Include the complete campus street addresses only when publicizing an off-campus event and for publications intended for off-campus audiences. Separate the street address, phone, web address, and the like with a semicolon and use one space between the state abbreviation and zip code. Department of Economics, 7470 Social Science Building, 1180 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706; 608-263-2989; fax 608-262-0000; economics@wisc.edu; www.wisc.edu/economics/. Include area codes for telephone and fax numbers when the audience is off campus.

admissions, admissions office, Office of Admissions and Recruitment

lowercase unless referring to the formal office name

advisor, adviser

We recommend adviser in all uses as the preferred dictionary spelling. Some UW–Madison units prefer advisor. Either way, it is most important to be consistent within a single publication or family of publications.

afflicted with/stricken with/suffers from/victim of

These terms carry the assumption that a person with a disability is suffering or has a reduced quality of life. Not every person with a disability suffers, is a victim, or is stricken. It is preferable to use neutral language when describing a person who has a disability, simply stating the facts about the nature of the disability. For example: He has muscular dystrophy. (Source: Disability Language Style Guide, National Center on Disability and Journalism)

African American

No hyphen (noun or adjective). Acceptable for an American Black person of African descent. Not necessarily interchangeable with Black. Americans of Caribbean heritage, for example, generally refer to themselves as Caribbean American. Follow a person’s preference. (Source: AP Stylebook)

Agricultural Hall

not Agriculture Hall

air force

see CMS 8.112

all of a sudden

not all of the sudden

All Ways Forward

the name of the comprehensive campaign held from 2015-21

all-American

always hyphenated; all is always lowercase unless it refers to the Associated Press–chosen All-American football or basketball team.

All-Campus Party (ACP)

a week of free, alcohol-alternative events for students, hosted by the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board (WASB)

alum

use this term only in informal contexts; see also alumnus, alumna, alumni, alumnae

alumni chapters/clubs

Never use club, even though some Wisconsin Alumni Association alumni chapters refer to themselves that way; terms such as group or alumni community are acceptable to provide variety. Use alumni chapter as a generic reference, and use, e.g., Seattle alumni chapter or Seattle chapter as a quasi-generic reference. For specific references, use the WAA reference first (written out or abbreviated as WAA), then a colon, then the capitalized word Chapter, as in Wisconsin Alumni Association: Fox Valley Chapter; WAA: Fox Valley Chapter; Wisconsin Alumni Association: Big Apple Badgers Chapter; WAA: Motor City Badgers Chapter.

Alumni Park

the park and green space between One Alumni Place and the Memorial Union Terrace; opened in October 2017; capitalize these areas of the park: Badger Pride Wall, Alumni Way, Progress Point, The Lantern; do not capitalize these areas of the park: the fountain, welcome plaza, areas of distinction, Bucky Badger sculpture (its title is Well Red), outdoor classroom; the park's website is alumnipark.com/

alumnihood

lowercase, one word

alumnus, alumna, alumni, alumnae

Use alumnus (alumni in the plural) when referring to a person who identifies as a man who has graduated from a school. Use alumna (alumnae in the plural) for similar references to a person who identifies as a woman. Use alumni when referring to groups that include both men and women. In very informal usages, alum is an acceptable alternative. These terms can also be used for people who attended a school but did not graduate.

American Indians, Native Americans

Both are acceptable terms in general references for those in the U.S. when referring to two or more people of different tribal affiliations. For individuals, use the name of the tribe; if that information is not immediately available, try to obtain it. He is a Navajo commissioner. She is a member of the Nisqually Indian Tribe. He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Native American gained traction in the 1960s for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Over time, Native American has expanded to include all Native people of the continental United States and some in Alaska. Native American and American Indian can be used interchangeably; however, the term is used only to describe groups — two or more individuals of different tribal affiliation. Always identify people by their preferred tribal affiliation when reporting on individuals or individual tribes. Tribal membership is required by the federal government, and each tribe sets its own membership requirements for enrolled citizens. However, enrollment is not the only factor that determines whether someone is American Indian. Connection to one’s tribal community, culture, heritage, language, and history is also important. Additionally, some American Indians may possess blood quantum from several tribes, yet are not enrolled because they do not meet any single tribe’s enrollment criteria. Tribe, nation, community, and band describe various sociopolitical units; usage also varies based on personal or group preference. For more guidance, visit the Native American Journalists Association website. (Sources: AP Stylebook, Native American Journalists Association, Wisconsin First Nations)

ampersand

the ampersand (&) is not a substitute for and; use it only when an entity includes it as part of its official name

Annual Campaign

refer to this as the University of Wisconsin–Madison Annual Campaign, with initial caps, on first reference; UW–Madison Annual Campaign is also acceptable; use Annual Campaign (uppercase) on second reference; a generic reference with the year would be, e.g., 2019 Annual Campaign (uppercase)

annual fund

lowercase unless it’s part of a proper name such as the School of Nursing Annual Fund

APIDA

Stands for Asian Pacific Islander Desi American. UW–Madison’s APIDA Student Center is one of several identity centers housed within the Multicultural Student Center. Desi is a term used by some who identify as South Asian or have a South Asian heritage. It can include the countries of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and sometimes Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Tibet.

appositives

see names in appositive form

Arboretum, the

uppercase when referring to the UW Arboretum; lowercase with generic references to arboretums

army

see CMS 8.112

artist-in-residence, artists-in-residence

hyphenate

asexual

Describes people who don’t experience sexual attraction, though they may feel other types of attraction, such as romantic or aesthetic. Not synonymous with and does not assume celibacy. (Source: AP Stylebook)

Asian American

No hyphen (noun or adjective). Acceptable for an American of Asian descent. When possible, refer to a person’s country of origin or follow the person’s preference. For example: Filipino American or Indian American. (Source: AP Stylebook)

Asian American

no hyphen for noun or adjective usages, but hyphenate nouns and adjectives (AP style) for newswriting: Asian-American

associate degree

not associate’s degree

athletics department

In formal references, use UW Department of Athletics or Department of Athletics; in informal references or on second reference, use athletics department (with an s on athletics); as a generic description of the sports program in general, UW athletics is acceptable.

athletics scores

see scores

athletics teams

use UW instead of UW–Madison on second reference when referring to athletics teams

autism

Autism spectrum disorder is a group of complex disorders related to brain development, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Common symptoms of autism spectrum disorder include difficulties in communication, impaired social interaction, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. However, symptoms vary across the spectrum. Many experts classify autism as a developmental disability. Opinions vary on how to refer to someone with autism. Some people with autism prefer being referred to as autistic or an autistic person. Others object to using autistic as an adjective. Ask individuals how they prefer to be described. Refer to someone as having autistic spectrum disorder only if the information is relevant to the story and if you are confident there is a medical diagnosis. (Source: Disability Language Style Guide, National Center on Disability and Journalism)

awards, prizes

uppercase Award or Prize when referring to a specific award (Sparkplug Award), but lowercase when generic (the award); see also CMS 8.83

Axe

with a final e in reference to the Badgers’ football rivalry with Minnesota for Paul Bunyan’s Axe

Babcock ice cream

the brand name is Babcock Hall ice cream because it’s made by the Babcock Hall Dairy Plant, but an acceptable nickname is Babcock ice cream

Badger Herald, the

although The is in its official name, use lowercase roman type for “the”; see CMS 8.170

BADGER HUDDLE®

Use the registered mark; write the phrase in all caps; including the is acceptable. Sometimes context calls for usage such as the Purdue BADGER HUDDLE®. Never say just HUDDLES, but BADGER HUDDLE® tailgates is acceptable. Use the initial-capped (but not all-capped) Huddle on subsequent references to a BADGER HUDDLE®. Periods and commas go after the ®. The word huddle is lowercase when referring to a literal football huddle or a gathering that’s figuratively called a huddle.

Badger Insider magazine (BI)

WAA’s magazine for its members; “magazine” is lowercase roman

Badger State

initial caps

Badger Talks

formerly speakers bureau

Badger yearbook

do not use The or Yearbook as part of the title

Badgers

the official team name of UW–Madison men’s and women’s athletics teams; acceptable as a substitute for the UW for teams and athletes on second reference; synonymous with graduates, fans, and friends of the university

Badgerwear

for references to clothing products that Badgers wear

band

see UW Marching Band, UW Varsity Band

BC

means before Christ; do not use periods; BC follows the year; see also CMS 9.34, 10.38

Below Alumni Center

see Martin and Florence Below Alumni Center, the

biannual, biennial, semiannual

biannual means twice a year and is a synonym for semiannual; biennial means every two years

Big Red

capitalize

Big Ten

not Big 10; UW–Madison is one of 14 institutions in the Big Ten Conference; the others are Indiana University, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, University of Illinois, University of Iowa, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, University of Maryland, and Rutgers University

bimonthly, biweekly, semimonthly, semiweekly

bimonthly means every other month; biweekly means every other week; semimonthly means twice a month; semiweekly means twice a week

BIPOC

An emerging acronym that stands for Black, Indigenous, People of Color. Some feel the term is more appropriate than people of color because it acknowledges the varying levels of injustice experienced by different groups. In these instances, be sure to ask individuals or groups how they prefer to be identified. (Source: University of Iowa Style Race and Ethnicity Guide)

birth/former names

see names and degrees

bisexual

Describes people attracted to more than one gender. Some people prefer pansexual, which describes people attracted to others regardless of their gender. (Source: AP Stylebook)

Black

Use the capitalized term as an adjective in a racial, ethnic, or cultural sense: Black people, Black culture, Black literature, Black studies, Black colleges. African American is not necessarily interchangeable. Americans of Caribbean heritage, for example, generally refer to themselves as Caribbean American. Follow an individual’s preference if known, and be specific when possible and relevant. Minneapolis has a large Somali American population because of refugee resettlement. The author is Senegalese American. Use of the capitalized Black recognizes that language has evolved, along with the common understanding that especially in the United States, the term reflects a shared identity and culture rather than a skin color alone. (Source: AP Stylebook)

blind

Use blind only when the person has complete loss of sight and legally blind when the person has almost complete loss of sight. Other terms also may be acceptable. It is best to ask your sources what terms they prefer and take that into consideration. Commonly used terms include: limited vision, low vision, and visually impaired (but similar to the term hearing impaired, some may object to it because it describes the condition in terms of a deficiency). (Source: Disability Language Style Guide, National Center on Disability and Journalism)

board of directors, board of regents, board of visitors

lowercase when generic, but uppercase when the term is included as part of the formal name of a group; see also regent, regents and CMS 8.68

boys, men, girls, women

people who are of high school age or younger are boys and girls; people who are of college age or older are men and women

Bucky Badger

Use Bucky Badger or Bucky to refer to UW–Madison’s beloved mascot (in both suit and logo forms). His full name, Buckingham U. Badger, is less commonly used.

buildings

capitalize official names of campus facilities; on second reference, lowercase if a proper name is not used: the Mosse Humanities Building, the building, construction on Vilas; the word building may be used to prevent confusion with the academic department of the same name, but do not capitalize building in these cases: the Law School, the Law School building; in most cases, building names can stand alone: Grainger Hall, Nancy Nicholas Hall

bulleted information

Regardless of the style chosen for a document — complete sentences or not, end punctuation or not, an initial cap on the first word of each bulleted item or not, and the like — remain consistent throughout that particular document. If a second sentence is added to an item — which drives end punctuation on the first sentence — then all items in the bulleted list should have end punctuation.

bylines

Use graduation year(s) if the writer is a graduate; use birth/former name(s) unless the writer does not wish to include it/them. If a writer has more than one byline within a section of a publication, use the full name and graduation year(s) (if applicable) on the first reference and initials with no graduation year(s) on subsequent references. This does not apply to photo credits.

Camp Randall Stadium

home for Wisconsin’s football team

campus's

not campus'

campuswide

also citywide, countywide, nationwide, statewide, systemwide, worldwide, but university-wide

canceled, canceling, cancelable, canceler, cancellation

use one l with the first four words but two ls with the last word

Capital Times, the

although The is in its official name, use lowercase roman type for “the”; see CMS 8.170

capital, capitol

a capital is a city that is the seat of government or known for its eminence in a particular field (fashion capital); a capitol is a building where a legislature meets; lowercase capitol when referring generically to Wisconsin’s state capitol building, but the building in Washington, DC, is the Capitol

capitalization

avoid unnecessary capital letters: use them only when one of the principles listed in this guide, the dictionary, or the Chicago Manual of Style justifies their usage. In particular, the following should be capitalized:

Proper nouns for people, places, or things: Allison, Atlanta, the Alamo
Proper names: when they are an official part of the full name of a person, place, or thing: Democratic Party, Lake Mendota, Park Street, Charles River, West Virginia, College of Letters & Science, University of Wisconsin–Madison. Lowercase when these stand alone in subsequent or generic references: the party, the lake, the street, the river, the state, the college, the university. Per CMS 8.56 and 8.66, uppercase these words in plural usages: the Democratic and Republican Parties, Langdon and State Streets.

captions

in On Wisconsin and Badger Insider, do not use graduation years in photo captions unless the individuals’ names do not appear elsewhere in a story; if one or some people are mentioned in an article that accompanies the photo, and one or others are not, use graduation years for all of the people listed in the photo caption; do not use boldface with names and graduation years in captions; see also photo references/identification

Carillon

uppercase for the bell tower on campus

chair

not chairman, chairwoman, chairperson

chancellor

Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin, University of Wisconsin–Madison chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin, UW–Madison chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin, UW chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin, the chancellor

chancellor’s office

see Office of the Chancellor

chapters/clubs

see alumni chapters/clubs

Chazen Museum of Art

formerly known as the Elvehjem Museum of Art

cheesemaker

one word

Chican@ and Latin@ Studies

use the @ symbol

chronic disease/illness

When referring to a person with a chronic illness, only refer to the condition if it is pertinent to the story you are confident there is a medical diagnosis. Ask your sources how they want to be described and, when in doubt, consider using people-first language, such as person with diabetes rather than a diabetic. (Source: Disability Language Style Guide, National Center on Disability and Journalism)

cisgender

Describes people whose gender identity matches the one they were assigned at birth; that is, not transgender. Explain (on first reference) if necessary. (Source: AP Stylebook)

cities

use this list to determine whether to include a state or country name after the city name; if it’s on this list, the city name may stand alone

International cities:

Barcelona, Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Rome, and Tokyo; but do use the country with Seoul, South Korea

U.S. cities:

Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Green Bay, Honolulu, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Madison (except if it’s Madison in a state other than Wisconsin), Manhattan, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Minneapolis/Saint Paul, New Orleans, New York City (when identified this way, but not just New York for the city), Omaha, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, Twin Cities, and Tucson; but do use the state with Kansas City (Missouri or Kansas), Portland (Oregon or Maine), and Saint Louis (Missouri)

civil/governmental titles

see CMS 8.22 and titles of people

Class of …

capitalize Class when referring to an entire graduating class; see also graduation classes

class years

see degree years

co

our dictionary advocates spellings such as copresident, cofounder, coeditor, coauthor, and codirector with no hyphens; see the dictionary for the few exceptions that use hyphens

College Library at Helen C. White Hall

this is the proper name of the library that is often (incorrectly) referred to as the Helen C. White Library or White Library or just Helen C.

colleges

see schools and colleges

commas

in a series of three or more elements, use a serial comma; however, news communications produced by the Office of Strategic Communication do not use a serial comma

commencement

lowercase for generic references to the ceremony; uppercase can be used in the official titles of events

communication arts

lowercase

compare with, compare to

compare with means to discern both similarities and differences; compare to notes primarily similarities

comprehensive campaign

use lowercase to refer to a multiyear campaign with campus audiences when not using its proper name; refer to it only by its proper name to noncampus audiences; use campaign on second reference; the proper name of the fourth comprehensive campaign in university history, which took place from 2015-21, was All Ways Forward, which uses initial caps, roman type, and no quotation marks

comprise

to include or contain (the whole comprises the parts): Wisconsin comprises 72 counties; it is synonymous with composed of: Wisconsin is composed of 72 counties; comprised of is incorrect

Congress

uppercase when referring to the U.S. Congress (or just Congress), which comprises the Senate and the House of Representatives; see also CMS 8.61

couple

words that stand for a group of things can mean the group as a whole (and thus take a singular verb) or the individual members of the group (and thus, a plural verb); the presence of the before the word often indicates that it’s singular: The couple lives in apartment 9A; when a comes before the word, and especially when of comes after it, it’s probably plural: A couple of professors live in apartment 9A

couples’ names

see names and degrees

course numbers and titles

use the department abbreviation (or full name) with a space separating the department, the course number, and the course name: Poli Sci 377 Nuclear Weapons and World Politics; department abbreviations appear in the Course Guide; when referring to courses without including the number, do not use quotation marks: Physical Systems of the Environment, Solid State Physics

coursework

one word

court cases

italicize the names of legal cases, including the abbreviation v. (for versus): Bloomfield Village Drain Dist. v. Keefe, Miranda v. Arizona; a case name may be shortened in subsequent discussion: the Miranda case or simply Miranda; see also versus and CMS 8.82

courtesy titles

in general, do not use Dr., Mrs., Mr., or Ms; a written-out courtesy title that helps to put a person’s role in context (President Kennedy, Chancellor Mnookin, Dean Wilcots, Professor Jenkins) may be used on first reference

credentials

do not include credentials or degrees (PhD, MD, FASLA, FAAN, CFP, and the like) after names unless the person, school, or college is adamant about it

credits

when clustered or in a tabular format, use numerals: 3 credits, a 4-credit course, 1 credit hour; when including the number of credits in a list of courses, use the abbreviation cr with no period: Poli Sci 377 Nuclear Weapons and World Politics, 3 cr; Music 231 Elementary/Intermediate Violin, 2–4 cr.; in running text, spell out credits: All students must take 3 credits in art history; for additional examples, see the academic Guide

crew

crew team is redundant; it’s crew, the crew, or the team; see also teams

Cross-College Advising Service (CCAS)

hyphenate Cross-College

Daily Cardinal, the

although The is in its official name, use lowercase roman type for “the”; see CMS 8.170

Dane County Farmers’ Market

Farmers' is plural possessive in this proper name

dashes

see em dashes and en dashes

data

plural when referring to a collection of individual units; singular when referred to as a unit: the data is sound

dates

use a comma after a date that includes the year: Students must submit an application by March 3, 2019, to be eligible for the program; do not use a comma with a month and year if there is no date included: fall 2019, March 2020; see also CMS 6.38

deaf

Deaf should be used as an adjective, not as a noun; it describes a person with profound or complete hearing loss. Many people do not consider being deaf or having hearing loss as a disability. Instead, deafness is often considered a culture. Some people with mild or moderate hearing loss may affiliate themselves with the deaf community and prefer to be referred to as deaf instead of hard of hearing. Alternatively, some who are profoundly deaf may prefer the term hard of hearing. When quoting or paraphrasing a person who has signed their responses, it’s appropriate on first reference to indicate that the responses were signed. It’s acceptable to use the word said in subsequent references. (Source: Disability Language Style Guide, National Center on Disability and Journalism)

dean

Dean Jane Doe; Jane Doe, dean; the dean; dean's list (also see academic titles)

dean’s list

include apostrophe in this list of high-achieving students

decades

examples are the nineties, the 1980s and 1990s, the 1980s and ’90s; for the first decade of a century use, e.g., years 2000–2009, not 2000s or ’00s; for the second decade of a century use, e.g., second decade or 2010s; see also CMS 9.33

degree year and student status

when referring to a current student, either use an x or make a reference to his/her academic year status (but not both): John Borman x’21 or John Borman, a freshman

degree years

Use only on the first reference within an article; do not include letters before a bachelor’s degree; do not use periods with the degree abbreviation; do not use a space between the degree and two-digit class year; use a close single quote (apostrophe) to precede the year (it’s ’, not ‘); use a comma to separate each degree: Jim Hoyt ’65, MS’67, PhD’70. If someone did not — or has not yet — graduated from UW–Madison, use an x before the year that s/he would have graduated or will graduate: rock star Steve Miller x’67. There is no space between the x and the year; include the apostrophe with the year; with advanced degrees, the x goes between the degree and the year: MDx’61, DVMx’75, PhDx’54, MAx’90. Write out degree years occurring in the 19th century as, e.g., John Bluephie 1880, MS1883, PhD1885. Write out degree years occurring in the 20th century between (and including) 1900 and the current degree year as, e.g., Jane Brownstone 1900, MA1902, PhD1905; but Lowell Evan Noland PhD’24. When a new graduation year dawns, add 19 to the corresponding 20th-century year in a rolling, 100-year fashion. See also names and degrees for the treatment of couples’ names.

degrees

In running text, use bachelor’s degree, bachelor of arts degree, bachelor of science in physics, master’s degree, doctorate, and the like in place of degree abbreviations because they are more readable; use abbreviations only when necessary to distinguish the specific type of degree or when using full terms would prove cumbersome, such as when there are multiple degrees; do not use periods; form the plural by adding an s; the word degree should not follow a degree abbreviation. Do not list certificates (nursing, law, education, and the like) as degrees, but an exception is made to include the Farm and Industry Short Course (FISC) following an individual’s name because the program has a long and proud history at the UW. Here are many of the degree abbreviations in use at the university:

BA – bachelor of arts, bachelor’s degree
BBA – bachelor of business administration
BM – bachelor of music
BS – bachelor of science, bachelor’s degree
DJ or DJS – doctor of juridical science
DMA – doctor of musical arts
DPM – doctor of pharmacy
DVM – doctor of veterinary medicine
EdD – doctor of education
EMBA – executive MBA
JD – doctor of law
LLB – bachelor of laws
LLM – master of laws, but us ML instead
MA – master of arts, master’s degree
MAcc – master of accountancy; use instead of MAC, MA, or MS
MBA – master of business administration
MD – doctor of medicine
MFA – master of fine arts
MGCS – master of genetic counselor studies
ML – master of laws
MLI – master of legal institutions
MM – master of music
MPA – master of public affairs
MPAS – master of physician assistant studies
MPh – master of philosophy
MPH – master of public health
MS – master of science, master’s degree
MSW – master of social work; MSW (vs. MSSW) is the more common designation
PDE – professional development/engineering
PharmD – doctor of pharmacy
PhD – doctor of philosophy

Democrat

see CMS 8.66

Department of Athletics

see athletics department

departments

Capitalize when used as part of a complete, formal, and official name: Department of Art History. Lowercase when used as an informal name, generically, or casually as a descriptor: the art history department, the political science department, the department, department guidelines, department chair, a political science committee, the zoology and bacteriology departments. Use lowercase on second reference: the College of Letters & Science, the college; the Law School, the school; UW–Madison, the university, the UW; the Department of History, the history department, the department; the Center for Limnology, the limnology center, the center; the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty, the office. Words such as department can be omitted on second reference: history, philosophy. Do not capitalize department names when they are used to indicate the subject a professor teaches: Dave Brown of anthropology.

dictionary

recommended: most recent edition of Merriam–Webster's Collegiate Dictionary

different from, different than

use from, not than

disabilities (coverage of)

The terms disabilities and disabled include a broad range of physical and mental conditions both visible and invisible. People’s perceptions of disabilities vary widely. Use care and precision when writing about disabilities and people with disabilities, considering the impact of specific words and the preferences of the people you are writing about. Avoid writing that implies ableism: the belief that typical abilities — those of people who aren’t disabled — are superior. Ableism is a concept similar to racism, sexism, and ageism in that it includes stereotypes, generalizations, and demeaning views and language. It is a form of discrimination or prejudice against people with disabilities. Do not describe an individual as having a disability unless it is clearly pertinent to the story. For example: Merritt, who is blind and walks with the help of a guide dog, said she is pleased with the city’s walkway improvements. But not: Zhang, who has paraplegia, is a fan of the Philadelphia Phillies. Be specific about the type of disability, or symptoms. For example: The woman said the airline kicked her family off a plane after her three-year-old, who has autism, refused to wear a mask. She said her son became upset because he does not like to have his face touched. When possible, ask people how they want to be described. Some people view their disability as central to their identity, and use identity-first language such as an autistic woman or an autistic. Others prefer person-first language such as a woman with autism or a woman who has autism. In describing groups of people, or when individual preferences can’t be determined, use person-first language. In general, refer to a disability only if relevant to the story, and if a medical diagnosis has been made or the person uses the term. If relatives or others use the term, ask how they know, then consider carefully whether to include the information. Avoid the term handicap for a disability or handicapped for a person. (Source: AP Stylebook)

Discovery Building

see Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery

Distinguished Alumni Awards (DAA)

given annually by the Wisconsin Alumni Association

Distinguished Teaching Awards (DTA)

given annually

Division of Continuing Studies (DCS)

on subsequent references, use Continuing Studies; use Continuing Studies in most applications

Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement (DDEEA)

On subsequent reference, use DDEEA

DoIT (Division of Information Technology)

provides central IT services and support to campus

dollar figures

see CMS 9.20 and 9.24

dormitory, dorm

use residence hall instead

earth, Earth

see CMS 8.140

Editor’s Note

used in articles and after letters to the editor to give further explanations; put the words Editor’s Note: (with a colon) in italics; use roman type for the rest of the text, with no parentheses or brackets around the note

eldercare

one word

ellipses

Put a space between the word and the ellipsis points: word#…#word; word#…; or complete sentence.#…#complete sentence. See also CMS 13.50 – 13.58.

Elvehjem Museum of Art

the former name of the Chazen Museum of Art

em dashes

An em dash sets off an amplifying or explanatory element, separates a subject or series of subjects, or indicates a sudden break in thought or sentence structure: We will fly to Paris — if I get a raise. Put a space before and after the em dash, which is an exception to Chicago style. Do not use a pair of hyphens to create an em dash. See also en dashes, hyphens, and CMS 6.85–6.92.

email

Do not hyphenate email, but hyphenate e-book, e-business, e-commerce.

email addresses

use roman type with no brackets or parentheses; put a period after the address if it falls at the end of a sentence; break it at the @ sign or a period if it’s necessary to carry it to the next line

emeritus, emerita, emeriti, emeritae, emerit

Use the singular, emeritus or emerita, when referring to one male or one female former faculty member, respectively; use the plural, emeriti, when referring to an all-male or mixed-gender group use emeriti; for an all-female group use emeritae. The word emeritus follows the noun: professor emeritus, Professor Emeritus Jack Brown. In May 2022, the Faculty Senate passed a resolution to change the use of emeritus/emerita in faculty policies and procedures to the gender-neutral emerit, and to encourage its use in campus policies, systems, and communications. See also alumnus, alumna, alumni, alumnae.

en dashes

An en dash connects numbers and sometimes words: 2010–14, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., UW–Madison. It also shows a range in numbers and words: 20–25 people, Monday–Friday. Use an en dash with open compound modifiers: pre–School of Pharmacy course. When connecting years with from, also use the word to, not an en dash: from 1980 to 1986, not from 1980–1986. For news releases or Inside UW–Madison, use a hyphen to connect years: 1980-86. Do not put spaces on either side. See also CMS 6.78–6.84.

ensure

ensure rather than insure, unless the reference is to insurance

equal employment opportunity/affirmative action

see Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy Statement

ethnic studies requirement

lowercase

every day (adverb); everyday (adjective)

open when used as adverb; closed when used as adjective

Ex College

short for Alexander Meiklejohn’s 1920s Experimental College at the University of Wisconsin; use quotation marks on the first reference only.

Extension

see UW–Madison Division of Extension

Facebook

initial cap

fall

fall semester, fall 2020

farmers’ market

plural possessive

fellow

capitalize when used in reference to a specific, named fellowship: He was recently named a Fulbright Fellow; in most cases, however, it will be lowercase: Jacob Hoke, a new fellow of the American Academy of Metallurgy; lowercase on all subsequent references

Field House

the official name is the Wisconsin (not UW) Field House; do not capitalize the in the Field House or the Wisconsin Field House

Fifth Quarter

initial caps

file names

use all caps and no periods for, e.g., PDF, JPEG, JPG, TIF, GIF

file share (noun); file-share (adjective); share files (verb)

options when writing about sharing files

First Wave Hip Hop and Urban Arts Learning Community

First Wave on second reference

first-come, first-served

use hyphens and separate with a comma

Flamingle, the

although The is in the official name of the Wisconsin Alumni Association's weekly enewsletter, use lowercase roman type for "the;" see CMS 8.70

follow up (verb); follow-up (noun and adjective)

open when used as a verb; hyphenated when used as noun or adjective

football Saturday(s)

Lowercase

articles (a, an, the)
prepositions, regardless of length, except when they’re used adverbially or adjectivally, when they’re stressed, or when they make up part of a Latin expression used adverbially or adjectivally: De Facto, In Vitro, etc.
the coordinating conjunctions for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
to and as
the part of a proper name that would be lowercased in text: de, von
the second part of a species name, even if it’s the last word

Uppercase

the first and last words in headlines and subheads, regardless of length
all other major words: nouns, pronouns, verbs (including Is, Are), adverbs, adjectives
some conjunctions

health care

two words as a noun or adjective

Helen C. White Library

there’s no such thing; see College Library at Helen C. White Hall

heterosexual

In males, a sexual orientation that describes attraction to females, and vice versa. Straight is acceptable. Transgender people can be heterosexual. Avoid identifying gay people as homosexuals, an outdated term considered derogatory and offensive to many lesbian and gay people. (Source: AP Stylebook, GLAAD Media Reference Guide)

home page

two words

Homecoming

uppercase the UW event’s name; lowercase in generic usages

Homecoming parade

but UW Homecoming Parade

Homecoming Weekend

capitalize both words

homosexual, homosexuality

Avoid identifying gay people as homosexuals, an outdated term considered derogatory and offensive to many lesbian and gay people. Gay or lesbian is preferred as an adjective (for example: a gay man); homosexuality is acceptable when an umbrella term is needed. Avoid homosexual as a noun. (Source: GLAAD Media Reference Guide, AP Stylebook)

honors

honors program, honors credit, Honors in the Major (when referring to the official designation), College of Letters & Science Honors Program

Hoofers

see Wisconsin Hoofers, the

House (House of Representatives)

see CMS 8.62

house fellow

two words

husband

see spouse, wife, husband

hyphens

In general, hyphens are joiners. Use them to avoid confusion or to form a single idea from two or more words: much-needed clothing (clothing is badly needed) versus much needed clothing (the clothing is abundant and needed). Do not use them in pairs to create an em dash. Hyphenate compound modifiers preceding a noun: well-run establishment, ill-fitting garment, full-time job, smoke-free restaurant. A compound modifier following the noun it describes does not require a hyphen, but it is not incorrect to use one: The restaurant is smoke free. When a modifier that would be hyphenated before a noun occurs instead after a form of the verb to be, the hyphen is usually retained to avoid confusion: The man is well-known, The woman is quick-witted. Compounds formed by an adverb ending in -ly plus an adjective or participle are not hyphenated before or after a noun: fashionably dressed. See also em dashes, en dashes, and CMS 6.76–6.77.

Incorporated, Inc.

delete when possible, but when it’s used, see CMS 6.48

Indigenous

Descendants of those who inhabited a country or a geographical region at the time when people of different cultures or ethnic origins arrived. Practicing unique traditions, Indigenous people retain social, cultural, economic, and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live. Capitalize this term used to refer to original inhabitants of a place. Aboriginal leaders welcomed a new era of Indigenous relations in Australia. Bolivia’s Indigenous peoples represent some 62 percent of the population. (Sources: United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, AP Stylebook)

initialisms

see acronyms and initialisms

initials

see middle initials

international students

see foreign

internet but intranet

lowercase

intersex

Describes people born with genitalia, chromosomes, or reproductive organs that don’t fit typical definitions for males or females. Avoid the outdated and derogatory term hermaphrodite. While some people can have an intersex condition and also identify as transgender, the two are separate and should not be conflated. (Source: AP Stylebook, GLAAD Media Reference Guide)

issue names, magazine

in On Wisconsin and Badger Insider magazines, capitalize the name of the season (i.e., the name of the issue), whether the year is included or not: the Spring 2015 issue, the Fall issue

it's, its

it's is the contraction for it is; its is the possessive

Jr., Sr., III

Do not use a comma before Jr., Sr., III, and the like; see also CMS 6.43, 9.42, and 10.19

kickoff, kick off

one word as a noun or adjective; two words as a verb

Koran, Qur’an

Koran is preferred; see also CMS 8.103

L&S

College of Letters & Science (not Sciences); use an ampersand with the abbreviation and the proper name

La Follette

in references to Fighting Bob La Follette, 1879; Belle Case La Follette 1879, LLB 1885; their family; or any people or entities that have descended from them, put a space between La and Follette

LaBahn Arena

no space between La and Bahn

Lakeshore Path

initial caps

languages

see foreign

Latin American

no hyphen for noun or adjective usages

Latin scholarly words and phrases

see foreign words and phrases

Latino/a/x, Hispanic, Chicano

Latino is often the preferred noun or adjective for a person from, or whose ancestors were from, a Spanish-speaking land or culture or from Latin America. Latina is the feminine form. Some prefer the recently coined gender-neutral term Latinx, which should be confined to quotations, names of organizations, or descriptions of individuals who request it and should be accompanied by a short explanation. For groups of women, use the plural Latinas; for groups of men or of mixed gender, use the plural Latinos. Hispanic refers to a person from — or whose ancestors were from — a Spanish-speaking land or culture. Latino, Latina, or Latinx are sometimes preferred. Follow the person’s preference. Use a more specific identification when possible, such as Cuban, Puerto Rican, or Mexican American. Chicano is a term that Mexican Americans in the U.S. Southwest sometimes use to describe their heritage. Use only if it is a person’s preference. (Source: AP Stylebook)

Law School

capitalized; the Law School prefers UW Law School (not the UW Law School) or University of Wisconsin Law School (not School of Law)

legal cases

see court cases

legislature

see CMS 8.62

LGBT, LGBTQ

(Adjective) Acceptable in all references for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning and/or queer. In quotations and the formal names of organizations and events, other forms such as LGBTQIA and other variations are also acceptable with the other letters explained. I generally stands for intersex, and A can stand for asexual (a person who doesn’t experience sexual attraction), ally (some activists decry this use of the abbreviation for a person who is not LGBT but who actively supports LGBT communities), or both. Use of LGBT or LGBTQ is best as an adjective and an umbrella term. Don’t use it, for instance, when the group you’re referring to is limited to bisexuals. (Source: AP Stylebook)

libraries

University of Wisconsin–Madison Libraries, UW–Madison Libraries, the libraries, Memorial Library, College Library

Library Mall

initial caps

lists

use numerals with periods rather than numerals with parentheses; be consistent about capitalizing the first word of a new line or not; use a colon to introduce a list or series: The menu lists three kinds of dessert: pie, cake, and pudding; use a colon after an introductory statement that contains the words as follows or the following; use a colon or period after other statements introducing lists

login, logon, logoff (nouns); log in, log on, log off (verbs)

example: When I log in to my account, my login is tammyfae.

Lowell Center, the

lowercase the in running text; in stacked information (e.g., in invitations), use just Lowell Center (not The Lowell Center)

Madison

Use Madison to refer to the city, not the UW–Madison campus; referring to the Madison campus is acceptable when it’s clear that the Universities of Wisconsin (formerly UW System) are the subject.

Madison Area Technical College (MATC)

The official name of the college is Madison Area Technical College (MATC). On second reference or in an informal context, use Madison College.

Madison College

see Madison Area Technical College (MATC)

Madison Magazine

initial caps, italicize

magazine issues

see issue names, magazine

maiden/birth/former names

see names and degrees

majors

do not capitalize majors, programs, specializations, or concentrations of study when they are not part of an official department name or title, but proper nouns are capitalized: She received a bachelor’s degree in history; She majored in economics; He majored in English and French; view a list of undergraduate majors

marching band

see UW Marching Band, UW Varsity Band

marines

see CMS 8.112

Martin and Florence Below Alumni Center, the

WAA’s headquarters building at 650 N. Lake Street is currently called the Martin and Florence Below (pronounced BEE-loh) Alumni Center; subsequent references are the Below Alumni Center, the alumni center, or the center; as of the renovation that was completed in 2017, the building now includes One Alumni Place, which opens on to Alumni Park

matching gift (noun), matching-gift (adjective)

He will make a matching gift; Fill out the matching-gift form; Use the matching-gift process online; see also CMS 5.92 and 7.85

Memorial Union

see Wisconsin Union

Memorial Union Theater

there’s no such thing; the proper title is the Wisconsin Union Theater; also called the Union Theater

men

see boys, men, girls, women

mental illness

Do not describe an individual as having a mental illness unless it is clearly pertinent to a story and the diagnosis is properly sourced. Mental illness is a general term. Specific conditions are disorders and should be used whenever possible. Avoid terms such as the mentally ill. Instead: people with mental illnesses. Do not use derogatory terms, such as insane, crazy/crazed, nuts, or deranged, unless they are part of a quotation that is essential to the story. Avoid using mental health terms to describe unrelated issues. Don’t say that an awards show, for example, was schizophrenic. (Source: AP Stylebook)

Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program

name for the program which administers the Chancellor's Scholarship and Powers-Knapp Scholarship programs. Scholarship recipients are referred to as Chancellor's scholars or Powers-Knapp scholars, but collectively are referred to as Mercile J. Lee scholars.

mic

see mike, mic

mid

compound words using this prefix are closed when the second word is not a proper noun or a figure: midweek, midterm, midsummer, but mid-January, mid-1960s

middle initials

in general, do not use a middle initial unless the person is adamant about including it or it appears in the official name of an endowment, foundation, award, scholarship, or the like.

mike, mic

use mike, not mic, for the abbreviation of microphone

military organizations

see CMS 8.112

money

see CMS 9.20 and 9.24

Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center

the official name of the Madison convention center; it should not be called (anything resembling) the Frank Lloyd Wright Convention Center

months

Spell out in running text when not used with a day of the week: February 2, 2017. Abbreviate January (Jan.), February (Feb.), August (Aug.), September (Sept.), October (Oct.), November (Nov.), and December (Dec.) when used with a day of the week: Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. Do not abbreviate March, April, May, June, or July. The following style is also acceptable: 28 March 2017. When writing for news releases or Inside UW–Madison, abbreviate months when used with a date, with the exception of March, April, May, June, and July, which are always spelled out.

moon

see CMS 8.141

more than, over

use more than when something can be counted: She bought more than 20 books; in general, over refers to spatial relationships: She jumped over the chair

Motion W

When referring to UW–Madison's athletics logo, capitalize the full name: Motion W (uppercase, no italic). See also W Crest.

My UW

the personalized web portal for UW–Madison and a single entry point into secure information provided by the university (My UW); it gives students access to information on grades, tuition accounts, financial aid, and housing

name tag

two words

names and degrees

To clarify how to use birth/former names, married names, and degrees with couples, here are some examples. Badger Insider’s Badger Pride section, however, does not follow this convention:

John Wilson ’56
Mabel Smith Wilson ’57
John Wilson ’56 and Mabel Smith Wilson ’57
John Wilson ’56 and Mabel Smith-Wilson ’57
John Wilson ’56 and Mabel Smith ’57
John Smith-Wilson ’56 and Mabel Smith-Wilson ’57
John Wilson and Mabel Smith Wilson ’57
John Wilson ’56 and Mabel Smith Wilson (or just Mabel Wilson, because she doesn’t have a grad year, and thus, we’d probably leave out the birth/former name)
John Wilson ’56, JD’58, PhD’60 and Mabel Smith Wilson ’57, MA’59, DVM’62

The Badger Pride list in Badger Insider uses the following more condensed format which doesn’t include birth/former names. (The In Memoriam listings in Badger Insider do include birth/former names.)

John ’56 and Mabel ’57 Wilson
John Wilson ’56 and Mabel Smith-Wilson ’57
John ’56 and Mabel ’57 Smith-Wilson
John and Mabel ’57 Wilson
John ’56 and Mabel Wilson
John ’56, JD’58, PhD’60 and Mabel ’57, MA’59, DVM’62 Wilson
John Wilson ’56 and Mabel Smith ’57

If a last name is hyphenated, use the first name of the hyphenated pair for alphabetical-order purposes. If there are three names (one first and two that appear to be last names), but the second two are not hyphenated, use the third name (i.e., the second last name) for alphabetical-order purposes.

names in appositive form

Use commas when there is only one such person because it’s redundant information; do not use commas when there is more than one such person; see also CMS 5.23. An example: Mary’s husband, John, and her son Greg went with her. In this example, Mary has only one husband, so his name is set off with commas: John is a “restatement” of husband. Mary has more than one son, so the commas with Greg are eliminated to show which son is being referred to specifically, from among the other possibilities. If she had only one son, his name would also be set off by commas.

National Institutes of Health

despite the plural Institutes, it takes a singular verb

Native Nations

Use Native Nations when referring to the 11 federally recognized American Indian tribes within the boundaries of Wisconsin.

Native, Native American

no hyphen in all usages

navy

see CMS 8.112

Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies

Nelson Institute on second reference

neurodiversity, neurodivergent, neurodiverse, neurotypical

Neurodiversity is the concept that differences in brain functioning such as autism, dyslexia, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are normal variations, with strengths and weaknesses. It is not a medical term. Individuals or groups that exhibit those variations are considered neurodivergent or neurodiverse. The larger population is said to be neurotypical. While use of these terms has become more common, to many they remain unfamiliar; they should be used only in direct quotations. Remember that some in the autism community object to the term. See also disabilities (coverage of). (Sources: AP Stylebook; Disability Language Style Guide, National Center on Disability and Journalism)

non

the rules of prefixes apply, but in general, do not use a hyphen with non: noncredit, nondegree, nondiscrimination, nonsexist, nonprofit, nontraditional

numbers

representing some departures from Chicago style (which covers numbers in Chapter 9):

spell out zero through nine
use numerals for 10 and higher
use numerals with thousands, ten thousands, and hundred thousands (4,000; 50,019; 100,000; 807,996)
with round numbers greater than one million (million, billion, trillion), write out the words for one million (or billion, etc.) through nine million; use the numeral and word for numbers that begin with 10 and higher (10 million, 64 billion, 835 trillion)
for large, round fractions using decimal points, use a numeral and spell out million, etc. (2.3 million, 4.5 billion, 8.7 trillion)
the same rules apply to ordinals (second, 21st, 127th) that apply to cardinals (two, 21, 127); do not superscript ordinals
page numbers are always numerals, including 1 through 9, no matter where they appear
in course catalogs, use numerals for credits (1 credit, 24 credits, a 2-credit course)
spell out a number at the beginning of a sentence (Twenty-five students are enrolled. Three credits of history must be completed by the senior year.)
do not hyphenate number as part of a compound adjective (number one city, number two ranked team) or as a predicate adjective (We are number one in the league.)

Numen Lumen

use initial caps and roman

off campus (adverb), off-campus (adjective)

open when used as an adverb; hyphenated when used as an adjective

Office of Admissions and Recruitment

admissions office is acceptable on subsequent references

Office of Strategic Communication

The Office of Strategic Communication is UW–Madison’s central communications and marketing division, with the mission to advance and protect the university’s reputation. Formerly comprising the units of University Marketing and University Communications, the office was fully integrated in July 2024 to align operations across the areas of content strategy, brand strategy, and public affairs/institutional communications. Use the full name on first reference: Office of Strategic Communication. (Note that Communication is singular, not plural.) On second reference, when the context is clearly the Office of Strategic Communication, you can use the office. Do not use the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communication, and do not refer to University Marketing or University Communications, which are now merged as the Office of Strategic Communication. In rare circumstances where space is limited, it may be acceptable to use the shortened name Strategic Communication.

Office of Student Assistance and Support (formerly Dean of Students Office)

The Office of Student Assistance and Support is a primary resource for students navigating personal, academic, or health issues to get the help they need. Formerly called the Dean of Students Office, the office was renamed in June 2024 to better reflect its mission. Its function and structure remain the same.

Office of the Chancellor

chancellor’s office is acceptable on subsequent references

Office of the Provost

provost’s office is acceptable on subsequent references

Ohio State University

Do not include the or The before the name of the institution.

okay

not OK, O.K., ok, or o.k

on campus (adverb), on-campus (adjective)

open when used as adverb; hyphenated when used as adjective

On Wisconsin magazine

“magazine” is lowercase roman; On Wisconsin magazine, originally called The Wisconsin Alumni Magazine, was first published in 1899; its name changed several times, from The Wisconsin Alumnus to just Wisconsin Alumnus to Wisconsin Alumni to On Wisconsin magazine

On, Wisconsin!

this beloved expression comes from the UW’s beloved fight song; it includes a comma because it’s a form of direct address; when it’s run into a longer sentence such as Thanks, and on, Wisconsin!, the on becomes lowercase

One Alumni Place

part of the Martin and Florence Below Alumni Center; it opens on to Alumni Park; also referred to as the One Alumni Place Visitor Center

one-time, onetime

one-time refers to something that happened only once; onetime means former

online

closed, no hyphen

over, more than

see more than, over

p.m., a.m.

see times

page numbers

use numerals for all page numbers (even 1), no matter where they appear

Pail and Shovel Party

student-government party during the late 1970s and early 1980s known for its pranks; it was led by Jim Mallon '79 and Leon Varjian

Parent and Family Program

formerly the Parent Program

part time (adverb), part-time (adjective)

open when used as an adverb; hyphenated when used as an adjective

pass/fail

lowercase, with a forward slash

PEOPLE

all caps; stands for Precollege Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence; adding program after PEOPLE is redundant

people of color

The term is acceptable when necessary in broad references to multiple races other than white: We will hire more people of color. Nine playwrights of color collaborated on the script. Be aware, however, that many people of various races object to the term for various reasons, including that it lumps together into one monolithic group anyone who isn't white. Be specific whenever possible by referring to, for instance, Black Americans, Chinese Americans, or members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. (Source: AP Stylebook)

people’s titles

see titles of people

percentages

use numerals and spell out the word percent: 1 percent, 3 percent, 89 percent; do not hyphenate the numeral and percent when they function as a compound adjective: 4 percent jump; the symbol % is acceptable in lists, tables, and charts, but not in running text except in scientific, mathematical, and highly technical contexts; see also CMS 9.18

Phone numbers

include the area code when the audience is off campus; separate the area code from the number with a hyphen in all usages: 608-123-4567

photo captions

see captions

photo credits

use something like this, with colons and semicolons: Front cover (3): John Brown; inside right: Larry Holmes; inside left (2): Jeff Miller; back cover, top: Paula Abdul; back cover (left center, right center, bottom): Harry Reasoner

photo references/identification

use parentheses, not phrases to identify people in photos: Jason Brown '86 (left) and Martin Nelson '87, not Jason Brown '86 on the left, and Martin Nelson '87; see also captions

policy-making

noun and adjective; see policymaker

policymaker

one word

political affiliations/parties

Put D, R, or I (for Independent) in parentheses, followed by a hyphen, followed by the two-letter state code in national references or the city name in state references: John Smith (D-WI), Matt Johnson (R-MA), Jack Johnson (I-Wauwatosa)

Posse

not an acronym; use an initial cap (but not all caps) in references to the Posse Foundation

PowerPoint

one word, capitalize the internal P

pre and post

most compound words using these prefixes do not take a hyphen: postdoctoral, postsecondary, preprofessional, preenrollment, but post mortem; see also prefixes

precollege

do not hyphenate

prefixes

many words are moving from open to hyphenated to closed, so consult the dictionary

pregame

do not hyphenate

presale

do not hyphenate

president

Universities of Wisconsin president Jane Doe; president of the Universities of Wisconsin; the president (even when referring to the president of the United States)

president-elect

hyphenate

prizes

see awards, prizes

problem solving (noun), problem-solving (adjective)

open when used as a noun; hyphenated when used as an adjective.

pronouns (use of)

Use the pronoun that matches the person’s authentic gender. A person who identifies as a certain gender, whether or not that person has taken hormones or undergone surgery, should be referred to using the pronouns appropriate for that gender. If you are not certain which pronoun to use, ask the person, “What pronouns do you use?” (Source: GLAAD Media Reference Guide) If a person uses pronouns that are not familiar to most readers (such as xe or ze) or may grammatically confuse readers (such as they/them/theirs), include an explanation on first reference if you plan to use the pronouns in subsequent references. For example: Joe Smith, who uses they/them/theirs pronouns ... When listing preferred pronouns, separate them with a forward slash and no spaces: he/him/his, she/her/hers, they/them/theirs

provost

Provost John Doe; the provost; the provost's office; Office of the Provost

Provost Charles Isbell

In most cases, refer to the UW–Madison provost as Provost Charles Isbell on first reference. The full name Charles Lee Isbell Jr. should be used in formal materials (such as an event program).

pull quotes

put quotation marks around material if it is a quotation within the article; do not use quotation marks if the material is merely pulled text; do not use brackets for inserted material because they create clutter

punctuation

use the Chicago Manual of Style for nonnews material; use the Associated Press Stylebook for news releases and Inside UW–Madison

Pyle Center, the

lowercase the in running text; in stacked information (e.g., in invitations), use just Pyle Center (not The Pyle Center)

Q & A

put a space before and after the ampersand.

queer

An adjective used by some people, particularly younger people, whose sexual orientation is not exclusively heterosexual (e.g., queer person, queer woman). Typically, for those who identify as queer, the terms lesbian, gay, and bisexual are perceived to be too limiting. Once considered a pejorative term, queer has been reclaimed by some LGBT people to describe themselves; however, it is not a universally accepted term even within the LGBT community. The term should only be used for people or organizations that use queer to identify themselves. Do not use it when intended as a slur. (Source: GLAAD Media Reference Guide, AP Stylebook)

quotations

In front of the attribution line following a quotation, use an em dash and a space: “Why wonder why when you’re green?” — Kermit the Frog

Qur’an, Koran

Koran is preferred; see also CMS 8.103

R&D

use when referring to research and development work, departments, or efforts; no space before or after the ampersand

Rathskeller

note the -er ending; its nicknames are the Rath and the Rat

re

Most compound words using this prefix do not take a hyphen; with some, however, a hyphen is added to indicate that something is happening again: recover (to improve) vs. re-cover (cover again), recreate (to enjoy leisure) vs. re-create (to create again); the admissions office uses re-entry student; see also prefixes

Red Gym

The University of Wisconsin Armory and Gymnasium is commonly known as the “Red Gym.” The full name or the nickname (“Red Gym”) is acceptable on first reference; “Red Gym” is preferred for subsequent references. A registered National Historic Landmark, the Red Gym is home to many student services offices.

Red Shirt™ The

see The Red Shirt

regent, regents

lowercase when referring to one regent or such a group generically; uppercase when using the full, formal name of UW–Madison’s group: the UW System Board of Regents; see also board of directors, board of regents, board of visitors and UW System Board of Regents

registered marks, trademarks

do not use ™ or ® in journalistic text, but they are used with, e.g., The Red Shirt™, the Wisconsin Alumni Association®, and BADGER HUDDLE®; see also CMS 8.153

registrar

Office of the Registrar, registrar’s office

religion

For guidance on religious terminology, consult the “Religion Guidelines” specialty chapter of the AP Stylebook.

representative (in Congress)

see CMS 8.22

Republican

see CMS 8.66

research and development

see R&D

rock ’n’ roll

use apostrophes around the n

Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

McNair Scholars Program on second reference

rowing team

see crew and teams

RSVP

French for Répondez, s’il vous plait, which means Please respond; using please with the phrase is redundant because the SVP portion already says that; do not use it as a noun; Please reply, Please respond, or Please register are good substitutes

Saint

for place names with Saint, Fort, Mount, and the like, write out the words except where space is at a premium: Fort Myers, Mount Airy; see CMS 10.30

salutations

use a comma, not a colon, following salutations

schools/colleges

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences; the college; CALS
Wisconsin School of Business; UW–Madison’s business school; the school
School of Education; the school; SoE
College of Engineering; the college
Graduate School, the school
School of Human Ecology; the school
The Information School; iSchool@UW–Madison; the iSchool (formerly School of Library and Information Studies)
The International Division, the division
School of Journalism and Mass Communication; the school
Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs; the La Follette School; the school
University of Wisconsin Law School; UW Law School (not the UW Law School); the school
College of Letters & Science; the college; L&S
Mead Witter School of Music; the music school; the school
School of Medicine and Public Health; the school; SMPH
School of Nursing; the nursing school; the school; SoN
School of Pharmacy; the pharmacy school; the school
School of Social Work; the school
School of Veterinary Medicine; the school; SVM

Schutt, Sarah

chief alumni officer and executive director of the Wisconsin Alumni Association

scores

use numerals and an en dash between the numerals of sports scores; see CMS 6.78

seasons

lowercase: summer session, fall semester, fall 2017, winter break, spring break

semester

lowercase: fall semester, spring semester; UW–Madison is on the semester system, so refer to a semester rather than a term

semiannual

see biannual, biennial, semiannual

semimonthly, semiweekly

see bimonthly, biweekly, semimonthly, semiweekly

Senate

see CMS 8.62

senator

see CMS 8.22

send-off (noun and adjective), send off (verb)

senior class gift

lowercase

sex

The classification of a person as male or female. At birth, infants are assigned a sex, usually based on the appearance of their external anatomy. (Source: GLAAD Media Reference Guide)

sex reassignment, gender confirmation

The treatments, surgeries, and other medical procedures used by transgender people to match their sex to their gender. The preferred term over gender reassignment; do not use the outdated term sex change. Sex reassignment or gender confirmation surgery is not necessary for people to transition their gender. (Source: AP Stylebook)

sexual orientation

An individual’s enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to members of the same and/or different gender, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual (straight) orientations. Gender identity and sexual orientation are not the same. Transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer. For example, a person who transitions from male to female and is attracted solely to men would typically identify as a straight woman. Include sexual orientation only when it is pertinent to a story, and avoid references to sexual preference or to a gay or alternative lifestyle. (Source: GLAAD Media Reference Guide, AP Stylebook)

sic

used in roman text, with brackets, following an incorrectly used word or phrase to indicate that it’s a mistake made by the person who’s quoted, not by the writer; frequently written as [sic]

singular they (use of)

In most cases, a plural pronoun should agree in number with the antecedent: The children love the books their uncle gave them. They/them/their is acceptable in limited cases as a singular and/or gender-neutral pronoun, when alternative wording is overly awkward or clumsy. However, rewording usually is possible and always is preferable. Clarity is a top priority; gender-neutral use of a singular they is unfamiliar to many readers. Arguments for using they/them as a singular sometimes arise with an indefinite pronoun (anyone, everyone, someone) or unspecified/unknown gender (a person, the victim, the winner). Examples of rewording:

All the class members raised their hands (instead of everyone raised their hands)
The foundation gave grants to anyone who lost a job this year (instead of anyone who lost their job).
Police said the victim would be identified after relatives are notified (instead of after their relatives are notified or after his or her relatives are notified).
Lottery officials said the winner could claim the prize Tuesday (instead of their or his or her prize).

In stories about people who identify as neither a man or a woman or ask not to be referred to as he/she/him/her: use the person’s name in place of a pronoun, or otherwise reword the sentence, whenever possible. If they/them/their use is essential, explain in the text that the person prefers a gender-neutral pronoun. Be sure that the phrasing does not imply more than one person. Examples of rewording:

Hendricks said the new job is a thrill (instead of Hendricks said Hendricks is thrilled about the new job or Hendricks said they are thrilled about the new job).
Lowry’s partner is Dana Adams, an antiques dealer. They bought a house last year (instead of Lowry and Lowry’s partner bought a house last year or Lowry and their partner bought a house last year).

When they is used in the singular, it takes a plural verb: Taylor said they need a new car. Again, be sure it’s clear from the context that only one person is involved. (Note for UW–Madison communicators: Additional techniques for achieving gender neutrality in your writing can be found in Section 5.255 of the Chicago Manual of Style.) (Source: AP Stylebook)

sleeved

use sleeved vs. sleeve with adjectives: long-sleeved T-shirt

spacing after end punctuation

one space, not two

speakers bureau (renamed Badger Talks in 2019)

no apostrophe; it is not possessive

Special student

capitalize Special

spirit squad

lowercase unless it’s the UW Spirit Squad; see also UW Spirit Squad

sports scores

see scores

spouse, wife, husband

all are acceptable

spring

lowercase; spring semester; spring 2018

Sr.

see Jr., Sr., III

student classifications

lowercase freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior when referring to an individual student or to the class as a whole: She is a senior history major; The senior class sponsored the lecture

student-athlete

with a hyphen

subheads

see headlines, subheads

suicide

Avoid using the phrase committed suicide. Alternate phrases include killed himself, took her own life, or died by suicide. The verb commit with suicide can imply a criminal act. Laws against suicide have been repealed in the United States and many other places. (Source: AP Stylebook)

summer

lowercase; summer session, summer 2019

System campuses

use an en dash except as noted below; uppercase System with UW System institutions, which comprise four-year campuses, 13 UW Branch campuses, UW College Courses Online, and UW Extended campus; see also CMS 6.81

Four-year campuses

UW–Eau Claire
UW–Green Bay
UW–La Crosse
UW–Madison
UW–Milwaukee
UW Oshkosh
UW–Platteville
UW–Stevens Point
UW–Stout
UW–Superior
UW-Whitewater

UW Branch campuses

University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire–Barron County
University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus
University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, Marinette Campus
University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, Sheboygan Campus
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee at Washington County
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee at Waukesha
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Fond du Lac
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Fox Cities
University of Wisconsin–Platteville Baraboo Sauk County
University of Wisconsin–Platteville Richland
University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point at Marshfield
University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point at Wausau
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at Rock County
University of Wisconsin Colleges Online

TA, TAs

no periods in this abbreviation for teaching (not teacher or teacher’s) assistant

teaching assistant

see TA, TAs

teams

use these forms: Olympic team, U.S. national team, UW men’s basketball team; use rowing team or crew when referring to rowers because crew team is redundant; see also crew

tense

Use the present tense when reporting ongoing work, current affairs, and impromptu remarks of speakers; use past tense to report remarks made in speeches, votes, actions of committees, and other one-time past events: Brower says the work will be complete by summer. The chancellor told the Faculty Senate in her address last week that the budget would pass.

Terrace, the

lowercase the, capitalize Terrace when referring to the Memorial Union Terrace; use wording that could not be confused with Madison’s Monona Terrace Convention Center; see also Monona Terrace Convention Center

Thank-a-Badger Day

hyphenate, lowercase a

that and which

Use that for essential clauses; use which for nonessential (parenthetical) clauses: General Education Requirements, which include courses in mathematics, must be satisfied; Credits that must be completed before the senior year fall into two categories.

The as part of a publication’s or organization’s title

although many entities officially include The as part of their titles, put the word in lowercase roman type; see also CMS 8.170

The Red Shirt™ (TRS)

use the ™ on at least the first reference; using the ™ on every reference is also acceptable; always include and capitalize The; a comma goes after the ™; The Red Shirt™, Ninth Edition; write out editions First through Ninth; use numerals for editions 10th and higher

the University of Wisconsin–Madison

see University of Wisconsin–Madison

theatre, theater

Use theater, not theatre, except when theatre is used in a formal title: University Theatre, Department of Theatre and Drama, Hemsley Theatre, Mitchell Theatre; but Wisconsin Union Theater and Theater Gallery. Hemsley and Mitchell Theatres are in Vilas Hall. Theater Gallery is in Memorial Union.

time zones

lowercase central standard time, eastern time zone, mountain daylight time, and the like except references to Pacific: Pacific daylight time; capitalize abbreviations: CDT, EST; see also CMS 8.90

times

use figures (8 p.m., 4 a.m.) except for noon (12 p.m.) and midnight (12 a.m.)
use a colon to separate hours from minutes
use lowercase, periods, and no space between the letters for a.m. and p.m.
do not include a colon or minutes if the time is exactly on the hour (11 a.m., but 3:30 p.m.)
avoid redundancies such as 10 a.m. in the morning
with time ranges, use the words from and to, not from and an en dash (from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., not from 9 a.m.–2 p.m.)
with time ranges without the word from, use an en dash with no spaces (Monday–Friday, 2–4 p.m.); if both times are a.m. or p.m., include the a.m. or p.m. with the later time only (8 to 11:30 a.m., 1:30–5 p.m., but 9 a.m.–2 p.m.)
when preparing copy for news releases or Inside UW–Madison, use a hyphen, not an en dash or the word to (from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.)
see also CMS 9.38, 9.39, and 10.41

titles of people

in general, capitalize titles only when they are formal titles that appear directly before a name: Chancellor Jane Doe, Professor John Doe; but the chancellor, the professor; do not confuse titles with occupation descriptions: movie star Bette Davis, astronaut John Glenn; capitalize titles that precede names and refer to more than one person with the same title: Professors Jane Doe and John Smith; see also CMS 8.19–8.33 (especially CMS 8.28 about academic titles); see also academic titles

titles of works

see CMS 8.156–8.201 and follow the guidelines below, which include specific CMS references; when preparing copy for news releases or Inside UW–Madison, refer to the Associated Press Stylebook

italicize (and use initial caps) for these titles

albums: 8.197
annual reports: 8.186
art exhibits: 8.201
art pieces/art works: 8.198
blogs (blog names versus individual blog posts): 8.192
books: 8.168
brochures: 8.186
cartoons (printed): 8.200
CDs: 8.197
choreographed dance works
comic strips/comics series: 8.200
concerts
dance works with titles
documentaries (films): 8.189
drawings: 8.198
DVDs: 8.197
epic/long poems (vs. short poems): 8.181
films: 8.189
long musical compositions: 8.195
magazines: 8.171
movies: 8.189
newsletters
newspapers: 8.170

online versions of any of these; add the URL if helpful

oratorios: 8.194
operas: 8.194
paintings: 8.198
pamphlets: 8.186
periodicals: 8.168
photographs (individual images): 8.198
plays: 8.183
podcast series: 8.189
poems (epic/long): 8.181
published works
radio series (not one-time programs or individual episodes): 8.189
reports: 8.186
statues: 8.198
symphonies and other long instrumental compositions: 8.195
television series (not one-time programs or individual episodes): 8.189
tone poems: 8.194
video games: 8.190

use roman type, initial caps, and quotation marks for these titles

blog posts (individual blog posts versus blog names): 8.192
chapters (book chapters and parts): 8.177
clickable buttons on a website
dissertations: 8.188
essays: 8.177
fables: 8.185
fairy tales: 8.185
folktales: 8.185
lectures (individual lectures, not lecture series): 8.87
magazine articles: 8.177
manuscripts: 8.188
newspaper articles: 8.177
nursery rhymes: 8.185
podcast episodes or one-time programs (not continuing series): 8.189

online versions of any of these; add the URL if helpful

poems (short versus epic/long): 8.181
presentations
prom themes
radio episodes or one-time programs (not continuing series): 8.189
short musical compositions: 8.194
short poems (vs. epic/long poems): 8.181
short stories: 8.177
songs: 8.194
speeches: 8.87
television episodes or one-time programs (not continuing series): 8.189
theses: 8.188
unpublished works: 8.188
YouTube videos
websites' titled sections, pages, special features: 8.191

use roman type, most likely capitalized, with no quotation marks, for these titles

artworks of antiquity: 8.198
awards (middle initials are acceptable if they’re named after people): 8.83
book series and editions: 8.176
campaigns
catalogs
classes: 8.86
conferences
courses: 8.86
exhibitions and large-scale fairs (versus art exhibits): 8.201
film series (an event series, not the films themselves)
forms: 8.187
forums
games (board, card, children’s, active are typically lowercase; brand-named are uppercase): 8.190
large-scale fairs and exhibitions (versus art exhibits): 8.201
lecture series (not individual lectures): 8.87
magazine columns and departments: 8.177
newspaper columns and departments: 8.177

online versions of any of these; add the URL if helpful

panel discussions
prizes (middle initials are acceptable if they’re named after people): 8.83
seminar-type programs
symposia
websites: 8.191
workshops
works of antiquity: 8.198

On Wisconsin and Badger Insider magazines

On Wisconsin magazine
Badger Insider magazine
department titles are roman, with no quotation marks
feature article titles are roman, with quotation marks

trademarks

see registered marks, trademarks

transgender

Describes people whose gender identity does not match the sex they were identified as having at birth. Does not require what are often known as sex reassignment or gender confirmation procedures. Identify people as transgender only if pertinent, and use the name by which they live publicly. Generally, avoid references to a transgender person being born a boy or girl, since it’s an unnecessary detail and excludes intersex babies. The shorthand trans is acceptable on second reference and in headlines. Use the name by which a transgender person now lives. Refer to a previous name, sometimes called a deadname, only if relevant to the story. Do not use as a noun, such as referring to someone as a transgender, or use the term transgendered. (Instead, as an adjective: Bernard is a transgender man. Christina is transgender.) Not synonymous with terms like cross-dresser or drag queen, which do not have to do with gender identity. Do not use the outdated term transsexual. Avoid derogatory terms such as tranny. (Source: AP Stylebook)

transition

The processes transgender people go through to match their gender identity, which may include sex reassignment or gender confirmation procedures, but not necessarily. (Acceptable uses: Washington is transitioning while helping his daughter consider universities. Chamberlain’s family offered support during her transition.) Avoid the phrase sex change. Altering one’s birth sex is not a one-step procedure; it is a complex process that occurs over a long period of time. Transition can include some or all of the following personal, medical, and legal steps: telling one’s family, friends, and co-workers; using a different name and new pronouns; dressing differently; changing one’s name and/or sex on legal documents; hormone therapy; and possibly (though not always) one or more types of surgery. The exact steps involved in transition vary from person to person. (Sources: AP Stylebook, GLAAD Media Reference Guide)

type treatment with punctuation

see CMS 6.2–6.4

U-Rah-Rah

generally, use hyphens and initial caps; however, in some design contexts, all caps and/or no hyphens may be more accommodating

U.S.

see United States (noun), U.S. (adjective and noun)

UK

no periods; see also CMS 8.31

UN

no periods; see also CMS 8.62

under way (adverb); underway (adjective)

open when used as an adverb; closed when used as an adjective.

undocumented

Use undocumented to refer to a group of people or an individual who does not have documentation required for legal immigration or residence, and only when relevant to the story and with explicit permission from a group or individual. For example, undocumented immigrants or an undocumented student. Avoid illegal or alien.

Union South

see Wisconsin Union

Union Theater

the proper name is the Wisconsin Union Theater; it is not the Memorial Union Theater

Union, the

see Wisconsin Union

United States (noun); U.S. (adjective and noun);

periods with U.S. is a departure from Chicago style

Universities of Wisconsin (formerly UW System)

The Universities of Wisconsin (formerly called the UW System) comprise 13 four-year universities and their branch campuses. Universities of Wisconsin is the preferred reference for the collective of the 13 four-year universities. The name takes the form of a plural for subject–verb agreement: The Universities of Wisconsin are … Do not abbreviate the name to UWs or UW universities on second reference, an exception to the Universities of Wisconsin’s style guide for the UW–Madison campus. This is to avoid confusion with UW–Madison’s common abbreviation to the UW. Instead, spell out the Universities of Wisconsin on all references whenever possible. If necessary, UW system (lowercase) is acceptable to describe the collective of the 13 four-year universities. Note that the entity’s legal name remains the University of Wisconsin System. This name is still used when referring to the UW System Board of Regents. It’s also used for official documents (such as diplomas), court filings, contracts, grants, and other formal correspondence and delegations of authority. See also UW System Board of Regents and Universities of Wisconsin (formerly UW System) campus names.

Universities of Wisconsin (formerly UW System) campus names

Use an en dash for the four-year campuses, except for UW Oshkosh. Preferred naming conventions for their branch campuses are below. See also CMS 6.81. Effective July 2018, the two-year campuses formerly known as UW Colleges joined several of the Universities of Wisconsin’s four-year institutions as branch campuses. Refer to the Universities of Wisconsin style guide for full guidance. Four-year campuses

- UW–Eau Claire
- UW–Green Bay
- UW–La Crosse
- UW–Madison
- UW–Milwaukee
- UW Oshkosh
- UW–Platteville
- UW–Stevens Point
- UW–Stout
- UW–Superior
- UW–Whitewater

Branch campuses

- UW–Eau Claire – Barron County
- UW–Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus
- UW–Green Bay, Marinette Campus
- UW–Green Bay, Sheboygan Campus
- UW–Milwaukee at Washington County
- UW–Milwaukee at Waukesha
- UW Oshkosh, Fond du Lac Campus
- UW Oshkosh, Fox Cities Campus
- UW–Platteville Baraboo Sauk County
- UW–Platteville Richland
- UW–Stevens Point at Marshfield
- UW–Stevens Point at Wausau
- UW–Whitewater at Rock County

university

capitalize only as part of a formal title on first reference; always lowercase on second reference

University Book Store, The

although The is in its official name, use lowercase roman type for “the”; here Book Store is two words, but normally bookstore is one word

University Club

initial caps

University Health Services (UHS)

use plural Services

University Housing

not Division of University Housing

University of Wisconsin Armory and Gymnasium

see Red Gym

University of Wisconsin Foundation

see UW Foundation (UWF)

University of Wisconsin–Madison, the

Use an en dash rather than a hyphen between University of Wisconsin and Madison. Spell out on first reference in external publications or publications that will be read widely off campus. UW–Madison (with an en dash, not a hyphen) is acceptable in external publications and in all internal communication for the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Do not use the with UW–Madison (research at UW–Madison). Also acceptable on second reference are the UW and the university (when the context is clearly UW–Madison). To prevent confusion with the Universities of Wisconsin (formerly UW System), however, use the UW as a substitute for UW–Madison only when the context is clearly UW–Madison or the entity is officially named UW instead of University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW Hospital and Clinics, UW Law School). Capitalize The only as a formal title in a formal reference, such as in the headline of a program; generally, though, lowercase the. UW is acceptable when referring to athletics teams or departments that do not use UW–Madison as part of their official names (UW Health, UW Carbone Cancer Center). See also CMS 6.81.

University of Wisconsin, the

see University of Wisconsin–Madison, the

University Ridge golf course

lowercase golf course

University Theatre

not Theater

university-wide

but campuswide, citywide, countywide, nationwide, statewide, systemwide, worldwide

URL

stands for Uniform Resource Locator, an internet address style for addresses: e.g, http://www.wisc.edu/pubs/ug/index.html, though typically shortened to, e.g., wisc.edu/pubs/ug/index.html; see also website (URL) addresses

UW

see University of Wisconsin–Madison, the

UW athletics

see athletics department

UW Department of Athletics

see athletics department

UW Field House

the official name is the Wisconsin (not UW) Field House; do not capitalize the in the Field House or the Wisconsin Field House

UW Foundation (UWF)

use the Foundation (capitalized) or UWF (never the UWF) in subsequent references

UW Homecoming Parade

but Homecoming parade

UW Libraries

this umbrella title refers to all libraries on this campus

UW Marching Band, UW Varsity Band

the university’s best-known band is called the UW Marching Band in the fall (when it marches) and the UW Varsity Band in the spring (when it plays indoor concerts); use marching band on second reference when discussing the UW Marching Band

UW Spirit Squad

UW–Madison's squad comprises the dance team, cheerleaders, and Bucky Badger mascots; on second reference, use Spirit Squad or the squad; lowercase other schools' spirit squads

UW System Board of Regents

The 17-member panel that oversees the Universities of Wisconsin. Use the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents or the UW System Board of Regents on first reference; regents, board of regents, or board (all lowercase) are acceptable on second reference. While the Universities of Wisconsin is the preferred name for the collective of the 13 four-year campuses, the entity’s legal name remains the University of Wisconsin System. The board of regents continues to use the legal name:

University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents; UW System Board of Regents
Jane Doe, president of the University of Wisconsin System; UW System president Jane Doe

UW Varsity Band

see UW Marching Band, UW Varsity Band

UW–Madison (no the)

Use an en dash rather than a hyphen. Acceptable on second reference in external publications and in all internal communication for the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Do not use the with UW–Madison: research at UW–Madison. To prevent confusion with the Universities of Wisconsin (formerly UW System), use the UW as a substitute for UW–Madison only when the context is clearly UW–Madison or the entity is officially named University of Wisconsin rather than University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW Hospital and Clinics, UW Law School). See also CMS 6.39 and 6.81 ; University of Wisconsin, the; and UW, the.

UW–Madison brand

Lowercase brand in reference to the UW–Madison brand and brand website. The abbreviated UW brand is also acceptable when the context is clearly UW–Madison.

UW–Madison Division of Extension

Extension offers credit and noncredit educational opportunities throughout the state

UW, the

see University of Wisconsin–Madison, the

vehicles

see CMS 8.116–8.117 for a discussion of the names of ships, submarines, aircraft, trains, space programs, and the class, make, and model of cars

versus, vs.

write out in text, but in sports-related marketing, the abbreviation vs. is acceptable; see also court cases

veterinary school

its full name, the School of Veterinary Medicine, is preferred, but in cases when it’s shortened, use veterinary school, not vet school

vice chancellor; vice president

not hyphenated

votes

per CMS 6.78, use an en dash: The vote was 14–6

vs.

see versus, vs.

W Crest

When referring to UW–Madison's academic logo, capitalize the full name: W Crest (uppercase, no italic). Lowercase crest when not using the logo's full name: the crest, UW–Madison's crest logo. See also Motion W.

WAA

Do not use the before it; see also Wisconsin Alumni Association® (WAA). WAA’s merger with the UW Foundation was effective on July 1, 2014. The blended organization is now called the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA). WAA and UWF also maintain their separate brand identities.

Washington, DC

use a comma; no periods with DC; in usages such as the WAA: Washington, DC, Chapter, include a comma after the DC as well

web terms

website, the web, the World Wide Web, web page, web feed, webcam, webcast, webmaster

website (URL) addresses

test every site before publishing it; use the shortest version that works; use roman type without brackets; put a period at the end if it falls at the end of a sentence; delete the http:// and www portions of the address; do not hyphenate a word within a web address unless it actually has a hyphen; if necessary, break it after a slash or period that is part of the address; do not insert any characters or punctuation; see CMS 7.46

Wednesday Nite @ the Lab (WN@L or WN@tL)

use Nite and @

WFAA

see Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA)

wheelchair

It is acceptable to describe a person as someone who uses a wheelchair, followed by an explanation of why the equipment is required. Avoid confined to a wheelchair or wheelchair-bound as these terms describe a person only in relationship to a piece of equipment. (Source: Disability Language Style Guide, National Center on Disability and Journalism)

white

Lowercase the word white in racial, ethnic, and cultural senses. (Source: AP Stylebook)

White Library

there’s no such thing; see College Library at Helen C. White Hall

wife

see spouse, wife, husband

will-call

hyphenate as a noun or adjective; use with window when possible

winter

lowercase winter break, winter 1983

WISCIENCE

Acronym for Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement

Wisconsin Alumni Association® (WAA)

WAA (never the WAA) is preferred on second reference, but the association is acceptable

Usage of the registered mark:

use ® only when the full name is written out, only once, and on the first reference (or first “convenient” reference)
punctuation follows the ®
do not use it in running text in On Wisconsin, Badger Insider, the Flamingle, articles submitted for publication elsewhere, the body of press releases, mailing addresses, envelopes, or letterhead
do use it in the mastheads of On Wisconsin, Badger Insider, and the Flamingle; the contact listing and final About WAA paragraphs in press releases; the masthead and last paragraph of newsletters; ads and other promotional materials
if a marketing vehicle has several pieces, use the ® on the first reference in each piece
do not use superscript online or with emails, but generally superscript is preferred if it’s readable

Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)

initial caps

Wisconsin Alumni Student Board (WASB)

a student group founded in 1980 that is affiliated with WAA and functions as an ambassador to the student community.

Wisconsin Experience

initial caps; the idea that, together, members of the campus community create and apply learning inside and outside the classroom to make the world a better place.

Wisconsin Field House

the official name is the Wisconsin (not UW) Field House; do not capitalize the in the Field House or the Wisconsin Field House.

Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA)

the logo uses an ampersand, but use and in running text; WFAA (never the WFAA) is acceptable on second reference. WAA’s merger with the UW Foundation was effective July 1, 2014. The blended organization is now called the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA). Both WAA and UWF also maintain their separate brand identities to external alumni and donor audiences

Wisconsin Hoofers, the

UW–Madison's outdoor-activities club; also called simply Hoofers or the Hoofers

Wisconsin Idea

This refers to former UW president Charles Van Hise’s declaration that “I shall never be content until the beneficent influence of the University reaches every home [some sources say family] in the state”; that is, he wanted the work of the university to extend to the boundaries of the state and beyond. Today this is viewed as global reach and influence. Lowercase the in the Wisconsin Idea. There is some debate as to when Van Hise made this declaration: some sources say 1904; others say 1905. Cite a date at your own risk.

Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery

The legal name of the building at 330 N. Orchard Street; it houses the private Morgridge Institute for Research (MIR), the public Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID), and programming staff of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF); to avoid confusion between the building (Institutes) and one of the research entities (Institute), the building is informally called the Discovery Building.

Wisconsin State Journal

no The in the title

Wisconsin Union

This refers to the organization that manages Memorial Union, Union South, and Union activities. Use Memorial Union or Union South to refer to the physical buildings. The Wisconsin Union (organization) prefers that people use Union only when referring to activities sponsored by the Wisconsin Union — not to specific locations — but students and alumni often use Union to refer to Memorial Union. The Wisconsin Union is a private entity that’s separate from UW–Madison, so do not use UW–Madison Union or UW Union.

Wisconsin Union Theater

also known as the Union Theater; it is not the Memorial Union Theater

Wisconsin Welcome

not Welcome Week

women

see boys, men, girls, women

words as words

see CMS 7.63

x

see degree years

years

see CMS 9.64

YouTube

one word, uppercase Y, uppercase T

zip code

two words