Editorial Style Guide
- Former user (Deleted)
- Kennedy Murphy
- Megan Voypick
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR WRITING
North Park University’s voice reflects the university’s three distinctives: Christian, city-centered, and intercultural while also highlighting our status of an emerging model for Christian higher education in the 21st century which provides an affordable, transformative, and challenging education in a world-class city.
When writing, first consider the audience (prospective or current students, alumni, donors, parents, etc.) and craft your copy accordingly. Overall the voice should be intelligent and approachable, but not overly academic or conversational.
DO:
Write copy in short sentences with active verbs.
Create a connection with your audience by speaking to them in second person (you, your) when possible.
Think about a key message or goal. Make sure that message is communicated in the heading, first paragraph or first sentence.
Keep paragraphs short—two to three sentences when possible.
Break lists into bullet points for easy scanning.
Use bold for emphasis.
DO NOT:
Write in passive voice.
Use jargon.
Uppercase text solely for emphasis. Bolding is preferred.
Underline text solely for emphasis. Underline on the web is reserved for links.
This Editorial Style Guide aims to give clear and straightforward guidelines for preparing and editing copy for North Park’s publications, website, email or labeling of physical spaces. For answers to specific questions, you should consult The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition, published by the University of Chicago Press, and the Webster’s Third New International Dictionary for correct spelling, hyphenation, and division of words not listed.
Chicago Manual of Style
merriam-webster.com
Most of the entries in this writing guide are consistent with the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS). If you have questions that are not answered by the guide, you can reference the complete Chicago Manual of Style at the link above. For the few instances that are a departure from CMOS, sources include the AP Stylebook.
This Editorial Style Guide is subject to change and will be updated as needed. If you have additions or corrections, please contact:
Ana Funduk
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications afunduk@northpark.edu
University of Marketing and Communications
NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY BOILERPLATE
Short version:
North Park University is city-centered, intercultural, and emerging as the model for Christian higher education in 21st century America.
Long version:
North Park University is city-centered, intercultural, and emerging as the model for Christian higher education in 21st century America. Students experience hands-on learning in a tight-knit community while benefiting from the university’s state-of-the-art facilities. Accomplished faculty and staff make deep connections with their students as they take advantage of the tremendous resources of Chicago. North Park is the university of the Evangelical Covenant Church and, since its founding in 1891, continues to embody the church’s values. Students practice faith in a vibrant community, and faculty and staff reflect this community’s rich breadth and depth. North Park respectfully welcomes students from all faiths, preparing them for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology.
INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE
Here are some general guidelines for representing identities in written materials:
Use racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, disability, and religious identification when it is relevant to a story. One way to determine whether it is relevant is to ask “Will the story make sense without the information?”
Ask people how they would like to be identified in this story. This could change based on the context or timing of the story. Strive for respectful accuracy that observes how people self-identify and allows for multiple categories.
Familiarize yourself with key identity terms and concepts and how categories can intersect.
Do not use identity-based adjectives as nouns. For example: use Black students, not Blacks; a transgender woman, not a transgender.
Never use transgendered as a noun or adjective.
When writing or speaking about people with disabilities, please consult the National Disability Authority guidelines.
The guidelines below were adapted from the following reference guides:
WORD USAGE
America
Refers to the entire Western hemisphere and does not apply solely to the United States. North America and South America together are often referred to as the Americas. When referring to the United States of America, use the United States on first reference, and US for all subsequent references.
BIPOC
An acronym that stands for Black, Indigenous and people of color. The term is meant to unite all people of color while acknowledging that Black and Indigenous people face different and often more severe forms of racial oppression and cultural erasure as consequences of systemic white supremacy and colonialism. BIPOC is not a one-size-fits-all term and should not be used in place of recognizing a specific racial identity or experience.
Black (adjective)
Use an uppercase B when referring to Black Americans. Not all Black people identify as African American, which means that Black and African American are not interchangeable terms.
he/she; his/her
Avoid this construction; rewrite to use the plural “they” or “their” instead.
Example: Students are given a North Park online account once they are admitted to the university.
Instead of: A student is given a North Park online account once he/she is admitted to the university.
When it is not possible to rewrite, use “they” or “them” as singular pronouns.
Indigenous
While an official definition of Indigenous is not agreed on, the United Nations has developed an understanding of the term based on self-identification; historical continuity to pre-colonial and/or pre-settler societies; links to territories and resources; distinct social, economic, and political systems; and possession of distinct languages, cultures, and beliefs. In the case of the United States, tribal membership or citizenship denotes Indigenous identity. These factors make the words Indigenous and Aboriginal identities, not adjectives, and the Native American Journalists Association urges organizations to capitalize these terms to avoid confusion between indigenous plants and animals and Indigenous human beings. Finally, avoid referring to Indigenous people as possessions of states or countries. Instead of Wyoming’s Indigenous people try the Indigenous people of Wyoming. [There are an estimated 370 million Indigenous peoples worldwide, living in 70 different countries, according to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.]
LGBTQ and LGBTQ+
Acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (or sometimes questioning). The term “gay community” should be avoided, as it does not accurately reflect the diversity of the community. Rather, LGBTQ community is preferred. LGBTQ+ is sometimes used to include other gender and sexual orientation identities such as intersex, asexual, nonbinary, polyamorous, pansexual, and more.
man/manning
Avoid using “man” or “manning” as a verb, for example “manning the table.” Use gender-neutral language such as “staff” or “staffing” instead.
minority/minorities
This term has historically referred to nonwhite racial and ethnic groups, indicating they were numerically smaller than a more populous white majority. Defining people of color as “minorities” is not recommended because of changing demographics and the ways it reinforces the ideas of inferiority and marginalization of a group of people. Defining people by how they self-identify is preferred.
Native American
Native American gained traction in the 1960s for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Over time, Native American has been expanded to include all Native people of the continental United States and some in Alaska. The term is only used to describe groups of Native Americans—two or more individuals of different tribal affiliation. Always identify people by their preferred tribal affiliation when reporting on individuals or individual tribes. See Indigenous.
people of color
Often the preferred collective term for referring to nonwhite racial and ethnic groups rather than “minorities.” Before using this term, consider whether racial identity is the relevant factor in the story or the group or community’s access to services, representation, or lack of resources. If the latter is the case, use underserved, underrepresented, or underresourced instead.
pronouns
When writing about transgender people, ask which pronouns they prefer you use. If it is not possible to ask, use “they” or the person’s name.
white (adjective)
Use a lowercase “w” when referring to white Americans. CMOS acknowledges that, as a matter of editorial consistency, White and similar terms may be capitalized when used in this sense, so individual preferences should be respected, and usage may depend on context.
WRITING FOR THE WEB
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of applying best practices for search engine ranking to web pages. When search engines determine a web page’s relevancy for a specific query, keywords are an important part of the equation. Identify the keywords that people may use to find your website. Do not “stuff” your copy with these keywords, just make sure you use them naturally in your copy rather than their synonyms.
Where to place your keywords
The word placements that carry the most weight in search engine rankings are:
Heading tags
First word of first paragraph
Links to other pages
You can help people find the information they are looking for by putting the most relevant keywords for the content on the page in these positions.
STYLE AND USAGE
AN A TO Z LISTING OF GUIDES TO CAPITALIZATION, ABBREVIATION, SPELLING, PUNCTUATION, NUMERALS, AND USAGE.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
abbreviations and acronyms
Names not commonly known by your audience should not be abbreviated. Acronyms should be all caps, no periods, and closed up.
Examples: GPA, ID cards
In running text, always spell out the full name, title, or phrase in the first reference and then put the acronym in parentheses directly following the spelled-out name.
Examples: North Park launched a new graduate degree program—a Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN) program. The DEMSN program will prepare students with the skills to provide safe and competent care to patients.
The School of Professional Studies (SPS) offers several orientation dates in the spring semester. SPS also offers a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.
North Park University (NPU) offers more than 70 academic programs and majors. NPU also offers graduate and doctoral degrees.
academic degrees
Degrees are abbreviated without periods and closed up.
Examples: BA, BS, MA, MS, PhD, MD, MDiv
When spelling out degrees in running text, use proper grammar. A student can receive a master of arts or a master's degree, but NOT a master of arts degree. The same rule applies to bachelor's and doctoral degrees.
Academic degrees are lowercased when referred to generically but uppercased when referred to specifically: baccalaureate degree, bachelor's degree, bachelor of arts, master's degree, master of science, doctoral degree, doctorate, doctor of philosophy, etc. (Note the plural form: bachelor's degrees; master's degrees; doctoral degrees.)
Examples:
He received a bachelor of arts.
He received a Bachelor of Arts in Education.
She earned a master's and a doctorate.
She earned an MA and a PhD in English.
academic departments
Capitalize when using the official names of divisions and programs. The official names of divisions begin with "Division of Sciences” or “Division of Humanities and Social Sciences” or “Department of Biology.”
In second reference or informal uses, we often say "biology department" instead of "Department of Biology." It is acceptable to lowercase here. Do not capitalize "the department."
In general use, disciplines and academic departments should be lowercased, unless they are proper nouns or adjectives, like English. Names of majors, minors, concentrations, and programs are lowercased.
Examples:
College of Arts and Sciences; the college
Division of Sciences; the division
Department of Psychology; the department, the psychology department
Brandel Library; the library
He is a chemistry professor.
She is a biology major.
I am going to my English class.
I took two courses in physics and one in sociology.
She majored in Spanish, and he majored in music.
academic year
When referring to the academic year, fall semester, spring semester, fall quad, spring quad and summer session are lowercased, as are first-year, second-year, third-year, and fourth-year. They are never uppercased.
When written out, academic year notations are always styled with the years joined by an en dash: 2018–19 or 2020–22. See punctuation.
add/drop period (never uppercased)
addresses
(See buildings and locations)
administrative departments and offices
Capitalize when using the official titles of departments and offices.
Examples: Office of Admissions, Office of the Provost, Office of the Registrar.
In second reference or informal uses, it is acceptable to lowercase terms like admissions office, provost’s office, and registrar’s office.
When listing multiple offices, capitalize if "offices" falls before the description of the office, but not if it follows.
Example: The Offices of Admissions and Advancement met for a special celebration of new North Park parents.
• Example: Representatives from the accounting and financial aid offices hold regular meetings.
Terms like "the provost," "the registrar" and "the dean of admissions and financial aid" should be lowercased, unless they precede the name of the person. See titles: people
advisor (not adviser) Always lowercase
Example: A student may request a change of academic advisor.
aka (never uppercased)
ages
always use figures when referring to age. See numbers for more.
all caps
All caps should never be used except for acronyms and states' postal abbreviations. See states.
alphabetical order
Last names with a hyphen are alphabetized by the first surname
Example: Anne Marie Andreasson-Hogg, alphabetize by Andreasson
Last names without a hyphen are alphabetized by the last surname
Example: Harriet Beecher Stowe, alphabetize by Stowe
alumna/alumnae/alumnus/alumni
Use the correct word for gender and number. Avoid using “alums.”
Alumna is feminine singular: Michelle is an alumna of North Park.
Alumnae is feminine plural: Michelle and Carrie are alumnae of North Park.
Alumnus is masculine: Marcus is an alumnus of North Park.
Alum can be used for gender-neutral singular: We hope every alum can attend Homecoming.
Alumni is masculine or gender-neutral plural: Marcus and George are alumni of North Park. Michelle, Carrie, Marcus and George are alumni.
**In internal and external communications including the North Parker, use standard academic degree notations: BA, BS, BME, MA, MS, MM, MSN, MOL, MNA, MDiv, MBA, MHRM, DNP, etc.
Anything after “in” in a degree name isn’t included (e.g., Master of Arts in Christian Formation is abbreviated as MA, not MACF); the exception is MSN, according to Chicago Manual of Style.
Exception: North Park Academy designation should be as follows:
Carolyn Anderson A ’37
Note in the copy that “A” denotes North Park Academy, which was a secondary school from 1894–1969.
If the person received only a certificate from NPU, note that in running text. Joseph Klein, who received a certificate in accounting, went on to work at Chase Bank.
Names of alumni should be followed by degree and year of graduation whenever possible.
Class years should be listed in abbreviated form, omitting the century digits (i.e., "19" and "20"), unless the class year is 100 or more years ago or wherever context doesn't remove all ambiguity.
Examples:
Charlene (Smith) Johnson BA ’60 has a nephew, Robert Johnson BS ’02, who works in Chicago.
Megan O'Reilly BA 1912 became one of the first Covenant nurses to work in Thailand.
There should always be a space between the degree and year, but never a comma between the names of alumni and their graduation years. When listing more than one graduation year, there should be a comma between the years.
Erica Olson BA ’02, MS ’08
Maiden names of alumnae should be listed in parentheses, followed by their married names.
List the full name of the person who graduated earliest, followed by the full name of his or her spouse.
Examples:
Ingrid Olson BA ’90 and Andrew Olson BS ’91
David Olson BA ’59, MS ’63 and Joan (Peterson) Olson BS ’63
When spouses are alumni of the same class, list the woman's name first with appropriate class year, followed by the man's name with the appropriate class year.
Example: Marie (Olson) Anderson BS ’65 and Charles Anderson BS ’65
For current North Park students, degrees are noted in two ways depending on the type of publication.
For social, web stories, zines, and external marketing materials, the standard degree notation is not used. Instead, use the student's current year and major if applicable.
Example: Brett Ravitz, third-year marketing major, works at University Marketing and Communications.
For event programs, magazine masthead, or any ceremonial or formal publications, use the current student's expected degree and anticipated graduation year.
Example from North Parker masthead: Writer: Brett Ravitz, BS '26
If you cannot find record on if/when the individual graduated from the institution, but are certain they at least attended for part of their schooling, proceed as follows.
If their attendance period predates 1997, the year North Park College became North Park University, denote their attendance using “NPC” (e.g., Kevin McKenney NPC ’54).
If their attendance period includes or postdates 1997, denote their attendance using “NPU” (e.g., Kevin McKenney NPU ’00).
a.m./p.m.
Use the lowercase, with periods.
Examples: 3:00–4:30 p.m.
7:00–10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.–noon
Noon and midnight are acceptable to avoid confusion.
Never 3p.m. or 3 p.m.
ampersand (&)
Refrain from using in place of "and," unless it is part of a composition title or an organization’s formal name.
artwork (never art work)
B
Bible
Capitalize, without italics, when referring to the Scriptures in the Old Testament or the New Testament. Capitalize also related terms such as the Gospels, Gospel of St. Mark, the Scriptures, the Holy Scriptures.
The word “book” is usually lowercased, and the words “gospel” and “epistle” are usually capitalized.
Examples: Genesis; the book of Genesis
Job; the book of Job
2 Chronicles; Second Chronicles; the second book of Chronicles
Psalms (but a psalm)
John; the Gospel according to John
Acts; the Acts of the Apostles
1 Corinthians; the First Epistle to the Corinthians
Lowercase biblical in all uses. Lowercase bible as a nonreligious term: The Chicago Manual of Style is my bible.
Black
board of trustees
Only capitalize as part of a formal name or when referring to the North Park University Board of Trustees. In subsequent references, use the board (lowercase). Lowercase “trustee.”
Examples: The Board of Trustees met on Monday. Two trustees were unable to attend.
The board approved funding for the new building.
book titles
buildings
In formal and official documents (e.g., grant applications), use the complete names of buildings.
Example: The physics and mathematics departments are located in the Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life.
• Example: There are sculptures on North Park’s campus located near Anderson Chapel and Nyvall Hall.
In posters, email announcements and other informal uses, it is not necessary to use the complete name.
Example: The tour begins at Helwig. Participants will get to see laboratories in the Johnson Center.
See also buildings and locations.
C
campus addresses
Campus Green (Never Greenspace without a space) (Green Space acceptable in informal publications)
campuswide
Spelled as one word, no hyphen.
capitalization of people’s titles (occupational):
Capitalize if using directly before a person’s name in running text: The keynote will be delivered by Dean Cindy Hudson. Dean Hudson’s published work and presentations include childhood obesity, academic clinical partnerships to service the underserved and interprofessional education.
Capitalize when the person’s complete name and title are standing alone: Mary K. Surridge, President.
Lowercase and set off with commas when the title follows the person’s name in running text: Michael Carr, provost, will deliver the keynote.
Lowercase if using generically: Cindy Hudson is a dean at North Park.
If a title is occupational, do not capitalize: faculty member Ilsup Ahn, movie star Nicole Kidman, astronaut Neil Armstrong.
capitalization of place names: Capitalize popular or legendary names. Do not place them within quotation marks or italics: the Windy City, the Big Apple, Honest Abe, the Big Hurt. Capitalize directional words—and related common nouns, if applicable—when they refer to an understood region: the Midwest, the South, the East Coast, Southeast Asia, Northern Ireland, the Western Hemisphere, the South Side. Otherwise, lowercase directional words: northwest Mississippi.
capitalization of proper nouns: Capitalize common nouns such as party, river, street, and west when they are an integral part of the full name for a person, place, or thing: Democratic Party, Mississippi River, Fleet Street, West Virginia.
Lowercase these common nouns when they stand alone in subsequent references: the party, the river, the street.
Catalyst (no underscore, no “606”)
ceremonies and celebrations
Capitalize the university’s major ceremonies: Threshold, Launch Day, Commencement, and Homecoming, Honors Convocation.
church
Capitalize as part of the formal name of a building, a congregation or a denomination; lowercase in other uses. North Park Covenant Church, but There are many covenant churches in Chicago.
City of Chicago: Capitalize when referring to the government of the city: The City of Chicago announced plans for a Veterans Day commemoration.
Lowercase in generic references: North Park University is located in the great city of Chicago. When writing about Chicago, do not include Illinois (or any abbreviation of it) after the city name.
classwork (never class work)
codirector
Do not hyphenate.
Exceptions: co-op, co-opt
Refer to CMOS Hyphenation Guide for details.
CollegeLife (no space)
collegewide
Spelled as one word, no hyphen.
collective nouns
Nouns that denote a unit take singular verbs and pronouns: class, committee, crowd, faculty, family, group, herd, jury, orchestra, staff, team.
Example: The faculty is voting on the measure in its committee meeting today.
commas and semicolons
North Park follows CMOS in its inclusion of the serial/oxford comma.
North Park University is Christian, city-centered, and intercultural.
In a series of three or more entries in a sentence, use serial commas and semicolons as follows:
Alumni from Columbus, Ohio; Gothenburg, Sweden; and Des Moines, Iowa, came together for Homecoming.
Do not use a comma before Jr., Sr., II, III, IV, etc.
Example: John H. Jones III presented the guest lecture.
communiqué (with the accent)
contact us phrases
Make email the primary method of contact by placing it first in the phrase.
Example: For more information contact John Jones, department chair, via email or at (773) 244-5691.
contractions
In most nonacademic writing, contractions make your text easier to read with a more conversational tone. Unless a more formal construction helps emphasize the meaning of a sentence or phrase, use contractions, and use them consistently.
core curriculum
Uppercase as Core Curriculum when referring to the official course sequence.
coursework
One word, not two and not hyphenated.
COVID-19
Always capitalize. On second reference, it is acceptable to use “COVID.”
Crux
never all uppercase
D
database
One word, not two, and not hyphenated.
datelines: use AP Stylebook for guidance
When mentioning cities in a story, also list the state in which the city is located unless it appears on the list below. If the context of the story makes it clear that the city is in a particular state, listing the state is not necessary.
Example: There are Evangelical Covenant Church camps in many cities, including Iron River, Michigan, and Grand Marais, Minnesota.
Example: The main campus of the University of Wisconsin is in Madison. (understood from context that Madison is in Wisconsin and not Alabama)
Cities that stand alone and do not need a state
Atlanta | Baltimore | Boston | Chicago | Cincinnati | Cleveland |
Dallas | Denver | Detroit | Honolulu | Houston | Indianapolis |
Las Vegas | Los Angeles | Miami | Milwaukee | Minneapolis | New Orleans |
New York | Oklahoma City | Philadelphia | Phoenix | Pittsburgh | St. Louis |
Salt Lake City | San Antonio | San Diego | San Francisco | Seattle | Washington |
An international city should be listed with the country in which it is located. The AP Stylebook provides a list of exceptions to this rule (such as London, Paris, Berlin).
dates
When a date appears in the middle of a sentence, the year is also followed by a comma. If using only the month and year, there is no comma.
May 3 never May 3rd
June 5 never June 5th
Students must register between May 3–10, 2022.
Classes start on August 29 and end on December 12.
Always use an en dash (option + hyphen on Mac, alt + 0150 on PC) between dates.
Registration begins May 3 after spring break.
Today, March 20, is the first day of spring.
Include the year:
in all formal invitations
for events or publications that span years
to avoid confusion if the event occurs in a year other than the current one
if including the year, then only include on first reference
Do not include the year when:
event occurs in the current year
event does not span years
Blue & Gold Day took place on April 26 with more than 100 attendees.
decimals
use a period and numerals to indicate decimal amounts. Decimalization should not exceed two places in textual material unless there are special circumstances. For amounts less than 1, use the numeral zero before the decimal point: 0.03
She earned a 3.75 GPA at North Park.
degrees
Examples of use:
bachelor’s degree, bachelor’s program
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Bachelor of Science (BS) (includes BS in Nursing)
Bachelor of Music Education (BME)
master’s degree, master’s program
Master of Arts (MA) (instead of listing out separately, all that are MA should be under this umbrella including Education and Christian Ministry, as they are first and foremost MA degrees)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Nonprofit Administration (MNA)
Master of Human Resource Management (MHRM)
Master of Organizational Leadership (MOL)
Master of Music in Collaborative Piano (MM)
Master of Music in Vocal Performance (MM)
Master of Divinity (MDiv)
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Master of Science in Athletic Training (MS)
doctoral degree, doctoral program
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
For degree notation for alumni and current students, see alumna/alumnae/alumnus/alumni.
E
e.g.,
Always enclose in parentheses and follow with a comma (e.g., this sentence and other uses). This is the abbreviation in Latin meaning, “for example.”
ellipsis
In general, construct an ellipsis as a three-letter word, with three periods surrounded by a space on either side: space-period-period-period-space. When preceding an ellipsis with a complete sentence, include end punctuation on the sentence before proceeding with the ellipsis.
Example: I wanted to eat everything in Magnuson Campus Center. … I held back.
• Example: “I appreciate all North Park did for me … I learned a lot as a student here.”
Use an ellipsis to indicate deletion of words when condensing quotes or text. (Take care to not change the meaning of the text when choosing which words to omit.) When omitting material at the end of one paragraph and the beginning of one that follows, use an ellipsis in both locations. Do not use ellipses at the beginning and end of direct quotes.
exclamations
Do not attempt to emphasize simple statements by using a mark of exclamation. Use the mark to express a high degree of surprise, incredulity, or other strong emotion.
It was a wonderful show.
Instead of: It was a wonderful show!
Join us tomorrow.
Instead of: Join us tomorrow!
The exclamation mark is to be reserved for use after true exclamations or commands.
What a wonderful show!
Stop!
Ready, set, go!
ex-officio (hyphenated)
F
FAQ not FAQs
Frequently asked questions (plural questions is implicit in FAQ)
file extensions
Always uppercase and use brackets next to a link followed by the file size if available—Housing Form [PDF] 2MB
first come, first served
first-generation student (hyphenated)
firsthand, (never first-hand)
fractions
Spell out amounts less than 1 in stories, using hyphens between the words: two-thirds, four-fifths, one-fourth, etc.
freshman
Avoid this term. Instead, use "first-year" or "first-year student." (Example: first-year classes.)
foreign words
Place foreign words in italics (words not listed in Merriam-Webster’s).
Exception: Sankta Lucia (Its prevalence at NPU results in it not being italicized.)
G
grade point average
Do not use a hyphen in this phrase.
groups
Names of groups (boards, trustees, etc.) are not capitalized unless the full official name is used.
Members of North Park’s Board of Trustees include…
In September, the board will meet to discuss enrollment figures.
For a list of trustees, please contact…
H
hallelujah
Lowercase the biblical praise to God but capitalize in composition titles: Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus.
healthcare (never health care)
Holy Land
Capitalize the biblical region.
Holy Week
Capitalize the week before Easter.
home page
Two words.
hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes
off-campus programs (hyphen -)
fiscal year 1990–91 (en dash)
November 5–December 20, 1991 (en dash)
7:00–9:00 p.m. (en dash)
The brochure—it had been mailed last week—was already generating numerous responses. (em dash: option + shift + hyphen on Mac, em dash: alt + 0151 on PC)
Note: Always close up both sides of en dash and em dash.
Hyphenate terms in which two adjectives function as a compound to modify a noun.
black-and-white processor
computer-generated image
well-equipped laboratory
state-of-the-art facility
Refer to CMOS hyphenation guide for complete information.
This guideline does not apply if the nouns precede the adjective:
art that is three dimensional
programs that are off campus
shot in black and white
Use hyphens with age terms.
• Examples: a 55-year-old man, 8- to 10-year-olds.
I
i.e., (always in parentheses and followed with a comma) i.e. means “that is” or “in other words”
Example: The bulk (i.e., about 80%) of the work needs to be done in the next three days.
internet (always lowercased)
J
Jesus
The central figure of Christianity, he also may be called Jesus Christ or Christ. Personal pronouns (He, Him, His) referring to him are uppercased as is “Savior.”
junior, senior
Abbreviate as Jr. and Sr. only with full names of persons. Do not precede by a comma: Martin Luther King Jr.
K
Use K abbreviation in headlines and statistical references only to refer to kilometers, in baseball for strikeouts and monetary amounts.
Examples: 10K race
Pitcher records 12 K’s
The generous gift of $50K
In running text, write out the numerical amount.
Example: They donated $50,000 to the school of their choice.
keywords
See Writing for the Web.
L
Name of the Chicago train system. (never the “El”)
Latino/Latina
The shorter "Latino/a" also is acceptable. Latinx, Latine should be confined to quotations, names of organizations or descriptions of individuals who request it.
LGBT
See Inclusive Language.
lists
Use unordered lists for all lists unless the list heading or lead in contains a number.
Example of unordered list:
What to bring to campus:
Towels
Sheets
Pillows
Example of ordered list:
You can create an account in three easy steps:
Enter your username.
Provide a phone number.
Click submit.
login (noun); log in (verb); log into (verb)
You will need the login to access Self-Service.
You need to log in before accessing Self-Service.
Can you log into your account?
the Loop (as in the Chicago Loop)
M
musical compositions
Titles of operas, albums, oratorios, tone poems, and other long musical compositions are italicized. Song titles are enclosed in quotation marks.
Examples:
Handel’s Messiah
Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro
“All You Need Is Love” by the Beatles
“Somewhere,” from West Side Story
Instrumental works which are known by their generic names—symphony, quartet, nocturne—are capitalized but not italicized. If referring to a full work, a title is italicized.
Examples:
Sonata in A Major
B-flat Nocture; Chopin’s nocturnes
Bach’s Mass in B Minor
Augusta Read Thomas’s Triple Concerto (Night Midsummer Blaze)
For further guidance on music, see Writing about Music: A Style Sheet by D. Kern Holman
money
Fractional amounts higher than one dollar are set in figures. Whole dollar amounts do not need ".00" unless used in conjunction with another dollar/fraction amount:
Examples:
His textbook cost $67.
The course notes cost $15.95.
The registration fee is $75.50 if you are staying on campus, but $55.00 if you stay off campus.
movie titles, television, and radio programs
N
names
proper names
Spell out a person’s full proper name on first reference. Use the last name only in subsequent references.
Exceptions: When referring to two or more people with the same last name, use their first names in subsequent references.
If a nickname is inserted into a proper name, use quotation marks around it. (Example: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.)
Do not use a comma before or after Jr., Sr., and III.
nonprofit
numbers *This is a departure from CMOS where we reference AP Stylebook.
Spell out numbers one through nine. Use numerals for 10 and above.
The same applies for ordinal numbers: first through ninth; 10th and above.
Exceptions: When numbers are at the beginning of a sentence, spell them out.
Also use figures for academic course numbers, ages, vehicle designations (except for "Air Force One"), court decisions and votes ("the Supreme Court ruled 5–4"), dates and decades, decimals, fractions with numbers larger than 1, golf clubs, highway designations, mathematical usage, military ranks, monetary units, odds and ratios, percentages, political districts, ranks, sequential designations ("size 6," "chapter 7"), speeds, sports scores, times, and units of measurement (dimensions, distances, recipes, temperatures).
Spell out and capitalize First through Ninth when used as street names. Use figures for 10th and above. Avoid using superscript.
Examples: 1200 W. 53rd St.
5149 N. Spaulding Ave., 2nd floor
Spell out numbers at the start of a sentence, unless it is a year. Spell out in casual uses ("thanks a million") and in proper names ("the Final Four.")
O
on
Do not use on before a date or day of the week when its absence would not lead to confusion, except at the beginning of a sentence:
Example: The meeting will be held Monday.
On September 3, the new semester begins.
ongoing (no hyphen)
online (no hyphen)
over or more than
Always use “more than” when referring to quantity/numbers.
North Park students can join more than 10 diverse student activities.
Reserve over for use as a preposition.
The lecture takes place over there, at the chapel.
P
percent
use figures for percent and percentages and use the symbol (%).
periodicals
phone numbers
Phone numbers are written with the area code in parentheses and numbers separated by a hyphen.
(773) 244-5158
possessives
possessives
For singular common and proper nouns not ending in s: add ’s
The professor’s schedule
The student’s email
For singular nouns ending in s: add only an apostrophe
the hostess’ invitation
the witness’ answer
the witness’ story
For singular proper names ending in s: add only an apostrophe
Jesus’ parables
Moses’ law
Socrates’ life
For singular proper names ending in x or z: add ‘s
Berlioz’s works
Marx’s theories
For plural possessives not ending in s: add ’s
the alumni’s contributions
the Johnson’s gift
For plural possessive ending in s: add only an apostrophe (including proper names)
the churches’ needs
states’ rights
preacher/priest
A job description, not a formal religious title. Do not capitalize.
prefixes
Adjectives with prefixes are not hyphenated unless the punctuation enhances clarity, separates two identical vowels, appears before a capitalized word or before a compound term.
intercultural
interdisciplinary
multimedia
nonprofit
nonrefundable
nontraditional
postmodern
preregistration
reimagine
cooperate
coordinate
cofounder
cochair
but:
co-opt
anti-illusionistic
meta-analysis
pre-Columbian
post-World War II
re-create/re-creation (as distinct from recreate/recreation)
pronouns
See Inclusive Language.
proper names
Spell out a person’s full proper name on first reference. Use the last name only in subsequent references.
Exceptions: When referring to two or more people with the same last name, use their first names in subsequent references.
punctuation
(see commas and semicolons; hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes; possessives; quotation marks)
Q
Q&A
Closed up with no space
quotation marks
Always place commas and periods inside quotation marks (double or single). Question marks and exclamation points should be placed inside quotation marks only when they are part of the quote. Use single quotes only for a quote within a quote.
Quran
The preferred spelling for the Muslim holy book. Use “Koran” only if preferred by a specific organization.
R
religious references
The basic guidelines:
Capitalize the proper names of monotheistic deities: God, Allah, the Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Redeemer, the Holy Spirit, Lord, etc.
Also uppercase the pronouns referring to the deity: He, Him, His, Thee, Thou, Who, Whose, Why, etc.
Lowercase “apostles”, “patriarchs”, “psalmist”
Capitalize the names of major events in the life of Jesus Christ in references that do not use his name: The doctrines of the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection.
But lowercase when the words are used with his name: The ascension of Jesus into heaven took place 40 days after his resurrection from the dead.
Capitalize "Scripture/the Scriptures."
Capitalize "the Gospel(s)" when referring to a specific book of the Bible; lowercase "the gospel" in general references to the Christian message.
If a common noun is used alone to refer to a book of the Bible, it is usually capitalized ("Job"); if the common noun is used in conjunction with a part of the Bible, it is not capitalized ("the book of Job").
When referring to the church universal, use lowercase.
religious titles
The first reference to a clergyman or clergywoman normally should include a capitalized title before the individual’s name.
In many cases, the Rev. is the designation that applies on first reference. Use the Rev. Dr. only if the individual has an earned doctoral degree. On second reference, use only a last name.
résumé
S
Self-Service (always hyphenated and uppercase when referring to the NPU application)
semesters/seasons/quads
Always lowercase fall, winter, spring, and summer.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
See Writing for the Web.
spaces between sentences
Use only one space between sentences in text.
There is no longer a need to have two spaces between sentences. The extra space was needed to delineate the beginning of a new sentence on a typewriter because the spacing between words was uneven. With computers, this extra space has become obsolete and is no longer needed. This applies to all end punctuation.
states
In running text, the names of states should be spelled out whether standing alone or in conjunction with the name of a city.
Alumni from Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan enjoyed a get-together at Magnuson Campus Center.
Lake Bluff, Illinois, was incorporated in 1895.
The names of states should be abbreviated in mailing addresses, biographies, or lists.
Write to:
North Park University
3225 W. Foster Ave., Chicago, IL 60625
student-athlete (always hyphenated)
T
theatre
Use this spelling, unless the proper name is “theater.”
Threshold
Uppercase Threshold when referring to the orientation program. Also uppercase Orientation if using together with Threshold.
times
1:00–3:00 p.m. never 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (always use an en dash not a hyphen)
time zones
CT, ET, MT, PT
(deviation from CMOS with the omission of S for Standard or D for Daylight so as to avoid confusion of which season is standard or daylight)
title case
Capitalization of headlines/headings/subheadings/mottos follow Chicago Manual of Style guidelines. Capitalize My Title is a helpful online tool.
titles: cultural movements
Nouns and adjectives used to designate cultural styles, movements and schools should be capitalized if derived from proper nouns. Otherwise, lowercase.
Examples: Aristotelian, Cartesian, classicism, existentialism, formalism, Gothic (but gothic fiction), Gregorian chant, humanism, impressionism, modernism, Platonism, postmodernism, Pre-Raphaelite, realism, Romanesque, structuralism, surrealism, absurdist theater.
Exception: Some movements are capitalized to distinguish them from the generic words used in everyday speech.
Examples: Romanticism, Romantic poets.
titles: people
Capitalize official titles when they precede the name and lowercase general titles and official titles when following a name or used in place of a name.
In general, avoid courtesy titles such as Mr., Mrs. and Ms.
When relevant, "Rev." is an acceptable shorthand to use before a name on first reference. When relevant and provided as supporting information, "Dr." is also acceptable to use for someone who holds a doctoral or medical degree on first reference.
Consult CMOS for additional guidance regarding religious and courtesy titles.
North Park University President Mary Surridge
Mary Surridge, president of North Park, invites you to Hawkinson House.
The president of North Park University welcomes you.
Lori Scrementi, dean of the School of Professional Studies, will be giving a talk.
Assistant Professor Libin Babu is passionate about creating novel learning environments.
Make an appointment with one of the professors of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Rev. Dr. Terence Gadsden will lead tomorrow’s chapel.
Dr. Michael Carr serves as provost of North Park University.
In lists, bylines, or mailing addresses, titles are capitalized.
Mary Surridge, President
David Otfinoski, Chair of the Board of Trustees
titles: websites
The names of most websites and apps are capitalized without quotes.
Examples: Facebook, Instagram, Google
titles: works
Following CMOS, italicize titles of books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, exhibitions, computer and video games, movies, operas, plays, albums, radio programs, television shows, and works of art.
Articles or essays, hymns or song titles, presentations, courses, and lecture titles should be placed in quotation marks.
American Gothic and Nighthawks are both paintings found at the Art Institute of Chicago.
“Old Testament Prophets”, “English Romanticism,” and “Chemistry in Our World” are all courses offered at North Park.
She prefers to read the Chicago Tribune for local news while he subscribes to the New York Times.
David Hockney: The Arrival of Spring, Normandy, 2020 is at the Art Institute through January 2023.
“What Is Nature?” and “400 Year of African American Preaching: What Do These Words Mean?” are two lectures that were given at North Park.
“El Macho: How the Women of Teatro Luna Became Men” is an article co-written by Professor Liza Ann Acosta.
Angry Birds and Candy Crush were popular computer game apps.
Books that are primarily catalogs of reference material or the Bible also should not be italicized and do not need quotation marks.
Prayer titles should also not be italicized and do not need quotation marks.
Consult the Chicago Manual of Style for additional guidance.
trustee
Lowercase "trustee," even when discussing members of North Park’s Board of Trustees.
U
under or fewer than
Always use “fewer than” when referring to quantity/numbers.
There are fewer than 20 students in the class.
underline
Never underline words on the website or in email unless they link to another page. Use boldface to emphasize important points.
United States/US
Spell out as a noun; initials as an adjective.
university-wide (with hyphen)
URLs
See web addresses.
V
viewbook (one word, no space)
voicemail (one word, no space)
W
web addresses
For internal print and web, always include “www” in web addresses.
For external audiences, remove the “www” in web addresses.
Do not underline; do not use “http://” unless the URL does not include www.
If a line ends with a URL, a period is still necessary.
Example: More information can be found at www.northpark.edu.
Discover more: www.northpark.edu/grad
Remember to try all URLs before including them to make sure they work.
Online, do not place the URL in copy, instead, embed it within descriptive text.
Keep in mind that for vision-impaired individuals, a screen-reader will read the text on the page. Describe the destination rather than using text such as “click here” or “learn more.”
web pages and websites
The Web comes from the proper name World Wide Web and is thus capitalized. However, when used as a compound word, it appears in lowercase: website, web page, webcam, webcast.
well
Hyphenate as part of a compound modifier.
• Example: North Park is a well-known Christian university in Chicago.
• Example: Companies want to hire well-rounded graduates from liberal arts colleges.
white
See Inclusive Language.
Y
Years: repeated from numbers
September 3–12 never September 3–September 12
August 5–September 12
August 9, 2009–February 4, 2010
1945–70 never 1945–1970
1890–1915
1950s or the ’50s (only add an apostrophe before the “s” if the year is acting as a possessive)
1950’s style
Include the year:
in all formal invitations
for events or publications that span years
to avoid confusion if the event occurs in a year other than the current one
if including the year, then only include on first reference
Do not include the year when:
event occurs in the current year
event does not span years
NAMES AND PLACES
NAMES OF THE INSTITUTION
Used alone or in headings, captions, or copyright:
North Park University
North Park Theological Seminary
Used in text—first reference:
North Park University (NPU)
North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS)
Subsequent references:
North Park, NPU, or the university (never “University”)
seminary (never “Seminary”)
NP is an acceptable abbreviation when referring to North Park Athletics
BUILDINGS AND LOCATIONS
Locations should not be capitalized unless they are proper nouns. Geographic locations (cities, states, territories, countries, regions) should always be capitalized. Compass directions north, south, east, and west (including northern, southern, eastern, and western) are also lowercased when not part of a proper name.
Examples: North Park's library
Brandel Library
campus bookstore
The Midwest
northwestern Indiana
Buildings
Anderson Chapel
5159 N. Spaulding Ave.
Anderson Hall
5000 N. Spaulding Ave.
Burgh Hall
5000 N. Spaulding Ave.
Hanson Hall
5137 N. Spaulding Ave.
Hawkinson House
5258 N. Spaulding Ave.
Health and Counseling Services Center
3317 W. Foster Ave.
Helwig Recreation Center
3205 W. Carmen Ave.
Holmgren Athletic Complex
3037 W. Foster Ave.
Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life
5141 N. Christiana Ave.
Magnuson Campus Center
5000 N. Spaulding Ave.
Ohlson House
5158 N. Spaulding Ave.
Old Main
3225 W. Foster Ave.
Park North
4942–46 N. Kedzie Ave.
Physical Plant
5055 N. Kedzie Ave.
Postal Center
3305 W. Foster Ave.
Sawyer Court
4951–57 N. Sawyer Ave.
University Marketing and Communications
5049 N. Spaulding Ave.
Office of Campus Safety
5125 N. Spaulding Ave.
Caroline Hall
5111 N. Spaulding Ave.
Wilson Hall
3231 W. Foster Ave.
Hamming Hall
3215 W. Foster Ave.
North Park Gymnasium
5148 N. Kedzie Ave.
Carlson Tower
5148 N. Kedzie Ave.
Carlson Tower Gallery
5148 N. Kedzie Ave.
Lecture Hall Auditorium
5148 N. Kedzie Ave.
Brandel Library
5114 N. Christiana Ave.
Nyvall Hall
5110 N. Spaulding Ave.
School of Business and Nonprofit Management
5043 N. Spaulding Ave.
School of Education
5148 N. Kedzie Ave., 6th floor
School of Music, Art, and Theatre
3231 W. Foster Ave.
School of Nursing and Health Sciences
5148 N. Kedzie Ave., 5th floor
School of Professional Studies
5130 N. Christiana Ave., LL floor
University Ministries
5141 N. Christiana Ave., 1st floor
Office of Advancement
3319 W. Foster Ave.
Office of Admissions
3225 W. Foster Ave.
Office of Alumni Relations
3319 W. Foster Ave.