Editorial Style

Marist’s written materials generally follow The Associated Press Stylebook (AP) guidelines and the spellings in Merriam–Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Exceptions are noted below. 

Items are sorted by topic. Click the letters below to review guidelines.

AA | Bb | Cc | Dd | Ee | Ff | Gg | Hh | Ii | Ll | Mm | Nn | Oo | Pp | Qq | Rr | Ss | Tt | Uu | Ww | Yy

Aa

abbreviations 

If the name represented by an abbreviation may be unknown to some readers, always write out the full name on first reference. Use abbreviations in running text only when part of official names. See acronyms, academic degrees, and time. 

academic courses 

Capitalize the main words in titles of specific courses, but not names used in a general sense. Do not use quotes. 

Economics 200
Science 101 
economics class 

Capitalize all nouns and adjectives referring to languages, countries, and nationalities. 

A French course
An English major
Black culture 

academic degrees 

Capitalize the main words in the names of degrees when they are spelled out and capitalize abbreviations of degrees. There are no spaces between elements and no periods between abbreviated letters. 

Bachelor of Arts ─ BA
Bachelor of Science ─ BS
Master of Arts ─ MA
Master of Science ─ MS
Doctor of Philosophy ─ PhD 

The capitalization of names of degrees should match the registrar's official degree list, also found on marist.edu. Do not capitalize academic degrees used in a general sense. Note that bachelor's and master's end in's. 

an associate degree
a bachelor’s degree
a master’s degree
a doctoral degree or a doctorate 

In references to degrees, the word "degree" is never capitalized. 

She earned her Master of Business Administration degree. 

Make plural abbreviations of degrees – and do not use periods between letters. 

MAs, PhDs, MBAs 

Capitalize names or abbreviations of academic degrees and honors following a personal name.  

John Doe, DPT
James Trillburn, Woodrow Wilson Fellow

Abbreviate degrees when used following a name, but spell them out in the first reference in the text. 

Her daughter received a Bachelor of Arts.
Christopher Jones, PhD 

academic majors and minors 

Do not capitalize names of fields of study, options, curricula, major areas, minors, major subjects, or programs unless a specific course is being referred to or if using names of countries, nationalities, historical periods, and languages. 

a student majoring in political science
a student majoring in criminal justice
a student majoring in English 

academic programs 

The term "program" should be used to refer to approved academic majors, minors, certificates, graduate fields of study, or degrees. It should not be capitalized unless used as an official part of a title. 

The science program offers a specialization in biotechnology.
The Honors Program was implemented in 2000. 

acronyms 

Avoid on first reference. Job titles and names of organizations, centers, buildings, forms, tests, and other objects are generally spelled without periods. See AP Stylebook. 

CEO, SAT, GRE 

Make acronyms plural without apostrophes  

CEOs, GREs, IDs 

addresses 

In running text, spell out addresses and state names.

Note: States following cities are parenthetical and require commas before and after. Spell out the names of numbered streets from first through ninth. 

They visited Fifth Street in Poughkeepsie, New York, on their last trip.  

alma mater 

Do not italicize or capitalize unless referencing the formal song. 

alumnus, alumni 

Alumnus is the singular, masculine form. Alumna (singular) and alumnae (plural) are for feminine forms. Alumni is plural for a group of graduates. Alum is a singular, gender-neutral option and is permissible for informal uses. 

When referring to alumni use a graduation year. Include name, a back quote with the grad year, and "M" for master’s degree or "DPT" for doctorate in physical therapy when applicable. Do not use MBA, MPA, or PA, or any less commonly known degrees when you can spell out degree type in running text. In a list, MPA and MBA are acceptable uses. 

John Doe ’06  
John Doe ’06DPT  
John Doe ’06M 

 Use a “P” to indicate when someone is a parent. For more than one degree use a "/" and no spaces. If a person has multiple degrees from Marist, use the most recent two degrees unless space allows for more.  

John Doe ’06/’09M/’20P
Joe Doe ’22M/’25DPT 

ampersands (&)

Use ampersand if it is part of the brand or formal name, e.g., U.S. News & World Report. Use "and" not ampersands, including in dates and the names of Marist schools and departments.  

The School of Communication and the Arts
The Department of Housing and Residential Life
Sept. 25 and Sept. 26 

apostrophes 

Avoid use for multiple capitals, numerals, but use for plurals of a single letter. 

RNs
x’s and y’s
A’s and B’s>
1990s, 1980s (see decades)

Bb

Board of Trustees 

Capitalize Board of Trustees, Board, and Trustees when referring to the Marist College Board of Trustees, even when the terms are used as standalones. Do not capitalize when referring generically to a board or trustees. 

The Marist College Board of Trustees
The Board voted Friday at Marist.
Trustees met at Marist Wednesday.
Groups of college trustees from around the country gathered.

broadcasting stations 

Abbreviate the names of broadcasting stations, but omit periods and spaces. 

WPDH-FM WRGB-AM 

buildings 

The names of institutions and buildings are capitalized, and when formal, use the full name. The generic form is lowercase when used alone.

The Murray Student Center; the student center
The James A. Cannavino Library; the library 

Official names of rooms are capitalized. 

The Cabaret
The Margaret Mair Room  

bulleted lists 

Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. Use periods at the end of each sentence in a bulleted list. Use no punctuation at the end of a single word or single phrase in each section of a list. Do not use semicolons. 

Examples: 

There are many ways a student can excel at Marist: 

• They can study abroad. 
• They can choose combinations of majors and minors. 
• here are many immersive and experiential learning opportunities. 
• Internships are also available. 

The student has already taken: 

• A general math course 
• An advanced physics course 
• Three language courses 

Cc

campus 

Do not capitalize the word "campus" in terms such as main campus, east campus, Florence campus, etc.  

capitalization 

Lowercase the word "college" when it refers to another institution without their formal name, or when it is used in a generic sense.

Vassar College is also located in Poughkeepsie.
The college is nationally recognized. 

A general rule is official names are capitalized; unofficial, informal, shortened, or generic names aren’t. This rule applies to names of offices, buildings, schools, departments, programs, centers, institutes, etc. Phrases such as "the center," "the institute,"  or "the museum" are not capitalized. 

The Office of the Registrar
the registrar’s office
the registrar 

Capitalize official names of bulletins, forms, conventions, conferences, symposia, etc. 

Student Handbook
Financial Aid Transcript 

Capitalize official course titles (except for articles, prepositions, and conjunctions), whether or not the course number is used. 

E201 Intro to Microeconomics S250 Graphic Design I
Professor Fitzgerald is teaching Chemistry of the Hudson River this spring.

Names of seasons, academic periods, and one-time events are generally not capitalized. 

summer session
spring semester
orientation registration
spring break
the 2024 fall semester 

chair 

Use in all cases (not chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson). 

commas 

Use the serial (Oxford) comma (the final comma before "and," "or," or "nor") in a list of three or more items. 

red, white, and blue flags 

If items in the series contain commas themselves, use semicolons between all items. 

The letters she wrote are dated August 7, 1918; May 12, 1935; and January 4, 1965. 

When following a person's name, qualifiers such as PhD and MD are preceded by a comma. A second comma follows the qualifier in running text. 

Richard Lewis, PhD
The opening remarks by Richard Lewis, PhD, set the tone for the conference.

However, qualifiers such as Jr., Sr., and III are not set off by commas. 

Martin Luther King Jr.
Charles Smith III 

Set off the year when using dates with commas on both sides only if a day of the month precedes it. 

January 29, 2027, is the deadline.
January 2026 is the deadline. 

Set off a parenthetical (nonrestrictive) expression with commas on both sides. Note that states following cities are parenthetical and require commas before and after. 

The study, it was believed, had been falsified.
The members of the class, generally speaking, were happy to be there.
They visited Hyde Park, New York, on their last trip. 

Commas appear after, not before, an expression in parentheses (like this), and they always go inside quotation marks. 

Correct: Frankie (our mascot), who is a fox, used to be Shooter.
Incorrect: Franking (our mascot,) who is a fox, used to be Shooter.
Correct: "This is the best falafel," Professor Smith said.
Incorrect: "This is the best falafel", Professor Smith said.

commencement 

When referring to the formal name of the ceremony, use the full title and capitalize. Otherwise, lowercase. 

The 78th Marist Commencement Ceremony was well attended.
Each year, commencement celebrates our graduates. 

course listings/titles 

Each course has a course number and course title, which is always capitalized (even if the course is referred to without the number). There is no punctuation between the course number and course title. 

S101 Elementary Composition I 

coursework 

One word. 

curriculum/curricula 

Curriculum is singular. Curricula is plural. 

Dd

dashes, em (—) 

Use an em dash to relay a break in thought or to separate an idea or phrase in a sentence. Use spaces on either side of the em dash. The em dash is the longer dash ("—") as compared to the shorter en dash ("–").  

Correct: The ceremony — held on the green — was a huge success.
Incorrect: The ceremony--held on the green--was a huge success.
Incorrect: The ceremony-held on the green-was a huge success.
Use an em dash followed by a space for the source of a quote.
Correct: “Marist is a wonderful place.” — Daryl Jones ’15
Incorrect: “Sacred Heart is a wonderful place.” -- Daryl Jones ’04 

dashes, en 

Use an en dash (the shorter dash) to indicate sequential order or a number range. Do not use spaces on either side of an en dash. Do not use a single or double hyphen in place of an en dash. 

May 16–17
1,200–1,400 students
4–5:30 p.m.
2026–27 

dates 

Only abbreviate Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec. when used with a date. Do not abbreviate March, April, May, June, or July. Use numerals for years. Use no punctuation if listing just the month and the year, but set the year off with commas if using the day of the month. Do not shorten the days of the week unless in a list. 

May 1990
Feb. 5, 1995
Join us Wednesday, Jan. 17, for a celebration. 

Decades may be referred to in any of the following ways: 

the 1990s
the ’90s
the nineties 

Division I or DI 

When referring to Division I athletic teams, do not use the numeral 1. Use the capital I. Do not use a hyphen between D and I when shortening. Spell out on first use. 

Ee

ellipsis 

Use the three dot sequence with no spaces to indicate that something has been left out of a sentence or passage. 

Correct: The prerequisite class … is required for all students.
Incorrect: The prerequisite class . . . is required for all students.  

email  

Lowercase the e of email. In the email address, do not use capital letters in the name and in the “M” in @marist.edu  

emeritus 

Emeritus is the singular, masculine form. For references to women, use emerita (singular) or emeritae (plural). Emeriti may serve as the plural for a group that is composed of men only or of more than one gender. Emeritus is lowercase, unless used before a name as a formal title. 

professor emerita of art
professors emeriti
faculty emeriti
Dennis J. Murray, president emeritus
President Emeritus Dennis J. Murray 

entitled 

Use it when you mean a privilege to do something; do not use it in replace of title. 

Esports 

Use capital E. Do not follow AP style. 

Ff

federal, federal government, federal agencies 

Lowercase except in proper name, like Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

first-year student 

Avoid the terms freshman and freshmen, and use first-year student(s). 

fraternal groups 

Capitalize the names of fraternities and sororities but not the words "fraternity," "sorority," or "chapter."

Marist chapter of Phi Beta Kappa fraternity 

full time/full-time 

Hyphenate as an adjective before the noun; otherwise use two words. 

fundraising/fund-raising/fundraiser 

Hyphenate as an adjective before the noun; otherwise, use one word. Fundraiser is one word. 

Fundraising helped pay for the statue.
The fund-raising team excelled at the fundraiser. 

Gg

grade point average (GPA) 

Do not hyphenate. Do not use periods in abbreviation (GPA). Use all caps. 

graduates with honors 

Do not italicize nor capitalize commonly used Latin words. 

cum laude 
summa cum laude
magna cum laude 

groundbreaking 

One word as adjective or noun. 

Hh

health care 

Our style—aligned with AP Style and the Webster dictionary—is to use two words, and there is no hyphen (neither the noun nor the adjective).  

Health care costs, not health-care costs

An exception is made when healthcare is in the company name, program, or building. 

Hudson River Valley vs. Hudson Valley  

Both are acceptable, but Hudson River Valley is preferred in marketing materials. Poughkeepsie is in the mid-Hudson Valley (lowercase “mid” with a hyphen). 

hyphens 

Use hyphens in compound adjectives to prevent misreading. 

The state-level review panel decided.
He is a well-known professor. 

Ii

Inc., Ltd., Corp.  

Commas are not required around such elements as part of a company’s name.  

The president of Acme Products Inc. was the first speaker 

institutions 

A “the” preceding the name, if not part of an official title, is lowercase in running text. If it is in the title, use uppercase.  

the Bank of New York
the Princeton Review
Note exception: The New York Times 

Ll

Liberty Partnerships Program  

Note partnerships is plural. Program is singular. 

Mm

mascot 

The official name of our mascot is Frankie. See below for preferred uses 

Red Fox family, Red Fox pride, Red Foxes 

multicultural 

One word. 

Nn

Nelly Goletti Theatre 

Use theatre (note "re") in the proper name. Use theater (note "er") in all generic references. 

nonprofit 

One word. Do not use not-for-profit. 

numbers 

Spell out numbers one through nine. Use numerals for 10 or more and for fractions; spell out numbers that begin a sentence, or rewrite the sentence. Exceptions: Spell out numbers 10 and above if required to maintain consistency. 

Last year, two of four students participated.
In 2004, more than 45 students received presidential awards.
Between six and eleven students would go to the interview. 

In running text, when referring to dollar amounts in millions or billions, use the numeral and million, rather than zeros. 

$6 million (not $6,000,000) 

For ordinals, write out first through ninth. Use numerals for 10th or more (11th, 53rd). 

Oo

off campus/on campus 

Two words, but hyphenate as an adjective before a noun. 

Ed lives off campus.
Ed has an off-campus apartment.
Sylvia works on camps.
Sylvia has an on-campus job. 

Pp

percent 

Use a % when paired with numerals, unless starting a sentence or a casual reference. 

They asked 50% of the students, a 0.5% increase from last year.
One percent of the faculty attended.
He has a zero percent chance of passing. 

phone numbers 

Use parentheses around the area code in running text and addresses. 

(614) 292-3980 

pronouns 

Growing numbers of people, including some transgender, nonbinary, agender or gender-fluid people, use they/them/their as a gender-neutral singular personal pronoun. As much as possible, use they/them/their as a way of accurately describing and representing a person who uses those pronouns for themself. 

photo credits 

Photo credit goes primarily to the photographer. If we don’t know the photographer then we provide the photo source. Contact the Marist digital media department for more guidelines. 

Communications and Marketing staff: Photo by Name/Marist University or Photo by Name ’year/Marist University

• Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist University
• Photo by Yasir Olenja ’24/Marist University 

Athletics Staff or Student Photographers: Photo by Name/Marist University Athletics 

• Photo by Nicholas Skidmore/Marist University Athletics 
• Photo by John Doe ’25/Marist University Athletics 

Photos by other members of the Marist Community: Photo by Name, Office/Year 

• Photo by John Doe ’24 
• Photo by Mary Jones, Center for Career Services 

For an unconfirmed photographer, reference the photo source: Photo courtesy of Office/Organization or Name, Title/Year 

• Photo courtesy of Marist University Athletics 
• Photo courtesy of John Doe ’24 (e.g., a feature on John Doe and he shared photos but it is unconfirmed who took the photo)
• Photo courtesy of Mary Jones, Center for Career Services

Qq

quotation marks 

In regular text, commas and periods always go inside the end quotation mark. Colons and semicolons always go outside the end quotation mark. Exclamation marks and question marks can go inside or outside the quotation mark depending on usage; place inside if it applies to the quoted matter, outside if it applies to the whole sentence. 

Who wrote "The Raven"?
He asked, "How long will it take?"

Rr

residence halls 

Use the term residence hall to refer to first-year residences. Use apartment or townhouses to refer to upperclass housing, depending on housing type (e.g. Foy and Fulton townhouses and North End apartments). Do not use the terms "dorm" or "dormitory."

Ss

Saxbys 

When referring to the cafe in Dyson, Saxbys is not a singular possessive (e.g. of the error: Saxby's). Cafe is not part of the company's name, but you can refer to the location as Saxbys cafe (lower case "c"). 

spacing 

One space, not two, follows any mark of punctuation that ends a sentence.  

states 

See addresses.  

Use New York state when necessary to distinguish the state from New York City. 

student-athlete 

Use to refer to students in athletic programs. Include a hyphen.  

Tt

time 

Use numerals in all cases and omit the zeros for on-the-hour times. Use periods for a.m. and p.m. To avoid confusion, use noon and midnight instead of 12 p.m. and 12 a.m.  

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
8 a.m. to noon 

titles of people 

Capitalize titles when they immediately precede a personal name. Titles following a personal name or used alone in place of a name are lowercase.  

President Joseph R. Biden 
Joseph R. Biden, president,  
Professor Tom Lynch 
Tom Lynch, professor, 
Tom Lynch is a professor. 

When preparing lists of faculty names with titles, spell out and capitalize the titles unless the list is long and space is at a premium.  

titles of work  

Italicize the proper titles of books, magazines, periodicals, movies, plays, albums, television programs, radio programs, and works of art. 

In paragraphs of text, italicize the titles of major works of music, but do not italicize the individual movements/sections of the work. 

Use quotation marks around titles of articles, songs, speeches, sermons, television episodes, radio episodes, and lectures. 

Never italicize the Princeton Review as it is not a newspaper, magazine, or publication. However, its guidebook name is italicized. 

The Princeton Review just released The Best 389 Colleges guidebook. 

Always italicize Marist 100. 

Uu

United States, U.S. 

Use United States as the proper noun, U.S. as the adjective. America refers to the continent, North or South. 

Ww

Web addresses 

The preferred way to share web addresses is to create a hyperlink over the text. Select the text, right click, click link, and type the URL in the address bar.

Correct: Visit Marist Housing and Residential Life
Incorrect: Visit www.marist.edu/student-life/campus/housing-residential-life 

If you must use the URL, rewrite a sentence to avoid ending with Web address and avoid using punctuation that is not part of the URL.

Correct: Go to www.marist.edu to learn more.
Incorrect: Learn more at www.marist.edu.  

website 

One word. 

well-being 

Two words with a hyphen. Not well being or wellbeing. 

Yy

year 

Use numerals and the closed single quotation when abbreviating to indicate class year. Don’t use opening single quotation mark with abbreviations for years.

Class of '63 (note capital C)
Joe Smith '80