Editorial Style Guide

D–F

dash

• AP uses this term for the em dash with a space before and after: He listed the qualities — intelligence, humor, conservatism, independence — that he liked in an executive.
• See also hyphen.

dates

• Follow AP. See especially:
• Arabic figures, no ordinals: Jan. 8 (Not: Jan. 8th)
• When a phrase refers to a month, day and year, set off the year with commas: Feb. 14, 2013, was the target date.

days of the week

• Follow AP.
• Do not abbreviate unless necessary for space (no period): Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat

daylight saving time

• See also time zones.

deaf, Deaf, hard of hearing

• deaf: The audiological condition of total or major hearing loss and for people with total or major hearing loss.
• hard of hearing: Can be used to describe people with a lesser degree of hearing loss.
• Deaf: The culture and community built around the experience of deafness and sign language.
• The National Association of the Deaf recommends identity-first language unless an individual or a group uses person-first language.

decades

• Follow AP.
• 1980s, the ’90s (Note the punctuation: It is an apostrophe, not an open single quote).

deceased individuals

• In general, indicate deceased individuals by using “the late” (preferred). In a list of living and deceased individuals, position “the late” so it is clear who is deceased. Examples:
  • The late Theodor Seuss Geisel and the late Audrey Geisel (Theodor and Audrey are deceased.)
  • Iris Strauss and the late Matthew Strauss (Only Matthew is deceased.)
    Not: The late Matthew and Iris Strauss (Can be misread that Iris is also deceased.)
• Less preferred are the traditional symbols used to indicate death: Avoid the dagger/obelus (†); its interpretation as a cross is not applicable to all religions. If using an asterisk (*), pair it with a corresponding footnote for clarity. Example:
  • Chancellor’s Executive Advisory Cabinet
  • Peter C. Farrell
  • Pauline M. Foster*
  • Elaine Galinson
  • Audrey S. Geisel*
  • *Deceased

• When referring to deceased donors, seek guidance from Advancement (Christy Ramos, Donor Experience and Engagement; Laura Longobardi, Advancement and Campaign Communications) to accurately honor stated preferences.

decision-maker

• decision-maker (n.), decision-making (adj., n.)

department

• department (n.), departmental (adj.)
• Capitalize only when part of the full department name: Department of Literature (contrary to AP).
• Avoid putting “department” after the academic discipline. If necessary, then lowercase: literature department.
• When used alone or generically, lowercase: The department welcomed new students.

the Design and Innovation Building

• the Design and Innovation Building (first reference), the DIB (subsequent reference)
• The Basement: incubator and accelerator space on the first floor (named for its prior location in the basement of Mandeville Center)
• the Design Lab: located on the third floor

disabilities

• Consult AP. Note below.
• The terms disabilities and disabled include a broad range of physical, psychological, developmental and intellectual conditions both visible and invisible.
• When possible, ask people how they want to be described. Be mindful that the question of identity-first vs. person-first language is vital for many.
• The terms “disabilities” and “disabled” are generally embraced by disabled people and are acceptable when relevant.
• Do not use euphemisms other than in direct quotations or in explaining how an individual describes themself.
• Do not use “handicap” for a disability or “handicapped” for a person.

disc/disk

NCAA Division I, Division I (first reference), DI

• Note Roman numeral for “one.”
• Division II, Division III

earth

• Generally lowercase, capitalize when used as the proper name of the planet.

editor-in-chief

• Use hyphens and capitalize when used as a formal title before a name: Editor-in-Chief Horace Greeley. The hyphens, reflecting industry usage, are an exception to Merriam-Webster.

e.g.

• Means “for example” in Latin, always followed by a comma. Is not the same as i.e.

-elect

• Always hyphenate and lowercase, before or after a noun. Examples:
  • President-elect Joe Biden
  • the president-elect

ellipsis

• A set of three periods (or the ellipsis character) with a space before the first and after the last: I ... that is, we ... have important news to share.

em dash

• See dash.

email

• Email address: Lowercase, for standard and best practice (AP does not have a preference).
• Subject line: Proper nouns are capitalized, as are acronyms and certain other abbreviations. Other words are generally lowercase.

emeritus, emerita, emeriti, emeritae

• emeritus (singular, masculine or all gender)/emerita (singular, feminine), emeriti (plural, masculine or all gender)/emeritae (plural, feminine)
• This is a Latin word and a status that is conferred to faculty upon retirement. It is also conferred to regents and certain leadership positions in the university system (senior management group appointees). It is not equivalent to “retired” or “former.”
• Follow what is provided by the faculty member or writer, regardless of whether it matches the Latin gender. When in doubt, use “emeritus.”
  • Faculty, the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and the Academic Senate often use “emeritus” as the gender neutral term.
  • Some faculty who identify as women prefer “emeritus.”
• Follows the noun as a title or in body copy: a professor emeritus, a Distinguished Professor emerita (lowercase in body copy)
• Plural construction (contrary to AP):
  • We honor the five faculty emeriti.
  • The Women in STEM conference highlighted the achievements of three professors emeritae.
• See also titles: academic.

endowed chair

• See List of Endowed Chairs at UC San Diego (official chair names as designated in gift agreements).
• Chancellor’s Associates Chair: There are many, distinguished by Roman numerals after each one. For publication purposes, dispense with including the Roman numeral: She holds a Chancellor’s Associates Chair.

essential phrases, nonessential phrases

• Do not set an essential phrase off from the rest of a sentence by commas.
  • We saw the award-winning movie “Green Book.” (No comma, because many movies have won awards.)
• Set off nonessential phrases with commas.
  • They ate dinner with Julie and her husband, Jesse. (Julie has only one husband. If the phrase read “and her husband Jesse,” it would suggest that she had more than one husband.)
• Do not confuse punctuation rules for nonessential clauses with the correct punctuation when a nonessential word is used as a descriptive adjective. The distinguishing clue often is the lack of an article or pronoun.
  • Correct: Julie and husband Jesse went shopping. Julie and her husband, Jesse, went shopping.
  • Correct: Company Chair Camie Garcia made the announcement. The company chair, Camie Garcia, made the announcement.

every day (adv.), everyday (adj.)

• They ride the shuttle every day.
• Solutions for your every day.
• Solutions for your everyday needs.

the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies

• the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, the Division of Extended Studies (first reference); Extended Studies (subsequent reference)
• Spanish translation: Estudios Extendidos de UC San Diego
• Not: Extension
• See also alumnus, alumna, alumni, alumnae.

face covering (n.)

faculty

• Can be singular or plural
• faculty who (Not: faculty that)

farmers market

fewer, less

• In general, use “fewer” for individual items, “less” for bulk or quantity.
• Takes plural verb: Fewer newborns mean fewer workers in the future.

first-generation, first gen (adj.)

first year, second year, third year, fourth year, fifth year

• Preferred terms (instead of freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) to focus on progression, not standing (contrary to University of California).
• Hyphenate as an adjective: first-year students
• Do not use “upperclassman.”

fiscal year

• fiscal year 2020 (first reference), fiscal 2020 (subsequent reference); FY 2020 (if audience is aware)
• Use the year that ends the fiscal year (e.g., 2020 for 2019-20 fiscal year)
  • Not: fiscal year 2019-20, etc.

flyer

• For person and handbill

forms

• Capitalize the formal names of forms: Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships, Request for Graduate Application Fee Waiver, etc.
• Lowercase shortened or general forms: admission application, fee waiver form, etc.
• See Enrollment and Academic Forms.

the UC San Diego Foundation, the foundation

• UC San Diego Foundation Board of Trustees
  • In list, or in referring to title and affiliation:
    Peter G. Preuss
    Trustee, UC San Diego Foundation
    (Not: Trustee, UC San Diego Foundation Board of Trustees)

freeway

• Lowercase when used generically.
• Capitalize an official name: 60 Freeway, Pomona Freeway.
• Interstate 5, I-5
• I-5 North, I-5 South, SR-163 (proper nouns)
• See also Freeway Exit List for San Diego and Imperial Counties and some parts of Orange and Riverside Counties.

from … to

• No commas unless there is a series. Examples:
  • From Revelle College to Eighth College, UC San Diego has grown
  • From A, to B, to C

fundraising, fundraiser

G–I

geographic names

• Follow AP. Note below.
• The first source for the spelling of all foreign place names is Merriam-Webster:
  • Use the first-listed spelling if an entry gives more than one.
  • If the dictionary provides different spellings in separate entries, use the spelling that is followed by a full description of the location.
  • If the dictionary does not have an entry, use the first-listed spelling in the National Geographic Atlas of the World.

GPA, grade-point average

• Hyphenate as a modifier; no hyphenation for the noun form.
• Abbreviate without periods.

grades, letter

• No quotation marks: B average.
• For plural, use an apostrophe: A’s.

graduation

• At UC San Diego this term is used to describe when a student has completed all requirements and their degree has been officially posted to the academic record. Not synonymous with commencement.
• Note that students graduate from UC San Diego (not the individual colleges or graduate or professional schools).
  • Correct: After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from UC San Diego, Kaplan forged a successful career as a chief engineer at Lockheed Martin.
  • Incorrect: After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from UC San Diego’s Marshall College, Kaplan forged a successful career as a chief engineer at Lockheed Martin.

Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute

• Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute (first reference), HDSI (subsequent reference)
• Turkish characters for “dotless i” and lowercase and capital G
• English character for capital L
• When set in all capitals: HALICIOĞLU DATA SCIENCE INSTITUTE
• Taner Halıcıoğlu’96

hand-washing

headlines, subheads

• Follow the style of the publication in which the piece will appear.
• For other instances (e.g., graphics, ads), note AP’s guidance:
  • Use numerals; do not spell out numbers except in casual uses or formal names: hundreds instead of 100s; Big Ten; one of the first. Spell out ordinals under 10: first, ninth, etc. But: 10th, 23rd, 104th.
  • Use single quote marks, never double quote marks:
    • ‘The Great Transformation’: Mike Madrid Talks Shifts in Politics, Institutions and Latino Influence at Helen Edison Lecture
  • Capitalization: Follow composition titles/titles of works (contrary to AP and contrary to University of California).

health care (n., adj.)

• Two words with no hyphen, in all uses. But if a proper noun uses “Healthcare” or “Health-Care,” follow that format for the name only (e.g., Spanish for Healthcare Professionals).

UC San Diego Health

• UC San Diego Health encapsulates the entirety of our clinical services across multiple locations. Facilities — such as Jacobs Medical Center, Moores Cancer Center or Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center — are the physical locations where these services are delivered.
• See UC San Diego Health Editorial Style Guide.

UC San Diego Health Sciences

• UC San Diego Health Sciences encompasses UC San Diego Health, the region’s only academic health system; UC San Diego School of Medicine; Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science; and numerous centers and institutes.

highway designations

• Follow AP.
• Note “Interstate”: Interstate Highway 495, Interstate 495. On second reference only for Interstate: I-495.

homepage

honorifics or courtesy titles

• Honorifics (e.g., Dr., Mr., Ms.) are not included in campus materials (contrary to AP: doctor).

hyphen

• Indicates a range: pages 87-89 (contrary to University of California); no space before or after. Do not use the en dash.
• Avoid ambiguity, especially with compound modifiers; use discretion and see AP and Merriam-Webster for guidance. See compound modifiers (two or more words that express a single concept and precede a noun).
  • If the phrase is easily recognized without hyphens, use a hyphen only to link the last element: They hope to spark consumer interest in department store-based shopping.
• Avoid unintended meanings: small-business owner, better-qualified candidate, French-speaking people, free-thinking philosophy (Think of the different possible meanings or confusion if the hyphen is removed in each of those examples.)
  • second-most
• For “well-” combinations before a noun, but not after: a well-known judge, the judge is well known.
• Many combinations that are hyphenated before a noun are not hyphenated when they occur after a noun.
  • Examples:
    • She works full time.
    • The children are soft spoken.
    • The calendar is up to date.
  • But use a hyphen if confusion could otherwise result, especially with longer compound modifiers or those that are not as commonly used:
    • The steel surface should be blast-cleaned.
    • The technology is state-of-the-art.
    • The test was multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank.
    • He will work arm-in-arm with the director.
• Do not use a hyphen to designate dual heritage: African American, Italian American, Mexican American.
• No hyphen is needed to link a two-word phrase that includes the adverb “very” and all adverbs ending in -ly: a very good time, an easily remembered rule.
• See also dash.

i.e.

• Means “in other words” in Latin, always followed by a comma. See also e.g.

in person, in-person (adj.)

-in-residence

• Hyphenate when part of a position/title to avoid misreading as a situation/location.
• designer-in-residence
  • Not: a designer in residence at UC San Diego

include, including

• Use include to introduce a series when the items that follow are only part of the total.
• Examples: The price includes breakfast. The zoo includes lions and tigers.
• Always a comma before “including”

initialism

• A type of abbreviation that is formed from initial letters and read as a series of letters: FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation).
• Initialisms are often preceded by a definite article: member nations of the EU.
• Whether to include the article may depend on established usage, regardless of whether an organization includes the definite article in spelled-out form. Examples: the NBA, the NAACP but W3C, PBS, NATO, NASA, NOA, UCLA.
• If no established usage can be determined, use the definite article if it would be used with the spelled-out form. Some terms, such as DIY (do it yourself), do not ordinarily require a definite article in spelled-out form and therefore do not require one as an initialism.
• See also abbreviations, acronyms.

initials

• Use periods between letters, no space after period: Jonathan R.M. Birdwell.
• But: If the individual prefers no periods, omit the periods.

J–L

judgment

K-12

• Acceptable in all instances in reference to kindergarten through twelfth grade.
• pre-K-12

less

• See fewer, less.

LGBTQ+ (adj.)

• Follow AP unless specific language is provided by the context or individual.
• Acceptable if space considerations do not allow spelling out “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer and/or questioning, plus other sexual and gender minorities.”
• The UC San Diego LGBT Resource Center currently prefers “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and associated communities (LGBTQIA+)” although it accepts “LGBT” as accurate.
• When referring to the community, pay careful attention to the populations identified and avoid abbreviations. The ways the communities describe themselves is evolving and changing and UC San Diego “has a more progressive … community.”
• See also GLAAD Media Reference Guide.

LGBT Resource Center

the UC San Diego Library

• the UC San Diego Library (first reference), the Library (subsequent reference)
• Use “Geisel Library” only when referring to that specific building (it is not equivalent to “UC San Diego Library”): Geisel Library is considered an iconic facility at UC San Diego.
• If the mention is about a specific space in the Geisel Library, list the library and the specific space in the first reference; subsequent references can include the space and Geisel Library: the UC San Diego Library’s Digital Media Lab, the Digital Media lab at Geisel Library.

lifesaving (n., adj.)

LionTree Arena

• The arena (basketball, volleyball, concerts, special events, etc.) in RIMAC. Formerly called RIMAC Arena (until June 2022).

lists

• Follow AP: Capitalize the first word of each numbered or bulleted item. No final punctuation unless elements are full sentences. Use parallel construction for each item:

1. Loan programs
2. Payment schedules
3. Frequently asked questions

1. Start with the same part of speech for each item (in this example, a verb).
2. Use the same voice (active or passive) for each item.
3. Use the same verb tense for each item.
4. Use the same sentence type (statement, question, exclamation) for each item.
5. Use just a phrase for each item, if desired.

• Avoid punctuating a list as a sentence. If it must be, then the last item in the list does get a period at the end:

1. Loan programs;
2. Payment schedules; or
3. Frequently asked questions.

login, logon, logoff (n.); log in, log on, log off (v.)

Los Angeles

• Los Angeles (first reference), LA (subsequent reference)

M–O

majors

• Majors and minors are not capitalized: history, English literature, biotechnology, East Asian studies, biomechanical engineering.
• Tracks, concentrations and emphases within majors are lowercase: an oboe concentration within the music major.
• Disciplines or fields of study or industry are lowercased when not mentioned as part of a department, major, etc.: a job in biotechnology, students interested in electrical engineering. (See academic disciplines.)

UC San Diego Makerspace

• Located in the Design and Innovation Building
• But: “maker space” for all other such spaces on campus

mask-wearing (n.)

MacArthur Fellowship, MacArthur Fellow

• “genius grant” (use quotes for this media term)

meetup (n., adj.)

months

• Follow AP. Note below.
• When used with a specific date, abbreviate only Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec.
  • New Year’s Day is Jan. 1.
  • Exceptions can be made for formal usage (e.g., invitations).
• Spell out when using alone, or with a year alone.
  • The new year starts in January.
  • January 2020 was a cold month.

more than, over

• Acceptable in all uses to indicate greater numerical value.

move-in (n., adj.)

• undergraduate residential move-in
• move-in day
• Contrary to AP

name tag (n.)

names

• In general, use only last name on subsequent reference unless first name is preferred for tone (e.g., social media).
• When it is necessary to distinguish between two people who use the same last name, generally use the first and last name on subsequent references.
• The notation “II” or “2nd” may be used if it is the individual’s preference. Note, however, that II and 2nd are not necessarily the equivalent of junior; they often are used by a grandson or nephew.

nanoengineering

• In reference to field/discipline. But:
  • Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering (two words)
  • BS in NanoEngineering (Pascal case, in reference to the specific UC San Diego BS)

NCAA

• Abbreviation for National Collegiate Athletic Association, acceptable in all instances

nicknames

• When a nickname is inserted into the identification of an individual, use quotation marks: Sen. Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson, Paul “Bear” Bryant.

Nobel Prize

• Nobel Peace Prize, Nobel Prize in chemistry, Nobel Prize in literature, Nobel Prize in physics, Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine
• Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences
  • Official name: Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel
• Nobel Prize winner, Nobel Prize-winning scientist
• Nobel laureate
• Lowercase “prize” when not linked with the word “Nobel”: The peace prize was awarded Monday.

nonprofit

• Not equivalent to “not-for-profit”

nontraditional

UCSD Northpoint Driveway

• Not: North Point Drive
• Although street signs are inconsistent, follow name used on Google maps, as that is most commonly used for GPS.

numerals

• Follow AP. Note below.
• In general, spell out “one” through “nine.” Use figures for 10 or above.
• However, use figures whenever preceding a unit of measure or referring to ages of people, animals, events or things. Also in all tabular matter, and in statistical and sequential forms. Some examples to note:
  • Ages: 6-year-old girl
  • Dimensions: 5 feet, 6 inches
  • Distances: 4 miles
  • Millions, billions, trillions: 1 million people
  • Monetary units: 5 cents
  • Rank: No. 1
  • Sequential designations: Page 1, Size 4, Room 3
  • Speed: 7 mph
  • Temperatures: 8 degrees below zero
  • Time: 1 p.m.
• Ordinals: Spell out “first” through “ninth.” Use figures starting with 10th.

off campus (adv.), off-campus (adj.)

the Office of the President

• For UC system president, located in Oakland
• In limited contexts: UCOP or OP

on-campus (adj.), on campus (adv.)

• Restaurants are available on campus.
• on-campus housing

one-sheet

• A one-page fundraising collateral for a specific initiative or department

OK

orthopedic

• But: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
• Use “orthopaedic” only when that spelling is used as part of a proper noun.
• In all other instances, use “orthopedic” for consistency with UC San Diego Health Editorial Style Guide and web search engine optimization.

opt in, opt out (v.); opt-in, opt-out (adj.)

order

• In general, put elements and names in alphabetical order unless another organizing principle is logical or specified.
• Alphabetize using the word-by-word system (not letter-by-letter system). Example:

• A parenthesis or comma (in that order) interrupts the alphabetizing, and other punctuation marks (hyphens, slashes, quotation marks, periods, etc.) are ignored. The order of precedence is one word, word followed by a parenthesis, word followed by a comma, word followed by a space, then (ignoring other punctuation) word followed by a number, and word followed by letters.
• Exception: When listing campus leadership (e.g., commencement platform party), order the names by rank of title, with flexibility for the prominence of an individual’s role in the given context.

P–R

Part I, Part II, Part III

percent

• Use the symbol % when paired with a numeral: 50%.
• Spell out with zero: zero percent.
• Use “percentage” when not paired with a number: The percentage of people …
• Ranges:
  • 12%-15%
  • 12% to 15%
  • between 12% and 15%

phone number

• Separate the elements with hyphens (not parentheses, contrary to University of California)
• domestic: 212-621-1500 or (toll free) 800-111-1000
• international: 011-44-20-7535-1515
• with extension: 212-621-1500, ext. 2

plurals

• Follow AP. Note below.
• Words as words: Do not use ’s.
  • His speech had too many “ifs,” “ands” and “buts.”
• Proper names: Note that Advancement uses a different style; for donor names, consult with Laura Longobardi (Advancement and Campaign Communications) for plural and plural possessive form.
  • Most ending in es or s or z, add es: Charleses, Joneses, Gonzalezes.
  • Most ending in y, add s even if preceded by a consonant: the Duffys, the Kennedys, the two Kansas Citys. Exceptions include Alleghenies and Rockies.
  • For others, add s: the Carters, the McCoys, the Mondales.
  • Plural possessive: Charleses’, Duffys’, Carters’
• Figures: Add s.
  • The custom began in the 1920s. The airline has two 727s. Temperatures will be in the low 20s. There were five Size 7s.
• Single letters: Use ’s.
  • Mind your p’s and q’s. He learned the three R’s and brought home a report card with four A’s and two B’s. The Oakland A’s won the pennant.
• Multiple letters: Add s.
  • She knows her ABCs. I gave him five IOUs. Four VIPs were there.
• See also possessives.

policymaker, policymaking

possessives

• Follow AP. Note below.
• Singular common nouns ending in s: Add ’s.
  • the virus’s reach, the virus’s spread
• Singular proper names ending in s: Use only an apostrophe.
  • Achilles’ heel, Socrates’ life, Tennessee Williams’ plays, Xerxes’ armies
• Joint possession, individual possession: Use a possessive form after only the last word if ownership is joint.
  • Desmond and Molly’s apartment
  • Use a possessive form after both words if the objects are individually owned: Desmond’s and Molly’s books.
• See also plurals.

prefixes

• Follow AP. Note below.
• In general, do not hyphenate, but consult Merriam-Webster and note AP’s exceptions.
• Use a hyphen if the prefix ends in a vowel and the word that follows begins with the same vowel. Exceptions: cooperate, coordinate, and double-e combinations such as preestablish, preeminent, reenact, reelect.
• Use a hyphen if the word that follows is capitalized: un-American.
• Use a hyphen to join doubled prefixes: sub-subparagraph.
• Avoid duplicated vowels, triple consonants: anti-intellectual.
  • But double-e combinations usually don’t get a hyphen: preempted, reelected.
• See especially co-, which is an exception to Merriam-Webster. Note:
  • Use a hyphen for nouns, adjectives and verbs that indicate occupation or status: co-author, co-chair, co-defendant, co-host, co-pilot, co-star, co-worker.
  • As part of a formal title before a name: co-President Alexa Manola, co-Executive Director Alfredo Hudson. Use no hyphen in other combinations: coeducation, coexist, cooperative (but co-op), copay.

premed

The Preuss School UC San Diego

• The Preuss School UC San Diego (first reference), The Preuss School (subsequent reference)
• A graduate of The Preuss School UC San Diego

programs

• Capitalize if a proper noun: Academic Internship Program. When in doubt, lowercase “program.”

P.S.

• Abbreviation for “postscript,” no space after period

Q&A

• question-and-answer format

the Qualcomm Institute at UC San Diego

• the Qualcomm Institute at UC San Diego; the Qualcomm Institute at UC San Diego, part of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (first reference), QI (subsequent reference)

quarter

• Lowercase names of quarters: the winter quarter, winter quarter or winter quarter 2009.
• No comma is used between quarter and year: spring quarter 2005.
• Note that summer is a session, not a quarter.

Quonset hut

quotation marks

• Used for unfamiliar terms.
• Do not use with “known as.”
• Always use smart, not straight.
• With other punctuation marks:
  • The period and the comma always go within the quotation marks.
  • The dash, the semicolon, the colon, the question mark and the exclamation point go within the quotation marks when they apply to the quoted matter only. They go outside when they apply to the whole sentence.

rank

• See numerals.

top

• Capitalize if it’s part of the formal name of a list or a shortened version of a formal list:
  • The AP Top 25
  • Spotify’s Global Top 50
  • the rapper has a number of Top 10 pop hits
• Lowercase in informal uses: It’s widely regarded as one of the top five restaurants in the city.

regents

• Capitalize only as a formal title before one or more names, or when referring to the organizational body by formal name:
  • the Board of Regents of the University of California
  • the Board of Regents
  • the regents (per AP)
  • Regent Richard Blum
  • Regents Richard Blum and Sherry Lansing

Regent Scholar

resume

• When meaning is employment history, no accents (contrary to University of California)

the Revelle Medal

• a recipient of the Revelle Medal (preferred), Revelle Medalist

ride-hailing, ride-sharing

• Ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft let people use smartphone apps to book and pay for a private car service or, in some cases, a taxi. They may also be called ride-booking services.
• Ride-sharing refers to app-based services that let people book a shared shuttle. Zipcar and similar companies are short-term car rental services.

RIMAC

• Acronym for Recreation, IntraMural and Athletic Complex.
• The building that houses LionTree Arena, offices, rec center, etc.

RIMAC Field, RIMAC Fields

risk-taker, risk-taking

road map

room

• Use figures and capitalize “room” when used with a figure: Room 2, Room 211.

RSVP

• Abbreviated French for “répondez s’il vous plaît,” which means “please reply.”
• No periods
• Not: Please RSVP (which is redundant)

S–U

San Diego Supercomputer Center

• San Diego Supercomputer Center (first reference), SDSC (subsequent reference)

scholar-athlete

• Not: student-athlete

UC San Diego Schools

• Do not use “Division of” (this is an older construction that is no longer correct).
• On first reference, include "University of California San Diego" (for national or unfamiliar audiences) or "UC San Diego" (for regional or local audiences), before the school’s name. Examples:
  • University of California San Diego School of Arts and Humanities
  • UC San Diego School of Arts and Humanities
• Also acceptable but less preferred is the possessive, as in: UC San Diego’s School of Arts and Humanities.
• Avoid “at University of California” or “at UC San Diego” if possible (School of Arts and Humanities UC San Diego). It suggests a less close relationship to campus, especially since it must be used per policy for nonaffiliated entities (e.g., student organizations) as a marker of location only.
• When listing schools, alphabetize by discipline or eponym. See order in the table below.

scientific names (genus, species)

• Follow AP: Use Roman (not italics).
• First reference: Capitalize the first, or generic, Latin name for the class of plant or animal and lowercase the species that follows: Homo sapiens, Tyrannosaurus rex.
• Subsequent references: Use the abbreviated form: P. borealis, T. rex.

scores

• Hyphenate: 10-3
• The winning team’s score should be written first. Examples:
  • UC San Diego won 76-64.
  • UC San Diego lost 76-64. (Not: “lost 64-76”)

the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier

• the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier (first reference), the Scripps Pier (subsequent reference)

seasons

• Lowercase “spring,” “summer,” “fall,” “winter” and derivatives such as “springtime” unless part of a formal name (Dartmouth Winter Carnival, Winter Olympics, Summer Olympics).

semicolon

• Used to separate elements of a series when the items in the series are long or when individual segments contain material that also must be set off by commas: He is survived by a son, John Smith, of Chicago; three daughters, Jane Smith, of Wichita, Kansas, Mary Smith, of Denver, and Susan, of Boston; and a sister, Martha, of Omaha, Nebraska.
  • Separate a list of names and degrees by semicolon.
  • For lists or lower thirds in video, consider semicolon or recasting: Title; Department 1, Department 2

service animal, assistance animal, guide dog

• Emotional support animals or therapy animals are sometimes used to help a person with depression, anxiety or other conditions. They are not considered service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

smart (or curly), straight

• Refers to the typographic appearance of the punctuation mark
• Common keystrokes:
  • Opening single quote
    • Windows: alt 0145
    • Mac OS: option + ]
    • HTML: ‘
  • Closing single quote/apostrophe
    • Windows: alt 0146
    • Mac OS: option + shift + ]
    • HTML: ’
  • Opening double quote
    • Windows: alt 0147
    • Mac OS: option + [
    • HTML: “
  • Closing double quote
    • Windows: alt 0148
    • Mac OS: option + shift + [
    • HTML: ”

social media

• Hashtags should capitalize the first letter of each word (Pascal case) for accessibility reasons: It is easier for screen readers to read hashtags if the start of a new word is capitalized.
  • #UCSDGrad
  • #TritonGrad
  • #OnWednesdaysWeWearWarren
• Handles should follow the style of how they are on the channel.
  • Instagram, Threads: @ucsandiego
  • X: @UCSanDiego
  • But when referring to a group of channels with the same handle across platforms, use Pascal case:
    • Follow socials: @UCSanDiego

sports

• Lowercase the gender and sport.
  • women’s basketball (also: rowing, soccer, tennis, volleyball, water polo)
  • men’s basketball (also: rowing, soccer, tennis, volleyball, water polo)
• Mixed or one-gender sports: cross country, diving, fencing, track and field, swimming, baseball, softball, golf

staff

• Generally singular but can be plural
• staff who (Not: staff that)

startup

Strategic Plan

• Capitalize in reference to the UC San Diego Strategic Plan.

student standing

• See first year, second year, third year, fourth year, fifth year.

state

• Follow AP. Note below.
• Lowercase in all “state of” constructions: the state of Maine, the states of Maine and Vermont.

suffixes

• Follow AP. Note below.
• In general, do not hyphenate, but consult Merriam-Webster and note AP’s exceptions.
• Use two words for verb forms.
• Avoid duplicated vowels, triple consonants: shell-like.

tap into

thank you (phrase), thank-you (n., adj.)

• Thank you for your feedback.
• We sent a thank-you to the donors. They appreciated the thank-you note.

theatre

• Not: theater (contrary to AP)

time

• Follow AP. Note below.
• Lowercase with periods:
  • a.m. 
  • p.m.
• Use figures except for “noon” and “midnight”:
  • I left my house at 11 a.m. and ate lunch at noon.
  • We checked in for our flight at 10:30 p.m. and took off at midnight.
• In a list, when noon or midnight appear at the beginning of the line, capitalize. When they appear at the end, lowercase:
  • Noon-1:30 p.m.
  • 11 p.m.-midnight
• Use a colon to separate hours from minutes: 3:30 p.m.
• Use a hyphen or “to” for range: 9-11 a.m., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

time zones

• Follow AP. Note below.
• If the audience is in one time zone (e.g., an in-person event), do not include the time zone.
• If the audience is in more than one time zone (e.g., a virtual or hybrid event), note the time zone. Examples:
  • 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time [preferred] or 6 p.m. PST
  • 6 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time [preferred] or 6 p.m. PDT
• Including “Standard” or “Daylight” is more precise (e.g., instead of Pacific Time or PT), as it can be confusing for audiences that do not follow daylight saving time.
  • To find the start and end dates of daylight saving time, see the Astronomical Applications Department of the U.S. Naval Observatory webpage.
  • To see the different time zones in the United States, see the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the U.S. Department of Commerce webpage.

titles: academic

• Formal titles such as chancellor, chair, dean, provost etc.: Capitalize and spell out only when they precede a name: Chancellor Khosla. Lowercase elsewhere: the chancellor.
• Spell out “Professor” before a name: Professor Pat Triton, Professor Triton. Lowercase elsewhere: the professor.
• Distinguished Professor: always capitalized (before or after a name)
• University Professor: UC honor, always capitalized (before or after a name)
• lecturer: Capitalize in headings or for a title, lowercase in running text:
  • lecturer with potential security of employment
  • lecturer with security of employment
  • senior lecturer with potential security of employment
• See also emeritus, emerita, emeriti, emeritae.

titles: general

• Follow AP for specifics. Note below.
• Capitalize
  • Formal or courtesy titles before names: Pope Francis, President Joe Biden, Vice Presidents Yukari Nakamura and Vanessa Smith.
• Lowercase
  • Occupational descriptions: astronaut Sally Ride, poet Maya Angelou, history professor Ruth Rosen
    • If there is doubt about the status of a title and the practice of the organization cannot be determined, use a construction that sets the name or the title off with commas.
  • When the title is not used with an individual’s name: The president issued a statement. The pope gave his blessing.
  • In constructions set off from a name by commas: The vice president, Kamala Harris, was elected in 2020. They learned that Pope Francis, who died in 2025, was born in Argentina.
  • After names of individuals: Esperanza Nee, director of financial aid
• Past and future titles
  • A formal title that an individual formerly held, is about to hold or holds temporarily is capitalized if used before the person’s name. But do not capitalize the qualifying word.
    • former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, deposed King Constantine, Attorney General-designate Griffin B. Bell, acting Mayor Peter Barry

tool kit

touchpoint (n.)

toward

trademark, registered trademark

• Do not include the trademark (™) or registered trademark (®) symbols on websites, digital graphics, videos or printed paper collateral (brochures, flyers, posters, etc.).
• The symbols must appear after the campus name or marks on imprinted products, apparel and merchandise. See UC San Diego’s trademarks and licensing resources.

translations

• Put quotes around original and translated words: “mochilero” means “backpacker.”

travel, traveled, traveling, traveler

Triton

• Refers to UC San Diego students, alumni, those who have attended UC San Diego but did not graduate, and the campus community.

“Triton Fight Song”

• Lyrics

the Triton Alumni and Welcome Center (all references)

• The six-story building within Triton Center

Triton Center

• Triton Center (first reference), the center (subsequent reference, sparingly): the four-building complex, as well as the plaza in the middle.
• No “the”

tune in to

underway (all uses)

United States, U.S. (n., adj.)

• Either can be used in references except headlines
• In headlines: US

university

• When used generically, refers to an institution of higher learning made up of an undergraduate division that confers bachelor’s degrees and a graduate division which comprises a graduate school and professional schools (do not use interchangeably with college).
• Lowercase when used generically or alone. Examples:
  • South Dakota and Texas have hired university faculty.
  • UC’s drug policy is consistent with previous university policy.
  • The university comprises 10 campuses.
• See campus vs. university.

University of California

• Also acceptable:
  • The university
  • UC
  • UC System
• In body copy, do not place a comma after UC campus locations when the latter is part of the university’s official name:
  • Correct: They work at the University of California, Santa Barbara and live nearby.

the University Center

• Central administrative area on campus

the University Centers

• Two entities combined: the Price Center and the Student Center.

University of California San Diego

• No comma (contrary to other University of California campuses)
• First reference (preferred): University of California San Diego
• Subsequent reference: UC San Diego
• Never: UCSD (unless it is in a direct quote)
• See Use of the University Name.

universitywide (adj.)

URLs

• Omit the following, as long as the URL still works (to improve legibility and screen reader accessibility):
  • http://
  • https://
  • www.
• Lowercase, for standard and best practice. Web domain names are typically not case sensitive (UCSD.edu vs. ucsd.edu), but the page portion of a URL (ucsd.edu/page-portion) can be case sensitive depending on various factors.
• For very long internal URLs, consider:
  • Shortening the link using shortlink.ucsd.edu.
  • Requesting a custom vanity URL from Workplace Technology Services. When composing the URL, use dashes instead of underscores.
• When a URL appears at the end of a complete sentence, do not add a period (contrary to AP). The period could be misinterpreted as part of the URL.

U.S. News & World Report

V–Z

vaccination from/against

• Not: vaccination for

vice chancellor

• Followed by “for” when the area follows: the vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life
  • No hyphen: vice chancellor-Student Affairs and Campus Life (although this is the way the title appears in official records.)
  • No comma: vice chancellor, Student Affairs and Campus Life
• Lowercase in body copy or after a name.
  • the vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life
  • Alysson M. Satterlund, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life, welcomed new students.
• Capitalize before a name: Vice Chancellor Satterlund welcomed new students.
• For current vice chancellor areas, see the chancellor’s cabinet.
  • Note: vice chancellor and chief financial officer
    • Capitalize before the name: Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Pierre Ouillet was the first to hold that position.
• lower vice chancellor titles
  • Vice chancellor areas are always capitalized, with or without “vice chancellor,” to differentiate from generic terms. Example: The Student Affairs and Campus Life staff oversee many student-centered departments and units.
  • Note: executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs
    • Not: vice chancellor for Academic Affairs
    • executive vice chancellor position applies to Academic Affairs only
  • Follow the format provided by the writer or individual (there is no consistency at lower levels). Example: She is the associate vice chancellor of Student Affairs.

wait list (n.); wait-listed (adj.)

• Contrary to AP

wayfinding (adj.)

web, webpage, website

webinar

week

• Capitalize and use a numeral when referring to a particular week of the quarter.
  • Example:
    • Henry added the class during Week 2.
    • But: Alwin looked forward to the first week of winter quarter.
  • Week 0: in fall quarter only; the week before classes start

Whiteout game

• An athletic event where all spectators wear white.
• As a title: Whiteout Game

Wi-Fi

world-class (adj.)

workforce

• Contrary to University of California

work group, working group

• Either term is acceptable.

X-ray

years

• Follow AP.
• When noting a range, do not repeat the first two numbers:
  • 2009-10
  • But: 1999-2000

Appendix

Bias-Free Language

Biased language that is not relevant to the communication can distract or offend readers and therefore make the work less credible.

Solutions can be controversial, so be aware of choices when referring to individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, weight, appearance, nationality, religion, social standing or similar characteristics. Avoid irrelevant references to these characteristics, but if relevant:

• Use terminology that is currently accepted by the individual or community. When in doubt, it is best practice to ask the individual how they prefer to be identified.
• Consider person-first language to emphasize the person rather than the condition: an editor who is deaf (vs. a deaf editor).

Gender

Follow AP with awareness that language around gender is ever-evolving. Decisions may need to be made, based on timing, necessity and audience, on terms that differ from or are not covered by the AP’s specific recommendations.

See also:

• California Gender Recognition Act
• pronouns.org: Resources on Personal Pronouns
• NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists Stylebook

Gender, sex

• Gender refers to internal and social identity and often corresponds with but is not synonymous with sex.
• Sex refers to biological characteristics, such as chromosomes, hormones and reproductive anatomy, which can also vary or change in understanding over time, or be medically and legally altered.
• Since not all people fall under one of two categories for sex or gender — as in the cases of nonbinary and intersex people — avoid references to both, either or opposite sexes or genders.
• female, woman: Since “female” primarily describes sex, not gender, some people object to its use as a descriptor for women because it can be seen as emphasizing biology and reproductive capacity over gender identity. It can also sometimes carry misogynistic tones that may vary in severity by race, class and other factors. For this reason, “woman” or “women” is increasingly common as an adjective. But its use as such can often be awkward, especially if the words “man” or “men” would not be used adjectivally in a parallel sense.

Gender-neutral language

• In general, use terms that can apply to any gender. Such language aims to treat people equally and is inclusive of people whose gender identity is not strictly male or female.

Balance these aims with common sense, respect for the language, and an understanding that neutral or inclusive language is evolving and in some cases is challenging to achieve.

Pronouns

Always defer to a subject’s preferred pronoun (if you don’t know, ask), and write for the reader. Clarity is essential. If using a pronoun will create confusion about who is being referred to, use the person’s name or find another way to reword the sentence.

• Don’t make assumptions about a person’s gender identity based on their pronouns, or vice versa. Don’t assume a person’s pronouns based on their first name; ask or query. A person’s pronouns can change over time.
• Use “his, her or they” when referring to an individual general subject.
• When necessary, use “they” rather than “he/she” or “he or she” for an unspecified or unknown gender or indefinite pronoun (anyone, everyone, someone).
• They/them/their is acceptable as a singular and-or gender-neutral pronoun.
  • They/them/their take plural verbs even when used as a singular pronoun, and the singular reflexive themself is also acceptable when referring to people who use they/them/their.
  • In general, do not use neopronouns such as xe or zim, which can be unrecognizable as words to general audiences.
• Use “personal pronouns” (not “preferred/chosen pronouns”).

Formatting in Print Pieces

End-of-line breaks

• Do not break “UC San Diego” or “University of California San Diego” unless doing so will create a very severe ragged right in the paragraph.
• Names: It is acceptable to break proper nouns between words, but avoid hyphenating.
  • On certificates, awards and the like, avoid breaking proper nouns. If necessary for space, choose a logical break for readability and sense (e.g., after a two-word first name or middle initial).
• Dash: Break after the dash; do not start a line with a dash.
• Hyphen: Consult the dictionary to check that the word is broken in the correct position (between syllables). In addition:
  • For hyphenated words (e.g., middle-class): Avoid breaking, if possible. If needed, break after the hyphen; do not hyphenate more than once and do not start a line with a hyphen
    middle-
    class
    Not:
    mid-
    dle-class
    OR
    middle
    -class
  • After an end-of-line hyphen, do not begin the next line with less than two letters. Not: symbol-ic.
  • Do not hyphenate a word across a page turn (i.e., recto to verso).
  • Avoid breaking across a column or spread, if possible.
• URLs: Break before a period (so the reader knows to continue to the next line).

Margins

• On the right margin, check that there aren’t “ladders”:
  • hyphen ladder: hyphen appears at the end of multiple consecutive lines
  • word ladder: same word appears at the end of several consecutive lines
• For a ragged right margin (i.e., not justified), check that the right margin is relatively even (without a significant hole between the last word in the line and the right margin).
• On the left margin, check that the line doesn’t begin with a dash or ellipsis.

Avoid “rivers”: conspicuous gaps in typeset material that appear across successive lines, forming what looks like a river on the page (especially in justified copy).

Orphans, widows

• We define an orphan as a single word at the end of a paragraph on a line by itself. Avoid orphans if at all possible.
• We define a widow as a partial line at the top of a page or column. Avoid widows if at all possible.
• Also avoid a single line at the end of the page.

Hyperlinked Text

For accessibility purposes, hyperlinked text should be specific: Describe what the user will reach when accessing the link. Sight-impaired users use technological aids to read links out loud or pull them into a list, and it is confusing when every link on a page uses the same generic command.

• Sign up for more information.
  • Not: Click here for more information.
• Read “Your Questions, Answered: Examining Mistrust and Vaccines.”
  • Not: Read the article here.
• Learn more about financial aid and scholarships.
  • Not: Learn more.
• Visit the 60th anniversary website.
  • Not: Visit https://sixtieth.ucsd.edu/.
• Not: “click here” or “read more.”

Links from websites and emails should open in a new window.

Photography

Captions

• List full names of individuals in the order that they appear in the photo (indicate an order that makes sense). Examples:
  • Left to right:
  • Back to front, left to right:
  • Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla (middle) with students from The Preuss School UC San Diego
• If captions do not appear next to photos, orient the reader clearly to pair them accurately.
  • Above:
  • Below:
  • Left:
  • Right:

Credits

Credits are required for editorial (e.g., newspaper or magazine article, content not used to sell or promote). Credits are not required for commercial (e.g., promotional and advertising), but they can be added as a courtesy (especially for showcase areas, like a brochure cover).

• Photo by
  Rendering by
  Photo courtesy of
  Examples:
  • Photo by Erik Jepsen, UC San Diego
  • Photo courtesy of UC San Diego Health
• If there are many credits, a shortened format is appropriate. Example:
  • Photo credits: cover, pp. 3, 7, 8-12, 25 — Erik Jepsen, UC San Diego; pp. 9, 16, back cover — Rhett Miller; elsewhere — UC San Diego staff

Race, Ethnicity

Follow AP with awareness that language evolves. Decisions may need to be made, based on timing, necessity and audience, on terms that differ from or are not covered by the AP’s specific recommendations. Be specific whenever possible. Be sensitive to your varied audiences and their different perceptions of language and the larger world.

• Race: understood today as primarily a sociological designation that identifies a group sharing some outward physical characteristics and some commonalities of culture and history.
• Ethnicity: something you acquire based on where your family is from and the group which you share cultural, traditional, and familial bonds and experiences with.
• People may have racial similarity but ethnic dissimilarity.
• All terms are social constructs. Notions of ethnicity are not fixed; they change over time. There is ongoing tension around diversity and representation.
• If you don’t know how someone identifies, ask them.

The following from AP covers usage related to UC San Diego’s cultural celebrations:

• African American: Acceptable for those in the U.S. The term is not necessarily interchangeable with Black.
• Arab American: Acceptable for an American of Arab descent. When possible, refer to a person’s country of origin or follow the person’s preference.
• Asian: avoid as shorthand for Asian American when possible.
• Black (adj.): Use the capitalized term as an adjective in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense: Black people, Black culture, Black literature, Black studies, Black colleges. Do not use a singular or plural noun.
• brown (adj.) Avoid this broad and imprecise term in racial, ethnic or cultural references unless as part of a direct quotation. Interpretations of what the term includes vary widely.
• Caucasian: Avoid as a synonym for white, unless in a quotation.
• Chicanx: An identity rooted in a social justice movement that seeks to empower Mexican American and Latinx communities.
• Indigenous people/peoples: Capitalize in reference to original inhabitants of a place.
• Latino (masculine singular)/Latinos (mixed-gender plural), Latina (feminine singular)/Latinas (feminine plural), Latinx (mixed-gender singular, plural): Those whose roots stem from Latin America.
• Native Americans: Generally use in broad references when referring to two or more people of different tribal affiliations within the contiguous U.S. geographic boundaries. Do not use for individuals or for citizens of a single tribe. Instead, specify the proper name of the tribe and the person’s connection to the tribe.
• Pacific Islander: Used to describe the Indigenous people of the Pacific Islands, including but not limited to Hawaii, Guam and Samoa.
• white (adj.): Lowercase in relation to race, ethnicity and culture.

Republished Content

When a print article from Discoveries or UC San Diego Magazine is published online on the Today website, it should be prefaced using the following format.

For UC San Diego Magazine without sidebars:

This story originally appeared in the fall 2024 issue of UC San Diego Magazine as “Paper Pianos.”

For UC San Diego Magazine with sidebars/companion pieces:

This story originally appeared in the fall 2024 issue of UC San Diego Magazine as “How Sustainable Are Typical Electric Vehicle Batteries?” with the sidebar “Are You Ready to Make the Swap?” and the companion article “Charging Ahead.”

For Discoveries without sidebars:

This story originally appeared in the 2025 issue of Discoveries, a UC San Diego Health Sciences magazine, as “Student-Run Free Clinic Project: ‘Like Family.’”

For Discoveries with potential sidebar and/or companion titles:

This story originally appeared in the 2025 issue of Discoveries, a UC San Diego Health Sciences magazine, as “Better Vision Through AI” with the sidebar “UC San Diego’s Vision Research and Patient Care Are Coming Together to Cure Blindness” and the companion article “Engineering for the Public Good.”

Writing

Split infinitives: In many cases, splitting the infinitive or compound forms of a verb is necessary to convey meaning and make a sentence easy to read. Such constructions are acceptable. If splitting a verb results in an awkward sentence, don’t do it.

• Correct: She wants to write clearly.
• Incorrect: She wants to clearly write.

Parallel construction: Every element of a parallel series must be a functional match (word, phrase, clause, sentence) and serve the same grammatical function in the sentence (e.g., noun, verb, adjective, adverb).

• Nonparallel: The candidate is a former county judge, state senator, and served two terms as attorney general.
• Parallel: The candidate is a former county judge, state senator, and two-term attorney general.

Updates

Editorial Style Guide Change Log

There are no updates at this time.