Lewis & Clark

Public Affairs and Communications

Style Guide

This information, assembled and maintained by the Office of Public Affairs and Communications, is intended to guide anyone preparing written materials on behalf of Lewis & Clark. It addresses issues of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage. 

The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition, is our primary reference. (Watzek Library maintains an institutional subscription to The Chicago Manual of Style Online, which is available to anyone with an @lclark.edu account.) For questions on the spelling or usage of words not found in Lewis & Clark’s style guide or Chicago, consult Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition.

To quickly search the contents of the style guide, use your browser’s Find function.

 

  • -ly rule

    If the first of two consecutive modifiers ends in -ly, do not follow it with a hyphen.

     It’s a newly created program.

  • a.m.

    Not AM or A.M.

  • abbreviations

    • Use only the most universal abbreviations.

    GPA
    FBI
    L&C
     (informal second and subsequent references only; not LC or L & C)

    • See also academic degrees, addresses, Lewis & Clark.
  • academic degrees

    • Use periods with academic degrees.

    B.A.
    B.S.
    Ed.D.
    Ed.S.
    M.A.
    M.A.T.
    M.S.
    Ph.D.
    J.D.
    LL.M.
    M.B.A.

    • Do not capitalize academic degrees when spelled out in general terms.

    bachelor of arts or bachelor’s degree
    master of arts
     or master’s degree
    doctorate
    juris doctor

    • In lists, style faculty credentials as follows:

    Ph.D. 1966 Princeton University. M.A. 1962 Reed College.
    Ph.D. 1979, M.A. 1972 Stanford University.
    J.D. 1975 Harvard Law School.

    • Reserve Dr. for those holding doctorates in medical fields only. Exception: Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr.
  • academic departments

    • Capitalize the formal names of academic departments.

    Department of Chemistry
    Department of Education
    Department of English

    • In informal names and descriptions of academic departments, capitalize only proper nouns. (Hint: Informal names often begin with the subject.)

    chemistry department
    education department
    English department

    • See also academic majorsacademic programs.
  • Academic English Studies

    Use AES for second and subsequent references.

  • academic fields, majors, and minors

    Lowercase the names of academic fields, majors, and minors, except proper nouns.

    history
    East Asian studies
    Spanish
    international affairs

  • academic programs

    • Capitalize the formal names of programs.

    Language and Literacy Program
    East Asian Studies
    Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program

    • Do not capitalize generic names and descriptions of programs.

    education program
    science program

    • See also capitalization.
  • acronyms

    See abbreviations and names of business entities.

  • add/drop

    Make sure you understand the add/drop process.

  • addresses

    • Use periods with compass directions.

    S.W.
    E.

    • Spell out names of numbered streets through nine. Use numerals for 10 and greater.

    Fifth
    Ninth
    10th
    108th

    • Spell out Avenue, Boulevard, and Street unless space is at a premium. Exception:Terwilliger Blvd. Do not mix spelled-out addresses and abbreviated addresses within the same document.
  • advisor

    Not adviser

  • African American

    Not African-American

  • ages

    Always use figures. If ages are expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun, use hyphens.

    The child is 2 years old.
    He just turned 15.
    She’s a 3-year-old child.
    The room was full of 7-year-olds.

  • all right (adv.)

    Not alright

  • alumna, alumnae, alumni, alumnus

    • alumna: singular, female
    • alumnae: plural, women only
    • alumni: plural, men only or men and women
    • alumnus: singular, male
    • alum: singular, male or female; appropriate in informal contexts
    • For alumni class identification, see class year and degree identification.
  • American Indian/Native American/First Nations

    See the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition, 8.37 for guidance.

  • ampersand (&)

    • With few exceptions (noted here), do not use ampersands when writing on behalf of the institution. Use and instead.
    • The ampersand is part of the official name of our institution. It is not optional in the following terms:

    Lewis & Clark (the educational institution)
    Lewis & Clark College of Arts and Sciences
    Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling
    Lewis & Clark Law School

    • Web only: To save space, you may substitute an ampersand for and in title and navigational elements. Do not substitute the ampersand for and in sentences, however.

    College of Arts & Sciences Commencement
    A video of the College of Arts and Sciences commencement is now available online…

    • When referring to corporations and other institutions, avoid using an ampersand unless it is part of the entity’s official name.

    National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
    John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
    Oregon Health & Science University
    Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt

  • assure

    See ensure, insure, assure.

  • bar (the legal entity)

    Avoid Bar except when used as part of a proper name. 

    • He was admitted to the bar last spring.
      She is president of the Oregon State Bar.
  • biochemistry/molecular biology major

    She’s thinking of becoming a biochemistry/molecular biology major.

  • Board of Alumni

    • Use board on second reference.
    • Considered singular: The Board of Alumni approves of the change.
  • board of directors

    • Do not capitalize.
    • Considered singular: The board of directors invites members to this event.
  • Board of Trustees

    • Capitalize when referring to Lewis & Clark’s Board of Trustees. Do not capitalize elsewhere.
    • Use board on second reference.
    • Considered singular: The Board of Trustees approves of the change.
  • Board of Visitors

    • Use board on second reference.
    • Considered singular: The Board of Visitors approves of the change.
  • Bon Appétit

    Include the accent if at all possible.

  • British Columbia

    Abbreviate when used with a city name: Victoria, B.C. See also cities.

  • building names

    See names of Lewis & Clark buildings and features.

  • bylaws

    Not Bylaws, by-laws, or ByLaws

  • caller ID

    Not Caller ID

  • Campus Activities Board

    Okay to abbreviate to CAB after first reference.

  • campuswide

    Not campus-wide or campus wide

  • capitalization

    • Lewis & Clark publications follow The Chicago Manual of Style recommendation to apply a “down” style, using capitals sparingly.
    • Capitalize proper nouns.

    Lewis & Clark Board of Trustees
    Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling
    Lewis & Clark Law School
    Templeton Campus Center

    • Do not capitalize common nouns.

    the board
    the graduate school
    the institute

    • Capitalize College only if it stands for Lewis & Clark College of Arts and Sciences and you are writing for a CAS-only audience. Substitute Lewis & Clark if possible.
    • Capitalize Lewis & Clark office names.

    Office of Human Resources  or Human Resources
    Student Support Services
    Campus Living
    Office of Campus Safety 
     or Campus Safety

    • Capitalize prepositions or conjunctions of four or more letters in headlines and titles.

      Secrets From the Center of the World 

    • When a term that would normally be capitalized as part of a proper name is used in the plural, capitalize the term.

      the Columbia and Willamette Rivers (Columbia River)
      Department of Counseling Psychology Programs (Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology Program)
      Multnomah and Clackamas Counties (Multnomah County)

    • Capitalize generic terms used in the plural before more than one proper name.

      Mounts Rainier and Hood

    • See also academic degrees, academic departments, academic majors, academic programs, courses (titles of), endorsements, endowed professorships, names of business entities, titles of people, and entries under individual terms.

  • Cascade Mountains

    Not Cascade mountains

  • century

    • Spell out if first through ninth: third century, seventh century.
    • Use numerals for 10th and greater: 13th century, 19th century.
    • Hyphenate when used as an adjective: eighth-century text, 20th-century poetry.
    • We recommend using C.E. (“of the Common Era”) and B.C.E. (“before the Common Era”) rather than A.D. (anno Domini, “in the year of the Lord”) and B.C. (“before Christ”).
  • chair

    Use instead of chairmanchairwoman, or chairperson. Exception: Use chairman of the board if this title is used by a corporation.

  • change-of-registration period

    Not change of registration period or Change-of-Registration Period

  • cities

    • In general use, do not use state designations with these U.S. cities:

    Oregon cities and towns (exceptions: Dallas, Milwaukie)
    Anchorage
    Atlanta
    Baltimore
    Boise
    Boston
    Chicago
    Cincinnati
    Cleveland
    Denver
    Detroit
    Honolulu
    Houston
    Indianapolis
    Los Angeles
    Miami
    Minneapolis
    New Orleans
    New York
    Oklahoma City
    Philadelphia
    Pittsburgh
    St. Louis
    Salt Lake City
    San Diego
    San Francisco
    Seattle

    • These foreign locations stand alone:

      Beijing
      Berlin
      Geneva
      Gibraltar
      Guatemala City
      Havana
      Hong Kong
      Jerusalem
      Kuwait
      London
      Luxembourg
      Macao
      Mexico City
      Monaco
      Montreal
      Moscow
      Ottawa
      Paris
      Quebec
      Rome
      San Marino
      Singapore
      Tokyo
      Toronto
      Vatican City

    • The conventions listed above do not apply to commencement programs. For those pieces, list both city and state for all U.S. addresses, and city and country for all non-U.S. addresses. (Do not list state, province, prefecture, or similar for non-U.S. addresses.)

      Minneapolis, Minnesota
      Montreal, Canada
      Tokyo, Japan

  • class year and degree identification

    • In publications referring to two or more Lewis & Clark schools, use the following model to identify alumni:

    Jane Smith B.A. ’01
    Joan Smith J.D. ’01
    Janet Smith M.A.T. ’01

    • Use periods for degree abbreviations.
    • Use a space between a degree abbreviation and year.
    • Do not use a comma to separate a name from a Lewis & Clark degree, except when citing multiple L&C degrees.

      John Smith B.A. ’04
      Juan Smith B.A. ’02, M.A.T. ’05

    • Use a comma to separate a name from a degree granted by an institution other than Lewis & Clark.

      Jeanne Smith, J.D. University of Virginia

    • Use the following form in lists or photo captions when identifying people who earned a certificate but not a degree at Lewis & Clark:

      Ian Smith, Educational Leadership certificate ’05


      Note: Capitalize Certificate if using headline capping style for the caption or list.

    • When referring to a certificate holder in running text, describe the certificate (rather than identifying the person with an abbreviation and year in the manner of a degree holder or degree-seeking student).

      Ian Smith, who holds a certificate in educational leadership…

    • Adapt the above guidelines as necessary to suit the context of a citation.
  • class year/standing (for College of Arts and Sciences)

    • first-year student
    • sophomore or second-year student
    • junior
    • senior
  • co

    In general, do not hyphenate.

    coauthor
    codirector
    copastor

  • coed

    Not co-ed

  • college

    Do not capitalize college when the word is not used as part of the name of an institution or of the office College Outdoors. Rather than simply writing college, consider using Lewis & Clark CollegeLewis & Clarkuswe, or institution instead.

  • College Outdoors

  • colleges/universities

    • Use the full current name of colleges and universities. When referring to a college or school within a larger institution, use the full current name of the smaller entity.

    Bard College
    Harvard University
    Yale Law School
    Oregon Health & Science University
     (not Oregon Health Sciences University
    Reed College
    University of Oregon
    University of Arizona John E. Rogers College of Law
    Willamette University

    • When referring to an institution belonging to a multicampus system, precede the location with at in all instances.

      State University of New York at Buffalo
      University of California at Berkeley
       (not University of California, Berkeley)
      University of Wisconsin at Madison (not University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • colon

    • Avoid immediately following namely, for example, and similar expressions.
    • Do not use immediately following a verb or preposition.
    • For more guidance, consult the Chicago Manual of Style, sections 6.63-6.69.
  • comma

    Use a comma before and or or in a series.

    • red, white, and blue
      faculty, students, or parents
  • company, companies

    See names of business entities.

  • Cooley House

    Not the Cooley House or The Cooley House

  • copyright notice

    Include notice of copyright in book-length items.

    • © 2012 Lewis & Clark.
  • Corbett House

    Not the Corbett House or The Corbett House

  • Core

    Not CORE. Capitalize when referring to Core Curriculum or Core Program.

  • couple

    Considered plural: The couple live in Beaverton.

  • course load

  • courses (titles of)

    Capitalize course titles. Do not italicize or enclose in quotation marks.

  • coursework

  • credit/no credit (CR/NC)

    She elected the credit/no credit option.

  • cross country

     Do not hyphenate in the context of the track event.
               
                She ran cross country this year.
                How did he do at the cross country meet?
  • cross-cultural

  • cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude

    See degrees with distinction.

  • dash

    Use a dash (—) to indicate an abrupt change in thought, or where a period is too strong and a comma is too weak. Do not put spaces around a dash.

  • dates

    • Use commas to set off the year when using full dates.

    She was born on September 15, 1985, in Los Angeles.

    • Do not use commas when using only month-and-year constructions.

    Planning began in September 1995.

    • Do not use 1st, 2nd, and so on with dates.

    July 21
    April 2

    • Use the year if referring to a date not in the current calendar year.

    John and Joan Jones had a baby in December 1997
    but
    The Smiths had a baby in January (of this year).

    • Use the following models when referring to periods of years:

    She worked from 1949 to 1961.
    He worked in 1949-50. (for an academic year)
    He worked in the 1950s. (for a decade)
    Avoid ’50s. Do not use 1950’s.

    • See also months.
  • Dean’s List

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

  • degrees

    See academic degrees.

  • degrees with distinction (cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude)

    Set in Roman face; do not capitalize or use italics.

  • Department of Sociology and Anthropology

    But sociology/anthropology major

  • departments

    See academic departments.

  • directions and regions

    Consult the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual for guidance.

  • doctor (Dr.)

    Reserve for those holding doctorates in medical fields only. Exception: Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr.

  • dollar amounts

    Use a dollar sign followed by a numeral. Do not use .00 with dollar values.

    $250 (not $250.00)
    $12,300
    $5.3 million

  • dorm, dormitory

    avoid; use residence hall.

  • e-mail

  • e.g. (exempli gratia; for example)

    • This abbreviation should be used only in parenthetical phrases, where it is punctuated with periods and set off with a comma.

    The College of Arts and Sciences offers several majors (e.g., biology, economics, Hispanic studies).

    • Do not use etc. at the end of a phrase beginning with e.g.
  • emeritus faculty titles

    • professor emeritus of English (male)
    • professor emerita of history (female)
    • faculty emeriti
    • Emeritus or Emerita immediately follows Professor in references to the titles of those who held named professorships.

    Richard L. Rohrbaugh, Paul S. Wright Professor Emeritus of Christian Studies

  • endorsements

    Capitalize formal names of graduate school endorsements.

    Special Educator Endorsement
    ESOL/Bilingual Education Endorsement

  • endowed professorships

    • Not endowed chairs.
    • Capitalize named professorships in all circumstances.
    • If space permits, use the full form of the named professorship for first mention (e.g., Edmund O. Belsheim Professor of Law rather than Belsheim Professor of Law).
  • endowed professorships

    • Not endowed chairs.
    • Capitalize named professorships in all circumstances.
    • If space permits, use the full form of the named professorship for first mention (e.g., Edmund O. Belsheim Professor of Law rather than Belsheim Professor of Law).
    • Belsheim

    Edmund O. Belsheim Professorship in Law
    Edmund O. Belsheim Professor of Law
    Belsheim Professor of Law

    • Casey
      Henry J. Casey Professorship in Law
      Henry J. Casey Professor of Law
      Casey Professor of Law
    • Dubach
      U.G. Dubach Professorship in Political Science
      U.G. Dubach Professor of Political Science
      Dubach Professor of Political Science
    • Miller
      James F. Miller Professorship in the Humanities
      James F. Miller Professor of Humanities
      Miller Professor of Humanities
    • Odell
      Morgan S. Odell Professorship in the Humanities
      Morgan S. Odell Professor of Humanities
      Odell Professor of Humanities
    • Pamplin—Economics
      Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Professorship in Economics
      Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Professor of Economics
      Pamplin Professor of Economics
    • Pamplin—Government
      Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Professorship in Government
      Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Professor of Government
      Pamplin Professor of Government
    • Pamplin—History
      Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Professorship in History
      Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Professor of History
      Pamplin Professor of History
    • Pamplin—Science
      Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Professorship in Science
      Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Professor of Science
      Pamplin Professor of Science
    • Rogers—Music
      James W. Rogers Professorship in Music
      James W. Rogers Professor of Music
      Rogers Professor of Music
    • Rogers—Education
      Mary Stuart Rogers Professorship in Education
      Mary Stuart Rogers Professor of Education
      Rogers Professor of Education
    • Swindells
      William Swindells Sr. Professorship in the Natural Sciences
      William Swindells Sr. Professor of Natural Sciences
      Swindells Professor of Natural Sciences
    • Wood

    Erskine Wood Sr. Professorship in Law
    Erskine Wood Sr. Professor of Law
    Wood Professor of Law

    • Wright
      Paul S. Wright Professorship in Christian Studies
      Paul S. Wright Professor of Christian Studies
      Wright Professor of Christian Studies
  • ensure, insure, assure

    • Use ensure to mean guarantee or make certain: Steps were taken to ensure the document’s accuracy.
    • Use insure for references to the characteristics of insurance: The policy will insure your home.
    • Use assure to give confidence or to inform positively: She assured him that the decision was a wise one.
  • entitled, titled

    • entitled: furnished with proper grounds for seeking or claiming something

    He felt entitled to something more substantial than “foreign beer and dry cheese.”

    • titled: provided with a title, designated or called by a title

    She has tentatively titled her next book Where We Go From Here.

  • Environmental Affairs Symposium

  • ESOL

    Not ESL.

    He teaches English to speakers of other languages.
    She is pursuing concentrations in social studies and English for speakers of other languages.

  • ESOL/Bilingual Education Endorsement

  • etc. (et cetera)

    Except in lists, tables, and parenthetical series, substitute and so on or and so forth.

  • extension

    In running text, spell out when referring to a phone number; separate with commas.

    Call 800-753-9292, extension 1, for details.

  • faculty

    Usually considered plural: The faculty attend these events.

  • fax

  • fellow, Fellowship

  • fieldwork

  • First Nations/American Indian/Native American

    See the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, 8.41 (page 325) for guidance.

  • First Nations/American Indian/Native American

    See the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, 8.41 (page 325) for guidance.

  • first-come, first-served

    They will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • first-year student

    Avoid freshman or freshmen. See class year/standing.

  • Frank Manor House

    Not the Frank Manor House or The Frank Manor House

  • fundraiser (n.), fundraising (adj., n.)

  • Gender Studies Symposium

  • General Education

    Capitalize when referring to the College of Arts and Sciences’ General Education requirements.

  • grade point average

    Use GPA on second reference.

  • grades

    Use letter grade with no quotation marks. 

    She received an A in the course.
    There is a W on his transcript.
    She earned three Bs and two Cs.

  • Graduate School of Education and Counseling

    also the graduate school.

  • Hawai‘i

  • health care

    Not  healthcare

  • Health Center

    See Student Health Services.

  • high school (n., adj.)

  • homework

  • Honorable, the Honorable

    See titles of people.

  • honors, Latin

    See degrees with distinction.

  • i.e. (id est; that is)

    Used for listing the specific case(s) referred to in the preceding material. Should be punctuated with periods and set off with a comma.

    Please state your response (i.e., yes or no).

  • Indian country

    Not Indian Country

  • initials

    Do not separate with a space.

    R.B. Pamplin Corporation
  • insure

    See ensure, insure, assure.

  • International Affairs Symposium

  • Internet

  • Judge, Justice

    See titles of people.

  • junior (Jr.), senior (Sr.)

    See names.

  • kickoff (n.), kick-off (adj.), kick off (v.)

  • KLC

    Lewis & Clark’s campus radio station

  • Language and Literacy Program: Reading Endorsement

    For subsequent references, use reading endorsement.
  • law school

    See Lewis & Clark Law School

  • lay, lie

    Lay means “to put” or “to place.” It requires an object to complete its meaning. Principal forms are lay, laid, laid, laying.

    • Please lay the boxes there. I laid the message on the table.


    Lie means “to recline, rest, or stay” or “to take a position of rest.” It refers to a person or thing as either assuming or being in a reclining position. This verb cannot take an object. Principal forms are lie, lay, lain, lying.

    • He’s been ill and lies in bed all day. The mail is lying on the secretary’s desk.


     Hint: To determine whether to use lie or lay in a sentence, substitute the word place, placed, or placing (as appropriate) for the word in question. If the substitute fits, the corresponding form of lay is correct; if it doesn’t, use the appropriate form of lie.

  • legal cases

     The names of legal cases (plaintiff and defendant) are usually italicized.

    Miranda v. Arizona
    Green v. Department of Public Welfare

  • Lewis & Clark College Alumni Association

    Use alumni association on second and subsequent references.

  • Lewis & Clark Law School

    • Use the full name on first reference. On subsequent references or in the context of all three schools, use the law school. Exception: For the Advocate, use Law School (not law school).
    • Although Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College is the legal and historical name of the law school, its use is largely restricted to diplomas and stationery.
  • Lewis & Clark Sports Hall of Fame

    no body

  • Lewis & Clark/Lewis & Clark College

    • Lewis & Clark applies to the entire institution. Lewis & Clark College generally refers to the College of Arts and Sciences only.
    • Lewis & Clark on subsequent references or L&C (for informal references only). The ampersand (&) is not optional.
    • For international audiences, avoid College, even when referring specifically to the College of Arts and Sciences. The word may mean high school to these audiences.
    • See also abbreviations, College/college. 
  • Lewis and Clark Expedition, the expedition

    no body

  • maiden names

    See names of people.

  • majors

    See academic majors.

  • MAX

    Stands for Metropolitan Area Express, the regional light-rail system.

  • Metro

    Regional government agency; not METRO.

  • mid- to late [month]

    The report will arrive in mid- to late November.

  • money

    See dollar amounts.
  • months

    Spell out months with a date in text matter.

  • Morgan Odell Medal

    no body

  • Mount Hood

    no body

  • multicultural

    no body

  • musical ensembles (at Lewis & Clark)

    • African Marimba
    • Cappella Nova
    • Chamber Orchestra
    • College Choir
    • Javanese Gamelan
    • Jazz Ensemble
    • musical theatre
    • Percussion Ensemble
    • West African Rhythms
    • Wind Symphony (not Wind Ensemble)
  • named scholars

    • Neely scholar
    • Dean’s scholar
    • Rogers scholar
    • Rhodes scholar

     scholar in references to those holding named scholarships:

  • named scholarships

    • Neely Scholarship
    • Dean’s Scholarship
    • Rogers Scholarship
    • Rhodes Scholarship
    Capitalize Scholarship in references to named scholarships:
  • names of business entities

    • In running text, do not abbreviate Co. or Cos..
    • In running text, delete Inc., Ltd., N.A., and P.C. unless necessary to distinguish from a name (e.g., Helene Curtis, Inc.).
  • names of business entities

    • In running text, do not abbreviate Co. or Cos..
    • In running text, delete Inc., Ltd., N.A., and P.C. unless necessary to distinguish from a name (e.g., Helene Curtis, Inc.).
    • Do not use an ampersand (&) unless it is part of the official name.
      • Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt
    • Follow the company’s style for punctuation.
      • Foster Pepper Tooze
        Johnson Renshaw & Lechman-Su
    • Follow the company’s style for initial and internal caps (e.g., PageMaker, DirecTV). Exceptions: Capitalize the initial letter(s) of any name that, according to company style, is not capitalized (e.g., Adidas, not adidas). Capitalize only the initial letter(s) of any name that, according to company style, should appear in all caps (e.g.,Visa, not VISA; Lexis-Nexis, not LEXIS-NEXIS).
  • names of business entities

    • In running text, do not abbreviate Co. or Cos..
    • In running text, delete Inc., Ltd., N.A., and P.C. unless necessary to distinguish from a name (e.g., Helene Curtis, Inc.).
    • Do not use an ampersand (&) unless it is part of the official name.
      • Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt
    • Follow the company’s style for punctuation.
      • Foster Pepper Tooze
        Johnson Renshaw & Lechman-Su
    • Follow the company’s style for initial and internal caps (e.g., PageMaker, DirecTV). Exceptions: Capitalize the initial letter(s) of any name that, according to company style, is not capitalized (e.g., Adidas, not adidas). Capitalize only the initial letter(s) of any name that, according to company style, should appear in all caps (e.g.,Visa, not VISA; Lexis-Nexis, not LEXIS-NEXIS).
  • names of Lewis & Clark buildings and features

    Akin Hall
    Albany Quadrangle, Albany
    Alder Hall
    Alumni Circle
    Appalachia
    Biology-Psychology
    BoDine
    Paul L. Boley Law Library, Boley Library, the law library
    Bookstore (the)
    Campus Safety
    Cooley House (not the Cooley House or The Cooley House)
    Copeland Hall
    Corbett House (not the Corbett House or The Corbett House)
    Council Chamber
    Dovecote Café
    U.G. Dubach Student Lounge, Dubach Student Lounge
    East Hall
    Estate Gardens
    Evans Auditorium
    Evans Music Center
    Facilities Services
    Fred W. Fields Center for the Visual Arts, Fields Center, the visual arts center
    Fields Dining Room
    Fir Acres Campus (avoid main campus)
    Fir Acres Theatre, the theatre
    Agnes Flanagan Chapel, the chapel
    Forest Complex
    Frank Manor House (not the Frank Manor House or The Frank Manor House)
    Ronna and Eric Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art, Hoffman Gallery, the gallery
    Gantenbein
    Greenhouse
    Griswold Stadium
    Hartzfeld Hall
    Heating and Cooling Plant
    C. Howard Hall (residence hall)
    John R. Howard hall, J.R. Howard Hall
    Huston Sports Complex
    Juniper Hall
    Legal Research Center
    Manzanita Hall
    Maggie’s Café and Convenience Store, Maggie’s Café, Maggie’s
    McAfee
    Chester E. McCarty Classrooms
    James F. Miller Center for the Humanities, Miller Center, the humanities center
    Morgan S. Odell Alumni Gatehouse, Odell Alumni Gatehouse, Alumni Gatehouse
    Odell Hall (residence hall)
    Olin Center for Physics and Chemistry
    Outdoor Pool and Dressing Pavilion
    Pamplin Sports Center
    Platt Hall
    Ponderosa Hall
    Roberts Hall
    Rogers Hall
    Rose Garden
    Gordon H. Smith Hall, Smith Hall
    South Campus
    South Campus Conference Center (not South Campus Commons)
    Spruce Hall
    Stamm Dining Room
    Stewart Hall
    Tamarack (not Tamarack Hall)
    Templeton Campus Center
    Tennis Courts
    Trail Room
    Aubrey R. Watzek Library, Watzek Library, the library
    West Hall
    Louise and Erskine Wood Sr. Hall, Wood Hall
    Zehntbauer Swimming Pavilion

    Room numbering style: Room 1, Room 2, and so on

  • names of people

    • In the first reference, use the individual’s full name, including any middle initials according to the individual’s preference or the formality of the context. In subsequent references, use last names only.
      • First reference: Donald Balmer Second reference: Balmer
        First reference: Jennifer Johnson Second reference: Johnson
        First reference: Charles R. Ault Jr. Second reference: Ault
    • In text, do not surround Jr. or Sr. following a name with commas.

    I saw Kent Swanson Sr. at the event.

    • Enclose nicknames in quotation marks. (Note: Nicknames generally should be avoided.)
    • When including a former last name in a reference, place it before the current last name and do not use parentheses. The decision to include a former last name should be based on the individual’s preference, if known, or informed by the need for clarity in a specific context.

      Hillary Rodham Clinton
      Elizabeth Barrett Browning

  • Native American/American Indian/First Nations

    See the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, 8.41 (page 325) for guidance.

  • Neely scholar

    no body

  • New Student Orientation

    no body

  • nicknames

    See names.

  • non credit

    Not non-credit

  • nondiscrimination statement

    Long version: Lewis & Clark adheres to a nondiscriminatory policy with respect to employment, enrollment, and program. Lewis & Clark does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap or disability, sexual orientation, or marital status and has a firm commitment to promote the letter and spirit of all equal opportunity and civil rights laws.

    Short Version: Lewis & Clark follows the letter and spirit of all equal opportunity and civil rights laws.

  • none

    If the object of the preposition after none is singular, use a singular verb. Likewise, if the object of the preposition after the verb is plural, use a plural verb. 

    None of the day was wasted.
    None of us were alert.

  • nonprofit (n., adj.)

    Also not-for-profit

  • Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College

    See Lewis & Clark Law School.

  • numerals

    • Spell out zero through nine. Use Arabic numerals for 10 and greater. If more than one numeral appears in the same sentence—and all of them refer to the same category of item—do not use numerals for some and spell out others. If according to the rule you must use numerals for one of the items in a given category, then for consistency’s sake use numerals for them all.

    He had four books on his desk.
    She planted 12 bulbs in her garden.
    There were 5 students in the morning session and 12 students in the afternoon.

    • Use a comma with numerals of 1,000 and above (except dates).

    5,000
    42,000

    • Use numerals when referring to academic credit.

    The student earned 2.5 hours of credit.

    • Use numerals when referring to a page number.

    The passage begins on page 5.

    • See also ages, percentages.
  • offline

  • okay

    Not OK

  • online

    Not on-line

  • op-ed

    not body

  • Oregon Health & Science University

    no body

  • Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission

    no body

  • Oregon Zoo

    Not Washington Park Zoo

  • Overseas Study Program

    Not overseas trip

  • p.m.

    Not PM or P.M.

  • Pamplin fellow

  • Pamplin professor

    See also endowed professorships.

  • Pamplin Society

    Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Society of Fellows, Pamplin Society, the society

  • Patent law depository

    Use U.S. Patent and Trademark Depository.

  • percentages

    In text, spell out percent; use the percent sign (%) in tables and graphics. 

    7 percent

  • phone numbers

    Use hyphens; do not use parentheses or periods. Omit the 1 in all long-distance numbers, including toll-free numbers.

    503-768-7970

    888-601-8202

  • possessives

    • To make the possessive form of most singular nouns, add an apostrophe and an s.
    the dog’s bone
    that house’s windows
    a child’s game
    the moss’s texture
     
    • Exception: Do not add an s when making the possessive form of proper nouns that end in s, whether singular or plural.
    Strauss’ Vienna (but Mahler’s Vienna)
    Dickens’ writing
    the Joneses’ cabin
     
    • To make the possessive form of most plural nouns, add an apostrophe.

    I don’t think much of those candidates’ chances.

  • postbaccalaureate

    Not post-baccalaureate or Postbaccalaureate

  • pre

    In general, do not hyphenate. 

    preapproved, preset, prework. Exceptions: pre-dental, pre-law, pre-med, pre-vet.

  • programs

    See academic programs.

  • punctuation

    See colon, comma, dash, spaces.

  • ratios

    Use figures and a hyphen.

    a ratio of 2-to-1.

    a 2-1 ratio.

  • Ray Warren Multicultural Symposium

    See events.

  • re

    In general, do not hyphenate.

    reedit, reunify, reestablish

  • recycled notice

    We do not use a recycled symbol. When an item is printed on recycled paper, use Lewis & Clark’s recycled notice.

  • Reserve Officers Training Corps

    See ROTC.

  • residence hall

    Not dormitory, dorm, or residence house
  • resume

    Not résumé or resumé

  • Rogers

    • James W. Rogers Professorship in Music
    • James W. Rogers Professor of Music, Rogers Professor of Music
    • John S. Rogers Science Program
    • Mary Stuart Rogers Professorship in Education
    • Mary Stuart Rogers Professor of Education, Rogers Professor of Education
    • Mary Stuart Rogers scholar (education)
    • Rogers Hall
    • Rogers scholar (music)
  • room numbers

    Capitalize, use Arabic numerals: Room 4, Room 232, Miller 105.

  • ROTC

    Preferred to Reserve Officers Training Corps

  • roundabout

    In references to the Lewis & Clark location, avoid traffic circle.

  • RSVP

    Avoid; consider substituting Please reply. Not R.S.V.P.

  • scholars, named

    Lowercase scholar in references to those holding named scholarships:

    Neely scholar

    Dean’s scholar

    Rogers scholar

    Rhodes scholar 

  • scholarships, named

    Capitalize Scholarship in references to named scholarships:
    Neely Scholarship
    Dean’s Scholarship
    Rogers Scholarship
    Rhodes Scholarship
     
  • seasons

    Lowercase the names of seasons:

    fall, winter, spring, summer
    fall semester, spring semester
    winter 2006
     

  • senior (Sr.), junior (Jr.)

    See names.

  • senior citizens (usually those age 65 and over)

    Avoid seniors, which may cause confusion with fourth-year students in some contexts.

  • sexist terms

    • Avoid words that are commonly perceived as sexist:
    chairman/chairwoman (preferred: chair
    • Avoid substituting person for man:
    chair (not chairperson)
    News anchor (not anchorperson)
    • Avoid awkward constructions using he/she, his/her, s/he. If this construction cannot be avoided, use he or she.
  • Social Security

    Capitalize in all references to the government program.

    His Social Security number is included on the form. 

  • sociology/anthropology major

    But Department of Sociology and Anthropology

  • software terms

    Software terms (languages, programs, systems, packages) are set in full capitals if they are acronyms; otherwise, they are spelled according to their trade or market names.

    C++
    COBOL
    FORTRAN
    Microsoft Word
    WordPerfect
     

  • spaces

    Use one space after periods, commas, or colons when typing text.

  • Sports Hall of Fame

    Avoid; use Lewis & Clark Sports Hall of Fame.

  • staff

    Usually considered plural: The staff have reviewed the president’s document.

  • states and countries

    • Spell out state names; do not use postal abbreviations in text matter. Set off states or countries with commas. In most cases, it is not necessary to list state, province, prefecture, or similar for non-U.S. addresses in text matter.
    Fresno, California
    Hiroshima, Japan
    • For commencement programs, list both city and state for all U.S. addresses, and city and country for all non-U.S. addresses.
    • For other print materials, some major cities do not require state or country identification; see also cities.
  • Student Health Services

  • summer school

  • Summer Session

    As in Lewis & Clark’s Summer Session; lowercase elsewhere.

  • that, which

    These words are not interchangeable in American English.

    Which is used before a “nonessential” clause: The books, which are rare, are stored in a special room. (All of the books in question are stored in a special room. If you were to remove the words which are rare, the meaning of the sentence would not change.) A nonessential clause must be set off with commas.

    That is used to introduce an “essential” clause: The books that are rare are stored in a special room. (Only the rare books are stored in a special room. Some of the books in question are not rare and are stored elsewhere. If you were to remove the words that are rare, the meaning of the sentence would change.) An essential clause must not be set off from the rest of the sentence by commas.

    Hint: When in doubt, try the sentence both ways. If that fits comfortably, use it.

  • theatre

  • Third Culture Kids

    TCKs is acceptable for subsequent references.

  • time of day

    • Use a colon to separate hour from minutes. The colon and minutes are not necessary for even-hour times.

    3:30 p.m.
    11 a.m. (not 11:00 or 11:00 a.m.
    In listings, use the following model to specify a time range:
    5:30-8:30 p.m.
    10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 
    In text, use the following model to specifiy a time range:
    from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. (not from 5:30-8:30 p.m.)
    from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (not from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.)

    • Use noon and midnight, not 12 noon or 12 a.m., or 12 midnight or 12 p.m.In formal invitations, you may elect to use the following model:

    six-thirty

    seven-fifteen

    eight o’clock

  • time zones

    When spelled out, designations of time zones are lowercased, except for proper nouns. Abbreviations are capitalized.

  • titles of people

    • Capitalize formal titles before a name or names.
    Vice President and Provost Jane Monnig Atkinson
    Dean Robert Klonoff
    Assistant Professor Alejandra Favela
     
    • Do not capitalize formal titles after a name or names. Exception: Always capitalize the terms College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate School of Education and Counseling, and Lewis & Clark Law School.
    Barry Glassner, president
    Zaher Wahab, professor of education
    Greg Caldwell, director of international students and scholars
    Diane Crabtree, registrar of the College of Arts and Sciences
    Tim O’Dwyer, director of campus safety
     
    • Do not capitalize titles that are standing alone.
    the vice president
    the dean
     
    • In addresses, captions, and lists, style civil, religious, and military titles as follows:
    U.S. Rep. (not CongressmanEarl Blumenauer B.A. ’70, J.D. ’76
    Sen. Gordon Smith
    Rev. Paul Wright
    Major General George Smith
    Hon. Edward Jones
     
    • In running text, style civil, religious, and military titles as follows:
    U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer B.A. ’70, J.D. ’76
    Senator Gordon Smith
    the Reverend Paul Wright
    Major General George Smith
    Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Edward Jones
     (Include court affiliation, if known.)
    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
    • Drop titles and first names on second and subsequent references.
    • See also endowed professorships.
  • titles of works

    • Use italics with the following:

    books (title alone is normally sufficient; no need to reference publisher, year, etc.)
    exhibitions
    movies and plays
    major musical compositions
    newspapers
    paintings, drawings, statues, and other works of art
    periodicals (journals and magazines)

    • Use quotation marks with the following:
    • albums
    • articles
      dissertations
      individual lectures
      papers (e.g., papers presented at conferences)
      poems*
      radio programs**
      songs
      speeches
      stories
      TV programs** 

    * If of book length, italicize.
    ** If part of a continuing series, italicize (e.g., PBS’s Sesame Street, National Public Radio’s All Things Considered).

    • Do not use italics, underlining, or quotation marks (but use appropriate capitalization) with the following:
    • courses
    • events
      symposia
  • toward

    Not towards

  • track and field

    Not track & field

  • trademarks

    A reasonable effort should be made to capitalize trademarked names. The symbols ® and ™ need not be used in running text.

    Coca-Cola (but cola drink)
    Frisbee
    Kleenex
    Pyrex dishes
    Xerox

  • TriMet

    Not Tri-Met. The regional public transit system.

  • Tryon Creek State Park

  • Ultimate Frisbee

  • United Nations (n.); U.N. (adj.)

  • United States (n.); U.S. (adj.)

  • upperclass (adj., education), upper-class (adj., socioeconomics)

  • versus

    Spell out in running text; may be abbreviated (vs.) in charts or other graphics where space is at a premium. See also legal cases.

  • vice president

    Do not capitalize unless the term is functioning as part of a name.

    Jane Atkinson, vice president and provost, plans to attend.
    Vice President and Provost Jane Atkinson introduced the speaker.

  • Washington Park Zoo

    Incorrect; use Oregon Zoo.

  • Web

    Not web. Avoid World Wide Web.

  • webpage

  • website

    In website addresses (URLs), avoid http://.

  • which

    See that, which.

  • work-study (adj., noun)

    Not workstudy, work study, or Work-Study

  • workers’ compensation

    Not workers compensation or worker’s compensation