Spacing
Use only one space between sentences.
Ages
Figures for people and animals.
Words for inanimates
States & Cities
Spell out names for States. Don’t include states for large cities.
Northridge, California
a.m., p.m.
Lowercase with periods.
Noon and midnight stand alone.
Numerals
10 and higher use numerals. Numerals for scores, percentages, court decisions, ratios, weights, million, billion
Held, hold
Use held only in the literal sense. Do not use when referring to events, concerts, conventions (if you must, use sponsored or hosted)
Months
Always capitalize. When used with a specific date abbreviate Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dev.,
Spell out months with 5 letters or less.
- Spell out all when using alone or with a year alone: the class ended in December.
- He was born in August 1980. (No comma if there is no date)
Percent
One word
-Use figures: 1 percent, 2.5 percent
-amounts less than 10 percent put zero after decimal
.06
-repeat percent with each figure: 10 percent to 30percent
Series of three or more
Do not use a comma before the word “and” when listing a series of 3 or more.
Academic degrees
- try to avoid abbreviation and use a phrase instead: john jones, who has a doctorate in psychology.
- use apostrophe in bachelor’s, master’s (not Associate)
- use abbreviations when needing to identify many individuals on first reference after full name. ( Daniel Moynihan, Ph.D., spoke.) ( Dr. Pam Jones, a chemist).
Affect vs. Effect
- Affect verb: to influence - the game will affect the standings
- Affect noun-> best avoided
- Effect verb: to cause - He will effect many changes in the company
- Effect noun: result - the effect was overwhelming. He miscalculated the effect of his actions.
Died
Use “died” not “passed away”
Quote Marks
Use quote marks for exact, word-for-word comments. Put a comma inside the ending quote marks.
“CSUN is a great place to learn,” said Stephanie Bluestein, journalism professor.
Academic Departments
*Use lowercase except for words that are proper nouns or adjectives:
the department of history, the history department, the department of English
* when Department is part of the official and formal name: University of Connecticut Department of Medicine.
* Do not abbreviate department
Over
Generally refers to spatial relationships but now acceptable when referring to a quantity.
- their salaries increased over $20 a week
Seasons
- Lowercase spring, summer, fall, winter, and derivatives such as springtime, unless part of a formal name.
- Capitalize seasons when the exact year is included: Fall 2014 semester
To
Use “to” between two dates, times or numerals:
The museum, which has a mummy display from June to August, is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Daily.
( Do not use a hyphen to separate dates, times or numerals )
That, which (pronouns)
- Use “that” and “which” in referring to inanimate objects and to animals without a name.
- Use “that” for essential clauses, important to the meaning of the sentence and w/o commas: I remember the day that we met
- use “which” for the nonessential clauses, where the pronoun is less necessary and use commas: The dog, which had strong legs, was a natural jumper.
Titles (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss)
Capitalize formal titles used directly before a person’s name. use courtesy titles only in direct quotations. Otherwise use the person’s first and las name on first reference. On second reference, use only their last name.
Who, whom
- who is the pronoun used for reference to human beings and to animals with a name. Grammatically the subject (never the object) of a sentence, clause or phrase: The woman who rented the Apartment moved out without notifying the owner. Who is there?
- whom is used when someone is the object of the verb or preposition: The woman to whom the apartment was rented moved out without notifying the owner. Whom do you wish to see?
