THE BRAND BOO
Editorial Style Manual
The Editorial Style Manual is to be used as a tool when preparing manuscripts, whether for publication or presentations. It is especially useful for helping to ensure that Penn State titles, campuses, etc., are used in a consistent manner across the University.
EDITORIAL STANDARDS | THE PENN STATE NAME | PENN STATE INFORMATION | PUBLICATIONS | ADDRESSING | RESOUR
1. Editorial Standards
Along with overseeing the Penn State brand and visual identity, the O ce of Strategic Communications is charged with setting University editorial style standards. Editorial style helps to create a uni ed approach to content among the various o ces, colleges, departments, and units at the University. While the guidelines do offer some exibility, we encourage users to understand and respect the importance of consistency in University communications as it helps to strengthen the overall reputation of Penn State and our brand.
Editorial Standards in Marketing vs. Penn State News Materials
The University follows separate standards for online and print materials based on whether they are meant for the Penn State News site, which follows the Associated Press (AP) Style, or whether they are meant for promotional purposes outside of a news release. For those types of materials, we use The Chicago Manual of Style. For points of style speci c to the development of marketing materials for the University, use these standards. For news releases and stories intended for Penn State News, please refer to the news style guide [link to NMR’s document].
If you have questions about or suggestions for the Editorial Standards, please contact the O ce of Strategic Communications by phone at 814-865-7517 or via email at [insert new email alias].
Back to Top 2. The Penn State Name
Our brand is the essence of who we are and everything we do to ful ll our mission of research, education, and service.
Consistent use of the Penn State name is key to maintaining our overall brand. As such, it’s important to remember a few simple rules about using Penn State in print and online communications:
Penn State vs. The Pennsylvania State University
Penn State is the communicative name for the University. All communications originating from Penn State should use the communicative name rather than the full name. The full name (The Pennsylvania State University) is reserved for formal documents, legal contracts, some mailing addresses, and form entries, such as the line, “Make checks payable to The Pennsylvania State University.” The full name also is used in the formal version of the statement of nondiscrimination. It may be used in some faculty listings and on formal certi cates, and in any rare case where confusion might result from using the communicative name.
In text, the words Penn State are separate, and both should be capitalized. Penn State may be referred to as the University on subsequent mention, but only if you are referring to the entire institution, not just a single campus, college, or other location.
It is not acceptable to refer to the University as PSU. Furthermore, do not use Penn State University unless it’s part of a formal title (ex. The Penn State University Athletic Conference).
Penn State and the Penn State Mark
If the University visual identity mark appears on the cover of a publication, on a certi cate, or on any other page that has words on it, the words Penn State or The Pennsylvania State University need not be used on the same page as part of a title, heading, or cover text. The mark serves as the identi er. For further information regarding the visual identity mark, visit visualidentity.psu.edu or contact the O ce of Strategic Communications at 814-865-7517.
Penn State Boilerplate Language
The following University mission statement can be found on the This is Penn State section on psu.edu:
The Pennsylvania State University is a multi-campus, land-grant, public research University that educates students from around the world, and supports individuals and communities through integrated programs of teaching, research, and service.
Our instructional mission includes undergraduate, graduate, professional, continuing, and extension education, offered through both resident instruction and distance learning. Our educational programs are enriched by the talent, knowledge, diversity, creativity, and teaching and research acumen of our faculty, students, and staff.
Our discovery-oriented, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research and scholarship promote human and economic development, global understanding, and advancement in professional practice through the expansion of knowledge and its applications in the natural and applied sciences, social and behavioral sciences, engineering, technology, arts and humanities, and myriad professions.
As Pennsylvania’s land-grant university, we provide unparalleled access to education and public service to support the citizens of the Commonwealth and beyond. We engage in collaborative activities with private sector, educational, and governmental partners worldwide to generate, integrate, apply, and disseminate knowledge that is valuable to society.
Academic Colleges
All of Penn State's more than 275 majors are divided among academic colleges, which are the units from which students receive their degrees. In addition to the twelve academic colleges at the University Park campus, Penn State offers six other academic colleges across Pennsylvania that allow students to nish their degrees at a campus other than University Park.
They include:
Abington College, at the Penn State Abington campus
Altoona College, at the Penn State Altoona campus
Behrend College, at the Penn State Erie campus
Berks College, at the Penn State Berks campus Capital College, at the Penn State Harrisburg campus
University College, at the remaining 14 other campuses (see below)
The University College
The University College is composed of the fourteen campuses that are not associated with one of the location-speci c colleges mentioned above. These are not Penn State campus names. They refer to administrative/academic entities and should be used only in that context and only as necessary to clarify the academic standing of the campus. University College is an administrative term for internal use only, and should never be used in any external communications about Penn State.
Correct: Jennifer was a rst-year student at Penn State Berks.
Incorrect: Jennifer was a rst-year student at Penn State Berks College.
NOTE: When referring to campuses of the University College as well as single-campus colleges, the preferred term is campus rather than location.
University Park Academic Colleges
The University is made up of several colleges that range from the arts to the sciences, with many subjects in between.
College of Agricultural Sciences
College of Arts and Architecture
Smeal College of Business
Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
College of Education
College of Engineering
College of Health and Human Development
College of Information Sciences and Technology
College of the Liberal Arts
College of Nursing
Eberly College of Science
School of International Affairs
Dickinson Law (Carlisle, PA) Penn State Law (University Park, PA)
Schreyer Honors College
Uppercase “College” when used as part of the proper name of a college; lowercase when used with the uno cial name of a college. Lowercase when used alone, whether it refers to a speci c college or not.
They enrolled in the College of the Liberal Arts.
Belinda was most interested in the engineering college.
The college offered a number of psychology courses.
Interdisciplinary Research Institutes
Cancer Institute
Clinical and Translational Science Institute
Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
Institute for Computational and Data Sciences
The Institutes of Energy and the Environment
Materials Research Institute
Social Science Research Institute
For more information on Penn State’s shared core facilities, visit the O ce of the Senior Vice President for Research.
Donor-named Colleges in Lists
List separately from other colleges when part of a list in running text.
The program is presented in cooperation with the Smeal College of Business, the Eberly College of Science, and the Colleges of Engineering and the Liberal Arts.
Penn State Campuses
When you refer to a Penn State campus in running text, do so as listed below. Use the full name on rst mention and the partial name on subsequent mention. Lowercase campus, even in campus names: Shenango campus, University Park campus.
Penn State Abington; Abington campus Penn State Altoona; Altoona campus
Penn State Beaver; Beaver campus
Penn State Berks; Berks campus
Penn State Brandywine; Brandywine campus
Penn State DuBois; DuBois campus
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College; Penn State Behrend (Alphabetize under “E” for “Erie” in a list such as this one and “B” for “Behrend” if it’s in a list that doesn’t require full names to be used rst.)
Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus; Penn State Fayette or Fayette campus (Alphabetize under “F” for “Fayette.”)
Penn State Greater Allegheny; Greater Allegheny campus
Penn State Harrisburg; Harrisburg campus (Penn State Harrisburg, The Capital College, may be used when appropriate if clari cation is called for, as noted above).
Penn State Hazleton; Hazleton campus
Penn State Lehigh Valley; Lehigh Valley campus
Penn State Mont Alto; Mont Alto campus
Penn State New Kensington; New Kensington campus
Penn State Schuylkill; Schuylkill campus
Penn State Scranton; Scranton campus
Penn State Shenango; Shenango campus
Penn State University Park; University Park campus
Penn State Wilkes-Barre; Wilkes-Barre campus
Penn State York; York campus
Commonwealth Campuses; Commonwealth College; University College * Do not use these phrases. Use “Penn State campuses” or similar language instead.
* Please note the style for this entry differs between the Editorial Standards (for promotional writing) and the News and Media Relations Style Guide (for news writing).
Other Campuses
Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies ( rst reference); Penn State Great Valley (subsequent reference). Alphabetize under “G.” Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center ( rst reference); The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center or Hershey Medical Center (subsequent references); the Medical Center (third or familiar references)
Penn State College of Medicine ( rst reference); the College of Medicine (subsequent reference)
Pennsylvania College of Technology (on rst reference); Penn College (on subsequent mention). Penn College is an a liate of Penn State.
Penn State World Campus (on rst reference); World Campus (on subsequent mention). Note that the name World Campus is a registered trademark of The Pennsylvania State University.
Big Ten Universities
Cap and spell out as shown. Penn State is in the Big Ten Conference. The other schools are:
University of Illinois
Indiana University
University of Iowa
University of Maryland
The University of Michigan
Michigan State University
University of Minnesota
University of Nebraska
Northwestern University
The Ohio State University
Purdue University
Rutgers University
University of Wisconsin
The University of Chicago, while not a member of the Big Ten athletic conference, is a member—with the Big Ten universities—of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), an academic consortium.
Back to Top 3. Penn State Information Below are many of the decisions that have been made about the way Penn State—its people, programs, and procedures—should be presented in text for online and print publications. Many questions about University style must be resolved on a case-by- case basis. However, these general points and resources may be helpful to you. For general editorial questions, consult the Chicago Manual of Style Online.
Academic and Administrative Titles
Titles are capitalized when they immediately precede names and are used as part of the names.
Dean Jeanne DuBois said … Associate Professor Hans Ringger said …
Titles are lowercased if they follow names or are used to help describe or identify people further.
Jill Johnson, professor of history, … Well-known professor of history Jill Johnson, …
If the person holds a named professorship or chair, such as an endowed professorship, capitalize the title whether it precedes or follows the name:
Dan Miller, Evan Pugh Professor of Mathematics … Erwin W. Mueller Professor Jan Smith … Gita Bashir, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry …
Also:
Instructor in, not instructor of:
Professor emeritus, not emeritus professor
Professor of, not professor in—but, professorship in
Research associate in, not research associate of
When the title includes the speci c name of an academic or administrative unit, the name of the unit is capitalized.
Sondra Wong, director of the O ce of Style and Substance, …
Dr. Randy Jones, dean of the College of Science, …
The word president is capped whenever it is used to refer to current and former Penn State Presidents, whether it’s before or after the name. This policy is designed to make it easy for readers to quickly determine that a printed piece refers to the University President as opposed to any other president.
When naming Penn State faculty, staff, or students in a document, in most cases the person should be described or identi ed by title, such as “James Gonzalez, a graduate student in chemical engineering, …” or “Dr. Caitlin Martin, technical specialist for the college, …”
Those who have earned doctorates should be referred to as, for example, Dr. Maria C. Lastname on rst reference and Dr. Lastname in later references. Those who have not earned doctorates should be referred to, for example, as Frederick N. Lastname on rst reference. In later references, those without doctorates may be referred to by last name only or by last name and courtesy title, such as: Mr. Lastname, Ms./Mrs./Miss Lastname (according to preference), or Ms. Lastname when the named person can’t be consulted and preference is unknown. (However, if Dr. is used with one name, use courtesy titles with all other names as well: “Dr. Smith and Mr. Jones…”)
You may want your publication to have an informal tone and wish to use rst names. This is preferred only for internal communications. If you use rst names, on rst reference give the person’s full name (with Dr., if appropriate) and title or position, and use the rst name on second and later references. It is not acceptable to call some people by their rst names and others by title and last name or by last name alone within the same publication. Nor is it acceptable to use courtesy titles with some last names but not with others within the same publication. An exception is that children, after being identi ed by rst and last name, may be referred to by rst name alone even though adults are referred to differently.
Note: It is redundant to refer to someone as, for example, Dr. Paul Lastname, Ph.D. Use either Dr. Paul Lastname or Paul Lastname, Ph.D.
Chancellors
The highest-level administrator at campuses other than University Park are chancellors. The chancellors of all Penn State campuses report directly to the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses.
Endowed Professorships; Named Professorships and Titles of Chairholders
Cap all nouns in the title, whether the title appears before or after the person’s name.
Dan Miller, Evan Pugh Professor of Mathematics …
Erwin W. Mueller Professor Jan Smith … Patrick Bashir, Distinguished Professor of Biology …
John Stone, Holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Chemistry …
Academic Degrees
Spelled out: associate degree; baccalaureate degree, bachelor’s degree; master’s degree; doctoral degree, doctorate; bachelor of arts, master of science, doctor of philosophy
Abbreviate degrees with periods and without spaces (Chicago style says it’s okay to drop the periods, but we still use them): B.A.; M.S.; Ph.D.; M.Mus.; M.Eng.; M.B.A.; D.Ed.; J.D.; M.D., etc.
Exceptions:
M.B.A./MBA: The degree is M.B.A., with periods, in all references. However, when referring to the program or to a person who has earned the degree, use MBA—no periods, no spaces. Plural: M.B.A.’s, MBAs.
Marisa Shala, B.S., M.B.A., will head the task force on improving MBA negotiating skills.
Two hundred MBAs attended the alumni workshop.
Note that the honorary doctor and master of law degrees are abbreviated LL.D. and LL.M. (not L.L.D. or L.L.M.).
Plural of B.A., M.A., Ph.D., and other abbreviations with periods—B.A.’s; M.A.’s; Ph.D.’s, etc. That’s Chicago Manual style, designed to prevent confusion. With plurals of acronyms where no periods are used, do not use an apostrophe (e.g., CACs). Use B.A., M.A., Ph.D., and other degree abbreviations primarily in listings, such as departmental faculty rosters:
Alicia Kwanda, professor of physiology, B.A., Temple University; M.S., Syracuse University.
It’s more readable in regular text to spell the degrees out:
He earned a bachelor of science degree in physics. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.
Academic Programs, Majors, Fields of study Do not cap names of elds of study. Cap the names of majors or minors when used as speci c programs offered at Penn State. Do not cap the words major, minor, option, or program, only the program name if appropriate.
He was studying history at Penn State. but He majored in History at Penn State.
The college offers the Aerospace Engineering major.
The Nursing program has undergone changes.
When referring to speci c degree programs at Penn State, cap the program name but not the degree:
Penn State offers a master of engineering degree program in Engineering Science.
The master of engineering degree in Environmental Engineering is a highly competitive degree program.
Academic Program Names; Capitalization
Program should be capped only when it is part of a formal name, particularly one whose initials are used as an abbreviated name: Minority Engineering Program (MEP), Women in Engineering Program (WEP).
Academic Year
Do not use caps when referring to the time of the academic year except Maymester, which is a short session between spring and summer: fall semester, spring semester, summer session. Use summer session when you’re referring to the time of academic year. When you’re referring to the sessions themselves (the six- and eight-week sessions), use Summer Sessions (capped), as that is the name for Penn State’s summer programs.
The word commencement is lowercased, as is the name of the semester (spring commencement, fall commencement).
Administrative Area
Do not capitalize the reference to a general administrative area of the University in which a person works. She has worked in food service for fteen years.
but
She worked in Housing and Food Services for fteen years.
Admissions/Admission
Admissions is used to refer in a collective way to the many different types of admission (e.g., rst-year, transfer, readmission, provisional, nondegree, and extended). Admissions also is used when referring to the fact that thousands of students are admitted: the admissions of thousands vs. the admission of an individual. Admissions also is used as a short version of the O ce of Undergraduate Admissions.
Admission is used to refer to a single type of admission (e.g., rst-year admission, transfer admission). Use admission when referring to an individual’s admission. Use admission when referring to the process of being admitted.
Admissions Office
It’s the Undergraduate Admissions O ce on rst mention; the admissions o ce thereafter, except in certain predetermined pieces.
Contact the Undergraduate Admissions O ce for more information.
Meet me in the admissions o ce this afternoon.
Contact the admissions o ce at any Penn State campus.
Admissions Regional Offices
Penn State’s community (student) recruitment centers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are named as follows: Penn State Admissions–Philadelphia and Penn State Admissions–Pittsburgh. That’s an en dash after Admissions, used as a connector between the two parts of the names.
Alumni and Graduation Years
Generally, the year should be written out in text (ex.: “Smith is a 1994 graduate in English.”) or when referencing a person’s class year (“John Smith is part of the Class of 2019”). When used in class notes and following a person’s name, abbreviate as follows:
Attending the Homecoming reunion were Elise Adams ’64 and John Andrews ’88, ’90g. Harold Jones ’74 Eng was the rst Penn Stater to win the award.*
* Please note the style for this entry differs between the Editorial Standards (for promotional writing) and the News and Media Relations Style Guide (for news writing).
The Arboretum at Penn State
On rst reference, cap “The”; use “the Arboretum” on subsequent reference.
Lowercase “the” in reference to designated areas within the Arboretum: the March Bowl, the Pavilion, the Winter Garden, Childhood’s Gate, Children’s Garden.
The Arboretum, located on the north end of campus, is a facility for teaching, research, and outreach, with the mission of nding solutions through interdisciplinary scholarship to the challenge of maintaining healthy and appealing landscapes in the presence of a growing human population. See: arboretum.psu.edu
Auditoriums
Milton S. Eisenhower Auditorium; Schwab Auditorium; Palmer Lipcon Auditorium (in the Palmer Museum of Art); Esber Recital Hall (in Music Building I)
Berkey Creamery
This is a fully operational production facility and store, in the Rodney A. Erickson Food Science Building on Curtin Road, the east side of University Park campus. Use the full name (Berkey Creamery) on rst mention; the Creamery on subsequent mention. As for the building, use the full name on rst mention, Food Science Building on subsequent mention.
Board of Trustees
Board of Trustees—cap on rst mention; the board or the trustees thereafter.
Bookstore
It’s no longer the Penn State Bookstore on Campus. Use Penn State Bookstore on rst reference to the bookstore at University Park campus; the bookstore after that. Names of campus bookstores should be capped as necessary.
Bryce Jordan Center; Jordan Center Use full name on rst reference (no The). On second reference, the Jordan Center is preferred, and on subsequent reference, simply use the center.
Bulletins (catalogs)
The Penn State Undergraduate Degree Programs Bulletin, the Undergraduate Bulletin; the Penn State Graduate Degree Programs Bulletin, the Graduate Bulletin. The full names of the bulletins are in italics, as is the partial name of each bulletin on subsequent mention.
Bursar
Cap on all references.
Students should contact the Bursar’s o ce before registering.
Registration cannot be completed without prior approval from the Bursar.
Career Services
Formerly Career Development and Placement Services. Located in the Bank of America Career Services Center.
Change of Assignment
When a student moves from one Penn State campus to Penn State University Park, he or she is not transferring, but rather moving from one campus to another within Penn State. Use change-of-assignment to describe the student and relocate or move to in describing the action.
The meeting was scheduled for all change-of-assignment students from Schuylkill and Hazleton campuses.
After two years at the Shenango campus, Mayala moved to Penn State Behrend to complete the program.
Continuing and Distance Education/Continuing Education/continuing education
Continuing and Distance Education is now the Division of Outreach and Cooperative Extension. Continuing Education (capped) is one unit within that division.
Continuing Education encompasses the areas of Conferences and Institutes, the State College O ce of Continuing Education, the Williamsport Continuing Education Center, the Continuing Education Outreach Operations O ce, the Intensive English Communication Program, the Institute for Justice Education and Research, Management Development Programs and Services, Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, Labor Studies, the Wastewater Biology Program, and the Alumni Continuing Education O ce. All other area and regional o ces, including those at other Penn State campuses, are referred to as Continuing Education o ces.
Lowercase continuing education when referring to the function; cap when referring to the unit or program.
She wanted to enroll in the course to further her continuing education efforts. The courses were part of Penn State’s Continuing Education program.
He received credits through Continuing Education at Penn State.
Continuing Education Unit
Continuing Education Units, based on a standard of 1 unit per ten hours of classroom contact, are awarded to participants in some Continuing Education courses. On subsequent reference, use CEU, no periods or spaces. Plural is CEUs, no apostrophe.
Upon completing the course, each participant receives a certi cate or record of the 2.0 CEUs earned.
Cooperative Education Program
Cap all three words when full program name is used. Co-op is capped when it refers to Penn State’s Co-op program, but it is lowercased in general and descriptive references (co-op student, co-op assignment).
Copyright Issues
For information or questions on copyright issues, contact the Copyright Clearance O ce in the Department of Document Services, 107 Business Services Building, 814- 865-2679.
Course Names, Numbers, and Descriptions
Names of courses should be given as they are listed in the appropriate bulletin. Ordinarily, a course name and number appear together in all cases, along with the General Education su x, if any.
CLASS 033 (GH) Roman Civilization For course numbers, always use numerals, using zeros to create a three-digit number. The General Education su x, if any, is part of the course number and should not be omitted; for example, BI SC 001 (GN). To prevent confusion, a course’s name should be listed along with its number; for example, BI SC 001 (GN) Structure and Function of Organisms. Check the most recent edition of the General Education Guidebook or the appropriate bulletin for General Education su xes and correct course names. This also applies to diversity designations.
Course descriptions (as they appear in the bulletin) should be used with numbers and titles, or readers should be referred to the appropriate bulletin for descriptions.
Note: When used alone, course titles should be set in roman type and capped.
Becky looked forward to her Roman Civilization class.
Credits in, Units of
Always use numerals: 3 credits; 18 credits in history; a 3-credit course; 4 units of English; 1 unit of geometry; 2 units of a foreign language. Also, use numerals when referring to credit hours. Credit is earned in a subject, not of it; therefore, a major may require 25–29 credits in health education, but it does not require 25–29 credits “of” health education. It is the opposite for units: units “of” a subject, not units “in” a subject.
Crime Statistics
Some admission applications require a statement on the availability of crime statistics for that particular Penn State campus. For more information and the text of the statement, contact University Police and Public Safety.
Dean’s List
Cap.
Department Names
Cap when used as formal name: Department of Art History; lowercase as informal name: the art history department, the department.
Drop/Add
Separated by a slash, not a hyphen.
EOPC Acronym for Equal Opportunity Planning Committee
Extension
It’s the Penn State Cooperative Extension on rst mention; extension, no cap, on subsequent mention.
Faculty: plural or singular?
Faculty, like other collective nouns, is used with the singular form of a verb when considered one unit and the plural form of a verb when considered as a group of individuals.
The faculty insists that students be allowed to speak.
The faculty include distinguished scholars in many elds.
The Farmers’ High School
Penn State was initially incorporated as the Farmers’ High School in 1855, a name given to the institution whose aim was to encourage the application of science to farming.
In 1862 the Farmers' High School changed its name to the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania; shortly thereafter it was designated the Commonwealth's sole land-grant institution. In 1874, it became the Pennsylvania State College. In 1953, President Milton S. Eisenhower requested and gained permission to elevate the school to university status as The Pennsylvania State University.
Federal Work-Study Program
Note that there is a hyphen in this name and that it is capped. It can be Work-Study Program in second and later references.
Lowercase work-study when used in a general sense (i.e., not referring to the speci c program).
Fellow
When used to refer to an academic Fellow and when following a personal name, cap on all references.*
Stephanie Smith, a Paterno Fellow, recently completed an internship.
Fellowship, when used as part of the name of a speci c fellowship, is capped. The Bunton-Waller Fellowship works to improve diversity at Penn State.
* Please note the style for this entry differs between the Editorial Standards (for promotional writing) and the News and Media Relations Style Guide (for news writing).
Freshman, Freshmen
Avoid this word. It’s part of the perpetuation of language-based stereotypes. Use rst- year students to avoid sexism. If it’s impossible NOT to use it, remember that freshmen is the plural, but it’s freshman year, freshman students (as an adjective).
Fundraising or Fundraiser
It’s University style for all uses: noun, verb, and adjective; one word, no hyphen
Geography
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
No cap on central
CENTRE REGION
Includes the borough of State College and the surrounding townships of College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris, and Patton, with a total population of about 72,000.
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY PARK LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE
40°46′ N, 77°53′ W
PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES
Pennsylvania has sixty-seven counties. For county names and locations, see a state map.
STATE NAMES
When a state name is used in text with a town but no street address, it is spelled out. The student was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania.
When a state name is used as part of a mailing address, use the two-letter post o ce abbreviation.
Send applications to 2237 E 23rd St/Amarillo TX 79103.
Do not use the two-letter post o ce abbreviations in lists, tables, notes, bibliographies, or indexes. For the correct abbreviations to use in these cases, see section 10.27 of the Chicago Manual. UNITED STATES/U.S.
Spell out when used as a noun; abbreviate when used as an adjective. After their move, they spent a lot of time adjusting to the United States. U.S. policy in Europe was the topic of discussion.
UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPUS
Penn State University Park is located in the borough of State College and surrounding townships. University Park is the name of the post o ce substation for use in mail addressed to the University Park campus, but is not, itself, a geographic location. Therefore, the University Park campus or things or events occurring there should not be described as located in University Park, Pennsylvania, because such a place does not exist. They should be described as being on the Penn State University Park campus.
USE OF COMMA WITH STATE NAMES
Use a comma before and after a state name when it’s used with a town or city name in text.
We were passing through Herkimer, New York, when we discovered that the tire was going at.
General Education
Uppercase when referring to the University’s program.
Grade-point average
Hyphenate grade-point average. Avoid abbreviating this if you can, in the interest of reducing “alphabet soup” in language. But if you can’t resist the urge, use GPA (all caps, no periods).
Graduate School
Uppercase on all mentions that refer to Penn State’s Graduate School. Lowercase when using it in a general sense or for graduate schools at other colleges and universities.
Health and Human Development complex
The complex housing the College of Health and Human Development consists of three buildings: Henderson Building, Henderson Building South, and Health and Human Development Building East.
Honors Cap when formal name of campus program (e.g., Campus Honors program; Penn State Mont Alto Honors program). Lowercase in informal use (honors program, honors student, honors courses).
Housing and Food Services Contract
Cap as shown.
HUB-Robeson Center
Opened in 1999 when the Hetzel Union Building was expanded to include the Paul Robeson Cultural Center. Use full name on all references.
Land-grant
The Morrill Land Grant Act set forth goals for land-grant universities.
Penn State is a land-grant university.
National anthem
“The Star-Spangled Banner” can be cited in event programs, such as for commencement or athletic events, where the anthem will be played. The o cial text version to be used is from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and National Archives:
The Star-Spangled Banner
O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous ght O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our ag was still there, O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Nittany Lion Shrine
Cap when using full name. Lowercase shrine when using alone.
Numbers* The Chicago Manual includes extensive information about the use of numbers. Whether to use gures or words depends on the overall style by which you abide and the nature of the material with which you are working.
NUMBERS OR WORDS?
Spell out numbers lower than 100 in nonscienti c text. If a number higher than 100 is rounded off or approximated, spell it out in nonscienti c copy. Otherwise, 100 and higher are numerals, in text.
For charts and graphs, use numerals. See the Chicago Manual for examples and more information.
Treat numbers in the same sentence alike: If there’s a three- gure numeral in the sentence, make all the numbers gures, as long as the gures all relate to the same items.
The students collected 114 books for the sale, 12 of which were rst editions. Having four meetings made it possible for the fteen committee members to collect 160 used books.
—Ages should be expressed in numerals. (This is University style, not Chicago Manual style.)
I have an 11-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son. The student was 35 when he received his doctorate. However: Dr. Foley celebrated her fortieth birthday.
—Use either a gure or a word—not both: ve rooms, not ve (5) rooms. Exception: If the information may be confusing without both word and numeral to the audience it is meant to reach.
—Use the up-to-100-spelled-out/higher-than-100-numeral rule for ordinal numbers ( rst, second, forty- fth, eighty-ninth, 120th, 223rd, etc.). This applies to numbered street names as well: Fifth Avenue, Twenty-Third Street.
* Please note the style for this entry differs between the Editorial Standards (for promotional writing) and the News and Media Relations Style Guide (for news writing).
Office Names
This tends to be tricky, so judge on the basis of keeping users/readers from being confused. Cap the formal name of the o ce, but lowercase when used informally.
Jason had an appointment in the O ce of Student Aid. Carmen was late leaving the student aid o ce.
Option, Major, Program
For speci c options that are part of speci c Penn State programs, capitalize the name of the option, but not the word option: Actuarial Mathematics option; Athletic Training option. This follows the same logic as University style does for program or major speci c to Penn State: Music major; Biology program. Remember that a eld of study is not capped (majoring in engineering) but a speci c Penn State degree program is (majoring in Architectural Engineering Technology).
Orientation
Generally, lowercase: orientation; orientation week; orientation programs. Formal names for orientation come and go; if using formal name, cap per the formal name.
Outreach and Online Education
Encompasses the following units: World Campus (online education), Continuing Education, Professional and Community Education, and Public Media
Penn State Press
Full name is The Pennsylvania State University Press, but the preferred usage is Penn State Press. Also known as the University Press.
Penn State Songs
Lyrics to the “Alma Mater,” Fred Lewis Pattee; “Fight on State,” Joe Sanders ’15; “The Nittany Lion,” J. A. Leyden ’14 can be found on the Penn State Blue Band site.
PENNTAP
All caps. Acronym for the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program, Penn State’s statewide technical outreach network.
Recreational facilities
Recreation Building (Rec Hall on subsequent reference); Intramural Building (IM Building on subsequent reference)
Registrar
Cap on all references. Students should check with the Registrar before enrolling.
Contact the Registrar’s o ce for more information.
Residence Hall; Resident Assistant; Resident Instruction
Use residence hall, not dormitory.
It’s resident assistant on rst mention and RA, no periods, as an abbreviation on subsequent mention. Plural of RA is RAs, no apostrophe.
Lowercase resident instruction.
Room Numbers and Building Names
Use the room number and building name, as follows:
121 Wagner Building on rst mention; 121 Wagner on subsequent mention.
If a building name is used without a room number, use the word Building, Lab, or the equivalent on every reference, and cap: Schwab Auditorium; Moore Building.
Technology
STYLING URLS, SITE NAMES, HYPERLINKS, MENUS
— In printed materials
URLs should be set in boldface in text to help them stand out visually, such as:
For more information, see www.psu.edu or call 814-865-4700.
There is a growing trend toward dropping the “www” in URL references, both because it is assumed to be part of the pre x and because most browsers automatically include it. In general, we recommend following this trend. However, there may be exceptions in cases where the URL will not work if the “www” is not inserted as part of the address. Use your best judgment and treat each case as practical considerations demand. Test URLs to be sure.
—Names of websites should be capped as appropriate and set in Roman type.
See Penn State News for details of the event. The football schedule is posted at GoPSUsports.
—URLs should be in boldface/ names of hyperlinks and buttons should be italicized. For more information, visit www.psu.edu/admissions and click Contact Us. Click Log In under the My Admissions heading.
Go to bulletins.psu.edu/undergrad and click on the Intercollege Programs button.
See www.psu.edu, click on Campuses and Colleges and then on the name of the college you want to explore.
—Names of drop-down menus should be set in quote marks.
From the “Degrees and Minors” menu, select the speci c program in which you are interested.
IN ONLINE MATERIALS
Use live links whenever possible if you are comfortable with sending users off your website. If possible, make the link open in a new window or tab so that the user will stay on the original page and have access to the linked page. Use current best practices as a guide for displaying hyperlinks in your content.
Penn State THON™
The familiar reference, Penn State THON™ (call caps), should be used in articles or documents circulated to the public. In o cial documents and contracts, the formal reference Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon is appropriate. THON™ can be used in continuous mentions in external documents.
Trademarks include: THON™; For the Kids™; FTK®
For guidelines regarding the use of trademark symbols in text, consult Section 8.152 of The Chicago Manual of Style Online.
University
University should be capped any time it refers to Penn State. Do not cap university if the reference is a general one, even if Penn State is in the same sentence.
Penn State is an a rmative action, equal opportunity university.
When students leave for semester break, they usually return to the University three weeks later.
State College residents strive to build a pleasant university community.
University Faculty Senate On rst reference; on all subsequent references, faculty senate (lowercase).
University Health Services
University Health Services on rst mention; health services thereafter.
University Office of Global Programs
The University O ce of Global Programs has ve subsections: Education Abroad, Finance and Business Services, General Administration and Planning, Global Relations and Promotion, and International Student Advising (formerly International Student Services).
University Libraries
It’s University Libraries on rst mention; the Libraries thereafter. For a speci c library, on rst mention use the library name and cap Library with it: Pattee Library. Lowercase library when using the word by itself on subsequent references.
University Park
The Penn State University Park campus is located in the borough of State College and surrounding townships. University Park is the name of the post o ce substation for use in mail addressed to the University Park campus and it has its own zip code but is not a municipality that can be found on a standard map. In text, the best way to refer to University Park is: Penn State University Park campus.
University-wide
It’s University-wide, hyphenated, but it’s statewide, nationwide, and just about every other “-wide”; spelled solid. University-wide is hyphenated as an adjective before a noun, but two words as an adverb or after a noun.
World Campus
On rst reference: Penn State World Campus; thereafter, the World Campus.
Penn State established the World Campus in response to an increasing interest in virtual university campuses that provide anytime-anywhere learning. The World Campus offers specialized signature programs (including undergraduate and master’s degrees, certi cate programs, and continuing education opportunities) in a variety of academic disciplines. Part of Outreach and Online Education.
Back to Top 4. University Publication Statements
All University publications (except formal invitations and most printed advertisements) must carry a form of the Statement of Nondiscrimination (Policy AD85). In general, the complete text of the statement should always be used; however, in certain situations the short version may be used.
Regarding accredited programs: The educational objectives and outcomes of University academic units and programs required for accreditation are to be included in all promotional and informational materials as required by the accrediting agency. However, it is against University policy for academic or other programs to make any guarantees not in compliance with the requirements of such accrediting agencies.
Nondiscrimination Statements
All University publications (except form invitations and most printed advertisements) must carry a form of the Statement of Nondiscrimination. In general, the complete text of the statement should always be used; however, in certain situations the short version may be used. Exceptions to the use of the complete text can be made by the Marketing Communicators Network Representative.
Complete (Long) Version of the Statement of Nondiscrimination/Affirmative Action Statement:
The University is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as de ned in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the A rmative Action O ce, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901, Email: [email protected], Tel 814-863-0471.
Short Version of the Nondiscrimination/Affirmative Action Statement:
Penn State is an equal opportunity, a rmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all quali ed applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. The Spanish version of the Statement of Nondiscrimination is as follows:
La Universidad está comprometida con la igualdad de acceso a programas, facilidades, admisión y empleo para todas las personas. Es la política de la Universidad para mantener un ambiente académico y laboral libre de acoso y libre de discriminación contra cualquier persona debido a edad, raza, color, ascendencia, origen nacional, credo religioso, servicio en las fuerzas militares (según lo determinado por leyes estatales y federales), condición de veterano, sexo, orientación sexual, estado civil o de familia, embarazo, condiciones relacionadas con el embarazo, discapacidad física o mental, género, percepción de género, identidad de género, información genética, o ideas políticas. La conducta discriminatoria y de acoso, al igual que la mala conducta sexual y la violencia en las relaciones de pareja, viola la dignidad de los individuos, impide la realización de la misión educativa de la Universidad, y no será tolerada. Dirija sus preguntas sobre la política de no-discriminación a la O cina de Acción A rmativa, Universidad Estatal de Pennsylvania, 328 Edi cio Boucke, University Park, PA, 16802, Correo Electrónico: [email protected], Teléfono: (814) 863-0471.
The Spanish version of the nondiscrimination statement should be used in the following circumstances: (1) when you are producing a publication written in Spanish; (2) when the target audience of your publication is Latino/Hispanic Americans; and (3) when someone requests to see the statement in Spanish. Any questions, please call the A rmative Action O ce at 814-863-0471.
ADA Statement:
The following ADA alternative-format statement must be included on ALL publications (except formal invitations) in easy-to-read bold type, directly above the nondiscrimination statement as shown above.
This publication is available in alternative media on request.
The following ADA accommodation statement must be printed in any publication that describes a speci c program or special event (except formal invitations). It should be included in the section describing how to register for the program or how to locate further information.
Penn State encourages quali ed persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact ______in advance of your participation or visit.
Note: A contact person's name and telephone number should be provided in the statement where indicated above. Spanish versions
THE SPANISH VERSION OF THE ADA ALTERNATIVE-FORMAT STATEMENT IS AS FOLLOWS:
Esta Publicación está disponible en medios alternos de comunicación.
THE SPANISH VERSION OF THE ADA ACCOMMODATION STATEMENT IS AS FOLLOWS:
La Universidad del Estado de Pennsylvania invita a personas cali cadas con discapacidades a participar de sus programas y actividades. Si necesita asistencia especial durante su visita a la Universidad o tiene alguna pregunta sobre los accesos sicos y/o adaptaciones disponibles, por favor comuniquese con ______antes de su participacion o visita.
A contact person’s name and telephone number should be provided in the statement where indicated above.
The Spanish version of the ADA statements should be used in the following circumstances, as appropriate: (1) when you are producing a publication written in Spanish; (2) when the target audience of your publication is Latino/Hispanic Americans; and (3) when someone requests to see the statement in Spanish. Any questions, please call the A rmative Action O ce at 814-863-0471
Back to Top 5. Mailing and Addressing Information
For detailed information on mail services and guidelines for incoming and outgoing mail, please visit the Multimedia & Printer Center.
As a general rule of thumb, for University Park campus addresses, keep the full University name in the address as the line above the room number and building name:
MIROKI OCHO DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY 212 SACKETT BLDG UNIVERSITY PARK PA 16802-1408
At University Park campus, some o ces are located off campus. An example of how to address these o ces for U.S. mail is:
GERALD TALLFEATHER DEPARTMENT OF TRAVEL SERVICES THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY 120 S BURROWES ST UNIVERSITY PARK PA 16801-3857
Note that although a University Park campus mailing address is used, the zip code 16801 is used for University Park campus o ces that are located in State College. To send material to downtown University Park campus o ces via intercampus mail, use the name, department name, and building name:
Rebecca Cohn, Travel Services, Rider Building
The correct zip code for University Park business reply envelopes is 16802-9976. The correct zip code for University Park business reply cards is 16802-9959. For University Park business reply letters heavier than one ounce, use 16802-9989.
For sending material via U.S. mail to Penn State campuses other than University Park, use the campus name, person’s name, o ce or department name, and address:
BRENT CHIANG OFFICE OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES PENN STATE BEAVER 100 UNIVERSITY DRIVE MONACA PA 15061-2799
Use PA, not Pa., in Pennsylvania mailing addresses. Use U.S. Postal Service abbreviations for other states in mailing addresses.
For addresses and contact information of Penn State campuses, check each campus website.
See Mail Services on the Multimedia & Print Center website for more information.
Back to Top 6. Resources
As a general style guide for preparing promotional communications, use the most recent edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. For guidelines speci c to Penn State information, use this set of editorial standards.
For Penn State News stories, consult the News & Media Relations style guide as well as Associated Press Stylebook.
Materials that may be helpful to you in preparing University communications include:
Penn State Resources Brand toolkit: Telling Our Story section
Penn State’s Visual Identity Standards
This is Penn State information and language
The Penn State Fact Book
Penn State’s faculty/staff directory
Penn State’s Undergraduate Degree Programs Bulletin and Graduate Degree Programs Bulletin (academic and general information)
Other Resources
The Chicago Manual of Style Online
The Associated Press Stylebook
The online dictionary and thesaurus by Merriam-Webster
Penn State Office of Strategic Communications QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK: [email protected]
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