Write in style. Use the University Editorial Style Guide to produce concise and consistent content.
Maintaining The University of Baltimore brand requires alignment around one copy style. This guide will help you stay on brand whether you’re writing a story for our website, an email or letter to prospective students, a social media post or anything in between. Wherever possible, follow this guide; in cases where space is limited, work as closely as possible to this guide’s suggestions and consider alternate phrasing that avoids discrepancies.
This is a living document, one that requires occasional updates and aims to reflect inclusive and welcoming language. Please carefully review the entries covering gender-inclusive language, pronouns, race and culture, and religious language, and make sure you’re asking about personal preferences before you write.
This style is our own, adapted from the
Associated Press Stylebook
. If a particular case can’t be found in this guide, please refer to AP Style (subscription required) or the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | Punctuation | UBalt Buildings and Spaces | University Offices | University Name
UBalt 100 – A Centennial Guide
The University turns 100 in 2025. To maintain a consistent voice, please use the following guide in all cases. Contact marketing@ubalt.edu with any questions.
Anniversary
lowercase in all references and avoid as part of titles related to the University’s Centennial.
- Example: 1925 marks the University’s 100th anniversary.
Brand identity
Over its history, the University has changed its logos and how it references itself, such as: BU, U of B, UB and UBalt. UBalt is the current identity and should be used in most cases. Only use former identities when necessary to avoid confusion or when part of a title. The University can also be used.
- Spotlight UB was a performance theater program once part of the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.
- Some alumni fondly refer to the University as U of B.
- Jane Smith proudly calls herself a three-time UBalt alum.
Centennial
capitalize in all references related to our anniversary; this is similar to how we capitalize University when referencing our own.
- We’ll be celebrating our Centennial throughout 2025.
Don’t use Centennial anniversary as this is redundant.
Centennial Pillars
There are three pillars: Transformative Learning, Academic Excellence and Civic Engagement. These can be used to help organize Centennial projects but do not need to be used in narratives. If used, do not alter or abbreviate.
Dates
Always use the year when referencing any year other than the current year. Include the date where possible.
- The first day of classes was Oct. 1, 1925.
- We’ll celebrate this year’s Centennial with a kickoff event on Jan. 23.
Events and Exhibits
There will be various events and exhibits throughout the celebration period, including several with Centennial added to the name. Please use full titles only when referencing these events, unless otherwise directed.
- Centennial Block Party and Centennial Grand Celebration
Proud Past, Bright Future
This is our Centennial tagline. When used as a title or sub headline, include a comma between clauses.
UBalt 100
Part of our Centennial visual identity and will be featured in our Centennial logo, swag and other visual uses. Do not use in written copy, except in appropriate uses as a hashtag on social media: #UBalt100
A
AACSB International—the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
on second reference and thereafter: AACSB International or AACSB (as in AACSB-accredited)
This is an exception where the acronym is used more often than the long form, such as the association, on second and later references.
-
- The school offers an AACSB-accredited online business program.
abbreviations and acronyms
In general, avoid the alphabet soup caused by peppering copy with too many abbreviations and acronyms; it’s confusing to readers.
On first use, write out an acronym. In future uses, attempt to avoid using any acronyms that may not be familiar to a wide audience.
-
- preferred: Jane Smith is president of the Black Law Students Association. The association held its annual banquet in November.
- also acceptable, though not preferred: Jane Smith is president of the Black Law Students Association. The BLSA held its annual banquet in November.
Avoid abbreviations and most acronyms in headlines and subject lines, except those that are widely recognizable (e.g. FBI, IRS, NASA).
PERIODS IN ABBREVIATIONS
In most cases, periods are not used after the letters of an acronym. When abbreviating academic degrees, be sure to use periods (e.g., B.S., Ph.D., J.D., D.Sc.) unless an exception has been specified in this guide, such as MBA, MFA, MPA and DPA.
U.S. is acceptable as an adjective, but use United States for the noun.
ARTICLES (A, AN AND THE) WITH ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
Use the appropriate article (a, an or the) with abbreviations and acronyms when you would use that article in speech. In general, if an acronym (like NASA or NATO) is pronounced as a word rather than as a series of letters (the FBI), you do not need an article when the acronym is used as a noun. The choice between using a or an with an acronym or abbreviation is governed by how the acronym or abbreviation is typically spoken. Following these guidelines, we get the following:
-
- Last night’s dinner honored a CIA leader.
- What we need is an HTML expert.
- Some suggest that NATO has outlived its usefulness.
academic and administrative titles
Whenever possible, include an individual’s title after his or her name and lowercase the title. A title is only capitalized when it appears before a name—unless it is an endowed or named position.
-
- Jane Delury, associate professor in the Klein Family School of Communications Design, received the 2019 Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction.
- Greg Smith, professor of marketing, is an expert on technology commercialization.
- Kurt L. Schmoke, University president, welcomed faculty members to the open house.
- President Kurt L. Schmoke arrived at UBalt in 2014.
- Tom Sawyer is the H. Mebane Turner Professor of Early American and American Constitutional History.
- Alumni were pleased to see former Dean John Smith at the event.
Do not hyphenate academic or administrative titles such as scholar in residence or writer in residence.
Lowercase a title that stands alone without a name.
-
- He wanted to be governor of the state.
- The chief financial officer of the bank was not available.
- The chancellor was in attendance.
DR., DOCTORATE AND DOCTORAL
Use Dr. on first reference before the name of an individual who holds an earned doctorate. This is an exception to AP Style. After first reference, refer to the individual by last name only.
- Dr. Sharon Glazer is a professor in the Division of Applied Behavioral Sciences. Glazer is also an alumna of UBalt's Applied Psychology master's program.
People who hold a J.D., or juris doctor, are not called “Dr.” Use degree letters after name (e.g. John Smith, J.D.) or title.
Do not use “Dr.” before the name of a person who has received an honorary doctorate.
Note: Doctoral is an adjective; doctorate is a noun. A doctorate or a doctoral degree, not a doctorate degree.
See capitalization; endowed professorships, named professorships; and professor.
academic degrees
See degrees.
acknowledgments
addresses
Abbreviate compass points used to indicate directional ends of a street or quadrants of a city in a numbered address; abbreviate only Ave., Blvd. and St. when used with a specific numbered address. Spell out other instances (e.g. Road and Lane). Always spell out and capitalize when used without a numbered address. Lowercase when referring to more than one street.
The University’s official address: 1420 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201
-
- The University’s address is 1420 N. Charles St.
- He lives at 1314 Cherry Road.
- The University is located on North Charles Street.
- The University is located at the intersection of Maryland and Mount Royal avenues.
For the addresses of specific University buildings, see UBalt Buildings and Spaces.
administrative offices
Unless otherwise noted, most administrative offices at UBalt follow the Office of format.
-
-
Office of Marketing and Creative Services
- Office of the President
- Office of Admission
-
Office of Marketing and Creative Services
notable exception: Law Career Development Office
See UBalt Offices for a complete list of administrative offices at The University of Baltimore.
Do not capitalize references to general administrative areas within the University, and always use formal office titles on first reference.
-
- Jane Smith has worked in housekeeping for 15 years.
- Her sister, Judy Smith, has worked in the Office of Admission for 10 years.
- Judy Smith serves as one of seven counselors in the admission office.
admission
not admissions
notable exception: Office of Law Admissions
adviser
not advisor; however, advisory is acceptable
affect, effect
Affect, as a verb, means “to influence.”
-
- The game will affect the standings.
Effect, as a verb, means “to cause.”
-
- He will effect many changes in the company.
Effect, as a noun, means “result.”
-
- The effect was overwhelming.
African American, Black
No hyphen for African American and other dual-heritage terms. Acceptable for an American Black person of African descent. African American is also acceptable for those in the U.S. Always capitalize Black. The terms African American and Black are not necessarily interchangeable. Follow the person’s preference.
-
- Joe Smith had a particular interest in African American studies.
- The author is African American.
See also, race-related coverage.
ages
Always use figures when referring to people, animals and inanimate objects; hyphenate when used as a modifier.
-
- Her daughter is 6 years old.
- Jane, 6, has adjusted to the new classroom aide.
- A 43-year-old woman was arrested for the crime.
alumna, alumnae, alumni
Alumni is an inclusive term acceptable for a group of men or group of men and women.
If preference is confirmed, use gendered pronouns, including: alumnus for an individual man, alumna for an individual woman, alumnae for a group of women, etc.
Where possible, the terms alum(s) or graduate(s) are also acceptable as gender-neutral terms.
On first reference, alums are noted by listing their degree and year of graduation, preceded by a comma after their name.
-
- Peter Angelos, LL.B. ’61, is part-owner of the Orioles.
a.m., p.m.
Lowercase with periods.
-
- 10 a.m., 7:15 p.m.
Note the style for durations of time (no space on either side of the hyphen).
-
- 7-9 a.m.
- 5-10 p.m.
- 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
among, between
Use among when more than two objects are involved. Use between to show a relationship between only two objects.
ampersand
Do not use the ampersand (&) instead of and unless it is part of the official name of a company, product or other proper noun (e.g., Black & Decker, Barnes & Noble).
notable exceptions: Q&A and our Ampersand Institute for Words & Images; also, all course titles and program names within the Klein Family School of Communications Design use & instead of and
artificial intelligence (AI)
AI is acceptable and increasingly common, however, in narrative form, spell out on first reference and subsequently shorten to AI unless referencing a title or quote.
Also, AI should always be capitalized, while artificial intelligence should only be capitalized when part of a proper noun.
- The new M.S. in Artificial Intelligence for Business program will help students examine and understand AI’s capabilities and limitations in the workplace. Graduates will be prepared as companies include more examples of artificial intelligence in their day-to-day operations.
Asian American
No hyphen for this and other dual-heritage terms. Acceptable for an American of Asian descent. When possible, refer to a person’s country of origin (e.g. Filipino American or Indian American) or follow the person’s preference.
See also, race-related coverage.
associate degree
not associate’s degree
assure, ensure, insure
Use ensure to mean guarantee.
-
- Steps were taken to ensure accuracy.
Use insure for references to insurance.
-
- The policy insures his life.
Use assure to mean to make sure or give confidence.
-
- She assured us the statement was accurate.
B
bar
refers to the procedure by which a lawyer is licensed to practice law, known as the bar examination; lowercase bar
When a candidate passes the bar examination, the candidate is then admitted to the bar.
barbecue
not barbeque, Bar-B-Q or BBQ
Bee Card
These cards are issued by the Office of Campus Card Operations.
Bees
Capitalize when referring to the UBalt Bees, but lowercase in other, more general instances.
between
See among.
Black
Use the capitalized term as an adjective in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense: Black culture, Black literature, Black studies, Black colleges.
See also, race-related coverage.
bi-
The rules for prefixes apply; generally, do not hyphenate.
-
- The regents’ bimonthly meeting has been canceled.
BIPOC, BAME, POC
Avoid abbreviations and be as specific as possible. If used in a direct quote, paraphrase or explain the meaning.
biracial, multiracial
Acceptable, when clearly relevant, to describe people with more than one racial heritage. Usually more useful when describing large, diverse groups of people than individuals. Avoid mixed-race, which can carry negative connotations, unless a story subject prefers the term.
See also, race-related coverage.
brown
Avoid this broad and imprecise term in racial, ethnic or cultural references unless as part of a direct quotation. Interpretations of what the term includes vary widely. Be specific.
buildings
For the formal names and addresses of University buildings and both internal and external spaces, see UBalt Buildings and Spaces.
bulleted lists
See lists.
business and corporation names
Always double-check the proper spelling of any corporate or business name. Abbreviations such as Inc., LLC, LLP, Ltd., P.A., P.C., etc. are usually unnecessary and should be avoided.
Company (Co.) and Corporation (Corp.) should be abbreviated when they occur at the end of a name, but not within the name. Do not set these terms off with commas.
-
- Ford Motor Co.
- Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Do not abbreviate association, associated or associates.
C
campuses
Our main campus is located at 1420 N. Charles St., in Baltimore, Maryland. We also offer degree programs at The Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland.
campuswide
Do not hyphenate.
capitalization
Academic audiences often capitalize many titles out of convention. AP Style should be followed on issues of capitalization.
ACADEMIC TERMS
Lowercase semesters and class standing.
-
- the fall 2021 semester
- the undergraduate class
COLLEGES
Capitalize when using the official name of a college and simplify on second reference, but avoid acronyms.
-
- The Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2017. The college held several events to mark the occasion.
COURSES
See course titles and numbers, numerals.
DEPARTMENTS, OFFICES
Capitalize when using the official name of a specific department or office.
-
- The Office of the President held an open house.
- The president’s office is located on the third floor.
DEGREES
See degrees.
GRADUATING CLASSES
When referring to a specific institution’s graduation, class is usually capitalized: The University of Baltimore’s Class of 2021.
MAJORS/MINORS
Lowercase unless it involves a proper noun.
-
- He is a history major. He is majoring in history.
- She is an English major.
- He minored in web development.
ROOMS
Capitalize when referencing a specific room number.
-
- The event is in the Academic Center, Room 338.
SPECIALIZATIONS, TRACKS AND CONCENTRATIONS
Lowercase.
-
- He is an alumnus of the B.S. in Business Administration’s finance specialization.
TITLES
See academic and administrative titles, composition titles and government officials.
Note: University is capitalized in all mentions when it refers specifically to the University of Baltimore.
catalog
not catalogue
Caucasian
Avoid as a synonym for white, unless in a quotation.
See also, race-related coverage.
centers and institutes
See UBalt Offices.
Use the entire formal name on first reference; either center or institute (lowercase) is acceptable thereafter when identity is clear from the context.
CEO, CFO, CIO, COO
CEO is acceptable on first reference or as a stand-alone abbreviation, but the term should be spelled out somewhere in the text. Spell out all other, less familiar business titles, such as chief financial officer, etc.
certificates
We offer many certificate programs. Graduates of such programs are listed as follows:
-
- John Smith, CERT ’03
Capitalize CERT and do not follow with a period.
chair
This gender-neutral term is preferred over chairwoman or chairman. Do not use chairperson unless it is an organization’s formal title for an office.
chancellor
leads the University System of Maryland together with the Board of Regents, which appoints the chancellor
See academic and administrative titles.
city
Capitalize city if part of a proper name, an integral part of an official name or a regularly used nickname: Kansas City, New York City, Charm City. It is never Baltimore City.
Lowercase elsewhere and in all “city of” phrases: city government; the city of Baltimore.
Clinical Law Offices
See UBalt Offices.
collective nouns
Nouns that denote a unit take singular verbs and pronouns; they include: class, committee, family, group, jury, orchestra, team.
-
- The committee is meeting to set its agenda.
- The jury reached its verdict.
- The faculty is reviewing the proposal. (but: Faculty members are reviewing the proposal.)
College of Public Affairs
on second reference and thereafter: college; avoid CPA except as needed in social media use
colleges, schools
The University of Baltimore comprises four main colleges or units, under which all other schools, departments and divisions fall: the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.
Within the College of Arts and Sciences, UBalt also houses the Klein Family School of Communications Design. Within the College of Public Affairs, we house the School of Criminal Justice, the School of Health and Human Services and the School of Public and International Affairs.
collegewide
Do not hyphenate.
Columbus Day
A long-time federal legal holiday to mark the anniversity of Christopher Columbus' sighting of what came to be known as the Americas. UBalt renamed the holiday Indigenous Peoples Day, recognizing that the lands "discovered" by Columbus were already inhabited.
commencement
Commencement is the University’s formal graduation ceremony. Do not confuse it with convocation, which is the University’s formal opening event for the academic year.
communication
This refers to the act of communicating, whereas communications, plural, refer to a countable number of messages.
-
- She sent him three communications about tuition payment deadlines.
Note: In the name of the University’s undergraduate and graduate certificate programs, Communication is singular: Digital Communication.
company
Use the abbreviation Co. instead of Company, when it occurs the end of the formal name of a company.
See business and corporation names.
compliment, complement
Compliment is a noun or a verb that denotes praise or the expression of courtesy.
-
- The captain complimented the sailors.
- She was flattered by the compliments on her project.
Complement is a noun and a verb denoting completeness or the process of supplementing something.
-
- The ship has a complement of 200 sailors and 20 officers.
- The tie complements his suit.
compose
means “to create” or “to put together”; do not confuse it with comprise. It commonly is used in both the active and passive voices: Various parts compose a whole, or a whole can be composed of its parts.
-
- The University of Baltimore is composed of the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.
- All 50 states together compose the United States.
composition titles
Italicize the titles of books, periodicals (including online magazines), movies, television series, computer and video games, plays, works of art, musical albums and compositions (except those with generic titles, e.g., Symphony No. 5 in C Minor), collections of poetry and long poems.
Capitalize the first word of any title. Capitalize all words that are four letters or longer. Do not capitalize the articles a, an and the. Do not capitalize conjunctions or prepositions unless they are four letters or longer.
In short: Capitalize the first word, any word four letters or longer, and all nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives and pronouns.
-
- The Elements of Style is a popular book among editors.
- U.S. News & World Report released its newest rankings.
- Cry Baby is their favorite movie.
comprise
means “to contain” or “to include all,” so do not use is comprised of. A whole comprises its parts.
-
- The School of Law comprises both day and evening divisions.
See include.
Constitution
Capitalize references to the U.S. Constitution, with or without the U.S. modifier.
-
- The president said he supports the Constitution.
When referring to constitutions of other nations or of states, capitalize only with the name of a nation or a state.
-
- the French Constitution
- the Massachusetts Constitution
- the nation’s constitution
- the state constitution
- the constitution
Lowercase in other uses: the organization’s constitution.
Lowercase constitutional in all uses.
convocation
Convocation is the University’s formal opening event for the academic year, during which the president and provost present the state of the University. Do not confuse it with commencement, which is the University’s formal graduation ceremony.
coronavirus
The term coronavirus is generally acceptable in references to the pandemic: coronavirus cases, coronavirus tests, coronavirus variants. Use the term COVID-19 when referring specifically to the disease: COVID-19 treatments, COVID-19 patients, COVID-19 deaths, recovering from COVID-19.
corporation
Use the abbreviation Corp., not Corporation, when it occurs at the end of the formal name of an organization.
See business and corporation names.
course titles, numbers
Course titles are capitalized but do not appear in quotations when the formal name of the course as it appears in the course catalog is used. When terms are used generically, lowercase.
-
- Every student must take Ideas in Writing.
- The program’s capstone course is Final Seminar.
- John Smith teaches courses in tax accounting.
When a course code and course number are used in a periodical, they should appear in the following format:
-
- CRJU 341: Correctional Perspectives.
coursework
one word
court cases
Italicize the names of court cases. Also, use v., not vs.
courtesy titles
In periodicals, press releases, recruitment materials and other publications, do not use courtesy titles such as Mr., Miss, Mrs., Esq. or the Hon.
Notable exceptions: commencement programs and other publications of equal formality
courtroom
one word
CPA
on first reference: certified public accountant; thereafter: CPA (without periods)
credits
Academic credits are always listed in numerical form, even when the number is fewer than 10.
-
- Jane must take 6 credits next semester to graduate on time.
- Ideas in Writing is a 3-credit course.
cum laude
means “with distinction”; do not italicize this or other commonly used Latin terms.
cybersecurity
one word unless part of an official program, specialization, concentration or track
D
data
Data is the plural of datum. It is used both in the plural and the singular form.
When treated as a unit, use the singular form.
-
- The data is sound.
When referencing individual items, use the plural.
-
- The data have been carefully collected.
database
one word
dates
Always write out the months of March, April, May, June and July. For all other months, abbreviate the month if a specific date follows. (notable exceptions: commencement programs and other publications of equal formality)
If only the month and the year are listed, do not separate them with a comma and do not abbreviate the month.
-
- May 24, 2021 (Do not use th and st superscripts: May 24, not May 24th.)
- December 2021
- Dec. 1
- the class of ’21
- the ’60s, the ’90s (Note: There is no apostrophe between the last digit of the year and the s.)
- Aug. 26, 2021, marked the first day of the new semester.
- The 2020-21 academic calendar is posted on the University’s website.
- The events run Jan. 31-Feb. 4.
days
Always write out the day of the week. When listed with a month, separate with a comma.
-
- Today is Monday, July 6, 2015.
- Monday, June 8, marked her 10-year anniversary at work.
decision-making
degrees
Capitalize the full degree title; lowercase the shorter form.
-
-
associate degree (Note: not associate's degree)
- Bachelor of Arts degree
- bachelor’s degree in history
- Bachelor of Arts in History
- Juris Doctor degree
- Master of Science degree
- master’s degree in criminal justice
- Master of Arts in Integrated Design
- master’s program in public administration
- Master of Public Administration program (Note: When referencing an academic program, the word program is not capitalized.)
- doctorate (Note: Doctorate is a noun, doctoral is an adjective.)
-
associate degree (Note: not associate's degree)
In general, do not use abbreviations for degrees after a person’s name (e.g., John Smith, Ph.D., spoke at the University.), unless you are referring to UBalt alumni, who should be listed with their degree information on first reference (e.g., Peter Angelos, LL.B. ’61).
Use periods in abbreviations of academic degrees: B.A., B.S., D.P.A., D.S., J.D., LL.B., LL.M., M.A., M.S., Ph.D., D.Sc. (Note: The periods do not apply in MBA, MPA, DPA, MFA, or in listings of certificates earned, e.g., Jane Smith, CERT ’03.)
departments
Capitalize when using the full, proper name.
-
- the Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics
Four academic departments exist at the University; all fall within the Merrick School of Business:
-
- the Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics
- the Department of Information Systems and Decision Science
- the Department of Management and International Business
- the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Otherwise, lowercase unless a proper noun appears.
-
- the English department
- the psychology department
disabilities, disabled
The terms include a broad range of physical, psychological, cognitive and medical conditions both visible and invisible. In writing about disabilities, use person-first language—person who is blind, or people with spinal cord injuries—to keep the focus on the subject.
If you have any questions, contact the Office of Disability and Access Services at das@ubalt.edu.
divisions
ADMINISTRATIVE
Four administrative divisions exist within the University:
-
- the Division of Academic Affairs
- the Division of Administration and Finance
- the Division of Enrollment Management and Marketing
- the Division of Student Success and Support Services.
ACADEMIC
Three academic divisions exist at the University; all fall within the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences:
-
- the Division of Applied Behavioral Sciences
- the Division of Legal, Ethical and Historical Studies
- the Division of Science, Information Arts and Technologies.
doctor, Dr.
Use Dr. on first reference before the name of an individual who holds an earned doctorate (other than juris doctor). This is an exception to AP Style. After first reference, refer to the individual by last name only.
- Dr. Sharon Glazer is an alumna of UBalt's Applied Psychology master's program.
For medical professionals using the Dr. title, try to include details that signal they are a medical doctor, such as by listing the hospital or health system where they work. (e.g. Dr. Ann Green of Johns Hopkins Medicine)
People who hold a J.D., or juris doctor, are not called “Dr.” Use degree letters after name (e.g. John Smith, J.D.) or title.
Do not use “Dr.” before the name of a person who has received an honorary doctorate.
doctoral, doctorate
Doctoral is an adjective; doctorate is a noun.
dollar amounts
Always use figures; eliminate the period and extra zeros if the figure is a whole amount.
-
- $50, not $50.00
Use a hyphen to indicate a range.
-
- $5-$10
drop/add
Use a forward slash, not a hyphen.
E
e-
Words that start with e- (such as e-learning) should be capitalized only at the beginning of a sentence or in a title.
e.g.
means “for example”; it is followed by a comma (Do not confuse with i.e., which means “that is.”)
lowercase; do not hyphenate
emerita, emeritus, emeriti
follows president or professor (professor emeritus, not emeritus professor)
Emeritus is masculine, emerita is feminine, emeriti is plural. Emerit is a gender-neutral term. Defer to subject’s preference. Retired faculty members who have not had this title awarded to them should be referred to as former or retired faculty, not emeriti.
endowed professorships, named professorships
Capitalize all nouns in the title, whether the title appears before or after the person’s name.
-
- In 2011, Dennis Pitta became the Merrick School of Business’ J. William Middendorf Distinguished Professor.
entitled
Meaning a right to do or have something. Not a synonym for titled.
- She was entitled to the promotion.
-
The book was titled Pride and Prejudice.
Eubie, the UBalt bee
the University’s mascot, a male bee
F
faculty
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 a group of individuals.
-
- The faculty insists that students be allowed to speak.
- The faculty
include distinguished scholars in many fields.
(also acceptable: The faculty members include distinguished scholars in many fields.)
Adjunct faculty are teachers who work part time, often teaching only one or two courses per semester. Lecturers may teach full or part time but have few or no research responsibilities.
See professor.
federal, state
Lowercase both terms.
-
- The program is awaiting federal and state funding.
fellow, fellowship
Lowercase when used alone, but capitalize when used in combination with a granting organization.
-
- Joe Smith is a fellow of The University of Baltimore Hoffberger Center for Ethical Engagement.
- Jane Smith is a former Schaefer Center Fellow.
fewer, less
Use fewer for things you can count; use less to refer to bulk or quantity.
-
- I had less than $50 in my pocket.
- I had fewer than 50 $1 bills in my pocket.
fiscal year
on first reference: fiscal year 2018; thereafter: FY 2018 or FY 18
foreign words
Some foreign words and abbreviations have been accepted universally into the English language and should not be italicized; examples include bon voyage, versus, vs. and et cetera. Foreign words not commonly used in English should be italicized.
See accent marks in the Punctuation section.
freshman, freshmen
First-year undergraduate and first-year student are the preferred terms.
fundraiser, fundraising
-
- The fundraising campaign was successful.
- Fundraising is difficult in a recession.
- He works as a fundraiser for the foundation.
G
gender-neutral language
Gender-neutral language is preferred. Avoid s/he construction by using plural references (e.g., students or they ), where possible.
- Law students must put their studies first.
- For a law student , studies come first.
Words with gender-specific language, such as chairman, should be replaced with non-gender-specific language. Examples include:
- first-year undergraduate student instead of freshman
- chair or chairperson, coordinator, moderator instead of chairman or chairwoman
- business executive instead of businessman
- staffing instead of manning, as in staffing a table
- manufactured instead of man-made
GI Bill®
Inclusion of federal registered trademark symbol is mandatory.
global field study
Never study abroad; this implies a semester-long experience whereas UBalt hosts shorter experiences. While it is helpful to show the balance between work and fun, avoid descriptions that diminish the value of the credit-based class (e.g. trip).
Also acceptable: global field study course and global field experience.
government officials
GOVERNOR
Capitalize and abbreviate as Gov. or Govs. when used as a formal title before one or more names both inside and outside quotations. Lowercase and spell out in all other uses.
-
- Maryland Gov. William Donald Schaefer spoke with the media.
- The media spoke with William Donald Schaefer, governor of Maryland.
- The governor spoke with the media.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Capitalize and abbreviate as Lt. Gov. or Lt. Govs. when used as a formal title before one or more names both inside and outside quotations. Lowercase and spell out in all other uses.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Never abbreviate. Capitalize only when used as a title before a name.
TREASURER
Capitalize when used as a formal title before a name.
COMPTROLLER
Comptroller generally is the accurate word for government financial officers. Capitalize comptroller and controller when used as the formal titles for financial officers before one or more names. Lowercase aircraft controller and similar occupational applications of the word.
GPA
capitalize without periods; can be used in lieu of grade point average on first and subsequent references
grades
Use a capital letter without quotation marks. To pluralize, add an s without an apostrophe.
-
- Jane Smith earned a B in her accounting course.
- Jane earned all Bs in the spring 2020 semester.
gray
not grey
H
health care
always use two words even when used as a modifier.
-
- Health care is an important political issue.
- Politicians often debate about health care spending.
Helen P. Denit Honors Program
on first reference and thereafter: Denit Honors Program or honors program; also: honors classes, honors student
high-tech
Holidays and Designated Days, Weeks and Months
Capitalize all words in the name of a designated or branded day, week, month or other time period: Black History Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, World Religion Day, International Women's Day. Lowercase the time period in informal descriptions: Memorial Day weekend, Christmas week.
home page
refers to the “front” page of a particular website; two words
Index page is the more technical term for this same page, referring to the index file in the site’s backend file structure, as in UBalt’s content management system.
Landing page refers to the “front” page of a particular section within the website.
I
i.e.
means “that is”; followed by a comma (Do not confuse it with e.g., which means “for example” and is also followed by a comma.)
-
- Our four schools (i.e., the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences) are located on the University’s downtown Baltimore campus.
immigrate
One who comes into a country immigrates.
Do not confuse it with emigrate, which means “to leave a country.”
imply
Writers or speakers imply something through the words they use.
Do not confuse it with infer, which is what listeners or readers do.
include
Use include to introduce a series when the items that follow are only part of the total.
-
- My syllabus includes texts.
Use comprise when the full list of individual elements is given.
-
- My syllabus comprises texts, discussions and exams.
See comprise.
Inclusion Alley
A Student Government Association-led initiative to transform the alley between the Liberal Arts and Policy Building and Thumel Business Center into a public space.
indentation
Do not indent the first line of the first paragraph of text, but do indent the first lines of all subsequent paragraphs.
Indigenous Peoples Day
A holiday celebrating the original inhabitants of North America, observed on the second Monday of October, coinciding with the federal Columbus Day holiday.
See also, Columbus Day.
information technology
on second reference and thereafter: IT is acceptable
initials
Use periods without spaces when an individual uses initials instead of a first and/or middle name: J.P. Morgan. The use of middle initials is a matter of the subject’s personal preference. Abbreviations using only the initials of a name do not include periods: JFK.
See period in the Punctuation section.
in order to
Be concise; use just to.
inquire, inquiry
not enquire, enquiry
in residence
When this term is used in an academic or administrative title, such as scholar in residence or writer in residence, do not hyphenate.
See academic and administrative titles.
insofar as
Use more concise language when possible.
in spite of
Use despite; it means the same thing and is shorter.
institutes
See UBalt offices.
instructor
A person is an instructor in a discipline, not of a discipline. Do not use it as a title before a name.
international students
Avoid using foreign or alien in general references. When possible, specify where the student is from.
- Michael came to UBalt from Sierra Leone in western Africa.
internet
Lowercase this term.
-
- Internet addresses include email addresses and website designations (URLs).
Follow the spelling and capitalization of the website owner. - In stories, try to use the name of the website rather than the web address. So it’s Facebook, not Facebook.com.
- If an internet address falls at the end of a sentence, finish the sentence with a period.
- If an internet address breaks between lines, split it directly after a slash or dot, without inserting a hyphen.
ubalt.edu/ hoffberger - Neither https:// nor www need to appear in website addresses.
- Double-check the accuracy of URLs that you are listing in text.
- internet terms: cybersecurity, download, dot-com, firewall, freeware, FTP (file transfer protocol), home page, hyperlink, intranet, IP address (internet protocol address, a numeric address given to a computer connected to the internet), listserv, login, MP3, screen saver, URL (Uniform Resource Locator), webpage, website, webcam, webcast, webmaster, Wi-Fi, zip files
- Internet addresses include email addresses and website designations (URLs).
See URLs and email addresses and web.
irregardless
This term is a double negative. Regardless is the correct word.
Islam
Followers are called Muslims. The adjective is Islamic.
italicization
Italicize the titles of books, periodicals (including online magazines), movies, television series, computer and video games, plays, works of art, musical compositions (except those with generic titles, e.g., Symphony No. 5 in C Minor), collections of poetry and long poems.
Italicize legal citations and use v. for versus: Brown v. Board of Education.
it’s, its
It’s is a contraction of it and is or it and has.
-
- It’s up to you to use it correctly. It’s been a long time since you studied grammar.
Its refers to possession.
-
- The tree has lost its leaves.
J
Jr., Sr.
Abbreviate and do not separate from the last name with a comma; apply the same rules to numerical designations.
-
- Harry Connick Jr.
- John Wiley III
judge, justice
Capitalize before a name when it is the formal title for an individual who presides in a court of law. Do not continue use in subsequent references.
judgment
not judgement
Juneteenth
A formally recognized federal and UBalt holiday commemorating the final ending of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers informed the people of Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War was over and all enslaved people were freed.
K
kids
Use children unless you are talking about goats; otherwise, kids is acceptable as an informal synonym for children in a quote or in an appropriate context.
kilo-
a prefix denoting 1,000 units of measure; do not hyphenate
Knowledge That Works
UBalt’s slogan, always capitalized without quotation marks
Note: This is a registered service mark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
knowledgeable
L
languages
Capitalize the proper names of languages and dialects.
last
Avoid using it as a synonym for latest if it might be confused for final.
The last announcement was made at noon today could leave the reader wondering whether the announcement was the final announcement or whether others are to follow.
Do not use it to mean “most recent” when the name of a month or day of the week is used.
-
- It happened Wednesday is fine; it happened last Wednesday is redundant.
- Otherwise: It happened last week. It happened last month.
Latino, Latina, Latinx, Latine
Preferred over Hispanic when referring to people of Latin American descent. Latino is masculine, Latina is feminine. Some prefer the gender-neutral terms Latinx and Latine. Follow a person’s preference. People from Spain are Spanish . Use specific nationalities when possible: Mexican , Nicaraguan , Salvadoran , Guatemalan , Puerto Rican , Costa Rican , Colombian , etc.
See also, race-related coverage.
laws
Capitalize legislative acts but not bills. For pending legislation, do not use periods.
-
- the Taft-Hartley Act
- the Kennedy bill
- HR 2316
- SB 1416
lawyer
a generic term for all members of the bar; do not use it as a formal title
lay, lie
The action word is lay; it takes a direct object.
past tense and past participle: laid; present participle: laying
-
- I will lay the book on the table.
- I laid the book on the table.
- I am laying the book on the table.
Lie indicates a state of reclining along a horizontal plane; it does not take a direct object.
past tense: lay; past participle: lain; present participle: lying
-
- I will lie down for a few minutes.
- I lay down for a few minutes.
- I have lain down for a few minutes.
- I am lying down for a few minutes.
When lie means to make an untrue statement, the verb forms are lie, lied, lying.
lectures
Capitalize and use quotation marks for their formal titles.
legislative titles
On first reference, use Rep., Reps., Sen. and Sens. as formal titles before one or more names. In quotes, spell out and capitalize these titles before names. In all other circumstances, spell out and lowercase representative and senator.
Spell out other legislative titles in all uses, capitalizing them before names. Add U.S. or state before a title only if necessary to avoid confusion.
Do not use legislative titles before names on second or subsequent references, unless in quotes. Congressman and congresswoman should appear as capitalized formal titles before names only in direct quotations.
Capitalize titles for formal, organizational offices within legislative bodies when they are used before names.
-
- Speaker Joe Brown
- Minority Leader Jane Smith
- President Pro Tem Bill Jones
legislature
Capitalize when preceded by the name of a state: the Maryland Legislature. Retain the capitalization when the state name is dropped but the reference is specifically to the state’s legislature.
less
See fewer, less.
lie
See lay, lie.
lifestyle
lifetime
Light Rail
likable
not likeable
like, as
Use like to compare nouns and pronouns; it requires an object.
-
- I type like a machine.
The conjunction as is the correct word to introduce clauses.
-
- I type as quickly as I should.
lists
Do not use a colon after the words includes, included or including unless they are followed by bullets.
- The committee included Ben, Julie and Peter.
- not: The committee included: Ben, Julie and Peter.
Maintain parallel construction in listed items. That is, if some items are full sentences, all items should be full sentences. If some items begin with verbs, all items should begin with verbs.
Avoid numbering unless there will be a reference to the numbers in later text or unless indicating numbered steps in a process.
In bulleted lists, use a period after each item only if it is a complete sentence; always use a period after the last item if the list itself forms a complete sentence.
Jane’s favorite vegetables are:
-
- peas
- carrots
- Brussels sprouts
- asparagus.
Otherwise:
favorite vegetables:
-
- peas
- carrots
- Brussels sprouts
- asparagus
Do not capitalize list items unless each item is a complete sentence.
Alphabetize, or put the items in some other logical order.
locations
See UBalt Buildings and Spaces.
log in, login
one word as an adjective and a noun:
-
- Students must obtain their email login information when they first arrive at UBalt.
- Students much change their email logins every six months.
two words as a verb:
-
- Every morning I log in to my computer.
logo
See the Visual Identity section of our Brand Guidelines.
lowercase
one word, always
-ly
Do not use a hyphen between adverbs ending in -ly and the adjectives they modify.
-
- a widely praised film
- an easily passed exam
- a fully informed consumer
The Lyric Baltimore
on second reference: the Lyric or performing arts center
M
magazine names
Capitalize and italicize the names of periodicals and publications. Lowercase magazine and do not italicize unless it is part of the publication’s formal title: Baltimore magazine, The University of Baltimore Magazine.
magna cum laude
means “with great distinction”; do not italicize
man, mankind
Either may be used when both men and women are involved and no other term is convenient, but a better choice may be humanity, a person or an individual.
MARC train
Maryland Rail Commuter train service
Maryland Transit Administration
oversees the Light Rail, the Metro Subway, the MARC train and the bus system; on second reference and thereafter: MTA
MBA
Do not use periods; note that this is an exception to the usual practice of including periods in degree abbreviations.
See degrees.
media, medium
Media is a plural noun and therefore takes a plural verb; medium is the singular form of the noun.
Merrick School of Business
on first reference and thereafter: School of Business or business school (lowercase); avoid MSB except in social media use as needed.
Metro Subway
Baltimore’s subway line
mic
As an informal reference to a microphone, use mic, not mike.
mid-
In general, do not hyphenate unless mid- is followed by a capitalized word.
-
- midterm
- midsemester
- mid-Atlantic
Hyphenate when mid- precedes a figure: mid-30s.
Middle East
The term applies to southwest Asia west of Pakistan and Afghanistan (Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the eastern part of Turkey known also as Asia Minor, United Arab Emirates and Yemen), and northeastern Africa (Egypt and Sudan). Middle East is preferred over Mideast.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a voluntary, nongovernmental, peer-based membership association established to oversee educational quality and improvement through an accrediting process based on peer review. The federal government requires that institutions located in our region be accredited by Middle States for their students to be eligible to participate in federal financial aid programs.
on second reference and thereafter: Middle States is acceptable
midnight
Do not put a 12 in front of it. It is part of the day that is ending, not the one that is beginning.
midtown
Do not capitalize when referring to midtown Baltimore.
millions, billions
Use a figure (not beyond two decimal places) and the word for large numbers.
-
- The rare blue diamond sold for $48.5 million at auction.
money
Spell out or use figures, following the rules for numbers, numerals. If you spell out the amount, spell out the currency; if you use figures for the amount, use symbols for the currency.
For specified amounts, dollars takes a singular verb: They said $50,000 is what they raised.
Use the following forms: $4.35 million; $650,000; $1,000; $500; $25; $4; $5-$10.
monthlong
months
When using with a specific day or range of days, abbreviate as:
-
- Jan.
- Feb.
- Aug.
- Sept.
- Oct.
- Nov.
- Dec.
Notable exceptions: commencement programs and other publications of equal formality
The other months are always spelled out.
When a phrase lists only a month and a year, do not separate the year with commas. When a phrase refers to a month, day and year, set off the year with commas.
-
- I was born in March 1980.
- I was born March 26, 1980, in Baltimore.
Mount
Spell out unless it is listed with a street address: 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave.
Mount Vernon
The area just south of the heart of our campus, bordered by Mount Royal Avenue to the north, Mulberry Street to the south, Guilford Avenue to the east and Howard Street to the west. The Mount Vernon Cultural District is a historic district.
multi-
Do not hyphenate unless necessary to avoid awkward reading.
-
- multicultural
- multinational
- multimedia
- multipurpose
- but: multimillion-dollar (adjective)
music
Capitalize, but do not use quotation marks for or italicize, generic titles for orchestral works (which typically include the composer’s name and a suite or symphony number): Bach’s Suite No. 1 for Orchestra, Beethoven’s Serenade for Flute, Violin and Viola. Italicize any composition titles that are unique and nongeneric: Symphonie Fantastique, Water Music.
If you are listing one composition from a suite, one song from an album or an individual song, use quotation marks for the single composition/song and italics for the suite/album: “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from The Nutcracker Suite; “Wanted Dead or Alive” from Bon Jovi’s Cross Road album.
When listing musical compositions for programs or fliers, note:
-
- Opus is abbreviated Op.; number is abbreviated No.
- Typically, the opus is listed before the number, with a comma separating the two categorizations: Op. 120, No. 1.
- Köchel-Verzeichnis is abbreviated KV without a period following the acronym.
Muslim
Muslim is the preferred term over Moslem.
MyUBalt
MyUBalt is a centralized portal that allows students to view class schedules, check admission status, apply for financial aid, register for classes, check grades and pay bills. It also allows faculty and staff to perform various job-related functions.
N
names
Use the first name, middle initial (if that is the subject’s preference) and last name on first reference; thereafter, use only the last name.
name suffixes
See Jr., Sr.
national anthem
Lowercase national anthem, but capitalize the title “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
nationwide
Native American, American Indian
Native American or American Indian is acceptable for those in the United States. Follow the person’s preference. Where possible, use the name of the tribe: He is Navajo.
This term is never hyphenated.
See also, race-related coverage.
neither … nor
The nouns following these words require verbs that agree with the nearest subject.
-
- Neither he nor they are going. Neither they nor he is going.
newspaper names
Capitalize and italicize newspaper names in periodicals and publications. Capitalize the in a newspaper’s name only if that is the way the publication prefers to be known.
-
- The Washington Post
- The Baltimore Banner
- Chicago Tribune
Where location is needed but not part of the official name, use parentheses and do not italicize the location.
-
- The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune
nicknames
Nicknames should be put in quotation marks and should be listed between a subject’s first and last names.
-
- Richard “Dick” Brown
nighttime
non-
Generally, do not hyphenate.
-
- nonprofit
- nondenominational
- nondegree
noncontroversial
All issues are controversial, so a noncontroversial issue is impossible. A controversial issue is redundant.
none
It usually means “no single one,” so in this sense it takes a singular verb and pronoun.
-
- None of the signs was written correctly.
Use a plural verb only if the sense is “no two or no amount.”
-
- None of the professors agree on the topic.
nonprofit
one word as both a noun and an adjective
noon
Use noon instead of 12 p.m. in most instances. Exceptions might include event schedules and social posts.
North America
Canada, the United States, Mexico and Greenland
numbers, numerals
FIGURES
Use figures for numbers 10 and above; one through nine should be spelled out. This holds true for ordinal numbers: first through ninth, then 10th, 11th, 22nd, 33rd, etc.
Always spell out numbers that begin a sentence: Eighty-six percent of faculty members hold the highest degree in their fields.
Use figures exclusively for ages (a 4-year-old child), acres, cents, dimensions (the rug is 2 feet wide), dollar amounts ($5), formulas, heights (he is 6 feet tall), military and political designations (2nd District Court), percentages, ratios (a 3-to-1 ratio), sizes (a size 7.5 shoe), speeds, temperatures (except zero), volume and weight.
See percent and dollar amounts.
FRACTIONS
Spell out amounts less than one, using hyphens between words: two-thirds, one-half, etc; use figures for amounts larger than one, converting to decimals whenever practical.
PLURAL NUMBERS/YEARS
With plural numbers and years, use an s without a preceding apostrophe: She’ll be in her mid-30s in the 2010s. The Roaring ’20s were exciting years.
See dates.
BUILDINGS AND ROOMS
Room numbers come after the building designation; capitalize Room.
-
- My office is in the Academic Center, Room 242G.
Some University buildings are known by their addresses: 1104 Maryland Ave., 5 W. Chase St.
CREDITS
Always use figures when referring to credits.
NO.
When the word number is used with a figure to express a ranking, use No. (capitalized); Nos. is the plural form. Do not use in street addresses, except for No. 10 Downing St., the residence of Britain’s prime minister.
-
- No. 1 team
- No. 3 choice
Exceptions can be made in design/social posts where clarity and space take precedent.
PHONE NUMBERS
Use periods, not hyphens, in phone numbers.
See phone numbers.
O
offices
For the formal names of our various offices, see UBalt Offices.
off of
The of is unnecessary. He fell off the ladder.
OK, OK’d, OK’ing, OKs
not okay
on-campus, off-campus
hyphenate when used as an adjective or compound modifier; otherwise: two words
online, offline
one word; do not hyphenate
onsite, on site
one word as an adjective; otherwise: two words
open mic
See mic.
P
page number(s)
Use page with figures; do not capitalize page, contrary to AP style.
part-time, part time
Hyphenate when used as a compound modifier: He has a part-time job. Otherwise: He works part time.
PBI
Short for Predominantly Black Institution, a designation made by the U.S. Department of Education. UBalt has been designated as a PBI, but it’s not a permanent status. Spell out on first reference.
people
Use people instead of persons or individuals. Persons should be used only in direct quotes.
percent
Spell it out and always use it with figures. It takes a singular verb when standing alone or when a singular word follows of. It takes a plural verb when a plural word follows of.
-
- The report shows 9 percent of our students were once at the Community College of Baltimore County, Essex.
phone numbers
Use periods instead of hyphens.
photo captions
Use l. to r.: to identify individuals when more than one person is pictured in a photo. You do not need to repeat directionals for additional photos on the same page, but continue to list names in left-to-right order in other photo captions.
End a photo caption with a period only if it is a complete sentence.
-
- John Smith, J.D. ’72
- John Smith, J.D. ’72, accepts his award from Jane Doe, professor of law.
plurals
The AP Stylebook is an excellent source of information on rules about plurals. Some of the most pertinent are:
COLLOQUIALISMS
Do not use ’s: There are no ifs, ands or buts about it.
PROPER NAMES
-
-
most names ending in es, s or z—add es: Charleses, Gonzalezes
-
most names ending in y—add only s: Kennedys
-
FIGURES
Add s without an apostrophe: Temperatures this week will be in the 40s.
SINGLE LETTERS
Use ’s: Mind your p’s and q’s. But use s without an apostrophe when referring to grades: She earned all As and Bs.
MULTIPLE LETTERS
Add only s, without an apostrophe: She learned her ABCs.
P.M., A.M.
Lowercase with periods.
See a.m., p.m.
possessives
Follow these guidelines from the AP Stylebook:
PLURAL NOUNS NOT ENDING IN S
Add ‘s: the alumni’s contributions, women’s rights
PLURAL NOUNS ENDING IN S
Add only an apostrophe: the churches’ needs, the girls’ toys, states’ right, VIPs’ entrance
NOUNS PLURAL IN FORM, SINGULAR IN MEANING
Add only an apostrophe: mathematics’ rules, measles’ effects
SINGULAR COMMON NOUNS ENDING IN S
Add ’s: the virus’s reach, the virus’s spread; the witness’s answer, the witness’s story
SINGULAR PROPER NOUNS ENDING IN S
Add only an apostrophe: Achilles’ heel, Dickens’ novels, Kansas’ schools
JOINT/INDIVIDUAL POSSESSION
Use a possessive only after the last name if ownership is joint: Sam and Sally’s apartment.
Use a possessive after all names if objects are individually owned: Sam’s and Sally’s books.
DESCRIPTIVE PHRASES
Do not add an apostrophe to a word ending in s when it is used primarily in a descriptive sense: citizens band radio, teachers college, writers guide. An ’s is required if the term involves a plural word that does not end in s: a children’s book, a people’s republic.
QUASI POSSESSIVES
Follow the rules above in composing the possessive form of words that occur in such phrases: a day’s pay, two weeks’ vacation, your money’s worth
Frequently, a hyphenated form is clearer: a two-week vacation. .
preeminent
presently
Use presently to mean “in a little while” or “shortly,” but not to mean “now.”
president
Capitalize as the formal title before a name but not when the title follows a name.
-
- President Kurt L. Schmoke spoke at the conference today.
- Kurt L. Schmoke, president of The University of Baltimore, spoke at the conference today.
on second reference and thereafter: never use the title before a last name; simply use the individual’s last name
-
- Schmoke attended a dinner directly following the conference.
- not: President Schmoke attended a dinner directly following the conference.
principal, principle
Principal is a noun and adjective meaning “first in rank” or “primary.”
-
- She is the school principal. Money is the principal problem.
Principle is a noun that means a “fundamental truth, law, doctrine or motivating force.”
-
- They fought for the principle of democracy.
problem-solving
professor
Capitalize before a name. Professor is an academic rank or title. Variations include associate, assistant and visiting professor. Other titles include adjunct faculty (not adjunct professor) and lecturer. Whenever possible, include this title after the name and lowercase the title. A title is only capitalized when it appears before a name—unless it is an endowed or named position.
See capitalization and endowed professorships, named professorships.
program
Capitalize only when included as part of a proper name: Helen P. Denit Honors Program, Truancy Court Program. Otherwise, lowercase: Forensic Studies program.
Note: The names of academic programs are always capitalized, but the word program is not.
pronouns
Whenever possible, ask individuals about their pronouns: he/him/his, she/her/hers, they/them/their. If preference is unknown, use the person’s name or the pronouns they/them/theirs.
- The student asked their professor about internship opportunities.
provost
The provost is the University’s chief academic officer and also serves as the executive vice president for academic affairs.
See academic and administrative titles.
publication titles
Q
Q&A
Q&A is an acceptable first reference for “question-and-answer.”
R
race
Consider carefully when deciding whether to identify people by race. Often, it is an irrelevant factor and drawing unnecessary attention to someone’s race or ethnicity can be interpreted as bigotry. There are, however, occasions when race is pertinent.
- Kurt L. Schmoke is UBalt’s first Black president.
Race-related coverage
Avoid broad generalizations and labels; race and ethnicity are one part of a person’s identity.
In all coverage—not just race-related coverage—strive to accurately represent the world, or a particular community, and its diversity through the people you quote and depict in all formats. Omissions and lack of inclusion can render people invisible.
For more guidance, view UBalt’s Diversity Dictionary or refer to The Diversity Style Guide, an external guide originally compiled by San Francisco State University’s Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism.
Racial and ethnic identity
Names of racial and ethnic groups are capitalized and not hyphenated: African American, Native American
RSVP
Do not use periods. It stands for répondez, s’il vous plait, which means “please reply”; it’s redundant to say “Please RSVP.” also: RSVP’d, RSVPing (in informal contexts)
S
schools
Sept. 11
This is the preferred term to use in describing the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Be sure to include appropriate context.
- The veterans center held a moment of silence Thursday on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
software titles
Capitalize but do not italicize such titles as Microsoft Word or Windows.
spaces
See UBalt Buildings and Spaces.
state
Lowercase in all “state of” constructions: the state of Maryland.
Also see federal, state.
state names
Spell out in all instances in written copy. Use the two-letter postal code abbreviations only with full addresses, including ZIP code.
Station North Arts and Entertainment District
This area spans the communities of Charles North, Greenmount West and Barclay to the north of the University of Baltimore. It is a diverse collection of artist live-work spaces, galleries, rowhouses and businesses.
Do not use an ampersand; on second reference and thereafter, Station North is acceptable.
STEM
Acceptable on first reference for science, technology, engineering and math. No periods needed.
Student Titles
When mentioning a current student’s name, include their program with the degree letters. Do not include the expected year of graduation, which can change and be misleading.
- Alana Stevens, a B.S. in Applied Information Technology student, decided to…
- MBA student Cam Taylor plans to…
Program references can be generalized or shortened when space is limited, such as on social media or video titles, and then should be lowercased.
- Sage Williams, a game design student, hopes to…
Some programs have specializations, concentrations or tracks. It is important to include this information where space allows, whether in the same sentence or elsewhere.
- Robert Smith, an MBA student specializing in global management, …
- Robert Smith is pursuing an MBA with a specialization in global management.
- Robert Smith started the MBA program in 2022. He chose global management as his specialization because of his interest in working abroad after graduation.
See also alumna, alumnae, alumni.
summa cum laude
means “with highest distinction”; do not italicize
T
telephone numbers
See phone numbers.
that, which
Follow AP style. Use that for essential clauses, when it’s important to the meaning of the sentence and when there are no commas.
-
- It was clear that we had nothing in common.
Use which for nonessential clauses, where the pronoun is less important and commas are necessary.
-
- The class, which meets every Saturday, is like no other on campus.
When in doubt, use that.
theater
Use theater in all cases, unless theatre is part of the formal name of a space. At UBalt, the formal name of the theater is the Wright Theater (not Theatre).
The Universities at Shady Grove
The Universities at Shady Grove is a collaboration of eight public, degree-granting institutions, including the University of Baltimore. UBalt offers several undergraduate and graduate programs at the Universities at Shady Grove campus in Rockville, Maryland. Shady Grove is preferred over USG on second reference.
The University of Baltimore
The University of Baltimore's name is one of our most valuable assets. Follow these guidelines when referencing the University in your copy.
-
First reference: The University of Baltimore
- "The" always precedes "University" and should be capitalized on first reference
-
Second reference:
- the University of Baltimore
- drop "the" when necessary (i.e. "a University of Baltimore alumna")
- the University
- Always capitalize when referring specifically to The University of Baltimore. When referring to other institutions, lowercase when the word stands alone (but not in the formal name of the institution).
- UBalt
- Do not use the acronym "UB"
- Use for informal references to The University of Baltimore and where space restricts the use of the full name.
- the University of Baltimore
For more information about how to use the University's name, refer to Our Name: The University of Baltimore, or review University Name FAQs.
The University of Baltimore Foundation
on second reference and thereafter: foundation
The UBalt Foundation Board of Directors leads this organization.
The University of Baltimore School of Law
on first reference: UBalt School of Law is acceptable if University of Baltimore appears earlier in the copy; thereafter: law school (lowercase)
time of day
Include periods and use lowercase letters for the time of day. Do not use the colon and double zeros for times that fall on the hour.
-
- 3 p.m., not 3:00 p.m.
Do not use 12 noon or 12 midnight. Use noon and midnight.
In announcements of upcoming events, the day and date should precede the time of the event to maintain clarity. In other words, use the following formula: date/time/place.
-
- The event is scheduled for Thursday, July 30, at 4:30 p.m. in the H. Mebane Turner Learning Commons lobby.
titles
See academic and administrative titles, composition titles, courtesy titles and government officials.
toward
not towards
Truancy Court Program
U
United States
U.S. is acceptable as an adjective, but always use United States for the noun.
Universities at Shady Grove
See The Universities at Shady Grove.
University of Baltimore
See The University of Baltimore.
University System of Maryland
on second reference and thereafter: USM or system
other member institutions are (take note of commas):
-
- Bowie State University
- Coppin State University
- Frostburg State University
- Salisbury University
- Towson University
- University of Maryland, Baltimore
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- University of Maryland, College Park
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore
- University of Maryland University College
regional centers for higher education:
-
- The Universities at Shady Grove
- University System of Maryland at Hagerstown
University System of Maryland Board of Regents
A 17-member Board of Regents, including one full-time student, governs the University System of Maryland. Appointed by the governor, the regents oversee the system’s academic, administrative and financial operations; formulate policy; and appoint the chancellor and the presidents of the system’s 12 institutions.
on second reference and thereafter: Board of Regents, regents or board
University-wide
URLs and email addresses
When possible, incorporate the address into a sentence.
Do not add punctuation to an internet address unless it falls at the end of a sentence, in which case a period can be added—but make sure the period is not part of the address.
If an address won’t fit on one line, break the address after a forward slash or before a period. Do not hyphenate and do not underline or create a hyperlink in regular (nonweb) copy.
In electronic copy, when feasible, avoid the use of the URL altogether and create a link directly from the item.
U.S.
See United States.
V
W
web
Lowercase this term.
related terms: webpage, website, webcam, webcast, webmaster
See internet and URLs and email addresses
work force
two words
workplace
work-study
X
Y
Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences
on second reference: College of Arts and Sciences; thereafter: college;
avoid CAS
except in social media use
.
yearlong
one word
years
See dates.
Z
ZIP
always in all capital letters when referring to ZIP code
Punctuation
accent marks (´)
Do not use accent marks on foreign words that have become part of the English vocabulary: cafe, cliche, detente, denouement, debacle, protege, resume.
Do, however, use accent marks on individuals’ names when requested to do so.
apostrophe (’)
Use apostrophes in place of omitted letters and in contractions: I’ve, it’s, don’t, rock ’n’ roll, ’tis the season to be jolly, he is a ne’er-do-well.
To create the closed apostrophe (the one that loops toward the left) in Microsoft Word:
PC: Hit the apostrophe key twice, then delete the first instance so the apostrophe curves the correct way.
Mac: SHIFT + OPTION + ] (right bracket key)
Also use apostrophes in place of omitted numbers: the class of ’62, the Spirit of ’76, the ’20s.
Do not use an apostrophe for plurals of numerals or multiple-letter combinations:
-
- The airline has two 727s. They were VIPs.
Use in constructions only where warranted: Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco doesn’t get an apostrophe, but Joe Flacco, the Ravens’ quarterback, because it’s possessive.
See alumna, alumnae, alumni; dates; numbers, numerals; plurals; and possessives.
colon (:)
Generally, use a colon at the end of a sentence to introduce lists, tabulations, texts, etc. Do not combine a dash and a colon. Colons go outside quotation marks unless they are part of the quotation itself. Capitalize the first word after a colon if it is a proper noun or if it starts a complete sentence.
-
- There were three words that described his mood: dreary, dark and disapproving.
- She promised this: She would improve her grades next semester.
comma (,)
Do not use the serial comma unless it is absolutely necessary to avoid confusion; in other words, do not put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series.
-
- John, Paul, George and Ringo are better known as the Beatles.
If items in the series contain commas themselves, use semicolons between all items.
-
- The letters she wrote are dated Aug. 7, 1918; May 12, 1935; and Jan. 4, 1965.
Place a comma before and after the following when they appear in the middle of a sentence:
A DATE, IF IT FOLLOWS THE DAY AND MONTH
-
- He will perform on Tuesday, Aug. 18, in the auditorium.
A YEAR, IF IT FOLLOWS A MONTH AND DATE
-
- I was born on Nov. 6, 1958, in Madison, Wisconsin.
A STATE, IF IT FOLLOWS A CITY OR COUNTY NAME
-
- I was born in Madison, Wisconsin, on Nov. 6, 1958.
AN APPOSITIVE (A WORD OR PHRASE THAT SAYS THE SAME THING AS A WORD OR PHRASE NEXT TO IT)
-
- I saw my boss, John Smith, in the hall. (My boss and John Smith are one and the same.)
However, do not place a comma after a title that precedes a name:
-
- Executive Editor John McFeely resigned today.
ellipsis ( … )
Use an ellipsis to indicate the deletion of one or more words when condensing quotes, texts and documents. Be especially careful to avoid deletions that would distort the meaning.
To create the ellipsis in Microsoft Word:
PC: ALT + CTRL + . (period key)
Mac: OPTION + ; (semicolon key)
Treat it as a three-letter word, with spaces before and after the ellipsis ( … ).
ELLIPSIS WITH OTHER PUNCTUATION
If the ellipsis comes at the end of a grammatically complete sentence, finish the sentence with a period. Add a space between the period and the ellipsis.
-
- I no longer have a strong enough political base. ...
When the sentence or phrase ends with a question mark, exclamation point (acceptable only in quotes), comma or colon, add a space between the punctuation mark and the ellipsis:
-
- Will you come? ...
When material is deleted at the end of one paragraph and at the beginning of the one that follows, place an ellipsis in both locations.
Do not use ellipses at the beginning and end of direct quotes:
-
- “It has become evident to me that I no longer have a strong enough political base,” Nixon said.
- not: “... it has become evident to me that I no longer have a strong enough political base ... ,” Nixon said.
HESITATION
An ellipsis also may be used to indicate a pause or hesitation in speech, or a thought that the speaker or writer does not complete. Use a dash for this purpose if the same context uses an ellipsis to indicate eliminated words.
exclamation point (!)
Use sparingly, if at all.
hyphen, em dash (-, —)
Hyphens are joiners. Use a hyphen to:
AVOID AMBIGUITY
-
- a little-used car (a car that isn’t used very often)
- a little used car (a small, second-hand car)
FORM A SINGLE IDEA FROM TWO OR MORE WORDS
-
- She booked her ticket for a New York-London flight.
- She is a well-known actress. otherwise: As an actress, she is well known. (no hyphen)
- He is serving a 20-year sentence. otherwise: He was sentenced to 20 years. (no hyphen)
DENOTE A RANGE OR SHOW INCLUSION
-
- She usually spends $5-$10 on lunch.
- The homework assignment is to read pages 20-40.
- He attended the University from 1994-98. (not 1994-1998)
notable exception: She attended the University from 1998-2002. (Include all four digits of the last year when there is a change in century.)
Microsoft Word shortcut for the em dash:
PC: ALT + CTRL + - (minus sign on the numeric keyboard)
Mac: SHIFT + OPTION + - (hyphen key)
Use the em (longer) dash for an interruption in thought, without a space on either side.
-
- Although I told him to lock up his bike—and I told him many times—John was still surprised to find it gone.
Do not include a space on either side of a hyphen or an em dash.
Note: Hyphens and em dashes are not interchangeable.
parentheses ( )
Avoid using them, as they are jarring to the reader.
Place a period outside a closing parenthesis if the material inside is not a sentence (such as this).
(An independent parenthetical sentence such as this one finishes with a period before the closing parenthesis.)
period (.)
Periods always go within quotation marks. He said, “I like ice cream.”
Use only one space after a period at the end of a sentence.
Use periods after initials in names: F. Scott Fitzgerald.
If there is more than one initial in a row, do not use spaces: T.S. Eliot.
Abbreviations using only the initials of a name do not include periods: JFK.
quotation marks (“ ”)
Follow AP’s guidelines. Special note should be made to avoid using quotes around words or phrases after the first reference. Also, generally avoid using quotations to express irony or other forms of editorializing.
Follow these examples of typical uses of quotations:
-
- I heard her say, “Let’s go to the party.”
- “Let’s go to the party,” she said.
- “The party,” she said, “is over.”
- “I never wanted to go to the party in the first place,” Martha said. “They were playing country music.”
- “Will there be another party next week?” she asked. “I hope so.”
Use a single quote in headlines, especially in news announcements.
-
- ‘Grease’ Kicks Off Spring Theater Schedule March 8
Do not use closed quotes at the end of a quotation if that same thought continues into a new paragraph; do, however, use opening quotes at the beginning of the continued quote that starts the new paragraph.
-
-
She said, “There was a fight on the street.
“It was such a terrible fight, honestly, that all of us had to run away from the scene.”
-
She said, “There was a fight on the street.
If the multiparagraph quote is not introduced by a complete thought, use closed quotes at the end of the paragraph and start the next paragraph with standard punctuation.
-
-
He claimed that “only 50 people were displaced by the disaster.”
“In this case, we did not see a need to evacuate,” he said.
-
He claimed that “only 50 people were displaced by the disaster.”
semicolon (;)
Use a semicolon:
BETWEEN TWO MAIN CLAUSES
-
- She requested that the teenagers pay rent, help out around the house or move out; the teenagers resisted this plan.
BETWEEN A MAIN CLAUSE RELATED BY "HOWEVER," "THUS" OR ANOTHER CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB
-
- Her husband’s vacation was canceled; consequently, the family will be staying home this summer.
BETWEEN ITEMS IN A SERIES IF THE ITEMS IN THE SERIES ALREADY CONTAIN COMMAS
-
- The advisory board comprises Amy Johnson, B.S. ’61; Ellen Faber, B.A. ’72; and G. Gordon Stone, B.S. ’94. (Note that the semicolon is used before the final and in such a series.)
Do not use a semicolon to introduce a series.
Do not place a semicolon inside quotation marks unless it is part of a written quote.
-
- “The faculty voted in favor of the course; the vote was unanimous,” the professor said in his email.
- The featured songs are “Blue Sky” and “Summer Rain”; the dance will start at noon.
UBalt Buildings and Spaces
Always use the full name of a building or space on first reference; guidelines on second and further references are included below. Also, avoid abbreviations (AC, AL, BC, LAP, SC).
academic and administrative buildings and spaces
Academic Center—1420 N. Charles St. (center on second reference)
(Note: The 1420 N. Charles St. address must appear as the return address on any University mailings to qualify for the nonprofit mailing rate.)
Charles Royal Building—1319 N. Charles St. (on second reference: Charles Royal)
H. Mebane Turner Learning Commons—1415 Maryland Ave. (on second reference: Turner Learning Commons; thereafter: Learning Commons)
John and Frances Angelos Law Center—1401 N. Charles St. (on second reference: Angelos Law Center; thereafter: Law Center)
Liberal Arts and Policy Building—10 W. Preston St.
Robert L. Bogomolny Library—1420 Maryland Ave. (on second reference: Bogomolny Library; thereafter: library unless it appears in the same text as the Law Library—in that case, keep the full name intact; RLB acceptable on social media)
The University Foundation Building—1130 N. Charles St.
UBalt Student Center—21 W. Mt. Royal Ave. (on second reference: Student Center)
William H. Thumel Sr. Business Center—11 W. Mt. Royal Ave. (on second reference: Thumel Business Center; thereafter: Business Center)
internal spaces
Digital Whimsy Lab
GameLab
Hilda and Michael Bogomolny Room (on second reference: Bogomolny Room)
Jami R. Grant Forensic Laboratories
Law Library (on second reference: library unless it appears in the same text as the Robert L. Bogomolny Library—in that case, keep the full name intact)
M. Scot Kaufman Auditorium (on second reference: auditorium)
Moot Courtroom
The Hive (our campus store)
Thumel Business Center Atrium (on second reference: atrium)
Town Hall
Wagman Psychology Laboratory
Wright Theater (on second reference: theater)
Campus Pantry
Retired Faculty Lounge (on second reference: lounge)
User Research Lab
parking facilities
Cathedral Street Lot—1150 Cathedral St.
Fitzgerald Garage—80 W. Oliver St.
Maryland Avenue Garage—1111 Maryland Ave. (address reflects front entrance)
Mount Royal Avenue Lot—131 W. Mt. Royal Ave.
other properties
Gordon Plaza (on second reference: plaza)
Northwest Baltimore Park—2101 W. Rogers Ave.
University Offices
University-Wide Administrative Offices and Centers
Division of Academic Affairs
Office of the Provost
Bank of America Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Technology
Center for Digital Communication, Commerce and Culture
Early College Initiatives
Office of First-Year Experience
Helen P. Denit Honors Program
Institutional Research and Assessment
Sponsored Research
Division of Administration and Finance
Office of Shared Services
Facilities Management and Capital Projects
Housekeeping
Physical Plant
Campus Safety and Security (in partnership with University of Maryland, Baltimore Police Department)
Office of Technology Services
Office of Business Operations and Financial Planning
Office of Auxiliary Enterprises
Office of Campus Card Operations (occasionally called the Bee Card Office)
Conference Services
Mail Services
Parking and Shuttle Management
The Hive (our campus store) ( Note: “ The ” is part of the proper name.)
Office of the Bursar
Office of Human Resources
Financial Planning and Operations
Office of the Comptroller
Office of Procurement
Office of University Budget
Capital Budgeting
Division of Enrollment Management
Office of Admission
Office of Financial Aid
Office of Records and Registration
Division of Student Success and Support Services
Career and Internship Center
Career Closet
Office of Diversity and International Services
Henry and Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Center for Student Engagement and Inclusion
Office of Student Support
Office of Disability and Access Services
The Bob Parsons Veterans Center ( Note: “ The ” is part of the proper name.)
Office of Advancement and External Relations
Alumni and Donor Services
Major and Principal Gifts
Office of Marketing and Creative Services
Office of the President
Office of Government Relations
The University of Baltimore Foundation
Offices Within Individual Schools
College of Public Affairs
Center for Drug Policy and Prevention
Office of the Dean
College of Public Affairs Advising Center
Schaefer Center for Public Policy
School of Criminal Justice
School of Health and Human Services
School of Public and International Affairs
Merrick School of Business
Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Office of the Dean
Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics
Department of Information Systems and Decision Science
Department of Management and International Business
Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Jacob France Institute
Merrick Advising Center
School of Law
Office of Academic Affairs--School of Law
Office of Academic Support
Legal Writing Center
Centers
Center on Applied Feminism
Center for Criminal Justice Reform
Center for International and Comparative Law
Center for the Law of Intellectual Property and Technology
Center for Sport and the Law
Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts
Clinical Law Offices
Bronfein Family Law Clinic
Community Development Clinic
Criminal Defense and Advocacy Clinic
Immigrant Justice Clinic
Immigrant Rights Clinic
Innocence Project Clinic
Legal Data and Design Clinic
Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
Mediation Clinic for Families
Mental Health Law Clinic
Saul Ewing Civil Advocacy Clinic
The Bob Parsons Veterans Advocacy Clinic (Note: “The” is part of the proper name.)
Office of the Dean
Office of Law Admissions
Law Career Development Office
Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences
Office of the Dean
Division of Applied Behavioral Sciences
Division of Legal, Ethical and Historical Studies
Division of Science, Information Arts and Technologies
Hoffberger Center for Professional Ethics
Klein Family School of Communications Design
Ampersand Institute for Words & Images
Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences Advising Center
Libraries
Robert L. Bogomolny Library
Academic Success
Math and Statistics Center
Writing Center
Law Library
Note: Examples and references within the Editorial Style Guide are italicized for easy recognition by the reader within the entries; do not italicize any terms, degrees, etc. in actual copy unless instructed to do so within the individual entry.