Editorial Style Guide for the Web

When you are creating content, please follow these style rules. They are required conventions for all content published on University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) websites.

Acronyms

In most cases, follow a first reference with its acronym in parentheses when it is referred to later in the story.

Example: The Maryland Poison Center (MPC)

Addresses

Rules

• Abbreviate numbered street addresses
• Abbreviate Ave., Blvd., and St. with numbered street addresses
• Spell out and capitalize unnumbered street addresses
• Lowercase and spell out addresses with more than one street name
• Always spell out alley, drive, road, and terrace

Examples of Correct Formatting

• 620 W. Lombard St.
• Davidge Hall is on Lombard Street
• Davidge Hall is at the corner of Lombard and Greene streets

Ampersand

Its use is acceptable when part of a formal name (Baltimore & Ohio Railroad) or as a design element.

• Do not use in webpage titles: URLs mirror page titles and ampersands are problematic in URLs
• Do not use as a synonym for “and” in running text

Baltimore Locations

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI on second reference)

Fells Point (no apostrophe)

Hippodrome Theatre (part of the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center)

M&T Bank Exchange (no spaces around ampersand)

M&T Bank Stadium 

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Credits

Always use numerals

Example: He needs 6 credits to graduate.

Commas

Rules

Use the serial comma with “and” and “or”

Examples of Correct Formatting

• lions, tigers, and bears
• cats, dogs, or parrots

Dashes

In web copy, use the mdash (—) with a space on either side; do not use ndashes or hyphens

Dates and Times

Rules

• Do not use “th” or “st” with dates
• Place periods between a.m. and p.m.
• Spell out the word “to” instead of using a hyphen or dash
• Spell out noon and midnight
• Use an apostrophe for dropped numbers with the apostrophe pointed in the direction of the missing numbers
• Use an “s” for plural numbers

Examples of Correct Formatting

• Jan. 9
• May 21
• 9 a.m.
• 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• 6 to 8 p.m.
• Noon to 1:30 p.m.
• ’99
• ’90s or 2010s

Degrees and Titles

Rules

• Abbreviate degrees without periods
• Include degrees after the full name in the first reference for people affiliated with UMB — students, faculty, staff, or alumni
• Lowercase name of degree in a general reference and use possessive apostrophe
• Capitalize name of degree in formal reference
• Titles should be included after degrees and not capitalized

Examples of Correct Formatting

• PhD
• Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, NNP, FNAP, FAAN
• She earned a master’s degree in chemistry.
• She earned a Master of Science degree.
• Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing
• School of Nursing Dean Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, NNP, FNAP, FAAN

Departments, Divisions, and Offices

Capitalize the name of departments, divisions, and offices only when you use the full, official name

• Example: Department of Biomedical Sciences

Lowercase when the word department, division, or office comes after the name

• Example: biomedical sciences department, communications and public affairs office, transplant surgery division

Dollar Amounts

Rules

• Do not write out decimal points in dollar amounts
• For $1 million and above, round to the nearest 100,000, unless the number is necessary for tabulation
  • $1,569,433 rounds to $1.6 million
• Avoid the construction $1 to $3 million — that means one dollar to 3 million dollars; use $1 million to $3 million instead

Examples of Correct Formatting

• $60
• $1.6 million
• $1 million to $3 million

Ellipses

• Use only in quotations with a space before and after ( … ) to take the place of text left out in the middle of a sentence
• If the ellipses comes at the end of the sentence, use a space before and after, and a period ( … .)
• Do not use ellipses to signify a pause

Etc.

Avoid using etc.

Health care

Two words as noun and adjective; no hyphen

Holidays

Capitalize holidays

• Example: New Year’s Day, Hanukkah

Interdisciplinary and Interprofessional

• Both are one word
• Both can be used interchangeably with cross-disciplinary
• Interprofessional is the broader term
• Interdisciplinary refers to specialties within medicine in its strictest sense

Login, Logon, and Logoff

Noun: one word
Verb: two words

Months

Rules

• Abbreviate all but March, April, May, June, and July when used with a date: Jan. 9
• Spell out when used with a year: December 2013
• A comma follows a complete date: May 15, 1972, was her birthday.
• Abbreviations
  • January (Jan.)
  • February (Feb.)
  • August (Aug.)
  • September (Sept.)
  • October (Oct.)
  • November (Nov.)
  • December (Dec.)

Examples of Correct Formatting

• Jan. 9
• December 2013
• May 15, 1972, was her birthday.

Percentages

• Write out “percent” in text and use numerals (volunteer hours are up 4 percent)
• Use the % symbol in charts and graphics
• For amounts smaller than 1 percent, use a zero before the decimal point (0.5 percent)

Semesters and Academic Periods

Do not capitalize semesters or academic periods

• winter, spring, summer, fall
• semester, orientation, registration

States

Rules

• Spell out state names when used without a city in running text
• Abbreviate state names when used with a city
• Never abbreviate Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Alaska, and Hawaii
• Do not use the post office’s abbreviations for states unless you also are using a complete address with a ZIP code

Examples of Correct Formatting

• Tennessee is beautiful in the spring.
• LaPlata, Md.
• Accepted abbreviations are: Ala., Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Kan., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Mont., Neb., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.M., N.Y., N.C., N.D., Okla., Ore., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.D., Tenn., Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., and Wyo.
• Eight state names are never abbreviated: Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Alaska, and Hawaii

University Locations

Southern Management Corporation Campus Center

• First reference: Southern Management Corporation (SMC) Campus Center
• Second reference: SMC Campus Center
• In a quotation, “the Campus Center” is acceptable

Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center

University of Maryland School of Dentistry or School of Dentistry

• Incorrect: University of Maryland Dental School, Dental School, and Baltimore College of Dental Surgery (unless it’s a historic piece on the school’s founding in 1840)

Health Sciences and Human Services Library

• HSHSL on second reference

Health Sciences Research Facility I, II, and III

• HSRF I, HSRF II, and HSRF III on second reference

University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

• Incorrect: School of Law or University of Maryland School of Law
• Second reference: The law school prefers Maryland Carey Law

Lexington Building

houses the offices of:

• School of Graduate Studies
• Academic Affairs
• Administration and Finance
• Research and Development

R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland

• (no period after R), Shock Trauma on second reference

Saratoga Building

• houses the Office of the President and other administrative offices

Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry

• National Museum of Dentistry on second reference

University of Maryland Medical Center

• (hospital on Greene Street), UMMC or Medical Center on second reference

University of Maryland Medical System

• (entire health system), UMMS on second reference

Westside

• one word, upper W, for area around the University

University vs. Campus

Campuswide refers to the physical campus

• Example: The UMB Police Department provides campuswide security.

University is preferred

• Example: Police provide security to the University.

URLs, Web, Email, and Phone Numbers