The Michigan Daily Style Guide

2024 Edition

This stylebook should be strictly followed in The Michigan Daily and on its website. Some entries were transcribed almost verbatim from The Associated Press Style for the convenience of Daily writers and editors. For entries not contained here, see the Associated Press Stylebook. In cases of contradictions between The Daily’s style guide and the AP, Daily style trumps AP style. Examples are in italics.

This style guide has been categorized based on the general categories that many entries conform to: These are generally based on a news beat or a common theme. Each category contains entries in alphabetical order. The categorization is intended to hasten searches for answers to style questions.

Originally edited and drafted by Managing News Editor Karl Stampfl, 2006.

Revisions and additions by:

Editor in Chief Gary Graca, 2009.

Senior News Editor Stephanie Steinberg and Copy Chiefs Melanie Fried and Adi Wollstein, 2010.

Copy Chiefs Josh Healy and Eileen Patten, 2011

Copy Chiefs Christine Chun and Hannah Poindexter, 2012

Copy Chiefs Josephine Adams and Tom McBrien, 2013

Copy Chiefs Mark Ossolinski and Meaghan Thompson, 2014

Copy Chiefs Laura Schinagle and Hannah Bates and Senior Copy Editor Emma Sutherland, 2015

Copy Chiefs Emily Campbell and Alexis Nowicki, 2016

Copy Chiefs Danielle Jackson, Taylor Grandinetti and Biz Dokas, 2017

Copy Chiefs Elise Laarman and Finntan Storer, 2018

Copy Chiefs Madison Gagne and Sadia Jiban, 2020

Copy Chiefs Madison Gagne and Olivia Bradish, 2021

Copy Chiefs Caroline Atkinson and Ethan Patrick, 2022

Copy Chiefs Abigail Gaies and Dana Elobaid, 2023

Copy Chiefs Jackson Kobylarcz and Parina Patel, 2024

Table of Contents

Beats

City/Ann Arbor

Crime

Government/Student Government

Science

Sports

University Administration/Campus Life

University People (Updated: Winter 2022)

COVID-19

coronavirus: virus itself

COVID-19: disease caused by virus

shelter in place and stay at home are verbs. Shelter-in-place and stay-at-home are adjectives. (i.e. The governor’s stay-at-home order means residents need to shelter in place.)

personal protective equipment not PPE unless in direct quote

lock down (v.) and lockdown (n., adj.).

N95 face mask

Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act: not CARES Act; not a stimulus, a stimulus package, etc. Use phrasing such as the coronavirus relief bill, the coronavirus aid bill, the coronavirus rescue package, etc., for the U.S. government’s $2.2 trillion package to help businesses, workers and a health care system staggered by the coronavirus.

SARS is acceptable on first reference for the disease first identified in Asia in 2003. Spell out severe acute respiratory syndrome later in the story.

MERS is acceptable on first reference for the disease first identified in 2012. Spell out Middle East respiratory syndrome later in the story.

antibodies: Substances that the body’s immune system makes to fight off infection. A blood test for antibodies checks to see if someone has been infected previously. It’s not ideal for detecting active or current infections; other types of tests are preferred for that.

antiseptic, disinfectant: Antiseptics, such as hand sanitizers, are used to kill germs on living things. Disinfectants, such as bleach, are used on inanimate things, such as countertops and handrails. The adjective is disinfectant, not disinfecting.

Use no symptoms or without symptoms, avoid asymptomatic

cases: People should not be referred to as cases. Correct: Fifty people tested positive for the virus. Fifty cases of the virus were reported. Incorrect: Fifty cases tested positive for the virus. Incorrect and redundant: Fifty positive cases.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (note the ‘s’): use on first reference then CDC on subsequent references

contagion: Avoid this term. Usually better to use words like disease or illness, or more specific words like virus.

contact tracing: The practice of tracking down and monitoring people who have been in close proximity to someone who is infected. Include a hyphen for clarity when used as a modifier (i.e. The state's contact-tracing efforts.) and consider rephrasing to avoid the term or for variety (i.e. The state's efforts to identify people who have had close contact with the nursing home worker.).

death, die: Don't use euphemisms like passed on or passed away except in a direct quote.

doctor: Use Dr. in first reference as a formal title before the name of an individual who holds a doctor of dental surgery, doctor of medicine, doctor of optometry, doctor of osteopathic medicine, doctor of podiatric medicine, or doctor of veterinary medicine (i.e. Dr. Anthony Fauci).

• Do not continue the use of Dr. in subsequent references.
• Do not use Dr. before the names of individuals who hold other types of doctoral degrees. Instead, describe the person’s expertise or credentials (i.e. Rick Bright, a vaccine expert who led a biodefense agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)

front line(s) (n.) front-line (adj.)

hydroxychloroquine: A decades-old drug that is used to prevent and treat malaria and is also a treatment for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. It was used experimentally to treat COVID-19, but the Food and Drug Administration revoked emergency authorization on June 15 amid growing evidence it doesn’t work and could cause serious side effects. The drugs are still available for alternate uses, so U.S. doctors could still prescribe them for COVID-19 — a practice known as off-label prescribing.

National Institutes of Health (note the ‘s’): NIH on subsequent references

nonessential

remdesivir: An experimental antiviral medicine developed by Gilead Sciences. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is allowing emergency use of remdesivir for seriously ill hospitalized COVID-19 patients. It is given by IV. Do not capitalize; remdesivir is not a brand name.

virus’s: The singular possessive form of virus. Not virus’.

monkeypox: One word and lowercase (even in titles)

Beats

City/Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor Police Department: AAPD on second reference. Headquarters are at 301 E. Huron St. Call the non-emergency number 734-794-6911. Do not confuse with the Division of Public Safety, which has jurisdiction only on University of Michigan property. For attribution in ledes to crime stories, use police said, city police said or campus police said.

AAATA: Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority on first reference. AAATA is acceptable for subsequent references.

city of Ann Arbor

East Liberty Street (1st reference), E. Liberty St. (With a numbered address)

farmers market: No apostrophe.

fire chief: Capitalize as an official title only before a name: Ann Arbor Fire Chief.

firefighter: Not fireman or firewoman except in quoted material.

fire station: Capitalize before numbers and use numerals: Fire Station 4.

jurisdiction: Ann Arbor before the group is not necessary on first reference for the City Council, village councils, park districts, plan commissions, etc. Capitalize them. Use Ann Arbor in front if it is necessary to distinguish between another town.

Washtenaw County

Crime

accuse: Avoid phrases like accused killer Morton. Use Morton, accused of killing.

allege: Be wary of this word. The alleged killing is incorrect unless it is not clear whether a killing took place. It is preferred to say police charged Sosa with killing him to Sosa allegedly killed him. Specify the source of an allegation. In a criminal case, it should be an arrest record, an indictment or the statement of a public official connected with the case. Avoid redundant uses of alleged. It is proper to say: The district attorney alleged that she took a bribe. Or: The district attorney accused her of taking a bribe. But not: The district attorney accused her of allegedly taking a bribe.

al-Qaida: Unless at the beginning of a sentence when Al-Qaida should be used.

arrest: To avoid the implication that someone is guilty, do not use a phrase like arrested for marijuana use. Use arrested and charged with or charged with (unless a warrant was issued before the arrest; with a warrant, use arrested on charges of).

burglary, larceny, robbery, theft: Burglary means entering illegally with intent to commit a crime. Larceny is the wrongful taking of property. Robbery is the use of violence, threat or plundering while committing larceny. Theft is larceny without threat, violence or plundering.

canine: Do not use K-9 for police dogs.

charge, citation, count: Charge is the catch-all term. One can be charged with murder and charged with speeding, but cited for minor offenses only. A count is any of the separate and distinct charges in an indictment.

court names: Capitalize the full proper name of courts at all levels. (U.S. Supreme Court, 2nd District Court, Washtenaw County Circuit Court)

defense attorney

Division of Public Safety and Security: DPSS is acceptable on second reference. It has jurisdiction on U-M property. DPSS officers were deputized in 1992 by then-University President James Duderstadt, leading to an uproar among students. DPSS includes University Police. To avoid confusion, refer to University Police as DPSS officers.

Division of Student Life: no longer the Division of Student Affairs

driver’s license(s)

driving under the influence: DUI is acceptable in subsequent references. In Michigan, it means driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or greater, or driving with any amount of controlled substance in the body.

drugs: Because the word drugs has come to be used as a synonym for narcotics, medicine is the better word to use to specify that a person is taking medication

FBI: Acceptable on all references.

federal court: Always lowercase.

felony, misdemeanor: A felony is a serious crime that carries a potential penalty of more than one year in prison. A misdemeanor is a minor offense punishable by up to one year in jail.

grand jury: Always lowercase.

homicide, murder, manslaughter: Homicide is a slaying or killing. Murder is malicious, premeditated homicide. Manslaughter is homicide without malice. Do not describe a killing as a murder unless someone is convicted of the crime in court. Before a conviction, the word murder is acceptable only when describing a charge: The suspect has been charged with murder.

identification: ID is acceptable in subsequent references for ID card.

jail: Not interchangeable with prison. A jail is normally used to confine people serving sentences for misdemeanors, people awaiting trial or sentencing on either felony or misdemeanor charges, and people confined for civil matters such as failure to pay alimony and other types of contempt of court. (See prison).

judge: Capitalize before a name when it is the formal title for an individual who presides in a court of law. Do not continue the title on second reference.

jury: The word uses singular verbs and pronouns.

juveniles: Do not name criminal suspects who are juveniles. In Michigan, juveniles are age 17 and younger. Name juveniles charged as adults.

law enforcement: Do not hyphenate as an adjective.

lawsuit: Civil lawsuit is redundant. For lawsuit names use v., not vs.: Roe v. Wade.

police department: Capitalize if the name of the city comes before: Ann Arbor Police Department. Lowercase for generic uses. Lowercase department when it stands alone.

prison: Do not use the words prison and jail interchangeably. Prison is a generic term that may be applied to the maximum security institutions often known as penitentiaries and to the medium security facilities often called correctional institutions or reformatories. All such facilities confine people serving sentence for felonies. (See jail)

racial identification in crime stories: In order to avoid unnecessary generalizations, any mention of race in crime stories must be accompanied by at least five other characteristics of the individual or individuals.

robbery: A robbery differs from a theft in that it involves violence or threats. A theft does not involve interaction.

sexual abuse, sexual assault: Always use the official charges levied: sexual abuse, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, etc.

Sheriff: Capitalize when used as a formal title before a name, lowercase otherwise.

state police: Capitalize with a state name: New York State Police, Michigan State Police. Lowercase state police when not after a state name.

Supreme Court of the United States: Capitalize U.S. Supreme Court and also the Supreme Court when the context makes the U.S. designation unnecessary. The proper title for the eight members of the court who are not the chief justice is associate justice. When used before a name, shorten it to justice and capitalize.

supreme courts of the states: Capitalize with the state name: the Michigan Supreme Court, the state Supreme Court

theft: A theft differs from a robbery in that it involves no violence or threats. A robbery involves interaction.

U.S. Court of Appeals: The court is divided into 13 circuits. Michigan is in the 6th circuit. In subsequent references the Court of Appeals, appeals court and circuit court is acceptable.

U.S. District Courts: There are 94. In subsequent references the District Court and the court is acceptable.

versus: Spell out in writing, “vs.” is never used. For court cases use v.: Marbury v. Madison. Note: court cases are not italicized.

Government/Student Government

abortion: Avoid using pro-choice and pro-life. Instead, use terms like abortion opponent, anti-abortion, abortion rights.

administration: Always lowercase: the Obama administration, the University’s administration, the Ono administration.

America: Daily exception: Acceptable only in the opinion section. Use United States in all other circumstances. See United States.

Birthright: See Taglit-Birthright Israel.

capital, Capitol: A capital is the city where a seat of government is located. Do not capitalize. When used in a financial sense, capital describes money, equipment, or property used in business by a person or corporation. Capitol is capitalized and refers to a specific government building. Capitalize U.S. Capitol and the Capitol when referring to the building in Washington. Follow the same practice when referring to state capitols. (The Michigan Capitol is in Lansing.)

census: Capitalize only in specific references to the U.S. Census Bureau. Lowercase in other uses. (The census data was released Tuesday.)

Central Student Government: CSG is acceptable on subsequent references. The primary student governing body of the University. Comprised of student representatives.

2022-23: Noah Zimmerman — president, LSA senior

Jackie Hillman — vice president, LSA senior

citizen, native, resident: Only countries grant citizenship. One is a citizen of the United States. One is a resident of Ann Arbor. To avoid confusion, use resident, not citizen, in referring to inhabitants of states and cities. Native is the term denoting that an individual was born in a given location.

city council: Capitalize when part of a proper name: The Ann Arbor City Council. Retain capitalization of City Council if the reference is specific but the context does not require the city name, usually in Ann Arbor’s case. A lowercase the council may be used in second reference to City Council. However, if the article just says Council, change to the council or City Council. Lowercase in other uses. Ex: a city council, the Ann Arbor and Boston city councils.

city hall: Capitalize with the name of a city or without the name of a city if the reference is specific: Ann Arbor City Hall, City Hall. Lowercase plural uses (the Ann Arbor and Boston city halls). Lowercase generic uses. (You can’t fight city hall.)

citywide: city-wide when used before a noun: The shop delivers citywide versus The city-wide power outage

Clinton, Hillary: Avoid referring to Clinton as Hillary whenever possible. It’s demeaning and arguably sexist. Though it is sometimes necessary to refer to Clinton by her first name in a headline so readers can distinguish between her and Bill Clinton, we should try to avoid that circumstance. As of 2010, her title is Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Coalition to Cut the Contracts with Coke: Use the coalition on second reference for the group attempting to persuade the University to cut its contracts with the Coca-Cola Company because of alleged human rights violations at its plants in Colombia and India. The group does not have a hierarchy. Everyone in it should be referred to as a member.

College Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, etc.: Refer to these campus groups as the University’s chapter of College Democrats, the University’s chapter of College Republicans, etc. on first reference. College Democrats is acceptable on second reference if it clearly refers to the campus organization.

committee: Capitalize when part of a formal name. (the House Appropriations Committee).

Do not capitalize committee in shortened versions of long committee names. For example, the Special Senate Select Committee to Investigate Improper labor-Management Practices becomes the Senate committee.

Congress: Capitalize U.S. Congress and Congress when referring to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Though Congress is sometimes used as a substitute for the House, it is for reference to both the Senate and House. Also capitalize Congress if referring to a foreign body that uses the term. (the Argentine Congress)

congressional: Lowercase unless part of a proper name.

congressional districts: Use figures and capitalize district when joined with a figure: the 1st Congressional District. Lowercase district whenever it stands alone.

Constitution: U.S. Constitution should always be capitalized on second reference (the Constitutional amendment) while state constitutions should only be capitalized when accompanied by the state name (the Michigan Constitution will be amended vs. Michiganders will vote on amendments to the constitution)

controversial issues: Redundant. All issues are controversial.

Councilmember: Not councilman or councilwoman. Ann Arbor’s 10 representatives (in addition to the mayor, who has the 11th seat on the City Council) are referred to as City Councilmembers. When addressing a specific member, state their party and ward. Councilmember Chip Smith, D-Ward 5.

Depression: Capitalize Depression and Great Depression when referring to the stock market collapse of 1929. Lowercase in other uses. The depression of the 1970s.

democrat, Democrat: When not capitalized, believer in representative government. When capitalized, member of the Democratic Party.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan: the University’s five-year diversity plan, launched October 2016. DEI plan is acceptable on second reference.

-elect: Always hyphenate and lowercase: MSA President-elect Christopher Armstrong.

Election Day, election night

election returns: Always use figures with commas every three digits starting at the right. Use the word to in separating different totals listed together: Jimmy Carter defeated Gerald Ford 40,827,292 to 39,146,157. Use the word votes if there is a possibility the figures could be confused with a ratio.

embassy: Capitalize with the name of a nation; lowercase without it. (The U.S. Embassy, the embassy)

emigrate, immigrate: One who leaves a country emigrates from it. One who comes into a country immigrates.

executive branch: Always lowercase

filibuster: A legislator who uses long speeches to obstruct the passage of legislation is also a filibuster.

first lady: Not a formal title. Do not capitalize even before a name.

fiscal, monetary: Fiscal applies to budgetary matters. Monetary applies to money supply.

fiscal year: The federal government’s fiscal year starts three months ahead of the calendar year — fiscal 2007, for example, ran from Oct. 1 2006 to Sept. 30, 2007

GOP: GOP, never Grand Old Party, is acceptable only on second reference following Republican Party. Acceptable in headlines.

government: Abbreviated in headlines as gov’t.

governor: Capitalize and abbreviate as Gov. when used as a formal title before a name. Lowercase and spell out otherwise. For the governor of Michigan, DO NOT STATE person’s party affiliation like we have in the past. Don’t use the state name unless the context makes it unclear. Examples: Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Use Govs. before naming more than one governor.

half-staff

Hamas: A Palestinian Islamic political party.

Hezbollah: Preferred spelling for the Lebanese Shiite Muslim political party.

House of Representatives: Capitalize when referring to a specific government body. (The U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. House)

illegal immigrant: Used to be used to describe those who have entered the country illegally, now considered dehumanizing. Try undocumented resident or undocumented worker, instead.

Do not use the shortened term illegals.

judicial branch: always lowercase

keynote address: Also: keynote speech

Ku Klux Klan: KKK acceptable on second reference.

laws: Capitalize legislative acts but not bills: the Taft-Harley Act, the Kennedy bill.

legislative titles: Use Rep., Reps., Sen. and Sens. as formal titles before one or more names. Spell out and lowercase representative and senator in other uses. Do not capitalize state for state Rep. or state Sen.

legislature: Capitalize when brocaded by the name of a state: the Michigan Legislature. Retain capitalization when the state name is dropped but the reference is specifically to that state’s legislature. Lowercase legislature when used generically.

lieutenant governor: Capitalize and abbreviate as Lt. Gov. or Lt. Govs. when used as a formal title before one or more names.

LSA Student Government: LSA SG acceptable on second reference

Marines: Capitalize when referring to U.S. forces: the U.S. Marines, the Marines, the Marine Corps. Do not describe Marines as soldiers. Use troops if a generic term is needed.

Martin Luther King Jr.: Write Martin Luther King Jr. on first reference, and King on subsequent references. Not Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Martin Luther King or Martin Luther King. Do not abbreviate as MLK when referring to the person (see Holidays section when referring to the holiday instead).

Medicaid, Medicare: Capitalize both.

Michigan Civil Rights Initiative: Never use this term. This was a ballot proposal that appeared on the ballot in November 2006 asking Michigan voters to decide whether to ban some affirmative action programs in Michigan. It passed. It is now a constitutional amendment, referred to as the state’s ban on race- and gender-based affirmative action.

national anthem: Lowercase.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People: NAACP is acceptable on first reference to avoid a cumbersome lead, but provide the full name in the body of the story.

Nationwide, campuswide, statewide: No dash, no space.

navy: Capitalize when referring to U.S. forces: the U.S. Navy, the Navy

Nobel Prize: Lowercase prize when not linked with the word Nobel: The peace prize was awarded to President Barack Obama.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration: OSHA is acceptable on second reference.

Paris climate accord, Paris agreement: Only Paris is capitalized.

party affiliation: Let relevance be the guide in determining whether to include a political party affiliation in a story. Party affiliation is pointless in some stories, such as an account of a governor accepting a button from a poster child. It will occur naturally in many political stories. Include party affiliation if readers need it for understanding or are likely to be curious about what it is. GENERAL FORMS: When party designation is given, use any of these approaches as logical in constructing a story: Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina said, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. Note use of commas instead of ses, as well as use of hyphen instead of en-dash.

• Avoid redundancy: Not Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is seeking the Republican nomination.
• Use the abbreviated form listed in the entries for each state. (No abbreviations for Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah.): Ala. Ariz. Ark. Calif. Colo. Conn. Del. Fla. Ga. Ill. Ind. Kan. Ky. La. Mass. Md. Mich. Minn. Miss. Mo. Mont. N.C. N.D. Neb. Nev. N.H. N.J. N.M. N.Y. Okla. Ore. Pa. R.I. S.C. S.D. Tenn. Vt. Va. Wash. W.Va. Wis. Wyo.
• Use R- for Republicans, D- for Democrats, I- for Independents and three-letter combinations for other affiliations: Sen. James Buckley, R-Con-N.Y., spoke with Sen. Harry Byrd, D-Ind-Va.
• FORM FOR U.S. HOUSE MEMBERS: The normal practice for U.S. House members is to identify them by party and state. In contexts where state affiliation is clear and home city is relevant, such as a state election roundup, identify representatives by party and city: U.S. Reps. Thomas P. O’Neill Jr., D-Cambridge, and Margaret Heckley, R-Wellesley. If this option is used, be consistent throughout the story.

political divisions: Use Arabic figures and capitalize the accompanying word when used with figures: 1st Ward, 2nd Precinct, the ward.

political parties and philosophies: Capitalize Communist, Conservative, Democrat, Liberal, Republican, Socialist, etc. when they refer to a specific party or its members. Lowercase these words when they refer to political philosophy.

• Lowercase the name of a philosophy in noun and adjective forms unless it is the derivative of a proper name: communism, communist; fascism, fascist. But: Marxism, Marxist; Nazism, Nazi.

politics: Usually it takes a plural verb: My politics are my own business. As a study, science or profession, it takes a singular verb: Politics is a demanding profession.

politician identification: In articles where it is relevant what party and from where a politician comes from, use the following system. Note the hyphen, which is a change from the previous n-dash, between the party affiliation and location.

For U.S. senators: Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.

For U.S. Representatives: U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., ...

For Michigan House of Representatives: state Rep. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, ...

For Michigan State Senate: state Sen. Liz Brater, D-Ann Arbor, ...

For Ann Arbor City Council members: City Councilmember Chip Smith, D-Ward 5, ...

post office: lowercase

president: Capitalize president only as a formal title before a name: President Barack Obama. Use the person’s last name in subsequent references. Lowercase president in all other uses: The president gave the commencement address.

protester: not protestor

rebut, refute: Rebut means to argue to the contrary. Refute connotes success in argument and almost always implies an editorial judgment. Instead, use deny, dispute rebut or respond to.

AP no longer hyphenates double-e combinations like reelect, preempt and reenactment.

Republican Party: GOP may be used on second reference.

right wing: Try to avoid in describing political affiliations. Use a more precise description like conservative.

SEAL(s): A special operations force of the Navy

secretary: Capitalize before a name only if it is an official title. Do not abbreviate.

Secret Service

section: Capitalize when used with a figure to identify part of a bill or law: Section 14B of the Taft-Harley Act. Do not capitalize when referring to sections of a course.

Senate: Capitalize all specific references to governmental legislative bodies, regardless of whether the name of the nation or state is used: the U.S. Senate, the Senate, the state Senate. Lowercase plural uses.

Sept. 11: The term for describing the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. Use 2001 if needed for clarity. Also acceptable is 9/11.

Social Security: Capitalize all references to the U.S. system.

socioeconomic: Not socio-economic.

speaker: Capitalize as a formal title before a name: Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Student Assembly: Sub-committee of Central Student Government. Capitalized on first reference. On all subsequent references, refer to as the Assembly. The Assembly passed two resolutions at its March 4 meeting.

super PACs

Supreme Court of the United States: Capitalize U.S. Supreme Court and also the Supreme Court when the context makes the U.S. designation unnecessary. The proper title for the eight members of the court who are not the chief justice is associate justice. When used before a name, shorten it to justice and capitalize.

supreme courts of the states: Capitalize with the state name: the Michigan Supreme Court, the state Supreme Court

Taglit-Birthright Israel: Use on all references. Taglit-Birthright Israel is a program funded by private donations through the Birthright Israel Foundation and the Israeli government that provides young Jewish adults with a free 10-day trip to Israel. Never use just Birthright. The Taglit-Birthright Israel program is acceptable but should be avoided because it is redundant.

Third World: Capitalize. The economically developing nations of Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Titles: 2012 election titles folly AP style- (http://www.ap.org/pages/about/pressreleases/pr_121911c.html)

United Kingdom: Consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales. The abbreviation U.K. is acceptable as a noun or adjective.

United Nations: Abbreviate U.N. Use periods in text, but omit periods in headlines.

United States: Use United States as a noun. U.S. is acceptable as an adjective or noun. In headlines do not use periods: US. USA also has no periods.

U.S. Court of Appeals: The court is divided into 13 circuits. Michigan is in the 6th circuit. In subsequent references the Court of Appeals, appeals court and circuit court is acceptable.

U.S. District Courts: There are 94. In subsequent references the District Court and the court is acceptable.

U.S. Postal Service: Lowercase post office.

veto, vetoes: The verb forms vetoed, vetoing

vice president: Do not drop the first name on first reference for the vice president of the United States.

Vietnam War

war: Capitalize when used as part of a name for a specific conflict: the Civil War, Cold War, Korean War, World War II.

Washington, D.C.,: Note periods and commas.

White House: Do not personify it with phrases such as the White House said. Instead, use a phrase like a White House official said.

Words ending in -er: Some agent nouns have more than one valid spelling, such as advisor/adviser or protestor/er. If you discover one of these, use the -er ending. BUT BE CAREFUL: many agent nouns have ONLY one spelling, such as investor.

Science

AIDS: AIDS is acceptable in all references for acquired immune deficiency syndrome, sometimes called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is a disease that weakens the immune system, gradually destroying the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. Be careful to reference either HIV or AIDS as individual situations dictate. Avoid using HIV/AIDS, but it is acceptable when referring to both HIV and AIDS: HIV/AIDS testing.

disabled, handicapped: Do not describe a person as disabled or handicapped unless it is pertinent to the story. If a description must be used, try to be specific. Avoid descriptions that connote pity such as afflicted with or suffers from. Do not use crippled, mentally retarded, deaf and dumb, deaf-mute, handicapped, confined to a wheelchair or wheelchair-bound. If a wheelchair is needed, say why. Blind, visually impaired, deaf, partial hearing loss, partially deaf, mute, speech impaired and wheelchair-user are acceptable terms to describe people’s disabilities.

diseases: Do not capitalize arthritis, depression, emphysema, leukemia, pneumonia, etc. When a disease is known by the name of a person identified with it, capitalize only the individual’s name: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, etc.

doctors: Use Dr. only when acknowledging a medical degree is important to the article. However, because the public frequently identifies Dr. only with physicians, care should be taken to ensure that the individual’s specialty is stated in first or second reference. The only exception would be a story in which the context left no doubt that the person was a dentist, psychologist, chemist, etc. Do not continue the use of Dr. in subsequent references.

Down syndrome

drugs: Because the word drugs has come to be used as a synonym for narcotics, medicine is the better word to use to specify that a person is taking medication

E. coli

emergency room: ER is acceptable on second reference.

epidemic, pandemic: An epidemic is the rapid spreading of disease in a population or region. A pandemic is an epidemic that has spread worldwide.

handicap: Avoid when describing a person’s specific disability. Avoid handicapped-accessible or handicapped parking. Wheelchair-accessible and parking for the disabled are preferred.

hangover

HIV: HIV is acceptable in all references for the human immunodeficiency virus. Avoid the redundant HIV virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS and is what a greater number of people have.

intensive care unit: Written fully on all references. Avoid ICU unless stated in a quote.

mentally disabled: The preferred term for mentally retarded.

National Institutes of Health: NIH acceptable on second reference.

OB/GYN: Limit to informal references for the study of obstetrics and gynecology.

post-traumatic stress disorder

X-ray

SPORTS

References

The Michigan __(sport)__ team: First reference for the team being covered in

every article. It should be in your opening two grafs every time. So if Michigan won,

write “The Michigan football team won.” If the sport has both men’s and women’s teams, specify: the Michigan men’s basketball team

Michigan or Wolverines?: We alternate the uses of “Michigan” and “Wolverines”

throughout articles. If you start with “The Michigan _______ team,” your second

reference should be “Wolverines.” Remember, “Michigan” is singular (so use “it”),

“Wolverines” is plural (“they”).

Michigan coach: First reference for every Michigan head coach, followed by their

name. For example, if Red Berenson is the coach in question, write “Michigan coach Red

Berenson.” Every reference thereafter will be “Berenson.”

Year-position-name: First reference for every player. All you need is an example:

junior forward Chris Brown. Second reference would just be the surname, “Brown.”

Redshirt sophomore: Not “red-shirt sophomore” or “third-year sophomore.”

Fifth-year senior: Opposite from above. Not “redshirt senior” or “super senior.”

No. 10 Michigan ... 10th-ranked Wolverines: When giving the team’s rank, it’s

not #10, it’s No. 10. And when you’re referring to the team by the mascot (i.e.

Wolverines), it’s “10th-ranked Wolverines.”

Miscellaneous Sports

End zone; red zone: Two words. Not endzone or red-zone.

Power play vs. power-play: Power play is simply the man advantage. Power-play is

used as a modifier, meaning if we’re discussing a goal, you modify the goal by saying it

was on the power play. Hence, a power-play goal is scored on the power play.

Home run: Two words.

Center field ... center fielder: Two words. Dashed if we’re using it as a modifier, like

right-field corner, since we’re modifying corner.

3-point: As in, “3-point line” or “3-pointer.” While we typically use “three,” this is the eexception.

University Administration/Campus Life

Academic departments: Always capitalize “Department” when writing out the name of an academic department: English Department, History Department. On subsequent references to a specific department, the department is acceptable.

Academic titles: Capitalize and spell out formal titles such as president and provost when they precede a name: University President Santa Ono, University Provost Laurie McCauley. Exception: Abbreviate professor to Prof. only when used alone before a name. Use professor if another adjective is used (associate history professor Matt Lassiter, but Prof. Matt Lassiter). Note lowercase, even though it is placed before his name. Spell out elsewhere. Comparable to Dr. Yang and cardiac doctor Christina Yang.

Adviser: Not advisor, even if the University spells it that way.

alum, alumni: An exception to AP style: Use alum for both genders in the singular and alumni in the plural.

amid: Do not use amidst. Similar for toward, beside, aside.

University Athletic Department: Not Michigan Athletic Department

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science: A bachelor’s degree or bachelor’s is acceptable in any reference. Use an apostrophe in bachelor’s degree, but there is no possessive in Bachelor of Science. Use abbreviations such as B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. only when the need to identify many individuals by degree on first reference would make the preferred form cumbersome. Use these abbreviations only after a full name — never just a last name.

Bicentennial: Capitalize unless being used generally. (E.g., “The Bicentennial is occurring in 2017,” but “In 2017, the University of Michigan is celebrating its bicentennial.”)

block ‘M’: Use apostrophes, not quotation marks. When referring to the logo in general, use a lowercase ‘B.’ If referring to the University’s official trademark logo in a technical or administrative context, refer to it as the Block ‘M.’

campuswide Use campus-wide if placed before a noun. (campus-wide smoking ban)

Campus buildings:

• Burton Tower
• Fleming Administration Building: Administration Building on second reference
• Hatcher Graduate Library: Graduate Library on second reference
• Law Quadrangle: Law Quad on second reference
• Michigan League: Write the Michigan League on first reference. On second reference, the League is acceptable.
• Michigan Stadium: The Big House is also acceptable.
• Michigan Union: Write the Michigan Union on first reference. The Union is acceptable on second reference.
• Palmer Commons
• Shapiro Undergraduate Library: Undergraduate Library or UGLi is acceptable on second reference
• Trotter Multicultural Center: Trotter Center on second reference. Trotter House is acceptable only in quotations.

capitalization: Capitalize only when necessary. Do not capitalize or use all caps for emphasis in news stories. If a columnist, guest columnist or letter writer uses caps for emphasis, change to lowercase and italics.

Central Campus Recreation Building/ CCRB (Same style for NCRB)

Central Campus: Capitalized.

Code of Student Conduct: Used on first reference. The Code is acceptable on second reference.

College Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, etc.: Refer to these campus groups as the University’s chapter of the College Democrats, the University’s chapter of College Republicans, etc. on first reference. College Democrats is acceptable on second reference if it clearly refers to the campus organization.

Cooperative House: The official title of any of the 16 houses that make up the ICC. Individual names should precede the title: Debs Cooperative House. Co-op is acceptable on second reference.

course names: Capitalize but do not put in quotation marks: History of American Thought. Lowercase general course names: algebra, history. Unless it’s followed by a course number: Algebra 101. Or if it’s a proper noun: French, English.

C.S. Mott Children’s and Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital: Shortened to the Children’s and Women’s Hospital on second reference. When referring solely to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, subsequent references may be shortened to Mott.

dean’s list

Division of Public Safety and Security: DPSS is acceptable on second reference. It has jurisdiction on University property. DPSS officers were deputized in 1992 by then-University President James Duderstadt, leading to an uproar among students. DPSS includes University Police. To avoid confusion, refer to University Police as DPSS officers.

Department of Earth and Environment: The name of the former Department of Geological Sciences, effective Sept. 1, 2011.

emeritus: Often added to formal titles to denote retired individuals who retain their rank or title. Place emeritus after the formal title: University Professor Emeritus J. David Singer. Or: Henry Pollack, professor emeritus of geological sciences.

faculty: A singular noun.

Faculty Senate: The Faculty Senate meets once a year in March. It consists of all professional staff, deans of the schools and colleges and other major officers as designed by the University’s Board of Regents. Be sure to differentiate between the Faculty Senate and the Senate Assembly.

Fall Break: Capitalize. A two-day break in first semester. The Michigan Daily does not publish on these days.

Fraternity/frat: Fraternity is preferred when space permits. Fraternities claim “frat” connotes mischief and images of binge drinking. Limit its use to headlines.

freshman, freshmen: Refers to a first-year undergraduate student. Not first-year student. Use freshman as an adjective and singular noun. Use freshmen only as a plural noun.

grade point average: GPA is acceptable only on subsequent references.

graduate (v.): Used correctly in the active voice: She graduated from the University. Don’t drop the from, and don’t use the passive voice (He was graduated from the University).

Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO): GEO is acceptable on subsequent references and in headlines for the group that represents graduate employees like GSIs.

Graduate Student Instructors: GSI on 2nd reference

Graduate Student Staff Assistants: GSSA on 2nd reference

graduation classes: Do not capitalize: the class of 2010. Phrases like the 2010 graduating class or graduated in 2019 are preferred.

Fraternity & Sorority Life: do not use Greek life, use FSL on subsequent references

Hillel: Do not refer to this umbrella organization of Jewish groups as the University’s chapter of Hillel. Instead, write University of Michigan Hillel.

Indian American Student Association: IASA is acceptable on second reference.

Interfraternity Council: Oversees fraternities at the University. Ten executive board members and the president of each member chapter sit on its board. IFC is acceptable on second reference.

Inter-Cooperative Council: Oversees co-ops at the University. ICC is acceptable on second reference. Note hyphen, which is a part of the official title and also distinguishes it in style from Interfraternity Council.

Intramural Sports Building (IM Building on 2nd reference)

language arts: Do not hyphenate as an adjective.

Leaders and the Best

Lecturers’ Employee Organization: LEO is acceptable on subsequent references for the group that represents University lecturers.

letter grades: Capitalize, without quotes: A, A+, A-, B, When discussing plural grades, do not use an apostrophe.

libraries: Use full official names on first reference to library facilities. Capitalize University Library when referring to the University of Michigan library system.

• Art, Architecture & Engineering Library
• Askwith Media Library
• Bentley Historical Library
• William Clements Library
• Fine Arts Library
• Gerald R. Ford Library
• Hatcher Graduate Library (Graduate Library on second reference)
• Law Library
• Music Library
• Shapiro Undergraduate Library (Undergraduate Library or UGLi acceptable on second reference)
• Taubman Health Sciences Library

LSA: The abbreviation for the University’s College of Literature, Science and the Arts is appropriate in all references.

majors: Lowercase when used in a sentence: “As a physics major, John…”

marching band: When referring to the University of Michigan’s marching band, write Michigan Marching Band on first reference. Use the band or the marching band on subsequent references.

Master of Arts, Master of Science: A master’s degree (lowercase) is acceptable in any reference.

Mcard: Not MCard, M-card, etc.

Michigan Man: This ambiguous phrase, typically found in sports stories, is largely used to designate an individual who embodies the qualities and standards of Michigan excellence. On first reference it should be in quotation marks: “Michigan Man”. On all subsequent references, the phrase can go without quotation marks. Both words should be capitalized.

Michigan Medicine: formerly the University of Michigan Health System. Comprises the University Hospital, C.S. Mott Children’s and Women’s Hospital, 30 health centers and 120 outpatient clinics, the University Medical School and the Medical School’s Faculty Group Practice.

Multicultural Greek Council: The governing body of 12 fraternities and sororities at the University. It is one of four Greek councils on campus. In stories about Greek life, be sure to include it, because its policies on issues like rush differ greatly from those of the major councils. Do not abbreviate on any reference.

Muslim Students’ Association: Note the placement of the apostrophe. Do not abbreviate to MSA in headlines.

National Pan-Hellenic Council: The umbrella organization of historically Black fraternities and sororities at the University. It comprises five fraternities (Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma and Iota Phi Theta) and four sororities (Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta and Sigma Gamma Rho). Do not abbreviate on second reference.

North Campus: Capitalized.

Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs: Supports racial and ethnic development as well as empowerment of minority groups. MESA is acceptable on second reference.

Panhellenic Association: Presides over 17 National Panhellenic Conference sororities. Each sorority elects a delegate to serve on council, which meets weekly during the fall and winter terms. Ten women serve on the executive board. May be abbreviated to Panhel on second reference and in headlines if absolutely necessary. Note that there is no hyphen in the name. Do not confuse with the National Pan-Hellenic Council, which oversees historically Black sororities and fraternities.

president: Capitalize president only as a formal title before a name: President Barack Obama. Use the person’s last name in subsequent references. Lowercase president in all other uses: The president gave the commencement address.

Professors: Abbreviate to Prof. before a name if there isn’t another adjective. For example, Prof. Ralph Williams. If used otherwise, write out (Ralph Williams, one of the University’s best-known English professors or English professor Ralph Williams). If an instructor is not a full professor, indicate that by using their correct title in front of the name: Lecturer John Bacon, Assistant Prof. Gina Poe and Associate Prof. Gary Smith. Check proper titles at directory.umich.edu.

regents: There are eight regents of the University. They are publicly elected officials, and serve eight-year terms with no term limits. The president of the University presides over the board. The president has the tie-breaking vote. Regents hold private pre-meetings where most of the decision-making is done. The official regents meetings are at 3:15 p.m. on one Thursday a month. For individual regents, capitalize before the name and if relevant to the story, note the party affiliation in ses after the name: University Regent Shauna Ryder Diggs (D). Lowercase when used otherwise. Write University’s Board of Regents on first reference and the board when the reference is obvious afterward.

resident advisers: Note the ‘e’ in ‘adviser’. Should always be lowercase, unless used as a title before a name. R.A. acceptable on subsequent references.

residence halls: Do not use dormitory/dorm. Refer to residence halls with their full name on first reference: East Quad Residence Hall. It is not necessary to write Quadrangle.

• Alice Lloyd Residence Hall: Alice Lloyd on second reference
• Baits I Residence Hall or Baits II Residence Hall: Baits on second reference, unless both Baits houses are used throughout, in which case Baits I and Baits II will suffice.
• Betsy Barbour Residence Hall: Betsy Barbour on second reference
• Bursley Residence Hall: Bursley on second reference.
• Couzens Residence Hall: Couzens on second reference
• Fletcher Residence Hall: Fletcher on second reference.
• Helen Newberry Residence Hall: Newberry on second reference.
• Martha Cook Residence Hall: Martha Cook on second reference.
• Mary Markley Residence Hall: Markley on second reference
• Mosher-Jordan Residence Hall: Mosher-Jordan on second reference
• Northwood Apartments: Northwood on second reference
• Oxford Residence Hall: Oxford on second reference.
• South Quad Residence Hall: South Quad on second reference (same style for East, West and North Quad)
• Stockwell Residence Hall: Stockwell on second reference.

ROTC: Acceptable in all references for Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. When the service is specified, use Army ROTC, Navy ROTC, not AROTC.

satellite campuses: For the University of Michigan’s satellite campuses, write as the University of Michigan-Flint or the University of Michigan-Dearborn. (U-M Dearborn and U-M Flint) In some stories that refer to the satellite campuses, it may not be clear when referring to the Ann Arbor campus. Be sure to denote that as the University’s Ann Arbor campus or the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. For students, use U-M Dearborn + year + name or U-M Flint + year + name

school and year identifications: When identifying undergraduate students on first reference, indicate their year and school or college: Business senior Jacob Smilovitz, LSA junior Stephanie Steinberg. For graduate school students, do not indicate their year unless relevant and only use graduate student when it would otherwise be indistinguishable from an undergrad student. For example, write: Rackham student Jessica Glossy, Engineering graduate student Alex Rust. School and year identifications are not always necessary in stories where a source’s membership or position in a club or organization is more relevant. Ex: MSA President Chris Armstrong.

school, college names: The University of Michigan has 17 schools and colleges. The following is a list of how to refer to them and use them with students’ names.

• the College of Literature, Science and the Arts: LSA is acceptable in all references. Use LSA + year + name. For the college itself, use LSA on all references.
• College of Engineering: Use Engineering + year + name. For the college itself, use College of Engineering on all references.
• Ross School of Business: Use Business + year + name. For graduate students, use Business + graduate student + name. For the college itself, use Business School on second reference.
• School of Nursing: Use Nursing + year + name. For the college itself, use Nursing School on second reference.
• Stamps School of Art & Design: Use Art & Design + year + name. For the college itself, use Art & Design School on second reference.
• Rackham Graduate School: Use Rackham + student + name. For the college itself, use Rackham on second reference.
• Law School: Use Law School student + name. For the college itself, use Law School on all references.
• Medical School: Use Medical School student + name. For the college itself, use Medical School on all references.
• Ford School of Public Policy: Use Public Policy + year + name. For graduate students, to distinguish them from the undergraduate students, use Public Policy + graduate student + name. For the college itself, use Ford School of Public Policy on first reference (Note: No “Gerald R.”), and Public Policy School on second reference.
• Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning: Use Taubman + year + name. For graduate programs, use Taubman + graduate student + name. For the college itself, use Taubman or Taubman College on second reference.
• School of Dentistry: Use Dentistry student + name (no undergraduate program). For the college itself, use Dentistry School on second reference.
• School of Education: Use Education + year + name. For graduate students, use Education + graduate student + name. For the college itself, use School of Education on all references.
• School of Information: Use Information + year + name . For the college itself, use Information School on second reference.
• School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD): Use Music, Theatre & Dance + year + name. For the college itself, use Music, Theatre & Dance School on second reference. (Note also: Theatre, not Theater)
• School of Public Health: For graduate program use Public Health + student + name. For undergraduate program use Public Health + year + name. For the college itself, use Public Health School on second reference.
• School of Social Work: Use Social Work student + name (no undergraduate program). For the college itself, use Social Work School on second reference.
• School of Kinesiology: Use Kinesiology + year + name. For the college itself, use Kinesiology School on second reference.
• School for Environment and Sustainability: Use Environment and Sustainability + year + name. For graduate students, use Environment and Sustainability + graduate student + name. For the college itself, use Environment and Sustainability School or SEAS on second reference. Formerly School of Natural Resources and Environment.
• College of Pharmacy: Use Pharmacy student + name (no undergraduate program). For the college itself, use Pharmacy School on second reference.
• School references for students:

• Undergraduates: Labeled as freshman, sophomore, junior, senior — as identified by the student or, alternatively, defined by the University directory. However, the directory does not specify a student’s graduation year, and reporters should not rely on when a directory page was created for this information. If a student is concentrating in two separate colleges, name both.
• Professional students: Labeled by year of attendance if applicable: first-year, second-year, third-year, etc., as identified by the student or, alternatively, defined by the University directory. Students concentrating in two separate colleges should be asked to identify with only one.
• First-year Medical student, First-year Law student, Dentistry student, Pharmacy student, Business postdoctoral fellow, Engineering Ph.D. candidate

Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs: SACUA is acceptable on subsequent references for the nine-person group that serves as the executive arm of the Faculty Senate and Senate Assembly. It meets every Monday at 3:15 p.m. Members are elected by the Senate Assembly for three-year terms. The chair of SACUA also serves as chair of the Senate Assembly. When used in a story, describe as the University’s leading faculty governance body.

Senate Assembly: The faculty’s voice at the University consists of 74 elected faculty members from all three campuses (Ann Arbor, Flint and Dearborn). It meets monthly during the academic year. Members are elected for three-year terms. Its executive arm is the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs.

South Campus: Capitalized.

spokesperson: Not spokeswoman or spokesman. “University spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald” and “University spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen”.

Students Allied for Freedom and Equality: SAFE is acceptable on subsequent references for the Palestinian advocacy group, one of whose aims is to get the University to divest from Israel.

Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality: Fights for worker’s rights under an affiliation with United States Against Sweatshops. The group has no hierarchy or positions: everyone should be referred to as a Sole member. Sole is acceptable on subsequent references.

United Asian American Organizations: UAAO is acceptable on second reference. An umbrella organization for more than 30 Asian Pacific American campus groups. Members include eight board members, the organizations it represents and students not affiliated with member organizations but who participate in UAAO.

University Health Service: UHS is acceptable on second reference for the health care services for currently enrolled U-M students. Most services for students are covered by the health service fee in tuition, but sometimes small charges are assessed.

University Housing: University Housing on all references.

University of Michigan: On first reference, use the University of Michigan. On subsequent references, use the University. To abbreviate, use U-M (not UM) only as an adjective, never as a noun. For example, “U-M students,” but “students at the University.” When the context makes it clear, use the University. When it is not clear which University is being referred to, especially when another university or college is noted in the article, write it out as the University of Michigan. For SEO purposes, UMich is acceptable in headlines when referring to the University of Michigan.

University of Michigan Health System: former name of Michigan Medicine.

University Hospital: Do not confuse the University Hospital with the University Health System. The former is a component of the latter. Sometimes referred to as the University of Michigan Medical Center, which should be shortened to University Hospital. It was the first University-owned and operated hospital in the United States.

University President Santa Ono

University of Michigan Museum of Art: UMMA on second reference.

Vendor Code of Conduct: A code for all University vendors encouraging ethical and socially responsible practices.

Welcome Week: Capitalize.

Winter Break: Capitalize. Do not call it Christmas Break.

University People

Updated Winter 2022

Note: The following represents the ONLY way executive officers, regents and spokespeople at the University should be identified in normal circumstances. These individuals may be recognized with a secondary title in addition to the title listed below, as appropriate, or “University” may be “University of Michigan” in stories where it would otherwise be confusing what University the individual represents.

Executive Officers:

University President Santa Ono

University Provost Laurie McCauley

Marschall Runge, the University’s executive vice president for medical affairs,

Geoffrey Chatas, the University’s executive vice president and chief financial officer,

Sally Churchill, vice president and secretary of the University,

Chris Kolb, the University’s vice president for government relations,

Tom Baird, the University’s vice president for development,

Timothy Lynch, the University’s vice president and general counsel,

Rebecca Cunningham, the University’s vice president for research,

Kallie Bila Michels, the University’s vice president for communications,

Martino Harmon, the University’s vice president for student life,

Ravi Pendse, vice president for information technology and chief information officer,

Athletic Director Warde Manuel,

Debasish Dutta, chancellor of the U-M Flint campus, OR Debasish Dutta, chancellor of the University of Michigan-Flint,

Domenico Grasso, chancellor of the U-M Dearborn campus, OR Domenico Grasso, chancellor of the University of Michigan-Dearborn,

Mike Widen, director of the University’s Department of Recreational Sports

Regents: When in context (i.e. have already mentioned University’s Board of Regents or have already mentioned another University regent) you do not need to add “University” before the Regent title. When out of context or the title would otherwise be unclear, use “University Regent” before the name. Don’t mention the specific city for the regents, just the party affiliation.

Regent Michael Behm (D)

Regent Jordan Acker (D)

Regent Mark Bernstein (D)

Regent Paul Brown (D)

Regent Sarah Hubbard (R)

Regent Denise Ilitch (D)

Regent Ron Weiser (R)

Regent Katherine White (D)

Note: It may be appropriate in some stories to identify Jordan Acker with his current secondary title of “chair of the Board of Regents.” Similarly, it may be appropriate at times to mention secondary titles of other regents, including those who serve as chairs of the various regent’s committees.

Spokeperson:

University spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald

University spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen

Note: Under no circumstances should other staff from the Office of Public Affairs and

Media Relations be quoted in a story. If you ever see the names Dana Elger or Deborah Meyers Greene in a story, immediately notify an editor to ensure the information is attributed to the appropriate source. These individuals can

provide background information to assist with stories, but are not allowed to ever be

quoted or attributed in a story.

University Housing spokesperson Peter Logan

Denise Gray-Felder, a spokesperson for Michigan Medicine, OR Michigan Medicine spokesperson Denise Gray-Felder (if Michigan Medicine has already been identified)

Note: Other individuals are allowed to speak on behalf of Michigan Medicine. Their titles should also be as a spokesperson and should follow the same format as Kara Gavin (above).

Diane Brown, spokesperson for the University’s Division of Public Safety and Security, OR DPSS spokesperson Diane Brown (if DPSS has already been identified) OR University Police spokesperson Diane Brown

Note: For Diane Brown, the title should match the organization she is speaking on behalf

of. University Police consists of accredited police officers working for the University (i.e.

officers can carry guns, operate the K-9 unit, etc.), but the Division of Public Safety and Security consists of the University’s security force, not all of whom are accredited police officers (i.e. housing security, etc.).

Topics

Companies

AFL-CIO : American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations

ampersand (&): Use only when an organization or company uses it consistently: Barnes & Noble, “Will & Grace”

Band-Aid: A trademark for a type of adhesive bandage.

Borders: Based in Ann Arbor. The parent company is the Borders Group. NOTE: Borders went out of business in 2011.

CEO: Acceptable in all references for chief executive officer. Use chief financial officer and chief operating officer on first reference, and CFO and COO thereafter. Always spell out lesser-known "C-level" positions like chief administrative officer or chief risk officer.

Coca-Cola Co.: The largest U.S. soft drink company whose trademarked brands include varieties of Coke soda. Headquarters is in Atlanta. Coke is acceptable when referring to the soft drink.

company: Use Co. or Cos. when a business uses either word at the end of its proper name. (Ford Motor Co., American Broadcasting Cos.)

Ford Motor Co.: Use Ford on second reference.

General Motors Corp.: GM is acceptable on second reference.

Google

Kleenex: A trademark. Tissue is preferred.

Kmart: no hyphen or space (i.e., not K-mart, K-Mart, KMart, K Mart)

logos: Despite what companies’ logos use, retain proper grammatical capitalization and punctuation. The exception is the ampersand in businesses such as Barnes & Noble.

movie studios: Spell out the entire name of the studio: DreamWorks SKG Inc.,

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., Pixar Animation Studios, Universal Pictures. See AP Stylebook Online Edition for a more complete list of studios.

nonprofit: AP style. Not “non-profit.”

president: Capitalize president only as a formal title before a name: President Barack Obama. Use the person’s last name in subsequent references. Lowercase president in all other uses: The president gave the commencement address.

startup: Used to describe a new business venture. Not start-up.

Time magazine: Not TIME magazine, despite the magazine’s masthead. This is done to avoid having the magazine’s title stand out in the text.

United Auto Workers: Spell out on first reference, UAW on second reference. Represents U.S. auto industry, aircraft manufacture and other organizations.

Walmart: Use Wal-Mart Stores Inc. only when referring to the official legal name.

Walt Disney World: But Disneyland. Walt Disney Co.

Identity

admitted homosexual: Don’t use this phrase. Ever.

African American: Acceptable for an American Black person of African descent. Black is also acceptable, upper case. The terms are not necessarily interchangeable. People from Caribbean nations, for example, generally refer to themselves as Caribbean-American. Always follow a person’s preference. Hyphenate when used as an adjective.

“alt-right”/“alt-left”: Note quotation marks and hyphen.

antifa: Short for anti-fascist. No quotation marks, no hyphen.

bisexual: Avoid using as a noun. Do not use bi.

Caucasian

First Nations: Preferred name for native Canadian community. Always capitalize.

gay: Do not use as a singular noun. Avoid using it as a plural noun, but it is acceptable sometimes in tight headlines. Do not use in headlines if the story refers to homosexual men and women. Used to describe men and women attracted to the same sex, though lesbian is the more common term for women. Gay is preferred over homosexual except in clinical contexts or references to sexual activity. Avoid references to "sexual preference" or to a gay or alternative "lifestyle." Gay is acceptable in reference to homosexual men; it is acceptable for both homosexual men and women only if the nouns are gender-specific. For example: “Gay men and women” is OK, but “gay students” is not because this implies only gay men to many readers, so it would have to be “gay and lesbian students.” To distinguish between the two, use gay men and lesbians. Include sexual orientation only if it is pertinent to a story.

Hispanic: A person from, or whose ancestors were from, a Spanish-speaking land. Latino and Latina are sometimes preferred. Follow the person’s preference.

homosexuality: See gay, lesbian.

Latinx: Use Latino or Latina if gender is preferred. Latinx is used to describe if gender not preferred or referring to community.

lesbian: Lesbian woman is redundant.

LGBTQ+: LGBT is not acceptable. LGBTQ+ community and LGBTQ+ communities are both acceptable. LGBTQIA+ is acceptable when relevant. [As of 1/27/20]

Native American: American Indian or Native American is acceptable for those in the U.S. Follow the person’s preference. Limit Native American to organization names and quotations. Where possible, be precise and use the name of the tribe: He is a Navajo commissioner. In Alaska, the Indigenous groups include Aleuts, Eskimos, and Indians.

race: Include only if pertinent to the article.

sexual orientation: Inform readers of a person’s sexual orientation only if the relevance is obvious to the reader.

sexual preference: Do not ever use. Substitute sexual orientation.

straight: Use it to indicate heterosexual when contrasting with gay or lesbian.

transgender: It is used for people whose gender identity is different from what it was when they were born, independent of whether they’ve changed their biological characteristics. Use the term only when it is discernibly relevant to the story. Use the name and pronouns preferred by the transgender person. Do not use transgendered. Trans is OK on second reference.

Holidays

barbecue: Not barbeque or Bar-B-Q.

Hanukkah: Not Chanukah, Hanukah, etc.

Fall Break

Football Saturday

Labor Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: write Martin Luther King Jr. Day on first reference, then MLK Day on subsequent references. MLK Day is acceptable headlines

Mothers Day

Presidents Day

Santa Claus

Spring Break

Veterans Day

Internet

chat room: Not chatroom.

email: Not e-mail.

email addresses: Lowercase all letters. They do not need introductory terms like: contact him via email at pnc@umich.edu. Instead, write contact him at pnc@umich.edu.

Facebook: Capitalize. Describe as a popular social networking website. When using jargon associated with the site (wall, to friend, poke), be sure to explain it.

internet: lowercase. The World Wide Web is not synonymous with the internet. In stories, try to use the name of the website instead of the address. (MySpace not MySpace.com)

internet addresses: Write out the www with each address (www.michigandaily.com), but only referring readers to a site, not with well-known sites when referencing them (CNN.com reported). Put the address in italics if www is included.

web addresses: Use only lowercase letters. Do not use phrases such as the group’s website, www.republicans.edu. In that case, it is not a website, but a web address. Rephrase as visit the group’s website at www.republicans.edu. Double check all web addresses before putting them into a story. If the intention is not for the writer to visit the site or if the site is well-known enough like ebay.com or amazon.com, the www is not necessary if it works without it. Make sure to test it.

webpage: Not web page or Web page. An exception to AP style.

website: Not web site or Web site. An exception to AP Style. When a website is used as a proper noun, do not include the www.- The organization used Google.com for its search. For more information, search at www.google.com.

Wi-Fi: Not wifi

World Wide Web: A global system of linking documents, images, sounds and other files across the internet.

Places

addresses: Use the abbreviations Ave., Blvd. and St. only with numbered addresses. Abbreviate compass directions only in numbered addresses. (815 S. University Ave., but South University Avenue). Lowercase and spell out when used alone or with more than one street name (Packard and State streets). Words like Drive, Road, Alley, Lane and Terrace are always spelled out. Spell out and capitalize First through Ninth when used as street names. Use numerals and two letters for 10th Street and above.

building: Never abbreviate the word building. Capitalize the proper name of buildings, including the word building if it is an integral part of the proper name (the Fleming Administration Building).

cities that stand alone: All cities in Michigan do not need to have Mich. written after them, unless there is cause for explanation: Holland, Mich. The following U.S. cities do not require states: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington. Also Hollywood in stories from Los Angeles about the film industry and films.

• The following foreign cities require no countries: Amsterdam, Baghdad, Bangkok, Beijing, Beirut, Berlin, Bogota, Brussels, Cairo, Copenhagen, Djiboti, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Gibraltar, Guatemala City, Hamburg, Havana, Helsinki, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, Kabul, Kuwait City, London, Luxembourg, Macau, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, Monaco, Montreal, Moscow, Munich, New Delhi, Oslo, Ottawa, Panama City, Paris, Prague, Quebec City, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, San Marino, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Vatican City, Vienna, Zurich. Use United Nations without New York in stories from U.N. headquarters.

• PUNCTUATION: Place one comma between the city and the state name, and another comma after the state name, unless ending a sentence: He was traveling from Nashville, Tenn., to Austin, Texas, en route to his home in Albuquerque, N.M. She said Cook County, Ill., was Mayor Daley's stronghold.

Canadian locations: Canadian cities other than Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City and Toronto should contain the name of the city in capital letters followed by the name of the province. Do not abbreviate any province or territory name.

city: Capitalize as part of a proper name: Kansas City, New York City, Ann Arbor City Council. Lowercase elsewhere: the city of Ann Arbor, a city council.

city, village, town, township: Discriminate among these terms. They are different entities with different forms of government. Ann Arbor is a city. Barton Hills is a village. Write city of Ann Arbor and village of Barton Hills. Write city of Ann Arbor, village of Barton Hills and Macomb Township.

coast: Capitalize when referring to regions of the United States lying along shorelines. (the East Coast, the West Coast) Lowercase when referring to the physical shoreline. (Atlantic coast, Pacific coast)

corner: Its use with street names is usually unnecessary. Simply write at Main and First streets instead of at the corner of Main and First streets. It is sometimes necessary to provide a specific location: on the southwest corner of State and Main streets.

the Diag

directions and regions: Lowercase north, south, northeast, etc when they indicate compass direction. Capitalize when they designate regions. (She is from the South).

earth: Generally lowercase. Capitalize when used as the proper name of the planet. (The astronaut returned to Earth, down-to-earth).

GPS: Acceptable in all references to Global Positioning System

Hill Neighborhood: use on first reference to describe the area of Couzens Hall, Alice Lloyd Hall, Mary Markley Hall, Mosher-Jordan Hall, Oxford Housing and Stockwell Hall; the Hill is acceptable on subsequent references

hometowns: Do not separate hometowns by commas in stories on first reference: Ryne Sandberg of Ypsilanti. That’s an exception to AP style.

intersection: Using it with street names is usually redundant: at the intersection of Main and First streets.

Kerrytown

local: Avoid irrelevant use of the word. Everything is local unless stated otherwise. Use on-campus grocery store or off-campus or eastern Ann Arbor home.

located: Usually unnecessary.

Lower Peninsula: capitalized. Do not abbreviate.

Midwest: Acceptable for Middle West.

mountains: Capitalize as part of a proper name: Rocky Mountains

Nichols Arboretum: Arb on 2nd reference

peninsula: Capitalize as part of a proper name: the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

the Rock: Campus landmark located on Hill and Washtenaw streets, frequently painted by University of Michigan student programs. Not to be confused with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

state: Lowercase in all constructions: the state of Maine, the states of Maine and Vermont.

• Four states — Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia — are legally commonwealths rather than states. The distinction is necessary only in formal uses: The commonwealth of Kentucky filed a suit. For simple geographic reference: Tobacco is grown in the state of Kentucky. Do not capitalize state when used simply as an adjective to specify a level of jurisdiction: state Rep. William Smith, the state Transportation Department, state funds.

• Apply the same principle to phrases such as the city of Chicago, the town of Auburn, etc. STANDING ALONE: Spell out the names of the 50 U.S. states when they stand alone in textual material. Any state name may be condensed, however, to fit typographical requirements for tabular material. EIGHT NOT ABBREVIATED: The names of eight states are never abbreviated: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah. Memory Aid: Spell out the names of the two states that are not part of the continental United States and of the continental states that are five letters or fewer.

• ABBREVIATIONS REQUIRED: Use these state abbreviations: In conjunction with the name of a city, town, village or military base; in short-form listings of party affiliation: (D-Ala.), (R-Mont.),Ala. Ariz. Ark. Calif. Colo. Conn. Del. Fla. Ga. Ill. Ind. Kan. Ky. La. Mass. Md. Mich. Minn. Miss. Mo. Mont. N.C. N.D. Neb. Nev. N.H. N.J. N.M. N.Y. Okla. Ore. Pa. R.I. S.C. S.D. Tenn. Vt. Va. Wash. W.Va. Wis. Wyo. PUNCTUATION: Place one comma between the city and the state name, and another comma after the state name, unless ending a sentence: He was traveling from Nashville, Tenn., to Austin, Texas, en route to his home in Albuquerque, N.M. She said Cook County, Ill., was Mayor Daley’s stronghold.
• MISCELLANEOUS: Use New York state when necessary to distinguish the state from New York City.
• Use state of Washington or Washington state when necessary to distinguish the state from the District of Columbia.

street: As with avenue and boulevard, abbreviate only with the numbered address: 1535 Newberry Blvd., 417 Redemption Ave., 876 Broglio St. Spell out in other uses.

uniqname

Upper Peninsula: capitalize. Do not abbreviate.

ZIP code: Use all caps ZIP which stands for Zoning Improvement Plan. Always lowercase the word code. Do not put a comma between the state name and the Zip code: Ann Arbor, MI 48109.

Religion

Bible: Capitalize in a religious context. If the author wants to convene a non-religious message, it is acceptable to use lowercase. However, putting Bible in quotes like a book title is confusing and should not be done.

church names: Use the complete, official name on first reference. Pay careful attention to churches named after saints. The use of a possessive apostrophe is arbitrary. Lowercase in phrases where the church is used in an institutional sense. She believes in the separation of church and state.

evangelical: Historically, evangelical was used as an adjective describing Protestant dedication to conveying the message of Christ. Today it also is used as a noun, referring to a category of doctrinally conservative Protestants, who believe the Bible was divinely inspired but not necessarily the exact Word of God. Evangelicals emphasize the need for a definite, adult commitment or conversion to faith in Christ and the duty of all believers to persuade others to accept Christ.

fundamentalist: In general, do not use fundamentalist unless a group applies the word to itself.

God: Capitalize in references to the deity of all monotheistic religions. Lowercase gods and goddesses in references to the deities of polytheistic religions. Lowercase pronouns referring to the deity: he, him

heaven: Never capitalize.

hell: Never capitalize.

Islam: Followers are Muslims. Their holy book is the Quran. Their place of worship is a mosque. Before names, capitalize titles like mullah, imam, sheik etc. There are 2 divisions in Islam (Sunni v. Shiite) Sunni is the largest sect in Islam with about 85% of Muslims. Iran is the only nation with a Shiite majority.

Islamic fundamentalist: Do not use, see fundamentalism. For militants fighting in the name of Islam, use Islamic militant or radical.

Islamist: Someone who is an advocate of Political Islam, the philosophy that the Quran should rule all aspects of life — religious, political and personal.

Jehovah’s Witnesses: No formal titles.

Jewish congregations: A rabbi is a leader of a congregation. A cantor leads a congregation in song. Capitalize both as titles before a name.

Koran: Quran is preferred.

pope: Capitalize pope only as a formal title before a name. Lowercase in all other uses.

Reverend: Abbreviate Rev. before a name.

Weather

Celsius

Fahrenheit

heavy snow: An accumulation of 4 inches or more in 12 hours or an accumulation of 6 inches or more in 24 hours.

hurricane: Capitalize hurricane when it is part of the name that weather forecasters assign to a storm. (Hurricane Hazel). Use it not she or him in pronoun references. Hurricanes are ranked 1 to 5. Category 1 has the lowest wind power and category 5 has the most.

seasons: Always lowercase unless in an official title: in the spring, during spring term, spring term 1994, winter term

temperatures: Use figures for all except zero. Use a word, not a minus sign, to indicate temperatures below zero. Right: The day’s low was minus 9. Temperatures get higher or lower, but they don’t get warmer or cooler.

weatherman: The preferred term is weather forecaster.

Daily Style

The Michigan Daily: Write full on first reference, shorten to The Daily on subsequent references. Shorten to TMD on subsequent references in transcribed interviews only. Capitalize section names when using as proper nouns: The Michigan Daily Sports section. Don’t capitalize additional words, such as in Daily Arts writers.

Abbreviations

Abbreviations and acronyms: Some universally recognized abbreviations are acceptable, but those not commonly used by the public should not be reduced to acronyms solely to save a few words. Do not follow an organization’s full name with an abbreviation or acronym in ses or set off by commas. Avoid alphabet soup. If used, most abbreviations and acronyms are only proper on second reference, but there are some exceptions to that rule (NAACP). Consult individual entries in this stylebook for more information on when abbreviations and acronyms are appropriate. Use capital letters and no periods in most cases. Use all caps, but no periods, in longer abbreviations when the individual letters are pronounced: ABC, CIA, FBI.

ACT: On first reference use ACT test or ACT exam. On second reference, ACT is acceptable.

Advanced Placement Program: AP is acceptable on first reference if the context is clear: He took AP English in high school.

aka: Never AKA or a.k.a.

amid: Do not use amidst.

Ann Arbor Police Department: AAPD on second reference.

artificial intelligence: On first reference use artificial intelligence. On subsequent references, use AI. In headlines, use AI.

Associated Press, The: The newsgathering cooperative dating from 1846. Use The Associated Press on first reference. On second reference, AP or the AP is acceptable. Do not capitalize the before AP, but always before Associated Press.

BAMN: BAMN is acceptable on all references for the group formed to oppose the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, but explain what it is. It stands for Defend Affirmative Action, Integration, and Immigrant Rights and Fight For Equality By Any Means Necessary.

CD: Acceptable in all references for compact disc.

CEO: Acceptable in all references for chief executive officer. Use chief financial officer and chief operating officer on first reference, and CFO and COO thereafter. Always spell out lesser-known "C-level" positions like chief administrative officer or chief risk officer.

emergency room: ER is acceptable on second reference.

FBI: Acceptable on all references.

GED: Acceptable in all references for General Education Development.

General Motors Corp.: GM is acceptable on second reference.

GPS: Acceptable in all references to Global Positioning System

grade point average: GPA is acceptable only on subsequent references.

identification: ID is acceptable in subsequent references for ID card.

k-9 unit

SAT: Acceptable in all references for the Scholastic Assessment Test

television: TV is an acceptable abbreviation.

young’uns

“All things Numbers”

ages: Only use ages when they are relevant to the article. When referring to speakers without a formal title relevant to the story, usually those not affiliated with the University, provide an age. Set it off in commas after the name. (Construction worker James Truman, 45, said he did not care that Gerald Ford had just been sworn in to the presidency). Always use numerals, even if the subject’s age would usually be written as a word (The 4-year-old boy, never the four-year-old boy). When the context does not require “years” or “years old,” years is implied and does not need to be stated. Ages expressed as adjectives use hyphens, otherwise do not include hyphens. (A 5-year-old boy but the boy is 5 years old). There is no apostrophe when writing what decade a person is in (The woman is in her 40s).

a.m., p.m.: Avoid the redundant 8 a.m. Friday morning.

around: Refers to space. Do not use with number estimates. Use about instead. Wrong: The fee was around $100. Right: The fee was about $100.

cents: Spell out the word cents and lowercase, using numerals for amounts less than a dollar. (5 cents, 12 cents) Use the $ sign and decimal system for larger amounts. ($1.01, $12.50)

century: Lowercase (The 19th century). Include a hyphen when used as an adjective (15th-century art). For proper names, follow the organization’s practice: 20th Century Fox, Twentieth Century Fund.

dates: Always use numerals without st, nd, rd or th: Oct. 20. See months.

decades: Do not put an apostrophe between the year and the s: 1950s, 1990s, ’90s. A backward apostrophe is used when expressing a decade with only the last two digits.

dimensions: Use figures and spell out inches, feet, yards, etc. to indicate height, length and width (the 5-foot-6-inch man). Only use an apostrophe to indicate feet and quote marks to indicate inches (5'6") in very technical contexts.

distances: Spell out figures less than 10 for distances: He ran five miles.

dollars: Always lowercase. Use figures and the $ sign in all cases ($4, $25) except casual references or amounts without a figure: He paid her a dollar. For specified amounts, the word takes a singular verb: He said $500,000 is sufficient. For amounts more than $1 million, use up to two decimal points: $1.65 million. See million for more.

extension: Capitalize and abbreviate: 734-246-8539, Ext. 10.

fewer: Use fewer for individual items: He had fewer than seven aunts. However, use less for quantities in bulk: He was less than 60 years old. (In this sense, years refers to a bulk amount of time). Use less for amounts: He had less than $50 in his pocket (amount). BUT He had fewer than 50 $1 bills in his pocket (individual items).

fewer than: Use when talking about numbers instead of under. The book was just fewer than 400 pages. Not: The book was just under 400 pages. Similarly, use more than instead of over.

fire station: Capitalize before numbers and use numerals: Fire Station 4.

foreign money: Amounts of foreign money should be converted to dollars. If it is necessary to mention the foreign amount, provide the dollar equivalent in ses.

fractions: Spell out fractions less than 1. Use a hyphen (a two-thirds vote). Use this style for fractions greater than 1: 8 1/2, 7 3/4. Spell out general uses without hyphens: one and a half, one and a quarter.

grade levels: Capitalize in this format: Grade 4, Grade 11. Write out numbers less than 10 in this format: fourth grade. Write numbers greater than or equal to 10 in this format: 10th grade, 12th grade. Hyphenate as an adjective (a fourth-grade student).

half-hour: Not half an hour, half hour, etc.

height: Use figures, even for numbers less than 10. It stood 12 inches tall. Never abbreviate words like feet, inches, yards, etc. Hyphenate adjectival forms only before nouns. For example, write 9 feet 8 inches and 6 feet tall, but 5-foot-11-inch man.

K: The abbreviation should not be used to mean 1,000 or $1,000.

midnight: Use instead of 12 a.m. It is part of the day that is ending, not the one that is beginning.

million: In a range, do not drop the first million: The University plans to spend $10 million to $20 million on administrator salaries. Otherwise, it may signify $10. Use numerals with million or billion. Note that a hyphen is not used to join the figures and the word million or billion, even in this type of phrase: The president submitted a $300 billion budget.

more than: Use with numerals. Their salaries increased more than $20 a week. Not: over $20. Similarly, use “fewer than” instead of “under.”

mph: Acceptable in place of writing out miles per hour in all references.

noon: Use in all references for 12 p.m.

numbers: Numbers from one to nine are written out. Ten and above are numerals: six, 16, seven, 288. If the number appears at the beginning of a sentence, it is written out: Thirty Congressmen voted against the bill. If the number is in the thousands, use a comma: 2,000, 14,000.

numbers in headlines: When using a number in a headline, always use the numeral itself, even at the start of a sentence. 100 years of Michigan Hockey: 10 defining moments.

percent, %: Use the % sign with numerals, no space in between.

• Average hourly pay rose 3.1% from a year ago; her mortgage rate is 4.75%; about 60% of Americans agreed; he won 56.2% of the vote. Use figures: 1%, 4 percentage points.
• Takes a singular verb when standing alone: The teacher said that the class average was 34%. Takes a singular verb when the noun it goes with is singular: He said 90% of the student body does not know who MSA President Jesse Levine is. Takes a plural verb when the noun that goes with it is plural: He said 90% of students do not know who MSA President Jesse Levine is.
• For a range: 12% to 15%, 12%-15% and between 12% and 15% are all acceptable. Use decimals, not fractions: 2.5%. For amounts less than 1%, use a zero before the decimal: 0.6%.
• When used as an adjective: It was a 50% increase.
• Whenever a percentage is stated, use a numeral. The only exception is when a percentage starts the sentence. In this case, write the number out. Seventy percent of workers are placed in public schools. However, it is preferable to rearrange the sentence to avoid this.
• In casual uses, use words rather than figures and numbers: She said he has a zero percent chance of winning.

political divisions: Use Arabic figures and capitalize the accompanying word when used with figures: 1st Ward, 2nd Precinct, the ward.

ratio: Use figures and hyphens: the ratio was 2-to-1, a 2-1 ratio. The word to should be omitted when the numbers precede the word ratio.

Roman numerals: Use Roman numerals for wars, legislative acts, names and Super Bowls. Translation: I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1,000

room numbers: Use figures and capitalize room when used with a figure: Room 200, Room 317.

scene numbers: Capitalize scene when used with a figure: Scene 2; Act 2. But the second scene

speeds: Use figures: 7 mph, 5 to 10 mph, 9 knots

Telephone numbers: Use figures. The forms: 708-945-3347, 579-3317. If using extension numbers, use a comma to separate from the main number: 212-621-1500, Ext. 2. The lack of ses is a change in AP style in 2006.

temperatures: Use figures for all except zero. Use a word, not a minus sign, to indicate temperatures below zero. Right: The day’s low was minus 9. Temperatures get higher or lower, but they don’t get warmer or cooler.

time, place: Usually put time before location: The meeting will take place at 7 a.m. Tuesday in East Quad Residence Hall.

time of day: Use a.m. or p.m. except with midnight and noon. Avoid the redundant 5 a.m. Monday morning or 7 p.m. Tuesday night. Always put time in front of day or date: 7 a.m. Monday or 8 p.m. May 4.

weight: Use figures, even for numbers under 10. It weighed 185 pounds. Never abbreviate words like pounds, ounces, kilograms, etc. Hyphenate adjectival forms only before nouns. For example, write He weighed 167 pounds, but She was a 435-pound whale of a woman.

years: Use an s without an apostrophe to indicate spans of decades or centuries: the 1890s. Use a backward apostrophe with abbreviated years: the ’90s

Dates/Time

last, next: Avoid last or next before days or dates. The context of the sentence should make it clear. Use dates if more than seven days away. Preferred: It happened Wednesday. It happened in April. Correct, but redundant: It happened last Wednesday. But: It happened last week. It happened last month.

months: Capitalize the names of the months. When a month is used with a specific date, abbreviate only Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec. Spell out when using alone or with a year alone: Sept. 24, 2011, but During September, and September 2011.

on: Do not use on before a date or day of the week when its absence would not lead to confusion, except at the beginning of a sentence. University President Santa Ono announced his bid for the U.S. presidency Tuesday. Use it when emphasis is needed: Ono met Santa on Monday. The Senate postponed on Wednesday its consideration of a bill to reduce import duties.

time, place: Usually put time before location: The meeting will take place Tuesday at 7 a.m. in East Quad Residence Hall.

time of day: Use a.m. or p.m. except with midnight and noon. Avoid the redundant 5 a.m. Monday morning or 7 p.m. Tuesday night. Always put time in front of day or date: 7 a.m. Monday or 8 p.m. May 4.

time zones: Use time zones for times of TV or radio programs: EST, CDT, PST

today, tonight tomorrow: Use only in direct quotations and in phrases that do not refer to a specific day. In general, use the day of the week.

24/7

week-long

year-long

years: Use an s without an apostrophe to indicate spans of decades or centuries: the 1890s. Use a backward apostrophe with abbreviated years: the ’90s

yesterday: Use yesterday to indicate events that happened the day before the story is to be published. This is an exception to AP Style. Use today for events scheduled for the day of publication and tomorrow for events scheduled for the day after. For days within a week of publication, write out the day. It should be obvious by the context whether it’s the week before or the week after. If a story is published on Monday, and you’re writing about something that will happen on Wednesday, write: Obama will visit Ann Arbor Wednesday. If it’s already happened, write: Obama visited Ann Arbor Wednesday. For days more than a week away, use the date.

Grammar, Style and Miscellaneous

a, an: Use the a (a one-year term, a united front) before consonant sounds, and an before vowel sounds (an apple, an honorable president).

about, around: For approximations use about.

active, passive voice: Prefer verbs in the active tense. AWKWARD: The ball was caught by Forcier. BETTER: Forcier caught the ball. Sometimes, though, the passive tense is more appropriate: Forcier is overrated instead of People overrate Forcier.

affect, effect: Affect, as a verb, means to influence. The game will affect the standings. Affect, as a noun, is best avoided. It occasionally is used in psychology to describe an emotion, but there is no need for it in everyday language. 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.)

afterward: Do not use afterwards.

aid, aide: Aid is assistance. An aide is a person who serves as an assistant.

all right: Not alright.

a lot: Not alot.

allude, refer: To allude to something is to speak of it without specifically mentioning it. To refer is to mention it directly.

amid: Do not use amidst.

annual: An event cannot be described as annual until it has been held in at least two successive years. Do not use the term first annual. Instead, note that sponsors plan to hold an event annually.

anyway: Do not use anyways.

Argo Dam

around: Refers to space. Do not use with number estimates. Use about instead. Wrong: The fee was around $100. Right: The fee was about $100.

backward: not backwards

because: Use because to denote a specific cause-effect relationship: He went because he was told. A comma is not usually needed before because, but sometimes a comma is needed in negative constructions for clarification: She didn’t wear a hat, because it was too warm. She didn’t wear a hat because it was cold; she wore it because it matched her sweater.

believes, thinks: In news stories, these claim as fact something that cannot be proved. Direct attribution is best.

blond, blonde: Use blond as a noun for males and as an adjective for all applications: She has blond hair. Use blonde as a noun for females.

blue book: Use lowercase when referring to a blue book exam.

both: Often both is not necessary. Its inclusion can alter meaning.

bullets: Items with bullets should follow parallel constructions. They should start with a capital letter and end with a period if the sentence is complete. Don’t use And to begin the final item.

but: Do not hesitate to start a sentence with but. But do not overuse this device.

can, could, may, might: Avoid can, may and might in headlines and leads. Just because the Cubs could win the World Series in 2017, doesn’t mean we need a story on it. WEAK: A meeting this week between University President Santa Ono and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer could result in an increase in state funding for the University. Or maybe not. STRONGER: A meeting this week between University President Santa Ono and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is drawing the attention — and the lofty hopes — usually reserved for international summits.

cancel, canceled, canceling, cancellation

cannot: Not can not.

cell phone: Not cellphone.

co-: Retain the hyphen when forming nouns, adjectives and verbs that indicate occupation or status: co-author, co-respondent, co-chair. Use no hyphen in other combinations: coed, cooperate, coexist, coordinate.

cockroaches: both “cockroaches” and “roaches” are acceptable.

collective nouns: Nouns that denote a unit take singular verbs and pronouns: class, committee, crowd, family, group, herd, jury, orchestra, team. Team names and band names, however, take plural verbs. The Miami Heat are battling for the league's worst record. The Beatles are incredible. Some words that are plural in form become collective nouns and take singular verbs when the group or quantity is regarded as a unit. EXAMPLES: A thousand bushels is a good yield. (A unit.) A thousand bushels were created. (Individual items.) The data is sound. (A unit.)

collide, collision: Two objects must be in motion before they can collide. For instance, a moving train cannot collide with a stopped train.

colon (:): Colons may be used for emphasis to introduce dialogue, to link two complete sentences, between a complete sentence and a fragment or to introduce a list. If you use a complete sentence after a colon, capitalize it. If the second part is a fragment, leave it lower case. Colons go outside of quotation marks unless they are part of the quotation themselves. Use a colon to introduce a quotation only if the quotation is contained within a paragraph and it is only one sentence. Colons can also be used after the end of a long introduction before a quotation.

compose: Compose means to create or put together. It commonly is used in both the active and passive voices: She composed a song. The United States is composed of 50 states.

comprise: Synonymous with contain, consist of or to include all. The U.S. Senate comprises two senators from each state. Not is comprised of.

controversial issues: Redundant. All issues are controversial.

couple: Plural in the sense of two people. Singular when expressed as a unit.

current, currently: Rarely necessary.

damn it: Also goddamn it. Not dammit.

dangling modifiers: Be careful to avoid these. WRONG: Walking down State Street, the scenery impressed them. RIGHT: Walking down State Street, they were impressed by the scenery.

dash (-): To make an em-dash (),— hold down option as well as shift and press dash on Macintosh computers. To make an en-dash (–), hold down option and press dash. Use dashes for the following purposes. ABRUPT CHANGE: Use em-dashes with a space on either side of the dash to denote an abrupt change in thought in a sentence or an emphatic pause: We will fly to Paris in June — if I get a raise. Hieftje — a supporter of recycling initiatives — voted against the proposal. SERIES WITHIN A PHRASE: When a phrase that otherwise would be set off by commas contains a series of words that must be separated by commas, use dashes to set off the full phrase: He listed the qualities — intelligence, humor, conservatism, independence — that he liked in an executive. ATTRIBUTION: Use a dash before an author's or composer's name at the end of a quotation: "Who steals my purse steals trash." – Shakespeare. IN DATELINES: NEW YORK (AP) – The city is broke.

data: Takes a singular verb and pronoun. For example, “The data is…”

day-long: An exception to AP style.

days of the week: Capitalize them. Abbreviate when placed before month and date.

department: Lowercase the department whenever it stands alone. Do not abbreviate.

door to door: hyphenate before a noun (door-to-door salesman)

drunk, drunken: Drunk is used after a form of the verb to be: He was drunk. Drunken is used as an adjective before nouns: a drunken driver.

due to: Avoid substituting this phrase for because of, which is usually more accurate.

editor in chief, editors in chief: An exception to AP style, Daily style uses no hyphens: There are two editors in chief at The Daily

Editor in Chief, co-Editors in Chief: Capitalize when used as an official title: co-Editors in Chief Kate Weiland and Shannon Stocking

either: Use it to mean one or the other, not both. Right: She said to use either door. Wrong: There were lions on either side of the door. Often unnecessary. Or will often suffice.

either ... or, neither ... nor: The nouns that follow these words do not constitute a compound subject; they are alternate subjects and require a verb that agrees with the nearer subject: Neither they nor he is going. Neither he nor they are going.

ellipsis: Avoid using these to abridge quotations because it may give the impression that the reporter is manipulating the quote. There should be a space before and after an ellipsis. Three dots next to each other do not constitute an ellipsis; they must be formatted. In Microsoft Word and Adobe Indesign, make one by holding down option and pressing the semi-colon key.

em-dash (—): Use em-dashes to connote an abrupt change in a sentence, to insert a tical series or in datelines. In all cases, insert a space on either side of the em-dash. These have a tendency to be overused in Daily stories, and should be used sparingly. To make an em-dash on a Macintosh, type shift+option+dash.

ensure, insure, assure: 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.

entitled: Use it to mean to have a right to something. Don’t use it as a substitute for titled.

ex-: Hyphenate when using ex- in the sense of former (ex-president, ex-convict). However, the word former is preferred.

farther, further: Farther refers to physical distance. Further refers to an extension of time or degree.

female, woman: Use female as an adjective rather than woman or women.

fight song

firsthand: Not first-hand or first hand.

Flyer, flier: Flyer with a Y means a pamphlet is a handbill, flier with an I is a person who flies.

following: : The word usually is a noun, verb or adjective: He has a large following. He is following his conscience. The following statement was made. The preferred preposition is after: He spoke after dinner. Not: He spoke following dinner.

forego, forgo: To forego means to go before, as in foregone conclusion. To forgo means to abstain from.

former: Always lowercase: former MSA President Jesse Levine.

foreign words: Do not put foreign words or phrases in italics. If such a word or phrase is needed in a story, place it in quotation marks and provide an explanation.

former, latter: Avoid this construction because it makes readers backtrack.

forward: Not forwards.

freelance, freelancer

french fries

French toast

Frisbee

front page (n.), front-page (adj.)

fundraiser, fundraising, fundraise: One word in all cases.

gage, gauge: A gage is a security or pledge. A gauge is a measuring device.

glamour: But glamorous.

gonna, gotta: Do not use in quotations in place of going to or got to unless the purpose is to reveal a dialect or interesting way of talking.

goodbye: Not good-bye or good bye. Don’t capitalize.

graduate (v.): Used correctly in the active voice: She graduated from the University. Don’t drop the from, and don’t use the passive voice (He was graduated from the University).

gray: Not grey (except in greyhound).

great-: Hyphenate great-grandfather, etc.

groundbreaking: Not ground-breaking.

gun: Acceptable term for any firearm.

halftime

health care: Two words. Not healthcare.

high school: Do not hyphenate as an adjective unless it is part of a larger compound modifier: the high-school-age contestants.

historic, historical: A historic event is an important occurrence, one that stands out in history. Any occurrence in the past is a historical event. Never an historical or an historic.

homecoming: Do not capitalize.

houses, homes: Houses are homes, but homes aren’t necessarily houses. An apartment can be a home.

hyphens (-): The hyphen is used to eliminate ambiguity or to form a single idea from two or more words. Some guidelines:

• Use whenever ambiguity would result without the hyphen: The president will speak to small-business men (men from small businesses, not short men). He recovered his health. He re-covered the roof.
• Use to link words in a compound modifier that express a single idea preceding a noun. All the words should be linked except the adverb very and any adverbs ending in -ly: a first-quarter touchdown, a well-known man, a know-it-all attitude, a very good time, an easily remembered rule.
• If a modifier hyphenated before a noun occurs after a form of to be, the hyphen should usually be retained to avoid confusion: The man is well-known. The play is second-rate.
• Do NOT use a hyphen to designate dual heritage: Italian American, Mexican American.
• Use them to avoid duplicated vowels, tripled consonants: anti-intellectual, pre-empt, shell-like.
• Use them to separate figures in odds, ratios, scores, some fractions and some vote tabulations. With large numbers, use a hyphen to connect a word ending in -y to another word: twenty-one.
• Use in suspensive hyphenation: He received a 10- to 20-year sentence.

imply, infer: Writers or speakers imply; readers or listeners infer.

include: Use include to introduce a series when the items that follow are only part of the total. (The zoo includes lions and bears.) Use comprise when the full list of individual elements is given. (The zoo comprises 100 types of animals.)

it’s, its: Its is possessive. It’s means it is or it has. Use it when referring to ships and nations.

kinda: Do not use for kind of unless the purpose is to reveal a dialect or interesting manner of talking that contributes to the tone of the story.

Kudos: Singular.

ladies’ man

language arts: Do not hyphenate as an adjective.

languages: Capitalize the proper names of languages and dialects.

laptop: Not lap-top, lap top.

last, past: Last implies finality.

lay, lie: The action word is lay. It takes a direct object. Laid is the form for its past tense and its past participle. Its present participle is laying. Lie indicates a state of reclining along a horizontal plane. It does not take a direct object. Its past tense is lay. Its past participle is lain. Its present participle is lying. When lie means to make an untrue statement, the verb forms are lie, lied, lies, lying Right: I will lay the book on the table. He lies on the beach all day. Wrong: He lays on the beach.

lectern, podium, pulpit, rostrum: A speaker stands behind a lectern, on a podium or rostrum, or in a pulpit.

lend, loan: Loan is a noun. Lend is a verb.

letters of the alphabet: Capitalize when used as words: He said, “I’d like to buy an A, Pat.” Do not put in quotation marks. Use an apostrophe for plural uses: She received three A’s.

lifetime: Not life time.

like, as: Use like as a preposition to compare nouns and pronouns.: Jim blocks like a pro. The conjunction as is the correct word to introduce clauses: Jim blocks the linebacker as he should.

like, such as: Use like for comparisons. They tested skills like reading. Use such as when introducing lists. Amer’s offers frozen yogurt toppings such as strawberries, blueberries and chocolate chips. Similarly, like is used when comparing or introducing one thing while such as is used when comparing or introducing multiple things.

likeable

mankind: Avoid, use humanity. An exception to AP style.

media: The word is plural.

medieval

mic, miked: Mic is the abbreviation for a microphone, miked is the verb.

myriad: Overused. Avoid except in quotations. Note word is an adjective and is not followed by of: The myriad books in the library.

national anthem

not only, but also: Overused construction. Reword.

obscenities: Because we’re a college newspaper, obscenities are acceptable with a reason. Often that reason is just color. In the news section, there are some words we should avoid unless we have a really, really good reason for using them (for example, the University president thinks the microphone is off and utters one). If possible, use a direct quote. Those include: cunt, motherfucker and goddamn. In the arts section, these words are generally acceptable. Beware that profanity offends people at different levels.

office: Capitalize office when it is part of a formal name. Lowercase all other uses.

off of: The of is unnecessary. He fell off the bed. Not: He fell off of the bed.

OK, OK’d, OK’ing, OKs: Do not use okay.

Ooh and aah: As a verb, hyphenate but don’t use quotation marks (ooh-ing and aah-ing, not “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing”

over: It generally refers to spatial relationships. Avoid using it with numerals in news articles.

passerby, passersby

persons: Should only be used in a direct quote.

picket, pickets, picketed: Do not use picketer

plead, pleaded, pleading: Do not use pled

plethora: Overused. Avoid using.

pour, pore: The verb pore means to gaze intently. The verb pour means to flow in a continuous stream.

prior to: Before is preferred.

protester

pupil, student: Technically, those in kindergarten through AAU grade are pupils, all others are students. But in The Daily, student is always used for pupil.

Q&A

rebut, refute: Rebut means to argue to the contrary. Refute connotes success in argument and almost always implies an editorial judgment. Instead, use deny, dispute rebut or respond to.

regardless: not irregardless

refers: Avoid superfluous phrases like see or see story. Capitalize Page when used with a numeral: Page 4. Always use single quotation marks, an exception to AP style.

résumé

ridesharing company: One word. Not ride-sharing or rideshare

rock ‘n’ roll

rooms: Capitalize the names of specifically designated rooms: Blue Room, Lincoln Room, Oval Office.

’s: Use for all possessive singular words, including those ending in S.

said: Never use that after said. Furthermore, a sentence should always end with ____ said as opposed to said _____ (exceptions in Arts or Opinion content). However, if quoting someone who has not yet been introduced in the article, always say said ____ . “My class really isn’t all that bad,” said chemistry professor Joe Smith.

scissors: Takes plural verbs and pronouns: The scissors are on the table.

semiannual: Twice a year, a synonym for biannual. No hyphen (i.e., not semi-annual or bi-annual).

semi-colon (;): Do not overuse these in news writing. Often, a period will suffice. Semi-colons may only be used between two complete sentences or in a series that has commas in an item of the series: The boy took along to the beach a pail; his bathing suit, which has red strips; the latest Crosby, Stills and Nash album; and a towel.

serial comma, Oxford comma: Do not put a comma before the and or the or in a series: Mark, Jason and Cindy are the main characters. In a series separated by semicolons, however, leave the final semicolon.

shall, will: Use shall to express determination: We shall overcome. Use will unless determination is stressed.

since: since is acceptable in a causal sense when the first event in a sequence led logically to the second but was not the direct cause: They went to the game, since they had been given the tickets. (Also see because).

“slaving away” / “slaving over”: Absolutely unacceptable pretty much always.

so call, so-called: Use sparingly.

species: Same in singular and plural.

specificity: Whenever possible and when it makes sense, use a specific term rather than an abstract one. The world of strong writing is populated by terms like RC Cola rather than the soda, the five-megapixel Kodak rather than the digital camera, in a booth in Pizza House rather than in a pizza parlor. Details, details, details make the story come alive.

spell check: Do it. Often.

spelling: Follow this hierarchy to determine spelling:

1. Daily stylebook
2. AP stylebook
3. Merriam-Webster

SportsMonday

staff member: Use staff member in news stories. Staffer is acceptable in opinion and feature pieces.

stationary, stationery: To stand still is to be stationary. Writing paper is stationery.

student-athlete

team: Use singular verb and pronoun “it” when referring to the team as a collective unit.

teen, teenager (n.), teenage (adj.): Do not use teenaged.

that, which: Omit when following the word “said” The president said he signed the bill. Use that and which in referring to inanimate objects and to animals without a name. Use that for essential clauses, important to the meaning of the sentence: I remember the day that we met. Use which for nonessential clauses, where the pronoun is less necessary: The team, which finished last a year ago, is in first place. A which clause is surrounded by commas; no commas are used with that commas.

theater: Theater (er) is the place or building, and theatre (re) is the art form

tip off (v.) tipoff (n. and adj.)

titled: Do not use entitled when you mean titled: The book was titled “Jurassic Park.”

toward: Do not use towards.

traveled

T-shirt

under way

verbs: In general, avoid awkward constructions that split infinitive forms of a verb (to leave, to help) or compound forms (had left, are found out. Occasionally, however, a split is not awkward and is necessary to convey the meaning: He wanted to really help his mother. How has your health been? The budget was tentatively approved.

vernacular: The native language of a country or place. A vernacular term that has achieved widespread recognition may be used without explanation if appropriate in the context. Terms not widely known should be explained when used. This rule is especially important in a college environment, which often uses the language of youth. Be sure that the definitions of the words are obvious to everyone in the readership, which includes professors, administrators, staff and community members as well as students.

wanna: Do not use in quotations in place of want to unless the purpose is to reveal a dialect or interesting way of talking that contributes to the tone of the story.

who, whom: Use who and whom for references to human beings and to animals with a name. Use that and which for inanimate objects and animals without a name. Who is the word when someone is the subject of a sentence, clause or phrase: The woman who rented the room left the window open. Whom is the word when someone is the object of a verb or preposition: The woman to whom the room was rented left the window open. Whom do you wish to see? In some cases, using whom is optional.

widow, widower: In obituaries a man is survived by his wife. A woman is survived by her husband. Avoid the redundant widow (widower) of the late.

wildlife: Not wild life or wild-life.

word-of-mouth

work force: Two words. Not workforce.

workplace: One word. Not work place.

worldwide: One word, no hyphen. Not world-wide, world wide.

yellow journalism: The use of cheaply sensational methods to attract or influence readers. The term comes from the “Yellow Kid,” a comic strip, in the New York World in 1895.

Identification

Academic departments: Always capitalize “Department” when writing out the name of an academic department: English Department, History Department. On subsequent references to a specific department, the department is acceptable.

ages: Only use ages when they are relevant to the article. When referring to speakers without a formal title relevant to the story, usually those not affiliated with the University, provide an age. Set it off in commas after the name. (Construction worker James Truman, 45, said he did not care that Gerald Ford had just been sworn in to the presidency). Always use numerals. When the context does not require years or years old, years is implied and does not need to be stated. Ages expressed as adjectives use hyphens (A 5-year-old boy, but the boy is 5 years old). There is no apostrophe when writing what decade a person is in (The woman is in her 40s). With ages, always use numerals, even if the subject’s age would usually be written as a word (The 4-year-old, never the four-year-old).

animals: Use it unless the animal has a name or its gender has been established. Use he or she with a name. The dog was scared: it barked. Rover was scared: he barked. For breed names, follow the spelling and capitalization in Webster's New World College Dictionary. For breeds not listed in the dictionary, capitalize words derived from proper nouns; use lowercase elsewhere: basset hound, Boston terrier.

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science: A bachelor’s degree or bachelor’s is acceptable in any reference. Use an apostrophe in bachelor’s degree, but there is no possessive in Bachelor of Science. Use abbreviations such as B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. only when the need to identify many individuals by degree on first reference would make the preferred form cumbersome. Use these abbreviations only after a full name — never just a last name.

CEO: Acceptable in all references for chief executive officer. Use chief financial officer and chief operating officer on first reference, and CFO and COO thereafter. Always spell out lesser-known "C-level" positions like chief administrative officer or chief risk officer.

chairman, chairwoman: Capitalize as a formal title before a name. Do not capitalize as a casual, temporary position. Do not use chairperson or chair unless it is an organization’s formal title for an office.

children: Use children unless kids is appropriate, like in a feature. Child is best for describing preteen ages. In general, call children 15 or younger by their first name on second reference. Use the last name, however, if the seriousness of the story calls for it, as in a murder case, for example. For ages 16 and 17, use judgment, but generally go with the surname unless it's a light story. Use the surname for those 18 and older.

colleges, universities: Use full names of colleges and universities on first reference: Michigan State University, Northwestern University, Ohio State University. Use initials in subsequent references only if the abbreviation is familiar to most readers: MSU, NU, OSU. EXCEPTION: For the University of Michigan, use the University on all references and the ‘U’ in headlines with space constraints. EXCEPTION: In the sports section, it is acceptable to not include the full college’s title: Michigan beat Indiana. This is also applicable to sports-related content when it appears in other sections like opinion, arts and news. With satellite campuses, connect with: University of Michigan at Flint. May also use the University’s Flint campus, the University’s Dearborn campus. Do not put a school’s name in ses within its name: DePauw (Ind.) University should be DePauw University, in Greencastle, Ind.

Courtesy titles: Don’t use them. Abbreviate these names when used before a full name outside of direct quotations: Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Mr., Mrs., Rep., the Rev. and Sen. In direct quotations, write out everything except Dr., Mr., Mrs. and Ms. (See party affiliation)

elderly: Use this term carefully and sparingly. Do not refer to a person as elderly unless it is relevant to the story.

girl: Applicable until 18th birthday is reached. Use woman for individuals older than 18.

his, her: Avoid assigning gender in everyman constructions: The students did not know who their teacher was not Each student was unaware of who his teacher was. Avoid having to pick a gender. Instead, create a plural form: The children are tested before their first day of school. Note: Make sure the subject and noun agrees. In the previous example, day is the right noun (not days) because all the children are sharing the same day. If another noun like apple was used, the sentence would be The children ate their apples because they each have their own.

hometowns: Do not separate hometowns by commas in stories on first reference: Ryne Sandberg of Ypsilanti. That’s an exception to AP style.

Ivy League: Schools include Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale University

job titles: Capitalize official job titles, but only before a name. Do not capitalize job descriptions. If it is unclear whether it’s an official title or description, put it after the name.

Jr., Sr.: Do not separate after a name with commas. The notation II or 2nd may be used if it is the individual’s preference.

kids: Use children or youth unless the context makes kids appropriate, as in columns or the rare feature story.

middle initials: Use them according to people’s preferences, which should be rarely. In general, only otherwise include a middle initial if the person is commonly identified with one and omitting it would cause confusion: John F. Kennedy, Michael J. Fox. Bylines may include middle initials at the choice of the writer: Zachary M. Raimi.

minority/minorities: Generally acceptable as racial minority/minorities in most contexts. Avoid referring to individuals as ‘a minority,’ unless stated in a quote.

mom: Capitalize only when the noun substitutes for a name.

names: Use only last names on second reference. When it is necessary to distinguish between two people who use the same last name, use the first and last name. In feature stories, first names may sometimes be used on subsequent references. Do not use courtesy titles such as Mr., Mrs. or Dr. with last names on subsequent references.

nicknames: When a nickname is inserted into the identification of an individual, use quotation marks: Sen. Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson

organizational titles: Capitalize official names of organizations. Use abbreviations, acronyms or initials on subsequent references only if the letters are common and will easily be recognized by the reader and not confused with another organization. The listing of an acceptable term for second reference does not mean that it always must be used after the first reference. Often a generic word such as the agency, the group or the organization is more appropriate and less jarring to the reader. At other times, the full name may need to be repeated for clarity.

Ph.D., Ph.D.s: The preferred form is to say a person holds a doctorate and name the individual’s area of specialty.

pilot: Not a formal title. Do not capitalize before a name

secretary: Capitalize before a name only if it is an official title. Do not abbreviate.

titles: If three or fewer words, put before the name. If more than three words, put after the name and set it off with commas. Capitalize if it’s a formal title before the name (University Provost Laurie McCauley). If it’s not a formal title, lowercase before and after the name (Timothy Slottow, the University’s chief financial officer; astronaut John Glenn). Formal titles are specific and denote a scope of authority (MSA President Chris Armstrong, but serial killer Ted Kaczynski and movie star Lucy Liu. Lowercase and spell out titles when not used with names (University leaders met with the provost of Michigan State University in an attempt to hammer out a last-minute deal that would result in the University of Michigan acquiring MSU for a player to be named later and cash considerations). If a student has a title other than his or her school and class standing that is especially pertinent to a particular article, write that title first (Ex: In an article about a CSG meeting, CSG President Anushka Sarkar, an LSA senior).

women: Women should receive the same treatment as men in all areas of coverage. Physical descriptions, sexist references, demeaning stereotypes and condescending phrases should not be used. Use the same standards for men and women in deciding whether to include specific mention of personal appearance or marital and family situation.

Quotes

introducing interviewee: On first mention of something from an interview, say “in an interview with The Michigan Daily” (or The Daily if it is already mentioned), but do not say it every time this person is quoted. Repeat the phrase “in an interview with The Daily” when introducing a different interviewee. In an interview with The Michigan Daily, University President Santa Ono spoke about __. … He later said that __. … University Provost Laurie McCauley mentioned __ in an interview with The Daily. … McCauley and Ono both said __.

paraphrasing within quotations: Always use parentheses, not brackets: “(University President Mary Sue) Coleman is a noble woman,” Krenz said.

partial quotations: Avoid. They can make a story choppy and open the reporter up to taking quotations out of context. Paraphrase instead.

persons: Should only be used in a direct quote.

press release: When quoting from a press release use said: Athletic Director David Brandon said in a press release…

quotations: Never alter quotations, even to correct minor grammatical errors or words usage. To do so, even in the slightest manner, is to violate journalism’s sacred code of scrubbing away lies and replacing them with a layer of truth. It should never happen in The Michigan Daily. Casual minor tongue slips may be removed by using ellipses but even that should be done with extreme caution. If a quotation is questionable, ask the speaker to clarify or don’t use it. Do not routinely use abnormal spelling such as gonna in attempts to convey regional dialects or mispronunciations. In a feature, such spellings may be appropriate for a desired effect. Break up quotations mid-sentence at the end of stories to avoid ending on said. If a person is unavailable for comment, detail attempts to reach that person.

quotation within a quotation: Use single quotation marks: “The lawyer turned to the jury and said, ‘How could you possibly convict this innocent man?’ ” Krenz said. There is a space between single and double quotation marks.

quotes in headlines: Any use of quotation marks in headlines should be single quotation marks

said: When attributing a quote, use said most of the time. Explained, claimed, added, shouted and screamed etc. are acceptable in certain contexts, but should be used carefully and only for a specific effect. Always “he said,” “she said,” “Coleman said”; not “said Coleman.”

References

album titles: These go in italics: Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run.

article titles: These go in quotation marks: “Elevation Burger is Closing”

board game titles: Capitalize but do not put in quotes: Candy Land

book titles: These go in quotation marks: “Easy Pieces for the Left Hand”

lectures: Capitalize titles and put in quotation marks: Hillel Director Michael Brooks will present “How to Change your Culture, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Citizen Police” at 8 p.m. in East Quad Residence Hall.

magazine names: Capitalize but do not put in quotes. Lowercase magazine unless it is part of the publication's formal title. Harper's Magazine, Newsweek magazine, Time magazine.

movie titles: These go in quotation marks: “Big Fish”

orchestral pieces: These go in italics: Dedllman’s Fifth Symphony.

play titles: These go in quotation marks: “Guys and Dolls”

podcast episodes: These go in quotes: “Recognizing Colonization Through Art”

podcast series: These go in italics: The Daily Weekly

scene numbers: Capitalize scene when used with a figure: Scene 2; Act 2. But the second scene

scientific journals: Capitalize but do not put in quotes.

song titles: These go in quotation marks: “Born to Run”

speeches: Capitalize and use quotation marks for formal titles.

TV shows: These go in quotation marks: “Desperate Housewives”

video game titles: Capitalize but do not put in quotes: Legends of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

MiC Style Principles

(credit to 2022 MiC MEs Jessica Kwon and Eliya Imtiaz)

different languages: might be italicized or not italicized depending on the preference of the columnist. If some instances of words in languages other than English are italicized and others aren’t in the same article, that’s a continuity error, but as long as it’s consistent, it’s up to the writer.

“phobia” language: MiC is trying to stay away from language like “Islamophobia,” “fatphobia,” etc. This isn’t a hard rule, but don’t suggest these words.

“Queer” and “Color”: these are both capitalized because they are labels originally designated to people by oppressors and are now identities. For example, “people of Color,” “students of Color,” “Queer people of Color,” “he’s Queer,” etc.