The New Era University Office of Student Communications and Publications (NEUOSCaP) created the New Era University

Editorial Style Guide (NEU-ESG) adopted from

the writing conventions contained in The Associated Press Stylebook, which is the
standard for most university publishing. The NEU-ESG serves as a quick reference tool
for members of the NEU academic community for its consistent and appropriate usage
for print and electronic materials written for and about the New Era University.
On formatting conventions for the titles of books, publications, articles, course listings,
films, music, or works of art, the NEU-OSCaP follows the convention of The Chicago
Manual of Style, the guide most commonly used in academia for the citation of
references. Departures from either guide are noted in the text.
The guide also includes items specific to NEU and outlines accepted practice for NEU
content providers.
In applying any style guide, it is most important to maintain a consistent editorial
approach within a specific piece.
For spelling, style, usage, and foreign geographic names not mentioned in The Associated
Press Stylebook, the staff of the OSCAP encourages the use of Webster's New World
College Dictionary, Fourth Edition.
The NEU-ESG will be reviewed yearly to include new or edited items specific to Endicott
and to incorporate any changes in other referenced style guides. When that occurs, we
will implement changes in College materials as practical.
2
ENDI

COTT \
EDITORIAL S

TYLE GUIDE
1

1-9 AND 10-UP

1. Spell out numbers at the beginning of the sentence.
Example:

Two NEU students won the championship in the last held National
Quiz Bee in Sofitel, Manila.

2. Use the numeric form for numbers 1-9 except when the number is used at the
beginning of the sentence.
Examples:

Two NEU students won the championship in the last held National
Quiz Bee in Sofitel, Manila.
but
The NEU Board of Trustees personally congratulated the 2 NEU
students who won the championship in the last held National Quiz
Bee in Sofitel, Manila.

A, AN, AND AND

1. Use the article a before consonant sounds and an before vowel sounds:
Examples:

a director
an honest man (the h is silent)

2. Use the ampersand (&) only for specific titles or business names (e.g., Abercrombie
& Fitch). The ampersand may be used sparingly as a graphic element or as a means of
shortening Web menu headings.
ABBREVIATIONS, ACRONYMS, AND INITIALISMS
An abbreviation is any shortened form of a word.
Examples:

etc. for etcetera

Jan. for January

An acronym is a special kind of abbreviation that is made from the first letter (or letters)
of a string of words but are pronounced as if they were words themselves.
Examples:

OSCaP (Office of Student Communications and Publications)

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations)

Initialisms are also made from the first letter or letters of a string of words, but they
cannot be pronounced as words themselves. Examples include NEU (New Era
University), CAS (College of Arts and Sciences), FYI (for your information), and GPA
(grade point average). Initialisms are generally pronounced by verbalizing each letter, for
example, N, E, U.
2

Avoid alphabet soup unnecessary use of acronyms or abbreviations whenever

possible.
1. Spell out the first reference followed by the acronym or abbreviation in parentheses;
the acronym or abbreviation may be used for subsequent references:
Example:

New Era University (NEU) is a non-sectarian university established

by the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) with the aim of providing affordable
and quality education. The NEU stands out for its education
philosophy Godliness is the foundation of knowledge
contemporaries.

among its

2. Acronyms and initialisms may be used for the first reference if they are widely
recognized.
Examples:

FBI, BIR, CHED

3. Abbreviations use all caps, but no periods except for academic degrees with small
letters. (See under Academic Degrees.)
Examples:

UN, USA, YMCA, CIA

Ed.D., M.Ed., Ph.D., but RN, MBA, DBA, BFA3

Acronyms for NEU

Department
College of Accountancy
College of Arts and Sciences
College of Business Administration
College of Communication
College of Computer Studies
College of Criminology
College of Education
College of Engineering and Architecture
College of Law
College of Medical Technology
College of Medicine
College of Midwifery
College of Music
College of Nursing
College of Physical Therapy
College of Respiratory Therapy
Integrated School
Technical Education and Skills Development Center

Acronym
COA
CAS
CBA
COC
CCS
CCR
CED
CEA
COL
CMT
CMD
CMW
COM
CON
CRT
CRT
IS
TESDC

ACADEMIC DEGREES
The preferred form is to spell out degrees and avoid abbreviations.
Formal Use
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Fine ArtsMaster of Arts
Master of Business Administration
Master of Education
Doctor of Education
Doctor of Philosophy
General Use
bachelors degree
masters degree
doctoral degree
General Use:
bachelors
masters
doctorate
Abbreviated Use: BA, BS,BFA, MA, MBA M.Ed. Ed.D. Ph.D.
Note: The word degree should not follow an abbreviation:
Examples:
She has a B.A. in history.
She has a bachelors degree in English literature.
Baccalaureate Programs Offered at New Era University

Post-Baccalaureate Programs Offered at New Era University

ACADEMIC YEAR
The NEU uses AY not SY to signify academic year:
Example:

AY 2016-2017

ADVISER
New Era University communicators use the term adviser and not advisor.
ALUMNI

Internal Publication
Preferred styles for persons who earned undergraduate degrees at New Era University
follow the following format:
John D. Cruz, Batch 56 or
John D. Cruz, Class of 1956)
Preferred style for persons who earned masters degrees at New Era University:
Juana P. Change, MBA, Batch 56
Juana P. Change, MBA, Class of 1956
Preferred style for persons who earned baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate degrees at
New Era University:
Dorothy Rica G. De Asis, BS Biology 09, M.Sc., Batch 11
Engr. Billy Joe S. Mallari, BS Civil Engineering 09, MS Eng., Class of 2011
External Publication
When writing about alumni for external publications:
Examples:
Juan P. Cruz, a 1956 NEU alumnus, or
Juan P. Cruz, a 1956 NEU graduate
See Latin Suffixes for information on gender-specific, singular, and plural forms of
reference for alumni.

BUILDINGS IN THE NEW ERA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

Comm. Building
NEU HS Bldg. A
NEU HS Bldg. B
NEU Ladies Dorm
NEU Main Bldg.
NEU Mens Dorm
Professional Schools Building or PSB
BULLETED LISTS (See under ENUMERATION)7
CAPITALIZATION
People
Capitalize a job title when it immediately precedes a persons name.

The title is not capitalized when it is an incomplete designation, follows a name, or is on

second reference:
NEU President Dr. Nilo L. Rosas
Dr. Nilo L. Rosas, president of New Era University
the president
Professor of Philosophy Christopher Figueroa
Christopher Figueroa, professor of philosophy
the professor
Dean of College of Business Administration Dr. Emilia M. Mananghaya
Dr. Emilia M. Mananghaya, dean of business administration
the dean
Adviser of Student Publications Prof. Remedios Fuentes
Prof. Remedios Fuentes, student publications adviser
the adviser
For ministers:
Professor of History Bro. Ciriaco S. Taguines Jr.
Bro. Ciriaco S. Taguines, Jr., professor of history
the professor
Minister of the Gospel Bro. Romeo S. Viernes
Bro. Romeo S. Viernes, gospel minister
the minister
Director for OSCaP Bro. Rogelio C. Dumangas
Bro. Rogelio C. Dumangas, student communications and publications director
the director
Departments, Offices, the Board of Trustees
Capitalize the formal names of departments and offices, as names and incomplete
designations:
Department of Environmental Studies
the environmental studies department
the department
the Office of Admission
the admission office
the office
The New Era University Board of Trustees is the legal governing board of the
corporation, New Era University, a not for profit organization. References to the board,
both formal and informal, are listed below:
6

The New Era University Board of Trustees

The NEU Board of Trustees
The NEU-BOT
the Board of Trustees
the trustees
the board
Areas of Study
Do not capitalize major areas of study, unless referring to a language:
Example:

Although they were not required for her major, she chose courses in
mathematics and Chinese. IAL STYLE GUIDE

Buildings, Places, Centers

1. Capitalize the word University whenever referring to New Era University, even
when the word New Era does not precede it.
2. Capitalize the formal names of buildings, places, and centers. Use the formal name on
first reference and, in most cases, use lowercase on second reference:
Example:

Eduardo V. Manalo Convention Center

(generally for formal, memorial, or ceremonial purposes)
EVM Convention Center
the convention center

3. For general communication within the NEU community, the first name of the person
for whom a building or center is named.
4. For locations on campus:
OSCaP follows specific to general approach when stating location inside the campus.
Example:

Rm. 207, Office of Student Communications and Publications, NEU Main

Bldg.

For large rooms or auditoriums, put the room first followed by the building name:
Example:

NEU Gym at the Main Building

AVR at HS Building B

Classes
1. Capitalize the word Class such as in the Class of 2016.

Events
The formal names of special events are capitalized:
Baccalaureate
Commencement
Homecoming
Family Weekend Reunion 2016
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
Local
Use commas to separate the name of city when it follows a municipality:
Example:

The NEU bus arrived for the Outreach in Bagong Silang, Cavite, at 8am.

Spell out names of cities:

Example:

The NEU President Dr. Nilo L. Rosas arrived in NEU Lipa, Batangas City
with the other school administrators.
The NEU Main Office is located in Central Avenue, Brgy. New Era,
Quezon City.

International
Spell out the names of the 50 U.S. states when they stand alone, but use the state
abbreviations listed in the appendix when a state is listed with a city, town, village, etc.
A note about use of United States: Use U.S. only as an adjective, otherwise spell it out.
She studied U.S. agriculture. She studied the agriculture of the United States.
State Abbreviations
Avoid the use of zip code abbreviations in written text, unless the text conveys an actual
address. In the following chart, the first name listed should be used with a city, town,
village, etc.; the second (in parentheses) is the zip code abbreviation to use when
referencing a full postal address in text.
DATES AND TIMES
Use figures for days of the month. Omit the ordinal designations of nd, rd, st, th.
Use figures for years without commas: 2015 not 2,015.
Place a comma between the month and the year when the specific date is mentioned:
Example:

Starting on June 1, 2016, the NEU Editorial Style Guide will be in effect
8

in NEU Hudyat.
Do not place a comma between the month and the year when the specific date is not
mentioned:
Example:

In June 2016, the NEU Editorial Style Guide will be in effect in NEU
Hudyat.

When a month is used with a specific date, the month may be abbreviated according to
the AP Stylebook:
Examples:

Jan., Feb., Aug. Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec.

All other months are spelled out:

Examples:

March, April, May, June, July

Spell out the month when using it alone or with a year alone:
Examples:

Dec. 29, 2016

December
December 2016

Dates following a day of the week should be set apart by commas:

Example:

He scheduled the meeting for Monday, November 6, to accommodate the

search committee.

When abbreviating years to two digits, put an apostrophe in front of the years:
Example:

the Class of 42
the summer of 96 NDICOTT EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE

To use to a period of time within the same century as an adjective, include the full first
year, a hyphen, and the last two digits of the last year if the phrase academic year
follows:
Example:

the 2015-16 academic year

To refer to a period of time that spans centuries as an adjective, include full years joined
by a hyphen even when followed by the phrase academic year:
Example:

the 1999-2000 academic year

Use to instead of a hyphen when the year or time is a noun:

Example:

from 1989 to 2005

Times generally come before days and dates:

Example:

The performance of Dulaang Asilaw will take place at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct.
12.

When emphasizing the exact time, or when using a.m. or p.m., use figures (omitting 00
for on the hour):
Example:

7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.

12 a.m. should be referred to as midnight; 12 p.m. should be referred to as noon.

Hyphens may be used with dates, and they should always be used with dates when both
days of the week and dates are included.
Example:

The workshop is set for Monday through Thursday, July 18-21.

Exception:
The Office of Student Communications and Publications recognizes that some
publications, such as posters and invitations, require a more elegant or visually pleasing
presentation. In these cases, exceptions may be allowed.
Centuries and Decades
Noun:

the 18th century

Adjective:

18th-century literature
the 1960s60s fashion

DISABILITIES
Use differently-abled not disabled.
In general, do not describe an individual as disabled or handicapped. If it is relevant to
the material, try to be specific:
Example:
Parkinsons

Michael J. Fox has used his celebrity as an actor, author, and activist to
bring attention and support to researchers pursuing a cure for
disease.

Avoid use of terms that are negative; emphasize the person, not the disability.
Example:

Headphones are available for audience members who have a hearing

impairment.
He uses a wheelchair to navigate the campus.
Most buildings on campus are wheelchair accessible.
10

(not handicap accessible)

Use accessible parking, rather than disabled or handicapped parking.
ENUMERATIONS
To emphasize units in a series, OSCaP recognizes the importance of chunking a desktop
publishing term to declutter unappealing and difficult-to-read texts. Chunking involves
breaking down of information into easily digestible pieces. OSCaP follows the common
rule of placing a number, letter, or bullets before each unit of element in a series as it
attracts the receivers special attention and the information is much easier to locate when
the page is reviewed.
Bulleted items may be capped or lowercase, depending on preference. Be consistent
throughout the document. Generally, items that are complete sentences should be capped,
and those that are fragments should be lowercase.
Terminal punctuation for the bulleted items is optional for phrases, and it is preferred for
complete sentences again depending on the style of the document; consistency is the
key.
Guidelines in the Use of Bullet Lists
Original:
the
Revised:

To complete the process, please fill-out and sign the application form,
submit to the registrar, claim the fee stub, and present the stub to
cashiers office.
To complete the process:
1. Fill-out and sign the Application Form.
2. Submit the form to the Registrar.
3. Claim the fee stub from the Registrar.
4. Present the fee stub to the Cashier.

Revised:

(In paragraph form, natural flow) - To complete the process, students

should (1) fill-out and sign the Application Form, (2) submit the
form to
the Registrar, (3) claim the fee stub from the Registrar, and
(4) present the
fee stub to the Cashier.
Revised:

(In paragraph form, requires colon and follows proper capitalization)

To complete the process, students must complete 4 steps: (1) Fillout and
sign the Application Form. (2) Submit the form to the
Registrar. (3) Claim
the fee stub from the Registrar. (4) Present the fee stub to
the Cashier.
Note: Use a colon to introduce a list only when the text following the colon does not flow
naturally from it.

11

BRO. EDUARDO V. MANALO

Internal Publications
Use Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo (Bro. EVM) for the first mention of the name. Use Bro.
EVM for succeeding mentions.
Use the INC Executive Minister when referring to Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo within the
text.
Use INC Executive Minister Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo (Bro. EVM) as needed.
External Publications
Use:

the INC Executive Minister Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo

Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo, INC Executive Minister
the INC Executive Minister
the Executive Minister

FILE FORMATS
If a file format acronym is being used in a sentence, it should be set in all caps:
Example:

Please send a PDF or JPEG of your recent work.

If a file format acronym is being used to indicate the type of downloadable file in a link,
it should be set in lowercase with a . preceding it:
Example:

The image (.gif ) is available for download.

The campus map (.pdf) is ready for viewing.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Foreign language must be in italics:
Example:

Delicadeza is a Spanish term.

FUNDRAISING AND FUNDRAISER

Fundraising and fundraiser are always treated as one word.
INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE

12

Use nonsexist language and follow these recommendations:

Dont say he when referring to an unspecified person. Instead, recast the sentence into
the plural, or avoid the use of pronouns altogether.
(Incorrect) Each student is expected to turn in his paper by the deadline.
(Correct) Students are expected to turn in their papers by the deadline.
If it is impossible to solve the problem using these approaches, remember that he or she
is preferable to he/she.
Avoid gender-specific titles or terms, such as:
1. Occupational References
Instead of
businessman
career girl, career woman
cleaning lady
delivery boy
foreman
girl Friday
insurance man
landlady, landlord
mailman
newsman
policeman
repairman
saleslady, salesman
serviceman
steward, stewardess
waitress
workman
2. Role References
Instead of
alumni
chairman, chairwoman
committee man, committee
woman
corporate wife
faculty wife
freshman
front man
hostess

Use
business executive, entrepreneur
professional, manager, executive
cleaner
courier, messenger
supervisor
clerk, office assistant, receptionist
insurance agent
proprietor, building manager
mail carrier, letter carrier
journalist, reporter
police officer
repairer, technician
sales clerk, sale representative,
sales agent
service representative
flight attendant
waiter, server
worker
Use
graduates
chair, chairperson
committee member
corporate spouse
faculty spouse
first-year student
front, figurehead
host

13

housewife, househusband
middleman
man and wife
ombudsman
self-made man
spokesman

homemaker
go-between
husband and wife
troubleshooter
self-made person, entrepreneur
spokesperson, representative

3. Group References
Instead of
brotherhood
common man
countryman
fatherland
fellowship
forefathers
fraternal
Frenchmen
man, mankind
mother tongue
rise of man
thinking man
working man, working woman
4. Other Stereotypes
Instead of
king-size
kingmaker
lady
ladylike
like a man
maiden name
maiden voyage
man (verb)
man enough
manhood
manly
manpower
master (noun)
mastermind (verb)
masterpiece
masterplan
masterstroke

Use
kinship, community
common person, average person
compatriot
native land
camaraderie
ancestors, forebears
warm, intimate
the French
humankind, humanity, humans
native language
rise of civilization
thinking person, thinker,
intellectual
wage earner, taxpayer
Use

jumbo, gigantic
power behind the throne
woman
courteous, cultured
resolutely, bravely
birth name
first voyage
staff, run
strong enough
adulthood
strong, mature
human resources
owner, expert chief, superior
oversee, launch, originate
work of genius, chef d oeuvre
comprehensive plan, vision
trump card, stroke of genius
14

man made
man of letters
man of the world
man-hour
motherly
one-up-manship
statesman
workmanship

artificial, synthetic, machine-made,

dynamo
scholar, writer, literary, figure
sophisticate
staff hours, hours of work
loving, warm, nurturing
upstaging, competitiveness
diplomat, public servant, political leader
quality construction, expertise

5. Turns of Phrase
Instead of
Use
All men are created equal
Were all created equal
be his own boss
be ones own person
best man for the job
best person for the job
boys will be boys
kids will be kids
everybody and his brother
everybody and their cousins
every man for himself
everyone for themselves
a mans home is his castle
your home is your castle
John Q. Public
the average citizen
every schoolboy knows
every school child knows
gentlemans agreement
honourable/ informal agreement
no-mans-land
limbo, unclaimed territory
to a man
to a person, without exception
Source: Service-Growth Consultants Inc. (May, 2003)
Exception:
When the office holder is male, use the masculine noun. Apply gender-neutral term when
the office holder is female.
LATIN SUFFIXES
alumnus/alumni (male graduate singular/male graduates plural)The word alumni is also
plural for a group consisting of male and female graduates.
alumna/alumnae (female graduate singular/female graduates plural) emerita/emeritae
(retired faculty woman who keeps her rank or title singular/plural)
emeritus/emeriti (retired faculty man who keeps his rank or title singular/plural)
The word emeriti is also plural for a group consisting of male and female retirees.
NAMES
As a general rule, use only first name and last name unless the person is widely known
and identified in professional or industry circles with an initial or middle name.
15

Dr. Simonette A. Leoncio

Bro. Romeo S. Viernes
Always use the president of the Universitys first name, middle initial, and last name on
first reference. Formal names (not nicknames) are preferred, unless the tone of the
material is very informal.
President Nilo L. Rosas
Prof. Margele A. Andres, dean of CAS
TT EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE
NEW ERA UNIVERSITY
Use New Era University (NEU) at first mention in a text.
For succeeding mentions, use NEU.
Use the NEU if used as an adjective:
Examples:

the NEU Hunters

the NEU Male Chorale
the NEU Hudyat

NUMBERS
Spell out numbers one through nine, use figures when referring to quantities greater than
nine, and use words when referring to general numbers in narrative text:
Example:

There were six students in the pool.

There are 36 employees in the class.
Approximately 5,000 people attended Commencement.
A picture is worth a thousand words.

When a number is the first word of a sentence, spell it out.

In a series, apply the appropriate guideline:
Example:
the

There are 12 speaking parts in the one-act play, nine roles for singers, and
seven roles for dancers, making a total of 28 students needed for
production.

Exceptions may be made when referring to related statistics in the same sentence. While
it is proper to write The plant grew three feet, it is also correct to write The plant grew
3 feet in the first week and 12 feet in the second.
When writing numbers next to each other, use words for one and numerals for the other
to make reading easier:
Example:

The installation will include 36 twelve-inch panels depicting the history of

16

shipbuilding in Salem.
Express all percentages as figures. Do not use the % sign except in charts or graphs:
Example:

3 percent
130 percent

For very large sums of money use figures with a peso or dollar sign; spell out million or
billion:
Examples:

$1.8 million
between $1 and $2 billion

Place a comma after digits signifying thousands, except when reference is made to
temperature or year:
Examples:

1,160 students
2200 degrees Fahrenheit

Use the words more than and less than instead of over and under in conjunction
with numbers:
Example:

More than 350 guests attended the gala event.

When designating temperature: For whole numbers spell out degrees rather than using
the degree symbol (o) except when used in tables or in reference to scientific
measurements. Exception: zero degrees.
Use Fahrenheit or Celsius only when it would be confusing not to do so.
Examples:

It is 77 degrees along the coast.

Her fever was 101.5o.
The temperature of liquid in the beaker was 25oC.

16
ENDICOTT EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE
POSSESSIVES
For most possessives, simply add an apostrophe and an s The horses shoe is loose.
Follow the AP Stylebook rules for possessives ending in s: For plural nouns ending in
s, add only an apostrophe:
Example:

the horses shoes

For singular common nouns ending in s, add an apostrophe and an s unless the next
word begins with an s:

17

Examples:

the buss tire

the bus seat

For singular proper names ending in s, use only an apostrophe:

Examples:

Achilles heel
Dickens novels
Tennessee Williams plays

PUNCTUATION
Colons
Use a colon to introduce a formal question, quotation, amplification, example, or list
(also see section on Bullets).
In essence, a colon replaces that is, for example, such as, namely, or for instance and
therefore should not be used with any of these words.
A colon should not be placed between a verb or preposition and its direct object.
Example:

The research project explored three factors: family history, environmental

causes, and personal habits.
The three factors to be explored were family history, environmental
causes, and personal habits.

Leave a colon outside quotation marks unless it is part of a quotation. Follow the colon
with a single space.
Capitalize the first word after a colon if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete
sentence; lowercase the first word if it is part of a sentence.
Examples:

His reason for staying was simple: The snowstorm had shut down all
routes out of town.
Columbus had three ships: the Nia; the Pinta; and the Santa Maria.

Commas: Guidelines for Use

Complete sentences that are combined with a conjunction:
Example:

The special performance is free, but advance tickets are recommended.

An introductory phrase from the rest of a sentence:

Example:

First, do no harm.
18

A series of adjectives equal in importance:

Example:

New Era University is an independent, coeducational institution.

Direct quotes:
Example:

The Career Center has many resources for students seeking

employment, the director said.

Cities from names of states:

Example:

Erica Rhodes, of Acton, Mass., will give the keynote address.

Yes and no; and names or titles in a direct address:

Example:

No, Chief Femino, I will not text while driving.

A nonessential phrase (a phrase that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence) from
the rest of a sentence and days from dates:
Example:

The environmental symposium, coordinated by recent alumni, will take

place on Wednesday, Oct. 30, in Endicott Auditorium.

More on nonessential and essential phrases:

Example:

My husband, Bob, loves to golf. (presumably, there is only one

husband),
but
His brother James is a skier. (there could be more than one brother);
and

New Era University offers many intercollegiate sports, such as

basketball, badminton, and swimming. (phrase is nonessential
information), but
Sports such as soccer are played in the field. (phrase is essential
information).
The Serial (aka the Oxford or Harvard) Comma:
Departing from the AP Stylebook, the New Era University Editorial Style Guide
encourages the use of the serial comma a comma placed before the final item in a
series of three or more items (typically preceding an and, an or, or a nor).
Example:

In the last few years, we have increased the size of the faculty, added
resources to the internship and career offices, revised the core and
general
education requirements for all programs of study, and
created majors from
a number of concentrations. (Use a comma before the last
item in a series
to improve comprehension.) ORIAL STYLE

19

GUIDE
Most publications except newspapers favor using the serial comma in all instances, and
all publications call for a serial comma when leaving it out could cause confusion.
Comical examples are often used to illustrate the confusion caused by the lack of a serial
comma:
Example:

Ficticious book dedication: To my parents, Ayn Rand and God.

Is the fictitous author thanking mom and dad and Ayn Rand and God?
Are his parents Ayn Rand and God?
A serial comma clears up any confusion:
To my parents, Ayn Rand, and God.

Note: In sentences that contain a long list of words, phrases, or clauses, the serial comma
alone may not be powerful enough to create clear meaning. If what you are trying to
convey is becoming too convoluted, rewrite the passage.
Exceptions: A serial comma is not necessary when two items at the end of a series are
strongly linked and often viewed as one:
Examples:

For breakfast we had omelettes, hash browns, and toast and jelly.
Sandwiches included chicken salad, tuna, and ham and cheese.

Dashes
Use an em dash (the longer dash ) to relay a break in thought or to set off elements
within a sentence. Close the em dash up to surrounding text. Em dashes are created by
holding down the SHIFT+OPTION+MINUS SIGN keys on a Mac or the
ALT+CTRL+MINUS SIGN keys on a PC.
Example:

The motto of the forceTo Protect and Servewas emblazoned on the

squad car.

Use the shorter en dash () with number ranges and to indicate to or through. The PC
keyboard shortcut is CTRL + NUM LOCK + KEYPAD HYPHEN; the Apple shortcut is
OPTION + HYPHEN.
Example:

In 201617, the School of Nursing expanded its masters programs to

include a nurse practitioner track. The art exhibition will run

March 131.
Ellipses
Ellipses are generally used to indicate text omitted from a quote or passage. In a sentence,
add a space before and after a three-dot ellipsis:
Example:

He added photos of the party to his Facebook page ... and then he thought
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better of it.
If the words that precede an ellipsis make up a complete sentence, insert a period at the
end of the last word before the ellipsis and follow it with a space and an ellipsis:
Example:

The chairman of the board announced the result of their poll. ...

Hyphens
Do not hyphenate words beginning with non, except if there is a proper noun:
Examples:

non-American
nonscholarshipENDICOTT EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE

Do not place a hyphen between the prefixes pre, semi, anti, sub, etc., and nouns or
adjectives, except before proper nouns, but avoid duplicated vowels or consonants:
Examples:

reapply
semisweet
pre-enroll

Use hyphens to connect compound modifiers, being careful about meaning:

Example:

a red-hot plate or a red hot plate (depending on which is meant)

Do not use a hyphen on adverbs ending in -ly:

Examples:

an easily understood command

a badly broken leg

Hyphenate part-time and full-time only when used as adjectives:

Examples:

She has a full-time job at the New Era University.

She works at Endicott full time.

Use a hyphen, not a comma, to separate institutions from their city locations:
Example:

the New Era University-Lipa City

Periods
Use a single space after a period at the end of a sentence.
Quotation Marks
The period and comma always go inside the quotation marks:

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Example:

Im not sure what he meant by that, she said.

The question mark goes inside when part of the direct quote, outside when applying to
quoted material within an entire sentence.
Example:

Does that course fulfill a general education requirement? asked the

student.
What is meant by the term general education requirement?

The semicolon goes outside quoted material within a sentence:

Example:

Please refer to people on the VIP list as conference participants; all

others should be known as attendees.

In print publications, use smart quotation marks: like this. This function can be turned
on or off in MS Word under Tools>AutoCorrect>AutoFormat as you Type>Replace as
you type> Straight quotation marks with smart quotation marks.
Semicolons
Use the semicolon to set off a series that includes commas:
Example:

The Community Service Office coordinated Habitat for Humanity trips to

Lakeville, Fla.; Bayou Bay, La.; and Roxbury, Mass.

TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Use area codes with hyphens for all telephone numbers, or at least once with a listing.
This practice has become necessary because of the increasing use of cell phones:
Example:

632-981-4221

For international numbers (country code, city code, telephone number):

Example:

012-44-20-7535-1515

For 800 numbers: 800-222-7474

Exceptions: In certain promotional materials (posters, flyers) and invitations, where the
style and visual impact of the piece warrant a different graphic treatment from that of
traditional copy, periods may be used:
Example:

978.232.2222

THAT AND WHICH

That is used when the descriptive phrase or clause it introduces is essential (restrictive)
to the information being conveyed, and no comma is used.

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Example:

Glued to our screens, we listened to the news segment that was streaming
live from Buenos Aires.

Which is used when the descriptive phrase or clause it introduces is nonessential

(nonrestrictive) to the information being conveyed (nice to know but not needed), and a
comma is used.
Example:

The news segment, which was streaming live, showed footage of carnival
preparations in Buenos Aires.

THAT AND WHO

That is used when the descriptive phrase or clause it introduces refers to a place, thing,
or other entity.
Example:

Rizal is a course that is required of all NEU students.

Who is used when the descriptive phrase or clause it introduces refers to a person.
Example:
She is the professor who will lead the study abroad trip to Ireland.
NDICOTT EDITORIAL
TITLES
Courtesy Titles
In running text, do not use courtesy titles (Mr., Miss, Ms., Mrs.).
Incorrect:
Correct:

The guest speaker was Mr. Jonathan Epley.

The guest speaker was Jonathan Epley.

In a departure from the AP Stylebook, New Era University communications often use the
title Dr. when referring to people who have earned doctorates, not only when referring to
medical doctors.
Also in a departure from the AP Stylebook, New Era University retains the traditional use
of the comma after names followed by Jr. and Sr. For names followed by a Roman
numeral, no comma is used after the last name.
Examples:

Martin Luther King, Jr.,

James Hart III

Books, Publications, Articles, Course Listings, Films, Music, Works of Art

Departing from the AP Stylebook, the New Era University Style Guide follows, to a large
extent, the Chicago Manual of Style in formatting the titles of books, publications,
articles, course listings, films, music, or works of art.
Names and titles that are capitalized and set in italics include: books, journals,
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magazines, pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers, newspaper sections, epic poems, plays,

movies, television and radio programs, operas, oratorios, performances, long musical
compositions, album names, paintings, drawings, statues, cartoons or comic strips, soonto-be-published books (the word forthcoming should be set in parentheses following the
title), exhibition catalogs, and series of podcasts or webcasts.
Examples:

War and Peace

Time
People
A Long Days Journey Into Night
Pulp Fiction
This American Life
Guernica
Tosca
The New York Times

Capitalize the in a publications name, if that is how it appears in the masthead.

Names and titles that are capitalized and set in quotation marks include: journal
articles, book chapters (but not chapter numbers, for example, as discussed in chapter 2
of the book) essays, poems, theses, Ph.D. dissertations, book manuscript when
publication is not forthcoming, television series episodes, songs, photographs, lectures,
symposia, seminars, exhibitions, conferences, and course names when appearing in text.
Examples:

His article, The Coming Times, appeared in this months issue of

Nature.
He received a standing ovation after his lecture, Lets Get Moving.
All first year students are required to take INT 100 Internship I.

Names and titles that are capitalized and set in Roman type (plain text)* include:
broadcast networks (NET25, EBC), channels, most major speeches (I Have a Dream),
web pages (for example, see the Financial Aid page at neu.edu.ph)
* In certain cases, the use of quotation marks might be preferred in order to clarify or
distinguish a proper name from accompanying descriptive text. Context and ease of
reading should be considered.
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ENDICOTT EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE
Capitalize the principal words, including prepositions and conjunctions of four or more
letters.
Do not capitalize the word after a hyphen in a title:
Example:

Her lecture is titled An Introduction to 20th-century Fashion.

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WEB TERMINOLOGY
Common Terms
Capitalize at the beginning of a sentence:
email
enews
Facebook page
homepage
internet
log in (verb)
log out (verb)
login (noun)
logout (noun)
online
the web
web page
Twitter feed
website
URLs
Use the shortest URL possible.
For root-level and folder-level sites, do not use http:// or the trailing slash and
www:
Example:

neu.edu.ph not http://www.neu.edu.ph/main/

Email Addresses
Should appear as follows:
Example:

For more information, call or email Juan De La Cruz at 632-981-4221 or

jdlcruz@neu.edu.ph

STYLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Sometimes when text appears on Facebook and other social media, editorial style is more
relaxed to save space on short posts. More specific guidelines are provided in the
Colleges Social Media Communications Standards.
WIDE
(as a suffix)No hyphens: campuswide, Collegewide

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Resources:
Associated Press Style Book, 2006 Edition
Chicago Manual of Style, 1993
ENDICOTT College Editorial Style Guide, September 2015

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