Editorial Stylebook - Brooklyn College
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Editorial Stylebook
AB B R E V IATION S / AC RON Y M S • AC AD E M IC D E G R E E S 2
The Editorial Stylebook has been In almost all instances, on first academic degrees • Jason Harrigan ’20 M.A. just
developed for staff and faculty reference the full name should started working at the University
Spell out the degree and use initial
members who write content for print be spelled out, followed by the of Arkansas.
caps in running text.
documents, digital communications, abbreviation/acronym in parentheses. In lists, use of the abbreviation is
• Delilah began working toward her
websites, and social media platforms The abbreviation/acronym may be preferred.
Bachelor of Arts.
that promote Brooklyn College and used on its own from thereon, but • Samantha Ketola, B.A.,
its departments, programs, and use it sparingly, to avoid the “alphabet • It took Matthew two years to earn
Anthropology
services, and provide information soup” syndrome. his Master of Science.
Elcio Oliveira, B.S., Mathematics
about the college and its activities. • The Aquatic Research and Use an apostrophe and lowercase
when citing a degree without a Lloyd Silverstein, M.S., Speech-
Any style item not included in this Environmental Assessment Center
specific academic area. Language Pathology
stylebook follows the rules of the (AREAC) is located in 100 Ingersoll
• Four years after receiving his Brooklyn College offers the following
2020–2022 AP Stylebook. Any spelling Hall Extension. AREAC welcomes
bachelor’s degree, Morris decided degrees:
item not included in this stylebook faculty and students from the
follows the rules of Merriam-Webster’s Brooklyn College community he wanted to earn a master’s. • Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition. to participate in research and Note: Associate degree does not • Bachelor of Business
educational opportunities at receive the possessive. Administration (B.B.A.)
abbreviations / acronyms the facility. The center has three • After earning an associate (not • Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
Most abbreviations and acronyms research themes. Its research associate’s) degree, Hubert • Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.)
(abbreviations that can be opportunities include work with enrolled in a four-year college to • Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
pronounced as words) do not use horseshoe crabs, micro-algae, and earn his bachelor’s degree. • Master of Arts (M.A.)
periods between letters (e.g., CEO, breeding tilapia. In running text, use the abbreviation, • Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)
CUNY, ID, NATO, UNICEF, VIP, etc.). Exceptions to this, where the with periods, when the graduate
• Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)
This also applies to organizations and shortened form can be used without degree follows a name and
services at Brooklyn College when fully identifying it, are restricted to • Master of Music (M.Mus.)
graduation year. Do not precede it
used on second reference (e.g., BEST, terms and organizations that are with a comma. Do not include the • Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
BLMI, SAIL). better known by the abbreviation undergraduate degree. • Master of Science (M.S.)
• E
xception: W.E.B. (West End or acronym (e.g., AIDS, ATM, IBM, • Jason Harrigan ’17 was the first • Master of Science in Education
Building) PDF, UFO). of his siblings to graduate from (M.S.Ed.)
college. The CUNY Graduate Center offers the
Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy).
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KAC K N OW LE D G M E N T • ALU M N A / ALU M N U S 3
acknowledgment • The event will be held at 25 adviser / advisor aka
Broadway, New York, NY.
Do not use advisor, unless it is The abbreviation for “also known
addresses • Mail your check to the Graduate someone’s official title. as” does not use periods. It does use
Do not abbreviate avenue, boulevard, Center for Worker Education, 25 commas both before and after.
and street in running text and Broadway, New York, NY 10004. after- • Ginger Gloria Graham, aka 3G,
addresses unless they are preceded Spell out first through ninth when Do not use a hyphen when using this dropped her first single in 2021.
by a numeral. Never abbreviate alley, used as a street name. Always use prefix to form a noun. Use a hyphen
drive, lane, road, and terrace. numerals for the building number. to form a compound modifier. all-
• The entrance to James Hall on • Yolanda admires the old buildings • T
he vice president’s afterthought Use a hyphen for most instances.
Bedford Avenue is closed. along East Eighth Street. to hold an after-dinner Q&A caused • Trevor McCormack was excited to
• The official address of Brooklyn • Isabel loves her new apartment logistical problems for her staff. be named an all-star for his all-
College is 2900 Bedford Ave. on 77th Street. around excellent performance on
• A few of the staff met at 1108
ages the soccer field in 2020. “But I’d
• She is doing an internship at an
Courtelyou Road for lunch. architectural firm located at 7 Always use numerals. really like to be the greatest of all
Spell them out when more than one Park Avenue. • Quentin, who is 9 years old, time,” he said.
street name is involved. Abbreviate compass points, with a admires his older brother.
• Quentin, 9, was excited when
Alliance for Minority
• The city is going to demolish the period, in a numbered address, but
building on the corner of Ditmas spell them out if there is no building his brother took him to his Participation
and Flatbush avenues. number. graduation ceremony. Second reference: AMP
When writing out a location or • Miranda lives at 123 W. 85th St. Use hyphens for ages expressed as
adjectives both before a noun and as
alumna / alumnus
complete address, use the ordinal • She loves all the shops along
substitutes for a noun. • Alumna is one female.
number if appropriate: West 85th Street.
• The 26-year-old woman has been • Alumnus is one male.
• The protestors crowded the
sidewalks along West 36th Street. Advanced Placement studying law for one year. • Alumnae is two or more females.
• 1753 48th St., Apt. 2B, Brooklyn, Advanced Placement courses and • Our new art class is geared • Alumni is two or more males.
NY 11204 exams may be shortened to AP toward 4-year-olds. • Alums is restricted to referring
courses and exams on second to a mixed group of males and
Do not include the ZIP code in
reference. females.
running text if it is unnecessary.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O K-AM E R IC AN • ARTWOR K 4
-American and / & Add only an apostrophe for the • The English Department’s app
possessive form of both singular and made it easy for students to
When referring to Americans of a Do not use an ampersand in lieu
plural proper names ending in “s.” complete the application for jobs
particular ethnic origin, use a hyphen of “and,” unless it is part of the
• Dickens’ novels formed a large assisting professors.
when employed as an adjective; do formal name of an organization or in
not use a hyphen when employed as commonly accepted abbreviations. part of the curriculum.
Aquatic Research and
a noun. • Department of Modern Languages • The Sorensens’ daughter
graduated from Brooklyn College
Environmental Assessment
• The African-American community and Literatures
in 2015. Center
celebrated Black History Month. • Leonard & Claire Tow Center for
For the joint possessive form, add the Second reference: AREAC
• Stefano was proud to be the first the Performing Arts
Italian American to win the award. apostrophe after the last name only.
• Barnes & Noble artwork
For the individual possessive form,
• Willie was an accomplished R&B Lowercase art styles and movements,
a.m. / p.m. add it after both names.
artist before he opened a B&B. except when referring to historical
Always lowercase, with periods, and • Fred and Sylvia’s new apartment
periods.
preceded by a space between it and apostrophe is huge. (refers to one apartment
the time. belonging to two people) • Reginald was not a fan of
Add both an apostrophe and an “s”
impressionism or modernism.
• Tessa’s political science class starts for all singular nouns. • Fred’s and Sylvia’s books take
at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. up a substantial part of their • The class took a tour of Gothic
• The witness’s answers damaged
living room. (refers to books that cathedrals in France.
Do not repeat either in a time range the prosecutor’s argument.
within the same period (e.g., morning belong to Fred and books that Titles of sculptures are italicized.
Add only an apostrophe for the
or afternoon). belong to Sylvia) • A
tlas has been a permanent fixture
possessive form of plural nouns
• Jack goes for a run every day at Rockefeller Center since 1937.
ending in “s.” app
between 7 (not 7 a.m.) and 7:30 a.m. Titles of paintings are italicized and
• The professors’ union meeting The abbreviation for “application”
Never use either to replace the time enclosed in quotes.
was highly productive. (when referring to computer
of day in running text. • Marianne thought Albert Bierstadt’s
Add only an apostrophe for the programs) is used on first reference.
• Professor Hecuba thought that the “Storm on the Matterhorn” was his
possessive form of nouns ending in Do not use it as an abbreviation for a
students in his morning (not a.m.) best painting.
“s” that are plural in form but singular document one completes to apply for
classes were more alert than those in meaning. something.
in his afternoon (not p.m.) classes • Mathematics’ rules can be quite
confusing.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KASS U R E / E N S U R E / IN S U R E • B ROOK LY N C OLLE G E FOU N DATION 5
assure / ensure / insure B Magazine bi- When referring to an individual who
is a trustee of either of the above
Assure is to give confidence to Second reference: the Brooklyn In almost all cases, do not hyphenate.
organizations, include mention of his
someone. Ensure is to make sure or College magazine or the magazine • The bipartisan committee
or her role as a trustee.
certain. Insure is to provide or obtain celebrated its biannual event in
insurance on or for. Barry Goldwater Atlanta. box office
• Darren assured his staff that no Scholarship and Excellence
BIPOC Always lowercase. Hyphenate when
one would be fired. in Education Program
used as an adjective.
• Darren ensured that projects are Second reference: the Barry The acronym for Black, Indigenous
• Go to the box office to pick up
completed in a timely manner by Goldwater Scholarship or the and People Of Color should be used
your tickets.
launching a new management scholarship in direct quotes only. In all other
instances, use “people of color.” • Box-office hours are as follows:
system. Recipient: Goldwater scholar
Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.;
• Darren insured his house for $1
Barry R. Feirstein Graduate Black / White Saturday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
million.
School of Cinema Uppercase when referring to racial
Broeklundian
asterisk Second reference: Graduate School of
groups. Do not use either term as a
singular noun. The Brooklyn College yearbook
Always place the asterisk after a Cinema or the school
punctuation mark, except for the • The Black students (not blacks) Brooklyn College
dash. BC formed a new club on campus.
Second reference: the college
• Applications will be accepted Do not use as an abbreviation for • The White players (not whites)
In general, do not abbreviate to BC.
through March 31, 2022.* Brooklyn College, unless it is part of account for 29% of the football
See BC, above.
an official name. team.
• Students who submit complete
applications, including processing • The Brooklyn College student
board of trustees / directors Brooklyn College Alumni
fee,* will receive an e-mail body is one of the most diverse in Association
the United States. Always lowercase, except:
confirmation. Second reference: BCAA
• BC Navigator is the official mobile • the Board of Trustees of The City
• Students who submit complete
app of Brooklyn College. University of New York Brooklyn College
applications—including
professing fee*—will receive an • the Brooklyn College Foundation Foundation
e-mail confirmation.
BC WebCentral Portal Board of Trustees
Second reference: the foundation
Second reference: the portal
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KB ROOK LY N C OLLE G E LIB R ARY • B U LLE TS 6
Brooklyn College Library • Roosevelt Hall Extension If the bullet points are sentence – Jumpstart, a national early
(not New Roosevelt) fragments, begin each point with education organization that
Not La Guardia Library or Gideonse
• Student Center (not SUBO) lowercase letters and end each with recruits and trains college
Library
• West End Building (W.E.B.) a comma. The second-to-last point students to serve preschool
Second reference: the library
should end with “and” or “or.” The children in low-income
• West Quad Center (not West
buildings final point should end with a period. neighborhoods; and
Quad Building)
Use the full, official name of campus • Brooklyn College students who – Puppetry in Practice, an
• Whitehead Hall
buildings in text and addresses, as participate in the international independent, not-for-profit
• Whitman Hall
follows: education program can: organization housed in the
Bulldogs – immerse themselves in African School of Education.
• Boylan Hall
history and culture in Ghana, If the bullet points are complete
• Brooklyn College Library Restricted to references to the
– make films in India, and sentences, begin them with capital
(not La Guardia Library or Brooklyn College athletics teams or
– visit some of the most letters and end them with a period.
Gideonse Library) the athletes themselves. Do not use
when referring to Brooklyn College important sites in China. • Brooklyn College has made the
• Chiller Plant
students in general. If the bullet points are lengthier following improvements on
• Gershwin Hall (when referring to
sentence fragments, begin each point campus recently:
the razed structure) bullets with lowercase letters and end each – The Brooklyn College Library
• Ingersoll Hall
A statement introducing a list should with a semicolon. The second-to-last was greatly expanded.
• Ingersoll Hall Extension precede the bullet points and end point should end with “and” or “or.” The – The Student Center underwent
(not New Ingersoll) with a colon. final point should end with a period. major renovations.
• James Hall Bullet points composed of only a few • Some of the local and national – The West Quad Center opened
• La Guardia Hall (when making words should have no punctuation organizations that the School in 2009.
historical reference to the original following them. of Education has partnered with If the bullet points are a step-by-step
library building) • Brooklyn College’s sustainability include: instructional list, each bullet should
• Leonard & Claire Tow Center for efforts include reducing the use of: – College Now, which supports be a full sentence, and the bullet
the Performing Arts – bottled water extensive collaborative point itself should be a number.
• Plaza Building (when referring to – plastic and Styrofoam partnerships between the • To view the faculty profile for
the razed structure) college, the City University of Jennifer Basil:
– paper
• Roosevelt Hall New York, and the New York 1. Go to the Brooklyn College
City Department of Education; homepage.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KBY- • C ITIE S 7
2. Click on “Academics” on the top Center for Achievement in of a separation between church • Denver
navigation bar. Science Education and state. • Detroit
3. Click “Faculty” on the side • The Church of the Holy Trinity is a • Honolulu
Second reference: CASE or the center
navigation. Roman Catholic church. • Houston
4. Click “Brooklyn College Faculty” century • Maria, a member of the Roman • Indianapolis
on the side navigation. Always lowercase, unless referring to Catholic Church, attends Mass
• Las Vegas
5. Scroll down to and click “Basil, the film studio cited below. every Sunday at the Church of the
• Los Angeles
Jennifer.” • Great technological advances were Holy Trinity.
• Miami
made during the 20th century.
by- cities • Milwaukee
• Some of Hollywood’s greatest
In almost all cases, do not hyphenate. Most cities require their identifying • Minneapolis
blockbusters were produced by
• Noah was proud of his first byline, state, province, or country to appear • New Orleans
20th Century Studios.
for an article he wrote about after them.
• New York
the destruction caused by the chair • Esteban chose Ithaca, New York,
• Oklahoma City
highway’s new bypass. Not chairman, chairwoman, or as his base for his vacation in the
• Philadelphia
chairperson, unless that is the specific Finger Lakes.
capstone course • Phoenix
title of an individual • Ursula started tracing her roots in
Uppercase only as part of official • Pittsburgh
Winnipeg, Manitoba.
course title (e.g., Sonic Arts Capstone child care • Salta, Argentina, has a population
• St. Louis
Seminar). Two words, without a hyphen, in all of about 620,000. • Salt Lake City
cases Certain cities, however, can stand alone: • San Antonio
catalog
United States: • San Diego
Christoph M. Kimmich
Center for Academic • Atlanta • San Francisco
Reading Room
Advisement and Student • Baltimore • Seattle
Success church • Boston • Washington, D.C.
Second reference: CAASS or the center Lowercase in all instances except when • Chicago International:
referring to a building, a congregation, • Cincinnati • Amsterdam
or a denomination. • Cleveland • Baghdad
• The students explored the concept • Dallas • Bangkok
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KC ITY • C LAS S Y E AR 8
• Beijing • Panama City the City University of • John Jay College of Criminal Justice
• Beirut • Paris New York (second reference: John Jay)
• Berlin • Prague • Kingsborough Community College
Lowercase “the,” except in addresses
• Brussels • Quebec City and the Board of Trustees of The City • LaGuardia Community College
• Cairo • Rio de Janeiro University of New York. • Lehman College
• Djibouti • Rome Second reference: CUNY or the • Macaulay Honors College
• Dublin • Sao Paulo university • Medgar Evers College
• Geneva • Shanghai The following schools are part of the • New York City College of
• Guatemala City • Singapore CUNY system: Technology (second reference:
• Baruch College City Tech)
• Havana • Stockholm
• Borough of Manhattan • Queens College
• Helsinki • Sydney
Community College (second • Queensborough Community
• Hong Kong • Tokyo
reference: BMCC) College
• Islamabad • Toronto
• Bronx Community College • Stella and Charles Guttman
• Istanbul • Vienna
• Brooklyn College Community College (second
• Jerusalem • Zurich reference: Guttman)
• The City College of New York
• Johannesburg • York College
city (second reference: City College)
• Kuwait City
Uppercase only as part of an official • College of Staten Island (second
• London Claire Tow Theater
name or nickname. reference: CSI)
• Luxembourg Refers to the 2,400-seat performance
• Phoebe moved from Kansas City • CUNY Graduate Center
space located in Whitman Hall.
• Macao • CUNY Graduate School of
to the Windy City.
• Madrid Journalism class year
Lowercase elsewhere.
• Mexico City • CUNY School of Law The year noted after the name of an
• She liked the appeal of the
• Milan biggest city in Illinois, but she did • CUNY School of Professional alumna or alumnus is the year of his
• Montreal not care for the policies of the Studies (second reference: or her undergraduate graduation. Do
• Moscow city government. CUNY SPS) not follow it with the degree. Do not
• Munich • CUNY School of Public Health separate with commas.
• New Delhi • Hostos Community College • Felicia Sanchez ’75 joined the
• Hunter College faculty last year.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KC O- • C U N Y C OU N S E LIN G AS S ITAN TS HIP P ROG R AM 9
If the alumna or alumnus earned a • L aurie Fitzpatrick ’86 (not Class of Commencement / • the Core Curriculum
graduate degree at Brooklyn College 1986 or Class of ’86) did not attend. commencement • the Core
but not an undergraduate degree, • The Class of 1986 will hold its • Core courses
Use initial caps for both
specify both the year and the degree. 35th reunion this year.
Commencement Ceremony and
Do not separate with commas. course titles
co- Commencement Program.
• Ben Goldman ’88 M.A. joined the Set the title’s department
All other instances of commencement
faculty last year. Do not hyphenate, except when abbreviation code in all caps, followed
are lowercase—commencement
If the alumna or alumnus earned forming nouns, adjectives, and verbs by the course number, an em dash,
tickets, commencement postcard, etc.
both an undergraduate and graduate that indicate occupation or status, or and the course title in initial caps.
degree at Brooklyn College, list as to avoid confusion. compose / comprise • ACCT 3101—Income Taxation
follows, with the undergraduate • Susannah took the required In running text, the department code
The parts compose the whole.
preceding the graduate: corequisites during the winter and course number may be omitted if
• Four departments compose the
• Marco Caravaggio ’95, ’98 M.A. intersession. not important to the content.
School of Education.
joined the faculty last year. • Timothy Ansel ’88 is a co- • “I found the Income Taxation
The whole is composed of the parts.
If a married couple both received author of a novel about three course to be surprisingly
fiercely ambitious and rather • The School of Education is
degrees at Brooklyn College, list as interesting,” Giancarlo stated.
underhanded co-stars. composed of four departments.
follows:
• James ’85 and Cynthia ’86 • Brandon felt cooped up in his co- The whole comprises the parts. course work
op after working on his thesis for • The School of Education
Washington attended the reunion.
nine hours without a break. comprises four departments. courtesy titles
• Norman ’01, ’03 M.S., and Lucy ’02
Never use “comprised of.” Do not use them (e.g., Mr., Mrs.,
Chin attended the reunion.
College of Liberal Arts and Miss, etc.).
If an alumna uses both her maiden
Sciences Conservatory of Music of Use “Dr.” only if the person is a
and married names, list as follows: Brooklyn College
Second reference: CLAS medical professional, not a Ph.D.
• Cynthia Allen ’86 Washington
Second reference: the conservatory
applied for the job. comma CUNY Counseling
“Class of” should never be used when Always use the serial comma in a Core Curriculum Assistantship Program
referring to individual alums. Rather, series of items. When referring to the Brooklyn Second reference: CUNYCAP
reserve it for references to the entire College Core Curriculum, initial cap
• Fuji took classes in accounting, art,
class and in running text only. both words and all their variants.
biology, and history last semester.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KCUNYF IRST • DIANA ROG OV IN DAV ID OW S P E E C H LAN G U AG E HE AR IN G C E N TE R 10
CUNYfirst • Eugene had to write proposals days of the week • The Department of English is
for research and gather letters located in Boylan Hall.
Never abbreviate the days of the
cyber- of recommendation—five for the • Go to the Registrar’s Office for
week in running text.
Do not use a hyphen. Rhodes scholarship and eight for assistance.
• The college will be closed on
• cyberattack, cyberspace the Marshall Scholarship. When informally referring to a
Monday, Sept. 2, in honor of
The shorter en dash (half the size of department or office, the name
dash Labor Day.
the em dash but still longer than the may be shortened by dropping
There are two types of dashes—em Abbreviations are acceptable in a
hyphen) is used to connect continuing “department” or “office,” but it
and en—in addition to the hyphen, tabular format only. Then: Mon, Tue,
or inclusive numbers. On a PC, the en remains capitalized:
and they vary in length and purpose. Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
dash is keyed in by pressing CTRL and • Doug Schwab, Art, received an
The em dash is the longest and is the minus sign on the number pad at dean’s list award.
used to show suspension of sense, the same time; on a Mac, it is keyed in
• Elliot Ehrlich, Student Affairs,
a break in speech, an unexpected by pressing Option and the hyphen. decades spoke at the meeting.
turn of thought, a sudden change Do not put spaces before or after Use numerals and write the entire On second reference, lowercase
in construction, parenthetical the en dash. Do not substitute “to” decade. Do not add an apostrophe. “department” and “office.”
expressions, or divided quotes. On with an en dash in running text when
• Student activism was particularly • The Department of Earth and
a PC, the em dash is keyed in by “from” is also included.
strong during the 1960s (not Environmental Sciences is
pressing CTRL, ALT, and the minus • June–August 2005 1960’s). sponsoring a full-day information
sign on the number pad at the • December 24–25 When shortening a decade on second session. Faculty from the
same time; on a Mac, it is keyed in
• 2–5 p.m. reference, use an apostrophe when department will be available to
by pressing Option, Shift, and the
• The war raged from 1941 to 1945 deleting the century numerals. Do not answer your questions.
hyphen. Do not put spaces before
(not 1941–1945). spell out the decade.
or after the em dash. Do not use a
• Protests during the ’60s (not dialogue
double hyphen (--) in lieu of the em dates
dash. Sixties) lead to open enrollment
Do not use ordinals. the following decade.
Diana Rogovin Davidow
• The Scholars Program at Brooklyn Speech Language Hearing
• Eddie celebrated his birthday on
College—the oldest honors departments and offices
March 15 (not March 15th). Center
program in the City University
When formally referring to a Second reference: the center
of New York—is the only honors day care
department or office, the name
program open to matriculated Two words, without a hyphen, takes initial caps.
freshmen and sophomores. in all cases.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KD IE D / PAS S E D AWAY • E M E R ITA / E M E R ITU S 11
died / passed away • The Western students studying e- • Applicants should list as many
abroad were welcomed at a forms of financial aid as possible
In most instances, when referring to Hyphenate all instances of electronic
reception on their first day in (e.g., awards, fellowships,
a deceased person, use “died.” For terms.
Beijing. scholarships).
obituaries, use “passed away.” • e-book, e-business, e-commerce,
Uppercase when used to refer to • Paul retreated to the only place on
e-mail, e-zine
dimensions specific or widely known regions, but campus where he can study without
For publications, advertisements, and not general areas. East / West Quad / distraction, i.e., the East Quad.
digital media: width x height • Brooklyn College was shut down Quadrangle emerita / emeritus
For original works of art: height x by the massive blizzard that Generally, use “Quad” when
blanketed most of the Northeast. • Emerita is one female.
width x depth referring to the quadrangle between
• Izzy transferred to Brooklyn • Emeritus is one male.
Use numerals and spell out the Boylan and Ingersoll halls and the
measurements. College from a university in quadrangle between Roosevelt and • Emeritae is two or more females.
• Professor Estoril’s self-published Southern California. James halls. • Emeriti is two or more males.
magazine measures 11 inches by 10 • Many of our alums live in • Rick and Andy tossed around a When referring to a mixed group of
inches. southern New Jersey. football on the East Quad. both males and females, use emeriti.
• Stephanie’s painting is 11 inches by • Patricia read a book under a tree When using emerita or emeritus as a
doctor / dentist title with someone’s name, follow the
2 feet. on the West Quad.
In running text, use “Dr.” for medical capitalization styles below:
Use “Quadrangle” only for formal
directions / regions professionals (e.g., doctors, dentists,
occasions held here. • Sarah Wexley, professor emerita
Lowercase when used generally or to psychiatrists) only, not for academics
• The Commencement Ceremony of philosophy, presented her
indicate compass direction. with a Ph.D. In lists, do not use “Dr.”
used to be held on the East findings yesterday.
at all.
• Trishelle drives east from New Quadrangle. • Professor Emerita of Philosophy
Jersey to get to Brooklyn College. Don Buchwald Theater Sarah Wexley presented her
• The art installation celebration
• The wind blew across campus in a occurred on the West Quadrangle. findings yesterday.
Second reference: the Buchwald
northerly direction. Theater • Sarah Wexley, Professor Emerita
Uppercase when used as an adjective e.g. / i.e. of Philosophy
pertaining to a specific region. drop-down Do not confuse the two: e.g. means
• Billy Bob speaks with a Southern “for example”; i.e. means “that is.” Enrollment Services Center
accent. Both are always followed by a comma. Second reference: ESC or the center
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KE N S U R E • G E N D E R P RON OU N S 12
ensure • The federal government is no special treatment other than the Fulbright U.S. Student
planning to review these retention of all accent marks. Program
See assure / ensure / insure.
programs. • Adam worked on revising his
Second reference: Fulbright Grants
et al. Uppercase when referring to the résumé while enjoying a café au lait.
Recipient: Fulbrighter
Et al. means “and others” and is architectural style. Foreign words that are not universally
always followed by a period. • Anna took some photos of the understood should be italicized and full-
• Jorge Mercado et al. presented Federal homes in Philadelphia. followed by an explanation. Hyphenate to form compound
their poster on Cuban migration • Vanessa was preoccupied with modifiers.
fieldwork
patterns during Faculty Day. la bella figura, i.e., cutting a • Brooklyn College ran a full-page ad
fiscal year beautiful figure, when she got to congratulate the Class of 2007.
faculty profiles dressed for school every morning.
Either spell out the term and write
The college’s faculty profile pages the complete year, or abbreviate both Adhere to the original language’s full / part time
adhere to a defined style outside the term and the year. style regarding capitalization, but Hyphenate only when used as a
the scope of this stylebook. The BC adapt to standard American style for compound modifier.
• Fiscal Year 2020 included a 16%
WebCentral Portal contains detailed translations.
budget cut. • Luke works part time at the
information. • Seitsemän veljestä (The Seven
• FY20 included a 16% budget cut. Library Café.
Brothers) is widely regarded as
FAQ -fold
• Sandra maintained her full-time
the first significant novel written enrollment status for another
The abbreviation for “frequently
Do not hyphenate. in Finnish. semester.
asked questions” is acceptable on first
• Enrollment has increased fourfold
reference. Note that “questions” is Fort gender pronouns
since 1951.
already plural; thus, FAQs is incorrect Do not abbreviate for cities or For individuals who do not self-
and should be not used. fore- military installations. identify with a particular gender, the
federal Do not hyphenate. • Chen spent a summer internship plural pronouns “them” and “they”
• Foretelling and foreshadowing are working with dolphins in Fort and the plural possessive “their”
Lowercase when used as an adjective
popular literary devices. Lauderdale, Florida. should be used very sparingly to
to distinguish something from
• Vincent spent a summer internship avoid confusion to the reader who is
national entities. foreign words reading about a singular person.
looking for artifacts on the
• There are many federal programs Foreign words that have been absorbed grounds of Fort Hamilton, the army
that provide tuition assistance. into the English language receive base near the Verrazzano Bridge.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KG E N U S / S P E C IE S • HY P E R LIN K S 13
• R
ebecca Schmitt began taking • Ross increased his grade point Harry S. Truman hyper-
classes in fall 2012. Schmitt’s (rather average from 3.00 to 3.25. It was the Scholarship Do not hyphenate.
than “their”) GPA stood at 3.46 by highest GPA he had ever achieved.
Second reference: the scholarship • Grace clicked on the hyperlink
the end of the second year. The
junior (rather than “they”) is now grades Recipient: Truman Scholar that brought her to the website
she needed to learn about
ready to decide between becoming Do not place quotation marks around
health care hypertension.
a chemistry or a biology major. letter grades. Grades are always
capitalized. Two words, without a hyphen, in all
genus / species cases
hyperlinks
• Helen had her grade changed
Best practice for digital media treats
In scientific or biological names, from an INC to a B+ after she historical periods URLs and e-mails as hyperlinks rather
capitalize the first name (genus) submitted her final paper.
Capitalize the names of widely than writing them out.
and lowercase the second (species).
Graduate Center for recognized epochs in anthropology, • More information is available on
Italicize both.
archaeology, geology, and history, and the college website.
• The Quercus durata grows in Worker Education
the names of periods and events. • Send an e-mail to the Office of
California.
GRE • On an archaeological dig in Communications and Marketing.
• Associate Professor Ford spent his
The abbreviation for the Graduate Scotland, Professor Ferris When written out, for print materials,
sabbatical looking for evidence of
Record Examinations is preferred. discovered a trove of artifacts do not include any blank spaces in a
Tyrannosaurus rex in Colorado.
Never use GREs, except when actually from the Bronze Age. URL or e-mail. Do not include “www.”
Second reference: Abbreviate the
referring to more than one GRE. • Living in New York was in URLs. Include “http://” in the URL
genus.
• Inez scored a 145 on the Verbal particularly hard during the Great only if it does not begin with “www.”
• Alas, his search for T. rex bones Depression.
Reasoning section of the GRE. • Visit the website at
proved disappointing.
• Inez took three GREs before Capitalize only the proper noun in brooklyn.cuny.edu.
Golden Key International achieving the score she desired. general descriptions of a period. • Visit the website at
Honour Society • In her Core Curriculum course on https://portal.brooklyn.edu.
Graduate Students classical cultures, Petra became • Send an e-mail to
grade point average Organization fascinated by the history of jsmith@brooklyn.cuny.edu.
The grade point average (second Second reference: GSO ancient (not Ancient) Greece.
reference: GPA) should be written with
two digits after the decimal point.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KID • LIK E - 14
If a URL or e-mail must be spelled inter- • pamphlets and brochures; and If the person’s nationality is known, it
out in running text, use standard • comic strips. is preferable to use that over Latina
Do not hyphenate.
punctuation. or Latino.
• Aleksei registered for three Jr. / Sr.
• Once you are approved, you • Arturo Castillo, a 27-year-old
interrelated courses in the
will receive an e-mail from Always uppercase with full names, Ecuadorian American, was named
fall semester as part of his
approval@abc.com. and never precede or follow it with a chair of the committee.
international education program.
comma. Avoid using Latinx unless it is
ID internet • David Pistouris Jr. followed in his the official name of a program,
father’s footsteps as a Brooklyn organization, etc.
i.e. / e.g. intra- College alumnus.
See e.g. / i.e.
Do not hyphenate. Leonard & Claire Tow Center
La Guardia Hall for the Performing Arts
inclusive language • The college’s intramural program
guarantees that everyone can Not LaGuardia Hall. Use only for Refers to the entire complex, including
Make every attempt to use the terms
participate in sports. historical reference to the original all performance spaces, rehearsal
most accepted by the groups or
building now referred to as the rooms, classrooms, dressing rooms,
individuals they are describing. italics Brooklyn College Library. and common areas included in the
• A meeting for students with
Use italics—not bold or an new facility, along with Whitman Hall.
disabilities (not disabled
underscore—to emphasize a word or
Latin / Latina / Latino /
Second reference: the Tow Center
students) was held to address the
phrase. Include any punctuation mark Latinx
accessibility of college buildings. When referring to the community, LGBTQ+
immediately following the word or
• Nearly 25% of students come phrase in the italics. use Latin. The abbreviation for the lesbian,
from developing nations • The Latin community held its
• Elizabeth was really excited when gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer
(not Third World nations or the annual parade under fair skies.
she won the science award. community is acceptable upon first use.
Third World).
Also use italics for the titles of: Latina is reserved for a woman, Latino
for a man.
like-
Ingersoll Hall Extension • books, magazines, and newspapers;
• Gabriela Ruiz, a 27-year-old Latina Hyphenate when used as a prefix
Not New Ingersoll • movies, plays, and television and
from Brooklyn, was named chair meaning “similar to.”
radio series;
insure of the committee. • Associate Professor Claxton noted
• paintings, sculptures,
that the twins in his class were
See assure / ensure / insure. photographs, and catalogs;
not particularly like-minded.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O K- LIK E • M ON THS OF THE Y E AR 15
Do not hyphenate in words that have -ly Mellon Mays • He plans to write his final paper
meanings of their own. Undergraduate Fellows on Revolutionary War battles in
Do not hyphenate between adverbs
• The likelihood of Yuri passing his the mid-Atlantic states.
ending in “ly” and adjectives they Travel and Research Grant
final without cramming for the modify. • The mid-1860s was a critical
Second reference: the MMUF grant or
next 24 hours was dismal. period in U.S. history.
• Kendra’s poorly written (not the grant
-like poorly-written) report received a D. mini-
Michelle J. Anderson
Do not hyphenate, unless the two MacArthur Fellows Use “Michelle J. Anderson” (with
Do not hyphenate.
letters preceding it are both l. Program • Jean-Luc said that the idea for his
“President” beneath) on official
• Jasper’s businesslike demeanor award-winning miniseries originally
Second reference: the program or decrees, proclamations, and
helped him secure a job at Citibank. came to him while he was taking
the fellowship; also referred to as statements from the president.
• Claudia found some shell-like television and radio classes.
“genius grant” • Sincerely,
creatures while doing research
with the Science and Resilience
Recipient: MacArthur Fellow Michelle J. Anderson months of the year
President
Institute at Jamaica Bay. Macaulay Honors College Spell out the months of the year
Use “President Michelle J. Anderson” when they stand alone or with a year
log in, log off, log on / login, Magner Career Center for less formal messages from the (without a separating comma).
logoff, logon president.
Second reference: the center • February is typically a cold month,
• Cordially, but February 2015 was particularly
In all three cases, always write it as
one word, without a hyphen, as a Maximizing Access to President Michelle J. Anderson brutal.
noun or adjective. Research Careers Second reference: President Anderson Abbreviate the months of the year
or the president with a period when used with a
• In a rush, Lolita typed the wrong Second reference: MARC
login name. specific date. Note that, in running
Mellon Mays mid-
In all three cases, always write it as text, March, April, May, June, and July
Undergraduate Fellows Do not hyphenate unless it is followed are never abbreviated.
two words, without a hyphen, as a
by a capitalized word or a figure.
verb. Dissertation Grant • Sebastian was born on Thursday,
• Victor was pleased with the 95 he Oct. 23, 1980.
• Lolita remembered to log off the Second reference: the MMUF grant or
received on his midterm exam.
shared computer when she was the grant • His sister was born on Oct. 23,
finished with her work. three years later.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KM ORTON AN D AN G E LA TOP HE R LIB R ARY C AFÉ • P E RC E N T 16
• Their parents celebrated their • Dilbert reads The New York Times online running text and lists when immediately
anniversary on April 19. and The Wall Street Journal, but following a linked document, and
Not on-line.
In a tabular format, abbreviate all never the New York Post. include as part of the hyperlink.
months and do not use a period, as over- • Please complete the Financial Aid
follows: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun,
non- Do not hyphenate. TAP Waiver Application (PDF).
Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec. Do not hyphenate, except before
• Diane thought that Professor • Financial Aid TAP Waiver
a proper noun or in an awkward
Barron-Lewitsky’s overall teaching Application (PDF)
Morton and Angela Topfer combination.
skills were overrated. • All files are in PDF format.
Library Café • Violetta enrolled in Brooklyn
Second reference: the Library Café College as a nondegree student page numbers percent
while continuing to work at a Use numerals and capitalize “page.” Use the % symbol and always use
multi- nonprofit that aims to create a • Assistant Professor Sonia Moreno numerals, except for zero.
Do not hyphenate. non-nuclear society. Montaña told the class to read • Dean Robinson expects that
• The multimillionaire is proficient Page 4 through Page 24A. 15% of the school’s classes will
noon
in multitasking. Use numerals and lowercase “page” if have to be canceled due to low
Noon stands on its own. Do not write
used in plural form. registration.
Murray Koppelman School 12 noon or 12 p.m.
• Assistant Professor Sonia Moreno • Hector works for a nonprofit
of Business • Jenna’s meeting ran from noon
Montaña told the class to read dedicated to zero percent
• Second reference: School of until 1:30 p.m.
pages 4 through 24A. emissions policies.
Business or Koppelman School
number / no. paintings Use decimals, not fractions.
9/11 Use the abbreviation for number only
See artwork.
• The response to the e-mail
if it is followed by a numeral. invitation was a dismal 9.5%
Numerals are acceptable when
• Brooklyn College ranked no. 1 (not part / full time (not 9½%).
referring to the terrorist attacks in the
United States on September 11, 2001. #1) for the third consecutive year. See full / part time. Percent takes a singular verb when
• What is the office’s room number? a singular word follows an “of”
newspapers PDF construction; it takes a plural verb
Initial cap “the” if it is part of the off-Broadway All caps, and acceptable on first when a plural word follows an “of”
newspaper’s official name. Newspaper reference when used as the construction.
offices
titles are italicized. abbreviation for “Portable Document
See departments and offices.
Format.” Enclose in parentheses in both
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KP HOTO C AP TION S • QU OTATION M AR K S 17
• The union leader estimated that Capitalize when referring to a pro- publishing houses
75% of the membership was there. member(s) of a party.
Hyphenate only when using words When providing publishing details,
• The union leader estimated that • The Republican senator didn’t that denote support for something. set the company, followed by the
75% of the members were there. have a coherent answer to year of publication of the item, in
• Gary took proactive steps in the
the journalist’s question. The parentheses.
photo captions pro-labor protest.
Democrats nodded knowingly.
• Luigi Bonaffini, Modern Languages
Photo captions do not necessarily Lowercase when referring to political professor and Literatures, co-authored Italian
have to be full sentences. philosophy. Spell out in text. Use the professor’s Vocabulary (McGraw-Hill, 2002).
Include punctuation at the end of a • Grygor was a member of the full official title.
caption, even if it is an incomplete Communist Party until he fled • Twenty-three students
punctuation marks
sentence, except for captions that are Bulgaria and then promptly Use only one space, not two, after
accompanied Professor (not Prof.)
solely titles and names. denounced communism. any punctuation mark that ends a
Chamberlain on a field trip to
• Associate Professor Colin Central Park. sentence—periods, question marks,
MacDougall, Physics, hosted a post- exclamation points, and quotation
• Associate Professor Cox took a
student forum. Generally, do not hyphenate. marks.
sabbatical in spring 2016.
• Associate Professor Colin • Gina expects to complete her
MacDougall, Physics, at the postdoctoral work by June. public school / PS Quadrangle
student form. Use figures and capitalize “public See East / West Quad / Quadrangle.
• Associate Professor Colin
Post 50th Lifetime school.” PS is acceptable on second
Achievement Award quotation marks
MacDougall reference.
Not Post-50th Use quotation marks for titles of the
• Associate Professor Perelandra
p.m. / a.m. brings her education students to
following:
See a.m. / p.m. pre- • poems and short stories,
teach at Public School 44, while
Generally, do not hyphenate. Associate Professor Bick takes her • episodes of television series,
political parties • Professor Bastone is a preeminent • book chapters,
students to PS 122.
Capitalize both the name of the party authority in the field of • a series of books or films (except
and the word “party.” prehistoric civilizations. when the series is identified by a
• Sheryl joined the Democratic character’s name, e.g., the Harry
Party in 2019. Potter series),
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KR E - • S E AS ON S 18
• paintings (which also require room numbers salutations • School of Humanities and Social
italics), Sciences
Use the room number and complete Salutations follow capitalization rules
• journal and magazine articles and building name. for titles—headers (see below) and • School of Natural and Behavioral
columns, are followed by a comma. Sciences
• Visit the office in 2153 Boylan Hall
• art shows, and (not Room 2153 Boylan Hall or • Dear Colleagues, • School of Visual, Media and
• lectures and conference 2153 Boylan). Performing Arts
• Dear Seniors and Juniors,
presentations. When referring to a room number by When listing more than one school,
When addressing different
When using quotation marks within a itself, however, include and capitalize write them in alphabetical order, as
constituencies within the college,
quote, use single quotation marks for “room.” shown above.
maintain the following order: (1)
the interior quote. • B
ruce ran up the stairs in Boylan Students, (2) Staff, and (3) Faculty. Second reference for all: the school
• “FDR said ‘The only thing we Hall to get to his class in Room 4111. • Dear Students, Staff, and Faculty,
have to fear is fear itself’ during
Science and Resilience
his inaugural address in 1932,” Roosevelt Hall Extension SAT Institute at Jamaica Bay
explained Professor Zuckerman. Not New Roosevelt The abbreviation for the Scholastic Second references: the institute or
Aptitude Test / Scholastic Assessment SRI@JB
re- Rosen Fellowship Program
Test is preferred. Never use SATs,
Hyphenate only when the meaning Second reference: the fellowship sculptures
except when actually referring to
of the hyphenated word is to do Recipient: Rosen Fellow See artwork.
more than one SAT.
something again. saint / St. • Cyndi scored a 1280 on her SAT. seasons
• When the incompetent John
Spell out for general usage, but use • Cyndi took three SATs before Lowercase spring, summer, fall, and
Sheridan re-signed the contract
the abbreviation for the names of achieving the score she desired. winter for both specific and general
that would keep him in a position
saints, cities, and other locations. semester references.
of authority for another five
• Veronica was well on her way to
schools
years, Bethany decided to resign. • Zachary earned 17 credits in
becoming a saint for being so The five schools at Brooklyn College
fall 2011.
are:
Rhodes scholarship patient with her seven children.
• He took his final Core courses
• Frank spent a year writing his • Murray Koppelman School of
Second reference: the scholarship during the summer.
dissertation on St. Stephen from Business
Recipient: Rhodes scholar Uppercase only when referring to a
his home in St. Paul, Minnesota. • School of Education
specific issue of a publication or as
Then he went on a two-week
part of a formal name.
vacation to St. Lucia.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KS E LF- • TIM E OF DAY 19
• Clarissa read the Spring 2019 issue • How many countries provide a Student Center • The office may be reached at
of the Brooklyn College magazine social security program? 718.951.1878.
Not SUBO
during a break from her training If an extension exists, use a comma to
for the Summer Olympics. Sr. / Jr. sub- separate the main number from the
See Jr. / Sr. extension, and abbreviate extension
self- Do not hyphenate.
as “ext.”
Always hyphenate. state • The subcommittee met to discuss
the future of the liberal arts • The office may be reached at
• Belinda’s self-esteem received a Lowercase when used as a noun
departments. 718.951.5000, ext. 1878.
big boost when she aced her final or adjective to specify a level of
exam. jurisdiction. subscripts / superscripts theater / theatre
• The state saw a massive deficit Use the American English spelling
semi- Maintain the raised or lowered style
during the economic crisis. (“theater”), unless the official name of
Do not hyphenate, unless the for chemistry formulae, footnotes,
• Dwight received enough state and endnotes. a theater employs the British English
following word begins with “i.”
funds to cover the year’s tuition. version.
• The Bulldogs basketball team • Parker went to the lab to conduct
experiments with H2O and He3. • Theater student Kelly Lauder
advanced to the CUNY semifinal. states / provinces
• Joe passed his audition for performed at the Eastman
• Carole volunteers at an Spell out the full name of the state or
the Conservatory of Music of Theater in Rochester, New York,
organization that teaches semi- province in almost all instances.
Brooklyn College.8 and the Gennesee Theatre in
independent living skills for • Marguerite lives in Saskatchewan. Waukegan, Illinois.
adults with disabilities.
• Marguerite applied for a job in super-
Grand Rapids, Michigan. time of day
School of General Studies Do not hyphenate.
Abbreviate their names in complete Always use colons between the hour
Second reference: SGS • Andrea’s supersized art project
addresses and short-form listings of and minutes. Always use either a.m.
took up most of the space in the
smartphone political party affiliation. gallery.
or p.m., with a space between it and
the final digit of the time.
Social Security • Mail the application to 1878
Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI telephone / fax numbers • The biology class starts at 11:45
Uppercase when referring to the U.S.
49506. Numbers are separated by periods. a.m. and ends at 1:15 p.m.
system. Lowercase for generic uses.
• Senator Betsy Soved, R-Wyo., Always include the area code. Always Do not include :00 for times on the
• Students are required to enter
made a colossal error in judgment. use the entire phone or fax number top of the hour.
their Social Security number on
rather than only the extension.
the application.
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KTITLE S— HE AD E R S • U N D E R - 20
• All chemistry lectures begin at 2 In headers, capitalize both elements Lowercase the title in running text if trans-
p.m. of a hyphenated phrase, whether or it follows the person’s name, or if it
Do not hyphenate unless the suffix
Never refer to noon as “12 p.m.” not the second element is a proper precedes the name with punctuation.
begins with a capital letter.
• Erik conducted research in the noun. • Isaac Jones, professor of
• The club for transgendered
library from noon to 5 p.m. every • Co-Curricular Activities Increase economics, is on sabbatical.
students meets in the Student
day this week. Student Satisfaction • The economics professor, Isaac Center every other Tuesday.
Never refer to midnight as “12 a.m.” • Twentieth-Century Historian Jones, is on sabbatical.
• The club was excited for its trans-
• Erik studied until midnight every Makes Critical Discovery Lowercase the title if it stands alone, Siberian adventure.
day this week. • Non-English Speakers Enroll in without a person’s name.
When citing a range of times, if New Class • The associate professor of un-
both hours fall within the morning, psychology returned the students’ Do not hyphenate unless the suffix
titles—people final exams. begins with a capital letter.
or within the afternoon / evening,
Capitalize a person’s title if it • Four of the seven candidates
include a.m. and p.m. only after the Never abbreviate academic titles (e.g.,
immediately precedes his or her for the administrative assistant
second time. professor, not prof.). Abbreviations
name. position were unqualified.
• The class reunion is scheduled for are used for medical doctors and for
• Associate Professor Isaac Jones politicians only. • J eremiah’s un-American sentiments
Thursday, April 24, 1–5 p.m.
teaches economics. landed him in hot water.
• Ted made an appointment
titles—headers • Professor of Economics Isaac with Dr. Cruz to discuss his
Capitalize articles, prepositions, Jones is on sabbatical. under-
psychological condition.
and conjunctions with four or more • Former Vice President Al Gore Do not hyphenate.
• Gov. Dover floated the idea of
letters; lowercase for those with three wrote a book. legalizing gambling in his state. • The office became understaffed
or fewer letters. All other words are Capitalize the title in list items when three of its employees
For instructors, always use their full,
capitalized, regardless of length. whether or not the title comes before went on maternity leave at the
official title (professor, associate
• Brooklyn College Launches a New or after the person’s name. same time.
professor, assistant professor,
Program in the School of Natural • Professor Isaac Jones visiting professor, adjunct professor,
and Behavioral Sciences • Isaac Jones, Professor, instructor, lecturer, etc.).
• Sociology Student Moves Up in Department of Economics
the World, With or Without Her • Kim Willensky, Dean, School of
Family’s Support Architecture
B RO O K LY N C O L L EGE | EDITO RIAL STY L EB O O KYou can also read
