Introduction
Should titles be capitalized before or after a name? Does an event take place at 6:00 p.m. or 6 p.m.? What is the preferred way to reference the University鈥檚 name?
Editorial style guides are used to address common concerns among writers and editors, as well as provide a set of standards for the University when you are unsure how a word or term should be spelled, punctuated or used. These guidelines provide consistency, so readers won鈥檛 be distracted from your message by variations in style and to craft messages that reflect 成人抖阴鈥檚 鈥渧oice.鈥
It鈥檚 important to remember that the final document, publication, or message 鈥 whether digital or in print 鈥 should represent the University with the highest professional and academic standards to be clear in meaning and free of errors.
In general, the University follows 鈥淭he Associated Press (AP) Stylebook鈥 for editorial style; there are, however, several exceptions noted in this Editorial Style Guide, many of them specific to 成人抖阴 or higher education. If not addressed here, additional direction is available from 鈥淢erriam-Webster鈥檚 Collegiate Dictionary,鈥 latest edition, or .
Academic research papers should always follow the preferred style as specified by faculty, e.g. 鈥淧ublication Manual of the American Psychological Association,鈥 or 鈥淢LA Style Manual.鈥
For additional assistance or questions, please contact 成人抖阴鈥檚 Marketing & Communications at mar.comm@csuci.edu.
A-Z References
academic degrees
When formally identifying academic degrees, they should be referenced or abbreviated as follows: ( when desired to include an academic degree on a business card or name tag, the degree may or may not include punctuation depending on allowable character spaces)
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.); Bachelor of Science (B.S.); Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
- Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.); Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (D.M.D.)
- Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.)
- Master of Arts (M.A.); Master of Education (M.Ed); Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.): Master of Science (M.S.); Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.); Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)
- Registered Nurse (R.N.)
The use of 鈥渂achelor鈥檚鈥 or 鈥渕aster鈥檚鈥 is acceptable and always use the possessive. When more than one master鈥檚 or bachelor鈥檚 degree is being described, the word 鈥渄egree鈥 should be plural, i.e. 鈥渄egrees.鈥
When referring to an 鈥渁ssociate鈥 degree, it should not be plural. Preferred style is not to add the word 鈥渄egree鈥 after an abbreviation of the degree.
Examples:
- She has an M.A. in chemistry.
- She has a master鈥檚 in chemistry.
- She has two master鈥檚 degrees in chemistry.
Degrees should not be included in articles or news releases unless relevant to the topic.
academic programs
When referring to general academic work, lowercase areas of study that are not affiliated with 成人抖阴, except those that are proper nouns or languages.
When identifying a 成人抖阴 faculty member鈥檚 specific academic program, always capitalize the academic program (note: this is an exception to the AP Stylebook); however, the word 鈥減rogram鈥 should not be capitalized.
Examples:
- He teaches in the Chemistry program at CSU Channel Islands.
- She鈥檚 Chair and Professor of English at 成人抖阴.
- He鈥檚 been a lecturer in 成人抖阴鈥檚 Art program for 10 years.
成人抖阴 undergraduate (baccalaureate) programs: Anthropology, Applied Physics, Art, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Chicana/o Studies, Communication, Computer Science, Early Childhood Studies, Economics, English: Literature & Writing, Environmental Science & Resource Management, Global Studies, Global Languages & Culture, Health Science, History, Information Technology, Liberal Studies, Mathematics, Nursing, Performing Arts, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.
成人抖阴 teaching credentials: Administrative Services, Education Specialist Mild/Moderate Level I and II, Multiple Subject with BCLAD, Single Subject: Mathematics, Science, English, and History/Social Studies
成人抖阴 graduate (post-baccalaureate) programs: Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, Business Administration, Business Administration & Biotechnology (dual degree), Computer Science, Educational Leadership, and Mathematics.
academic terms
Semesters or sessions should be capitalized. Academic terms should include the entire first year, a hyphen, and then the last two digits of the ending of the following year.
Examples:
- That course is only offered in the Fall semester.
- The Spring semester will begin on Jan. 25.
- The Summer session will begin on June 1.
- The 2020-21 academic year will begin Aug. 31.
academic honors
Do not italicize the words, 鈥渕agna,鈥 鈥渟umma,鈥 鈥渃um laude,鈥 and 鈥渨ith honors.鈥 Honorary degrees are not italicized nor capitalized.
Examples:
- She graduated summa cum laude.
- She was awarded an honorary doctorate.
academic standing
Identify students first by class and then by academic program. Capitalize the academic program when referring to programs specifically offered at 成人抖阴. Do not include a projected graduation year for students.
Example:
- John Doe, a junior majoring in Communication.
Accommodation statement
The University鈥檚 accommodation statement should be included in materials for events and other in-person campus activities:
The University encourages individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs, events, and activities. If you anticipate needing accommodations or services, or have questions about access, please contact the appropriate office below as soon as possible, preferably at least seven (7) business days prior to the event or activity:
成人抖阴 students: accommodations@csuci.edu
成人抖阴 employees or members of the public: hraccommodations@csuci.edu
acronyms
Acronyms/initials may be used on second reference when referring to the University or related entities/areas provided that the formal name is provided on first reference followed by the acronym in parentheses.
鈥湷扇硕兑踱 is the University鈥檚 acronym/initials. On first reference, use the entire name of the University along with the acronym/initials in parentheses.
Examples:
- Cal State Channel Islands (成人抖阴) is Ventura County鈥檚 only four-year, public university that places 成人抖阴 students at the center of their educational experience.
- Jane Smith oversees budget requests for Institutionally Related Activities (IRA) and all formal requests may be submitted to IRA each semester.
The use of 鈥淐I鈥 may only be used verbally and not digitally or in print. The only exception is for branded University portals, i.e. myCI, CI Records, CI Learn, CIKeys, etc.
Refer to the University Brand Guidelines 2026 for additional information about the University鈥檚 preferred name references.
address
The University鈥檚 address should be listed as: 1 University Drive, Camarillo, CA 93012-8599.
alumni
Appropriate use of the word includes:
- Alumnus: singular, male graduate
- Alumna: singular, female graduate
- Alumnae: group of female graduates
- Alumni: group of male graduates or male and female graduates
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) statement
The approved ADA statement, which follows below, should be included in all materials relating to employment at the University.
成人抖阴 does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to, access to, or operation of its instruction, programs, services, or activities, or in its hiring and employment practices. The University provides reasonable accommodation to facilitate the participation of individuals with legally protected disabilities.
ampersand
When writing sentences always spell the word 鈥渁nd鈥 unless you are identifying a proper name of a 成人抖阴 academic program, division, area or unit.
Examples:
- She earned at 成人抖阴 a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Biology and Chemistry.
- Environmental Science & Resource Management
- Housing & Residential Education
Annual Report
Capitalize both words when part of a title and lowercase on second reference.
architectural description
The architectural description of original University buildings is: 鈥淢ission-Revival and Spanish Colonial-Revival architecture.鈥
An exception to this architectural description is the John Spoor Broome Library, which was designed by world-renowned British architect, Lord Norman Foster.
area codes
Always list area codes with telephone numbers and hyphens, no periods, and without parentheses.
Example: 805-437-8400
assure or ensure
Assure is something you communicate to a person, a group of people, or an animal to remove doubt or anxiety. Assure can only be used with things that are alive; only things that are alive can feel doubt or anxiety.
Example: Mary assured John that she鈥檇 come to the party early.
Ensure is something you do to guarantee an event or condition.
Example: To ensure there would be enough food for the party, John ordered twice as much food.
bachelor鈥檚 degree (baccalaureate)
If identifying a baccalaureate degree without the academic program, the reference should be lowercase and include an apostrophe. If the academic program is included, upper case is appropriate, without the apostrophe.
Examples:
- She has a bachelor鈥檚 degree.
- He earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.
Bell Tower
The Bell Tower is a campus iconic landmark and a central location for classes and student services.
break
The word 鈥渂reak鈥 or 鈥渂reaks鈥 should be lowercase to identify Fall break, winter break, holiday break, Spring break, or summer break.
California State University Chancellor鈥檚 Office
When identifying the formal name, use it in its entirety on first reference. On second/subsequent references, you may use 鈥淐hancellor鈥檚 Office.鈥
Examples:
- California State University Chancellor鈥檚 Office or CSU Chancellor鈥檚 Office.
- The information will be sent to the Chancellor鈥檚 Office.
成人抖阴
The official and legal name of the University is: California State University Channel Islands. The University鈥檚 name does not include a comma or a hyphen.
Typically, CSU campuses named after a city include a comma; however, our University name reflects a region, our name does not include a comma.
The preferred shortened variation of our name is: Cal State Channel Islands
Refer to 鈥渁cronyms鈥 to review correct usage of the University鈥檚 acronym/initials. Additionally, refer to the University鈥檚 Brand Guidelines (2026) for additional information.
campus
Use the word 鈥渃ampus鈥 when informally referencing a building, event or activity being held on the University鈥檚 property. Use of the word 鈥渃ampus鈥 can be used on an informal basis when multiple instances of 鈥淯niversity鈥 have already been used within content. Refer to use of the word 鈥淯niversity鈥 in this Editorial Style Guide. The possessive preference is to omit the additional 鈥榮鈥 i.e. campus鈥.
campuses
Other instructional sites may include the word 鈥渃ampus鈥 in lowercase.
Example: 成人抖阴鈥檚 Goleta campus
campus-wide
Always lowercase and hyphenated.
capstone
Always lowercase and one word.
captions, cutlines
A caption, also known as a cutline, should identify people and events taking place in a photograph, as well as provide additional information to a reader or for an assistive device, which would not interpret the image on its own. Identify individuals in the image ts directionally with commas and clockwise, left to right.
Photographs that contain several individuals can be identified by the group鈥檚 name, rather than by identifying each individual, especially if not all individuals can be positively identified.
cellphone, mobile phone, smartphone
Use of the word 鈥渃ellphone鈥 or 鈥渟martphone鈥 is one word. 鈥淢obile phone鈥 should be two words.
centers, divisions, institutes, and schools
The name of a center, division, institute or school should precede the official or shortened name of the University.
The official naming of a center, division, institute or school, needs to be approved in advance by the respective Provost or Vice President, as well as the President.
Examples:
- Center for Community Engagement
- Division of University Advancement
- Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics
Central Mall
Both words should be capitalized. The Central Mall is located on Los Angeles Avenue between Richard R. Rush Hall and the Bell Tower and bordered on either side by Camarillo and Ventura Streets.
chair, co-chair
Use 鈥渃hair鈥 not chairman, chairperson or chairwoman. Always use co-chair with a hyphen.
Capitalize the initial letter before a name if part of a formal title. If faculty is chair of an academic program, include 鈥淐hair鈥 and their academic title before their name.
Examples:
- Chair of the Foundation Board, John Smith, will attend the event.
- Jane Smith, Chair and Professor of English, has been on campus many years.
- Mary Jones is co-chair of the University鈥檚 Strategic Plan.
Channel magazine
The University鈥檚 magazine is published for students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and the general community. The word 鈥淐hannel鈥 is always capitalized and if included, 鈥渕agazine鈥 should be lowercase.
Christmas break
Avoid usage. Instead use winter or holiday break.
成人抖阴 Alert
Always capitalize 鈥湷扇硕兑踱 and 鈥淎lert.鈥 成人抖阴 Alert is the University鈥檚 emergency communication system which sends simultaneous messages via emails, telephones and SMS/text messaging, to 成人抖阴 students, employees, tenants, or University Glen/Anacapa Canyon residents.
class designations
Do not capitalize the class designations of students.
Examples:
- He is a sophomore majoring in English.
- She is part of the new freshman class.
- He鈥檒l be living on campus with other freshmen.
class years
Alumni should be identified with the last two digits of their graduating year, preceded by an apostrophe, and followed by the degree and academic program.
For instances where alumni have two degrees, use an ampersand to separate the degrees. For instances where alumni have more than two degrees, use commas to separate the first degrees in a list and an ampersand to separate the last degrees in a list.
Current students should only be identified with their area of study and not the projected class year of their graduation.
Examples:
- (student) Jane Smith, Communication
- (alumni) John Doe 鈥05 B.A. Communication
- (alumni) John Smith, 鈥06 B.S. Business & 鈥08 M.S. Computer Science
comma (Oxford or serial comma)
The Oxford/serial comma is a comma placed before the final 鈥渁nd鈥 or 鈥渙r鈥 before the conjunction in a complex series of 4 or more words. Do not include an Oxford comma before the conjunction in a simple series of 3 or less words.
composition titles
Do not use italics for composition titles. Instead, place quotation marks around composition titles such as book titles, movie titles, opera titles, play titles, poem titles, album and song titles, radio and television program titles, and the titles of lectures, speeches and works of art.
Do not put quotation marks around the Bible and books that are primarily catalogs of reference material including almanacs, directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks and similar publications.
Do not use quotation marks around such software as WordPerfect or Windows.
Examples:
- 鈥淭he Color Purple鈥
- Art Exhibit: 鈥淩enderings: Recent Oil Paintings by Kate Martin鈥
- 鈥淐BS Evening News鈥
course names
Capitalize the names of specific courses, but not the common nouns referring to subject areas, unless they are languages.
Examples:
- He enrolled in Political Science 102.
- She enrolled in a political science course.
- He enrolled in an English course.
course work
Always two words.
date, month, year, and time
When a month is included with a date, abbreviate the month as: Jan., Feb., March, April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., or Dec. Do not abbreviate the month when only the month and year are provided. Do not use superscript with dates. Always use 鈥渢hrough鈥 to separate dates that include the days of the week and use a short dash for short dates.
Always use the word 鈥渢o鈥 to separate times that denote the beginning and end of an event or bridge between the morning and afternoon. Do not use "o'clock" or spell out numbers (exception: formal invitations). Use 鈥渕idnight鈥 or 鈥渘oon鈥 rather than 12 a.m. or 12 p.m. Use of the year is generally unnecessary unless announcing a date from a prior or upcoming year at least six months out.
Examples:
- January 2026
- 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Monday, Dec. 1 through Friday, Dec. 6
- Sept. 2-26
dead week
Avoid usage. Use pre-finals week.
disabled, impaired
If a person鈥檚 disability is relevant to the story, ask the source how he or she wishes to be described. Generally, the more sensitive terms are 鈥渄isabled鈥 or 鈥渋mpaired.鈥 If the person uses a piece of equipment, such as a wheelchair, it is best to say he or she 鈥渦ses鈥 it rather than is 鈥渃onfined鈥 to it. For additional guidance, contact Disability Accommodations & Support Services at 805-437-8510.
doctoral titles
Use 鈥淒octorate鈥 or 鈥渄octoral degree鈥 when referencing within a sentence. To identify a person鈥檚 academic degree, include a comma after the person鈥檚 last name followed by 鈥淧h.D.鈥 or 鈥淓d.D.鈥 on first reference only. Refer to 鈥渁cademic degrees鈥 for other abbreviations.
To avoid confusion, only use 鈥淒r.鈥 when referring to a person who is a physician or medical doctor, except in direct quotes.
Examples:
- Professor John Smith, Ph.D.
- Professor Jane Doe has a doctorate degree in anthropology.
- 鈥淒r. Smith was very helpful in expanding my knowledge about mathematics.鈥
Dolphins
The University鈥檚 mascot is the Dolphin and should be capitalized when specifically referring to the University鈥檚 mascot.
Example: Cal State Channel Islands students cheered for the Dolphins during their Lacrosse game.
dorm(s)
Do not use 鈥渄orm.鈥 Residence Hall is the preferred term.
EchoCI
The name of the University鈥檚 web content management system. Always one word and capitalize the 鈥淓鈥 and 鈥淐I.鈥
Ekho
The University鈥檚 Dolphin mascot is named Ekho, spelled with a 鈥榢,鈥 and is non-gender specific. Avoid using pronouns such as 鈥渉im鈥 or 鈥渉er.鈥
Example: Ekho attended the grand opening for Gateway Hall, a new building on campus.
Do not hyphenate the word 鈥渆mail.鈥 However, a hyphen should be used with 鈥渆-book,鈥 鈥渆-business,鈥 鈥渆-newsletter,鈥 and 鈥渆-commerce.鈥 On web pages, email addresses should be embedded in the text to link to a student, faculty or staff member. Lowercase the email address.
Example: jane.smith@csuci.edu
emeritus
A title of honor awarded to select retired administrator or faculty and approved by the University President. Capitalize when used before a name. Other terms are 鈥渆merita鈥 (singular, female) and 鈥渆meriti鈥 (plural).
Examples:
- Professor Emeritus Jane Smith
- President Emeritus J. Handel Evans
emphasis
If emphasis is needed for specific text, use bold font or underline for those specific words, but do not use both. Do not use all uppercase.
endowed chair
A faculty member whose position was created by external gifts or grants. Always lowercase both words unless used as part of a formal title.
Example: Professor John Smith, Endowed Chair of the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics
Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer
Use the statement below in all publications relating to employment at the University:
成人抖阴 is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
events
Describe by day of the week, date, time, and place, in that order.
Example: Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2028, at 9 a.m. at the South Quad.
event titles
Capitalize all words for event titles. Use of an ampersand may be used within titles.
Example: Third Annual Film & Animation Screening
exams
It鈥檚 not necessary to use examinations. Also, 鈥渇inals鈥 can be used when appropriate.
farther, further
鈥淔arther鈥 is a measure of distance. 鈥淔urther鈥 is a measure of time or degrees.
fax
Always lowercase.
fees, tuition
Use the familiar term 鈥渢uition鈥 to refer to the cost of instruction. 鈥淔ees鈥 generally refer to other charges such as on-campus housing, dining, health, labs, and technology. Use 鈥淭uition and Fees鈥 or 鈥淭otal Cost鈥 to refer to the total cost.
finals week
Always lowercase.
fiscal years
Fiscal years should include the complete first year, a hyphen and the last two digits of the ending year.
Example: Planning has begun for the 2020-21 fiscal year.
fonts
The recommended Microsoft heading/title and text typeface for all official documents associated with 成人抖阴 is Verdana or Georgia. Refer to the University鈥檚 Brand Guidelines (2026).
freshman, freshmen, first-year student
Don鈥檛 use 鈥渇rosh鈥 unless in a headline. 鈥淔reshman鈥 can be used either as a singular noun or as an adjective. 鈥淔reshmen鈥 should only be used as a plural noun. 鈥淔irst-year student鈥 is also an acceptable term for first-year students.
Examples:
- He is a freshman majoring in English.
- She is a first-year student at the University.
- He鈥檒l be living on campus with other freshmen.
fundraising, fundraiser
Always one word and do not use a hyphen.
grades
When referring to a grade someone received, simply use the letter. When referring collectively to grades, do not use an apostrophe to make plural.
Examples:
- He earned a B on his test.
- She settles only for As and Bs.
grade point average
Do not hyphenate. On second reference and in headlines, use GPA, not G.P.A.
graduate assistant
On second reference, GA is acceptable.
group designations
The names of specific racial, linguistic, tribal, religious, and other groupings are capitalized.
Example: Commencement activities pay homage to Chumash traditions.
Hall
Always capitalize when referring to official University building names.
Example: Her office is in Sierra Hall.
headlines
Only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized. Headlines should be active and concise. Well-known abbreviations are acceptable. Use surnames in headlines only if they are familiar with the University, e.g. the President鈥檚 surname.
hyperlinks
On webpages, hyperlinks should be embedded into the text. On print materials, hyperlinks should be noted as shown in the example. Be careful not to include unnecessary punctuation marks such as commas when hyperlinking text. You can also create short url鈥檚 (refer to 鈥渟hort urls鈥)
Web/Digital Example: Visit Financial Aid for more information.
Print Example: Visit
internet
Always lowercase.
instructional sites
Instructional sites not located on the main Camarillo campus should be referenced as follows:
- Channel Islands Boating Center
- Santa Rosa Island Research Station
John Spoor Broome Library
On second reference and in headlines, Broome Library is acceptable. The John Spoor Broome Library was designed by world-renowned architect, Lord Norman Foster.
locations
When referring to locations on campus use 鈥渁t鈥 for outdoor spaces and 鈥渋n鈥 for indoor spaces.
Examples:
- Commencement will be held at the South Quad.
- The presentation will be held in Malibu Hall, Room 100
list, bullet points
No periods after listed items unless they are complete sentences. If bullet points are sentence fragments, start with lowercase letters. Except for web copy, end the list with a period.
login, log in
The noun is one word, and the verb is two words. Also, the phrase 鈥渓og in to鈥 should be written with the 鈥渋n鈥 and 鈥渢o鈥 as separate words and not 鈥渓og into.鈥
magazine names
Capitalize the initial letters of the name but do not italicize nor place it in quotes. Lowercase 鈥渕agazine鈥 unless it is part of the publication鈥檚 formal title. Check the masthead if in doubt.
Examples:
- Harper鈥檚 Magazine
- Newsweek magazine
- Channel magazine
major
When referring to an area of study at 成人抖阴, the word 鈥渕ajor鈥 should be lowercase.
Example: He hopes to major in Biology.
Martin V. Smith Center for Integrative Decision-Making
On second reference and in headlines, 鈥淢VS Center for Integrative Decision-Making鈥 or 鈥淪mith Center鈥 is acceptable.
master鈥檚 degree
It should be lowercase when the academic program has not been identified and should include an apostrophe before the 鈥渟.鈥 If the academic program is identified, upper case is appropriate, without the apostrophe.
Examples:
- She has a master鈥檚 degree.
- He has a Master of Business Administration
midterm
One word, no hyphen.
Mission Statement
The official mission statement of the University may be used where appropriate:
Placing students at the center of the educational experience, California State University Channel Islands provides undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives.
more than
Use 鈥渕ore than鈥 instead of 鈥渙ver.鈥
myCI
Use the word 鈥myCI鈥 when referencing the single point-of-access. The first two letters should always be lowercase and in italics.
newspapers
Do not use italics or quotes.
Examples:
- Ventura County Star
- Los Angeles Times
news release, news conference
Use the word 鈥渘ews鈥 release or 鈥渘ews鈥 conference in place of 鈥減ress release鈥 or 鈥減ress conference.鈥 Modern news media is available in various formats other than just press or printed.
numerals
Spell out the numbers one through nine and use numerals for 10 and up. Use figure-word combination with million, billion or trillion and always use numerals for monetary amounts. For numerals, always use commas to separate thousands and millions. Ages are always provided as a number and should include hyphens if used before a noun or substitutes for a noun. Always spell out numbers that begin a sentence.
Examples:
- Over three days, eight students were cited for parking violations.
- A $1.5 million grant will benefit all students.
- The University has over 5,000 students enrolled.
- A 40-year-old professor was hired for 成人抖阴鈥檚 Business program.
- The new professor is 40 years old.
- Seventy students attended the lecture.
Office of
The only area of the University that may use 鈥淥ffice of鈥 preceding the area or unit name is Office of the President. All other areas or units may use the word 鈥渙ffice鈥 in lowercase after the name of their respective area (note: an exception is the Registrar鈥檚 Office).
Example: Contact the Marketing & Communications office for more information.
off campus, off-campus
鈥淥ff campus鈥 is a noun. 鈥淥ff-campus鈥 is an adjective.
Examples:
- He lives off campus.
- They live in an off-campus house.
online
Always one word and lowercase.
orientation
Lowercase in general uses, capitalize if describing an event.
Examples:
- The first-year students attended Island View Orientation.
- Transfer students are encouraged to attend orientation.
party affiliations
Always capitalized, whether used as a noun or adjective.
Examples:
- He鈥檚 a Democrat.
- She鈥檚 the Republican candidate.
All caps and acceptable in all references for Portable Document Format.
percent
Use of the symbol % is allowed with numerals.
Examples:
- Based on the students who attended the event, 75% responded to the survey.
- 75% (when used in financials or tables)
people
When identifying people within articles or publications, use their full name on first reference and their last name on second/subsequent references. 鈥淗e鈥 and 鈥渟he鈥 can also be used as appropriate on subsequent references, as well as noting preferred gender-neutral pronouns such as they, them, theirs.
Exceptions to the above:
- If an article includes two or more people with the same last name, use first names on second/subsequent references.
- In direct quotes, use the name as referenced by the speaker.
- Examples: 鈥淛ohn was instrumental in helping to establish scholarships,鈥 said Jane Smith.
- 鈥淒r. Smith was extremely helpful and also mentored me,鈥 stated Jane Doe.
- News releases should always use last names on second reference.
philanthropy, philanthropic
Use 鈥減hilanthropy鈥 as a noun for the act of doing a good deed. Do not use 鈥減hilanthropic鈥 as an adjective for a specific event.
photo or video credits
For photographs or video taken by 成人抖阴 staff and provided to news outlets or publications not associated with the University, they should be attributed as: 鈥淐ourtesy of Cal State Channel Islands.鈥
portals
Acceptable branding of 成人抖阴 portals/applications can include 鈥淐I鈥 such as myCI, CI Records, CI Financials, CI Learn, EchoCI, etc.
President
Capitalize when referring to the University鈥檚 President and use his/her full title on first reference. On second reference use 鈥淧resident.鈥
Examples:
- Cal State Channel Islands President John Smith attended the event.
- The President welcomed students and their parents.
pre-finals week
Use this reference instead of 鈥渄ead week.鈥
program
Always lowercase 鈥減rogram鈥 when identifying areas of study.
Example: The Art program invites students to apply for exhibit space.
pronouns
Identifying a person鈥檚 preference for a gender-neutral pronoun should be accommodated as requested by the individual in both digital and print materials. Plural pronouns such as they, them, or their, in most cases, can be reworded to provide clarity to the reader. Use of a gender-neutral pronoun should also be noted as an individual鈥檚 preference.
quotation marks, punctuation
A period or comma is always placed within the quotation marks. The dash, the semicolon, the question mark and the exclamation point are placed within the quotation marks when they apply to the quoted material only; place outside when they apply to the entire sentence.
ranking(s)
Follow the same format for numerals. The use of superscript can be used for rankings.
Example: The program is ranked 4th in the nation and improving from last year鈥檚 12th place.
resident assistant
On second reference and in headlines, 鈥淩A鈥 is acceptable. Plural is 鈥淩As.鈥
recess
The word 鈥渞ecess鈥 should be used lowercase when identifying Spring recess
Room numbers
List in this format: Bell Tower, Room 2550.
RSVP
When requesting the favor of a reply, always capitalize 鈥淩SVP鈥 and use 鈥渢o鈥 when responding to a person, or 鈥渁t鈥 when responding to a web address.
Examples:
- Guests may RSVP to Jane Smith at 805-437-8400.
- Guests may RSVP at
said, says
In general, 鈥渟ays鈥 is preferred for attribution. 鈥淪ays鈥 or 鈥渟aid鈥 is a neutral word and allows the reader to focus on the quote. Other words such as 鈥渁cknowledges,鈥 鈥渃laims,鈥 鈥渃ontends,鈥 and 鈥渟tates,鈥 carry more meaning and can apply bias to a story. Different publications have different guidelines concerning the use of 鈥渟aid鈥 versus 鈥渟ays.鈥 News releases generally use 鈥渟aid.鈥
semester or session
Always lowercase 鈥渟emester鈥 or 鈥渟ession.鈥
Examples:
- Fall semester
- Spring semester
- Summer session
Santa Rosa Island Research Station (SRIRS)
A research station on Santa Rosa Island is part of the Channel Islands National Park and is administered in partnership with the National Park Service. The official name of the research station is: Santa Rosa Island Research Station 鈥 A California State University Channel Islands Undergraduate Research Campus. 鈥淪RIRS鈥 is acceptable on second reference.
sathwiwa
The Chumash mountain sathwiwa is an iconic landmark overlooking the campus.
semicolon
In general, use the semicolon to indicate a greater separation of thought and information than a comma can convey, but less than the separation a period implies. To clarify a series, use semicolons to separate elements of a series when the items in the series are long or when individual segments contain material that also must be set off by commas. Note that the semicolon is used before the final 鈥渁nd鈥 in such a series.
Example: Professor Smith is survived by his spouse Mary Smith of Ventura; and two daughters, Jane Smith of Oxnard; and Mary Smith of Camarillo.
spacing
Use a single space at the end of a sentence after a period, question mark, or exclamation point.
spokesperson
Use 鈥渟pokesperson鈥 not 鈥渟pokesman鈥 or 鈥渟pokeswoman.鈥 Capitalize before a name if part of a formal title or lowercase if after a name.
Examples:
- Spokesperson Mary Smith clarified the events leading up to the first day of the Fall semester.
- Mary Smith, spokesperson for 成人抖阴, provided an update to reporters.
Strategic Plan
Capitalize both words when part of a title and lowercase on second reference.
student identification
In a typical situation, identify student sources by first and last name, class standing, and academic program on first reference. Include age and hometown in news releases or as pertinent to the context of the text. Identify faculty sources by name, academic title, and academic program on first reference.
Examples:
- John Doe, a junior majoring in Business, was named student of the year.
- Jane Smith, 22, from Camarillo, is a senior majoring in Anthropology.
- Jane Doe, Professor of Biology
syllabus
The plural is 鈥渟yllabi.鈥
systemwide
Use lowercase and as one word when referring to the CSU systemwide system.
telephone numbers, extensions
Always include the area code and use numerals with hyphens and without parentheses. When identifying University telephone extensions within internal communications abbreviating the word 鈥渆xtension鈥 as 鈥渆xt.鈥 is acceptable.
Examples:
- 805-437-8400
- ext. 8400
Thanksgiving break
Avoid usage. Use Fall break.
theatre, theater
Use 鈥渢heatre鈥 except for news releases. Within news releases, follow AP Stylebook, which is 鈥渢heater鈥 on general reference unless 鈥渢heatre鈥 is part of a proper noun or formal name.
thesis
The plural is 鈥渢heses.鈥
time elements
Use 鈥渁.m.鈥 or 鈥減.m.鈥 and do not add an extra period at the end of a sentence ending in 鈥渁.m.鈥 or 鈥減.m.鈥 Use 鈥渕idnight鈥 or 鈥渘oon鈥 rather than 12 a.m. or 12 p.m.
titles
Institutional titles or academic titles are preferred. Titles should always be capitalized before or after a name (note: this is an exception to the AP Stylebook). If identifying titles for individuals not associated with the University, those titles should be lowercase.
Academic titles include Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, and Lecturer. It is important to be specific when identifying a faculty member by academic rank. When describing the nature of a faculty member鈥檚 employment, use of one of four terms is preferred: tenured, tenure track, full-time lecturer, or part-time lecturer.
Institutional titles include: Vice President for, Associate Vice President for, Assistant Vice President for, Senior Executive Director of, Senior Director of, Director of, or Manager of.
Vice Presidents, Associate or Assistant Vice Presidents should include the word 鈥渇or鈥 within their title. All other institutional titles should include the word 鈥渙f鈥 as part of the title.
Examples:
- Jane Smith, Vice President for University Advancement
- Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management John Lopez
- Joe Smith, Senior Executive Director of Faciliites Services
University
Capitalize the word 鈥淯niversity鈥 when specifically referring to Cal State Channel Islands or when formally representing the entire University as an educational institution. Otherwise, if referring to any university, the word should be lowercase.
Examples:
- It was a year of historic firsts for our University.
- The key to a successful university is its curriculum.
short urls
Only short url鈥檚 should use 鈥済o.csuci.edu/xxx鈥 and should include a one- or two-word description after the /
Vice President
Always capitalize both words when they appear before or after a name, and never hyphenate.
Examples:
- Vice President for Student Affairs Jane Smith attended the conference.
- Jane Smith, Vice President for Student Affairs attended the conference.
WSCUC Accreditation
Use the statement below when referring to the University鈥檚 accreditation:
成人抖阴 is accredited by the Western Association of Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).
web
Short form of World Wide Web, always lowercase. It is a service, or set of standards, that enables the publishing of multimedia documents on the internet.
web addresses
Do not use 鈥渉ttp://鈥 when listing website addresses, either in print or digitally.
website
One word, lowercase. Also, 鈥渨ebcam,鈥 鈥渨ebcast,鈥 鈥渨ebinar,鈥 and 鈥渨ebpage.鈥
Wi-Fi
The name for wireless networking standards is spelled with two capital letters and a hyphen.
Zip code
Not 鈥淶ip Code鈥 or 鈥渮ip code.鈥