University of Massachusetts Amherst communications should be active, clear, bold, confident, vibrant, and authentic. It should reflect the university’s position as the flagship campus of Massachusetts.

In the appropriate context, acceptable names for the institution are:

• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• the University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Massachusetts
• UMass (not UMASS)
• UMass Amherst
• the university

In referring to the Amherst campus, the largest, oldest, and flagship of the UMass system’s five campuses, take into account the purpose and audience of the publication in question.

In addressing alumni and certain national audiences who have been found to strongly associate the word UMass with the flagship campus, UMass or the University of Massachusetts may stand alone. The formality of the text should guide your choice of terms.

Where confusion with the other campuses in the system could result, and in communications with legislators, use UMass Amherst or the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The University of Massachusetts system campuses are:

• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Massachusetts Boston
• University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
• University of Massachusetts Lowell
• UMass Chan Medical School

Every effort should be made to keep references to the University of Massachusetts on one line in display copy.

UMass Amherst satellite locations:

UMass Amherst Gloucester Marine Station
(located in Gloucester, Mass., the station provides a connection between scientific research at UMass Amherst and the marine environment—both locally and across the world)

Charles River Campus
(UMass Amherst’s Greater Boston hub for professional development)
Do not use “Charles River"

UMass Amherst Henry M. Thomas III Center at Springfield
(in downtown Springfield, the center is a portal to UMass Amherst academic programs)

UMass Amherst Cranberry Station
(is part of the university’s Center for Agriculture, Food, and Environment and is located in East Wareham, Mass.)

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS

Capitalize formal department names. Lowercase otherwise, unless the name of the department is a proper noun. Examples:

• the Department of History, the history department, the English department
• Department of Polymer Science and Engineering; the polymer science and engineering department; polymer science and engineering; the department

Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management

• On second reference, use McCormack

CAMPUS BUILDING NAMES

The first reference to a campus building should be by its full title. Examples:

• Goessmann Laboratory, Worcester Dining Commons, Robsham Memorial Center for Visitors, Recreation Center, Football Performance Center, Old Chapel

Building names upon second reference can be just the named portion when the name is not generic (e.g., Goessmann). If a generic name, use the shortest version of the full name (e.g., Memorial Hall), and lowercase when possible:

• the visitor’s center, the football center, the dining commons, the chapel

Integrated Sciences Building

Integrative Learning Center

McGuirk Alumni Stadium

Mullins Center

Murray D. Lincoln Campus Center

• Subsequent mentions should be "Campus Center." All references to the Campus Center should be capitalized.

Old Chapel (not "the Old Chapel")

• Example: We will meet on Tuesday at Old Chapel.

Randolph W. Bromery Center for the Arts (full building name)

• On second mention, Bromery Center

Recreation Center

• The second reference should be “the Rec Center”

W. E. B. Du Bois Library

(See Campus Building Addresses for more information.)

COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS

Capitalize formal names of colleges and schools. Lowercase otherwise, unless the name of the college or school is a proper noun. Examples:

• College of Social & Behavioral Sciences; the college
• School of Public Health & Health Sciences; the school

For a comprehensive list of college and school names, see below:

College of Education

College of Humanities & Fine Arts

College of Natural Sciences

College of Social & Behavioral Sciences

Commonwealth Honors College (CHC)

• Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community (CHCRC)
• customarily does not include "the" before CHC or Commonwealth Honors College
  Example: "Learn how you can help support Commonwealth Honors College."
• CHC students are known as Honors students—lowercase "honors" is reserved for students who study at a university honors level but are not members of the Commonwealth Honors College.
• CHC's Honors Thesis is capitalized.
  Example: "A graduating Commonwealth Honors College student, she is excited to wrap up her Honors Thesis this semester."

Elaine Marieb College of Nursing

• Use the full name of the college on the cover and in first mention in non-promotional, formal publications, and other prominent public displays (e.g., invitations, signage).
• Use Marieb College of Nursing in first mention in promotional publications, editorial materials, correspondence, and web content.
• College of Nursing may be used in subsequent mentions.

Graduate School

Isenberg School of Management

• Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, initial reference;
  Isenberg on subsequent reference.
• Do not use: SOM, ISOM, UMass Isenberg, or Isenberg SOM.

Riccio College of Engineering

• The college's full name, Daniel J. Riccio Jr. College of Engineering, should be used in first mention in
  non-promotional, formal publications, and other prominent public displays, such as buildings and campus signage.
• Riccio College of Engineering may be used on the covers of printed collateral, in first mention in promotional publications, editorial material, correspondence, the college's website header, and web content.
• College of Engineering may be used in subsequent mentions.
• Do not shorten to Riccio, Riccio College, the Engineering College, RCOE, or use abbreviations such as COE in headers or running text.
• COE, however, may be used only on items that have extremely limited space, such as charts, graphs, and some
  social media avatars.
• When referring to the college as part of UMass Amherst, use Daniel J. Riccio Jr. College of Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
• For audio, Riccio is pronounced RICH-ee-oh

Robert and Donna Manning College of Information & Computer Sciences

• Use the full name of the college on the cover and in first mention in non-promotional, formal publications, and other prominent public displays (e.g., invitations, signage).
• Use Manning College of Information & Computer Sciences in first mention in promotional publications, editorial materials, correspondence, and web content.
• College of Information & Computer Sciences may be used in subsequent mentions.

School of Public Health & Health Sciences

Stockbridge School of Agriculture

• Stockbridge School of Agriculture, initial reference;
  Stockbridge, subsequently.

(See our Schools and Colleges guide for more information.)

Formal capitalization style of degrees, written in full and including area of study (often reserved for formal invitations, resumes, diplomas, and certificates only). Capitalize degree name and area of study. Examples:

• Bachelor of Science in Microbiology
• Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature
• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Education
• Master of Fine Arts in Dramaturgy
• Master of Science in Chemistry
• Master of Social Work

General mention of academic degrees, such as "bachelor's" or "bachelor's degree" and "master’s" or "master's degree" must include a singular possessive apostrophe. Example:

• To date, the university has awarded 43,351 master’s degrees.
• Eduardo is planning to complete his bachelor's this spring.

Associate degree is singular non-possessive (not associate’s).

Omit periods in degree abbreviations whenever possible. Examples:

• Once she receives her MA degree this year, she will immediately join the PhD program.

Punctuation in the use of degrees, following a name, in running text: Use comma both before and after degree initials. Example:

• Ingrid Forsythe, PhD, will give a lecture on the medieval history of the Netherlands.

Degree initials after a name need only be mentioned in the first instance. Subsequent name mentions do not need to include degree initials. Example:

• Leiden University's Ingrid Forsythe, PhD, will give a lecture on the medieval history of the Netherlands. After the talk, slide presentation, and a break for refreshment, Professor Forsythe will take questions from the audience.

alumnus; alumni; alumna; alumnae

Use alumnus (alumni in the plural) when referring to a man who has attended a school. Use alumna (alumnae in the plural) for similar references to a woman. Use alumni when referring to a mixed-gender group. Avoid using the shortened alum.

campus, campuses (plural), campus’s (possessive)

campuswide

class years

When referring to an alumnus/alumna in text, include the last two digits of their class year after the name, with a true apostrophe before the year. Do not use commas to separate names and class years. Example:

• Norm Abram ’72 may well be America’s most famous carpenter.

When referring to an alumnus/alumna with multiple degrees, list the degrees in the order in which they were received. Note there is no space between the year and the degree abbreviation.

• In the years since she graduated, Raveena Walsh ’79, ’85MS, ’90PhD has traveled throughout the world.

Use Hon for honorary degrees (only when they are granted by UMass).

titles of courses, conferences, workshops, and symposiums

Title capitalization, do not enclose in quotation marks. Examples:

• Finn is taking Professor Doyle's Women in Art and Architecture course next semester.
• Are you attending the Medievalist Expo Conference in Denver this year?

doctoral; doctorate

Doctoral is an adjective; doctorate is a noun.

double major / double-major

When used as a noun, no hyphen:
"Lauren is a double major in history and theater."

When used as a verb, hyphenate:
"Lauren double-majored in history and theater."

emeritus, emeriti, emerita, emeritae

Emeritus and emerita are honorary designations and do not simply mean retired.

Use emeritus (or emeriti in the plural) when referring to a man who has received this honor. Use emerita (or emeritae in the plural) for similar references to a woman. Use emeriti when referring to a mixed-gender group.

first-year student (instead of "freshman")

UMass Amherst no longer uses the term "freshman" when referring to undergraduates in their first year of studies. Use first-year and with a hyphen as a descriptor.

Examples: "Rebecca is a first-year chemistry major."

"It is Rebecca's first year studying in the Department of Chemistry, but it's Tom's sophomore year in the department."

Five Colleges, Incorporated

The full and formal name of the academic consortium that includes the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Hampshire, Amherst, Mount (not Mt.) Holyoke, and Smith colleges.

Subsequent reference may be made to the Five Colleges.

The singular form “Five College” is adjectival and not hyphenated:

• The Five College consortium was established in 1965.

Founders Day

grade point average (GPA)

Do not hyphenate grade point average or use periods in its abbreviation, GPA. GPAs refer to numbers, not grades—a GPA of 3.0, not a GPA of B.

Minuteman Marching Band

on campus; off campus

on-campus (adjective); on campus (adverb); off-campus (adjective), off campus (adverb). Examples:

• off-campus housing
• housing is off campus

well-being

always hyphenated

In general…

When a civil or military title is used before a last name, it should be spelled out. With full names, the title should be abbreviated. Examples:

• General Schwarzkopf; Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf
• Senator Kerry; Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

Abbreviate and capitalize Co., Corp., Inc., and Ltd., and do not precede with a comma (except for Five Colleges, Incorporated).

Do not abbreviate street addresses in running text. Exceptions are NW, NE, SE, and SW used in some street addresses. Example:

The construction on Massachusetts Avenue will continue until March.

Academic degrees following a person’s name are abbreviated and set off by commas. Example:

• Don Jones, PhD, has joined the faculty.

U.S. state names and U.S. territories

In running text, use the postal code abbreviations for states when they appear with a city or town; spell the state in full when mentioned without a corresponding city or town.
Examples:

• He lives in Massachusetts, but went to school in Tampa, FL.
• The company is based in Newark, NJ.

Note: State names with six letters or less (Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Utah) are never abbreviated in running text.

Well-known American or international cities do not require accompanying state or country.
Examples:

• "Professor Quinn is attending a conference in Paris this year." (Not "...a conference in Paris, France, this year.")
• "All scholarship recipients will have an opportunity to study abroad in London." (Not "...to study abroad in London, England.")
• "The art exhibit is transferring from Los Angeles to New Orleans."

Less-widely known cities or towns include accompanying U.S. state or country.
Examples:

• "The bulk of his research took place in Burlington, VT, during the summer."
• "Furano, Japan, is famous for its lavender fields."

United States—spell out when used as a noun; use "U.S." as an adjective.
Examples:

• "...China's involvement with the United States."
• "U.S. involvement in overseas diplomacy..."
• "She paid in U.S. dollars despite the unfavorable rate exchange."

In general, avoid unnecessary capitals. The University of Massachusetts Amherst uses a “down style” of capitalization, in which proper names and adjectives are capitalized, but generic terms, such as university, street, and state, are lowercased except when used as part of a formal proper name.

titles of persons

In the down style, the title of a person is capitalized only when that title precedes a name; a title is lowercased when it follows a name or stands alone. Examples:

• Chancellor Reyes
• Chancellor and Mrs. Reyes
• Javier A. Reyes, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst
• the chancellor

In the most formal, honorific contexts (invitations, event programs) a full “up” style may be used. Examples:

• Javier A. Reyes, Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst
• the Chancellor

(Such titles as president of the United States, the pope, and the dean of students are not exceptions, regardless of the respect otherwise accorded them.)

majors, fields, and courses of study

Lowercase the names of majors and fields of study unless the name is a proper noun. Examples:

• Among her friends, Stella counts communications, English, French, and biology majors.
• The department is looking for candidates with strong backgrounds in chemistry, physics, or mathematics.

course titles

Use capitalization in course titles; do not use italics or quotation marks. Examples:

• Analytic Geometry and Trigonometry
• Introduction to Literature

Certain UMass Amherst academic requirements are capitalized by convention. Examples:

• By the end of his junior year, he had fulfilled all the General Education requirements.
• This course fulfills the Junior Year Writing Requirement for animal science majors.

concentrations

Lowercase the names of concentrations unless the name is a proper noun. Example:

• Students should declare their intention to follow the biotechnology concentration at the end of their sophomore year.

seasons

Do not capitalize fall, winter, spring, summer. Example:

• He took five classes in the fall semester.

Cardinal directions

Lowercase north, south, east, and west when referring to directions.
Examples:

• "UMass Amherst is in western Massachusetts."
• "Austria is east of France."
• "She is traveling to the northern part of Vermont."

However, capitalize north, south, east, and west when referring to specific regions or cultures, such as East Coast, the Midwest, West Coast, or the South (of the U.S.).

• "He is originally from the West Coast."
• "They are studying Eastern philosophy."
• "We love Southern comfort foods like shrimp and grits and biscuits and gravy."

Popular American regions use capitalized cardinal directions, such as Southern California, Lower East Side and West Side (of Manhattan), South Chicago or South Side of Chicago, 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the commonwealth
Capitalized when using formal name of "Commonwealth of Massachusetts." Lowercase "commonwealth" in running text.
Example:

• "The university is not only a top-tier research institution in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts but also throughout New England."
• "UMass Amherst is a university for the commonwealth."

Pioneer Valley region, reference name alternatives:

UMass Amherst acknowledges that it was founded and built on the unceded homelands of the Pocumtuc Nation on the land of the Norrwutuck community. In consideration of this, the following are recommended geographical alternatives to the “Pioneer Valley” place-name when referring the geographic area of Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties. This does not include official/legal names of businesses, nonprofit organizations, named buildings, or state/municipal public spaces such as parks or event venues.

Recommended alternate location names:

• Connecticut River Valley or the River Valley or simply The Valley
• Western Massachusetts* (lowercase “western” when not beginning a sentence in running text)
• The Five College area (when referencing a smaller area, specifically Amherst/Northampton); use when wishing to emphasize this condensed area of higher ed
• Reference a specific county in lieu of the wider geographic area (e.g, “Hampshire County” instead of “Connecticut River Valley,” “River Valley,” or “western Massachusetts”)

*Regional name of “western Massachusetts” has long been associated with the Connecticut River Valley counties of Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden in Massachusetts. Informally, these counties are most often referred to as “western Massachusetts” while the far western portion of the state is referred to as “Berkshire County” or “the Berkshires.”

U.S. state names

In running text, use the full name for states when they appear with a city or town (however, the state does not need to accompany well-known cities such as London or Paris); spell the state in full when mentioned without a corresponding city or town.
Examples:

• "He went to school in Gainesville, Florida, and now lives in Massachusetts."
• "To request membership, write to PO Box 555, Knoxville, TN 37950"

Use the two-letter postal code for U.S. state where space is limited (e.g., tables, graphs, poster, postcard, flyers event details) and for address labels, envelopes, and contact information.

Well-known American and international cities do not require accompanying state or country.
Examples:

• "Professor Quinn is attending a conference in Paris this year."
  (Not "... a conference in Paris, France, this year.")
• "All scholarship recipients will have an opportunity to study abroad in London."
  (Not "... to study abroad in London, England.")
• "The art exhibit is transferring from Los Angeles to New Orleans."

Less-widely known cities or towns include accompanying U.S. state or country.
Examples:

• "The bulk of his research took place in Burlington, Vermont, during the summer."
• "Furano, Japan, is famous for its lavender fields."

United States/U.S.—"United States" no longer needs to be spelled out in its first mention when it is clearly implied that "U.S." refers to the United States of America. Use "U.S." as an adjective.
Examples:

• "... China's involvement with the U.S."
• "U.S. involvement in overseas diplomacy ..."
• "She paid in U.S. dollars despite the unfavorable rate exchange."

ampersand (and); &

Do not use the ampersand (&) in running text. The only exception to using an ampersand in running text is if it is included in a well-known branded entity, such as AT&T, M&Ms, Ben & Jerry's, U.S. News & World Report.

The ampersand may be used in running headers, footers, and tabular matter only such as part of an official name UMass college, school, department, or center that uses the ampersand in its tier-2 or tier-3 branding. Examples:

• Asian Languages & Literatures
• Judaic & Near Eastern Studies
• Center for Applied Mathematics & Computation

apostrophe

An apostrophe indicates that letters have been omitted, or indicates possessive case or plurals.

Omissions:

Use an apostrophe with the year of graduation—a true apostrophe, not an inch mark—as in:

• class of ’21
• Michael Doyle ’56

Possessives:

Use ’s to form the possessive of singular nouns

• my dog’s leash
• Susan’s library books

Use ’s to form the possessive of plural nouns that don’t end in “s”:

• children’s hospital
• university’s degree programs

For singular common nouns that end in "s," use an apostrophe plus “s”.
Example:

The bus's windows were broken.

Use ’s for collective nouns and proper nouns ending in “s”:

• Dr. Seuss’s poetry
• Congress’s vote on the amendment
• Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities

UMass’s and Massachusetts’s are technically correct but, since they’re awkward, it’s best to re-work the sentence.

Plurals:

Plural nouns are apostrophe only at end of word.
Example:

• All students' clubs and organizations have an annual budget.

Do not use an apostrophe when forming plural figures, as in:

• the late 1800s
• the early ’50s; late 1950s

Use ’s in master’s and bachelor’s degrees. Never use masters’ degrees.

colon

Colons separate major parts of sentences, or they introduce a quotation or a list.

Insert a colon after “as follows” or “the following.” Capitalize the first word after the colon if what comes after it is a complete sentence. Otherwise, don’t. Examples:

• Students, please note the following: Bring your notebooks and laptops to class.
• Students were instructed to bring the following: notebooks and laptops.

Use a colon to introduce a direct quotation. Example:

• I received an email that said: “Your essay on Shakespeare is two days late.”

comma

Use commas to separate elements in a series, including the element preceded by “and” (which is referred to as a serial or Oxford comma). Example:

• By now she had taken exams in algebra, trigonometry, and calculus.

Commonly related elements are not separated by punctuation. Examples:

• The committee considered initiatives in community service learning, recruitment and retention, and research and development.

Use a comma to separate the elements of a location. Example:

• Alumnus Jack Roulette, who grew up in Worcester, Mass., now lives in Reno, Nev.

Commas and periods go inside double quotation marks; colons and semicolons outside them. Examples:

• “I’ve heard enough,” said the director.
• The marching band likes to play “Maria.”
• At reunion, Eliot gave a memorable rendition of “You Gotta Have Heart”; Greta was his inspired accompanist.

Use a comma with numbers greater than one thousand. Example:

1,200 or 1,343,000, and the like

dash

Dashes separate parts of a sentence and can serve several functions. There are two kinds of dashes used most often in promotional, formal, or general written communication.

• em dash

The em dash can indicate a strong break in a sentence, as in the first example below. Or it can be used to show emphasis, as in the second example, usually used in pairs. The em dash can be used in place of colons, commas, or parentheses, depending on the context. Note there is no space on either side of the dash. Examples:

• I like green vegetables—like broccoli, kale, and chard.
• My family has lived in Massachusetts for six generations—long before it became known as the Bay State—and we plan to stay here for many more.

In Microsoft Word, create an em dash by pressing Ctrl, Alt, and the minus sign on the number keypad all at the same time. (You can also set your Preferences to convert a double hyphen to an em dash.) Mac Pages users, press Shift, Option, and the minus key at the same time.

• en dash

The en dash separates a range of dates, times, or numbers. Again, don’t insert a space before or after the dash. Examples:

• President Obama’s term was 2009–2017.
• Homecoming Weekend will be held Sept. 12–14.

In Microsoft Word, create an en dash by pressing Ctrl and the minus sign on the number keypad at the same time. Mac Pages users, press Option and the minus key at the same time.

ellipsis

An ellipsis is a series of three dots that indicates the omission of a word, phrase, or even a paragraph from a quoted passage.

• Indicate an omission within a quotation by using an ellipsis (three periods between words that should be treated like a three-letter word). Example:

  “Every fall ... we boil down maple sap to make syrup.”

• When omitting something after a complete sentence, add a period at the end of the sentence followed by a space and then the ellipsis (three periods without spaces between them). Example:

  “At UMass Amherst, we are committed to the educational and social development of our students. ... We keep this commitment in mind as we develop our courses and special programs.”

exclamation point

The Chicago Manual of Style recommends using exclamation points sparingly. Mostly, they should be used with an emphatic or ironic statement. Examples:

• Look out!
• It was 110 degrees in Venice, FL, today. Here in Massachusetts, we should be so lucky!

hyphen

The Chicago Manual of Style recommends “a spare hyphenation style” unless a hyphen is needed to prevent misunderstanding or confusion. This pertains to nouns as well as adjectives. For example, we no longer need to hyphenate words such as “fundraising” and “groundbreaking.”

Use a hyphen:

With prefixes:

• If the word that follows a prefix begins with a capital letter
• With the prefixes ex-, self-, and all-, as in ex-president, self-control, all-consuming
• With the prefix co-, such as co-founder and co-director
• When the last letter of the prefix and the first letter of the next word are the same, as in pre-engineering
• With terms such as non-credit and non-discrimination
• When used as adjectives, such as part-time or full-time

To join two or more words that create an adjective describing a noun. Examples:

• well-worn jeans
• vine-ripened tomatoes
• one-way street

With “in-person” when it is used as an adjective, as in “We’ll be attending an in-person English class.”

Note: When leaving out the second half of a hyphenated term, keep the hyphen but leave a space. Examples:

• 5- to 8-year-olds
• single- or double-occupancy

Rules for hyphenated compounds in headlines and titles (taken from The Chicago Manual of Style):

Always capitalize the first element.

• Capitalize any subsequent elements unless they are articles, prepositions, coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, or, nor), or such modifiers as flat or sharp following musical key symbols.
• If the first element is merely a prefix or combining form that could not stand by itself as a word (anti-, pre-, co-, etc.), do not capitalize the second element unless it is a proper noun or proper adjective.
• Capitalize the second element in a hyphenated spelled-out number (Twenty-One or Twenty-First, etc.) or hyphenated simple fraction (Two-Thirds in Two-Thirds Majority).

Do NOT hyphenate:

Compound modifiers that come after a noun, as in:

• The jeans were well worn.
• The tomatoes were tree ripened.
• This street is one way.

Adverbs ending in -ly, such as:

• highly qualified applicant
• beautifully painted portrait

The terms “vice president” or “nonprofit”

The terms “full time” and “part time” when they are not used as adjectives, such as “I work full time in a grocery store after school.”

The term “in person” when not used as an adjective, as in “We’ll be attending the English class in person.”

For a comprehensive list of words that should be hyphenated, see The Chicago Manual of Style, section 7.89 Hyphenation Guide.

period

Use a single space after the period at the end of a sentence.

quotation marks

Quotation marks are used around a direct quotation, direct speech, and some literary titles.

Use single quotation marks for quotations within quotations. Example: “After I failed the exam,” my friend said, “the professor told me, ‘You should have asked me for help.’”

Place periods and commas inside quotation marks. Place colons and semicolons outside quotation marks. If exclamation points and question marks are not part of a direct quotation, also place them outside. Examples:

• The coach said, “Let’s have a good practice before tonight’s game.”
• My history professor said to “include dates at the end of the term paper”; however, I don’t know the dates.
• Who said, “A penny saved is a penny earned”?

Enclose these in quotation marks: song titles, articles, poems, individual titles as part of a series, lectures, book chapters, photographs, and unpublished works. Examples:

• “Hold On,” sung by Adele
• “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost
• Ansel Adams, “Half Dome, Merced River, Winter,” Yosemite Special Edition Photograph

semicolon

Elements in a series that are punctuated internally should be separated by semicolons. Examples:

The meeting was called by the department head and included White, the executive officer; Smith, the chief undergraduate adviser; and Brown, the graduate program director.

academic rank and specialties

In formal lists of faculty members, always include academic rank and verify that the rank is current.
Example:

• Curry S. Hicks, Professor of Physical Education

In running text, refer to faculty by their full name on first reference, and by their last name on second and subsequent references.
Examples:

• Curry S. Hicks was a professor of physical education during the Massachusetts State College era.
• It is Hicks, of course, after whom the Curry Hicks Cage is named.

Faculty members with doctorate degrees are not referred to as "Dr."--only individuals with medical degrees may be referred to as "Dr." in their titles.

It is usually best to avoid the unmodified title “professor” in reference to faculty who have not attained full professorial rank. If specification of rank is not desired, expressions such as these may be used:

• George A. Smith, a faculty member in engineering
• Mary Clark of the English faculty

courtesy titles

Never use courtesy titles such as Mr., Mrs., Ms., and the like. Use Dr. only when the person is a medical doctor, and then only on first reference. Use courtesy titles only as an exception, when explicitly preferred by the subject or as a part of a person’s identity/persona/public title.

titles of persons / chancellor title

Lowercase titles of persons except when used in front of the person’s name.
Examples:

• Chancellor Javier Reyes
• Chancellor and Mrs. Reyes
• Javier A. Reyes, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Javier A. Reyes, PhD, is the chancellor of UMass Amherst
• the chancellor

Use of “PhD” when referring to UMass Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes: Whether with the chancellor title prefix or not, “PhD” after “Javier Reyes” occurs in the first instance only.

Examples:

Chancellor Javier Reyes, PhD, will address the graduates at this week’s commencement ceremony.
Javier A. Reyes, PhD, began his role as chancellor of UMass Amherst in the summer of 2023.

Always include a comma after “PhD” in running text.

In the most formal, honorific contexts (invitations, event programs) a full “up” style may be used.
Examples:

• Javier A. Reyes, Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst
• the Chancellor

Title Styles for Literary and Artistic Works:

Titles and subtitles of books, proceedings, collections, periodicals, and newspapers are italicized, or set in roman type in a sentence otherwise italicized. Examples:

• Look for the Oxford English Dictionary definition.
• An article about her appears in The New York Times.

Titles of articles and features in periodicals and newspapers, chapter titles, and titles of short stories and essays are enclosed in quotation marks. Examples:

• I occasionally look at “Elementary Rules of Usage” in Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style.

Titles of operas, oratorios, and other long musical compositions are italicized.

Titles of songs and other short compositions are enclosed in quotation marks. Longer works with generic titles are set in roman type, but are not enclosed in quotation marks.

Titles of movies and of television and radio programs and series are italicized. A single episode in a television or radio series is set in roman type and enclosed in quotation marks.

Titles of most poems are set in roman type and enclosed in quotation marks. A very long poetic work, especially one constituting a book, is italicized and not enclosed in quotation marks.

Titles of plays are italicized. Parts of plays are lowercased and set in roman type.

Titles of paintings, drawings, photographs, statues, and other works of art are italicized.

Photo Credit Style:
... for web and print publications. Examples:

• Photo by Ben Barnhart
• Photo by Thom Kendall
• Photo by John Solem, University Photographer

Freelance photographers' photo credits are name only. UMass Amherst does not include personal web links for freelance photographers.

UMass Amherst staff photographers, however, include their name and job title.

numbers

Spell out cardinal and ordinal numbers one through nine. Use numerals for numbers 10 and above. Examples:

• Three, third, nine, 10, 15th, 93, 100

Letters in ordinal numbers should not appear as superscripts (e.g., 122nd, not 122^nd).

The same rules apply to round numbers in the millions and billions. Examples:

• eight billion, 10 million people, 140 million people

Use numerals in scores, court decisions, and legislative votes (with an en dash). Examples:

• a 7–5 victory, a 5–4 ruling, a Senate vote of 34–23

Spell out imprecise numbers. Example:

• More than a thousand UMass students are studying abroad.

academic years; general spans of time via years

For academic years, use full years separated by a closed en dash.
Example: 2025–2026 

For spans of time via years, use the same format: full years separated by a closed en dash.
Example: New York City's Henri Bendel department store was in operation for over a century (1895–2019).

ages

For ages, always use figures. If the age is used as an adjective or as a substitute for a noun, then it should be hyphenated. Do not use apostrophes when describing an age range. Examples: 

• A 21-year-old student.
• The student is 21 years old.
• The girl, 8, has a brother, 11.
• The contest is for 18-year-olds.
• He is in his 20s.

currency

When referring to money, use numerals. For cents or amounts of $1 million or more, spell the words cents, million, billion, trillion, etc. Examples: 

• $26.52
• $100,200
• $8 million
• 6 cents

percent

The spelled-out “percent” is preferred in printed publications, although % may be used on webpages, in data tables, or in lists.

Always use numerals in front of the word “percent” unless the number begins a sentence.

Examples:

• There is a 7 percent solution. (not seven percent)
• Seven percent of zero is still zero.

ranking

Use No. as the abbreviation for number to indicate position or rank: 

• UMass Amherst is ranked the No. 1 public research university in New England.

dates

Use cardinal, not ordinal, numbers for dates. Examples:

April 1, not April 1st; July 4, not July 4th.

Spell out days of the week. For months, spell out when used alone; abbreviate when used with a specific date. But don’t abbreviate these months with five letters or less: March, April, May, June, July. Use numerals for years (e.g., 2025).

Use no punctuation with just month and year or season and year, but use commas if using the day and month together. Examples:

• May 2012; spring 2010
• a June 5, 2012, deadline
• Join us on Friday, April 28, for a reception.

decades

Decades are either spelled out (lowercased) or expressed in numerals. Examples:

• the nineties
• the 1990s, the ’90s, the mid-1930s.

a.m.; p.m.

Lowercase, with periods and a space after the number. Use figures to designate time, using a.m. and p.m. If the time is on the hour, do not use :00. Examples:

• 4:30 a.m.
• 4 p.m.

a.m. or p.m. do not need to be repeated if a time span is morning only or afternoon only:

• 9:30–11 a.m.
• 1–4 p.m.

For noon and midnight, use noon and midnight without the number 12. Or use a.m. (midnight) or p.m. (noon):

• Lunch is at noon. Lunch is at 12 p.m.
• Applications must be submitted before midnight. Applications must be submitted before 12 a.m.

Spans of time

For times of day, use an en dash between start and finish times, with no spaces before and after the en dash. Example:

25th Annual Nursing Conference
Saturday, Nov. 23
10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Use the words “from” and “to” when span of time is conveyed within a sentence. Example:

This year’s Nursing Conference will run from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23.

At UMass Amherst, we are committed to using inclusive language that conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunities. The following suggestions for writing and talking about diverse groups of people are primarily taken from the APA (American Psychological Association) Inclusive Language Guide.

It is advisable to ask your story’s subject what their preference is for personal descriptors, such as pronouns, particularly if it is relevant to the story and its context. When it is not feasible to ask a subject, we recommend the following guidelines for commonly used words and phrases:

ability and disability

If a person’s situation, medical condition, illness, or injury is relevant to the content, be as specific as possible and avoid inserting value judgments about their circumstance. For example:

• Use has multiple sclerosis, not "is afflicted with" or "suffers from." Use person-first phrasing, such as person who is disabled or disabled person, wheelchair user or person who uses a wheelchair. Avoid describing people as "disabled," "handicapped," "wheelchair-bound," or "confined to a wheelchair."
• Avoid terms that contribute to stigmas around disability or mental illness, such as "crazy," "dumb," "lame," "schizophrenic," or "stupid."
• Avoid terms that contribute to stigmas around sensory disabilities, such as "blind spot" or "tone deaf."

age

Avoid referring to someone’s age unless age is relevant to what you’re writing about. Use older person rather than "senior" or "elderly."

blind people and people who are visually impaired

Only use the term blind when the person has complete loss of sight and the term legally blind when the person has almost complete loss of sight.

• Use blind person, person who is blind, and person with low vision, instead of “person with blindness” or “visually challenged person.”
• While visually impaired is generally accepted, some people object to it; check the individual’s preference.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing

Many people in the Deaf community prefer the use of a lowercase “d” to refer to the audiological status and the use of a capital “D” when referring to the culture and community of Deaf people.

• Use Deaf person instead of “person who is deaf.”
• Use hard-of-hearing person, person who is hard-of-hearing, or person with hearing loss instead of “hearing-impaired person” or “person who is hearing impaired.”

Deaf-Blind

Used to describe a Deaf person with low vision. Some individuals prefer to use Deaf+. If pertinent to the story, check the individual’s preference.

gender and sexuality

Make content gender neutral wherever possible.

When writing about a hypothetical person or if you are unsure of the person’s pronouns, use they or them, or the student, instead of he/she. When they is used in the singular, it takes a plural verb. Example:

• When asked what their favorite food is, Taylor said they enjoy pizza with anchovies. (Use singular, gender-fluid pronoun they with plural verb “enjoy” rather than “they enjoys.”)

Use descriptors of gender identity or sexual orientation as modifiers, not as nouns. For example, say trans student, cisgender professor, or lesbian woman.

Use different sex instead of "opposite sex."

When specific info is not available and general language is needed, use spouse or partner instead of "husband" and "wife;" use parent instead of "mother" and "father." Use your student instead of "your daughter" or "your son."

Use trans instead of "transgender" or "transsexual." For instance, use trans woman/trans man instead of "transgender woman/transgender man" or "transsexual woman/transsexual man."

If no specific information, use nonbinary as a general term for individuals who do not identify as female or male.

LGBTQ, LGBTQ+, LGBTQIA+ are acceptable in all references for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer, intersex, asexual.

Note that sex, gender, and sexual orientation are not synonymous.

Other trans-related language:

• assigned male at birth/assigned female at birth ... not “born male/female,” “biologically male/female,” or “genetically male/female"
• chosen name, personal pronoun, or the name and pronouns someone uses for themselves ... not “preferred name” or “preferred pronouns”
• gender-inclusive as a descriptor of, for instance, housing, restrooms ... not “gender-neutral”
• gender-affirming surgery ... not “sex change” or “sex reassignment surgery”

Use lesbian, gay, and bisexual people rather than "sexual minorities."

Use gay man rather than "homosexual man."

Use same-sex sexuality rather than "homosexuality."

Use alumni when referring to a two or more graduates of more than one gender.

immigration

When referring to someone who has not completed their new country’s immigration process, use undocumented person. Use undocumented worker for a person who is currently working in their new country without required immigration documentation. Avoid now pejorative terms such as “illegal alien” or “illegal immigrant.” (The word “illegal” is used only to describe an action, not a person.)

Use the word immigrant rather than “expat” or “expatriate.”

Do not specify a person’s immigration status unless it is relevant to the story and approved by the source. 

usage of verbs immigrate and emigrate:

Immigrate means to enter a country; emigrate means to leave a country. Both describe the permanent relocation of a person to a new country. Examples:

• immigrate—“I immigrated to Canada after I graduated from college.”
• emigrate—“The flooding in the country’s rural regions has forced the farmers to emigrate from their land.”

intellectual disabilities/intellectually disabled

Both terms are acceptable, although many people prefer people-first language, stating that someone is “a person with an intellectual disability” rather than referring to the person as intellectually disabled. Avoid terms that are condescending or patronizing.

• Avoid phrases such as “special needs,” “differently abled,” “mentally challenged,” “mentally retarded,” “handicapped,” and “suffering with…” Instead, opt for terms like person with a disability, person with intellectual disabilities, and disabled person.
• Try to use the name of the disability when possible. For example, the terms intellectual disability and developmentally disabled are acceptable when used in a people-first context to describe someone with Down syndrome, such as the person has a developmental disability. However, it is more accurate to refer specifically to Down syndrome when that is the medically diagnosed condition.
• Use person with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) rather than “brain damaged.”
• Use learning disability when you’re confident there is a medical diagnosis. If a medical diagnosis is not available, use quotes around the term and indicate that a diagnosis has not been confirmed. Do not substitute with “slow learner” or another derogatory term like “retarded.”
• Avoid using “special” or “special needs” when describing a person with a disability, or the programs designed to serve them, except for government references or formal names of organizations and programs (e.g. Special Olympics). The term functional needs is preferred when a term is required (e.g., “addressing the functional needs of people with disabilities” may be used when referring to a facility or program.)

neurodiversity (within a group)/neurodivergent (individual)

• neurodivergent is used to describe someone whose neurology differs from the neurological “majority” (sometimes called “neurotypical”); these differences include, but are not limited to, autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (commonly known as ADHD), dyslexia, and dyspraxia.
• The autistic community often prefers identity-first language. Ask individuals how they prefer to be described: Many prefer to be described as autistic, while others prefer an autistic person or a person with autism.
• Use nonspeaking instead of “nonverbal.”
• Use attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder on first reference if referring to a diagnosis; ADHD is acceptable on second reference. Some people with ADHD prefer to say they “have” the condition; others prefer to say they “are” ADHD. Ask the individual their preference if pertinent to the story.

For more information on neurodivergent language use, visit Neurodiverse Connection.

race, ethnicity, and religion

Don’t make assumptions; ask how people identify themselves, and be aware of complexities within racial, ethnic, and religious identities. Terms such as Latino/a, Latinx, Latine, and Hispanic are descriptors of ethnicity, not race—in fact, a person’s ethnic identity can include any race.

Rather than the general term “minorities,” which can be inaccurate, use historically underrepresented groups, underrepresented populations, or people of color.

Avoid using words, images, or situations that reinforce racial, ethnic, or religious stereotypes. Avoid the term non-white, or other terms that treat "whiteness" as a default.

Capitalize Black in a racial, ethnic, or cultural sense. Do not capitalize white. Use Black and white only when clearly relevant. When using brown as a racial descriptive, do not capitalize.

When referring to a person’s race or ethnicity, aim for specificity and use adjectives, not nouns. For example, refer to a Korean student rather than "an Asian."

Capitalize Indigenous in reference to original inhabitants of a place.

The acronym BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Use sparingly.

Use Native American, not "American Indian." If possible, ask the person you’re writing about if they prefer using a specific Tribal Nation when describing their identity.

Do not hyphenate biracial, multiracial, or dual heritage.

Do not hyphenate antisemitic. Use lowercase.

Latino(s), Latina(s), Latine, and Latinx are all acceptable. Latine is used when referring to a group of people of multiple genders or for someone identifying as nonbinary, gender fluid, genderqueer, bigender, agender, and gender nonconforming. Latinx is a gender-neutral term used as a substitute for Latina or Latino. If possible, ask how people identify themselves. In instances where the subject identifies as nonbinary, either Latine or Latinx may be used.

Islamophobia is capitalized.

Use international students instead of "foreign students."

Do not use hyphens when designating dual heritage: African American, Asian American, Mexican American. However, note these UMass Amherst exceptions:

• Afro-American Studies
• The W. E. B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies

socioeconomic status—people and locations

• Refer to countries that tend to have less economic power and wealth as majority world nations or low-income countries. Avoid using words like “third world” or “developing” countries.
• Many people find the terms “low-class” and “poor” pejorative. Conversely, class solidarity exists in “poor people’s movements” and many individuals proudly identify as working class. Define specific income brackets and levels if possible (e.g., “low income”).
• Use low-income neighborhood or low-income area rather than outdated terms such as “the ghetto” or “inner-city.” Avoid the term “bad neighborhood” when referring to an area with a high crime rate.
• Try to use people-first language when describing people who have low incomes, such as people whose incomes are below the federal poverty threshold. Avoid using the words “disadvantaged,” “underprivileged,” “disenfranchised,” and “impoverished,” or grouping people with the word “the” as in “the indigent.” Instead, use terms such as under-resourced and underserved.

For more information on inclusive language, visit:

• National Association of Black Journalists' Style Guide
• National Center on Disability and Journalism's Disability Language Style Guide
• National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association's Stylebook; the GLAAD Media Reference Guide
• Neurodiverse Connection's Affirming Language Guide
• Trans Journalists Stylebook

ELECTRONIC TERMS

Terms related to the internet technology are lowercase. They are capitalized only if they are part of a trademarked name (e.g., Apple's Password app) or the proper name of an organization (e.g., the Internet Architecture Board). The following are examples of electronic terms and their spelling/styling that are often used in UMass Amherst content:

Android (capitalized when referring to the type of wireless device)

AI (Artificial Intelligence)

database

email

homepage

internet protocol (IP), the internet, the net, an intranet

iPhone

live stream live streaming

log in (v); login (adj. and n.)

"You'll need to log in to access your calendar."
"Never share your login credentials."

multi-factor login/authentication (sometimes referred to as MFA)

online

password

social media

URL (Uniform Resource Locator—individual web address; e.g. UMass Amherst's URL is www.umass.edu)

the web, website, web page

Wi-Fi

When a web address does not fit on one line in print: Sentences that include a URL should be punctuated normally (avoid using http:// prefix in print publications). If necessary, break web addresses either before a dot or after a dash. Examples:

www.custommascots
.com

www.cakesforstudents-
24-7.com

WRITING ALTERNATIVE TEXT FOR WEB IMAGES/GRAPHICS

Alternative text, or “alt text,” is the description of images and icons that can be accessed with screen readers or read aloud to people who are blind or have low vision. Also, some people prefer to read complex material in print rather than decipher a chart, graph, or icon; using alt text enables users to select the best way for them to process web content.

When creating alt text, keep the widest possible audience in mind, making the text as generally accessible as you can. For example:

• When describing people, use words that are neutral regarding gender, race, ethnicity, ability, and age. Use such terms only if they are necessary or applicable to the storyline.
• When applicable, describe image subjects in relation to the university, such as alumni, student(s), parents, faculty, basketball player.
• Make sure the description is in keeping with the function of the image and the web content that surrounds it.
• Be brief and specific, but use complete sentences if they make the meaning clearer.
• Use correct punctuation to facilitate clarity when read aloud.
• Describe what someone would see, literally, rather than intangible qualities. For example: “a green landscape” rather than “a beautiful and lush green landscape.” Or “a car with the doors ripped off” rather than “a car that just exploded.”

For specific examples and more information about alternative text guidelines for the web, visit U.S. government website Section 508.

The University Relations Social Media Team is the official voice of UMass Amherst on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and more. We help communities on campus looking to grow their social media presence, students promoting an activity or idea, or faculty using social media as a teaching tool.

Here are some recommended guidelines when writing for social media:

• Although specific social media posts or campaigns might be intended for specific audiences, they may actually be read by anyone. So, keep the content inclusive and accessible for a wide audience.
• That said, if you know who engages with you the most through social media, make sure to focus on their interests and needs.
• Write with clarity; avoid acronyms, initialisms, and jargon.
• Write to inspire action based on your message.
• Be up front about who you are, revealing your affiliation with UMass Amherst.
• Be professional. Remember, you’re representing and speaking for UMass Amherst.

acronyms

Spell out the term on first mention (if mentioned more than once), with the acronym following in parentheses. Example:

• "The Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success (CMASS) is a student-centered learning agency within the Division of the Center for Student Development."

back up (verb); backup (noun and adjective)

Example: "You’ll need to back up to avoid the traffic backup caused by the overturned truck carrying backup equipment."

catalog

child care

Commonwealth of Massachusetts; the commonwealth

comprise; compose

To comprise is “to be made up of, to include” (the whole comprises the parts).

To compose is “to make up, to form the substance of something” (the parts compose the whole).

The phrase comprised of, though increasingly common, is poor usage. Instead, use composed of, consisting of, or made up of.

coursework

COVID (for the coronavirus disease that first appeared in late 2019)

day care (noun); day-care (adjective)

decision maker (noun); decision making (noun); decision-making (adjective)

dorms; dormitories (use residence hall or residence halls instead)

DVD; DVDs

ensure; insure

"Ensure" means to make certain. "Insure" means to guarantee against loss (hence, an "insurance policy").

first-rate (adjective)

"This is a first-rate institution." But: "Our faculty is first rate."

first-year student
Use this term instead of the outdated word "freshman"

follow-up (adjective preceding a noun); follow up (verb)

full-time (adjective preceding a noun); full time (after a verb)

fundraising

health care (noun); health-care (adjective)

in-depth (adjective) use “in depth” when not an adjective

Use “in depth” when not an adjective.

insure; ensure

Insure means to guarantee against loss (as in to issue an insurance policy). Ensure means to make certain.

Jr., Sr., II

No punctuation precedes these unless presented last name first.

John W. Jones Sr. and Anthony P. Swasey II
But: Jones, John W., Sr., and Swasey, Anthony P., II

judgment

land-grant

Hyphenated and lowercased as an adjective, the term refers to the colleges and universities, among them the institutional predecessor of UMass Amherst, founded as a result of the Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862. Example:

The university must never forget its responsibilities as a land-grant institution.

lifestyle

nonprofit

residence hall (instead of dormitory)

sign up (verb); sign-up (adjective)

startup (both noun and adjective)

statewide

theater (but check official venue or company names in case “theatre” spelling is used)
Examples: "The Vivian Beaumont Theater is located within the Lincoln Center complex."
"The Pan Asian Repertory Theatre is a group that produces work exploring the Asian American experience."

under way (adverb); underway (adjective)

work study (noun); work-study (adjective)

Internal Resources

• The Editorial Style Guide for UMass Magazine: a guide for magazine contributors
• Named Schools and Colleges Guide

External Resources

• Associated Press Stylebook
• American Psychological Association (APA) Style Book
• The Chicago Manual of Style: available on campus to all, or off-campus to UMass Amherst students, staff, and faculty with a UMass Amherst IT NetID (username) and password
• Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary 
• Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage
• The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual
• Oxford English Dictionary online
• Accessible Social: a guide for making social media content accessible
• Diversity Style Guide and Disability Language Style Guide from the National Center on Disability and Journalism
• National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Style Guide or the GLAAD Media Reference Guide
• The Conscious Style Guide: a comprehensive resource for learning more about the conversations behind terms, categories, and concepts