department stylebook - lee county school district · 2018-06-17 · word has retained its original...

$: Department Stylebook - Lee County School District · 2018-06-17 · word has retained its original pronunciation, the markings may also be retained. For example, ... \Policies and$
Department of Grants & Program Development Internal Stylebook P:\Policies and Procedures\Department Stylebook\Stylebook.docx

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA

Department

Stylebook

Revised October 2015

D I V I S I O N O F T E A C H I N G & L E A R N I N G D E P A R T M E N T O F G R A N T S & P R O G R A M D E V E L O P M E N T


HOW TO USE THIS STYLEBOOK INTENT This internal stylebook is intended to promote effective and professional communications by creating a consistent look and feel to our formal documents and communications. SCOPE This internal stylebook meets multiple departmental purposes, and therefore has a broader scope than might be expected. It includes conventions and protocols about area of communications that are not commonly found in most stylebooks. AUTHORITY Stylebooks inevitably conflict with other stylebooks. To resolve disagreements, use the following order of authority, from most authoritative to least authoritative:

1. Style specified by the funder or customer. 2. Style specified by the Department of Communications, or by another

department with official jurisdiction. 3. Style specified by this internal stylebook. 4. Style specified by the current Chicago Manual of Style. 5. Style specified by the current Gregg Reference Manual.

EXCEPTIONS AND SPECIAL CASES

Scholarly articles: use the preferred style of the journal or editor. If possible and if not in conflict, always use the most current edition of the American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual. Press releases: use the style preferred by the Department of Communications. If possible and if not in conflict, always use the current AP Stylebook.

DEVELOPMENT All stylebooks, like all references pertaining to human language, evolve quickly in order to keep pace with changes in the larger society. This stylebook will be updated from time to time.


GENERAL USAGE NOTES

A.D. and B.C. Avoid use. It is rarely necessary to use them at all, but when they must be used, set in small caps. If necessary to use them but not possible to set in small caps, then set in capital letters. Scholarly publications tend to use secular indicators, typically B.C.E. (before the common era) and C.E. (common era). This usage is appropriate for scholarly publication, but be cautious about using this form in cases where it would be likely to confuse the lay reader.

A.M. and P.M. Use these designations whenever necessary to avoid confusion. Use periods and set in small caps whenever possible. If not possible, use periods and capitalize. Never set in lower case and never use without periods. Preferred: A.M. P.M. Acceptable: A.M. P.M. 12:00 A.M. is midnight. 12:00 P.M. is noon.

abbreviations In general, use abbreviations only when there is a compelling need. In most circumstances, abbreviations are not really necessary and are not preferred. A notable exception is the case of the names of academic degrees. These should be abbreviated in nearly all circumstances. Do not use postal abbreviations in non-postal circumstances. See also: academic degrees acronyms FL


academic degrees Use commas to separate the highest degree from the name and use periods in the preferred format. For example: B.F.A. Ed.D. Ph.D. Psych.D. M.A. A.A. M.D. B.A. It is appropriate to use the courtesy title “Dr.” in abbreviated form for those who hold an earned academic or professional doctorate. Do not use the courtesy title for holders of honorary degrees. If this courtesy title is used, do not also use the degree designation as a suffix. For example, both of these forms are permissible:

Dr. Ann Cole Ann Cole, Ph.D.

But never:

Dr. Ann Cole, Ph.D. See also: doctor associate degree bachelor’s degree master’s degree


diacritics Diacritics are fading from use in English. Most words from other languages drop their diacritics when they are assimilated into English. In some cases where the borrowed word has retained its original pronunciation, the markings may also be retained. For example, these words have generally lost their diacritics and are most often spelled without them: cooperate dais facade These words have so far retained their diacritrics: café entrée pâté piñata quinceañera résumé A common exception is the case of proper names, which often retain diacriticals: Beyoncé Brontë Chloë


acronyms Do not use periods (except in the case of academic degrees and designations of time). Whenever possible, set acronyms in small caps. If this is not possible, set acronyms in capital letters. Preferred: NASA IEP TIF Acceptable: NASA IEP TIF But not: N.A.S.A. I.E.P. T.I.F. Always spell out any educational acronym on first use, even acronyms that are in common use. Avoid mixed-cased acronyms. They are bad for you. Preferred: RTTT RTI Acceptable: RTTT RTI But not: RttT RtI See also: academic Degrees A.M. and P.M.

plurals (single letters, numbers, and acronyms)

ampersand (&) Avoid use except in specialized circumstances where the word “and” could be confusing. A special case is the names of institutions, agencies, corporations, and district departments, some of which are cumbersome. To prevent confusion, it is always preferable to use an ampersand in the names of such entities (e.g. the Department of Grants & Program Development).

associate degree Not “associate’s degree.”

bachelor’s degree Use the possessive apostrophe.


board Capitalize this word only when used to specifically refer to a specific school board and only on second reference. First reference should always be “The School Board of Lee County” or any other official name of another school board. Do not capitalize this word when it is used in general reference.

capitalization We use a down style. Avoid capitalization except for proper nouns, the beginnings of sentences, and other circumstances identified by the current Chicago Manual of Style prevails. A special case is the use of the words “District” or “Board.” When it is contextually clear that these words refer to the School District of Lee County and the School Board of Lee County, they should be capitalized. See also: district board

collective nouns Collective nouns take singular verbs and pronouns when the members are acting as a unit.

The School Board is in the meeting room. The team wins many games on the road.

Collective nouns take plural verbs and pronouns when the members are acting separately.

The cast learn their lines before rehearsal. After lunch, the class start working on their various

science fair projects. This above advice can produce sentences that are grammatical but awkward. When this happens, consider rephrasing the whole sentence to avoid the problem altogether. Elegance is more important than correctness, and clarity is the most important thing of all.


comma We not only use the so-called Oxford comma, we do so proudly. Use before the “and” at the end of a series. This is a departure from many other stylebooks. Those other stylebooks are just plain wrong—and they’re also kind of tiresome at parties. Preferred: “red, white, and blue” But not: “red, white and blue”

commencement The formal ceremony marking graduation, usually involving academic dress and conferral of diplomas and certificates. The preferred form is to simply refer to the event as “the commencement.” Avoid making references to “commencement ceremony” except when needed for clarity. Never refer to a commencement as a “graduation ceremony.” See also: graduation


dash Limit variation in dashes to only two basic forms: the em-dash and the en-dash. Use an em-dash (Alt + Ctrl + Num -) to indicate a sudden break in thought or to provide explanatory or digressive comments.

The school’s team decided—based solely on the information that was available at that time—to reschedule the training until a later time.

Use an en-dash (Ctrl + Num -) to connect inclusive numbers or to indicate spans of time:

1975–1980 the week of August 22–26

Do not use spaces to separate dashes from text. See also: hyphen

department Unless requested by the department, always style as “the Department of.” For example:

the Department of Grants & Program Development the Department of Compensation & Recruitment

but not:

the Grants Department

district Capitalize this word only when used to specifically refer to a specific school district and only on second reference. First reference should always be “The School District of Lee County” or any other official name of another school district. Do not capitalize this word when it is used in general reference.


doctor When used as courtesy title, only use the abbreviated form (“Dr.”). Avoid use as a casual reference to a medical doctor. Instead refer to a “physician” (preferred) or “medical doctor” or to the specialty (e.g. “dentist” or “podiatrist.”) See also: academic degrees

e.g. Acceptable abbreviation for exempli gratia (“for sake of an example.”) Only use this to indicate a specific example for a preceding reference to a category or quality. Do not confuse this with i.e. Consider another formulation if the intended reader may not be familiar with academic abbreviations. See also: abbreviations i.e.

et al. Acceptable abbreviation for et alii (“and others.”) Consider another formulation if the intended reader may not be familiar with academic abbreviations. See also: abbreviations etc.

etc. Acceptable abbreviation for etcetera. Always set in italics. Never use this to conclude a list of people. Consider another formulation if the intended reader may not be familiar with this. See also: abbreviations etc.


e-mail Always use a hyphen. Never use “email.” Generally, this word should be used as an adjective and not as a noun—“Did you read my e-mail message?” is preferred to “Did you read my e-mail?” Do not use this word as a verb.

exclamation mark Do not use exclamation marks. Seriously, don’t use them.

fiscal year Use capital letters instead of small caps and do not use periods. Preferred: FY14 FY10—FY15 Acceptable: FY2014 FY2015—FY2016

FL Acceptable only when used in addressing. In all other circumstances where it is necessary to abbreviate the name of U.S. state, use the traditional abbreviation with a period. For postal use only: FL MA For all other abbreviations: Fla. Mass. Note also that, in general, use abbreviations only when there is a compelling need. In most circumstances, abbreviations are not really necessary and are not preferred. See also: abbreviations


font This is technical term that is commonly misused, so be cautious. Use this word only when referring to a particular typeface and a specific point size simultaneously. For example: The font should be 12 point Helvetica. See also: typeface

flier, flyer Use “flier.” Do not use “flyer” except for brand names. Some stylebooks claim that “flier” is a handbill or advertising circular, and that a “flyer” is someone or something that actually flies, or can be metaphorically said to fly (e.g., a “high-flyer or a “frequent flyer.” Disregard this distinction and avoid use of “flyer” except in cases of brand names such as Radio Flyer.


foreign words and phrases

In general, avoid the use of foreign words and phrases and try to find a common English formulation that achieves the same effect. Some phrases continue to be well-established, and may be used in documents intended for readers who will understand them. If the word or phrase has been so well assimilated into English that educated speakers no longer think of it as a foreign word, then do not set it in italics. However, it is still understood to be foreign or if it retains its foreign pronunciation, then set it in italics. A special case is the use of Latin abbreviations once commonly used in scholarly writing. These may be used, but be cautious. See also: abbreviations e.g. i.e. et al. etc. plurals (Greek and Latin)

gender This word is currently undergoing rapid change in English, so be precise when using this word. Many dictionaries and stylebooks are now recognizing that “gender” refers to one’s personal determination of one’s own identify within culturally-defined expectations (such as traits that have traditionally been regarded as “masculine” or “feminine.”) Avoid use of this term as a synonym for “sex.” Avoid use of this word as being limited to two choices of male or female, especially when designing data systems or survey items. Many people now identify themselves using other options. Avoid making any reference to an “opposite” gender. Instead, when necessary, make reference to “another” or “different” gender or genders. See also: sex


graduation The multistep process of completing a high school program of studies and earning a high school diploma. This may include many requirements, forms, and events in order to be accomplished. Graduation is distinct from the formal event of commencement. Never refer to a commencement as a “graduation ceremony.” See also: commencement

hyphen Never use a hyphen in place of an em-dash or an en-dash. Hyphens are appropriately used to connect compound words and phrases, to break words when necessary for certain typesetting problems, and in special cases such as Social Security numbers.

i.e. Acceptable abbreviation for id est (“that is to say”) Only use this to signify a rephrasing of what immediately preceding it. Do not confuse this with e.g. Consider another formulation if the intended reader may not be familiar with this. See also: abbreviations e.g.

indefinite pronoun Never use a masculine pronoun as an indefinite pronoun.

inservice One word, no hyphen.

Use as an adjective only.

Never use this word as a noun.

Never, ever use this word as a verb.

infinitives In English, feel free to split infinitives whenever doing so will improve clarity.


lifelong One word, no hyphen.

master’s degree Use the possessive apostrophe.

numerals Generally, spell out whole numbers below ten. For numbers 10 and above, use Arabic numerals. Deviate from this rule in tables and whenever necessary for clarity or consistency.

online One word, no hyphen.

orientate Not acceptable. Do not use this word or its variations under any circumstances.

orientation Not acceptable. Use better words such as “induction” or “overview.”

percent This word can only be used with a number.

Of this class, 48 percent are girls. When used in a single reference, spell out. Avoid use of percent symbol in most text. Do use the percent symbol in tables when desirable. Do use the percent symbol when describing multiple numbers in one sentence or passage. See also: percentage

percentage This word is used without a number.

A small percentage of the books were returned. See also: percent


plurals (Greek and Latin)

As always, the first priority is to be understood, and so documents intended for the general public should (so far as possible) minimize the use of Greek and Latin forms that are not in widespread use in English.

Some caution should obviously be exercised when applying grammatical rules for languages in which one is not fluent.

However, some few words do retain their original forms in nearly all cases, as follows:

Preferred Singular Form

agendum

alumnus (man)

alumna (woman)

appendix

auditorium

criterion

curriculum

curriculum vitae

datum

gymnasium

index

medium

memorandum

parenthesis

phenomenon

syllabus

symposium

Preferred Plural Form

agenda

alumni (men and women)

alumnae (women)

appendices

auditoria

criteria

curricula

curricula vitae

data

gymnasia

indices

media

memoranda

parentheses

phenomena

syllabi

symposia


plurals (single letters, numbers, and acronyms)

Create plural forms of single letters or numbers uses as words, acronyms, and most other constructions by adding an s alone.

IEPs DRAs the 1980s

The three Rs two and threes straight As

PCs YMCAs FTEs

A rare exception to this rule is the case of abbreviations that still retain periods, such as abbreviations of the names of academic degrees. In cases where a plural form of the abbreviation absolutely must be used, then an apostrophe is used (grudgingly):

B.A.’s M.S.’s Ph.D.’s

prepositions Sentences may end with prepositions, but only after it has been determined that all other possible constructions are less clear.

In most cases, a little extra work can produce a perfectly clear sentence that does not end with a preposition.


proprietary names On occasion, coined names, brand names, and program catchphrases are styled in ways that not traditional in written English, often with unconventional spelling or punctuation. These unconventional stylings may be used when doing so adds to clarity, but use extreme caution. Avoid propriety stylings when doing so is likely to be confusing. Do not use proprietary stylings or brand names that require unconventional use of punctuation, especially end punctuation. Do not use proprietary stylings that use non-alphabetic characters. Do not use an all-capital styling unless (a) the word or phrase is an acronym (in which case it should be set in small caps) or (b) each letter of the word or phrased is pronounced as a separate letter (as in WBBH-TV.) Acceptable proprietary stylings include:

PeopleSoft SharePoint PowerPoint iPhone

But never:

E*TRADE Yahoo! Just Read, Florida! Toys"Я"Us

Instead:

E-Trade Yahoo Just Read Florida Toys ‘R’ Us


School District of Lee county

The School District of Lee County is an independent school district, a local taxing authority, and a constitutionally-established public agency. It is separate and distinct from the School Board of Lee County. The School District of Lee County has thousands of employees, whereas the School Board of Lee County has only a few employees. For documents which might be read outside the state of Florida, it is helpful to make reference to the “School District of Lee County, Florida.” See also: board district School Board of Lee County

School Board of Lee County

The School Board of Lee County is a legal entity that consists of its elected members. It is separate and distinct from the School District of Lee County. The School Board of Lee County has only a few employees, whereas the School District of Lee County has more than 10,000 employees. For documents which might be read outside the state of Florida, it is helpful to make reference to the “School Board of Lee County, Florida.” See also: board district School District of Lee County


seasons Lower-case all references to seasons of the year.

spring summer fall (preferred over autumn) winter

Lower-case all uses of seasons in adjective form: spring semester autumnal equinox This rule applies to Florida seasons as well: football season rainy season tourist season

semester Lowercase all references, e.g. spring semester, fall semester. See also: seasons

sex This word is currently undergoing rapid change in English, so be precise when using this word. Many dictionaries and stylebooks are now recognizing that “sex” refers to the determination of one’s biological and physiological reproductive anatomy, which is usually determined at birth. Avoid use of this term as a synonym for “gender.” Avoid use of this word as being limited to two choices of male or female, especially when designing data systems or survey items. Many people now identify themselves using other options. Avoid making any reference to an “opposite” sex. Instead, when necessary, make reference to “another” or “different” sex or sexes. See also: gender


spaces In all circumstances, use one space between sentences, not two. Never use spaces to position or align text, even with documents using monospaced fonts. Use tabs, leaders, hidden tables, and other appropriate means to position text. Never use more than one space for any purpose whatsoever.

telephone numbers Schools in Lee County use different area codes, so it is important to specify the area code. Use the area code at all times and for all purposes. Use parentheses to separate area codes from the exchange numbers. Always use this form:

(239) 337-8115 Never use these forms:

337-8115 239-337-8115 239.338.8115 2393378115

Do not include a country number on Web pages unless you make specific reference to it.


typeface This is technical term that is commonly misused, so be cautious. Use this word when referring to a particular style or “look” of type. This is not a synonym for “font.” Official typefaces Unless other specified below, use Cambria, Century Schoolbook, or Times New Roman for all documents. Common exceptions to this include: Web pages: use proportionally-spaced Verdana, Ariel, or Helvetica. Board agenda documents: use monospaced Courier New Letters on School District or School Board letterhead and other formal and ceremonial documents: use proportionally-spaced Century Schoolbook. See also: font

Web It is permissible to use this reference to the World Wide Web in casual usage. It must always be capitalized when used in regards to the World Wide Web.

Web cam Not “Webcam.”

Web page Not “Webpage.”

Web site Not “Website.”

Webinar Never use this term. It is a monstrosity.

Webmaster Not “Web Master.”

World Wide Web This is a proper noun, so it is always capitalized. Note that the World Wide Web is not a synonym for the Internet.


ZIP code Use the full ZIP +4 code whenever giving a U.S. address. Never create a form that simply asks for “ZIP.” Acceptable forms would be “ZIP Code” or” ZIP +4 Code.” ZIP is an acronym for “zone improvement plan,” so always capitalize it. It’s “ZIP code,” not “zip code.” When creating forms or documents that may be used by people from outside the U.S., it is preferable to use “Postal Code.” See also: acronyms

department stylebook - lee county school district · 2018-06-17 · word has retained its original...

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