Generally, do not use abbreviations in text. There are exceptions; consult AP and Merriam-Webster.

Use “a” instead of “the” (or “his” or “her” or “their”) before full or shortened degree titles. Do not add “degree” after the full name of a degree or after the shortened term “doctorate.”

He earned a Bachelor of Science in statistics at the University of Iowa.

• (Not: He earned the Bachelor of Science in statistics at the University of Iowa.)
• (Not: He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in statistics at the University of Iowa.)

She earned a master’s degree in economics.

• (Not: She earned the master’s degree in economics.)
• (Not: She earned her master’s degree in economics.)

They all earned master’s degrees. (Not: They all earned their master’s degrees.)
But: She was proud of her Master of Fine Arts. Their master’s degrees helped them get better jobs.

When writing about UI alumni in text, state which degree the subject earned (with major, if applicable) and the year in which the degree was granted. [UI]

• Jones earned a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology in 2008, then enrolled in law school.
• Jones earned a BA in anthropology in 2008, then enrolled in law school. 

In certain text formats (e.g., news briefs, alumni notes), the degree/year information may follow the subject’s name in parentheses. Other completed work, such as a medical residency, may be stated in the same format. [UI]

• Brenda Jones (BA anthropology ’08) was named editor of the Iowa Law Review for 2010–11.
• Sam Smith (MD ’93, residency ’94) has been appointed to an administrative position at NIH.

The discipline name of a degree does not always agree with the name of the department that offers the degree.
Consult the University of Iowa General Catalog to determine correct degree and discipline names.

• Bachelor of Science in biology (Department of Biology)
• Bachelor of Arts in communication sciences and disorders (Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders)
• Bachelor of Arts in art, Bachelor of Arts in art history (School of Art and Art History)

Abbreviations of academic degrees should appear capitalized, unspaced, and without periods. [UI]

They may be used without the word “degree” added after the abbreviations, depending on context.

Capitalize formal degree titles. Lowercase informal degree titles.

• Associate of Arts 
• associate’s degree
• Bachelor of Science
• bachelor’s degree/baccalaureate
• Bachelor of Fine Arts
• Bachelor of Business Administration
• Master of Arts 
• master’s degree
• Master of Public Health
  Doctor of Philosophy 
• doctorate/doctoral degree (Not: doctor’s degree)
• Doctor of Musical Arts

Capitalize the formal degree title but lowercase the major discipline (undergraduate and graduate). Some formal degree titles stand alone, with no major discipline added. Engineering undergraduates earn a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) in a major discipline (lowercase).

The following examples include the correct degree abbreviations in parentheses.

• Bachelor of Science in anthropology (BS in anthropology)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance (BFA in dance)
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering in electrical engineering (BSE in electrical engineering)
• Master of Science in mathematics (MS in mathematics)
• Doctor of Philosophy in philosophy (PhD in philosophy)
• Juris Doctor (JD) 
• Doctor of Medicine (MD)
• Master of Accountancy (MAc) 
• Master of Public Health (MPH)

Write formal certificate titles in title case, always beginning with “Certificate in …”; lowercase inversions.

• Certificate in Global Health 
• global health certificate
• Certificate in International Business 
• international business certificate

Lowercase minors.

• He’s earning a geography minor. 
• He’s earning a minor in geography.
• She majored in journalism and minored in geography.

[AP; UI; consult the University of Iowa General Catalog to determine correct degree and discipline names.]

The university is almost always in session. In addition to the fall and spring semesters, the university offers a winter session and multiple summer sessions. The winter session begins in late December and ends just before the spring semester begins (in mid-January). See the Office of the Registrar’s explanation of academic calendar principles for more information.

The following are the correct terms for the university’s academic sessions.

• fall semester
• winter session (not “intercession” or “intersession”)
• spring semester
• summer session(s) (general reference to summer sessions)
• four-week summer sub-session
• six-week I summer sub-session
• six-week II summer sub-session
• eight-week summer sub-session
• twelve-week summer sub-session

Use Roman: The Treaty of Versailles

Abbreviate compass points used to indicate directional ends of a street or quadrants of a city in a numbered address. Do not abbreviate if the number is omitted.

• 222 E. 42nd St. 
• East 42nd Street
• 562 W. 43rd St.
• West 43rd Street
• 600 K St. NW 
• K Street Northwest

Do not abbreviate if the compass point is part of the proper street name and not indicating directional ends of a street or quadrants of a city.

• East Post Road Southeast 
• 314 East Post Road SE (not 314 E. Post Road SE)

Only abbreviate addresses, such as St., Ave., and Blvd., when used in conjunction with a numbered address. [AP]

When referring to faculty members who also are administrators, the faculty rank goes first.

• David F. Wiemer, professor and chair of chemistry

Exception: For the UI president, vice presidents, and deans, the administrative rank goes first.

• P. Barry Butler, dean of the College of Engineering and professor of mechanical engineering

Exception: When context makes the administrative rank most relevant, it should be stated first.

• John Smith, president of the Faculty Senate, described the senate’s resolution as courageous. Smith, professor of chemistry, urged the group to take a bold step.

Avoid preceding a person’s name with a long title. Instead, add the title, set off by commas, after the person’s name.

• John Smith, associate vice president for research, opened the symposium.
  (Not: Associate Vice President for Research John Smith opened the symposium.)

  [UI]

Do not use a hyphen after an adverb ending in “ly” in compound constructions.

• nicely done work 
• But: not-so-nicely-done work

“African American” and “Black” are not synonymous. A person may identify as Afro-Latino or Afro-Caribbean, for instance, or Haitian American or Jamaican American. A person also may identify specially as African rather than African American, such as Ghanaian or Congolese.

Capitalize the B in Black when referring to people who are part of a shared identity or culture, per AP style.

“African American” is not hyphenated. Never use the words “colored” or “Negro” as a descriptor. Likewise, “Afro American” is an archaic descriptor and should not be used.

In the body of a piece, use “Black people,” not “Blacks,” to refer to a group.

Do not use Black as a singular noun, such as a Black.

Always use numerals when expressing age. [AP]

• an 87-year-old woman 
• the child is 6 months old
• the building is 7 years old 
• an 8-month-old dog

Use the form of “alumnus” that is appropriate to gender and number.

• alumna (female singular)
• alumnus (male singular)
• alumnae (female plural)
• alumni (male plural or mixed male and female plural)

AP says using the terms “Native Americans” and “American Indians” is acceptable in general references for those in the United States when referring to two or more people of different tribal affiliations. For Individuals, use the name of the tribe.

However, the most inclusive and accurate term to use to refer to those who inhabited land that became the United States (or, previously, territories) is “American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN).” You may also see the terms “Native People(s),” “First People(s),” “First Nations,” “Tribal Peoples,” “Tribal Communities,” and “Indigenous People(s).” The person may prefer that you refer to them by their tribally specific nation.

American Indians and Alaska Natives/Hawaiian Natives have a distinct political and cultural identification constructed in and through treaties, executive orders, and the Constitution. American Indian and Alaska Native/Hawaiian Natives’ cultural identification is place-based, diverse, and informed by the practices of their culture (e.g., language, signing, dancing, ceremonies).

Do not use ampersands in the names of University of Iowa organizations, except for IIHR–Hydroscience & Engineering.

“Arab,” “MENA” (Middle Eastern and North African), or “SWANA” (Southwest Asian and North African) are terms used to describe people from the countries of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Western Sahara.

When creating content, be sure to ask the individual/group how they prefer to be identified. MENA and SWANA both are acceptable, depending on the preference of the individual or group.

Use Roman, no quotes: The First Impressionist Exhibition

Exhibition catalogs: use italic

Articles in journals, magazines, newspapers, et cetera: in quotes

When writing about someone or a group of this background, it usually makes more sense to refer to a specific background — e.g., Japanese, Korean, Thai, Chinese, Indonesian, Filipino. Use that term rather than a collective noun.

Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA): This is the preferred term to use, versus “Asian American and Pacific Islander” (AAPI), or “Asian American” and “Pacific American.” The latter is considered correct, but for the sake of consistency, Iowa recommends the preferred use.

South Asian: This collective term refers to people from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. “Desi American” is a term commonly used by people from India, but not by all South Asians.

It is important to note that not all Asian students are international students. Likewise, do not assume that all international students come from Asia.

Use the following format when referring to part-time graduate assistants or assistantships. [UI]

• one-quarter–time graduate assistant(ship) 
• five-eighths–time graduate assistant(ship)

Names of awards are capitalized, but some generic terms used with the names are lowercased.

Examples: the Nobel Prize in Literature; a Nobel Prize winner; a Nobel Peace Prize; the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary (but a Pulitzer in journalism); an Academy Award; the Academy Award for Best Picture; an Oscar; an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series; a Guggenheim Fellowship (but a Guggenheim grant); National Merit Scholarship awards; Merit Scholar.

Avoid usage with built-in biases. The University of Iowa strives to create and sustain an equitable and inclusive campus environment for all faculty, staff, and students. The ways in which we communicate with and speak to each other, within the state of Iowa and beyond, sets the standard for the inclusiveness we aspire to.

When interviewing a subject, ask them how they would like to be identified if it will be relevant or needed. This applies to gender, sexual identity, pronouns, race, ethnicity, economic background, and disability status. Mention these identities only if they apply to the story and only with the subject’s permission. Also ask if there are any terms they request not to be used in reference to them and in what cases.

The terms “biracial” and “multiracial” are acceptable, when clearly relevant, to describe people with more than one racial heritage, per AP Style. Avoid “mixed-race," which can carry negative connotations, unless the subject prefers the term. Be sure to ask the individual/group how they prefer to be identified. Note that “multiracial” can encompass people of any combination of races. Be as specific as possible by describing a person’s heritages.

Use italic: Midnight's Children

• Reference to parts of books: lowercase + Arabic numeral (chapter 3, part 2, appendix 5, figure 7.6, table C9)
• Chapters: in quotes

Use a brand name in text only if referring to the specific brand; otherwise, substitute a generic term. When in doubt, check Merriam-Webster, which notes trademark. [UI]

• Bufferin (buffered aspirin) 
• Jacuzzi (whirlpool bath)
• Kleenex (tissue) 
• Ping-Pong (table tennis)
• Vaseline (petroleum jelly) 
• Xerox (photocopy)

Use the dictionary. Capitalize words identified as “cap” or “usually cap” by Merriam-Webster. Lowercase words Merriam-Webster identifies as “often cap” or “sometimes cap.”

Capitalization of headlines/headings, subheadings:

The University of Iowa strongly encourages the use of sentence case for headlines, headings, subheadings, et cetera — particularly for web products — though designers have license to use the capitalization of their choice, as circumstances require. [UI]

Use italic: The Far Side

Spell out centuries one through nine lowercase. Use Arabic numerals for 10th and subsequent centuries.
[AP]

• third century
• ninth century 
• 10th century 
• 17th century

Do not hyphenate between number and century when used as a noun. Hyphenate between “mid” and number of century but not “late” or “early.”

• We live in the 21st century.
• He studied literature of the mid-19th century.
• She died in the late 19th century. 
• The union was formed in the early 20th century.

Hyphenate between number and century when used as an adjective. Hyphenate after “mid” in adjective
form, but do not hyphenate after “early” or “late” in adjective form. [UI]

• Put away your 20th-century calendars. 
• We studied early 19th-century literature.
• He was a mid-20th-century scholar. 
• The original late 17th-century recipe had been lost.

Do not use superscript.

• 21st century (Not: 21^st century)

Do not use an apostrophe when expressing a century in numerals.

• the 1900s (Not: 1900’s)

Collective, or mass, nouns refer to aggregations of people or things (team, majority), as well as to things that are uncountable and abstract (courage, evidence).

American English treats most collective nouns as singular (requiring a singular verb and singular pronouns).

But depending on usage, collective nouns may be treated as plural (with a plural verb and plural pronouns). If the collective noun refers to an entity acting as a whole, treat it as singular. If it refers to a group or two or more acting in individual ways, treat it as plural.

• The majority is in control, and it has spoken. (Collective noun “majority” with singular verb “is” and singular pronoun “it.”)
• The majority of the magazine’s writers are freelancers; they are always interested in new projects. (Collective noun “majority” with plural verb “are” and plural pronoun “they.”)
• The couple was married on June 15. (Collective noun “couple” with singular verb “was.”)
• The couple will celebrate their anniversary on June 16 this year, even though they were married on the
  15th. (Collective noun “couple” with plural possessive pronoun “their,” plural pronoun “they,” and plural
  verb “were married.”)

Treat a collective noun consistently (singular or plural) throughout a document. Rewrite to avoid
nonagreement.

Generally, “a group,” “a number,” and “a percentage” are treated as plural; “the group,” “the number,” and “the percentage” are treated as singular.

• A group of demonstrators are gathering on the Pentacrest to show their opposition to the war. (Collective “A group” with plural verb “are gathering” and plural possessive pronoun “their.”)
• The group of demonstrators has gathered on the Pentacrest for its rally. (Collective “The group” with singular verb “has gathered” and singular possessive pronoun “its.”)
• The number of loan defaults has risen [singular] dramatically over the past year.
• A growing number of borrowers are defaulting [plural] on their loans.
• The high percentage of the successful graduates shows [singular] that the program is effective.
• A high percentage of the program’s students have [plural] job offers before they graduate.

Names of sports teams are treated as plural. Geographic references to teams are treated as singular.

• The Cardinals are leading the league. 
• But: St. Louis is leading the league.
• The Hawkeyes are ahead at the half. 
• But: Iowa is ahead at the half.

[AP]

University unit names that are collective compound nouns require singular pronouns and verbs. Rewrite to avoid confusing usage.

• University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center is the largest medical center in Iowa. It is located on the university’s health science campus.
• University of Iowa Libraries includes all libraries on the University of Iowa campus, except the Law Library. The libraries’ catalog is available online.
• The Iowa Women’s Archives is located in the Main Library.

[UI]

Capitalize full names of university units. Lowercase shortened names of university units.

• College of Dentistry 
• degrees offered by the college
• Department of Anthropology 
• courses offered by anthropology
• Aging Studies Program 
• students enrolled in the program
• Center for the Book 
• the center's facilities
• University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art [first ref.] / Stanley Museum of Art
  [subsequent refs.]
•  the art museum

Lowercase inverted names of university units.

• Office of Admissions = admissions office
• Office of the President = president’s office
• Office of the Registrar = registrar’s office
• Department of History = history department

In groups of like units, capitalize general and specific unit designations. Group like units together, if possible.

• Collaborating units include the school of Music and Social Work; the department of History, Geography, and Political Science; and the Aging Studies and Leisure Studies programs.

In groups of colleges, separate named colleges and the Graduate College from the grouped names.

• The department of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Mathematics
• The colleges of Dentistry, Nursing, and Pharmacy
• The Carver College of Medicine and the colleges of Engineering and Public Health
• The Graduate College and the colleges of Dentistry, Nursing, and Pharmacy
• The Tippie College of Business and the colleges of Engineering, Pharmacy, and Public Health
• The Tippie College of Business, the Carver College of Medicine, the Graduate College, and the colleges of Dentistry, Education, Engineering, Law, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health
• The colleges of Dentistry, Education, Engineering, Law, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health; the Tippie College of Business; the Carver College of Medicine; and the Graduate College

Also, capitalize single graduating classes.

• The university’s Class of 2026; Iowa’s classes of 2025 and 2026. [UI]

When writing about a faculty member, try to include the person’s collegiate affiliation(s) and their
departmental affiliation(s). Do the same thing when writing about a department, program, or other
academic unit. [UI]

• Thomas H. Charlton, professor of anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Sarah England, associate professor of molecular physiology and biophysics in the Carver College of
  Medicine (or UI Carver College of Medicine)
• The Department of Mathematics, in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has once again won
  national acclaim for its work to recruit graduate students from underrepresented populations.

In affiliation statements that mention either of the two named colleges, drop the given name portion of the
college’s name and use only the surname portion. [UI]

• Carver College of Medicine (Not: Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine)
• Tippie College of Business (Not: Henry B. Tippie College of Business)

Words following a colon should be capitalized only if it is an independent clause. [AP]

When the colon introduces speech or dialogue, capitalize the first word after the colon.

In headlines, capitalize the first word after a colon. In other display type, capitalize after the colon according to design and/or editorial considerations.

Use a final (serial, Oxford) comma in a series of three or more elements. [UI]

• books, journals, and articles

Use a comma between multiple adjectives that precede a noun.

• a new, challenging assignment 
• a tailored, dark-colored tunic

Exception: When the noun and the adjective that precedes it form a unit, do not use a comma before the preceding adjective.

• a quiet little boy 
• a cold soft drink
• a soft, brown, fuzzy stuffed bear (no comma after “fuzzy” since “stuffed bear” is a unit)

Expressions such as “that is,” “namely,” “for example,” “i.e.,” and “e.g.” should usually be set off from
surrounding text with commas. [UI] 

Use a comma after the year in a complete date that appears in continuing text.

• He received his appointment June 10, 1998, and was promoted a year later.

Do not use a comma before or after the year when only a month and year are used.

• He announced his team’s discovery at the August 2007 meeting of the UFO Search Society.

Use hyphens in constructions containing two or more compounds that end in a common element, and omit
the common element in all but the final term.

• second- and third-year students
• short- and long-term goals

Use hyphens in constructions containing two or more compounds that begin with a common element, and
retain the common element in each compound.

• recipe for a fast-rising, fast-baking bread (Not: recipe for a fast-rising, -baking bread)

Compounds referring to groups of combined nationalities that include “American(s)” should be open, not hyphenated, in both noun and adjective form. [UI]

• African American(s) 
• African American cuisine
• Asian American(s) 
• Asian American ancestry
• Latin American(s) 
• Latin American curriculum

Capitalize proper names of computer hardware, software, networks, systems, and languages.

• BASIC 
• UNIX 
• Chrome 
• Python

but,

• the internet
• the web
• website 
• webpage [AP]

Use Roman, no quotes

The symbol for copyright is © (option + g in Microsoft Word); (c) or (C) also may be used. Use of the copyright symbol in text is rare.

The symbol for trademark is ™ (option + 2) or ® (option + r).

Microsoft Word does not yet have a key command for the service mark symbol, which is SM (superscript).

Omit the service mark and trademark symbols in text (there is no legal requirement to use them). Instead,
capitalize registered brand names, unless their formal registered name begins with a lowercase letter
(e.g., eBay, iMac).

For more information on copyright, service mark, and trademark, see The Associated Press Stylebook, the
Chicago Manual of Style (consult the index), Wikipedia, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website
(uspto.gov).

Capitalize course titles in text. Do not italicize course titles or enclose them in quote marks. [AP]

• Though some students enrolled in BIOL:1411 Foundations of Biology, the course’s syllabus must now be revised. Foundations of Biology students can sign up for a revised version of the class in the fall semester.

Major works: italic

Smaller works and individual parts of major works: in quotes

• “Sugar Plum Fairy” is a popular part of The Nutcracker; the troupe performed “Sometimes It Snows in April,” from Billboards.

Write out the names of days in text. Day names may be abbreviated in other formats (e.g., calendars). When abbreviating, use the first three letters without a period. [AP]

• Sun  Mon  Tue  Wed  Thu  Fri  Sat

Decades may be expressed in numerals; they may be spelled out when the century is clear. [UI]

•  the 1950s (no apostrophe) 
• the ’50s 
• the fifties

Do not use decimals and ciphers in figures indicating even dollar amounts. [AP]

• $12 (Not: $12.00)

Do not use unnecessary colons and ciphers in figures indicating time of day.

• 7 a.m. (Not: 7:00 a.m.)

Use “noon” or “midnight. ” Do not use “12 noon” or “12 midnight.” Do not use “12 a.m.” or “12 p.m.”

Divide decks at phrases. Do not end decks with prepositions.

• New program is offered / for transfer students / from community colleges (decked at phrases)
• Not: New program is offered for / transfer students from / community colleges (decked mid-phrase)

When referring to leaders of departments and programs, use “chair,” “director,” or “head” rather than “department chair,” “program director,” “program head,” and so forth. Often, the title will be “departmental executive officer,” which may be shortened to “DEO” in subsequent references. [UI]

Always strive to adopt “people first” language, which means using words that put the person at the center of a description rather than a label, their status, or focusing on what the individual cannot do.

[UI]

Students who pursue two majors simultaneously, both in the same degree (usually Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science), earn a double major. Several departments offer both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in their disciplines, so be sure to verify which degree the student has earned or is earning.

• He earned a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in journalism and psychology.
• She earned a Bachelor of Science with a double major in journalism and mathematics.

Students who pursue two majors simultaneously, each in a different degree (usually Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science), earn two degrees. [UI]

• He graduated in May with two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in political science.
• She graduated in May with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in art.

Use italic: Vitruvian Man

Meaning "for example," e.g. is always followed by a comma.

Abbreviation for the Latin id est or "that is (to say)," i.e. is always followed by a comma.

In regular text, spell out “that is,” “for example,” and “et cetera” (two words) or “and so forth.” Written-out expressions and their abbreviations should be set off with commas.

• … e.g., …
• ... i.e., …
• … , that is, … 
• … , for example, ...

Treatment of ellipses in display type is more flexible than in text and may vary according to design and editorial considerations.

Use of the ellipsis character (option +semicolon), rather than spaced ellipsis points, may be preferred.

Use three unspaced ellipsis points in place of omitted text. There should be spaces between ellipses and their surrounding text. Like … this. [AP]

Do not follow points with a period to indicate that the omitted material ended the sentence. However, the points may be preceded or followed by a comma, colon, semicolon, question mark, or exclamation point, if required to maintain the sense of the remaining material.

Capitalize the first word after the ellipses if it begins a grammatically complete sentence (even if the word was lowercase in the original). The capitalized first letter should be enclosed in brackets. [UI]

When omitting the first part of a quoted paragraph, use a paragraph indentation and ellipses before the first quoted word of the paragraph. [AP]

Add ellipses at the end of one paragraph to indicate that the next paragraph has been omitted. [UI]

Do not use ellipses before the first word or after the first word of a quotation, unless the sentence, as quoted, is deliberately incomplete. [AP]

Do not use italics for emphasis.
Exception: Italics may be used in a quote to indicate the speaker’s emphasis.

• She replied, “No, I won’t go!”

Use an en dash (option + hyphen) instead of a hyphen in a compound adjective that includes one or more open compounds or two hyphenated compounds.

En dash before or after an open compound (“World War I” and “Pulitzer Prize”):

• Her diary included little from the pre–World War I years.
• He is a Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist.

En dash between two open compounds (“health insurance” and “home care”):

• It was a health insurance–home care conundrum.

En dash between two permanent hyphenated compounds (“self-evaluation” and “self-treatment”):

• The institute promotes self-evaluation–self-treatment skills.

Use an en dash when a compound adjective contains a discrete hyphenated compound:

• The author made reference to an e-book–publishing cartel.

Use an en dash (option + hyphen) instead of a hyphen in inclusive dates, times, and numbers.
[UI; also see “Numbers” below.]

• The picnic will take place from 3–6 p.m. 
• They published the 2015–16 edition on time.
• Budget items ranged $50–$3,500. 
• We were asked to choose 15–20 items.
• The 2007 Iowa State Fair took place Aug. 9–19.
• Winter and spring semesters took place Aug. 27, 2007–May 16, 2008.

The official Equal Employment Opportunity tagline should be used in all new external job announcements, advertisements, postings, and solicitations for nominations for all employment vacancies at the University
of Iowa.

• The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. Veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, gender identity, or associational preferences.

The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) tagline is distinct from the nondiscrimination statement (see below) in that the EEO tagline is used only in an employment context for recruitment of faculty and staff.

Use quotes: "Dispatch From a Man Without a Country"

Capitalize Black when used in racial, ethnic, or cultural sense, if using this descriptor is relevant to the content. [AP]

Capitalize names of ethnic and national groups, religions, denominations, sects, and orders.

• Aborigine
• Inuit 
• Cajun 
• Chicano
• Buddhist 
• Hindu 
• Muslim 
• Quaker (a Friend)
• Conservative Judaism 
• But: agnosticism/atheism

Compounds referring to groups of combined nationalities that include “American(s)” should be open, not hyphenated, in both noun and adjective form. [UI]

• African American(s)
• African American cuisine
• Asian American(s) 
• Asian American ancestry
• Latin American(s) 
• Latin American curriculum

Use Roman, no quotes: The First Impressionist Exhibition

Exhibition catalogs: italic

When referring to faculty members who are emeriti, place the proper form of “emeritus” after — not before — the faculty member’s rank. 

• Marilynne Robinson, professor emerita of English
  (Not: Marilynne Robinson, emerita professor of English)
• Professor Emerita Marilynne Robinson
  (Not: Emerita Professor Marilynne Robinson)
• Eric Andersen, professor emeritus of law
  (Not: Eric Andersen, emeritus professor of law)
• Professor Emeritus Eric Andersen
  (Not: Emeritus Professor Eric Andersen)

Use the form of “emeritus” that is appropriate to gender and number.

• emerita (female singular)
• emeritus (male singular)
• emeritae (female plural)
• emeriti (male plural or mixed male and female plural)

Never refer to professors emeriti as “retired”; simply say “professor emeritus” (or “emerita”), not “retired professor emeritus” (or “emerita”).

In rare cases, staff members hold emeritus status; the same rules of form apply.

Use Roman, no quotes (the Iowa State Fair, the Chicago World’s Fair)

Familiarize yourself with the range of categories describing a person’s citizenship and immigration status: nationality, country of origin, citizen, permanent resident, undocumented. Do not specify a person’s immigration status unless it is relevant to the story and approved by the source.

Use these preferred terms: “undocumented immigrant/worker,” which refers to people who do not have the federal documentation to show they are legally entitled to work, visit, or live in the United States; “mixed-status couple/family,” which refers to couples or families with members who have different immigration status; “refugee,” which refers to people who have been forced to leave their country of origin to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster; and “asylum seeker,” which refers to people who are seeking international protection but whose claim for refugee status has not yet been determined.

Many refer to immigrants who would benefit from either the DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) and the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program as Dreamers. As often as possible, use other terms such as “immigrant,” “youth,” or the person’s name instead of Dreamer. If using the term “Dreamer” to describe a person, be sure that is the way they prefer to be described and that you have their explicit permission. 

Avoid terms such as “illegal immigrant,” “alien,” “illegals,” “illegal worker,” “expat,” and “expatriate.”

Abbreviated style: use an en-dash (“–”; option + hyphen) to show a range of dates or numbers expressed in numerals. Do not use a hyphen.

• We were asked to choose 15–20 items.
• Winter and spring semesters run Aug. 27, 2007–May 16, 2008.

Written style: always follow “from” with “to,” and “between” with “and.”

• We were asked to choose from 15 to 20 items.
• Winter and spring semesters run from Aug. 27, 2007, to May 16, 2008.

Use the written style with spelled-out numbers.

• You’ll have from five to seven choices.
• (Not: You’ll have five–seven choices.)

Never mix the two styles (abbreviated and written).

• You’ll have between 10 and 20 choices.
• You’ll have 10–20 choices.

• (Not: You'll have between 10–20 choices.)

   

• Budget items ranged from $50 to $3,500.
• Budget items ranged $50–$3,500.

• (Not: Budget items ranged from $50–$3,500.)

   

• The picnic will take place from 3 to 6 p.m.
• The picnic will take place 3–6 p.m.

• (Not: The picnic will take place from 3–6 p.m.)

   

• The 2024 Iowa State Fair took place from Aug. 8 to 18.
• The 2024 Iowa State Fair took place Aug. 8–18.
• (Not: The 2024 Iowa State Fair took place from Aug. 8–18.)

Identifying a student as an international student should be done only when the designation is relevant to the content. If such identification is not relevant, the student should be identified in the same way as domestic students featured in content. Likewise, do not use an international student’s national origin or ethnic/racial identification if it is not relevant to the content.

It is important to note that not all Asian students are international students. Likewise, do not assume that all international students come from Asia.

Insert the job number and publication date (month and year) at the end of the nondiscrimination statement. Type font, style, and size should match the statement. Follow the job number with an en dash and separate month and two-digit year with a slash. [UI]

• … 202 Jessup Hall, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1316. 75996–7/09

Use italic: The Diary of a Young Girl

Lecture series: Roman, no quotes

Lectures, individual: Roman, in quotes

Speech series: Roman, no quotes (the State of the Union address)

Speeches, individual: Roman, in quotes

Italicize the abbreviated names of legal cases but set the full name in Roman text. 

• Swift v. Tyson
• the Swift case
• In Swift, the jury decided against the plaintiff.

Letter grades in text are uppercase with no additional punctuation. [UI]

Write out “plus” and “minus” and precede with hyphen. [UI]

• Her first-semester grades included two As, two Bs, and one C.
• Students must have a B-plus average to remain in the program.
• His earned an A-minus in the course.

LGBTQ+ is an abbreviation for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning.”

LGBTQ+ (all capital letters with no spaces or periods) is Iowa’s preferred use as opposed to LGBT, GLBT, or other abbreviations. That said, if a source prefers to be referred to or identified using another term or abbreviation, abide by their preference.

On first reference, explain what LGBTQ+ stands for, and use the abbreviation on subsequent mentions.

When interviewing someone or otherwise referring to a source or person in writing, ask the individual how they prefer to be referred to in relation to their gender and/or sexual identity (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, asexual, intersex). This may include identifications that are not common or specific. Ask, too, if there are any terms they request not be used in reference to them and in what cases.

Note on the use of “queer”: The word “queer” historically has been considered a slur, so its use should be avoided, limiting it to quotes, names of organizations, and instances when an individual indicates they would prefer it used in reference to themselves. That said, queer has been reclaimed by many LGBTQ+ people to describe themselves, especially those from younger generations; however, it is not a universally accepted term even within the LGBTQ+ community. Queer also can be used in academic circles related to domain (e.g., “queer studies”) and or a range of poststructuralist theories that deal with the construction or reconstruction of sexuality and/or gender identity known as “queer theory.” Other variants, such as “quare theory,” consider the intersection of identities, such as race. Avoid comparisons that reflect a heteronormative bias — in other words, heterosexual/cisgender as “normal” or the norm.“ Cisgender”refers to people whose gender identity and expression matches the biological sex they were assigned when they were born.

• Closeted (preferred: not out)
• Gay community (preferred: LGBTQ+community)
• Homosexual (preferred: gay or lesbian)
• Openly gay (preferred: out)
• Queer (see discussion above)
• Lesbian women
• Lifestyle
• MTF or FTM (use male to female/female to male transition unless an individual identifies themselves this way)
• Sexual preference (preferred: sexual orientation)
• Transsexual
• Tranny
• Transvestite (preferred: cross-dresser; cross-dressing does not necessarily indicate someone is gay or transgender)

More terms: See GLAAD Media Reference Guide

Uppercase names of university Living Learning Communities, specific and general. "Living Learning" is unhyphenated in all cases. [UI]

• International Crossroads Community
• Health Sciences Living Learning Community
• Honors House
• Honors House Living Learning Community
• Men in Engineering
• Men in Engineering Living Learning Community
• To apply to live in one of the university's Living Learning Communities, students must file an on-campus housing application and contract.

Use italic: National Geographic

Do not abbreviate units of measure in text. They may be abbreviated in lists, depending on context and/or graphic design. [AP], [UI]

• She bought one quart of milk. (Not: … one qt. of milk.)
• Dewey is 3 feet tall. (Not: … 3 ft. tall.)

A military rank may be used in first reference before the name of an officer who has retired if it is relevant to the content. However, do not use the abbreviation Ret. Instead, use retired just as former would be used before the title of a civilian.

As a preference, spell out military titles and rank, and always capitalize both. It is acceptable to use the correct AP Style abbreviation on second and subsequent reference. Those abbreviations are listed below.

ARMY

• general — Gen.
• lieutenant general — Lt. Gen.
• major general — Maj. Gen.
• brigadier general — Brig. Gen.
• colonel — Col.
• lieutenant colonel — Lt. Col.
• major — Maj.
• Captain — Capt.
• first lieutenant — 1st Lt.
• second lieutenant — 2nd Lt.
• Warrant Officers
• chief warrant officer — Chief Warrant Officer
• warrant officer — Warrant Officer

Enlisted Personnel

• sergeant major of the Army — Sgt. Maj. of the Army
• command sergeant major — Command Sgt. Maj.
• sergeant major — Sgt. Maj.
• first sergeant — 1st Sgt.
• master sergeant — Master Sgt.
• sergeant first class — Sgt. 1st Class
• staff sergeant — Staff Sgt.
• sergeant — Sgt.
• corporal — Cpl.
• specialist — Spc.
• private first class — Pfc.
• private — Pvt.

NAVY, COAST GUARD
Commissioned Officers

• admiral — Adm.
• vice admiral — Vice Adm.
• rear admiral upper half — Rear Adm.
• rear admiral lower half — Rear Adm.
• captain — Capt.
• commander — Cmrd.
• lieutenant commander — Lt. Cmdr.
• lieutenant — Lt.
• lieutenant junior grade — Lt. j.g.
• ensign — Ensign

Warrant Officers

• chief warrant officer — Chief Warrant Officer

Enlisted Personnel

• master chief petty officer of the Navy — Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
• master chief petty officer — Master Chief Petty Officer
• senior chief petty officer — Senior Chief Petty Officer
• chief petty officer — Chief Petty Officer
• petty officer first class — Petty Officer 1st Class
• petty officer second class — Petty Officer 2nd Class
• petty officer third class — Petty Officer 3rd Class
• seaman — Seaman
• seaman apprentice — Seaman Apprentice
• seaman recruit — Seaman Recruit

MARINE CORPS
Ranks and abbreviations for commissioned officers are the same as those in the Army. Warrant officer ratings follow the same system used in the Navy. There are no specialist ratings.

Others

• sergeant major of the Marine Corps — Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps
• sergeant major — Sg. Maj.
• master gunnery sergeant — Master Gunnery Sgt.
• first sergeant — 1st Sgt.
• master sergeant — Master Sgt.
• gunnery sergeant — Gunnery Sgt.
• staff sergeant — Staff Sgt.
• sergeant — Sgt.
• corporal — Cpl.
• lance corporal — Lance Cpl.
• private first class — Pfc.
• private — Pvt.

AIR FORCE
Ranks and abbreviations for commissioned officers are the same as those in the Army.

Enlisted Designations

• chief master sergeant of the Air Force — Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force
• chief master sergeant — Chief Master Sgt.
• senior master sergeant — Senior Master Sgt.
• master sergeant — Master Sgt.
• technical sergeant — Tech Sgt.
• staff sergeant — Staff Sgt.
• senior airman — Senior Airman
• airman first class — Airman 1st Class
• airman — Airman
• airman basic – Airman

Use a combination of numerals and words for all round sums of money expressed in millions and higher.

• $0.3 million
• $3.8 million
• $5 billion

In text, write out names of months not accompanied by a day number.

• The family goes camping each year in October.
• The building will be completed in November 2002.

In text, abbreviate names of months accompanied by day number; some months (March, April, May, June, July) are not abbreviated. [AP]

• Jan. 7  
• Feb. 28    
• March 21  
• April 24
• May 9  
• June 6     
• July 4         
• Aug. 31
• Sept. 17  
• Oct. 25.  
• Nov. 11 
• Dec. 31

Other abbreviation systems for month names may be used in certain formats (e.g., calendars, display type, lists). For exceptional cases, Chicago Manual of Style provides three abbreviation systems for month, names; choose one system and use it consistently (for calendars, display type, lists, etc.) throughout a document or publication.

Use italic: Dog Day Afternoon

CDs and record albums: italic (The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers)

Individual songs: in quotes ("Smells Like Teen Spirit")

Concertos: Roman, no quotes; lowercase “no.” and follow with Arabic numeral, uppercase key and “Major” or “Minor” (Concerto no. 2 in D Major, Concerto no. 3 in C Minor)

Operas: italic

Opus: “op.” + Arabic numeral (Sonata op. 31)

Oratorios: italic

Sonatas: same as concertos

Songs (art songs, popular songs): in quotes

Suites: italic

Symphonies: same as concertos

Trios, quartets, quintets, et cetera: same as concertos

Commonly recognized abbreviations for government agencies and other organizations may be used after a first spelled-out reference. Such abbreviations should appear capitalized, unspaced, and without periods. [AP]

• AMA 
• DOT 
• NASA
• NSF

Do not abbreviate “Fort,” “Mount,” or “Port” in city names. Saint may be written out or abbreviated. [AP]

• Fort Madison (Not: Ft. Madison) 
• Saint Louis
• Mount Vernon (Not: Mt. Vernon)
• St. Louis
• Port Angeles (Not: Pt. Angeles)

Abbreviations commonly used at the end of company names (e.g., Corp., Inc., Ltd.) may be used in text. Do not insert a comma before the abbreviation. For “LLC,” follow the company’s own comma usage. [AP], [UI]

• ACT Inc. 
• Lucasfilm Ltd. 
• Microsoft Corp. 
• Pfizer Inc.

On second and subsequent references, use only surnames. [AP]
When using initials instead of names in text, close up all initials [AP]. Use a space between the last initial and the last name. Follow initials with periods.

• W.L. Green 
• G.B.S. White

Exception: When using initials for someone who is well known by initials alone, do not use periods. [UI]

• FDR 
• JFK 
• MLK (Not: MLK Jr.)

The abbreviations Jr., Sr., II, III, and IV are used only with a complete name and are not preceded by a comma [AP].

• Hal Brown Sr.
• Robert Belson II
• Jim McGraw Jr. 
• But: Professor Belson

Because Iowa is both an academic institution and a medical center, avoid using “Doctor X” or “Dr. X.” Refraining from the use of these constructions prevents confusion between MDs, PhDs, and those who hold other types of doctoral degree. It also minimizes unnecessary repetition in documents that include references to a large number of people who hold such degrees.

Instead, include a brief aside describing the subject’s credentials.

• Smith, who earned a PhD in astrophysics from the University of Arkansas ...
• Jones, a cardiologist at University of Iowa Health Care.

Compounds referring to groups of combined nationalities that include “American(s)” should be open, not hyphenated, in both noun and adjective form. [UI]

• African American(s)
• African American cuisine
• Asian American(s) 
• Asian American ancestry
• Latin American(s) 
• Latin American curriculum

Use italic: The New York Times

Newspaper feature stories: in quotes

The official UI nondiscrimination statement must be used in all publications describing UI education programs (including continuing education and conferences) and all publications recruiting people for employment, enrollment, or participation in educational programs. Use this wording, without any changes
(statement updated May 24, 2024).

• The University of Iowa prohibits discrimination in employment, educational programs, and activities on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. Veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, gender identity, or associational preferences. The university also affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to university facilities. For additional information on nondiscrimination policies, contact the Senior Director, Office of Civil Rights Compliance, the University of Iowa, 202 Jessup Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242-1316, 319-335-0705, daod-ocrc@uiowa.edu. 

The nondiscrimination statement is distinct from the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) tagline (see above) in that the EEO tagline is only used in an employment context for recruitment of faculty and staff.

Spell out numbers nine and fewer; use figures for numbers 10 and more. [AP]
Do not follow a spelled-out number with a figure in parentheses.
Express large round numbers through thousands in numerals [AP]

• 1,500 
• 40,000 
• 396,000

Use a combination of numerals and words to express round numbers in the millions and higher.

• 2 million
• 4.7 million
• 9 million
• 22 million
• 986 million 
• 4 billion

Use commas in figures of four or more digits. (Exceptions: address numbers, year numbers, serial numbers, and other numbers that do not require commas)

Spell out all numbers that begin sentences in text. (Exceptions may be made for callouts or in marketing materials that require an eye-catching numeral — but exercise caution.)

Avoid beginning sentences with numbers that are awkward to spell out.

Use a hyphen in compound constructions containing a numerical first element that acts as an adjective.

• first-year student 
• fourth-quarter touchdown
• 20th-century literature
• But: three-quarter–time graduate assistantship

Do not hyphenate a numeral used with an abbreviation. Use a space between the numeral and abbreviation. [UI]

• 5 lb. weight 
• 8 ft. rope 
• 2 s.h. course

Hyphenate simple fractions. In combinations of whole numbers and fractions, do not hyphenate after the whole number. [UI]

• one-quarter 
• three-eighths 
• five and eight-tenths miles

Spell out ordinals below 10; use figures for 10 and above. [AP]

• She was the fourth person to complete all the questions.
• They recently celebrated their 45th anniversary.

Do not use ordinals after figures in dates.

• June 10 (Not: June 10th)

Do not use superscript in ordinals.

• 21st century (Not: 21^st century)

Use italic: American Gothic

Use italic

Use numerals to express percent. Use the percent symbol (%); do not insert a space between the numeral and the symbol.

• 8%

Include this notice in publications requesting personally identifiable information from individuals (information other than what appears in the university directory). This policy conforms to the Code of Iowa, Chapter 22. The notice should state why the information is being requested; whether it will be disclosed outside the university, and if so, to whom; which elements of the requested information are optional; and what is likely to happen if the individual does not provide the requested information. The statement must be tailored to the publication; here are examples of how the statement could read.

• The University of Iowa requests this information for the purpose of processing registration and CEU records. No persons outside the university are routinely provided this information. Responses to items marked ‘optional’ are optional; responses to all other items are required. If you fail to provide the required information, the university may be unable to process your registration and CEU records. 
  The university requests this information so we can tell you more about studying at Iowa. We do not routinely disclose this information with persons outside the university. We may not be able to fulfill your request without your complete contact information.

Use italic: V-J Day in Times Square

Capitalize directional terms, including compass points and their compounds (e.g., North, South, East, West, Northwest, Western), when they are part of place names. Lowercase directional terms based on compass points. [AP]

• Western Europe
• the Middle East 
• the West 
• the Pacific Northwest
• Southeast Asia 
• North Africa 
• western Iowa 
• the south of France
• southern Asia
• northern Africa 
• the northern states
• Canada is north of the United States 
• go northwest

Use italic: Death of a Salesman

For divisions of plays, use lowercase + Arabic numeral: act 3/scene 2, stanza 5, canto 2

Use italic: The Daily

Poems, book of: italic

Poems, epic and long poems: italic

Poems, other (most poems): in quotes

Poems, divisions of: lowercase + Arabic numeral 

In uppercase-style titles, e.g. composition titles, capitalize prepositions and conjunctions of four or more letters. [AP] 

• For Whom the Bell Tolls 
• Gone With the Wind 
• Game of Thrones

Use a plural pronoun (e.g., they, them) or plural possessive pronoun (e.g., theirs) to refer to a singular subject when the gender of the subject is unspecified, but avoid the situation when possible.

• Before a student registers for classes, they should consult an advisor.
  (Rewrite: Before students register for classes, they should consult an advisor.)
• Find out who lost this and return it to them.
  (Rewrite: Find out who lost this and return it.)
• Any student who needs to drop a class must submit a form to their advisor.
  (Rewrite: Students who need to drop a class must submit a form to their advisors.)

For individuals who do not identify as “male/man” or “female/woman,” refer to a “person” or “people,” if appropriate, or use the term “nonbinary” if the subject requests to be referred to as such.

Note: Gender is not synonymous with sex. According to the AP Stylebook, gender refers to a person’s social identity, whereas sex refers to biological characteristics.

Use the singular they when referring to a person whose gender is unknown or irrelevant to the context and/or when referring to a specific, known person who prefers they as their pronoun of reference.

It is best practice to ask everyone for their pronouns of reference.

Note: Transgender is an adjective (so modifying man or woman — as in transgender man, transgender woman) in Western cultures that refers to someone whose assigned sex at birth does not match their gender identity. AP allows the use of trans on second reference and in headlines. Do not use transgender as a noun or pronoun or use the term transgendered. Cisgender is an adjective that refers to someone whose assigned sex at birth matches their gender identity.

When interviewing someone or otherwise referring to someone, ask the individual how they want to be described and what pronouns to use when referring to them.

Capitalize all proper nouns (names of a particular institution, organization, person, place, or thing).

• Arkansas 
• Cheryl 
• Detroit 
• Mr. Billings
• Prairie Lights Books
• the Reformation 
• Monday
• October
• National Institutes of Public Health 
• Johnson County Historical Society

Do not capitalize a descriptive word that is added to a name or title but is not part of the true name or title.

• Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources policy
• Driving Safety Research Institute building
• No Child Left Behind legislation

Lowercase shortened or inverted names of institutions, organizations, policies, and so forth.

• National Institutes of Public Health 
• the public health institutes
• Johnson County Historical Society 
• the county historical society
• Conflicts of Commitment and Interest
• conflict of interest policy
• Prohibition on Giving and Receiving Gifts 
• gift policy
• Office of Admissions 
• admissions office
• Office of the President 
• president’s office

Quoted words, phrases, and sentences used in text should be enclosed in double quote marks. (Use single quotes in headlines.)

Use single quote marks to enclose quotations within quotations.
[AP, UI]

Commas and periods always go inside closing quote marks.
Colons and semicolons always go outside closing quote marks.
Question marks and exclamation points go outside closing quote marks unless they belong to the quoted
material.
[UI]

Race and ethnicity are not the same. Race is a social construct that has historically classified human beings according to physical or biological characteristics. Ethnicity is something a person acquires or ascribes to and refers to a shared culture, such as language, practices, and beliefs.

Do not use racial designations based loosely on color (e.g., brown, red, yellow). Exception: “Black” and “white” may be used occasionally (capitalization based on AP guidelines).

Use racial and ethnic identification when it is pertinent to a story and use it fairly, identifying white individuals if people of other races/ethnicities are identified.

No racial or ethnic slur should ever be included in content you create. You may consider an exception if your content is about a slur (as in a research study examining use of the word) or, possibly, if it is essential to your piece and is used in quotes. In this case, ensure that its use is absolutely necessary and that your source has approved the attribution of the slur(s) to them and that your supervisors and department have granted approval. If explicit approval has been given to use a slur under this exception, add content warnings at the beginning of the piece and do not use these words in the title or headline; people from these communities should have the agency to decide whether they want to engage in harmful language before being forced to do so.

Do not use the term “colored person/people.” Use a broader term, such as “people of color,” which refers to any person who is not white, especially in the U.S. BIPOC emerged as an acronym that stands for Black, indigenous, people of color, but is viewed as offensive by some communities it was meant to represent. Before using BIPOC, we recommend you ask your source(s) if they agree with it.

If you are writing about a specific racial or ethnic group, name that specific group.

Networks: use Roman, no quotes (National Public Radio)

Programs: use Italic (The Dan Patrick Show)

Individual episodes: use quotes

When rankings use the word “number” followed by a number, abbreviate the word (uppercase) and use an Arabic numeral. [AP]

• the No. 2 book 
• his No. 3 choice 
• the team kept its No. 4 ranking

In text, lowercase academic ranks and administrative titles standing alone or following a name.

• The student may have this requirement waived with the approval of the graduate dean.
• Margaret Smith, associate provost, opened the symposium.
• The speaker was James A. Barnes, president of the company.

Avoid preceding a person’s name with a long title. Instead, add the title, set off by commas, after the person’s name.

• John Smith, associate vice president for research, opened the symposium.
• (Not: Associate Vice President for Research John Smith opened the symposium.)

Uppercase short titles that precede names or that are paired with last name only and/or are used in announcing or addressing a person. [UI]

• Professor Marc P. Armstrong
• Professor Armstrong
• Gov. Kim Reynolds 
• Governor Reynolds
• President Barbara J. Wilson
• President Wilson
• (“Barbara Wilson” is acceptable on a name tag)

However, avoid using the capitalized title “Professor” in news stories. 

Lowercase titles that are used descriptively rather than as part of a name. [UI]

• geography professor Marc P. Armstrong 
• geography professors Armstrong and Rajagopal
• the late professor David R. Belgum
• the late professors Benton and Dixon
• UI president Barbara J. Wilson 
• former UI presidents Coleman and Skorton
• Iowa governor Kim Reynolds 
• U.S. president Joe Biden

All UI publications printed on recycled paper must include the recycled paper logo developed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and a statement that the cover and/or inside pages of the publication are printed on recycled paper. Contact the UI Printing Department for copies of the logo. 

Use quotation marks when referring to a word or term, especially one that is quoted (written or spoken). [UI]

• We have guidelines for using “e.g.” and “etc.”
• Our style guide helps us determine whether to write “theater” or “theatre.”

Exception: Do not use quotes (or italics) when the referenced term is preceded by “so-called.” [UI]

• The so-called ingénue was more worldly than her admirers had realized.

On first reference, use “Iowa Board of Regents.”

On subsequent references, use “Board of Regents” or “Regents.”

Always capitalize “Regents” (noun or adjective). [UI]

• The motion was made at the September 2024 meeting of the Iowa Board of Regents. After a brief discussion, the Regents passed the motion.

When writing about the institutions governed by the Board of Regents, do not use the term “Regents universities.” Instead, use these terms:

• Iowa’s public universities
• Iowa’s public universities and special schools
• The University of Iowa is one of three universities governed by the Iowa Board of Regents. (when referring specifically to UI)

[UI]

Uppercase “Room” when followed by a number and if it is part of a room’s name. [AP]

• The meeting is in Room 245. 
• Lunch will be served in the State Room.

Capitalize phylum, class, order, family, and genus. Lowercase species. Italicize genus and species, but not phylum, class, order, or family. 

• Chordata (phylum)
• Chondrichthyes (class)
• Monotremata (order)
• Hominidae (family)
• Gleichenia glauca (genus and species)

Use italic: The Burghers of Calais

Follow AP style in using numerals to express number of semester hours 10 or above, spell out below 10. When a sentence begins with a number of semester hours, write out the number. Try to avoid beginning a sentence with a number of semester hours.

• Students must earn nine semester hours in advanced math courses.
• A maximum of 15 semester hours may be awarded in the major.
• Nine semester hours are required.
• (Rewrite: The requirement is nine semester hours.)

Use semicolons to separate elements in a series that contain internal punctuation (usually commas) or that are long and/or complex. [UI]

• The committee consisted of three researchers from the Czech Republic; three audiologists, including the distinguished professor emerita, from Brazil; and a team of five speleologists, eight microbiologists, and two paleontologists from Greece.

Use quotes: "The Tell-Tale Heart"

Use Roman (Apollo, Parker Solar Probe)

Space Shuttle: Roman, uppercase; individual vessel names, italic (Space Shuttle Columbia)

Follow Merriam-Webster to determine correct spelling in cases such as these.

• First spelling for words that have alternate spellings
• Main spelling rather than “variation of …” (separate listings)
• Compounds: one word or two? hyphenated?
• Words with prefixes: hyphenated?
• Words with suffixes: drop the final “e” and double the final consonant, or not?
• Plural form of a word
• Accents in foreign words

Spell out state and territory names in the body text of a story or other publication. [AP]

• She moved from Tennessee to New York.
• He lives in Mississippi.
• They traveled to Puerto Rico.
• The meeting was in Moline, Illinois.

Exception: When the state name in text is followed by a zip code as part of an address, use the two-letter uppercase U.S. Postal Service state abbreviation. [AP]

• Send the application to Acme Hiring, 442 Elixir Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50310.

NOTE: Follow AP style for standalone cities (from dateline entry):

• DOMESTIC: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle. 
• INTERNATIONAL LOCATIONS: Amsterdam, Baghdad, Bangkok, Beijing, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Cairo, Djibouti, Dublin, Geneva, Gibraltar, Guatemala City, Havana, Helsinki, Hong Kong, Islamabad, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, Kuwait City, London, Luxembourg, Macao, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, Monaco, Montreal, Moscow, Munich, New Delhi, Panama City, Paris, Prague, Quebec City, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, San Marino, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Vatican City, Vienna, Zurich.

Avoid using abbreviated state names in headlines, but when it is necessary, use U.S. Postal Service abbreviations. [UI]

Here are state and territory names with their traditional and U.S. Postal Service abbreviations. [AP]

Include the area code in all telephone numbers. Separate the area code from the following seven digits with a hyphen. Do not precede the area code with “1” unless necessary (e.g., in publications for prospective international students). [UI]

• For media inquiries, call 319-356-3945.

Use all numbers, rather than a combination of numbers and letters, because letters and numbers may correspond differently on varied electronic devices.

• Call the Office of Admissions toll free at 800-553-4692. (Not: 800-553-IOWA)

Lowercase “the” in text when it is the first word in the name of a formal name (e.g., company, institution, organization, publication, retail outlet or restaurant). [UI]

• the McLaughlin Group 
• the McGraw-Hill Companies
• the Fitness Zone 
• the Airliner (restaurant)

Italicize and capitalize “the” in text when it is the first word in the italicized name of a book, film, television series, or other italicized title (except names of periodicals; see below).

• The Sting (film) 
• The Red Tent (book)
• The Sopranos (TV series) 
• The Marriage of Figaro (opera)

Capitalize “the” in text when it considered part of a periodical’s name. [AP]

• The New Yorker 
• The Daily Iowan
• Le Monde 
• Die Zeit

Use an organization’s or performance venue’s own correct spelling of its name in all cases.

• Martha-Ellen Tye Opera Theater
• E.C. Mabie Theatre
• Space Place Theater 
• David Thayer Theatre
• Guthrie Theater
• Riverside Theatre

Use the “er” spelling for theater enterprises and venues in general (unless the organization’s own correct spelling is “re”).

Exception: Use the “re” spelling in all references to the UI Department of Theatre Arts, its students, its, programs, its building, and its performing spaces.

In publications or sections of publications devoted to the UI Department of Theatre Arts (for instance, a story in Iowa Now, a graduate recruitment brochure, or the department’s section in the General Catalog), use the “re” spelling in all references to UI and non-UI theater enterprises and venues. Exception: Use an organization’s own correct spelling of its name in all cases.

The abbreviations “a.m.” and “p.m.” are lowercase with periods and no space between letters. There should be a single space between “a.m.” or “p.m.” and the numeral that precedes them.

• 6 a.m.
• 10 p.m.

In display type, tabular material, or lists, “a.m.”/“p.m.” style may vary depending on graphic design. For example, small caps may be used, or the periods may be deleted. [UI]

Write out “noon” and “midnight.” Do not use “12 a.m.” or “12 p.m.” Do not use “12 noon” or “12 midnight.” [UI] 

Do not italicize a publication name that is part of the name of a scholarship, prize, building, organizations, et cetera. [UI]

• She received a Daily Iowan Scholarship.
• His book made The New York Times Best Seller list.

Channels and networks: Roman, no quotes (CBS, Fox)

Programs: use italic (The Walking Dead)

Individual episodes: use quotes ("Goodbye, Farewell and Amen")

All punctuation marks should appear in the same type style as the main text (usually Roman or “normal”), unless the punctuation mark belongs to material that is set off in a different type style (usually italic or bold).

• The Martha-Ellen Tye Opera Theater will stage Viva La Mama!
  (Exclamation point is part of opera title, so it is italic.)
• I can’t believe I slept through Lord of the Rings!
  (Exclamation point is not part of movie title, so it is not italic.)

Exception: When a phrase or sentence in parentheses or brackets appears on a line by itself, set the parentheses or brackets in the same type style as the text they enclose.

Space permitting, always refer to “the University of Iowa” on first reference. On second reference, consider the location and scope of your audience:

Locally, many people know that “the UI” refers to the University of Iowa. Alumni will also make the connection. However, if your content will be read by an audience further afield or less familiar with the university, use “Iowa” as a second reference. If doing so creates the potential for conflation with the state of Iowa, use “the UI.”

These situations are often unique cases, so use your best judgment.

Note: Always add “the” before “UI” when used as a noun. “UI” alone is acceptable adjectivally. 

• the UI 
• UI researchers

Do not use “Uiowa/UIowa.” 

Spell out on first reference. May be abbreviated, with periods (U.S.), on subsequent references. Omit these periods in headlines. [AP]

Refer to the University of Iowa on first reference, and as “Iowa” for subsequent references. If doing so may lead to confusion between the university and the state, use “the UI” (not “U of I”). Use sparingly as adjective. Do not capitalize “university” if standing alone, and only capitalize “the” in “the University of Iowa” if it is at the beginning of a sentence. [UI]

• The University of Iowa has 12 colleges.
• Iowa has a world-renowned space-science program.
• There are three public universities in Iowa; the UI has 12 colleges.
• The university’s mascot is named Herky.

“The” in “the University of Iowa” is always lowercase, unless at the beginning of a sentence.

• Welcome to the University of Iowa.
• Welcome to the University of Iowa campus.
• Admission to the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine is competitive.

Do not capitalize “university” standing alone.

• The university was established in 1847.

[UI]

Health system is under one name: University of Iowa Health Care. Beginning May 4, 2024, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics name is no longer used.

The name of the hospital at 200 Hawkins Drive is: University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center. UI Health Care is acceptable after first reference.

Avoid using UIHC acronym. University of Iowa Health Care on first reference; UI Health Care acceptable on subsequent references.

Campus names:

• University campus: Includes UI Health Care Medical Center University, Stead Family Children’s Hospital, Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Carver College of Medicine, and the area and other buildings surrounding the 200 Hawkins Drive location.
• Downtown campus: Includes UI Health Care Medical Center Downtown and the area and other buildings surrounding 500 E. Market St. and 540 E. Jefferson St.
• North Liberty campus: Opening 2025. Includes UI Health Care Medical Center North Liberty and the area and other buildings surrounding the Forevergreen Road location.

Capitalize full names of official University of Iowa representative groups. Lowercase shortened references to such groups.

• Faculty Senate 
• the senate
• Staff Council 
• the council

Capitalize formal names of University of Iowa committees. Lowercase shortened references to such groups.

• the Faculty Senate Budget Committee 
• the budget committee

[AP, UI]

Titles of unpublished works — theses, dissertations, manuscripts in collections, unpublished transcripts of speeches, and so on — are set in Roman type, capitalized as titles, and enclosed in quotation marks. Titles of manuscript collections take no quotation marks. The title of a not-yet-published book that is under contract may be italicized, but the word "forthcoming" (or "in press" or some other equivalent term) in parentheses, must follow the title. [CMS]

• “A Canal Boat Journey, 1857,” an anonymous manuscript in the Library of Congress Manuscripts Division, describes ...
• Letters and other material may be found in the Collis P. Huntington Papers at the George Arents Library of Syracuse University.
• Gianfranco’s Fourth Millennium (forthcoming) continues this line of research.

Use consistent typography for URLs throughout a publication or family of publications (e.g., always bold, always in a different typeface, or always in a specific color).

Do not underline URLs; underlining may obscure the underscore characters in a URL.

Preserve the URL’s original uppercase/lowercase; some URLs are case sensitive.

Do not include “http://” or “www.” in URLs.

Drop the ending slash of a URL.

When a line breaks mid-URL, never add a hyphen at the break. Break URLs as follows:

• After a double or single slash
• Before a comma, hyphen, number sign, percent symbol, period, question mark, tilde, or underline
• Before or after an ampersand or equal sign

Never enclose URLs in angle brackets (<URL>).

When a URL comes at the end of a sentence, follow it with a period to end the sentence.

• Visit the University of Iowa online at uiowa.edu.

[UI]

Airplanes, class of: Roman (Boeing 747, Cessna 172)

Airplanes, individual craft: Roman

Automobile, maker and model: Roman (Toyota Corolla, Jaguar XKE)

Boats, individual craft: Roman

Ships: Roman

Spacecraft: italic, with Arabic numerals for numbered craft (Apollo 2, Mariner 9) [NASA website]

Pronoun references to vehicles and vessels: "it" or "its" (possessive) rather than "she" or "her"

Capitalizing Veteran when referring to people who have served in the military places prominence on the position and distinguishes it from other uses of the word (e.g., someone who has had a long service or experience in an occupation, office or the like). It also indirectly recognizes them for their service.

Spell out United States on first reference in writing about Veterans, even if it is modifying a branch of the military. Abbreviate U.S. on second reference.

Names of websites generally are Roman and in title case. [UI]

Publication website names generally are italic.

Use the website’s own formatting of its name; go online to check the website’s flag, then scan the first page to spot inconsistencies and determine the site’s most common formatting of its own name.

In a site’s name, use the word “Online” uppercase only if it is part of the site’s formatting of its own name.

If the word “online” (lowercase) is not part of the site’s name, add it only to distinguish the online version of a publication from the print version. Do not italicize it.

Add “.com” only if it is part of the website’s formatting of its name.

• hawkeyesports.com (“.com” is in flag)
• Salon (“.com” no longer in flag)
• MSNBC (no “.com” in flag) 
• WebMD (no space)
• YouTube (no space) 
• USA Today
• eBay (eBay’s flag has a lowercase “B,” but other references on eBay’s first page cap the “B.”)

Use Roman, no quotes: the Venus de Milo

• 2 Plus 2 Guaranteed Graduation Plan (space, but no hyphens); subsequent reference: 2 Plus 2 plan
• 3D
• accessible entrance (source: Student Disability Services, April 2006)
• ACT Inc. (formerly American College Testing, or ACT)
• admission (singular as noun or adjective; no “s”)
• admission counselor / profile / purposes / requirements / status (no “s”)
• Admission, Application for (no “s”)
• admission, deferred (no “s”)
• Admission Index, Regent (no “s”)
• “admission is selective” (no “s”)
• admission to the university (no “s”)
• Admission Visitors Center (no “s”)
• Admissions (on the UI home page; http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions) (with “s”)
• admissions committee (with “s”)
• admissions, director of (with “s”)
• Admissions, Office of (admissions office) (with “s”)
• Admissions Profile on MyUI (with “s”)
• admissions website (with “s”)
• advisor [UI]
• aesthetic (not esthetic, which is listed separately as “var. of aesthetic”)
• African American (no hyphen, noun or adjective)
• a.k.a. (with periods)
• antitrust (no hyphen)
• archaeology
• artist in residence (noun); artist-in-residence (adjective)
• Asian American (no hyphen, noun and adjective)
• Associate of Arts; associate’s degree
• audiovisual (one word, no hyphen)
• Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor of Science; bachelor’s degree
• Big Ten, the Big Ten (not Big 10); Big Ten Conference, Big Ten Network (no hyphen, noun or adjective)
• biomedical (no hyphen)
• black and gold (UI colors)
• Board of Regents: First reference, Iowa Board of Regents (not Board of Regents, State of Iowa); subsequent references, Board of Regents or Regents (Regents always uppercase, noun or adjective)
• Cambus
• campuswide (no hyphen)
• canceled, canceling (do not double final “l”); cancellation (double final “l”)
• catalog (not “catalogue”)
• CD-ROM (all uppercase, with hyphen)
• City Plaza (uppercase); Iowa City’s downtown pedestrian mall, the pedestrian mall, the ped mall (lowercase)
• “classified as a resident for admission purposes” (no “s”)
• cocurricular (no hyphen)
• colloquiums (plural, first spelling; “colloquia” is second spelling)
• computer-aided design
• computer-assisted instruction
• Continuing Education Unit (abbreviate CEU)
• coordinate (no hyphen)
• coursework (one word)
• coworker (no hyphen)
• cross-country (hyphen, noun and adjective)
• cross-cultural
• cross-listed
• cross-reference (noun and verb); cross-referenced (adjective);
• also, cross-refer (vt)
• curricula (plural, not “curriculums”)

• data: Because the word “data” is plural, avoid the commonly used “this data”; instead, use “these data” or“this data set,” depending on context. “These data will not match data reported by University of Iowa HealthCare or by the Iowa Department of Public Health for several reasons.” “This data set will be used to determine new COVID-19 prevention measures.”
• database
• day care (two words, no hyphen; noun and adjective)
• decision-making (noun and adjective)
• degree audit (not “degree evaluation”)
• degree titles: do not add the word “degree” after full degree titles (“Bachelor of Arts,” not “Bachelor of Arts degree”); use “a” instead of “the” (“seeking a doctorate in . . .,” not “seeking the doctorate in . . .”) 
• degree titles, shortened—note placement of apostrophe: bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctoral degree or doctorate (not “doctor’s degree”)
• diaspora (lowercase)
• downtime; uptime (one word)
• east side (noun); eastside (adjective)
• email, but: e-business, e-commerce, e-forms, and so forth
• Ethernet
• extracurricular (no hyphen)
• faculty and staff (not “faculty/staff”)
• fair housing policy (no hyphen)
• Family Weekend
• Fellow/fellow (capitalize only when forming official name of honor: Institute of Mathematical Statistics Fellow; fellow at the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. See Fulbright Fellow)
• fieldwork (one word)
• fight song: “The Iowa Fight Song” is correct title, in quotes
• first-come, first-served
• First-Year Seminar (specific course name; uppercase with hyphen)
• first-year student (never “freshman”)
• former USSR (no periods in USSR) / former Soviet Union
• Fourteenth Amendment (uppercase)
• Fox (TV network); not FOX
• freelance (verb, adjective, and adverb); freelancer (noun)
• Fulbright Fellow
• full-time (adjective and adverb); full time (noun); full-timer (noun)
• Full-Time MBA Program (hyphen)
• fundraising (noun and adjective); fundraiser (noun)
• grade-point average (hyphen; see “Abbreviations” section above)
• gymnasiums (not gymnasia)
• half-life (noun)
• halftime (noun, period between halves of a sports event)
• half-time (adjective and adverb, something that’s done half of the time, to do something half of the time)
• half-timer (noun, someone who does something half-time)
• HawkID (no space, always capitalized like this; not Hawk ID, hawkID, etc.)
• health care (noun or adjective, no hyphen)
• health sciences campus
• Herky the Hawk (“Hawk” uppercase)
• history: a history (not “an history”)
• Holocaust (uppercase when referring to Nazi Germany’s slaughter of targeted populations)
• Homecoming (uppercase when referring to University of Iowa Homecoming and associated events)
• home page (two words)
• honors: University of Iowa Honors Program; honors program; honors student(s) (note uppercase/lowercase)
• Howard Hughes Medical Investigator
• IIHR–Hydroscience & Engineering
• in-depth (adjective, but not adverb)
• Institutional Review Board: IRB second reference.
• internet (lowercase)
• Iowa Wave/Hawkeye Wave (capitalize either reference — both are acceptable — of Iowa football tradition, started in 2017, of waving to pediatric patients and families at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital at the end of the first quarter.
• Iowa Writers’ Workshop (on first mention, and state connection to University of Iowa); “writers’ workshop” or “workshop” (lowercase), on subsequent mentions; also see “Program in Creative Writing,” below

• job shadow (verb); job-shadow / job-shadowing (adjective)
• judgment (one “e”)
• labanotation (in dance; lowercase)
• Latin American (no hyphen, noun and adjective)
• lifestyle
• LISTSERV™: use only when referring to the LISTSERV brand name electronic mailing list; for general references to emailing lists, use “electronic mailing list” or “email list”
• Living Learning Communities (LLCs)
• log in (verb); log-in (noun)
• MacArthur Fellow
• Market Place (capitalize when referring to University of Iowa dining: Burge Market Place, Catlett Market Place, Hillcrest Market Place; “when dining at a Market Place.”
• Martin Luther King Jr. (no comma); also MLK (not “MLK Jr.”)
• microcomputer
• microorganism
• minicomputer
• multimedia
• MyUI
• name, image, and likeness: Lowercase and spell out on first reference this term for student-athletes’ right to benefit financially through marketing and promotion; NIL is acceptable on subsequent references.
• nanostudy (no hyphen)
• National Historic Landmark
• Neoclassical
• Nite Ride: University of Iowa late-night transportation service.
• Nobel Laureate
• Nobel Prize
• nonaccredited
• nonmajor (but non-English major, non-history major, non-music major)
• nonnative
• nonprofit
• nonthesis (e.g., nonthesis master’s program)
• north side (noun); northside (adjective)
• not-for-profit
• off-campus (adjective, e.g., off-campus housing; but, they live off campus)
• online (adjective and adverb, not hyphenated)
• Orientation (uppercase when referring to UI Orientation events and associated programs)
• orthopedics (first spelling); UI Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation
• Pap smear
• paraprofessional
• Parent and Family Network
• part-time (adjective and adverb); part-timer (noun)
• pass/fail (on first reference; may use P/F on subsequent references)
• pass/nonpass (on first reference; may use P/N on subsequent references)
• ped mall, pedestrian mall, Iowa City’s downtown pedestrian mall (lc); but uppercase “City Plaza”
• percent (one word)
• Pick One; or Pick One project (use “project,” lowercase; don’t use “campaign”)
• Poet Laureate (e.g., Iowa Poet Laureate, U.S. Poet Laureate)
• postbaccalaureate / postdoctoral (no hyphen)
• post-master’s (as in post–master’s-degree work, hyphen)
• PowerPoint
• practicums (not practica)
• pre-business, pre-dentistry, pre-law, pre-medicine, pre-nursing, pre-pharmacy, et cetera.
  (hyphen; preparation for study of a specific discipline)
• preprofessional (no hyphen)
• presidential medallion
• problem solving (noun); problem-solving (adjective)
• Program in Creative Writing (Iowa Writers’ Workshop students are enrolled in this)
• proseminar
• Pulitzer Prize

• Regent Admission Index (“Regent” singular)
• Regents (always uppercase, noun or adjective; see “Board of Regents”)
• résumé (use correct accents)
• Rhodes Scholar
• RiverFest
• satisfactory/fail (on first reference; may abbreviate S/F on subsequent references)
• self-evaluation (hyphen, noun and adjective)
• self-study (hyphen, noun and adjective)
• service learning (noun); service-learning (adjective)
• sexually transmitted infection; abbreviate STI (not “sexually transmitted disease/STD”)
• shoutout
• Social Security Administration, U.S.
• social security number (lowercase)
• socioeconomic
• south side (noun); southside (adjective)
• Soviet Union: use “former Soviet Union” or “former USSR” (no periods in USSR)
• Spanish American (no hyphen, noun and adjective)
• state-of-the-art (adjective)
• student-athlete (hyphenated as both noun and adjective)
• Study Abroad (use initial caps only when referring to UI Study Abroad program and associated events. E.g.: “Students are invited to attend next month’s Study Abroad information session.” “Jane Doe cannot wait to study abroad during her junior year.”)
• syllabuses (plural; not “syllabi)
• symposia (plural; not “symposiums”)
• theater / theatre (see “Theater/Theatre” below)
• The IOWA Challenge, the IOWA Challenge committee
• Third World (uppercase but avoid use of the term; “developing nations” is more appropriate when referring to the economically developing nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America)
• timeline
• toward (no “s”)
• traveling (one “l”)
• trailblazing
• U-Bill
• Uiowa/UIowa: Though “Uiowa”/”UIowa” appears in many university URLs and as part of social media handles (as well as in some hashtags), it should not be used beyond these applications. Do not use in headlines, taglines, running text, et cetera.
• underway
• uptime; downtime (one word)
• Veteran: Capitalize when referring to people who have served in the military.
• Veterans administration: United States Department of Veterans Affairs (no apostrophe); second reference, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (not “Veterans Administration”)
• Veterans’ hospital (Iowa City): Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center (not “VA Hospital”
  or “VA Medical Center”)
• vice president (no hyphen)
• vis-à-vis (hyphens and accent)
• waitlist, waitlisted
• web (lc; short for “World Wide Web”)
• web address (lowercase)
• webcast (lowercase)
• webmaster (lowercase)
• webpage
• website (lowercase)
• well-being
• west side (noun); westside (adjective)
• Western world (uppercase “Western,” CMS)
• wireless internet access
• wireless networking
• work-study program
• workup (noun); work up (verb)
• workstation
• writer in residence (noun); writer-in-residence (adjective)
• writers’ workshop: first use is Iowa Writers’ Workshop (uppercase), with reference to the University of Iowa; writers’ workshop (lowercase) on second use only
• Writing University (use quotation marks and initial caps; the University of Iowa is often regarded as the “Writing University”; no quotes but capitalize when referring to the University of Iowa Writing University website)
• X-ray (noun, uppercase); X-ray (adjective, uppercase); x-ray (verb, lowercase)