Style Guide for Brandeis Websites

The following word styles, grammar and punctuation apply to the Brandeis website. 

Text on Brandeis University websites should follow the grammar, punctuation and spelling rules outlined in the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook. Examples of word usage and style commonly used on Brandeis websites are listed here for reference.

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How to Refer to Brandeis University

The following may be used:

The following may not be used:

Class Years

Closed quotes should be used before class years, not the open quotes that programs normally provide: ’00 not ‘00:

Graduate degrees should be listed without a space between the degree abbreviation and the class year:

Serial Comma

The serial comma is not used unless it is preceded by a compound construct, or clarity demands it. For example:

Web-related Words

Numbers

Abbreviations

Academic Degrees

Dates

Time

United States

Can be abbreviated U.S. (no spaces) as a noun or adjective.

State Names

Spell out the names of the states, do not abbreviate (except for the postal abbreviation in your website's footer or contact page).

Also, the word state can be used when referring to Massachusetts (even though Massachusetts is a commonwealth).

Punctuation

Apostrophe

Colon

Comma

Hyphen

En Dash ( – ), Em Dash ( — )

An en dash is slightly longer than a hyphen. It is used to connect ranges and replaces the word "to":

An em dash is slightly longer than an en dash. It is used for emphasis and sudden interruption in a sentence — and should be used sparingly. If used, place a space on either side.

Parentheses

Period

Quotation Marks

Titles