Rules of style for InTheFray content.
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By ITF Webmaster
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Saturday, January 17, 2004 |
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
INTRODUCTION
This is the InTheFray stylebook. It is for the use of all writers and editors. The stylebook offers entries by topic, listed alphabetically. Sometimes you will see a word listed without any explanation; this means it is the proper form of that word to use in copy.
Entries below that are in bold with brackets ([numbers]) are the most important, because they are distinctive to InTheFray’s style or are the cause of frequent errors. Entries in italics should also be given special attention.
For a sample of what an edited story should look like, click here. For a sample of what an edited Story Index should look like, click here.
IMPORTANT: Make sure to read the Style section of the “Getting Started” memo for contributors FIRST. It lists some important differences between InTheFray style and, say, the Associated Press style. Here are some additional points to keep in mind, for copy editors in particular:
A note regarding characters: Our new site can use smart quotes (both double quotes and single quotes) and em dashes. So you should make sure Microsoft Word is set so that it automatically inserts smart quotes when you type (this is the default setting for Word). In Microsoft Word, go to Tools > AutoCorrect. Click on the tab AutoFormat As You Type," and make sure that the box "Straight quotes with smart quotes" is checked.
To insert an em dash into the text, you can go to the Insert > Symbol menu in Word and then choose the character that says EM DASH. Or, you can hold down the CTRL and ALT keys and then press the - key in the number pad. (You can set your own shortcut key for the em dash in the Symbol menu.) Our style is to put a space before and after the em dash. The exception is when it comes before a name (see the Pulse page for examples); there is no space between the em dash and the name.
If you find it difficult for any reason to insert the appropriate smart quote or em dash into the text, you can just write it in as HTML code. IMPORTANT: Remove the space between the & character and the rest of the code and it should work:
& rdquo; — right-leaning double quote
& ldquo; — left-leaning double quote
& rsquo; — right-leaning single quote
& lsquo; — left-leaning single quote
& mdash; — em dash
Bios: Bios should not be written in first person (i.e. with “I”). However, contributors are allowed to use either their first name or their last name on second reference (their choice). Here is a sample bio:
Katherine K. Chen is a Ph.D. candidate in sociology at Harvard University. For her dissertation, an organizational ethnography (“The Burning Man Organization Grows Up: Blending Bureaucratic and Alternative Structures”), she studied the Burning Man organization’s activities using observations, participant-observations, interviews, and archival research. She attended Burning Man events from 1998 to 2002. Having recently defended her dissertation, she looks forward to experiencing life in-between too many writing deadlines.
Include any email addresses, websites, phone numbers, etc. that the contributor wishes to make public at the end of the bio. Editors should read the “Guidelines for Editors (Art/Design/Tech)” to learn how to post bios to the site.
Bylines/datelines: The contributor(s) should be named according to what contribution they gave to the article. After the name there should be a slash, followed by the name of the city where most of the reporting/writing/photography/etc. was done. For instance:
Written by Victor Tan Chen / Cancún, Mexico, and Miami
Photographed by Dustin Ross / Washington
A conversation with Noam Chomsky / Cambridge, Massachusetts
In the stylebook below you will see which cities stand alone in copy (i.e. without state or country names next to them). “Cambridge,” for example, is followed by “Massachusetts,” but “Miami” is not followed by “Florida.”
Captions: A caption should be a sentence or two of description. For instance, consider this photo and caption:
A group gathers around the Man each morning to watch the sun rise. (George Post)
When there is only photographer/artist for the entire article, there is no need to put the name of the photographer/artist at the end of the caption.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
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[abbreviations and acronyms]
Do not abbreviate state names or months: Cherry Hill, New Jersey; October 23. Widely recognized abbreviations and acronyms are permitted on first reference. Examples: FBI, IBM, UPS, NAACP, AIDS. All others should be spelled out on first reference, using parentheses to set off an abbreviation if the acronym is to be used later in the article: The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) will meet in Florida this year. NABJ met in Arizona last year. If you can, try not to use acronyms within an article; sometimes referring to the "commission" or the "association," etc. is sufficient.
academic titles
See titles.
admit, admitted
This is seen as a loaded term and can often give the connotation of wrongdoing. Said is usually sufficient in most cases.
affect, effect
Affect is usually a verb meaning to have an influence on something: The weather affects her mood. Effect is usually a noun meaning a result or influence: The snow had an effect on her driving. He wanted to effect change in society.
African
Pertaining to Africa and its people. Do not use as a synonym for black or African American.
[African American]
No hyphen.
[ages]
Follow the same format as for other numbers: Spell out all ages until you reach 10. Thus: Michael Luo, who is eight, is the youngest member of the cricket team. His sister LeAnn, 12, also plays.
AIDS
Permitted in all references to acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
aliens
See illegal aliens.
all right
Never alright.
a.m., p.m.
Do not use redundant phrases like: 4 p.m. this afternoon. Instead: The flight leaves at 4 p.m.
[American Indian]
Preferred, as opposed to Native American.
Anglo
Arab names
Generally, use an established English spelling or one preferred by the individual. Many Arabs incorporate the article "al" or "el" in English when their full names are used: Osama el-Baz. Drop the article on subsequent references: Baz said.
archdiocese
Capitalize as part of a proper name: The Archdiocese of Newark governs Seton Hall University. Lowercase whenever the word stands alone.
Asian
[Asian American]
No hyphen.
Asian subcontinent
Encompasses Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sikkim and Sri Lanka.
assassin, killer, murderer
An assassin is a politically motivated killer. A killer is someone who kills with a motive of any kind. A murderer is one who is convicted of murder in a court of law. In stories, do not call or describe someone as a murderer unless they have been convicted of such in a court.
Atlanta
The city in Georgia stands alone in copy: Last year’s Super Bowl was held in Atlanta. This year’s Super Bowl will be held in Oakland, California.
attorney, lawyer
Usually, these words are used interchangeably. But, in most cases in stories, the word "lawyer" is preferred. A lawyer is someone admitted to practice in a court system. An attorney is usually someone empowered to act for another.
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Baltimore
The city in Maryland stands alone in copy.
Band-Aid
This term is a trademarked word for a type of adhesive bandage. Do not use unless specifically talking about the Band-Aid brand. Use the word bandage instead.
Baptist
All members of the Baptist clergy may be referred to as ministers. There are more than 20 Baptist bodies in the United States.
bar mitzvah
The similar rite for girls is the bas mitzvah or bat mitzvah. The rites mark the 13th birthday.
Beijing
The city in China stands alone in copy.
Berlin
The city in Germany stands alone in copy.
Bible
Capitalize, without quotation marks, when referring to the Scriptures of the Old Testament or the New Testament. Lowercase bible as a non-religious term: The Inthefray.com stylebook should be your bible.
Bible Belt
Generally the Southern states of the United States where fundamentalist religious beliefs prevail. Use with care because in certain contexts it can be taken as offensive.
Big Board
Permitted on second reference for the New York Stock Exchange.
bimonthly
Means every other month.
biweekly
Means every other week.
[black]
Do not use as a noun. Not: Smith, a black, said no. But: Smith, who is black, said no. Acceptable in reference to groups: Eighty percent of blacks agree.
blue-chip stocks
These are usually stocks of companies that are known for their established record of earning profits and paying dividends. Often, you may hear stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average referred to as "the blue-chips."
[book names]
Italicize the names of books. For bibliographic references, include the publishing company and date of publication, in this format: Of Beetles and Angels: A True Story of the American Dream, by Mawi Asgedom (Megadee Books, 2001). Or: Mawi Asgedom’s Of Beetles and Angels: A True Story of the American Dream (Megadee Books, 2001). Use the publisher and publication date for the first edition of the book, if available (this information can be found free on the Library of Congress website, http://www.loc.gov/catalog/). For books we are selling online, list the information for the particular edition being sold on Amazon.com or Powells.com. See titles for more information.
Boston
The city in Massachusetts stands alone in copy.
bowl games
Capitalize them: Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Super Bowl.
[brackets]
Use brackets to indicate paraphrasing or insertions in quotes. "Luckily, [the reading program] benefits everyone."
Britain
Preferred in all references to Great Britain.
Brussels
The city in Belgium stands alone in copy.
Buddha, Buddhism
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Canada
Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa and Toronto stand alone in copy. For all others, use the city name followed by the name of the province or territory.
Canada goose
Not Canadian goose
cancel, canceled, cancellation
Canuck
This term, meaning a Canadian or a French Canadian, is often considered a derogatory racial label. Avoid it except in formal uses like the Vancouver Canucks hockey team.
capital, capitol
Capital is the city where a seat of government is based. Capitol is the term for the actual building. Also, capital can also mean money used for a business, as in venture capital.
Catholic
Use Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholic or Roman Catholicism on first reference to those who believe the pope in Rome has the ultimate authority in administering an earthly organization founded by Jesus Christ. Catholic is fine on second reference.
Caucasian
CD
Use in reference to compact discs. Plural is CDs.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDC is acceptable on second reference. This is a singular entity despite the "s" in Centers.
cents
See money.
CEO
Use chief executive officer or chief executive in copy. CEO is acceptable in headlines.
chairman, chairwoman
Capitalize as a formal title before a name. Do not use chairperson except in quotes, or when referring to a position that is not occupied and/or is not gender-specific: The organization needs to find a new chairperson.
Chicago
The city in Illinois stands alone in copy.
Chicago Board of Trade
A commodity trading market.
[Chicano, Chicanos]
Do not use as an alternative to Mexican American, unless the individual explicitly identifies him or herself as such. It is sometimes seen as derogatory.
China
When used alone, it refers to the mainland nation. Use People’s Republic of China, Communist China, mainland China or Red China only in direct quotes.
Christian clergy
All clergy members may be referred to as ministers. The term pastor may be substituted if the individual leads a congregation.
Christmas
Do not use Xmas.
church
Capitalize as part of a formal name: Roman Catholic Church, Mother Zion Baptist Church in Harlem. Lowercase in an institutional sense: He believes in separation of church and state.
Cincinnati
The city in Ohio stands alone in copy.
citizen, resident
A citizen is a member entitled to full civil rights of a nation either by birth or naturalization. U.S. cities and states do not confer citizenship: Wrong: He is a citizen of New Jersey. Correct: He is a resident of New Jersey and a citizen of the United States.
Cleveland
The city in Ohio stands alone in copy.
coast
Capitalize only when referring to regions of the U.S.: East Coast, Gulf Coast, West Coast. But not to smaller ones: Florida coast.
coed
Was used as a noun to mean female student. Many consider it demeaning now. Avoid.
[colons]
Capitalize the first word after a colon when it is part of a sentence. Do not capitalize when it is part of a sentence fragment. Thus: There could only be one reason: He was no longer there. Or: There is one thing I love more than anything in the world: fudge.
colored
Considered a derogatory term. Avoid.
[commas]
Insert a comma before the last item in a list: Apples, oranges, and bananas.
company names
For company names, for our purposes, the best way to determine the proper forms is by looking at the company’s website. Usually, at the bottom, will be their full name next to a copyright or trademark symbol. That is usually how we can tell the company’s full name. Alternatively, go to Hoover’s Online (www.Hoovers.com) and look up the company’s entry on their database. However, to simplify things, please drop any Inc., Corp., Co. or Group from a company’s name.
compared to, compared with
Constantly confused by many. Compared with is used when trying to make a juxtaposition between two things: The company had revenue of $24 million last year, compared with $34 million in the same quarter a year ago. Compared to is used when you are trying to liken two things: He compared Victor Chen to President Clinton.
congressman, congresswoman
Use only in reference to members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Copenhagen
The capital of Denmark stands alone in copy.
currency
See money.
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Dallas
The city in Texas stands alone in copy.
[dashes]
When creating em dashes, make sure that the dash is represented as two hyphens, and there is no space between the connected words. Thus: He opened the door--he closed the door.
[dates]
Follow the format: Month Day, Year. Thus: He attended the reunion on January 5, 1999. The party on November 9, 2001, was well-attended. (Use another comma to separate the year when it does not end the sentence.) Remember that the names of months are spelled out.
[datelines]
Placed after the byline of each contributor. Thus:
Written by Mekeisha Madden / Tacoma, Washington
For bylines inside the United States, use a "City, State" format (if the city does not stand alone in copy; see if the city name is included in this stylebook). For bylines outside of the United States, use a "City, Country" format (if the city does not stand alone in copy).
Denver
The city in Colorado stands alone in copy.
Detroit
The city in Michigan stands alone in copy.
dimensions
Use figures and spell out inches, feet, yards, etc. to indicate depth, height, length, and width. Hyphen adjectival forms before nouns. The 5-foot man.
disk, disc
Use disk for floppy disk or hard disk. Use disc for compact disc or CD.
District of Columbia
Abbreviate when using with Washington, D.C. Spell out when it stands alone.
doctor
Please use the abbreviation Dr. only for people who practice medicine (doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, doctor of podiatric medicine). Do not use as an academic title.
dollars
See money.
dotcom
Acceptable for references to Internet companies (see separate entry below, Internet companies). Plural is dotcoms.
doughnut
not donut. But acceptable in Dunkin Donuts.
Dr Pepper
Notice the absence of the period in the name.
duel
A contest between two people. Three people cannot have a duel.
dyeing, dying
Dyeing refers to changing colors. Dying refers to death.
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elderly
Be careful with this word. It is not appropriate in describing anyone under 65 and should not be used casually in referring to anyone beyond that age. Acceptable in a generic sense: the elderly.
Election Day
Electoral College
But, electoral votes.
Ellipses
Stick to AP style with a space before and after. For example: "He liked apples ... but not oranges."
email
Do not use a hyphen.
emigrate, immigrate
If you leave a country, you are emigrating from that country. When you enter a country, you are immigrating to that country.
entitle, title
Entitle means the right to something: He is entitled to be here. Title should be used for describing the name of something: The book is titled, "American Rhapsody."
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
EEOC acceptable on second reference.
ethnic
Use the word only as an adjective: ethnic group, ethnic Albanians.
[European American]
No hyphen. "White" or "Caucasian" also acceptable.
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Far East
The eastern portions of the Asian continent: China, Japan, North and South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the eastern part of Russia.
faze, phase
It does not faze me. They are phasing that program out.
Filipinos
The people of the Philippines.
firm
A firm is a business partnership: law firm, venture capital firm. Only use as a substitute for company in a headline.
first lady
Lowercase in all references.
flack
Flack is a term journalists use for a press agent or PR representative. It is generally seen as pejorative. Avoid.
Florence
The city in Italy stands alone in copy.
Frankfurt
The city in Germany stands alone in copy.
French Canadian
No hyphen.
Go to part two
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Last Updated ( Saturday, May 3, 2008 )
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