Calendar Style Guide

Why do we need a style guide for a Web calendar?

The UAlbany Campus-wide Web Calendar is the primary resource for both internal and external audiences seeking information about University events. A style guide will help to maintain clear and consistent communication on the calendar.

To follow basic standards of good writing in announcements, here are some suggestions:

Write clearly and concisely. Keep the entry as close to 25 words as possible.
•	Announcements and/or titles should not be in all capital letters.
•	Be sure to include the name of the event, the time, the date and the building and room number where the event will be held.
•	Spell out location names, as the calendar will also be read by people who are not familiar with our campus. University Administration Building; Lecture Center 17; Business Administration 112.
•	Do not capitalize individual campuses at UAlbany. Use downtown campus, main campus and east campus.
•	When utilizing acronyms spell out the words on the first reference, followed by the acronym in parentheses. Example: Capital Area School Development Association (CASDA). You may know what the letters stand for, but readers may not.
•	Make sure a contact name and telephone number or e-mail address is provided, so readers know where to respond or how to obtain additional information. When entering a telephone number, type the full number, including area code. Example: (518) 437-4980. E-mail addresses should be written in all lowercase letters.
•	Leave sponsors off the Web calendar. If the event includes a link to more details, list the sponsor information there. (Type in "http://" before Web address links in the "Web site" field.)
•	The event title size should be set to "Larger" and the event title color set to "Dark Blue".
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling Tips
•	Place the titles of books, plays, and movies inside quotation marks.
•	The only correct first references to this institution are "University at Albany" and "UAlbany". The only exception to this rule is when, the University at Albany is, on a second reference, referred to as the University. Example: The University has dedicated the new field.
•	While the official, formal title of a department is capitalized, as in Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, the field of study – earth science and atmospheric sciences – is not. Do not capitalize the name of a discipline or field of study unless it is a proper noun, like English. For example: It's Department of Biological Sciences, but biology is a major.
•	Do not capitalize "school" or "college" when these words are used alone, but do capitalize in the full, official title, such as "School of Business".
•	Degrees: It is bachelor's degree and master's degree, but Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts.
•	Ph.D. follows the name, as in Robert Culpepper, Ph.D. The title "Dr." in Dr. Robert Culpepper is reserved in "The Associated Press Stylebook" for medical doctors and should be written Robert Culpepper, M.D.
•	Professional titles are capitalized only when they precede the name. Vice President for Student Affairs James P. Doellefeld opened the ceremony. However, James P. Doellefeld, vice president for student affairs, announced the name of the scholarship winner.
•	Use "adviser", not "advisor", as noted by "The Associated Press Stylebook" and as used by "The Chronicle of Higher Education."
•	If UAlbany is playing Harvard, it's UAlbany vs. Harvard, not UAlbany vs Harvard.
General Language Style Guidelines
•	Never begin a sentence with a numeral. In addition, spell out the numbers from one through nine; use numerals for 10 and up.
•	Use the active voice. For example: Parents and students jumped to their feet and gave the Commencement speaker a standing ovation. Instead of: A good time was had by all at Commencement.
•	Use specific language. For example: The symposium on good writing will feature Lynne Truss, author of the best-selling book "Eats, Shoots and Leaves." Instead of: The symposium will feature a variety of speakers on numerous subjects.
•	Avoid jargon. For example: The guest speaker will talk about the new software. Instead of: The guest speaker will talk about his adventures in interfacing with the components central to the unique attributes of the new software system.
•	If you choose to use an exclamation point, use just one.
•	Avoid using "etc.". Instead say specifically what the event is offering.

Sources:
"The Elements of Style" by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White (Allyn & Bacon, Longman Publishers), http://www.bartleby.com/141/.

"The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law," Norm Goldstein, editor, (Perseus Publishing), http://www.ap.org.