Writing Best Practices

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Writing Best Practices

Except in cases where UA dictates an exception, we generally follow AP Style. For UA editorial guidelines, refer to the UA Style Guide. Additionally, full campus-wide branding information and messaging guidance can be found at brand.ua.edu.

Naming Conventions

  • The University of Alabama
  • the University
  • UA
  • the Capstone
  • Division of Student Life / the Division of Student Life

Numbers

Write out one through nine; 10 and above, use numerals

Dates

  • Always use numerals without st, nd, rd, th
  • Abbreviate only Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec. and write out other months

Times

  • “a.m.” and “p.m.”
  • 7 a.m. (not 7:00) and 7:30 p.m.
  • “8 – 10 a.m.” and “10 a.m. – 2 p.m.”

Titles

Do not capitalize titles except for immediately preceding a name

  • Big Al, interim vice president for Student Life
  • Interim Vice President for Student Life Big Al

Student Life standards

  • No ampersands
  • No oxford comma (should be A, B and C rather than A, B, and C)
  • Phone numbers: 205-348-5400

Housing and Residential Communities

  • Resident Advisor
  • Faculty-in-Residence
  • Living-Learning Communities
  • Off campus vs. off-campus (the hyphenated “off-campus” should be used when it is a descriptor; The student has moved to an off-campus apartment and The student has moved off campus.)

The University of Alabama Student Center

  • On first instance on any one page or marketing piece, it should be written out in entirety – The University of Alabama Student Center (do not omit or lowercase “The”); “UA Student Center” may be used if there are spacing limits.
  • On subsequent mentions on the same page or piece, you can use “student center,” but it should be lowercased so as not to be confused with the proper noun form (unless it’s in a heading that uses title case).
  • New url: uastudentcenter.ua.edu

Using “the Stu” Nickname

On print or web: 

On the first instance on any one piece, list it out like this:

The University of Alabama Student Center, or “the Stu”

Following that, any other instance can be shortened to “the Stu” if desired.

Social:

If the full student center name is on the calendar event details, if The University of Alabama’s social profile is tagged, or if the caption or a link provides the full name, then the name of the student center can be shortened to “the Stu” on a graphic.