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STYLE GUIDE
Leesburg • Sumter • South Lake
Lake-Sumter State College
Style Guide
Table of Contents
Executive Summary .................................................................................................... 8
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 9
Purpose..............................................................................................................................9
Vision and Mission Statements ................................................................................. 10
LSSC Vision Statement ......................................................................................................10
LSSC Mission Statement....................................................................................................10
Department Mission Statements.......................................................................................10
Use of Vision and Mission .................................................................................................10
Informal Versus Formal Communication............................................................................10
Publication Requirements ........................................................................................ 10
Equity Statement..............................................................................................................11
Continuous Notification........................................................................................................................11
Abbreviated Option ..............................................................................................................................11
Locations for Publication ......................................................................................................................11
Annual Notification ...............................................................................................................................11
Locations for Publication ......................................................................................................................11
Accreditation Statement...................................................................................................12
Logo Standards......................................................................................................... 13
Size and Relationships ......................................................................................................14
Specifications ...................................................................................................................14
Use of Logo on Dark Backgrounds .....................................................................................15
Improper Logo Uses..........................................................................................................16
Departmental Logos .........................................................................................................16
Other Logos .....................................................................................................................17
........................................................................................................................................18
Color Standards................................................................................................................18
LSSC’s Main Colors ................................................................................................................................18
Font and Typography Guidelines .......................................................................................19
Weiss ....................................................................................................................................................19
Frutiger .................................................................................................................................................19
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Presentation Standards ............................................................................................ 20
PowerPoint ......................................................................................................................20
PowerPoint Tips ....................................................................................................................................20
Other Kinds of Presentations ............................................................................................20
Abbreviations & Acronyms ....................................................................................... 21
Courses ............................................................................................................................21
Clubs & Organizations ......................................................................................................21
Abbreviation of Days and Months .....................................................................................21
Common Abbreviations and Acronyms ..............................................................................22
LSSC Terminology ..................................................................................................... 24
The College ......................................................................................................................24
Campuses ........................................................................................................................24
Buildings ..........................................................................................................................25
Leesburg Campus..................................................................................................................................25
South Lake Campus ..............................................................................................................................25
Sumter Center ......................................................................................................................................26
Rooms..............................................................................................................................26
Phone Numbers ................................................................................................................26
LSSC Identification Number...............................................................................................26
Mascot.............................................................................................................................26
Governmental Bodies .......................................................................................................26
Titles ................................................................................................................................27
Courtesy Titles ......................................................................................................................................28
Formal Titles .........................................................................................................................................28
Abbreviated Titles .................................................................................................................................28
Long Titles .............................................................................................................................................28
Unique Titles .........................................................................................................................................29
Academic Degrees ............................................................................................................29
Academic Degree Titles ....................................................................................................29
Academic Years ................................................................................................................30
Courses ............................................................................................................................30
Programs .........................................................................................................................30
Meta Major Pathways ......................................................................................................31
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Terms, Semesters, Breaks .................................................................................................31
Clubs & Organizations ......................................................................................................31
Committees......................................................................................................................31
Divisions and Departments ...............................................................................................32
College Departments ............................................................................................................................32
Writing Clearly ......................................................................................................... 34
Jargon..............................................................................................................................34
Clichés .............................................................................................................................34
Active Voice .....................................................................................................................35
Strong Verbs ....................................................................................................................36
Redundancies ...................................................................................................................36
Use Shorter and Simpler Words ........................................................................................37
Use Fewer Words .............................................................................................................37
Using Lists ........................................................................................................................38
Numbered Lists .....................................................................................................................................38
Bulleted Lists .........................................................................................................................................38
Formatting Lists ....................................................................................................................................38
Punctuation and Capitalization in Lists .................................................................................................39
Grammar.................................................................................................................. 41
Subject Verb Agreement ...................................................................................................41
Common Collective nouns ....................................................................................................................41
Subject/Verb Agreement Singular ........................................................................................................41
Subject/Verb Agreement Plural ............................................................................................................41
Pronouns .........................................................................................................................41
Subject Verb Agreement ......................................................................................................................42
Pronoun Antecedent Agreement .........................................................................................................42
Subject Verb Agreement ......................................................................................................................42
Pronoun Antecedent Agreement .........................................................................................................43
Plurals .............................................................................................................................43
Possessives.......................................................................................................................44
Capitalization ...................................................................................................................45
Using All Uppercase Letters ..................................................................................................................45
Basic Capitalization Rules .....................................................................................................................45
Terms Frequently Capitalized Incorrectly .............................................................................................47
Commonly Confused Terms ...............................................................................................47
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Spelling and Usage ................................................................................................... 51
Numbers .................................................................................................................. 53
Money .............................................................................................................................54
Ages ................................................................................................................................54
Dates, Years, Decades and Centuries.................................................................................55
Times ...............................................................................................................................56
Other Numbers.................................................................................................................56
Decimals ...............................................................................................................................................56
Measurements......................................................................................................................................56
Fractions ...............................................................................................................................................57
Percentages ..........................................................................................................................................57
Punctuation ............................................................................................................. 58
Ampersand ......................................................................................................................58
Apostrophes.....................................................................................................................58
Brackets ...........................................................................................................................58
Colons ..............................................................................................................................59
Introduction of Related Information ....................................................................................................59
Listings ..................................................................................................................................................59
Emphasis ...............................................................................................................................................59
Long Quotations ...................................................................................................................................60
Interviews and Dialogue .......................................................................................................................60
Time ......................................................................................................................................................60
Citations ................................................................................................................................................60
Commas ...........................................................................................................................60
Items in a Series ....................................................................................................................................60
With Quotations ...................................................................................................................................61
Setting Off Nonessential Elements .......................................................................................................62
Joining Sentences with Coordinating Conjunctions..............................................................................63
Adjective Commas ................................................................................................................................63
Dates .....................................................................................................................................................63
Addresses and Place Names .................................................................................................................64
Long Numbers.......................................................................................................................................64
Dashes .............................................................................................................................64
Ellipses .............................................................................................................................66
Exclamation Points ...........................................................................................................66
Hyphens ...........................................................................................................................66
General rules ........................................................................................................................................66
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For Clarity .............................................................................................................................................66
Suspensive Hyphens .............................................................................................................................67
Hyphens with Prefixes ..........................................................................................................................67
Hyphens with Suffixes ..........................................................................................................................69
Parentheses .....................................................................................................................71
Using Parentheses with Incomplete Sentences....................................................................................71
Using Parentheses with Complete Sentences ......................................................................................71
Periods.............................................................................................................................71
Question Marks................................................................................................................72
Direct vs. Indirect Questions ................................................................................................................72
More than One Question ......................................................................................................................72
Using Question Marks with Quotation Marks ......................................................................................72
Quotation Marks ..............................................................................................................72
Semicolons .......................................................................................................................73
Items in a Series ....................................................................................................................................73
Between Two Independent Clauses .....................................................................................................74
With Quotations ...................................................................................................................................74
Slashes.............................................................................................................................74
Special Characters and Styles ............................................................................................75
Nonsexist writing ..................................................................................................... 76
He and His........................................................................................................................76
He/She and Him/Her ........................................................................................................76
Man .................................................................................................................................76
Sexual Orientation ...........................................................................................................76
Occupational Titles ...........................................................................................................77
Diversity................................................................................................................... 78
Equity Statement..............................................................................................................78
Race and Ethnicity ............................................................................................................79
Correspondence ....................................................................................................... 80
Courtesy Titles: Mrs., Miss, Ms. or Mr. ..............................................................................80
Salutations.......................................................................................................................80
Writing for the Web and Accessibility Issues ............................................................. 80
General Rules ...................................................................................................................80
Make the Page Scannable ................................................................................................81
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Headings..........................................................................................................................82
Reading Levels .................................................................................................................83
Tables, Charts, or Bulleted Lists.........................................................................................83
Fonts and Colors ...............................................................................................................83
Emphasizing Text .............................................................................................................84
Capitalization ...................................................................................................................84
Links ................................................................................................................................84
Tables ..............................................................................................................................85
Graphics...........................................................................................................................85
Audio and Video Content ..................................................................................................86
Web Parts ........................................................................................................................86
Faculty Pages ...................................................................................................................86
Copyright .........................................................................................................................86
Page Creation Guidelines ..................................................................................................87
Naming Conventions ........................................................................................................87
Social Media............................................................................................................. 88
Social Media Rules ...........................................................................................................88
Technology and Internet Terminology ...................................................................... 90
Internal Communication Procedures......................................................................... 93
LSSC Blog .........................................................................................................................93
Email Guidelines...............................................................................................................93
Forms...............................................................................................................................94
Minutes ...........................................................................................................................94
Best Practices ...................................................................................................................94
Netiquette .......................................................................................................................95
Bibliography ............................................................................................................. 97
Appendix A: Accessibility Checklist ........................................................................... 98
Appendix B: Keyboard Shortcuts for Diacritical Marks............................................... 99
Appendix C: Guidelines for Broadcast Email ............................................................ 101
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General Guidelines ......................................................................................................... 101
Appropriate Subjects for Broadcast E-mail ...................................................................... 101
Publicizing Events ........................................................................................................... 102
Inappropriate Subjects for Broadcast E-mail.................................................................... 102
Procedures for Sending Broadcast E-mail ........................................................................ 102
Index ...................................................................................................................... 103
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Executive Summary
The Lake-Sumter State College Style Guide is designed to serve as a college-wide resource to
further reflect the Lake-Sumter State College brand and enhance the professionalism of all
correspondences connected to and affiliated with Lake-Sumter State College. It is a dynamic
document, which will be periodically revised to provide comprehensive and accurate
information that is helpful to users. The Style Guide is a useful resource for routine
communications such as emails, webpage updates, business letters, and presentations. While
the guide is comprehensive, below is a brief breakdown of four primary ways the Style Guide
will be most beneficial to you:
Routine Communications (Emails, Letters, Presentations, etc.)
•
Provides clear guidelines on LSSC terminology as is relates to campuses, buildings,
appropriate abbreviations, official department names, job titles, degrees, and more.
Reinforces Branding Standards
•
Font and typography guidelines will clarify acceptable fonts to use in place of the official
LSSC fonts, which are not widely available.
Website and Accessibility Issues
•
The Writing for the Web and Accessibility Issues sections includes a brief list of general
rules to keep in mind when designing and reformatting your department pages.
Go To for Grammar
•
Includes an extensive section devoted to addressing common grammar misconceptions
and style questions.
Please refer to the extensive index for specific subjects and topics.
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Introduction
The American English language challenges writers with the complexities of vocabulary,
grammar, syntax, and style of discourse. Language experts debate literary style, punctuation
and capitalization. Editorial style guides are typically created to ensure that institutional
communication and written publications are consistent, clear and correct.
This style guide is intended to foster clear communication and create a consistent “look and
feel” across Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC) with the purpose of enhancing the college’s
credibility and professionalism. Writers and editors across all LSSC campuses have similar
questions about style and usage, grammar and punctuation, how terms specific to LSSC should
be used, and so forth. This editorial style guide attempts to address all of these issues. It is a
dynamic document, which will be continually edited and updated to meet the needs of users.
Please send comments and suggestions to the Marketing and Public Relations office.
Purpose
In an effort to support LSSCs vision, mission and goals, the purpose of this guide is to ensure
timeliness, accuracy, design and content consistency for the college’s print and online
publications. Publications include but are not limited to:
o Newsletters
o Advertising materials
o Programs
o Booklets
o Brochures
o Social media
o Correspondences
o All LSSC-affiliated web
o Fliers
pages
o Invitations
This guide is based on the following sources, which should be used for style questions
not addressed in the guide:
 Associated Press (AP) Stylebook (accessible online from any collegenetworked computer at http://www.apstylebook.com/LSSC_edu)
 Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, which is based on the print version
of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition
(http://www.merriam-webster.com)
 Yahoo! Style Guide (print version available at LSSC campus libraries,
supplementary material accessible at http://styleguide.yahoo.com)
 The Little Brown Compact Handbook with Exercises (print version
available at LSSC libraries)
Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing (print version available at
LSSC libraries, website at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl)
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Style Guide
Vision and Mission Statements
LSSC Vision Statement
Lake-Sumter State College will be a leader in higher education and the destination of
choice for education, training, and cultural activities in Florida.
LSSC Mission Statement
Lake-Sumter State College responds to community needs by providing high-quality,
accessible programs from enrichment and career training to associate and baccalaureate
degrees. LSSC embraces excellence, diversity, and innovation to maximize student
learning and success.
Department Mission Statements
Mission statements for LSSC departments are available on department websites. When
using a department mission statement, it is imperative that there is clear indication that
the mission statement is for a particular department. This can be done by simply noting
the department name before the words mission statement.
Use of Vision and Mission
Lake-Sumter State College’s vision, mission and values statements can be found on the
About LSSC web page. They are also displayed in offices throughout the college’s
campuses. When using the LSSC vision, mission or values statements, be sure to
replicate the statements precisely and use them in their entirety. Do not shorten or
abbreviate any parts of the vision, mission or values statements.
Informal Versus Formal Communication
Whether to use formal or informal language is highly subjective. For most situations,
it can be determined by the writer’s relationship with the reader, the institutional
culture, the situation, and the subject of the communication. If the subject matter
can be communicated in a casual conversation, use informal language. If in doubt,
assume the communication is formal.
In general, avoid the following in formal communications:
 Personal pronouns (I, me, etc.)
 Slang
 Social media abbreviations (LOL, IMHO, etc.)
 Starting sentences with conjunctions (for, and, not, but, or, yet, so)
Publication Requirements
Official LSSC publications (e.g., college catalog, student handbook, annual reports, etc.)
are created by the Marketing & College Relations staff with input from the appropriate
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Style Guide
department faculty and staff. Official and unofficial college communication should
always include the college logo displayed in a prominent position. The college’s official
fonts or the approved equivalent should be used throughout the document. When
implementing color in your presentation or document, be sure to use Green PMS 349 as
the primary color of choice. Blue PMS 284 is used as a secondary color. When including
images in presentations, make sure the images portray diversity including adequate
representation of gender, ethnic groups and persons with disabilities. Official documents
may be printed on LSSC letterhead when appropriate.
In order to ensure compliance with the Educational Equity Act, applicable federal and
state laws, and to further the college’s equal opportunity efforts, the following
nondiscrimination notice should be included on all publications that are distributed to
students, staff, parents and the community. This includes bid documents, staff
handbooks, student handbooks, marketing materials and catalogs.
Equity Statement
Continuous Notification
LSSC does not discriminate in its admission, treatment or access to programs, activities,
employment, services, nor contracts with vendors or contractors.
Abbreviated Option
LSSC is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.
Locations for Publication
Include in magazines and newspapers published by college staff, students, or alumni;
memoranda or other written communications to students; college catalogs,
announcements, flyers, pamphlets, bulletins, application forms, or other recruitment
materials that are made available to participants, students, or vendors; contracts,
letterheads, signage; and marketing and advertising materials.
Annual Notification
Lake-Sumter State College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age
ethnicity, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender, genetic information,
veteran's status, marital status, nor religion in its programs, employment or activities.
Locations for Publication
Publish the statement in all major newspapers in the service district in languages of
the predominate populations.
Updates to LSSC’s equity statements can be found on the college website at
http://lssc.edu/about/Pages/Equity/ns.aspx.
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Contact the equity officer for copies of the equity statement in languages other than
English. See the Diversity section of this guide for contact information and the full equity
statement.
Accreditation Statement
Lake-Sumter State College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Contact
the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097 or call
404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Lake-Sumter State College.
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Style Guide
Logo Standards
The primary logomark or logo design for Lake-Sumter State College is a unique
integration of copy and design elements that is synonymous with the college brand. As a
logomark, the design contains distinctive type and a wave that comprise the trademark,
as well as the shield symbol. The registration notice should therefore be plural
(“Trademarks ®”) in all marketing applications where these elements appear.
You can download logos from the Marketing & College Relations website at
http://www.lssc.edu/news/Pages/StyleGuide.aspx.
When using logos:
.eps
should be used for printed publication and promotional products
.jpeg
should be used for word documents and PowerPoint presentations
.gif
Should be used for web
Horizontal layout of logo
Vertical layout of logo
Additional logomarks for the college include the official seal, the mascot design and
copy, the LSSC logomark, and the Foundation’s logomark. The same integrated
trademark standards apply to each.
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Style Guide
Size and Relationships
The size of all logomark elements is predetermined for proper balance and ease of
reproduction. The college’s logomark is composed of several elements that identify
the LSSC brand. When used in combination, the relationship between these
elements should never be altered.
Specifications


The logomark height should be equal to three times the height designated as “A”
in the logotype; and
The distance between the elements should be equal to the height designated as
“B” in the logotype.
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Style Guide
Use of Logo on Dark Backgrounds
The logomark is displayed best when it appears on a white background and with a
generous amount of white space around it. If only a black background is available for
reproduction, the size of the logomark should be smaller.
When the logomark appears on non-white or dark backgrounds, a thin white border
should be used around the logomark to separate it from those backgrounds.
Additionally, the Lake-Sumter State College type should be displayed as shown
below.
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Style Guide
Improper Logo Uses
Never change the shape of an LSSC logomark;
Never use it for decorative purposes or patterns;
Never use colors that are alien to the Lake-Sumter
State College brand;
Never use the “wave” outside of a logo;
Never enclose the logos in a shape; and
Never reverse or flop any element of the logomarks.
Departmental Logos
Department logos should meet the following standards:




A dividing rule, set in PMS 1235 Orange, should separate the logomark from the
department.
The department name should be set in Weiss Bold, in all caps in PMS 349 Green
and should be equal to the size of the lowercase letters used in “State College.”
All distances designated as “A” are the same.
When more than one line is needed for the department, the space between lines
is 1/2 of “A.”
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Lake-Sumter State College


Style Guide
The department name should be centered under the dividing line.
Department logos can be horizontal and vertical and are available by contacting
Marketing & College Relations.
Department logos are available for download on the Branding Resources page of the
Marketing & College Relations web page at
http://www.lssc.edu/news/Pages/StyleGuide.aspx.
Other Logos
Logos frequently used by Lake-Sumter State College faculty and staff members are
displayed below.
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Style Guide
Color Standards
The college colors are critical components of LSSC’s identity and branding standards.
Though the precise interpretation of these colors may vary slightly depending upon the
manner in which they are reproduced, the goal is to achieve a consistent visual
impression in every application. The following standards are acceptable for one-color
reproduction, two-color reproduction and full-color reproduction.
LSSC’s Main Colors
Color has an effect on one’s emotions and the way a product or service is perceived.
Therefore, we must be conscious of what the colors used in the college’s marketing
program convey:
Rich green is a color associated with history, nobility and wisdom, as well as
nature and prosperity—all positive qualities that reflect well on the college.
The rich green color is PMS 349 (RGB 0, 107, 63; HEX #006b3f). The hex color
is typically used on the web.
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Style Guide
The color blue is often used to represent water, and obviously suggests LSSC’s
waterfront location. Blues also evoke a sense of peace and serenity. Freshness,
cleanliness and strength have also long been associated with blue. The medium
blue color is PMS 284 (RGB 117, 170, 219; HEX #75aadb).
Additional colors such as orange (PMS 1235; RGB 252, 181, 20; HEX # fcb514) and red
are found in the logo, which suggest the strength of the college. If only one color is
available for reproduction, the preferred color is the rich green.
Dark blue (PMS 2945; RGB 0, 76, 151; HEX #004b98), dark orange, (PMS 152; RGB
223,115, 0), and dark yellow (PMS 116; RGB 255, 206, 0; HEX #ffce00) can also be used
in documents if appropriate.
Font and Typography Guidelines
Weiss
The Lake-Sumter State College logomarks use a modified version of Weiss, a strong serif
font that dates back to 1926. It is a classic, elegant font that suggests stability and trust.
This font family is used primarily for headlines and department designations in the
college branding materials.
Frutiger
To complement the use of Weiss, the college branding materials use the san-serif font
Frutiger for body copy, which provides a clean, contemporary feel. Weiss and Frutiger
should be used whenever possible in marketing communications for LSSC.
Since these fonts are not widely available, use Garamond and Calibri as substitutes for
print documents. Arial is an acceptable font choice for college publications.
Examples:
Weiss:
Garamond:
Alexandria Lawrence is taking Business Marketing in Fall 2017.
Alexandria Lawrence is taking Business Marketing in Fall 2017.
Frutiger: Alexandria Lawrence is taking Business Marketing in Fall 2017.
Calibri:
Alexandria Lawrence is taking Business Marketing in Fall 2017.
Web Tip
Verdana and Arial fonts in 10 to 12 point are optimal for all web documents.
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Style Guide
Presentation Standards
All college documents, both official and unofficial, should always include the logo. If
possible, the logo should be centered at the top of the document. The college’s official
fonts or the approved equivalents should be used throughout the document. When
using color in your presentation or document, be sure to use green PMS 349 (RGB 0,
107, 63) as the primary color and blue PMS 284 (RGB 117, 170, 219) as the secondary
color. The darker blue PMS 2945 (RGB 0, 76, 151) is a suitable choice for text.
PowerPoint
Lake-Sumter State College’s official PowerPoint templates can be found on the college
website under Marketing & College Relations, in the Branding Resources section.
PowerPoint Tips
1. Know your audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs.
2. Know your information. Avoid reading your PowerPoint slides.
3. Keep it simple. Use minimal content on each slide. Use keywords rather than
sentences. Five to seven bullets per slide is ideal.
4. Limit your overall presentation to less than 25 slides.
5. Maintain a cohesive train of thought and message flow.
6. Establish the main point early and then move on to show slides supporting your
main point.
7. Use visuals like charts and graphics only if it enhances the message
8. Use animation carefully (only to enhance a specific point).
9. End with a summary slide of your key points and final benefits.
Other Kinds of Presentations
Prezi and Blackboard Collaborate’s Whiteboard are other acceptable programs for
sharing an LSSC-related presentation. However, PowerPoint is the preferred and most
widely used program by LSSC faculty and staff. The tips above are applicable to other
kinds of presentations.
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Style Guide
Abbreviations & Acronyms
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase that is used in place of the full
word or phrase. An acronym is a word formed from the initial letters of words in a name,
phrase, or series of words.
In general, avoid acronyms and abbreviations unless the reader is likely to be familiar
with them. Abbreviations should only be used after the first reference, which should be
spelled out, with the abbreviation listed in parentheses.
o Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC)
o District Board of Trustees (DBOT)
An ampersand (&) should not be used to replace “and” unless it is part of an official title,
place, department or organization name.
Avoid abbreviating common words such as information (info), page (pg), prerequisite
(prereq), number (no) and professor (prof) in narrative text. Abbreviate words only if
they are used in a format with limited space, such as in a chart or table.
When considering creating a department or program slogan that would result in an
acronym, consult with the Marketing/College Relations department. Proposed slogans
may be subject to approval by President’s Cabinet.
Courses
The first reference to a course in narrative text should include the complete course
abbreviation, number and name, for instance ENC 1101: College Composition I.
Subsequent references should include only the course abbreviation and number, for
instance ENC 1101.
Clubs & Organizations
For all clubs, organizations, and groups that use an abbreviation write out the complete
name for the first reference followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Subsequent
references require only the abbreviation.
o Student Government Association (SGA)
o Theater Arts Society (TAS)
Abbreviation of Days and Months
Avoid using “last” or “next” when referring to a date. The phrase "during the last month"
can mean either "during the previous month" or "during the final month." Previous, past,
or final are more specific and could be used in place of last. Similarly, the word “next” can
be confusing and should be avoided; instead note the specific date.
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Abbreviate days and months only when they are used in a table, chart, or calendar.
When abbreviating, use the following: Mon., Tue., Wed., Thu., Fri., Sat. and Sun.
On the website, if space is limited, days may need to be abbreviated further: M, Tu, W,
Th, F, Sa, Su. In LOIS “R” is the abbreviation for Thursday.
Common Abbreviations and Acronyms
Academic Degrees – see the Academic Degrees section under the LSSC Terminology
section of this guide for abbreviations of degrees.
Academic Years – see the Academic Years section under LSSC Terminology section of
this guide.
College-Related Acronyms
AFC
Association of Florida Colleges
AP
Advanced Placement
CDS
Career Development Services
CLEP
College Level Examination Program
CNA
Certified Nursing Assistant
CRN
Course Reference Number
CTL
Center for Teaching and Learning
CPT
College Placement Test
DE
Dual Enrollment
DBOT
District Board of Trustees
FCS
Florida College System
FEL
Florida Electronic Library
FERPA
Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act
FLDOE
Florida Department of Education
FLVC
Florida Virtual Campus
FTCE
Florida Teacher Certification Exam
FTE
Full time equivalent
FL
Florida
GED
General Educational Development
GIF
Graphics Interchange Format (use uppercase in narrative text but
lowercase in a file name)
GPA
Grade Point Average
HIPAA
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
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Lake-Sumter State College
JPEG or JPG
LE
LSSC
OSD
PNG
QEP
RSVP
SACSCOC
SAP
SAT
SCNS
SCP
SGA
SL
SLO
SOAR
SU
SUS
UCF
US
USA
USDOE
USF
VHS
Style Guide
Joint Photographic Experts Group (use uppercase in narrative text
but lowercase in a file name)
Leesburg Campus
Lake-Sumter State College (always use the hyphen between Lake
and Sumter when spelling out but never in the acronym)
Office for Students with Disabilities
Portable Network Graphics (use uppercase in narrative text but
lowercase in a file name)
Quality Enhancement Plan
respondez s’il vous plait (please reply)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on
Colleges (do not insert a space or hyphen between SACS and COC)
Standards of Academic Progress
Scholastic Aptitude Test
Statewide Course Numbering System
Sumter Campus Partnership
Student Government Association
South Lake Campus (used only as an abbreviation for South Lake
Campus, not the south Lake area)
Student learning outcome
Student Orientation, Advising and Registration (New Student
Orientation)
Sumter campus
State University System
University of Central Florida
United States
United States of America
United States Department of Education
University of South Florida
The Villages High School
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Style Guide
LSSC Terminology
The College
The first reference to the college should be “Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC).”
Subsequent references should be abbreviated LSSC.
The word college is only capitalized when used as part of the title “Lake-Sumter State
College.” When used alone college should be lowercase unless it begins a sentence.
o The president and trustees promoted Lake-Sumter State College at the
community event.
o The president and trustees promoted the college at the community event.
Campuses
LSSC maintains four physical sites. Always refer to these sites as follows:
o Leesburg Campus
o South Lake Campus (not Southlake Campus)
o Sumter Center (or Sumter Campus)
Capitalize full formal names of campuses, lowercase if referring generically to a campus
or center or if referring to two or more locations.
o The Leesburg Campus is located on Silver Lake.
o One of the college campuses provides a joint-use library.
The campus names should not be abbreviated as LE, SL, or SU in documents prepared
for external communication.
In official writing for state or SACSCOC documents, the Sumter location is referred to as a
center rather than a campus. For other uses, such as the college catalog, marketing, or
other internal documents, campus may be used.
Do not use Clermont Campus to refer to the South Lake Campus or Sumterville Campus
to refer to the Sumter Center. Instead, if you want to indicate a location, use the South
Lake Campus at Clermont or Sumter Center at Sumterville.
Official campus addresses should be written as follows:
Leesburg Campus
9501 US Highway 441
Leesburg, FL 34788
South Lake Campus
1250 N Hancock Road
Clermont, FL 34711
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Sumter Campus
1405 County Road 526A
Sumterville, FL 33585
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Style Guide
If space is limited, the words Highway, Road and County Road in the addresses may
be abbreviated as follows, as per Official USPS Abbreviations:
Leesburg Campus
9501 US HWY 441
Leesburg, FL 34788
Buildings
South Lake Campus
1250 N Hancock RD
Clermont, FL 34711
Sumter Campus
1405 CR 526A
Sumterville, FL 33585
Names of campus buildings should be spelled out in the first reference and may be
abbreviated for subsequent references. Building and room names should include
reference to campus location.
o The Leesburg campus library
o The South Lake board room
The following is a list of the official names of campus buildings:
Leesburg Campus
Business Resources (listed as M Building in MRM)
Butler Building (storage)
Center for Teaching and Learning
Chiller Plant
Concession Stand
Facilities Building
Faculty Office Building
Fine Arts Building
Gymnasium
Health Science Building
Lake Hall Building
Lecture Hall
Liberal Arts Building
Library
Maintenance Building
Science-Math Building
Shipping/Receiving
Student Center
Student Services Building
Williams-Johnson Administration Building
South Lake Campus
Building 1
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Building 2
Building 2A (labs)
Cooper Memorial Library
Sumter Center
Clark Maxwell Building
Rooms
Room locations may be abbreviated, but should be preceded by the building location. It
is not necessary to include the word room in the description. For instance, Center for
Teaching & Learning Room 116 should be “CTL 116.”
Phone Numbers
For most LSSC print and online publications, phone numbers should be written using
hyphens between the area code, exchange, and number.
o 352-787-3747
o 352-568-0001
o 352-243-5722
For marketing or promotional materials, periods rather than hyphens may be used in
phone numbers.
o 352.787.3747
o 352.323.3665
LSSC Identification Number
The X-ID is the 9-digit student and employee identification number, consisting of a
capital X, eight numerals. The term X-ID should be written in uppercase with a hyphen.
o The username is your X-ID and the PIN is your six-digit birthdate.
Mascot
The official mascot is the Lakehawk. Athletic teams are referred to as the
LakehawksStudent email is referred to as Lakehawk Mail.
Governmental Bodies
Capitalize the full name of governmental departments, agencies and offices. Lowercase
state if it is used in place of Florida.
o The grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
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o The Florida College System is committed to providing data about students
and colleges.
o LSSC received state approval to offer its first bachelor’s degree program.
Lowercase state of, city of, etc.
o The city of Leesburg provided funding for a special project.
Capitalize legislature when preceded by the name of a state, retain capitalization when
the state is dropped but the reference is to the particular state legislature. Lowercase
when used generically.
o The Florida Legislature has the power to set tuition and fees.
o The Legislature passed an amended bill.
o Several state legislatures passed similar bills.
Use District Board of Trustees (DBOT) for the first reference, DBOT or lowercase “the
board” for subsequent references. Always use lowercase for internal bodies of an
organization when they are widely used generic terms.
Titles
o The board sets the policies that govern the college and hires the college
president.
The first reference to an LSSC employee should include the person’s complete name and
title. Titles are only capitalized when used before a name. Separate a long title from a
name by a construction that requires a comma (see example below). Complete titles are
only capitalized when used before a name or in directories, lists, signatures, event
programs, stationery.
o President Charles Mojock addressed faculty and staff at the meeting.
o Director of Learning and Development Center Marion Kane reports to the
vice-president of academic affairs.
o Senior Vice Presidents Barbara Howard and Dick Scott attended the
meetings.
o Gary Sligh, dean of general education and transfer programs, addressed
the student body.
The title Dr. is used in the first reference only if source is a medical doctor or holds a
doctoral degree.
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o Dr. Bill Miller chaired the meeting.
Lowercase occupational descriptions, even when used before a name
o John Smith and faculty member Jane Williams won performance awards.
Courtesy Titles
 Use the courtesy titles Mr., Miss, Ms., or Mrs. only in direct quotations or after
first reference when a woman specifically requests it: e.g., where a woman
prefers to be known as Mrs. Smith or Ms. Smith.
 When it is necessary to distinguish between two people who use the same last
name, as in married couples or brothers and sisters, use the first and last name,
without a courtesy title.
 In cases where a person's gender is not clear from the first name or from the
context, indicate the gender by using he or she in subsequent reference.
Formal Titles
 A formal title generally is one that denotes a scope of authority, professional
activity or academic activity, e.g., Sen. Mark Rubio, Dr. Gary Sligh
 Capitalize formal titles when they are used immediately before one or more
names, e.g., President Mojock, Senior Vice Presidents Barbara Howard and Dick
Scott.
 Other titles serve primarily as occupational descriptions, e.g., astronaut John
Glenn, movie star Sandra Bullock
 A final determination on whether a title is formal or occupational depends on the
practice of the organization that confers it. If there is doubt about the status of a
title and the practice of the organization cannot be determined, use commas to
set off the name or title.
Abbreviated Titles
The following formal titles are capitalized and abbreviated as shown when used before a
name both inside and outside quotations, e.g., Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Rep., Sen. and certain
military ranks. All other formal titles are spelled out in all uses.
Long Titles
Separate a long title from a name by a construction that requires a comma.
o John Smith, the dean of general education and transfer programs, spoke.
o The dean of general education and transfer programs, John Smith, spoke.
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Unique Titles
If a title applies only to one person in an organization, insert the word the in a
construction that uses commas.
o Mary Jones, the student services vice president, spoke.
Academic Degrees
Use lowercase and apostrophe for bachelor’s degree, master’s degree in psychology, etc.
Use abbreviations with a person’s name, set off by commas, such as Dr. John Garcia, Ph.D.
Use an apostrophe in bachelor’s degree, master’s degree but no possessive in associate
degree. Do not use an apostrophe in Associate in Arts, Bachelor of Applied Science, or
Doctor of Computer Science.
o An associate degree may qualify a student for a great job.
o He earned an Associate in Arts while working full time.
o UCF provides students the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree at the
South Lake Campus.
o LSSC offers a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Organizational
Management.
When abbreviating academic degrees, use capital letters, periods between letters and no
spaces (or you may use capital letters, no periods and no spaces).
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
A.A. – Associate in Arts
A.A.S. – Associate in Applied Science
A.S. – Associate in Science
B.A. – Bachelor of Arts
B.A.S. – Bachelor of Applied Science
B.S. – Bachelor of Science
M.A. – Master of Arts
MBA – Master of Business Administration
Ed.D. – Doctor of Education
Ph.D. – Doctor of Philosophy
Academic Degree Titles


If mention of degrees is necessary to establish someone's credentials, the
preferred form is to avoid an abbreviation and use instead a phrase such as:
Jon Smith, who has a doctorate in psychology.
Use an apostrophe in bachelor's degree, a master's, etc., but there is no
possessive in Bachelor of Arts or Master of Science. Also: an associate degree
(no possessive).
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

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Style Guide
Use such abbreviations as B.A., M.A., LL.D. and Ph.D. only when the need to
identify many individuals by degree on first reference would make the
preferred form cumbersome. Use these abbreviations only after a full name
— never after just a last name.
When used after a name, an academic abbreviation is set off by commas, e.g.,
Jon Smith, Ph.D., spoke.
Do not precede a name with a courtesy title for an academic degree and
follow it with the abbreviation for the degree in the same reference.
Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration
Abbreviated M.A., M.S., but MBA. A master's degree or a master's is acceptable
in any reference.
Academic Years
Use four digits when referencing a single year, such as 2014.
When referring to an academic year spanning two calendar years, use the four digit year,
a hyphen, and the four digit year.
o Many student activities were held during the 2013-2014 academic year.
Courses
Capitalize the full name of courses. For the first reference, courses should be designated
with the course prefix and number, for instance ENC 1101: College Composition I. For
subsequent references, use the course prefix and number.
Use course when referring to a unit of teaching that typically lasts one academic term, for
instance CGS 1530. Use class when referring to a single section of a course, with a
designated course reference number (CRN) and a specific roster of students.
Use the term class schedule instead of course schedule. The class schedule provides times
and dates for specific sections of a course per term. The catalog provides course
descriptions.
Programs
Use lowercase when referring to a program unless it is part of an official title.
o
o
o
o
o
More than a hundred students applied to the EPI Program.
The student has completed a home education program.
She will be admitted into the Criminal Justice Technology Program.
He is studying criminal justice at LSSC.
The Dual Enrollment Program provides opportunities for high school
students.
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o The Nursing Program is a limited access program.
Meta Major Pathways
Capitalize meta major pathways in headings and in running text.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Arts, Humanities, Communication & Design
Business
Education
Health Sciences
Industry, Manufacturing & Construction
Public Safety
Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
Social & Behavioral Sciences and Human Services
Terms, Semesters, Breaks
Seasons, semesters and terms should be lowercase, with the exception of A, B, and AE
designations for the summer terms: (fall, spring, summer, fall semester, spring semester,
summer A term, summer B term). Fall, spring, and the overall summer are always
referred to as semesters. The time periods that make up the summer semester are
referred to as terms, (summer A term, summer B term, summer AE term).
Capitalize seasons only when part of a proper noun that refers to the official name of an
event, but do not capitalize seasons when part of titles such as spring break or winter
break.
Clubs & Organizations
See the Student Life Clubs & Organizations web page for a current list of official titles of
LSSC clubs and organizations.
For all clubs, organizations, and groups that use an abbreviation write out the complete
name for the first reference followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Subsequent
references require only abbreviation. EX: Student Government Association (SGA)
Committees
Use the official name of cabinets, councils, and committees as listed in the LSSC
Committee Directory.
o President’s Cabinet
o College Planning Council
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Divisions and Departments
The college is comprised of four divisions, President’s Office, Academic Affairs, Business
Affairs, and Enrollment and Student Affairs.
Use lowercase when referring to departments in a generic sense or when using a
department name to modify a noun. Capitalize when the department has a formal name.
LSSC is a small institution and some academic disciplines consist of just a few employees.
Consequently, academic departments do not have official titles and should not be
capitalized. Always capitalize when the name of the department is a proper noun (e.g.,
when the name of the department refers to a language).
o
o
o
o
o
o
The document was completed by financial aid personnel.
The event was hosted by student affairs employees.
Office for Students with Disabilities
The Cooper Memorial Library serves academic and public library users.
The English department
The math department
When referring to academic support departments that have separate facilities on two or
more campuses, use the plural form, unless referring to a specific facility.
o The LSSC libraries offer citation help
o The learning centers provide tutoring services.
Do not use the term “office of…” unless it is the formal name of the department, e.g.
Office of Students with Disabilities.
College Departments
Academic Advising
Admissions
Arts & Sciences
Athletics
Baccalaureate Programs
Career Development Services
Computer Institute
Continuing Education
Dual Enrollment
Early College Program
Educator Preparation Institute (EPI)
eLearning
Equity
Facilities
Financial Aid
Financial Services
Foundation
Human Resources
Information Technologies (IT)
Learning Centers
Libraries
Mail, Shipping & Receiving
Marketing & College Relations
Nursing
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Office of Students with Disabilities
Outreach Programs
Planning and Effectiveness
Professional Development Center
Purchasing
Student Development
Student Life
Sumter Workforce Partnership
Teaching-Learning
Workforce Programs
Youth Outreach
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Style Guide
Writing Clearly
This section will include basic grammar and writing rules and accepted practices at
LSSC. This style guide uses standards set by the AP Stylebook and The Yahoo! Style
Guide. The guide also includes examples from several grammar reference books to help
explain some of the grammar concepts.
How to Use this Section:
The rules below apply to both print and web writing unless otherwise stated. See the
tips for specific writing styles and mediums within each section.
Jargon
Jargon is language that is specific to a field but can be difficult to understand for people
outside that area of expertise. In some cases words could mean different things to people
in different fields. According to the Yahoo! Style Guide the word derivative is used
differently in fields like finance, mathematics, linguistics, and chemistry.



Consider your audience. If you are writing to individuals in your same area of
expertise using jargon may be acceptable and will certainly be understood.
If your audience is the general public or students, avoid jargon as much as
possible.
If you want the reader to learn the meaning of a specific term, explain or define it
the first time it is mentioned. Depending on the audience, it may be necessary to
include more explanation than a simple definition; illustrations and directions
enhance the user’s understanding of the concept. For example, novice Web users
may need a detailed explanation of “Uniform Resource Locator (URL).” You may
need to tell them what it is, where they can find it, and where they should type it.1
Clichés
In addition to being trite, clichés can be difficult for non-native speakers to understand.
For non-native speakers who use computer translation software, the literally translated
phrase makes little sense.
o The Photoshop software package includes some new bells and whistles.
To a native speaker of English, the sentence above conveys the meaning that the
software contains some improvements; a non-native speaker, however, may picture
noisy bells and annoying sounds coming from the program.
Chris Barr, Yahoo! Style Guide: The Ultimate Sourcebook for Writing, Editing, and Creating Content for the Digital
World (New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2010), 311.
1
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Even if the statement is understood, it does not specify the nature of the improvements.
The sentence below clarifies the meaning and adds more information.
o The Photoshop software package includes improved tools for photo
enhancement, cropping, and manipulation.
Clichés also waste valuable copy space and limit the clarity of your sentences.
o Susie, the procrastinator, always waited until her back was against the wall to
start writing her papers.
The cliché “her back was against the wall” could mean an hour, 24 hours, or 48 hours
before the due date. Adding a second sentence to clarify the procrastination could solve
the problem, but a better solution would be to use specific language and eliminate the
cliché. The sentence below more specifically conveys Susie’s procrastination:
o Susie, the procrastinator, always waited until two hours before the due date to
start writing her papers.
Active Voice
Use active voice as much as possible. Active voice keeps the subject of the sentence close
to the beginning of the sentence.
Passive voice is used in science and research fields in order to obscure the subject and
make the writing sound more objective. The resulting sentences are long, complex, and
difficult to understand.
o The entrance exam was failed by over one-third of the school’s applicants.
The subject of the sentence above, the applicants, is at the end. Moving it to the beginning
makes the sentence active and simplifies the language.
o Over one-third of the school’s applicants failed the entrance exam.
Use passive voice only if the subject is not important. This is effective in headlines for
newsletters or news articles.
o Active headline: Grand jury indicts Mayor Smith for fraud.
For a headline or a heading the most important information should be at the beginning.
In this case, the unknown “grand jury” (the subject of the sentence) is less important
than “Mayor Smith.”
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o Passive headline: Mayor Smith indicted for fraud
Strong Verbs
Weak openings like there is, there are, and it is push the subject away from the beginning
of the sentence. Substitute these phrases with strong verbs that help to convey the
meaning more clearly.
o
o
o
o
Weak Opening: There is no charge for activating your library card.
Strong Sentence: Activating your library card is free.
Weak Opening: There is an About Us link at the top of the page. Click it.
Strong Sentence: Click the About Us link at the top of the page.
Indirect verbs such as allow, enable, can, and let make a sentence longer. Use active,
direct verbs.
o Change this: You can save your work by clicking the Save button.
o To this: To save your work, click the Save button.2
Redundancies
Academic writing can be filled with redundancies that don’t enhance the meaning of the
sentence. Avoid pretentious vocabulary and redundant words. Below are a few
selections from The Yahoo! Style Guide’s seven-page chart of some commonly-used
redundant terms.3
Instead of …
after the conclusion of
ahead of schedule
a large number of
at the present time or at the moment
by virtue of the fact that
entirely new
final conclusion
for the most part
for this reason
free gift
2
3
Barr, Yahoo! Style Guide, 294.
Barr, Yahoo! Style Guide, 297.
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Use
after
early
many, most
now
because
new
conclusion
mainly
thus, therefore
gift
Lake-Sumter State College
Style Guide
has the ability to
if conditions are such that
in excess of
in the event that
can
if
more than
if
Some other words used in a redundant manner include:
o first annual – it is inaccurate to use first annual because until the event has
occurred twice it isn’t being held annually. It is correct to use second annual,
third annual, etc.
o hopefully – Avoid using adjectives that do not add additional meaning to a
phrase or sentence Words like actually, existing, totally, or very take up space
and are vague and sometimes redundant.
Use Shorter and Simpler Words



Reading level is determined by counting the number of words, syllables, and
spaces in a passage.
Using simple language will help to reduce the reading level of a passage and
make it easier to read.
Whenever possible, especially when the audience is students, use short, everyday
words that clearly convey your message.
o Replace “procedure” with “steps,” unless you are referring to an official
college procedure.
o Replace “employ” with “use.” Avoid the word “utilize”, unless you are using it
in a scientific context in which a chemical or nutrient is being taken up and
used effectively.
Use Fewer Words





Making language more accessible for all users is one of the most important
factors in the usability of all written material, whether it’s on the Web or in print.
People are more likely to read and understand a shorter passage of text than a
long one.
Use every day words and omit extra information if it does not support the
purpose of the document.
Limit intensifiers such as very, more, most, best, quite or great. They don’t
necessarily add to the meaning of a sentence.
Put the subject or the action first. Consider this sentence:
o To delete your existing password and select a new one, start by clicking on
the My Account link.
o The action of deleting your password should be first in the sentence. You can
reduce this 19-word sentence to 10 words without changing its meaning.
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o To change your password, click the My Account link.
Web Tip
Eliminating jargon, clichés, passive voice, and redundancies reduces the number of
words in a web page. This will help with general readability and reading level on
the site.
Using Lists
Use lists to make content easier to read and draw the reader’s attention to important
information.
Numbered Lists
Numbered lists are best for showing the relationship between items. Use them to show a
chronology of events or for listing items in order of importance, e.g. a top 10 list.
Bulleted Lists
Bulleted lists can have a random or alphabetical organization. They are used when
listing items in no particular order. When listing items in a bulleted list, alphabetize lists
of five or more items.
Formatting Lists
Use parallel construction when creating a list. Start each item with the same part of
speech. Introduce the list with a sentence fragment or a sentence ending in a colon.
When introducing the list with a sentence fragment make sure each list item can
complete the sentence logically.4
Sentence fragment list (all the items are nouns)
The cafeteria offered:
o Oatmeal
o Ham and eggs
o Coffee
Complete sentence ending in a colon (all the items start with an article)
The conference gave us a great lunch:
o A tuna sandwich
o A bag of chips
o An apple
4
Barr, Yahoo! Style Guide, 66-67.
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Sentence fragment where each item completes the sentence (all items start with a
verb)
In order to graduate students must:
o Have a 3.5 GPA
o Complete their graduation application
o Attend the graduation ceremony
Punctuation and Capitalization in Lists
If one or more of the list items is a complete sentence, capitalize the first word of every
item and use punctuation after each item. To be a complete sentence the list item must
stand on its own as a sentence even when removed from the context of the list.
All complete sentences
To purchase books, students can:
o Use scholarship money.
o Take advantage of financial aid opportunities.
o Borrow money using a short-term loan.
One complete sentence (requiring every item to have a period)
Students have three assignments:
o Read a chapter in The Great Gatsby.
o Write an essay analyzing one of the main characters.
o Post a summary of the essay on the course discussion board. All
assignments are due on Friday
When all list items are fragments don’t use any punctuation even if the list items
complete a sentence fragment that introduces the list. Bullet items can be either
uppercase or lowercase, as long as you are consistent within your document.
All sentence fragments, uppercase
Classroom policy states:
o No food
o No guests
o No tardiness
All sentence fragments, lowercase
You will need the following to take the exam:
o a pen
o a dictionary
o an exam booklet
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Grammar
Standard grammar rules apply in any LSSC publication. This section includes the most
common errors and ways to avoid them.
Subject Verb Agreement
Common Collective nouns
Collective nouns present problems with subject verb agreement because most writers
think of them as plural when they are really singular. Collective nouns represent a unit
or group rather than the individual members of that group.
team
committee
group
staff
faculty
data
Subject/Verb Agreement Singular
Use these collective nouns with singular verbs and pronouns only when referring to an
entire group rather than separate individuals.
o
o
o
o
o
The committee meets in the office. It discusses important educational issues.
The team works on the project. It meets once a week.
The faculty insists on holding the meeting on Friday.
The facilities staff includes many highly qualified people.
The data is corrupted.
Subject/Verb Agreement Plural
If referring to separate individuals or some members of a group, insert the word
“members” after the collective noun and use plural verbs and pronouns.
o The committee members meet in the office. They discuss important
educational issues.
o The team members work on the project. They meet once a week.
o Many faculty members support the proposal. They will vote next week.
o Some staff members have requested to meet with their respective
supervisors.
Pronouns
If the subject of a sentence is singular, the corresponding pronoun must also be singular.
This can sometimes cause awkward sentences.
o Incorrect Example: A student can register for their classes starting in May.
o Correct Example: A student can register for his or her classes starting in
May.
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Because the correct pronoun, his or her, can be awkward, many writers prefer to make
the subject plural so that plural pronoun their can be used correctly.
o Alternative example: Students can register for their classes starting in May.
One of the most common errors with pronouns is distinguishing between singular and
plural indefinite pronouns.
The following pronouns are singular:
another
anybody
anyone
anything
each
either
everybody
everyone
everything
little
much
neither
nobody
no one
nothing
one
other
somebody
someone
something
Be careful with both subject verb agreement and pronoun antecedent agreement.
Subject Verb Agreement
In the following sentence the subject, one, is singular. Therefore, the verb must be
singular.
o Incorrect Example: One of the most common errors are easily avoided.
o Correct Example: One of the most common errors is easily avoided.
Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
An antecedent is a word that is replaced by a pronoun later in the sentence or in a
subsequent sentence.
o Incorrect Example: Anyone who wants to enter the contest must submit
their entry by Friday.
o Correct Example: Anyone who wants to enter the contest must submit his or
her entry by Friday.
The following pronouns are plural:
both
few
many
others
several
Subject Verb Agreement
In the following sentence the subject, several, is plural. Therefore, the verb must be
plural.
o Incorrect Example: Several of the students has started a nature club.
o Correct Example: Several of the students have started a nature club.
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Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
o Incorrect Example: The judges gave high scores to both boys for his
originality.
o Correct Example: The judges gave high scores to both boys for their
originality.
Some pronouns are affected by the words that follow them; they can be either singular
or plural, depending on the context.
all
any
more
none
some
o Plural Example: Some of the books in the bookstore were used.
o Singular Example: All of the work he submitted was plagiarized.
Plurals
The English language includes many irregular plurals that don’t follow the basic rules.
Most of these come from older forms of English or from words borrowed from other
languages.
Basic Rules for Plurals
 Most nouns add an s to form the plural form (student, students).
 Nouns ending in f or fe change the ending to ve before adding s (leaf, leaves or
wife, wives)
 Singular nouns that end in s, sh, ch, or x add es to form the plural (loss, losses or
tax, taxes)
 Irregular plurals must be memorized (woman, women, child, children, man,
men).
Use the chart below for some common irregular plurals used at LSSC. An (f) or (m) in
parentheses stands for female and male, respectively.
Singular
alumna (f)
alumnus (m)
analysis
analysis
Plural
alumnae (f)
alumni (use when
referring to a group
of men or men and
women)
analyses
analyses
Singular
ellipsis
Plural
ellipses
hypothesis
hypotheses
index
matrix
indices
matrices
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appendix
basis
crisis
criterion
curriculum
datum
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appendices
bases
crises
criteria
curricula
data
medium
memorandum
parenthesis
synopsis
thesis
vita
media
memoranda
parentheses
synopses
theses
vitae
Table adapted from: http://english-zone.com/spelling/plurals.html
Plurals of acronyms, abbreviations and dates
Add an s to form the plural of abbreviations, acronyms or dates. Do not use an
apostrophe.
Singular
PC
URL
PDA
MP3
SLO
Dr.
MBA
Ph.D.
1990
Plural
PCs
URLs
PDAs
MP3s
SLOs
Drs.
MBAs
Ph.D.s
1990s
Possessives
Possessives indicate ownership but can be confusing when they deviate from the
normal.
Basic Rules for Possessives
 Most singular nouns add an apostrophe s to form the possessive (campus’s,
box’s, witness’s, Jones’s)
 Plural nouns that don’t end in s add an apostrophe and an s (children’s, alumni’s)
 Plural nouns that already end in s just add the apostrophe (campuses’, boxes’,
witnesses’, Joneses’)
 Names that end with eez sound use an apostrophe alone to form the possessive
(Hercules’ muscles, Achilles’ heel).
 For one noun and two possessors look at the context of the sentence.
o If the possessive shows shared ownership only use the apostrophe on the
word closest to the noun (Mike and Mary’s car was in the garage).
o For individual ownership use the apostrophe on both owners (Mike’s and
Mary’s shirts were blue.)
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Exception: The possessive form of it is its without an apostrophe. It’s with an
apostrophe stands for it is (see commonly confused words below).
Capitalization
Using All Uppercase Letters
In most LSSC publications there is never a reason to use all uppercase letters, with the
exception of official acronyms and abbreviations. The Marketing and College Relations
Department may use all uppercase letters in special publications.
Studies of printed text show that reading is 5 to 10 percent slower with all uppercase
letters. Newer studies suggest that people recognize the letters that make up words and
then use those visual clues to recognize the words. We also use contextual information
to help recognize words. Since we read sentence case most of the time, we find it to be
more recognizable.
Use sentence case for all LSSC writing including official publications, correspondence,
and email. This also applies to memos, letters, PowerPoint presentations, handouts,
brochures, etc. Sentence case follows the standard capitalization rules for sentences, e.g.,
use lowercase letters for all words except the first word of the sentence and proper
nouns.
Use title case for headings and titles. Title case uses capital letters for proper nouns and
major words but lowercase letters for articles, conjunctions, and prepositions (except
when they begin the phrase). Exceptions include one or two-word menu or header items
on the college website, the college logo, and other branding materials that will usually
not be part of textual content.
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Sentence Case – John and I went to the student center for lunch.
Title Case – Requesting a Transcript, The LSSC Catalog and Student Handbook (In
the first title a is lowercase because it is an article in the middle of the phrase. In
the second title, The is capitalized because it begins the phrase).
Basic Capitalization Rules
In general, avoid unnecessary capitals.
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When too many words are capitalized, they lose their importance and no
longer attract attention.
Using lowercase letters in no way diminishes the importance or credibility of
an individual’s position or a department’s reputation. For example, the title
president of the United States is written in lowercase when it doesn’t
immediately precede the president’s name.
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Proper nouns that name specific people, places or things are always capitalized.
Common nouns that name general people, places, or things are not.
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o Lake-Sumter State College is capitalized but the college is not.
o Silver Lake is capitalized but the lake is not.
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o A resident of Miami is a Miamian.
o I received a degree in English. (English is derived from a proper noun,
England, and is therefore capitalized.)
Adjectives that are derived from proper nouns are capitalized.
Names of courses are only capitalized when they are derived from a proper noun
or are used as a proper noun, as in the title of the course.
o Brittany attended her chemistry and math classes.
o I received a degree in English. (English is derived from a proper noun,
England, and is therefore capitalized.)
o Before getting accepted into the program the student had to complete Math
for Beginners.
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The pronoun I is always capitalized, but me and my are lowercased.
Direction names should be lowercase when they describe a direction and
uppercase when they describe a specific place.
o
o
o
o
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Go east for 10 miles, then head south.
He moved from the Northeast to the Southwest.
She is from south Lake County.
She is from northern West Virginia.
Days of the week and names of months are always capitalized, but seasons are
lowercase unless they are part of a proper noun.
o At LSSC, fall semester usually begins in August.
o The annual Spring Fling is usually in March.
Titles that come before names and are part of the title are capitalized, while titles
that come after names are not capitalized. Decide whether the word is part of an
official title (capitalized) or if it’s a descriptor (lowercased).
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o We invited President Mojock to lunch.
o We invited the college president to lunch.
Terms Frequently Capitalized Incorrectly
 the college – Do not capitalize college unless used as part of the title “LakeSumter State College.” When used alone college should be lowercase unless it
begins a sentence.
 earth – Earth is capitalized only when referred to as a specific body in the solar
system or when it begins a sentence. For example, “The two astronauts will leave
Mars and return to Earth,” but “earth-friendly recycling programs.”
 faculty rank and promotion – Do not capitalize unless used as a heading or part
of a proper noun.
 general education competencies – Do not capitalize unless used as a heading
or part of a proper noun.
 student learning outcomes – Do not capitalize unless used as a heading or part
of a proper noun – on the second usage, you can capitalize the acronym: SLOs.
Web Tip
For web writing, capitalization can be construed as shouting. Avoid using all
uppercase letters in most circumstances. Since it’s easier to read lowercase text,
even headings in web pages should use title case.
Commonly Confused Terms
Writers often confuse the words below and their meanings and usage rules are often
difficult to explain. Spell check does not always catch errors with these words. This guide
only lists a few that are commonly used at LSSC. When in doubt as to correct spelling and
usage refer to the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
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i.e., e.g. – These two abbreviations are often confused. I.e. is the abbreviation for
the Latin term id est and means “that is” or “in other words.” E.g. is the
abbreviation for the Latin term me exempli gratia; its rough translation is “for
example.” Fogerty uses a memory trick to remember. “…e.g., sounds like ‘egg,’ as
in ‘egg-sample.’”5
Mignon Fogarty, Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing (New York: Henry Holt and Company,
2008), 22.
5
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adverse, averse – Adverse means unfavorable, as in “The child had an adverse
reaction to a medicine.” Averse means reluctant, as in “I’m averse to working all
weekend.”
affect, effect – Most of the time affect is used as a verb and effect is used as a
noun. Affect means “to influence” or “to change.” It can also mean “to act in way
that you don’t feel” as in “He affected an air of superiority.” The core meaning of
effect is “a result.” One good memory trick is to add the article “the” in front of the
word. Since effect is usually a noun the sentence will still make sense even if the
article “the” is not a necessary part of the sentence.6
o The effect of the professor’s announcement was dramatic.
o The professor paused for [the] effect.
o The professor’s announcement affected the students’ weekend plans.
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6
7
There are two rarely used exceptions to this rule. In psychology, affect can be
used as a noun to describe a mood that someone appears to have, e.g., “The
patient presented a happy affect” (the patient appeared to be happy). Effect can
be used as a verb meaning “to bring about” or “to accomplish.” This is most
commonly seen in the expression “to effect change.”7
alot, a lot, allot – Alot as one word, is not a real word. “A lot” means “a large
number” but it is also vague and should be avoided in formal writing in favor of
more specific information. Allot is a verb meaning “to parcel out” as in, “I will allot
four hours out of my busy day to study for my test.”
alumna, alumnae – An “alumna” is singular for a female person who has
attended or graduated from a school, college, or university. “Alumnae” is the
plural for females.
alumnus, alumni – An “alumnus” is singular for a male person who has
attended or graduated from a school, college, or university. Alumni is plural for
men or men and women. Use “graduate” if you wish to refer to people who have
graduated from a school, college, or university.
allusion, illusion – An “allusion” is an indirect reference, as in “The speaker
made an allusion to Abraham Lincoln.” An “illusion” is a false impression or
image like, “The magician created an illusion.
compliment, complement – “Compliment” means an admiring remark, e.g.,
“The teacher complimented him on his report.” “Complement” means
“something that completes something or makes it better,” such as: “Their
Fogarty, Grammar Girl, 10.
Fogarty, Grammar Girl, 11.
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talents—she’s a great speaker and he’s a great writer—complement each
other.”
continual, continuous – “Continual” means “a steady repetition,” something
that occurs over and over again, but has a definite ending. It’s a chronic
problem, but it does stop, at least periodically. For example: “The student’s
continual whining every time an assignment was distributed annoyed the
instructor.” The student whined chronically every time an assignment was
distributed, but the whining stopped and then resumed at the next
assignment. “Continuous” means “continuing over a period of time without
interruption” as in, “The continuous dripping of the faucet annoyed me.”
desert, desserts – “Desserts” with a double s are the sweet treats you eat
after dinner. A good memory trick is that a sweet treat like strawberry
shortcake has a double s. This is the only form of the word that has a double
s. “Desert” can be a noun meaning “a dry place with sand” or a verb meaning
“to abandon” or “to leave.” “Deserts” with an s is either the third person
singular form of the verb or it means “something that is deserved, as in “He
got his just deserts.” To avoid confusion instead say “He got what he
deserved.”
ensure, insure, assure – Use “ensure” to mean “guarantee,” as in, “Steps
were taken to ensure accuracy.” Use “insure” for references to insurance:
“The policy insures his life.” Use “assure” to mean “to make sure” or “give
confidence,” as in, “She assured us the statement was accurate.”
farther, further – “Farther” refers to physical distance, e.g., “He walked
farther on the nature trail.” “Further” refers to an extension of time or degree,
e.g., “She will look further into the issue.”
fewer, less – In general, use “fewer” for individual items that can be counted.
Use “less” for mass nouns (things you can’t count individually). “Fewer”
usually takes a plural noun; “less” usually takes a singular noun.
o I wish I had fewer projects piled up on my desk.
o If I was more organized my desk would be less cluttered.
historic, historical – “Historic” means important, as in “An historic event.”
“Historical” refers to any event in the past, “The class studied the historical
significance of the American Civil War.”
its, it’s – This one is easy to remember even if you have to do the test every time.
It’s with an apostrophe always stands for it is. If it is doesn’t make sense in the
sentence use it without the apostrophe.
lay, lie – There are some easy ways to remember the basics of this confusing pair
in the present tense. First, lie doesn’t need an object, but lay does. So a person
lies down, but you lay something (an object) on the table. A good way to
remember it might be to use the phrase “lay it on me” because you are laying
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something (the direct object) on me. Another memory trick is to focus on the
similar sounds in the word lie and its definition “to recline.”8
The other tenses are more confusing, as shown in the following table.
Present Tense
Lie
Lay
Past Tense
Lay
Laid
Present Participle
Lying
Laying
Past Participle
Lain
Laid
The past tense of lie is lay but the past tense of lay is laid.
o Yesterday I lay down on the couch to watch TV.
o I laid the report on your desk last week.
The past participle of lie is lain while the past participle of lay is laid.
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o I had lain down to sleep before he arrived.
o I had laid the report on your desk last week, but now I have some corrections.
principle, principal – “Principle” is a noun that means “rule” or “axiom.”
o The student has a high moral principle about cheating.
“Principal” has several meanings depending on how it’s used in speech.9
Part of Speech
8
9
Principal
Meaning
Adjective
“foremost” or “major”
Noun
“chief official” or , in
finance, “capital sum”
Fogarty, Grammar Girl, 47
Example
Her principal reason for studying
was to get into a good college.
The principal is your pal.
The principal on the loan was
$1000.
H. Ramsey Fowler and Jane E. Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, 11th ed. (New York: Longman, 2010), 877.
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Which, that – “That” is used before a restrictive clause (a phrase that you can’t
remove from the sentence because it restricts the noun and is essential to the
meaning) and “which” before everything else.10
o Books that explain grammar are in high demand. (Only the books that
explain grammar are in high demand. Taking out the restrictive clause
changes the meaning of the sentence.)
o Grammar books, which can be helpful when writing a paper, are in high
demand. (In this example, taking out the nonrestrictive clause does not
change the meaning of the sentence.)
who, that – The rule is simple. “Who” refers to people and “that” refers to
objects.11
who, whom – “Who” and “whom”, both pronouns, are the bane of writers’
existence. This pair causes so much confusion that many writers will rewrite
their copy to avoid using them. “Who” is used when you are referring to the
subject of a sentence (the one performing the action). “Whom” is used when you
are referring to the direct object of a sentence (the one receiving the action).
One way to remember is to answer the question with the pronoun him. If the
sentence still makes sense then using whom is correct.
o Whom did you help? I helped him. (Whom is correct).
o Whom went to the movies? Him went to the movies. (Since him doesn’t make
sense in this context, the pronoun who is required in the case, e.g., Who went
to the movies? He went to the movies).12
Spelling and Usage
The words below are commonly misspelled or misused.
 advisor – Not adviser, an exception to AP Stylebook.
 African-American – Hyphenate both noun and adjective forms.
 afterward – Don’t use afterwards.
 all right – Don’t use alright.
 cancel, canceled, canceling, cancellation – Use only one L in all forms except
cancellation.
10
Fogarty, Grammar Girl, 42-43.
12
Fogarty, Grammar Girl, 47.
11
Fogarty, Grammar Girl, 43-44.
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Style Guide
catalog – Use the American English spelling rather than the British English
spelling catalogue
co-curricular – Hyphenate.
coursework – Use as one word.
criteria – Criteria is the plural form of criterion, which is a quality, value, or
standard of judgment.
curriculum – Curriculum is the singular form of the word curricula.
data – Data is plural noun and usually takes a plural verb “The data have been
carefully collected”, if used as a collective noun, when the group or quantity is
regarded as a noun, use a singular verb “The data is sound.” The singular form is
datum.
daylight saving time – Do not use daylight savings time.
firsthand – Use as one word.
first annual – It is inaccurate to use first annual because until the event has
occurred twice it isn't being held annually. It is correct to use second annual, third
annual, etc.
first come, first served – Not first come, first serve.
full-time – Hyphenate full time when used as an adjective (full-time student, fulltime faculty member) but not “I work full time.”
fundraiser – Use as one word referring to the person or event that raises funds.
fundraising – Use as one word.
gray – In American English use gray. British English uses grey.
groundbreaking – Use as one word.
health care – Use as two words unless it’s part of a proper name.
hopefully – Avoid using adjectives that do not add additional meaning to a
phrase or sentence. Words like actually, existing, totally or very take up space and
are vague and sometimes redundant.
kickoff , kick-off, or kick off – The spelling depends on the way the word is
being used in a sentence. When used a noun, as in “The luncheon was the kickoff
event for the March of Dimes fundraiser,” use as one word. Hyphenate when
using it as an adjective, as in “The kick-off luncheon was a great start to the March
of Dimes fundraising events.” Use it as two words if used as a verb as in, “The
luncheon will kick off the March of Dimes events.”
lifestyle – Use as one word.
-long – Do not hyphenate daylong, weeklong, lifelong when used as an adjective
(lifelong learning, lifelong friends, a weeklong trip).
nonprofit – Use as one word.
postgraduate – Use as one word.
résumé, resume – Résumé is a noun referring to a document that lists career
accomplishments; the diacritical é should be used. Resume is a verb meaning “to
restart” and does not require the diacritical marks. Appendix B provides
keyboard shortcuts for making diacritical marks.
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Style Guide
theater – Use the American English spelling theater, as in Black Box Theater,
rather than the British English spelling theatre.
-wide – Words ending in the suffix -wide are usually not hyphenated (according
to the AP Stylebook): campuswide (use when referring to a specific campus,
Leesburg, South Lake, or Sumter), collegewide (use when referring to the entire
college, including all campuses), citywide, countrywide, industrywide,
nationwide, statewide, and worldwide.
work-study – Use to describe students who receive work-study funding, for
students paid with college funds, use student assistant or other position title.
underway – AP style is one word in all uses.
ZIP code – Use as two words with uppercase for the acronym ZIP.
Numbers
In general spell out numbers 1-9 (one, two, first, second). Use numerals for 10 and above
(10, 11, 10th, 11th). Use numerals for all data in a table format.
o LSSC’s 50th anniversary was celebrated in 2012.
o The student was first in her class.
o There were 12 paperbacks, 13 hardcovers, and 16 spiral bound books on the
shelf.
o The instructor is teaching four courses this semester.
o The instructor taught 12 courses last academic year.
Course
ENC 1101
ENC 1102
Credits
3
3
Sections Offered
20
10
Spell out numbers at the beginning of a sentence. The only exception is years.
o Two police officers came to the door.
o Twenty-five students completed the assignment.
o 1962 was an important year in the history of the college.
For large numbers, use commas to separate numerals into groups of three, counting
from the right. Use commas when displaying numbers in a table.
o A kilometer is 3,281 feet.
Use numerals when referring to numbers that must be entered, for coordinates in tables
and worksheets, and for parts of documents, like page or line numbers.
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o Type 7 and press enter.
o Go to row 2, column 8 of the worksheet.
o Refer to page 55 of the report.
If a passage contains two or more numbers that refer to the same type of information
and one is 10 or higher, use numerals for all the numbers that refer to that category.
o The delegation included three women and nine men.
o The delegation included 3 women and 11 men.
o Only 3 women and 11 men attended the four-day event. (spell out 4 because
it does not relate to the same category of items as 3 and 11 do and is thus
treated according to the basic rule of spelling out numbers one through nine.)
Web Tip
For web writing, avoid superscript letters for ordinal numbers. Some systems may
not display them correctly. Keep all of your text on the same baseline: 10th, 11th
12th.
Money
Use numerals for money amounts in all except casual uses.
o I’d like to make a billion dollars.
o The country has 1 million citizens.
o I’d like to win $10 billion dollars.
For amounts less than $1 million use the following format: $4, $25, $500, $1,000,
$650,000. Use commas to separate numerals in long amounts into groups of three,
counting from the right.
Use decimals where practical (as in 1.5 million instead of 1 ½ million). Use up to two
decimal places.
Ages
o The budget for last year was $1.5 million.
o The budget for this year is $2.55 million.
Always use numbers for ages.
o The girl is 15 years old.
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o The law is 8 years old.
Use hyphens only for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a
noun.
o A 5-year-old boy.
o The boy is 5 years old.
Other uses include:
o
o
o
o
The boy, 7, has a sister, 10.
The woman, 26, has a daughter 2 months old.
The race is for 3-year-olds.
The woman is in her 30s (no apostrophe).
Dates, Years, Decades and Centuries
For years use numerals, without commas: 1975.
When a phrase refers to a month, day and year, set off the year with a comma: Feb.
14, 1987, is the target date.
Use the format Month date, year: July 1, 2015. Do not use the inverted date format
that places the date before the month: 1 July 2015. Please note that MLA and APA
styles require other formats for publication dates.
In formal writing spell out the month. In informal writing it’s acceptable to use the
following abbreviations: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. Spell out the other
months. 13
Use an s without an apostrophe to indicate spans of decades or centuries: the 1890s, the
1800s.
Years are the only exception to the general rule of not starting a sentence with a number:
1976 was a very good year.
For centuries, spell out numbers less than 10.
o The first century.
o The 20th century.
“Months,” AP Stylebook Online, accessed April 21, 2015,
http://www.apstylebook.com/lssc_edu/?do=entry&id=1939&src=AE
13
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For proper names, follow the organization's practice.
Times
o 20th Century Fox.
o Twentieth Century Fund
The AP Stylebook mandates the use of numerals except for noon and midnight. Use
periods to designate a.m. and p.m. (don’t use “am” or “pm”). The following are all
acceptable uses:
o 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. (acceptable in informal communication, such as internal
email or blog postings).
o 10:00 a.m. or 3:30 p.m. (acceptable for formal written communication,
such as the LSSC Catalog and Student Handbook, the college website,
policies and procedures, or external email).
o When space is limited 9-11 a.m. or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. is acceptable.
Avoid redundancies:
o 10 a.m. this morning
o 10 p.m. tonight
o 10 p.m. Monday night (instead use 10 a.m. or 10 p.m. Monday) 14
Other Numbers
Decimals
 In most writing, decimals shouldn’t exceed two places. Exceptions include blood
alcohol content and batting averages in baseball which are written with three
decimals.
 For amounts less than 1, precede the decimal with a zero: Her GPA rose 0.03
points.
Measurements
 Measurements should be singular for amounts less than 1: 0.76 meter, 0.35 cubic
foot, or 0.25 mile.
“Times,” AP Stylebook Online, accessed April 20, 2015, http://www.apstylebook.com/lssc_edu/
?do=entry&id=2936&src=AE
14
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Fractions
 Spell out fractions less than 1, using hyphens between the words: three-fourths.
One exception is quotations where you would use numbers: “The runner was 1
½ laps behind with three to go.”
Percentages
 Use singular verbs when the percentage stands alone or when a singular word
follows an of construction.
o The professor specified that 70 percent was a passing grade.
o The teacher said that 50 percent of the class was at the lecture.
 Use plural verbs when a plural word follows an of construction.
o The teacher said that 50 percent of the students were at the lecture.
 AP style dictates using numbers for percent and percentages: 3 percent, 5.5
percent (use decimals not fractions), 20 percent, or 6 percentage points.
 For percentage ranges use, 15 to 20 percent or between 15 and 20 percent
 Amounts less than 1 percent should have a zero in front of the decimal: Her
grade point average rose 0.5 percent.
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Punctuation
Ampersand
Ampersands (&) replace the word “and”; they should only be used in charts and tables
where space is limited. Spell out the word “and” unless the ampersand is part of a
company or organization’s proper name.
Apostrophes
Use apostrophes primarily for possessives (see section on Possessives for rules and
examples).
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Use contractions (uses include can’t for cannot, won’t for will not, and ‘til for until)
only in informal communications or when the tone requires less formal usage.
For official reports or external email do not use contractions.
Use for punctuating years (the class of ’98, ’80s TV shows).
Use to make individual letters or numbers (A’s on all my finals, 100’s on quizzes)
plural. Do not use apostrophes for other plurals (the 1800s, CDs, ATMs, bananas).
Brackets
Brackets can be used to indicate an alteration in a quotation; their use could represent
an addition of words, a change in case, or the substitution of words.
Brackets can be used to enclose a phrase that was added to a quotation in order to
clarify an idea.
o “The student [placing the grievance] was instructed to write a letter.”
Brackets around a letter indicates that the letter was in uppercase or lowercase in the
original quote.
o According to officials, “[t]he student was instructed to write a letter”
explaining his grievance.
Brackets around a word can also help to clarify a quote. In the sentence below,
“admissions officers” replaces the word “they” in order to clarify the statement.
o Before: “Even though they have changed many of their processes, they still
make mistakes.”
o After: “Even though [admissions officers] have changed many of their
processes, they still make mistakes.”
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Sometimes direct quotations include errors. In order to indicate that an error in typing
or spelling is part of the original quote use the word sic (Latin for “in this manner) in
parentheses.
o “The instructions indicated that students should communicate with their
transfer institutions thru (sic) their counselors.”
Colons
In general, use a colon where you want to show a close relationship between the
preceding clause and what follows. The first word following a colon is capitalized only if
it is a proper noun or first word in a complete sentence.
Introduction of Related Information
Use a colon to introduce explanatory or other related matter. Leave one space after the
colon, and do not capitalize the first word of the explanatory clause.
o The rules are quite clear: students are not allowed to park in faculty/staff lots
until after 5 p.m.
Capitalize the first word after the colon if it is the beginning of a complete sentence.
o The president promised the following: The college will always try to help
students.
Listings
Use a colon to introduce a list or series. Don't use a colon if the list is an object or
complement of any part of the sentence.
o Colon: The college hosts a number of multicultural events each year: the
Multi-Cultural Thanksgiving, the Diversity Lectures, and the Feast of Cultures.
o No Colon: Multicultural events taking place at LSSC this year included the
Multi-Cultural Thanksgiving, the Diversity Lectures, and the Feast of Cultures.
Use a capital letter if the first word after the colon is a proper noun.
o At the ceremony several students received awards: John Smith, Tim Jones,
Joyce Evans, and Mary Johnson.
Emphasis
A colon can help emphasize a word or phrase.
o He had only one hobby: complaining.
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Long Quotations
Use a colon after an introduction such as she said or he insisted for quotes longer than
one sentence.
o He said: "Student success is very important. Attending class and doing
homework are essential aspects of this."
o She began the speech: "To all my colleagues and associates ..."
Interviews and Dialogue
Use a colon in question-and-answer interviews or when showing a dialog between
individuals.
o Q: Did he tell you he was recording your conversation?
A: No, he did not
o Romeo: What shall I swear by?
Juliet: Do not swear at all.
Time
Use a colon when citing specific times, e.g., 3:52 p.m.
Citations
Use a colon when citing printed references, e.g., Florida Administrative Code 2:130-140.
Commas
Commas are the most frequently misused punctuation marks because there are so many
rules. This guide addresses some of the most important. For uses not addressed in this
guide, see the AP Stylebook or the Little Brown Handbook.
Items in a Series
One of the most controversial comma issues is the “serial comma” or the “Oxford
comma.” Controversy centers on whether or not to include the comma before the
conjunction in a list of three or more items. LSSC publications should include the comma
before the word “and.”
o Incorrect Example: The student purchased pencils, pens and notebooks.
o Correct Example: The student purchased pencils, pens, and notebooks.
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The rule for LSSC publications deviates from the AP Stylebook’s15 rules which take into
consideration the space constraints of a newspaper. Since omitting the comma
sometimes causes ambiguity or confusion, the best option is to use “a simple, consistent
style” instead of trying to decide the issue on a case-by-case basis.16 In addition, the
grammar book currently used in ENC 1101 courses at LSSC agrees that “it’s never wrong
to include the final comma.”17
With Quotations
Commas are used when introducing or concluding direct quotations, unless the
quotation ends with a question mark or exclamation point. The punctuation mark
always goes inside the quotations.
o At graduation the president traditionally begins by saying, “Welcome
students, faculty, staff, and guests.”
o “Our students are prepared for the workforce,” said the dean.
o “How many students were at the ceremony?” she asked.
o ”It’s a home run!” exclaimed the baseball coach.
Do not use commas for a direct quote that is introduced by the word “that” or for one
that integrated into the sentence.
o Abraham Lincoln said that our nation was “conceived in liberty and dedicated
to the proposition that all men are created equal.”
o Abraham Lincoln believed that “the world would little note, nor long
remember” the speeches at Gettysburg.
A common way to introduce quotes is to use a signal phrase that includes the name of
the quoted speaker and smoothly incorporates the quotation into your writing
providing context for the material. Use a colon instead of a comma when a signal phrase
is a complete sentence with its own subject and verb.
o Dr. King’s message was passionate: “I have a dream today!”
When the signal phrase breaks the quotation at a comma, end it with a comma.
“Commas [,],” AP Stylebook Online, accessed April 20, 2015, http://www.apstylebook.com/lssc_edu/
?do=entry&id=3537&src=AE
15
16
17
Fogarty, Grammar Girl, 101.
Richard Bullock and Francine Weinberg, The Little Seagull Handbook (New York: W.W. Norton, 2011), 283.
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o Original quotation: “Your project is due Monday, so you shouldn’t put it off
until the last minute.”
o Interrupted quotation: “Your project is due Monday,” the teacher
admonished, “so you shouldn’t put it off until the last minute.”
When the signal phrase breaks the quotation at a semicolon, end it with a semicolon.
o Original quotation: “Your project is due Monday; you shouldn’t put it off
until the last minute.”
o Interrupted quotation: “Your project is due Monday,” the teacher
admonished; “you shouldn’t put it off until the last minute.”
When the signal phrase breaks the quotation at a period, end it with a period.
o Original quotation: “Your project is due Monday. You shouldn’t put it off
until the last minute.”
o Interrupted quotation: “Your project is due Monday,” the teacher
admonished. “You shouldn’t put it off until the last minute.”
Setting Off Nonessential Elements
A non-essential element in a sentence “may modify or rename the word it refers to…, but
it does not limit the word to a particular individual or group.”18
o The company, which is located in Idaho, offers a great benefit package.
In the sentence above, the bolded clause is only adding information to the sentence but
not limiting the meaning of the sentence. Without the clause the sentence still has the
same meaning. This type of nonessential clause or nonrestrictive clause requires
commas to set it off.
In comparison, consider the sentence below.
o The company compensates employees who make the largest commissions.
This clause is essential or restrictive because without it the meaning of the sentence
changes. With the clause the sentence means that the company compensates specific
employees; without the clause the sentence means that the company compensates all
employees. Essential or restrictive clauses do not require commas to set them off.
18
Fowler and Aaron, The Little, Brown Handbook, 427.
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One way to remember is to picture the commas as a box which conveniently holds the
clause so that it can easily be removed or reinserted as necessary without changing the
meaning of the sentence. If you can remove the clause and the meaning stays the same,
add commas.
Joining Sentences with Coordinating Conjunctions
You can remember coordinating conjunctions by using the mnemonic FANBOYS.
F
--
For
A
--
And
N
--
Nor
B
--
But
O
--
Or
Y
--
Yet
S
--
So
Use a comma before the coordinating conjunction when joining two independent
clauses.
o Incorrect example: Jack and Jill went down the hill, and fetched a pail of
water. (“fetched a pail of water” is a dependent clause, it cannot stand alone).
o Correct example: Jack and Jill went down the hill, and they fetched a pail of
water. (In this case, “They fetched a pail of water” is an independent clause, it
can stand alone).
Adjective Commas
When you have two or more adjectives to modify a noun, you can separate them with
commas if:
 You can reverse the word order and it still makes sense or
 If you can and the word and between them and it still makes sense.
Dates
o The student is a sweet and smart girl.
o The student is a smart and sweet girl.
o The student is a smart, sweet girl.
o Her graduation date, Saturday, May 5, 2013, marked the first day of the rest of
her life. (The date ends in a comma).
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o The program was approved in November 2012. (Don’t use a comma for
month and year only.)
Addresses and Place Names
o Orlando, Florida, is the site of the next convention. (Notice that there’s a
comma after the place.)
o Use the Leesburg Campus address 9501 US HWY 441, Leesburg, Florida
34788, for all correspondence. (Comma at the end of the address).
Long Numbers
Use commas to separate numerals in long numbers into groups of three, counting
from the right.
o The department’s annual budget was $10,000.
o A kilometer is 3,281 feet.
Dashes
Dashes are different from hyphens and should not be used interchangeably. There are
two distinct types of dashes, the em (—) dash and the en (–) dash. The em (—) dash is
the longest, the size of an uppercase M, while the en (–) dash is a bit larger than a
hyphen, the size of a lowercase n.
Hyphen: -
en dash: –
em dash: —
The em (—) dash is the more common of the two dashes. Use it to signal an abrupt
change of thought or an emphatic pause. Also, use it to set off a parenthetical phrase
within a sentence with more emphasis than a comma can provide. Avoid the overuse of
dashes when commas are enough to convey the meaning.
o During her long career, the instructor had developed several methods—
usually clever and careful—of giving students constructive criticism.
o She listed the most important traits—organization, discipline, engagement,
intelligence—of a successful student.
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To create an em (—) dash in Word type two hyphens—without a space—immediately
after the word before the dash. Then, type the word after the dash. Once you press the
space bar after the second word the em—dash will automatically appear.
Typing an em--dash
Typing an em—dash
The en (–) dash or is used to represent a range of numbers in dates, times, and page
references.
o The conference dates were April 5–April 9, 2014.
o Breakfast: 8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m
For the sake of parallelism, if you’re using the word “from” before a date use “to” or
“through” instead of the en (–) dash.
o Incorrect: The conference will be held from April 5–April 9, 2014.
o Correct: The conference will be held from April 5 through April 9, 2014.
To create an en (–) dash in Word type a space after the first word, one hyphen, a space
after the hyphen, the second word, and then a space. Once the en (–) dash is formed
delete the spaces.
Typing an en - dash
Typing an en–dash
The following keyboard shortcuts also work for creating these dashes:
To make …
em (—)
dash
en (–) dash
Windows
CTRL + ALT + minus symbol on the
numerical keypad
CTRL + minus symbol on the
numerical keypad
Mac
Option + minus symbol
Option + Shift + minus symbol
Different keyboards will require different approaches to creating these symbols. For
instance the keyboard shortcuts will not be possible on a laptop or tablet keypad
without a numerical keyboard. Some tablet keypads provide the choices for creating the
dashes by simply holding down the hyphen key.
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Ellipses
Ellipses can be used in quotations when you want leave out a section from any part of a
quote.
o In his speech the president said, “The time for studying is over…the time for
working has begun.”
o In his speech the president said, “The time for studying is over….” (Add a
fourth period to indicate the end of a sentence when the ellipses at the end.)
Exclamation Points
Avoid using exclamation points unless they are essential. In quotations, the exclamation
point replaces the usual comma or period.
o Incorrect: "Stop where you are!." cried the security guard.
o Correct: "Stop where you are!" cried the security guard.
Hyphens
General rules



Use hyphens to write out numbers, from twenty-one to ninety-nine.
Use hyphens to join a letter to a word as in, x-ray, a-list, t-shirt, e-mail.
Do not hyphenate ethnicity terms (Native Americans, African American students,
Irish American organizations).
For Clarity
If a phrase is acting as an adjective (describing a noun) use a hyphen.
o Small-business owner
o First-year students
o State-of-the-art software
Do not hyphenate compound modifiers when they contain the word “very” or if the
modifier ends in -ly.
o brightly colored shirt
o very late assignment
Add a hyphen if the statement or sentence would be ambiguous without it.
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o He recovered from foot surgery.
o The professor re-covered the material he had taught the day before.
Compound modifiers before a noun should always be hyphenated when you have two or
more modifiers expressing a single concept.
o A better-qualified candidate appeared at the last minute.
o The full-time student worried over his difficult schedule.
o The part-time employee scanned the job ads in order to find full-time work.
Many compound modifiers that are hyphenated before a noun are not hyphenated when
they appear after a noun.
o The first candidate was better qualified than the second.
o The student who attended the school full time was worried about his difficult
schedule.
o The employee working part time in the department found another job.
Suspensive Hyphens
Suspensive hyphens seem to just hang in mid-air, but they are really connecting a
compound idea to avoid the need to repeat terms.
o Instead of this: The service is available for both on-campus and off-campus
students.
o Use this: The service is available for both on- and off-campus students.
Suspensive hyphens are also used with numbers.
o a 12- to 15-year project
o a five- to six-foot table
Hyphens with Prefixes
The AP Stylebook says that you should generally not hyphenate when using a prefix with
words that start with a consonant unless clarity is an issue. Exceptions may apply.
There are three basic rules that consistently apply when using prefixes.
 Always use a hyphen when joining a prefix with a word that should be
capitalized.
o anti-American
o un-American
 Use a hyphen when the prefix ends in a vowel and the word follows begins with
the same vowel. Exceptions: cooperate and coordinate.
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
Style Guide
o re-enlist
o semi-invalid
Use a hyphen to join doubled prefixes: sub-subparagraph.
See the table below for specific examples. For other words, use the AP Stylebook or the
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
Prefix
Examples (follow basic rules unless otherwise stated)
aante-
achromatic, atonal
antebellum, antedate
biby-
bimonthly, bipartisan, bilingual
byline, byproduct, bypass, bystreet
co-
Keep the hyphen when forming nouns, adjectives and verbs that indicate a
person’s status or occupation. Try to be consistent with these forms.
 co-author
 co-owner
 co-signer
 co-chairman
 co-partner
 co-sponsor
 co-curricular
 co-pilot
 co-star
 co-host
 co-respondent  co-worker
Other combinations don’t require a hyphen. Some of these, like cooperate,
are exceptions to rule number two above.
 coed
 cooperate
 copay
 coeducation
 cooperative
 corequisite
 coequal
 coordinate
 coexistence
 coordination
counter- counteract, counterproposal, counterspy
dis-
cyberspace, cyberattack, cyberbullying, cybersecurity, cybercafé
Exception: Cyber Monday
dismember, disservice, dissuade
downhyper-
downgrade, downtown,
hyperactive, hypercritical, hypersensitive
infrainter-
infrastructure, infrared
inter-American, interstate, interracial
minimulti-
miniseries, miniskirt, minivan
multicolored, multimillion, multilateral
non-
Follow the basic rules, but generally do not add a hyphen when forming a
compound word that does not have a special meaning. If you can
substitute not before the base word you do not have to hyphenate. Use a
hyphen before proper nuns or in awkward combinations like non-nuclear.
cyber-
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pre-
re-
semi-
Style Guide
Follow the general rule that the hyphen is used if a prefix ends in a vowel
and the word that follows begins with the same vowel: pre-eminent, preexist, pre-empt. Otherwise, don’t use the hyphen: prejudge, predate,
prearrange, prerequisite.
Exceptions: pre-convention, pre-noon
Follow the general rule that the hyphen is used if a prefix ends in a vowel
and the word that follows begins with the same vowel: re-emerge, reenlist, re-enter.
Exceptions: Hyphenate to clarify the meaning of a word:

“Recover” (regain) but “re-cover” (cover again)

“Resign” (to quit) but “re-sign” (sign again)
semicolon, semifinal, semi-invalid.
Exception: semi-automatic
selfsuper-
Always hyphenate: self-assured, self-governing, self-defense
supercharge, superhighway, superpower, super-Republican
transultra-
transcontinental, transsexual, trans-Atlantic
ultramodern, ultrasonic, ultraviolet
ununder-
unnecessary, unimportant, unarmed, un-American
underdog, undersold, underground
up-
upend, upstate, upgrade, uptown
Hyphens with Suffixes
Suffix
-elect
-long
Examples
President-elect
Do not hyphenate daylong, monthlong, weeklong, lifelong,
semesterlong when used as an adjective (lifelong learning,
semesterlong course, a weeklong trip)
Hyphenate if not listed in dictionary.


-over
carry-over
holdover


stopover
takeover

walkover
When any of the words above occur as a verb they should be
used as two words.

Adjective: The plane schedule included the stopover
times.

Noun: The plane made a stopover in Denver.

Verb: I will stop over after work.
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-wide
-off
-up
Style Guide
The AP Stylebook says to not hyphenate the following words with
the suffix –wide.
citywide, countrywide, industrywide, nationwide, statewide, and
worldwide, campuswide (use when referring to a specific
campus, Leesburg, South Lake, or Sumter), collegewide (use
when referring to the entire college, including all campuses).
Use the forms listed below. If the word in question is not listed in
the dictionary, hyphenate it.
Some commonly used combinations with a hyphen:
send-off
Some combinations without a hyphen:
 cutoff
 playoff
 takeoff
 liftoff
 standoff
Some combinations are affected by the role the word plays in the
sentence.

Adjective: The kick-off luncheon begins the March of
Dimes fundraising events.

Noun: The luncheon was the kickoff for the March of
Dimes fundraising events.

Verb: The luncheon will kick off the March of Dimes
fundraising events.
Use the forms listed below. If the word in question is not listed in
the dictionary, hyphenate it.
 breakup
 grown-up
 roundup
 call-up
 hang-up
 runners-up
 change-up
 holdup
 setup
 checkup
 letup
 shake-up
 cleanup
 lineup
 shape-up
 close-up
 makeup
 smashup
 cover-up
 mix-up
 speedup
 crackup
 mock-up
 tie-up
 follow-up
 pileup
 walk-up
 frame-up
 pushup
 wind-up
When any of the words above occur as a verb they should be
used as two words.

Adjective: The student will take a makeup exam.

Noun: The actor applied makeup before the play.

Verb: The students will make up the test
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Parentheses
Use parentheses to signify (1) the addition of needed information and (2) a thought
which is incidental to the main thought in the sentence.
Limit the use of parentheses to avoid long and convoluted sentences. Break up the
thought into several sentences in favor of clarity.
Using Parentheses with Incomplete Sentences
If the material inside the parentheses is not a complete sentence, put the period outside
the parenthesis.
o She loves German chocolates (the bittersweet cream type).
Using Parentheses with Complete Sentences
If the parenthetical material is a complete sentence and can stand alone, put the period
inside the parenthesis.
o Last night's heavy snowstorm continues this morning, slowing traffic
throughout much of the tri-state region. (The Weather Bureau has advised
north-bound travelers to stay put and wait until the weather clears.)
Periods
There are several standard rules for periods.
 Use a period at the end of a sentence that does not require any other punctuation,
like exclamation points (for strong command or exclamations) or question marks
(for direct questions.
 Use a single space after a period at the end of a sentence. Do not type two spaces.
 When using with quotation marks, the period always goes inside the quotation
marks.
 Use a period after an initial in a proper name. Note that there is no space
between two initials together.
o George P. Schultz
o T.S. Eliot
 Abbreviations using only the initials of a name are not punctuated with periods:
FCC, CBS, FBI, and GOP. U.S. is an exception to the rule.
 Use periods after numbers or letters in a list or outline:
(1) Type the title of your paper.
(2) Type the heading at the top of your paper.
A. Add your name.
B. Add the teacher’s name.
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Question Marks
Direct vs. Indirect Questions
An indirect question is a general statement that questions a concept or idea; it does not
end with a question mark.
o Indirect question: I’m curious about who started the argument.
o Direct question: Who started the argument?
More than One Question
When there is more than one question in a string use question marks to break up the
question.
o Who started the argument? Was it Mike? Or Mary? Or the teacher?
Using Question Marks with Quotation Marks
Whether a question mark belongs inside or outside of a quotation mark depends on the
context and usage.
When the whole sentence is a question, place the question mark outside of the quotation
mark.
o What do you think she meant when she asked, “Who started the argument”?
When only the quotation is a question, place the question mark inside the quotation
mark.
o The teacher asked the class, “Who started the argument?”
With quotation marks it is common practice to place a comma before the attribution of
the quote. Like this:
o “He started the argument,” she explained.
The question mark will replace the usual punctuation when it’s used in a quotation.
o “Did he start the argument?” she asked.
Quotation Marks
Use quotation marks with other punctuation to set off direct quotations. Periods should
always be inside the quotation marks. Commas at the end of the quote that lead to
information regarding attribution should also be inside the quotation marks.
o At graduation the president traditionally begins by saying, “Welcome
students, faculty, staff, and guests.”
o “Our students are prepared for the workforce,” said the dean.
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o “!” The president exclaimed.
For questions, place the question mark outside of the quotation mark when the whole
sentence is a question.
o What do you think she meant when she asked, “Who started the argument”?
If only the quotation is a question, place the question mark inside the quotation mark.
o The teacher asked the class, “Who started the argument?”
Quotations should be used to set off titles of works inside larger works such as:
magazine, newspaper, or journal articles; poems; short stories; book chapters; television
episodes; or songs. Titles of large works like magazines, newspapers, journals, novels,
television shows, movies, or albums should be italicized.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “The Cask of Amontillado”
Robert Frost’s poem, “Birches”
Billy Joel’s song, “Piano Man”
Edgar Allan Poe’s novel, The Fall of the House of Usher
Robert Frost’s poetry collection, North of Boston
Billy Joel’s album, Greatest Hits
The movie or book Gone with the Wind
Style note: The AP Stylebook only italicizes text that illustrates an example. Follow the
examples above for general publications, such as the LSSC Catalog and Student
Handbook or for any official purposes like SACSCOC or state reporting. When writing for
a specific discipline follow the guidelines for that discipline.
Semicolons
Semicolons are used generally for separating information when a comma is not enough.
Items in a Series
Use semicolons if listing items in a series when one or more of the items are already
separated by commas.
o Several people representing the college were at the meeting, including Dr.
Tom Jones, president of the college; Mary Smith, a board member; and John
Hancock, a student.
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Between Two Independent Clauses
Use a semicolon to separate to related independent clauses. The clauses on both sides
must be able to stand alone in order for this to be correct.
o Incorrect: The student excitedly registered for his first semester in college;
to begin his college career. (The second clause cannot stand alone.)
o Correct: The student excitedly registered for his first semester in college; he
was anxious to begin his college career. (Both clauses can stand alone.)
With Quotations
When the signal phrase (a phrase that signals a quote will follow) breaks the quotation
at a semicolon, end it with a semicolon.
o Original quotation: “Your project is due Monday; you shouldn’t put it off
until the last minute.”
o Interrupted quotation: “Your project is due Monday,” the teacher
admonished; “you shouldn’t put it off until the last minute.”
When used with quotation marks, semicolons should follow the quotation marks.
o The nominees for best poem of the year: Joe Smith, “Love Hurts”; Mary Jones,
“It Is What It Is”; Susan Anderson, “Words, Words, Words”; and Michael May,
“Please Stay.”
Slashes
The AP Stylebook allows the use of slashes in special phrases such as 24/7 or 9/11 and
when denoting the end of a line of poetry.
Constructions such as and/or, win/lose, him/her, faculty/staff, etc., are awkward and
should be avoided. Rewrite the sentence if necessary.
When writing URLs in text it is best to use the entire URL in order to avoid confusion, so
include the “http,” the colon, and the double forward slashes: http://www.lssc.edu.
Avoid breaking URLs and email addresses over two lines. Whenever it is necessary to
break a URL, avoid doing so in the middle of a word, and do not add a hyphen. Choose a
breaking point at the end of a word and place the next symbol at the beginning of the
new line.
Even though you don’t usually need to type the first part of a URL (the http://www)
into a modern browser, some web addresses don’t use the www at all. For example,
the URL for the LSSC libraries’ subject guides is http://lssc.libguides.com and the
URL for the Purdue Online Writing Lab is https://owl.english.purdue.edu. When
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typing those addresses into a browser, including a www after the slashes produces
an error. When writing a web address, it is best to provide the full URL so that
novices don’t add a www to addresses that don’t actually include it. 19
Special Characters and Styles












19
Do not use the @ symbol in place of at except in email addresses.
Do not use the & symbol in place of and in sentences.
Do not use the ~ symbol in place of a hyphen.
Do not use the / symbol in place of and or or.
Spell out degrees, percent, cents, feet, and inches, instead of using the °, %, ¢, ', or “
symbols.
Do not use superscripted text for th, nd, st, or rd after a number.
For dollar amounts greater than 99 cents, use a dollar sign and numeral: $10
For round-number dollar amounts, do not include zeros: $7 not $7.00
Use special letter characters (é in café and résumé, ñ in quinceañera, ` in Hawai`i,
or ä in Häagen-Dazs).
Use only one space between sentences.
Do not use more than one exclamation point.
Use asterisks*, daggers†, and double-daggers‡ only for footnotes that appear
after the word and any punctuation, not for emphasis or formatting.
Fogarty, Grammar Girl, 153.
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Nonsexist writing
He and His
Avoid gender-specific words, using he to refer to both he and she, and the possessive his
for both his and hers. Eliminate the pronoun or attempt to rewrite the sentence so the
plural pronoun they or theirs can be used. See the chart below for alternative words.
o Gender specific: When a student needs help he should ask a librarian.
o Correct but awkward: When a student needs help he or she should ask a
librarian.
o Simplified and nonsexist: When students need help they should ask a
librarian for help.
He/She and Him/Her
Avoid using the double pronoun with a forward slash. It is awkward. Try to eliminate the
pronoun or rewrite to use the plural form. If you can’t avoid using it, using “his or her” is
more acceptable.
Man
Instead of using man, use generic words such as person, individual, someone, anyone, no
one, etc. Do not use duplicate phrases such as a man or a woman, or mankind and
womankind.
Avoid using man or manned to mean “to work as assigned” as in “to man the service
desk.” Instead use work, staff, run, operate, serve, etc.
Sexual Orientation
Be sensitive about language denoting sexual orientation. Avoid the terms sexual
preference and gay or alternative lifestyle.
 Avoid heterosexual references, don’t use the word homosexual. Instead use the
more inclusive phrase LGBT community. Spell out lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender on the first use, then use the acronym for subsequent uses, e.g. The
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activist gave a speech on campus.
Do not use LGBTQ because of confusion as to whether the Q stands for queer or
questioning.
 When necessary, use the terms lesbian, gay man, bisexual, transgender man,
transgender woman, transgender people.
 When in doubt, refer to the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
(NLGJA) Stylebook.
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Occupational Titles
Avoiding using occupational titles ending with –man, -ess, or –woman. Actress is an
exception. Use actor for a man and actress for a woman, unless the woman prefers the
term actor. See alternatives in the chart below.
Gender-Specific Words
businessman
career woman
chairman, chairwoman
city fathers
common man
congressman
craftsman
deliveryman
fathering, mothering
fireman
freshman
garbage man
mailman
man, mankind
man-hours
man the service desk
manmade
manpower
middleman
policeman
salesman
secretary
workmen
Alternatives
businessperson
career professional
chairperson or chair
city leaders
average person, ordinary people
member of congress, congressperson
artisan, craftsperson
courier
fostering, nurturing
firefighter
first-year student
trash collector
mail carrier, letter carrier
people, humanity, human beings
staff-hours
staff the service desk
synthetic, manufactured
workforce, staff, employees
intermediary, go-between
officer, police officer, police official
sales person, sales associate
office assistant
workers
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Diversity
Equity Statement
Lake-Sumter State College is committed to non-discrimination based on race, color,
sex, ethnicity, gender, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital
status, veteran
status, religion, sexual orientation and political affiliation. This commitment applies
in all areas to applicants, visitors, students, faculty, administrators, staff and others
affiliated with the college.
The commitment to non-discrimination is relevant to those aspects of the college
concerned with the admission of students and the employment of persons in its
education programs and activities, college-sponsored programs, activities specific to
Title IX, the use of college facilities, and the choice of contractors and suppliers of
goods and services. It addresses recruiting, hiring, training, promoting, and
applicable employment conditions.
LSSC believes in equal opportunity practices that conform to both the spirit and the
letter of all laws against discrimination. The college actively strives to build a
community in which opportunity is equalized and facilities and human resources
are utilized to develop the skills and opportunities for all groups so they can play
responsible and productive roles in society.
The college president is the chief equity officer for Lake-Sumter State College. To
enhance effective monitoring and implementation of affirmative action, the
president has established an Office of Equity and Diversity and appointed an equity
officer who serves as a resource person for equity and is responsible for monitoring
the college's affirmative action program.
Inquiries concerning the above-mentioned commitments, including Title IX, should
be stated on the Equity Issue Report and Request for Appointment form and
submitted to the equity officer: Christyne B. Hamilton at Lake-Sumter State College,
Williams-Johnson Administration Building, Room 114, 9501 U. S. Highway 441,
Leesburg, FL 34788-8751; Telephone: 352-365-3592; and email:
[email protected].
Inquiries concerning implementing regulations for Title IX may also be referred to
the Office of Civil Rights, 61 Forsyth Street S.W., Suite 19T70, Atlanta, GA 303033104; Telephone: 404-562-6350; and email: [email protected].
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The equity statement may also be distributed as a stand-alone document to students
and faculty. See the Publication Requirements section in this guide for an
abbreviated equity statement and a list of locations for publication.
Race and Ethnicity
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Avoid using words or images that suggest all or most members of a racial or
ethnic group are the same.
Avoid using qualifiers that reinforce racial and ethnic stereotypes.
Avoid using ethnic clichés.
Be aware of possible negative implications of color-symbolic words.
Choose language and usage that do not offend people or reinforce bias.
Review written and graphic material to make sure all groups are fairly
represented.
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Correspondence
Courtesy Titles: Mrs., Miss, Ms. or Mr.
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Since some first names are used for both men and women, it’s sometimes
difficult to know the gender of the addressee. In that case, do not include a
courtesy title. It’s better not to include a title than to offend the recipient.
Use Ms. If the woman’s marital status or title preference is not known. Although
the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary lists Mss. or Mses. as the plural, follow
the AP Stylebook convention of not using a plural (since it is not common and
could be confusing.) If you must list several women with the title Ms., repeat the
title before each name.
Salutations
When addressing an unknown person, Dear Sir or Madam or Dear Madam and Sir are
permissible, although they sound a bit archaic. You may also use the impersonal To
Whom It May Concern or omit the salutation entirely.
You may also use the job or company title, if known.
Dear registrar:
Dear account supervisor:
Writing for the Web and Accessibility Issues
Dear OfficeMax:
When writing for the Web, in addition to all the basic grammatical rules covered in the
Writing Clearly section of this guide, you must consider several formatting and stylistic
factors that differ from print writing. These factors make your pages easy to read and
accessible to all users including those with disabilities. Refer to the accessibility checklist
in Appendix A when creating pages for any LSSC-affiliated website.
General Rules
The main goal in writing for the Web is to make material more accessible. Remembering
the following basic principles is crucial to making web pages easier to view and
information easier to find.
The most important rule is that people don’t read pages word by word; they scan.
Studies show that on average, users spend under a minute on a single web page before
clicking away from it.20
When formatting text and designing pages:
Estes, Janelle, “Writing for the Web 1,” (presentation during Usability Week 2010, Toronto, Canada, August 9,
2010).
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Use shorter line lengths so that text is more manageable.
Reduce large blocks of text by using bulleted lists, tables, and small paragraphs
that make text easier to process and read.
Edit your text carefully, to ensure that copy begins with the most important
information followed by supporting details.
Use the techniques described in the Writing Clearly section of this guide for
assistance with editing text.
Make the Page Scannable
There are two ways that people scan web pages. Directed scanning refers to scanning
that is done when the user is looking for specific information. Impressionable scanning
occurs when users are just surfing a site and not looking for anything specific.
Most users scan headings, links, bulleted lists, or bolded text. Also, many users won’t
scan too far down a page before giving up on finding what they need. Therefore, it’s
crucial that the most important text be near the top of the page.
Usability and accessibility testing indicates that scanning is usually done from left to
right in an F-pattern. See the heat map images below that capture how eyes track across
websites. Red indicates where users focused the most, yellow shows fewer views, and
blue even fewer. Internet users will scan text along the left margin then across to the
right.21 When they are looking for specific information, they are often scanning for
particular words or phrases.
When creating web pages that are easily scannable you should focus on the following:
 Headings
 Reading Level
Nielsen, Jakob, "F-Shaped Pattern for Reading Web Content," last modified April 17, 2006,
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/f-shaped-pattern-reading-web-content/
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Editing text to avoid redundancies and reduce wordiness
Adding lists, tables, or charts to add white space
All headings should be left-aligned—not centered. Most users searching for specific
information will first scan the headings on the left side of the page.
For accessibility purposes, heading structure should be planned carefully so all content
fits into a logical structure. Headings should be consistent in grammar and format.
Inconsistent Headings on a Page
• Admissions
• Advising Department
• Financial Aid Department
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Register for classes
Applying for Financial Aid
New Student Orientation
Department of Admissions
Department of Advising
Department of Financial Aid
Consistent Headings on a Page
Delete the word “department” from all the
headings. Don’t use two words when one word is
enough to get the message across.
• Admissions
• Advising
• Financial Aid
Consistent headlines are in the same grammatical
format.
All imperative (commands) verb phrases:
• Register for classes
• Apply for Financial Aid
• Complete the New Student Orientation
All progressive verb phrases:
• Registering for classes
• Applying for Financial Aid
• Completing the New Student Orientation
All nouns:
• Registration
• Financial Aid
• New Student Orientation
Front load important information in a heading.
Repeating the same words in a heading makes users
lose the main idea as they scan. If you must have the
word “department,” add it to the end.
• Admissions Department
• Advising Department
• Financial Aid Department
Fewer words are better. The best headings would
be:
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•
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•
Admissions
Advising
Financial Aid
Avoid repeating words in headings. If you have more than three levels of headings and
sub-headings, think about breaking up the information in another way or adding
another page.
Reading Levels
Studies show that regardless of their literacy level readers find it easier to scan text
written at a lower reading level. Using simple words and reducing the number of words
in a passage makes it easier for readers to scan. Use the techniques described in the
Writing Clearly section of this guide to reduce the reading level of text used on the
college website.
Determine the reading level of text by using the following website: http://readable.com/. This site allows you to link to text or to copy and paste test in order to check
the reading level. For best results, try to keep the reading level between 6 and 8th grade.
Tables, Charts, or Bulleted Lists
Avoid large blocks of text. Instead use tables, charts, or bulleted lists to break up text and
add white space to the page. Studies have shown that lists with bullets are read 70% of
the time while lists with no bullets are only read 55% of the time. If your bulleted list has
more than three levels, think about presenting the information in another format.
Fonts and Colors
For web writing, colors and fonts should be easy to read and pleasing to the eye. Avoid
font sizes smaller than 10 points. Here are some basic rules.
 Do not use more than two colors on a web page.
 Provide good contrast so the text stands out. Avoid matching the text and the
background too closely, and be careful when using light shades of gray, orange,
and yellow.
 Do not deviate from LSSC standard size fonts and standard text color (black) in
all web page publications. For body text use Verdana 10 and for headings use the
standard preset headings in SharePoint.
 Do not use large blocks of colored text. Use colored text only if you need to
emphasize a one or two-word phrase.
 Avoid using color exclusively to convey content. Users often can’t distinguish or
may override page colors.
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When writing for the Web always avoid using all uppercase letters. See the capitalization
section below.
Emphasizing Text
Web writers are often guilty of overkill when emphasizing text, and it’s common to see
text that is highlighted, capitalized, italicized, bolded, and underlined. Here are some
simple guidelines to follow.
 Use simple bolded letters in the same font as the rest of the text to emphasize a
short phrase or single words.
 Do not bold large blocks of text. Only emphasize one to three words. Emphasizing
large blocks of text actually causes the emphasis to be diminished.
 Do not use colored text for emphasis. This could cause accessibility issues for
users that can only read or see certain colors.
 Never underline plain text. Users often confuse underlined text with links and
become frustrated when underlined words don’t function as a hyperlink.
 Never use all uppercase letters. This can be difficult to read.
Capitalization
See Capitalization in the Grammar section of this guide for specific capitalization rules.
When writing for the Web never use all uppercase letters to emphasize text. Uppercase
letters, even “small caps” slow the reader down and make pages difficult to scan. Using
all uppercase in regular paragraphs of text is even worse because the reader may stop
reading your copy. Also, all uppercase letters can be misread by screen readers.
If all uppercase is required, limit its usage to minor menu items consisting of only one
word. Another exception at LSSC is the college logo and other branding materials which
will not be part of large blocks of text.
Links
Hyperlinks (links) connect users to documents, different areas of a website, or to other
websites. They allow web writers to give more information on a specific topic without
clogging up the web page with additional content. Use the standard link colors and
format in SharePoint for all links.
Links should be underlined. Never underline any other text on a web page. Generally,
link text (the underlined text) should:
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Be descriptive and concise, so users know where the link is leading them. This
also clarifies the content for people using text readers and makes the content
easier to scan.
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Be consistent with the document or page being opened. If the titles are different,
users may wonder if they are seeing the correct page. For example, a link with
the title Travel Form should not open a form called In and Out of District Travel
Request Form. These titles should be changed to match.
Make sense on its own. Avoid ambiguous link text such as “click here,” “more,” or
“continue.” See rule number 1.
Be recognizable. Links should be underlined and visited links should have a
consistent difference in color. Avoid depending on color alone to differentiate
links in the body of the page; and also avoid making headings links because often
users will not recognize them.
Not repeat text in an introductory sentence or phrase, e.g., The application is
available: Application.
Tables
Tables should only be used to display tabular data, not for positioning contents on a web
page. Create tables directly in SharePoint. Do not copy and paste a table created in Word,
since SharePoint may not display it correctly. Contact the web designer if you have
difficulty creating a table.
Graphics
When creating images, save them in a small resolution ranging from 72 dots per inch
(dpi) to 92 dpi. They should be sized to the final display size before uploading to the
Web. Do not adjust the size within SharePoint or the image will appear distorted.
RGB is the color mode used for computer displays, combining primary colors red, green
and blue in various combinations. This color mode should be used for web images.
CMYK is the color mode used for printed documents. It uses four colors: cyan, magenta,
yellow and black in various combinations to produce specific colors. This mode should
be used for creating images used in print documents.
Three file types are commonly used for images on the Web: JPG (or JPEG), PNG, or GIF.
The JPG or JPEG format is best suited for photographs and complex graphics. The PNG
and GIF formats are used for computer generated graphics and clip art. In most cases,
the PNG format is preferable because it compresses better, provides better control over
image brightness and color correction, and provides better control over transparency.
Saving, restoring, and re-saving PNG files will not degrade their quality. Animated GIF
files should not be used unless they serve an instructional purpose.
All images should include “alt” tags to meet WCAG 2.0 guidelines for accessibility. The
“alt” tag provides alternative text for images that cannot be displayed. It is also used by
screen
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reader software to describe the image for people who are visually impaired. For this
reason, displaying large blocks of text in an image format makes the text completely
unreadable to screen reader software. Contact the web designer for help with creating
“alt” tags and for help with adding visual style (like differently colored boxes) to textonly images using cascading style sheets (CSS).
Audio and Video Content
Usability studies indicate it is important to keep video content short and relevant. Two
to three minutes may be optimal in many cases. Cover the most important points at the
beginning of the video and make sure the content is engaging.
Avoid using strobing or flashing content that could cause seizures.
Web Parts
A web part is a customizable widget or mini-application that can be added to a
SharePoint page. Web parts allow non-technical content managers to add programming
functionality to a web page without writing computer code. Web parts can include
calendars, RSS feeds, surveys, online spreadsheets, collections of documents and image
galleries. Contact the web designer if you need a web part created.
Faculty Pages
Faculty websites are created as needed. The web designer provides training sessions
and an instructional guide.
All documents uploaded to faculty websites must be in PDF format. For file formats
other than PDF, SharePoint will challenge end users for a username and password,
which is confusing for students.
All photos of faculty members must be sized 220 pixels wide and 267 pixels high. The
instructional guide (link to this) includes instructions for sizing photos in Windows Paint.
The standard navigational format must be followed to provide continuity for students.
Copyright
Copyright laws and fair use guidelines should be observed by all LSSC faculty and staff.
According to Board Rule 2.21:
The college is entitled to share in the rights to ownership, use of trademarks and
disposition of materials or a patent and a sharing of all royalty income when the
college provides partial support of an individual effort resulting in development
of a trademark, materials subject to copyright or a patent by contributing
employee time, facilities, or other college resources.
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Copyright notices for print and online resources should be in the form © followed by the
year and the official name of the college: © 2014 Lake-Sumter State College.
The LSSC libraries provide extensive information on copyright and educational fair use
at http://libguides.lssc.edu/copyright. Contact a librarian for more information.
Page Creation Guidelines
All site owners should consult with the web designer before creating any new web
pages. The web designer will determine whether the page is needed and provide
information about which page layout should be used. All pages must reflect the
approved layout webpage design.
Naming Conventions
File names for web pages should be brief, in all lowercase, have no spaces or symbols,
and should not include punctuation. Use the UpperCamelCase method that capitalizes
the first letter of each word in the file name.
o EmployeeForms.aspx
o CollegeRelations.aspx
File names should describe the content.
Page titles should be brief and descriptive. In SharePoint, unless the page creator
unchecks the Display in Nav box when editing the page properties, the page title will
show in the left side navigation. If you want the page title to show in the navigation
menu, make sure the title is consistent with other menu items.
Link text should be consistent with the title of the page the link leads to.
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Social Media
Social media is defined as: “forms of electronic communication, [such] as websites for
social networking and micro-blogging, through which users create online communities
to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content, such as videos”
(Merriam-Webster, 2010). Social media includes all non-face-to-face communications,
such as telephone conversations, voice mail, text messaging, video conferencing, email,
instant messaging, cloud computing, social networking, blogging and other emerging
technologies. Examples of popular social media websites include Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, YouTube and Flikr.
Employees who participate in social media outside of their college employment are free
to publish their own personal information; however, they may not disseminate trade
secrets, confidential and proprietary information, or information protected by FERPA
which was obtained by virtue of their employment by the college. Additionally,
employees are prohibited from libelous, defamatory, or harassing conduct in their use of
social media. Employees must adhere to the General Standards of Performance for
Employees and students must abide by the Student Code of Conduct (latest version
available in the LSSC catalog.)
Social Media Rules
To create a departmental social media account, you must:
 Obtain supervisor approval: Before creating a social media account on behalf of
LSSC, an employee, whether faculty, staff, or student, must obtain approval from
his or her direct supervisor or the Student Life representative. The Director of
Marketing & College Relations must also review and approve all social media
accounts.
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Sign “Social Media Usage Form”: Before any LSSC employee or student may begin
using social media in an official college capacity, he or she must read and sign
both the Acceptable and Unacceptable Use Rules for Social Media, which is
available in the LSSC Administrative Procedures Manual, Procedure 2-20.
Link directly to LSSC: All official social media presences must link to LSSC’s
official website (http://www.lssc.edu). The department or student organization
administering the social media presence should also provide a link to the social
media presence on the department’s or student organization’s LSSC web page.
The social media account must provide an LSSC related email address, phone
number and address. Under no circumstances should employees use personal
social media accounts for official college communication or use official LSSC social
media accounts to share information of a personal nature and/or unrelated to
LSSC.
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Include appropriate college logo branding: Official social media presences must be
visually identifiable as affiliated with LSSC. The use of college logos on social
media sites must adhere to the official Lake-Sumter State College Branding
Standards Manual.
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Assign multiple administrators to each account: Departmental social networking
presences must have a minimum of two administrators assigned. If an
administrator leaves the college, his or her administrator privileges will be
revoked and another person will be assigned to take his or her place.
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Update the account regularly: To be effective and foster a two-communication
with your audience, social media presences must be updated at least four times a
week. Accuracy must be maintained at all times. On social media presences
where students post questions and comments, LSSC faculty, staff, and students
maintaining these presences must respond to students within 72 hours of a
student's question or comment during the normal business week (excluding
official college holidays), or if this deadline falls outside the normal business
week, then no later than the business day immediately following.
Remove inappropriate posts: Administrators for LSSC social networking
presences must remove inappropriate content (as outlined in the Unacceptable
Use Rules for Social Media) in a timely manner not exceeding 72 hours of the
comment’s appearance.
The Marketing & College Relations department will maintain a list of all official LSSC
social media accounts. LSSC shall not incur any responsibility or liability for social
media presences that have not been approved by the Director of Marketing & College
Relations.
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Technology and Internet Terminology
Use the following:
 Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Acrobat Reader
 Android
 app – use application on first reference, e.g., application (app), as with other
abbreviations
 ASCII – American Standard Code Information Interchange, uppercase acronym
 Blackboard
 Blackboard Collaborate
 blog – abbreviation for weblog; updates are blog posts or blog entries
 CD-ROM – compact disc read-only memory, uppercase acronym with hyphen
 CSS – cascading style sheet; used to format the layout of web pages
 cyberspace
 database
 disc – use for optical and laser-based devices such as Blu-ray disc, compact disc
 disk – use for magnetic disks, such as hard disk drive
 domain name
 download
 drop-down menu – use for a menu that drops down when you click on a menu
bar and remains open until a selection is made, either a menu item or by clicking
outside the menu box. See also pull-down menu.
 DVD – digital video disc, uppercase acronym
 email – no hyphen
 email list – use instead of listserv
 e-book – capitalize when using at the beginning of a sentence: E-book
 e-commerce
 e-reader
 Facebook
 FAQ – frequently asked questions; uppercase acronym – the plural form FAQs is
acceptable but do not use an apostrophe
 Flickr
 freeware
 GIF – graphics interchange format; capitalize in text, lowercase in file name
 Google – avoid using as a verb in all communication, to conform to Google
guidelines which state that the trademark should only be used as an adjective
(Google search or Google search engine) not a noun or a verb.22
 Google + (or Google Plus)
 GoToMeeting
“Google Permissions: Rules for Proper Usage,” accessed April 20, 2015,
http://www.google.com/permissions/trademark/rules.html.
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Help Desk
home page – two words
HTML – hypertext markup language; uppercase acronym but use lowercase in
web addresses
HTTP – hypertext transfer protocol; uppercase acronym but use lowercase in
web addresses
hyperlink
hypertext
Instagram
Internet – always capitalize when referring to the worldwide Internet
intranet
IP address – Internet protocol address; uppercase acronym
iPod, iPad, iPhone – use lowercase I, even when beginning a sentence. To avoid
starting a sentence with a lowercase letter reword the sentence.
IT – information technology; uppercase acronym
Java – capitalize
JavaScript – capitalize
JPG (or JPEG) – Joint Photographs Experts Group; capitalize in text, lowercase in
file name
KB – kilobyte
Kbps – kilobits per second
keyword
LinkedIn – capitalize the second I
Listserv – use email list or electronic mailing list
log in, log on, log off – use two words for the verb form: Log in to LOIS.
login, logon, logoff – use one word for the noun form: The LOIS login is easy to
remember.
MB – megabyte
Mbps – megabits per second
Microsoft – spell out Microsoft Office rather than MS Office
multimedia
online – no hyphen
newsgroup
OS – operating system, uppercase acronym, lowercase when spelled out
PDF – portable document format, capitalize in text, lowercase in file name
Pinterest
plug-in – always hyphenate when referring to an add-on software component
PNG – portable network graphics, capitalize in text, lowercase in file name
PowerPoint
pull-down menu – a menu that is pulled down when you click on a menu bar
and remains open until you release the mouse or drag off the menu
RSS – Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication, uppercase acronym
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Style Guide
search engine
SharePoint
shareware
Skype – do not use skype as a verb
smartphone
social media
spam
spreadsheet – one word
startup – one word, as in business startup
Tumblr
tweet – lowercase the verb
Twitter
upload
URL – Uniform Resource Locator
username
voicemail
WCAG – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
the Web or World Wide Web – capitalize noun, lowercase adjective – the Web,
like email, is a subset of the Internet and should not be used interchangeably
web address (exception to AP Stylebook, which capitalizes Web)
web browser (exception to AP Stylebook, which capitalizes Web)
web page – two words; lowercase web (exception to AP Stylebook, which
capitalizes Web)
web server (exception to AP Stylebook, which capitalizes Web)
webcam
weblog – use blog
webcast
webmaster
website – one word, lowercase
workstation
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Internal Communication Procedures
LSSC Blog
The purpose of the LSSC blog is to share news and information that may or may not
relate to college business. Use the LSSC blog instead of email for events and personal
announcements. You can announce college or departmental events, sell a piece of
unwanted furniture or equipment, offer animals to loving homes, or announce the birth
of a new family member.
Some best practices for creating a blog entry include:
 Always use a category when posting so that people can search using filters. For
example, if you are posting information about an event, use the event category
and target a group like faculty, staff, or all subscribers.
 Follow the same graphics standards as you do when creating a web page.
 Follow Web writing standards using as few simple words as possible, bulleted or
numbered lists, and an image, if appropriate.
 Be sure to proportionally reduce the size of photos to avoid large that they
distort the page.
Email Guidelines


Email signatures for the internal audience must include the following:
o Sender’s name (use discretion as to whether you include first and last)
o Job title
o Phone number
Email signature to external recipients must include the following:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Sender’s full name
Job title
Lake-Sumter State College
Address
Phone number
Email address
Logo
Send group emails to all recipients only when it is necessary. Avoid emails to
large groups in an effort to reach only a few recipients. Instead, create
personal distribution lists where possible. See Appendix C for Guidelines for
Broadcast Email.
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


Forms
Style Guide
Make the intent of your email clear with a specific message in the “subject”
field.
Maintain a professional image by avoiding fancy background and overuse of
colors or highlighting which may be distracting to the message. Avoid using
all caps as it conveys to the reader that the sender is shouting.
Use alerts and priority flags to indicate critical emails.
Do not use all uppercase letters in email communications. This can be
construed as shouting.
All forms uploaded to the LSSC website must be in PDF format. When users attempt to
access other file formats SharePoint requires the user to log in.
Forms should be saved with brief, descriptive file names, using the UpperCamelCase
method that capitalizes the first letter of each word in the file name. Never create file
names with spaces or symbols. Use the same file name for each updated version of a
form so that older versions will be overwritten when saved to SharePoint.
o DuplicatingRequest.pdf
o BudgetExpansionRequest.pdf
o MagnoliaRoomApplication.pdf
The hyperlink text should match the title of the form.
Minutes
Approved templates for meeting minutes are available at
http://www.lssc.edu/staff/Pages/Committees/default.aspx.
Best Practices
Follow the guidelines below for consistent and accurate meeting minutes.

All meeting minutes should include:
o Attendees
o Date, time and location of meeting
o Name of committee or team
o Call to order including time and person who called the meeting to order.
o Approval of minutes
o List of meeting highlights
o action items for follow up
o reminder of upcoming meetings
o include person who called to adjourn and official ending time of meeting
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In meeting minutes refer to attendees by their full name and title at the first
occurrence. Subsequent mentions of individuals can use last name only.
o Dr. Mary Jo Rager called the meeting to order. Rager greeted the attendees
and reviewed the agenda.
All official committee meeting minutes must be uploaded to the website after
they are approved by the committee.
Netiquette
Netiquette, (network etiquette or Internet etiquette), provides a guide for what is
socially acceptable in online communication. It encompasses all aspects of Internet
communication including email, social media, and the use of mobile devices. Rules of
netiquette pertaining to writing are most commonly associated with email, but they can
also apply to Facebook, Twitter and other social media. Here are some basic guidelines
for successful communication online:




Choose Your Words Carefully: Online communication must convey
meaning without the use of facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice,
which in face-to-face communication indicate feelings and emotions, along
with other non-verbal messages. When writing an email message or social
media post, choose words carefully and keep words neutral and friendly. Do
not email or post something that you wouldn’t say to someone face-to face.
Deleting it isn’t enough: Keep in mind that once you write it and send it
your words live on forever. A poorly chosen phrase or message could affect
your professional image and come back to haunt you. LSSC servers are
backed up daily and messages that you have sent and received are still
available, even though you may have deleted them. Also, any social media
message will remain available long after it is sent. Remember, all official
email communication at LSSC is public record; this means anyone can
request copies of your email communications at any time.
Check your grammar: Even in informal communication, bad grammar,
spelling errors, and slang matter. LSSC’s reputation in the community
depends not only on the accuracy and consistency of its publications but on
the quality of every communication from faculty, staff, and students.
Grammatical errors deter from the overall message.
Do not use all uppercase letters: Especially in email, uppercase letters can
be construed as shouting. There is seldom a reason to use all uppercase
letters in any LSSC communication other than for official abbreviations. See
the Capitalization section of this guide.
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

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
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Style Guide
Avoid responding when you are angry or upset: It is very difficult to
choose your words carefully (see rule # 1) when your emotions are out of
control. Walk away from your computer for a while or work on another
project until you can calm down and answer civilly.
Avoid ranting: Some discussion postings or email discussions can
sometimes devolve into pointless ranting. Stay on topic and keep your
communication logical and focused on the subject at hand. Remember that
others have the right to express their opinions.
Avoid sending spam or frivolous messages to large groups: There are
many sources of hoaxes and other bad information on the Internet. Before
you pass on the latest warning about rising gas prices or the newest
conspiracy email verify that the information is true. One good source for
verification is http://www.snopes.com. Also, refrain from sending frivolous
messages, like interesting academic developments or information on a new
movie. Limit your communications to work-related information. Avoid
sending all faculty and staff emails unless the information is critical to those
groups.
Proper use of Reply All: When replying to a mass message, e.g., one
addressed to all faculty and staff, make sure you intend to send to all
recipients, rather than replying only to the sender. Use discretion in replying
based on what you think everyone needs or wants to know. When in doubt,
reply only to the sender.
Use the LSSC blog: The LSSC blog is the official forum for posting personal
advertisements (like your upcoming garage sale or information about a pet
that needs a new home). Even though readership is limited to employees
who read the blog, email is not appropriate for these types of messages.
Conversely, if your department is hosting an event and you want to send an
invitation to the college at large, the blog is a great place to post it, but also
follow it up with an email. The blog is not available off campus and may not
be visible to all employees.
Ask for permission when posting pictures on a social networking site:
Social networking sites can have an impact on a person’s image. Always ask
for permission when posting a picture online. A particular photograph may
affect a person’s image or well-being.
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Bibliography
Barr, Chris. The Yahoo! Style Guide: The Ultimate Sourcebook for Writing, Editing, and
Creating Content for the Digital World. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2010.
“Comma [,].”AP Stylebook Online. Accessed on April 20, 2015.
http://www.apstylebook.com/lssc_edu/?do=entry&id=3537&src=AE
Estes, Janelle. “Writing for the Web 1.” Presentation during Usability Week 2010,
Toronto, Canada, August 9, 2010.
Fogarty, Mignon. Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. New York: St.
Martin’s Griffin, 2008.
Fowler, H. Ramsey, and Jane E. Aaron Little, Brown Compact Handbook with Exercises. 7th
ed. New York: Longman, 2010.
“Google Permissions: Rules for Proper Usage.” Accessed April 20, 2015.
http://www.google.com/intl/en/privacypolicy.html.
“Months.” AP Stylebook Online. Accessed April 21, 2015. 0
http://www.apstylebook.com/lssc_edu/?do=entry&id=1939&src=AE
Nielsen, Jakob. "F-Shaped Pattern for Reading Web Content." Last modified April 17,
2006. http://www.nngroup.com/articles/f-shaped-pattern-reading-webcontent/
“Times.” AP Stylebook Online. Accessed April 20, 2015.
http://www.apstylebook.com/lssc_edu/?do=entry&id=2936&src=AE
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Appendix A: Accessibility Checklist
Use this check list to create accessible web pages. The page numbers in parentheses lead
to more information about the item.
1. Use a logical and concise heading structure when designing pages. Decide on the
heading structure early in the writing process (p. 64).
2. Consider reading order and design pages so they are easy to scan from left to
right (p. 63-64).
3. Keep the line length manageable (p. 63).
4. Provide good contrast when deciding on text colors (p. 66).
5. Avoid using all uppercase letters (p. 66-67).
6. Use a college-approved readable font. The size should not be smaller than 10
points (p. 66).
7. Make links look like links. They should be underlined to make scanning easier.
Avoid using headings as links (p. 67).
8. Make link text concise and descriptive, and avoid phrases like “click here,”
“more,” or “continue.” Create links that make sense out of context. Headings
should never be links (p. 67).
9. Don’t convey content with color alone because it can be difficult to understand
and distinguish or users may override page colors (p. 66).
10. Provide “alt” tags for images to ensure that screen readers can identify them (p.
67-68).
11. Avoid using large blocks of text as an image (p. 67-68).
12. Make audio and video accessible by providing a play or pause button, a clear
description of the content, and information about video length (p. 68).
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Appendix B: Keyboard Shortcuts for Diacritical Marks
The following chart provides alt codes for creating diacritical marks on a PC, HTML
code, and option codes for creating diacritical marks on a Mac.
Lowercase
Character
á
â
æ
à
å
ã
ä
ç
é
ê
è
ë
í
î
ì
ï
ñ
ó
ô
ò
ø
õ
ö
œ
ú
û
ù
ü
ÿ
PC
ALT + 0225
ALT + 0226
ALT + 0230
ALT + 0224
ALT + 0229
ALT + 0227
ALT + 0228
ALT + 0231
ALT + 0233
ALT + 0234
ALT + 0232
ALT + 0235
ALT + 0237
ALT + 0238
ALT + 0236
ALT + 0239
ALT + 0241
ALT + 0243
ALT + 0244
ALT + 0242
ALT + 0248
ALT + 0245
ALT + 0246
ALT + 0156
ALT + 0250
ALT + 0251
ALT + 0249
ALT + 0252
ALT + 0255
HTML
á
â
æ
à
å
ã
ä
ç
é
ê
è
ë
í
î
ì
ï
ñ
ó
ô
ò
ø
õ
ö
œ
ú
û
ù
ü
ÿ
Mac
OPTION + E, then A
OPTION + I, then A
OPTION + ' (single quote)
OPTION + `, then A
OPTION + SHIFT + A
OPTION + N, then A
OPTION + U, then A
OPTION + C
OPTION + E, then E
OPTION + I, then E
OPTION + `, then E
OPTION + U, then E
OPTION + E, then I
OPTION + I, then I
OPTION +`, then I
OPTION + U, then I
OPTION + N, then N
OPTION + E, then O
OPTION + I, then O
OPTION + O
OPTION + N, then O
OPTION + U, then O
OPTION + Q
OPTION + E, then U
OPTION + I, then U
OPTION + `, then U
OPTION + U, then U
OPTION + U, then Y
Description
"a" with acute accent
"a" with circumflex
"ae" ligature
"a" with grave accent
"a" with ring
"a" with tilde
"a" with umlaut/diaeresis
"c" with cedilla
"e" with acute accent
"e" with circumflex
"e" with grave accent
"e" with umlaut/diaeresis
"i" with acute accent
"i" with circumflex
"i" with grave accent
"i" with umlaut/diaeresis
"n" with tilde
"o" with acute accent
"o" with circumflex
"o" with grave accent
"o" with slash
"o" with tilde
"o" with umlaut/diaeresis
"oe" ligature
"u" with acute accent
"u" with circumflex
"u" with grave accent
"u" with umlaut/diaeresis
"y" with umlaut/diaeresis
Character
Á
Â
Æ
À
Å
Ã
Ä
Ç
PC
ALT + 0193
ALT + 0194
ALT + 0198
ALT + 0192
ALT + 0197
ALT + 0195
ALT + 0196
ALT + 0199
HTML
Á
Â
Æ
À
Å
Ã
Ä
Ç
Mac
OPTION + E, then SHIFT + A
OPTION + I, then SHIFT + A
OPTION + SHIFT + ' (single quote)
OPTION + `, then SHIFT + A
OPTION + SHIFT + A
OPTION + N, then SHIFT + A
OPTION + U, then SHIFT + A
OPTION + SHIFT + C
Description
"A" with acute accent
"A" with circumflex
"AE" ligature
"A" with grave accent
"A" with ring
"A" with tilde
"A" with umlaut/diaeresis
"C" with cedilla
Uppercase
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É
Ê
È
Ë
Í
Í
Ì
Ï
Ñ
Ó
Ô
Ø
Õ
Ö
Œ
ß
Ú
Û
Ù
Ü
Ÿ
ALT + 0201
ALT + 0202
ALT + 0200
ALT + 0203
ALT + 0205
ALT + 0206
ALT + 0204
ALT + 0207
ALT + 0209
ALT + 0211
ALT + 0212
ALT + 0216
ALT + 0213
ALT + 0214
ALT + 0140
ALT + 0223
ALT + 0218
ALT + 0219
ALT + 0217
ALT + 0220
ALT + 0159
É
Ê
È
Ë
Í
Î
Ì
Ï
Ñ
Ó
Ô
Ø
Õ
Ö
Œ
ß
Ú
Û
Ù
Ü
Ÿ
Style Guide
OPTION + E, then SHIFT + E
OPTION + I, then SHIFT + E
OPTION + `, then SHIFT + E
OPTION + U, then SHIFT + E
OPTION + E, then SHIFT + I
OPTION + I, then SHIFT + I
OPTION + U, then SHIFT + I
OPTION + N, then SHIFT + N
OPTION + E, then SHIFT + O
OPTION + I, then SHIFT + O
OPTION + SHIFT + O
OPTION + N, then SHIFT + O
OPTION + U, then SHIFT + O
OPTION + SHIFT + Q
OPTION + S
OPTION + E, then SHIFT + U
OPTION + I, then SHIFT + U
OPTION + `, then SHIFT + U
OPTION + U, then SHIFT + U
OPTION + U, then SHIFT + Y
100
"E" with acute accent
"E" with circumflex
"E" with grave accent
"E" with umlaut/diaeresis
"I" with acute accent
"I" with circumflex
"I" with grave accent
"I" with umlaut/diaeresis
"N" with tilde
"O" with acute accent
"O" with circumflex
"O" with slash
"O" with tilde
"O" with umlaut/diaeresis
"OE" ligature
eszett (sz) or sharp "s"
"U" with acute accent
"U" with circumflex
"U" with grave accent
"U" with umlaut/diaeresis
"Y" with umlaut/diaeresis
Lake-Sumter State College
Style Guide
Appendix C: Guidelines for Broadcast Email
These guidelines are designed to help LSCC faculty and staff members judge the
appropriateness of broadcast e-mail when they need to distribute important
information to email distribution groups or lists.
Broadcast Email - electronic messages sent to multiple recipients via an Outlook
distribution list - are an appropriate use of technology to distribute timely messages
in an environmentally friendly medium. However, many email users would prefer
not to receive messages that are of no use to them or that could have been
communicated in less intrusive ways. Email to large audiences can burden the LSCC
network, especially when the message is long, includes graphics or comes with
attachments.
General Guidelines
1. The ability to send broadcast e-mail to the All Subscribers list is limited to
members of the Administrative Council and Department Chairs (or, in their
absence, an official designee).
2. Consider other means of communication such as student publications or the
College website.
3. Keep the message brief, 50 words or fewer when possible. For longer or more
complex messages, consider linking to a web page.
4. Do not include graphics or send attachments.
5. Messages should include the sender's name and affiliation.
6. Use descriptive subject lines, such as "Convocation Schedule."
7. Broadcast e-mail should be sent via Outlook distribution lists (available to all
users who have an account on the Outlook server). Use the narrowest
distribution list to find your audience.
8. Messages should be consistent with guidelines in LSCC's Acceptable Use Rules
for Information Systems Resources (Procedure 7-06).
Appropriate Subjects for Broadcast E-mail
1. Crisis/urgent announcements: natural disaster alerts, mechanical failures,
weather closures or delays, crime alerts, health alerts, server maintenance,
and computer virus alerts.
2. Logistics announcements: construction closures; traffic routing;
environmental alert notices; and security announcements.
3. Announcement of new employees at LSCC.
4. Major policy and procedural changes that must be communicated quickly.
5. Financial and administrative deadlines, e.g., budget deadlines, purchasing
deadlines, major changes such as the 4-day summer schedule.
6. Registration information and academic deadlines.
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7. Official communications from the Florida Department of Education or Florida
College System.
8. Campus events as described below.
Publicizing Events
1. Broadcast e-mail that publicizes events to faculty and staff members across
campus should be sent on the Outlook list entitled Events. (Use smaller lists
for events of more limited interest.)
2. Only events sponsored by officially recognized LSCC organizations may be
publicized through broadcast e-mail.
3. Messages to the "Events" distribution list should include this statement at the
bottom: "If you do not want to receive notification of events, send a message
to [email protected] with the subject line saying "Please remove from
Events distribution list." The server administrator will periodically post a
message to all users on the events list explaining how to unsubscribe.
4. No event should be publicized by more than one broadcast e-mail message.
5. All "Events" messages should follow the other guidelines in this document,
including a subject line that explains the purpose of the message, e.g.,
"Campus Event: Ask Us Anything"
Inappropriate Subjects for Broadcast E-mail
1. Commercial use, e.g., selling a car; renting a house; offering music lessons.
2. Fundraising, except for officially recognized events such as the Foundation
Auction. Examples of inappropriate use include solicitations for sponsorship,
Girl Scout cookie sales, etc.
3. Political solicitations.
4. Community events that are non-college related.
5. In general, subjects not listed above as appropriate.
Procedures for Sending Broadcast E-mail
1. Use the appropriate distribution list located in the global address List.
2. Requests to distribute Lakehawk Mail messages to students should be
submitted to the Associate Vice President of Student Services.
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Index
abbreviations . 10, 20, 21, 24, 28, 29, 43, 44, 46,
54, 70, 89, 94
academic degrees ........................................ 21
days and months .......................................... 20
USPS ............................................................. 24
academic degrees............................................ 28
abbreviations ............................................... 28
mentions ...................................................... 28
accessibility .......................................... 79, 80, 97
acronyms ....................................... 20, 21, 43, 44
active voice ...................................................... 34
adjectives ................................. 36, 51, 53, 62, 67
Adobe Acrobat ................................................ 89
adverse vs. averse ........................................... 47
advisor vs. adviser .......................................... 50
affect vs. effect ................................................. 47
African-American ............................................ 50
afterward vs. afterwards ................................ 50
ages .................................................................. 53
all right vs. alright ........................................... 50
allusion vs. illusion ......................................... 47
alot, a lot, allot ................................................. 47
alumna vs. alumnae ........................................ 47
alumnus vs. alumni ......................................... 47
Android ............................................................ 89
apostrophe .................. 28, 43, 44, 48, 54, 57, 89
ASCII ................................................................ 89
blackboard....................................................... 89
blog ................................................ 89, 91, 92, 95
Board of Trustees See District Board of Trustees
British English ........................................... 50, 51
bullets ......................................................... 37, 82
campuses ....................... 9, 10, 23, 31, 43, 52, 69
cancel ............................................................... 50
capitalization ........................................ 44, 83, 94
in lists ........................................................... 38
proper vs. common nouns ........................... 45
sentence case ............................................... 44
title case ....................................................... 44
uppercase..................................................... 44
catalog vs. catalogue ....................................... 50
CD-ROM ........................................................... 89
centuries ........................................................... 54
charts ................................................................ 82
class ....................... 29, 48, 52, 56, 57, 59, 71, 72
clichés ........................................................ 33, 78
clubs ........................................................... 20, 30
co-curricular ....................................................50
collective nouns ................................................40
colors .......................................................... 17, 82
commas ..... 26, 27, 54, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 71, 72,
See punctuation
in a series .....................................................59
with addresses .............................................63
with adjectives .............................................62
with coordinating conjunctions ...................62
with dates.....................................................62
with long numbers .......................................63
with nonessential elements .........................61
committees ......................................................30
communication
formal ............................................... 10, 23, 94
communication.
informal ........................................................10
compliment vs. complement ..........................47
continual vs. continuous .................................48
coordinating conjunctions .............................62
copyright..................................................... 85, 86
correspondence ............................................ 9, 79
courtesy titles...............................................79
salutations ....................................................79
course vs. class ................................. See courses
courses ........................................... 29, 45, 52, 60
course vs. class .............................................29
coursework......................................................50
courtesy titles ...................................................79
criteria vs. criterion ........................................51
CSS ....................................................................89
curriculum vs. curricula .................................51
cyberspace .......................................................89
dashes ........................................ See punctuation
data ..................................................................51
database...........................................................89
dates ........................................................... 54, 62
daylight saving time ........................................51
days ............................................................ 20, 45
decades.............................................................54
decimals ............................................... 53, 55, 56
departments ........................................ 10, 25, 31
desert vs. desserts ...........................................48
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historic vs. historical .......................................48
home page .......................................................90
hopefully ..........................................................51
HTML ...............................................................90
HTTP ................................................................90
hyperlink .........................................................90
hyperlinks ............................................. See Links
hypertext .........................................................90
hyphens22, 25, 29, 51, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69,
73, 74, 89, 90, See punctuation
ages ..............................................................53
prefixes .........................................................66
suffixes .........................................................68
i.e. vs. e.g. .........................................................46
impressionable scanning ................................80
Instagram ........................................................90
intensifiers.......................................................36
Internet ............................................................90
interviews .........................................................59
intranet ............................................................90
IP address ........................................................90
iPod, iPad, iPhone ...........................................90
IT 90
its vs. it's .................................................... 44, 48
jargon ...............................................................33
Java ...................................................................90
JavaScript .........................................................90
JPEG ..................................................................90
JPG ....................................................................90
KB .....................................................................90
Kbps .................................................................90
keyboard shortcuts ...........................................98
keyword ...........................................................90
kickoff ........................................................ 51, 69
Lakehawk Mail ................................................25
Lakehawks .......................................................25
lay vs. lie ..........................................................48
Leesburg Campus .................. 22, 23, 24, 63, 107
LGBT ................................................................75
LGBTQ ..............................................................75
lifestyle ............................................................51
LinkedIn ...........................................................90
links............................................................. 83, 84
lists .24, 26, 30, 37, 38, 46, 51, 58, 59, 65, 70, 78,
79, 80, 81, 82, 88, 89, 90, 92, 97, 100, 101
capitalization ................................................38
parallel structure ..........................................37
punctuation ..................................................38
directed scanning............................................ 80
disc vs. disk...................................................... 89
District Board of Trustees .................. 20, 21, 26
diversity ................................................ 12, 58, 77
domain name................................................... 89
download ......................................................... 89
drop-down menu ............................................ 89
DVD .................................................................. 89
e-book .............................................................. 89
e-commerce ..................................................... 89
ellipses ............................................................. 65
email .... 25, 44, 55, 57, 73, 74, 77, 87, 89, 90, 91,
92, 93, 94, 95, 100
e-mail ............................................................... 89
emphasizing text .............................................. 83
ensure, insure, assure ..................................... 48
equity statement .............................................. 77
e-reader ........................................................... 89
ethnicity............................................................ 78
etiquette
internet ........................................................ 94
exclamation points ................................... 65, 70
Facebook ......................................................... 89
FAQ .................................................................. 89
farther vs. further ........................................... 48
first annual ...................................................... 51
first come, first served .................................... 51
firsthand .......................................................... 51
Flickr ................................................................ 89
fonts ................................................................. 82
forms ................................................................ 93
fractions............................................................ 55
freeware .......................................................... 89
full-time ..................................................... 51, 66
fundraiser ........................................................ 51
fundraising ...................................................... 51
gaphics.............................................................. 21
GIF .................................................................... 89
Google .............................................................. 89
using as a verb.............................................. 89
Google + ........................................................... 89
GoToMeeting ................................................... 89
graphics ...................................................... 22, 84
gray vs. grey .................................................... 51
groundbreaking .............................................. 51
headings ...................... 30, 44, 80, 81, 82, 84, 97
health care ....................................................... 51
Help Desk ........................................................ 90
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Style Guide
gender ..........................................................75
occupational titles ........................................76
sexual orientation ........................................75
numbers ............................................... 52, 55, 63
ages ..............................................................53
dates.............................................................54
fractions .......................................................55
measurements .............................................55
money ..........................................................53
numerals ......................................................52
percentages ..................................................56
time ..............................................................55
years .............................................................54
numerals ............................ 25, 52, 53, 54, 55, 63
dates.............................................................54
money ..........................................................53
time ..............................................................55
years .............................................................54
occupational titles ............................................76
online ...............................................................90
OS .....................................................................90
Oxford comma .................................................59
parentheses ............................... See punctuation
passive voice ...................................................34
PDF ...................................................................90
percentages ......................................................56
periods ....................................... See punctuation
Pinterest ..........................................................90
plug-in ..............................................................90
plurals ......................................................... 42, 43
abbreviations ...............................................43
acronyms ......................................................43
irregular ........................................................42
PNG ..................................................................90
possessives ................................................ 43, 57
plural nouns .................................................43
postgraduate ...................................................51
PowerPoint ......................................................90
prefixes .............................................................66
principle vs. principal .....................................49
programs ...................................................... 9, 29
pronoun antecedent agreement ................ 41, 42
pronouns ............................ 40, 41, 42, 45, 50, 75
plural ............................................................41
singular .........................................................41
publication requirements
annual ..........................................................10
equity statement ..........................................10
Listserv ............................................................ 90
login, logon, logoff ........................................... 90
logo ................................................................... 13
departmental ............................................... 16
improper logo uses ...................................... 15
other agencies.............................................. 16
size ............................................................... 14
logomark ................................................ See logo
LSSC terminology .............................................. 23
abbreviated titles ......................................... 27
academic degrees ........................................ 28
academic years ............................................ 29
breaks........................................................... 30
buildings ....................................................... 24
campuses ..................................................... 23
clubs and organizations ............................... 30
college .......................................................... 23
committees .................................................. 30
courses ......................................................... 29
courtesy titles .............................................. 27
divisions and departments ........................... 31
formal titles .................................................. 27
governmental bodies ................................... 25
LSSC identification number .......................... 25
mascot.......................................................... 25
meta major pathways .................................. 30
phone numbers ............................................ 25
programs ...................................................... 29
rooms ........................................................... 25
semesters ..................................................... 30
terms ............................................................ 30
titles ............................................................. 26
man ...................................................... 42, 75, 76
mascot........................................................ 13, 25
MB .................................................................... 90
Mbps ................................................................ 90
measurements.................................................. 55
meta major pathways ..................................... 30
Microsoft ......................................................... 90
minutes ............................................................ 93
mission ........................................................ 9, 10
money............................................................... 53
months ................................................. 21, 45, 54
multimedia ...................................................... 90
netiquette ........................................................ 94
newsgroup ....................................................... 90
nonprofit.......................................................... 51
nonsexist writing .............................................. 75
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Lake-Sumter State College
Style Guide
startup .............................................................91
subject verb agreement ............................. 40, 41
collective nouns ...........................................40
plural ............................................................40
singular .........................................................40
suffixes .............................................................68
-long .............................................................51
-wide ............................................................51
Sumter Center ........................................... 23, 25
tables ................................................................82
technology terms..............................................89
theater vs. theatre ...........................................51
time ..................................................................59
title case ...........................................................44
titles ................................... 26, 27, 28, 72, 76, 79
capitalization .......................................... 26, 45
courtesy........................................................27
formal ...........................................................27
occupational .................................................76
Tumblr .............................................................91
tweet ................................................................91
Twitter .............................................................91
underway .........................................................52
upload ..............................................................91
uppercase . 21, 22, 25, 38, 44, 45, 52, 57, 63, 83,
89, 90, 93, 94, 97
URL...................................................................91
usability ...........................................................80
username .........................................................91
values ...............................................................10
verb.35, 38, 40, 41, 47, 48, 51, 60, 68, 69, 81, 89,
90, 91
vision................................................................10
voice
active ............................................................34
passive ..........................................................34
voicemail .........................................................91
WCAG ...............................................................91
Web ..................................................................91
web address ....................................................91
web browser ...................................................91
web page ..........................................................91
web server .......................................................91
web writing .......................................................79
audio and video Content ..............................85
copyright ......................................................85
directed scanning .........................................80
faculty pages ................................................85
official LSSC publications.............................. 10
publicizing....................................................... 101
pull-down menu ........................................ 89, 90
punctuation ................................................ 38, 57
ampersands .................................................. 57
apostrophes ................................................. 57
brackets........................................................ 57
colons ........................................................... 58
commas ...................................... 59, 60, 62, 71
ellipses ......................................................... 65
exclamation points ....................................... 65
hyphens............................................ 65, 66, 68
parentheses ................................................. 70
periods ......................................................... 70
question marks ............................................ 71
quotation marks ........................................... 71
semicolons ................................................... 72
slashes .......................................................... 73
question marks ...........................See punctuation
quotation marks .........................See punctuation
quotations ...................................... 59, 60, 72, 73
race ................................................................... 78
reading level .................................................... 36
redundancies ....................................... 35, 55, 81
restrictive clause ....................................... 49, 50
résumé vs. resume .......................................... 51
RSS ................................................................... 90
SACSCOC .............................................. 22, 23, 72
salutations ........................................................ 79
search engine .................................................. 91
seasons ...................................................... 30, 45
capitalization .......................................... 30, 45
semicolons ..................................See punctuation
sentence case .................................................. 44
serial comma ................................................... 59
SharePoint ....................................................... 91
shareware ........................................................ 91
simple language .............................................. 36
Skype ............................................................... 91
slashes ........................................See punctuation
smartphone ..................................................... 91
social media .......................................... 87, 88, 91
rules ............................................................. 87
South Lake Campus ........ 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 107
spam................................................................. 91
spelling ............................................................. 50
spelling out ...................................................... 52
spreadsheet ..................................................... 91
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Lake-Sumter State College
Style Guide
webcast ............................................................91
webmaster .......................................................91
website.............................................................91
which vs. that ..................................................49
who vs. that .....................................................50
who vs. whom..................................................50
workstation .....................................................91
work-study ......................................................52
World Wide Web .............................................91
X-ID ..................................................................25
years ........................................................... 21, 54
ZIP Code ...........................................................52
fonts and colors ........................................... 82
graphics ........................................................ 84
headings ....................................................... 81
impressionable scanning .............................. 80
links .............................................................. 83
naming conventions ..................................... 86
page creation guidelines .............................. 86
reading levels ............................................... 82
scannable ..................................................... 80
tables............................................................ 84
usability ........................................................ 80
web parts ..................................................... 85
webcam ........................................................... 91
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Lake-Sumter State College
Style Guide
LAKE -SUMTER STATE COLLEGE
Style Guide
Leesburg Campus
9501 U.S. Highway 441
Leesburg, FL 34788
(352) 787-3747
Sumter Campus
1405 County Road 526A
Sumterville, FL 33585
(352) 568-0001
South Lake Campus
1250 N. Hancock Road
Clermont, FL 34711
(352) 243-5722
Access the Lake-Sumter Style Guide at http://lssc.edu/news/Pages/StyleGuide.aspx
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