Writers and editors should adhere to our house style for all written communications. See our house style, a customized version of AP style. Please note: This website can only be accessed while on campus. We are currently working toward an off-site solution.
Most entries in the Custom Stylebook are unique to UB, but some entries are departures from AP style. In the latter case, the Custom Stylebook takes precedence.
For issues not addressed in either stylebook, consult Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary.
In the rare instances when adhering to our house style is impossible (due, for example, to technical restraints), writers and editors should consistently apply any style adaptations across all content.
academic degrees
Lowercase both the degree and the subject of the degree. She earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy. However, when the subject of the degree is a proper noun, it should be uppercase: He earned a bachelor’s degree in English.
When abbreviating degrees, do not use punctuation: BS, EdM, MBA, PhD.
acronyms
Acronyms may be used on second reference when referring to UB entities, provided that the formal name of an entity is provided on first reference, along with the acronym to be used: Jane Smith is a scientist at UB’s Research Institute on Addictions (RIA). She is a member of the RIA’s unofficial softball team. Long acronyms should be avoided. For entities outside UB, acronyms may be used only in accordance with Associated Press style.
addresses
When giving a numbered address, use the abbreviations Ave., Blvd. and St., and spell out all other similar words such as Drive and Circle. When only a street name is given, spell out all words: The hospital is at 1315 Jefferson Ave., at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and East Utica Street. North, East, South and West should be abbreviated as N., E., S. and W. only when a numbered address is given: UB’s family medicine department has offices at 132 W. Main St. in Cuba, N.Y. For address numbers, use figures: The UB Anderson Gallery is at 1 Martha Jackson Place. Spell out First through Ninth when used as street names, but use figures for 10th Street, 11th Avenue and above.
Do not spell out state names in body copy; use the state abbreviation list (NOT the postal code abbreviations) in the Custom Stylebook entry “state names.”
ampersand
Use ampersand only when it is part of a company’s formal name or composition title, or when used as outlined in the entry in this style guide on years.
campuses
Use Downtown Campus to refer to UB’s buildings downtown. Use North Campus to refer to the Amherst campus. Use South Campus to refer to the campus at Bailey Avenue and Main Street. For example: Jane Smith works at UB’s Educational Opportunity Center, part of the Downtown Campus, but takes classes on North Campus and South Campus.
capitalization
Avoid unnecessary capitalization. Common nouns such as university and president should be capitalized only when used as part of a full name for a person, place or thing: The University at Buffalo is a research institution. The university is among the nation’s top research institutions.
cellphone
Not cell phone. Similarly, smartphone.
center
Common names such as “the center” can be used on second reference: UB’s New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences is downtown. The center employs top researchers.
chair
Use chair, not chairman, chairperson or chairwoman.
composition and publication titles
Use roman type and double quotation marks for the titles of books, films, musical compositions, paintings, dissertations, video games, etc. See AP Stylebook for exceptions. Render titles as they appear in the original composition, even if they deviate from our headline style.
The names of newspapers, magazines and periodicals should be cited in copy as they appear on their own banners. The article appeared in The New York Times. But: The article appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
days, weeks, months
Always use Arabic figures, without st, nd, rd or th. For example: June 1, not June 1st.
Do not abbreviate days of the week, except when needed in a tabular format.
When a month is included as part of a specific date, use Jan., Feb., March, April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. María Garcia’s birthday is Sept. 12, 1985. Do not abbreviate the names of any months when only a month and year are given: The research project began in January 2000 and ended in November 2003.
doctor
Do not use the courtesy title “Dr.” except in direct quotes: Jane Smith is a prolific researcher. “Dr. Smith has published many papers in peer-reviewed journals this year,” her husband, John Smith, said.
Do not hyphenate. However, a hyphen should be used with e-book, e-business and e-commerce.
em dashes
No spaces around em dashes in body copy.
health care
Two words, no hyphen, all uses. OK to use healthcare, however, if this is part of an organization’s formal title; for example, VA Western New York Healthcare System.
internet
Lowercase. He surfed the internet.
names
Use first and last name on first reference and last name only on second reference.
New York State
Capitalize the "s" in state, which is contrary to Associated Press Style.
New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences
Always use UB’s New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences on first reference. On second reference, “the center” is acceptable.
numbers
When referring to common objects, spell out one through nine and use figures for 10 and above: James Nowak has two computers, 10 notebooks and 11 pens on his desk. However, use figures when referring to percentages, dimensions and children’s ages. (See AP Stylebook for additional exceptions.)
Numbers at the start of a sentence should always be spelled out: Sixty-four students signed up for the class.
school and department titles
Uppercase the formal name of UB’s schools, colleges and departments: She attends the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Lowercase when used informally: She attends the engineering school. However, when a proper noun is used, it should be capitalized in all uses: The English department has productive scholars.
serial commas
Do not put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series: UB’s researchers are hardworking, innovative and creative. Use a comma before the conjunction in a complex series: In considering Aisha Kumar for the job of research assistant, they wondered if Kumar had enough research experience to complete required duties, if she was able to work for more than one semester, and if she was enthusiastic about the project itself.
State University of New York
When referring to the State University of New York system or its central administration, use State University of New York in communications targeted to external audiences and in highly formal communications (such as contracts or policy statements). Use SUNY on second reference. SUNY may be used on first reference in communications targeting internal audiences and in less formal communications where the audience is likely to understand what the acronym represents. For example: UB is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) and is the largest of SUNY’s 64 campuses.
SUNY Distinguished Professor
Within the State University of New York system, the rank of distinguished professor is an order above full professorship and has three co-equal designations: SUNY Distinguished Professor, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor. When used in conjunction with reference to specific faculty members, the titles stand alone in that they do not incorporate the name of the faculty member’s department. Incorrect: Jim D. Atwood is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Chemistry. Correct: Jim D. Atwood is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor and professor in the Department of Chemistry.
telephone numbers
Use figures with hyphens, without parentheses: 716-555-2000.
times
With the exception of noon and midnight, use figures and lowercase a.m. and p.m. The class began at noon and ended at 1 p.m. Haruto Sato skipped the class because he worked from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
titles
Only formal titles that precede a name are capitalized, and prepositions should be lowercase in all instances: Vice President of Student Affairs Jane Olatunji wears glasses. But: Jane Olatunji, vice president of student affairs, wears glasses.
UB Distinguished Professor, SUNY Distinguished Professor, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor and SUNY Distinguished Service Professor are always capitalized, as are endowed professorships, such as the Albert and Elizabeth Rekate Professor of Medicine.
Commonly used titles that are abbreviated when they precede a name include Gov., Lt. Gov., Rep. and Sen. Gov. Emma Tremblay will be the keynote speaker.
For more information on titles, see the AP Stylebook entry on titles and the Custom Stylebook entry on SUNY Distinguished Professor.
URLs
Don’t include https://www unless it is essential for calling up the website. Usually the simple web address will suffice, for example, buffalo.edu.
website
One word, not capitalized. Also webcam, webcast, webmaster, webpage, webfeed, the web.
year
Use the full figure, such as 1984 or 2010, except when referring to the year of graduation of alumni. When referring to the year of graduation of alumni, use the last two digits of the year, preceded by an apostrophe: John Smith, BA ’93, recently published a book. In instances where alumni have two degrees, use an ampersand to separate the degrees. In instances where alumni have more than two degrees, use commas to separate the first degrees in a list and an ampersand to separate the last degrees in a list. List degrees in chronological or reverse chronological order, staying consistent within a publication: John Smith, BA ’93, MSW ’00 & PhD '03, recently published a book; or John Smith, PhD ’03, MSW ’00 & BA ’93, recently published a book. In all cases, the degree precedes the year it was awarded.