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Point Loma Nazarene University

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General Rules

A-C

adviser/advisor

PLNU uses advisor.


all right

Do not use “alright.”


anyone / any one

Use one word if it’s an indefinite reference.


Example: Anyone could pass such an easy exam.

That other school is not selective; they accept anyone who applies.


Use two words when referring to any single member of a specific group.


Example: Any one of the students can answer that question.

I don’t care which baseball player I get to interview; I’ll be happy to talk to any

one of them.


awhile / a while

Use awhile as an adverb and a while in a prepositional phrase.


Example: He plans to stay awhile.

He plans to stay for a while.


board of directors

Capitalize when used as part of proper name (The San Diego Alzheimer’s Association Board of Directors).

Lowercase when used before a proper name (the board of directors of San Diego Make-A-Wish Foundation). The same rule applies to board of trustees, board of managers and board of regents.

campuswide

(no hyphen)


Not campus-wide


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D -F

divisions

Do not capitalize or use hyphen with upper division or lower division.


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G -L

interim

Do not capitalize. When the holder of a current position steps down, an interim fills the position until a new person is permanently hired.


Example: According to interim Provost Susan Lewis, the interview process for the permanent position is taking longer than expected.


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M -R

NCAA or NAIA Division I

(use Roman numerals)

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S -Z

time

Use lowercase “a.m.” and “p.m.” with periods. Do not put zeroes after on-the-hour times. Avoid the use of “o’clock.”


Examples: Use 10 a.m. ( not 10 am, 10 AM or 10:00 a.m.) .


Use “noon,” not 12 p.m. and “midnight,” not 12 a.m.

The lunch will begin at noon, but please arrive at 11:30 a.m.


Use the en dash (see dashes and hyphens ) to indicate a range of time.


Example: Chapel runs from 9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

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