Writing Style Guide
for digital and print communications
2023
Introduction
The Wentworth Institute of Technology Writing Style Guide is an internal resource outlining
best practices and Wentworth-specific rules for written communications. The goal of this
document is to promote a consistent editorial style across all university communications that
strengthens and advances Wentworth’s messaging and brand identity. These guidelines should
be adhered to across all written (digital or print) communication, regardless of whether they
are internal- or external-facing.
This guide is not all-inclusive. It is meant to be used with tools like
Webster‘s New World
College Dictionary, The American Heritage College Dictionary, and Wentworth’s official writing
style guide, The Associated Press Stylebook. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL)
contains helpful resources related to
AP style as well as general writing tips.
If your team or department would like to subscribe to or order a copy of The AP Stylebook, you
can do so here
.
For questions about fonts, colors, logos, etc., refer to the official
Wentworth Branding
Guidelines. Logos or other visual assets can be downloaded from myWentworth (Faculty &
Staff Resources > Communications Resources > Employee Graphic Resources).
If you have questions that are not covered by this guide or require assistance, please
request
help from MarCom using the online form.
Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 0
Wentworth-Specific Rules .............................................................................................................. 4
Communicating the School’s Name ........................................................................................... 4
The President .......................................................................................................................... 4
Titles of Schools, Departments, Offices, and Programs ......................................................... 5
Capitalization ........................................................................................................................... 4
Job Titles ................................................................................................................................. 4
Academic Credentials ............................................................................................................. 6
Brand Identity ............................................................................................................................. 8
General Grammar Rules ................................................................................................................. 9
Capitalization .............................................................................................................................. 9
Abbreviations and Hyphenations ............................................................................................. 10
Punctuation ............................................................................................................................... 11
Titles .......................................................................................................................................... 14
Email Signature Standards ....................................................................................................... 14
Inclusive Language ....................................................................................................................... 16
Gender Identity ......................................................................................................................... 18
Race and Ethnicity .................................................................................................................... 19
Disability Status ........................................................................................................................ 22
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 4
Wentworth-Specific Rules
Communicating the School’s Name
Use the full name of the university when it is referenced for the first time: Wentworth
Institute of Technology. For subsequent references within a text use “Wentworth” or “the
university” (lower-case U).
The following should NEVER be used to refer to Wentworth:
• “The Wentworth Institute of Technology”
• “Wentworth Institute”
• “the Wentworth Institute”
• “Wentworth University”
In general, refrain from using “WIT,” except for internal purposes or when communicating with
audiences familiar with the acronym, such as current students or alumni.
“Institute” vs. “university”
When Wentworth was officially recognized as a “university” by the Massachusetts Board of
Higher Education in July 2017, the name of the school did not change. There are no plans to
change the name; the name remains “Wentworth Institute of Technology”, though use of “the
university” over “the Institute” is preferred.
If you must refer to Wentworth as “the Institute”, always capitalize “Institute”. “Institute” is
capitalized because the word is part of Wentworth’s official name. “University” is not part of
Wentworth’s name and thus is not capitalized when it is used to refer to Wentworth.
The President
Use the full title on first reference to the (current) president: “Wentworth President Mark A.
Thompson.”
For the second and all other references in formal or official documents, such as business
letters to constituents, use “President Thompson.”
In news communications, such as press releases or website news items, use Thompson on
second reference and then only the last name—Thompson—for all subsequent references (ex.
“Thompson said the university would close early due to the snowstorm”).
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 5
Titles of Schools, Departments, Offices, and Programs
As with the university, use the full name of one of the five Wentworth Schools (“School of
Management”) when it is referenced for the first time; for subsequent references within a text
“School”, “the School” (capital S) or the subject matter (“Engineering”, “Management”), can
be used.
Refrain from using acronyms (“SOE”, SOM”) except for internal purposes or when
communicating with audiences familiar with the acronym, such as current students or alumni.
The following lists the official School names and degrees offered:
School of Architecture and Design
Degrees offered:
Architecture (B.S., M. Arch.)
Industrial Design (B.S.)
Interior Design (B.S.)
School of Computing and Data Science
Degrees offered:
Applied Mathematics (B.S.)
Computer Networking (B.S.)
Computer Science (B.S.)
Cybersecurity (B.S.)
Information Technology (B.S.)
Applied Computer Science (M.S.)
Business Analytics (M.S.)
Cybersecurity Analytics (M.S.)
Data Science (M.S.)
School of Management
Degrees offered:
Construction Management (B.S., M.S.)
Business Management (B.S.)
Computer Information Systems (B.S.)
Facility Management (M.S.)
Project Management (M.S.)
Business Analytics (M.S.)
School of Engineering
Degrees offered:
Biological Engineering (B.S.)
Biomedical Engineering (B.S.)
Civil Engineering (B.S.)
Computer Engineering (B.S., M.S.)
Electrical Engineering (B.S., M.S.)
Electromechanical Engineering (B.S.)
Engineering (B.S., M. Eng., M.S.)
Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)
School of Sciences and Humanities
Degrees offered:
Applied Sciences (B.S.)
Computer Science & Society (B.S.)
Minors:
American Studies
Biology
Chemistry
Performing Arts (Colleges of the Fenway)
Physics
Science & Technology in Society
Sustainability (Colleges of the Fenway)
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 4
Capitalization
Capitalize offices only when referring to their official names.
Correct: Ruggles Wentworth is the head of the Financial Aid Office.
Incorrect: Their office is located within Financial Aid.
Capitalize the word “program” only when it appears with the actual name of the program:
Correct: The Industrial Design Program.
Academic subjects are not capitalized unless they are part of a Wentworth program name, an
official course name, or are themselves a proper name.
Correct: She teaches a course on architecture.
Correct: He is taking an English course.
Correct: They are majoring in Construction Management.
Correct: She is working toward a degree in electrical engineering.
Official names of courses are capitalized, except when used as adjectives.
Correct: I am signing up for Survey of Architecture I.
Job Titles
General Rules
Capitalize formal titles only when they directly precede an individual’s name. Do not capitalize
titles when they come after a name.
Correct: I spoke with President Mark Thompson.
Incorrect: I spoke to president Mark Thompson.
Use lowercase letters and spell out titles when used after a name.
Correct: Ruggles Wentworth, vice president for Institutional Advancement, said they believe
Wentworth alumni are actively engaged in school programs.
Incorrect: Ruggles Wentworth, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, says that
Wentworth students are unique.
Exceptions: Wentworth diverges from AP Style when the title is present on a business card,
nametag, email or other signature, or on promotional materials such a posters advertising an
event. In these instances, titles should be capitalized when they follow a name.
Use lowercase letters when writing a generic title.
Correct: She is the president of Wentworth.
Incorrect: They are the Chair of the committee.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 5
Never refer to academics as doctors unless they also have a medical degree. The correct style
is to cite doctoral degrees after the name.
Correct: President Mark A. Thompson, Ph.D.
Incorrect: Dr. Mark A. Thompson or Dr. Thompson.
Other Administrative Titles
For all VP and AVP positions, spell out “vice president” or “assistant/associate vice president”
and use the word “for” after the VP/AVP title before listing the business unit.
Correct: Ruggles Wentworth, vice president for Business and Finance
Correct: Ruggles Wentworth, vice president for Institutional Advancement
For Directors/Assistant Directors use “of.”
Correct: Ruggles Wentworth, director of public affairs
Faculty Titles
Include complete faculty academic titles before the name when appropriate. Use discretion as
to whether title disrupts the flow of an article.
Correct: Assistant Professor Ruggles Wentworth
Faculty academic titles are lowercase after the name separated by a comma.
Correct: Ruggles Wentworth, assistant professor of architecture.
Company Names
Check the company website to see how the company’s name is written. Abbreviate the words
Company (Co.) and Corporation (Corp.) and Incorporated (Inc.).
Do not use commas with company names or after common abbreviations like “Inc.” “Co.”
“Corp.” “Ltd.”
Correct: They work at Acme Inc. during the week.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 6
Academic Credentials
Degrees
When abbreviating degrees, use periods between and after letters. Generic academic degrees
are lowercase and possessive: bachelor’s degree, master’s degree. There is no possessive for
an associate degree.
Correct: Her bachelor’s degree gave him an edge when applying for jobs.
Correct: They received a B.S. in computer science. He has an associate degree in chemistry.
Specific Academic Degrees
Capitalize. Note that the word “degree” is never part of the official name of a degree.
Correct: Bachelor of Engineering
Correct: He has a Master of Architecture.
Incorrect: Bachelor of Engineering Degree
Referencing Our Alumni
One man: alumnus
One woman: alumna
Two or more men: alumni
Two or more women: alumnae
Two or more individuals (multiple genders): alumni
Latin uses the masculine to identify the collective, and “alumn” has emerged in recent years as
a gender-neutral alternative to the masculine “alumni.” While this is acceptable in informal
communications, Webster’s Dictionary does not recognize “alumn” as a word; therefore, in
formal communications, use “alumni” or the gender-neutral English “graduates.”
Class
The word “Class” is capitalized only when it refers to a specific class.
Correct: The Class of 1959 enjoyed Black and Gold weekend.
Correct: Our Class enjoyed our 30
th
reunion.
Avoid alphabet soup when listing degrees and citing alumni.
In common writing, Wentworth will no longer refer to degrees and alumni by using confusing
industry abbreviations for departmental majors, such as BCOS for Bachelor of Computer
Science or BAET for Bachelor of Engineering Technology.
Moving forward, the preferred method for referencing the academic credentials of
graduates and current students with an associate or bachelor's degree is the First Name
and Last Name followed by the specific degree, a space, and the degree year:
Ruggles Wentworth, Animal Husbandry ’58, …
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 7
For individuals with advanced degrees (master’s or doctoral degrees), include the degree
abbreviation before the degree year for the advanced degree only:
Ruggles Wentworth, Animal Husbandry ’58, M.S. ’59.
Additionally, if an individual was awarded more than one degree in a given year (i.e. both a
bachelor’s and master’s of science) only the more advanced degree should be listed:
Ruggles Wentworth, Master of Science ’59.
For individuals who have received an honorary degree, follow the same rules as advanced
degrees:
Ruggles Wentworth HON. ’15
In certain cases, it may be appropriate to list the parent years for an individual. Parent years
follow the same rules as advanced degrees:
Ruggles Wentworth P. ’23
When listing alumni, such as in the President’s Report
, use the individual name and degree
year, omitting the major and/or abbreviation:
Ruggles Wentworth ’58
Ruggles Wentworth M.S. ’59
Return to Contents
.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 8
Brand Identity
The following summarizes Wentworth’s brand positioning as it relates to typography. For
additional information not covered here, refer to the official Wentworth Branding Guidelines
.
There are four primary typefaces in Wentworth’s identity system:
• IBM Plex Sans
• IBM Plex Sans Condensed
• IBM Plex Mono
• IBM Plex Serif.
While the typefaces were chosen to serve different purposes, they were also selected because
of their innate compatibility. The full IBM Plex font family is available to download for free on
Google Fonts
.
When creating content that represents Wentworth in an official capacity (such as this
guide), use of IBM Plex Sans is preferred in the final, published version.
Arial is the preferred font for informal or strictly internal communications, day-to-day work,
works in progress/drafts, or when IBM Plex Sans is not available. This font is included in the
font libraries for most operating systems. If desired, instructions for changing the default font
in Microsoft applications are included below:
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
Open Sans is an available typeface use solely for the web in body text, subheads, captions, and
navigation text.
To ensure consistency across Wentworth’s branded communications, any official guides,
handbooks, and other reference materials should use headings and sub-headings consistent
with those in this document. Instructions for changing the default headings in Microsoft Word
are included here
, if desired.
Additionally, all guides or other reference documents containing multiple pages of information
should include a table of contents
with clickable links for ease of navigation.
Return to Contents
.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 9
General Grammar Rules
The following outlines some of the most frequently used grammatical rules in marketing and
communications. For a more comprehensive overview of grammar, refer to The Associated
Press Stylebook. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) also maintains an extensive
library on rules relating to grammar and punctuation
.
Capitalization
When in doubt, do not capitalize.
Never capitalize:
Classes of students (first-year, sophomore, junior, senior).
Seasons for the year unless they are used as part of a formal name (the Wentworth Winter
Carnival) or refer to a specific year (Fall 1993). Otherwise, use winter, spring, summer or fall.
Correct: They visited each spring.
Correct: She took classes during the fall semester.
Capitalize the following
:
Words such as the following when they appear as part of a title: “association,” “building,”
“room,” “center,” “council,” “conference,” “office.”
Correct: The Wentworth Board of Trustees voted to adjourn the meeting.
Correct: She is a new member of the board of trustees.
The words “room” and “building” when used to designate a specific area.
Correct: The class was held in Room 205 in Building 22.
The word ‘class’ when it refers to a specific one.
Correct: The Class of 1959.
The season when it refers to a specific one.
Correct: Spring 1992.
The words ‘commencement’ or ‘ceremony’ when it refers to a specific event.
Correct: Yanel de Angel spoke at the August 2022 Commencement.
Correct: The Wentworth Alumni Association was recognized at the 2009 Reunion.
Correct: It is always fun to renew old friendships at school reunions.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 10
Proper names of all races and nationalities. Refer to Race and Ethnicity for detailed guidelines.
Correct: Australian, Irish, Hispanic, African American.
Regions of the country, but not directions or points on a compass.
Correct: The cold front is moving East. It hit the West Coast last week.
(Note: In this example, it is the region “East” that is being referenced, not the direction, hence
the use of capitals.)
Abbreviations and Hyphenations
Hyphenations
Use of the hyphen is far from standardized. Use them to avoid ambiguity or to form a single
idea from two or more words. When in doubt, refer to the AP’s guide on hyphenation
and defer
to The Merriam Webster Dictionary.
Here is a list of common words with correct hyphenation:
• chocolate chip cookie
• cooperative education (co-op) program (on second reference, use co-op)
• hands-on
• high tech
• high-tech gadget
• internet
• one-way street
• online
• parking lot entrance
• sister-in-law
• startup
• website
• World Wide Web
• Worldwide
Dates
Spell out the full name of the month. Avoid use of “th,” “nd,” “rd,” and “st” when referencing a
specific date.
Correct: The conference was held on June 1, 2000.
Spell out months if the day and year are not included.
Correct: He was hired in August.
If just the month and the year are referenced, do not use a comma.
Correct: The conference is being held in October 2010.
Incorrect: The school year starts in September, 2009.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 11
Years
Always use four digits when indicating a span of years:
Correct: 1986-1989
In sentences that contain the full date (month, day, and year) a comma should precede and
follow the year.
Correct: The registration deadline is April 1, 2010, and cannot be changed.
Do not place a comma between the month and the year when the day is not mentioned:
Correct: July 2010.
When referring to decades use the 1920s or the ‘20s. Do not use an apostrophe with the
decade:
Incorrect: The 1960’s. There is no possessive there.
Correct: The 1960s or the ‘70s.
Time of Day
Time of day should be written out: 1:00 PM, 2:30 PM.
When writing a range of time, include “AM” or “PM” at the end of the sequence unless the
range of time includes both. Insert a space before and after the dash:
Correct: 1:00 – 4:00 PM.
Correct: 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM.
Punctuation
The following lists general rules regarding punctuation. For rules not covered here, refer to the
AP’s guide on punctuation
or consult the full AP Style Guide.
• In all text use only one space at the end of a sentence and after a colon or semicolon.
• Avoid excessive exclamation points!
• Avoid unnecessary use of bold, ALL CAPS, italic, and underline.
• Avoid using the ampersand (&)—if you do use it, be consistent throughout.
• Abbreviate the United States of America as “U.S.”
• Do not use the word ‘etc.’ in formal copy.
• Place periods and/or commas within quotation marks.
Correct: “I enjoyed my co-op experience,” she said.
• Place colons and semicolons outside of quotation marks.
Correct: There were two main themes of the workshop on “Managing the Manager”:
communication and information sharing.
• Use an apostrophe in the word ‘it’s’ only when it is used as a contraction of ‘it is,’ not
when it is the possessive adjective.
Correct: It’s clear that Wentworth alumni love their alma mater.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 12
Serial Comma
Wentworth’s stance is to omit the serial comma except when using it helps to prevent
misreading.
Correct: I went to the Public Garden and saw the swans, David Ortiz, and Michelle Wu.
Incorrect: I went to the Public Garden and saw the swans, David Ortiz and Michelle Wu.
In this instance, a serial comma is necessary to ensure that the reader understands that three
entities were seen in the Public Garden: the swans, Red Sox legend David Ortiz, and Boston
Mayor Michelle Wu.
However, there are cases when using or not using a serial comma can be left up to the writer.
Correct: I like to pet kittens, puppies and bunnies.
Correct: I like to pet kittens, puppies, and bunnies.
In both of these instances, the reader is able to discern that the writer enjoys petting three
different adorable animals.
When in doubt, use a serial comma to ensure that your reader understands what you are
trying to say. The only exception is for web copy, which should refrain from use of a serial
comma. In this instance, if a serial comma is absolutely necessary, consider re-writing the
sentence or heading.
Numerals
Spell out zero through nine. Exceptions to the rule:
• When a number is the first word of a sentence, it is ALWAYS spelled.
• When the number is part of a percentage. See “Percentages” below.
Avoid use of “th,” “nd,” “rd,” and “st” when referencing numbers:
Correct: There were 15 men on the boat.
Correct: Fifteen men got ready to go sailing.
Correct: Wentworth came in tenth in the road race.
Percentages
Use the rules above regarding numbers, but always spell out the word percent except when it
appears in charts, graphs, advertisements, or financial-related documents.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 13
Money
Always use the “$” sign rather than writing the word “dollars.”
Correct: She won $100,000. He gave $2 million.
Incorrect: He gave $2 million dollars.
List the whole dollar amounts without cents.
Correct: $1 or $25
Incorrect: $1.00 or $25.00
Note: Utilize this rule for foreign currencies as well (£2 million, not £2 million pounds).
Return to Contents
.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 14
Titles
Composition Titles
Capitalize all words in a title except articles and prepositions or conjunctions of three or fewer
letters unless any of those start or end the title.
Correct: To Kill a Mockingbird
Correct: The Chronicle of Higher Education
Correct: The New York Times
Correct: Is Technology a Benefit or a Distraction in the Classroom?
Apply these guidelines to the titles of books, movies, plays, poems, albums, songs, operas,
radio and television programs (including those from streaming services), lectures, speeches,
films, and works of art. An exhaustive list can be found in the AP Stylebook; for additional
questions, please consult Marketing and Communications
.
For television shows (including those on streaming services) and radio programs, episode titles
should be listed in quotations marks.
Correct: I enjoyed The Office episode, “The Dinner Party.”
Do not use quotation marks around such software titles as Microsoft Word or Windows; apps;
or around names of video, online or analog versions of games: FarmVille, Pokemon Go, The
Legend of Zelda, Monopoly.
Do not use quotation marks for sculptures: The Thinker, Michelangelo's Pieta.
Email Signature Standards
In general, avoid adding images, logos and vCards to your email signature (with the exception
of the Wordmark). Some email clients process these as attachments or block them by default.
If you include these in your signature, your email recipients won’t know when you send a real
attachment and when it’s just your email signature.
Adding links to social media channels is optional; feel free to promote official Wentworth
accounts: Facebook (@WentworthInst), Twitter (@wentworthinst
), Instagram
(@wentworthinstitute), LinkedIn. Use links rather than images or logos.
Additionally, please refrain from adding personal messages, quotations, and colored fonts.
Templates for signatures are included below; the official email signature template and logo
can also be downloaded here or accessed from myWentworth
(Faculty & Staff Resources >
Communications Resources > Employee Graphic Resources).
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 15
Default
First Name Last Name, credentials
Position Title
X/X/X (employees are encouraged to share their pronouns, for example, “they/them/theirs”)
Wentworth Institute of Technology
550 Huntington Ave. | Room Number and Office Building
Boston, MA 02115
o: 617-989-XXXX | m: XXX-XXX-XXXX (optional)
e: XXXXX@wit.edu
All external email signatures should use this format.
Default + Social
First Name Last Name, credentials
Position Title
X/X/X (employees are encouraged to share their pronouns, for example, “they/them/theirs”)
Wentworth Institute of Technology
550 Huntington Ave. | Room Number and Office Building
Boston, MA 02115
o: 617-989-XXXX | m: XXX-XXX-XXXX (optional)
e: XXXXX@wit.edu
Wentworth Social: twitter|instagram|linkedin|facebook
Default + Logo
First Name Last Name, credentials
Position Title
X/X/X (employees are encouraged to share their pronouns, for example, “they/them/theirs”)
Wentworth Institute of Technology
550 Huntington Ave. | Room Number and Office Building
Boston, MA 02115
o: 617-989-XXXX | m: XXX-XXX-XXXX (optional)
e: XXXXX@wit.edu
Return to Contents
.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 16
Inclusive Language
Inclusive language seeks to truly represent all people around the globe. It gives voice and
visibility to those who have been historically excluded or misrepresented in traditional
narratives of both history and daily journalism. It helps readers and viewers both to recognize
themselves in our stories, and to better understand people who differ from them in race, age,
gender, class and many other ways. It makes our work immeasurably stronger, more relevant,
more compelling, more trustworthy.
Wentworth recognizes that language is not static, and the words and phrases we use change
over time. As language continues to change and evolve, these guidelines will periodically be
updated to remain consistent with best practice.
General Guidelines to Keep in Mind
Describe people using identity identifying characteristics ONLY when relevant.
Avoid using adjectives as nouns to label people (e.g., the homeless, the disabled, the poor).
Instead, use adjectival forms (older person, gay man) or nouns with descriptive phrases
(people living in poverty, people with learning disabilities).
Generally, avoid American idioms (e.g., “hit it out of the park”, “raining cats and dogs”) or
highly specific references which require additional context or knowledge outside of the subject
being discussed (e.g., “par for the course” when writing about a topic other than golf).
Do not use the term junkies.
Do not use “Third World countries”. If you must generalize, use “developing nations.”
When discussing sex or gender based violence, including domestic violence or sexual assault,
use terminology that respects the identity, experience, and self-perception of the person about
whom you are writing.
• “Victim” is often used in the context of a criminal complaint, to describe a person who
has recently been impacted by sexual violence, or to communicate feelings of
powerlessness in the context of violence. “Survivor” is often used by individuals who
seek to communicate about the reclamation of power after an experience with violence.
• If a person has self-identified as a victim or survivor, use their preferred terminology
when writing about their experience. If you are writing about sexual violence generally,
use a phrase like “people impacted by [violence]” or “people who have experienced
[violence],” as appropriate.
Avoid using “ethnic minorities” and “underserved communities” interchangeably. The terms
are not synonymous.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 17
Do not use health terms as adjective for non-medical things (“Her plea fell on deaf ears” or
“Prices were crazy low”).
Do not assume that everyone around you celebrates popular or regional holidays (Christmas,
Easter, Thanksgiving, Patriot’s Day) in your communications.
Demonstrate gender inclusivity by using the term “first year student” or “firstyears” instead of
“freshman” or “freshmen.”
Resources: Wentworth Statement on Inclusive Language (Division of Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion)
Questions? Please reach out to Nicole Price, vice president, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 18
Gender Identity
“In general, use terms for jobs and roles that can apply to any gender (“The chair of the
Wentworth Board of Trustees called the meeting to order.”) Such language is inclusive and
treats everyone equally. Balance these aims with common sense, respect for the language,
and an understanding that gender-neutral or gender-inclusive language is evolving and in
some cases is challenging to achieve.
Keep in mind that gender is not synonymous with sex. Gender refers to a person’s social
identity, while sex refers to biological characteristics. Not all people fall under one of two
categories for sex and gender.” — AP Stylebook 55
th
Edition (pp.125)
General Guidelines
In general, avoid references to both, either, or opposite when writing about sex or gender.
When writing about an unspecified person, it is usually possible—and always preferable—to
structure a sentence in a way that avoids gender. This can be easily accomplished by
• Using a plural rather than a singular subject. (“Students will develop their own lesson
plans.”)
• Changing point of view or using an indefinite pronoun. (“Your decision should be based
on your career goals.”)
• Removing the need for a pronoun. (“An employee’s current title is used during the
course of phased retirement.”)
• Using “they” or “them” as a singular gender-inclusive pronoun. (“The person parked in
the fire lane needs to move their car.”)
• Replacing gendered labels. (“Welcome, friends and supporters.”)
Resources: Gender Pronouns Resource Guide
(Schumann Library)
Questions? Please reach out to Catlin Wells
, executive director, Equity and Compliance/Title
IX Coordinator
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 19
Race and Ethnicity
“Reporting and writing about issues involving race calls for thoughtful consideration, precise
language, and an openness to discussions with others of diverse backgrounds about how to
frame coverage or what language is most appropriate, accurate and fair. Avoid broad
generalizations and labels; race and ethnicity are one part of a person’s identity (emphasis
added).
In all coverage—not just race-related coverage—strive to accurately represent the world, or a
particular community, and its diversity through the people you quote and depict in all formats.
Consider carefully when deciding whether to identify people by race. Often, it is an irrelevant
factor and drawing unnecessary attention to someone’s race or ethnicity can be interpreted as
bigotry. Include racial or ethnic details only when they are clearly relevant, and that relevance
is explicit in the story.” — AP Stylebook 55
th
Edition (pp.250)
General Guidelines
• As of 2019, dual-heritage terms do not have a hyphen (Asian American, African
American).
• Refrain from using any of the categories listed in this section as a singular noun. For
plurals, phrasing such as white people is preferable when clearly relevant.
• Similarly, POC (“Person of Color”) and BIPOC (“Black and Indigenous People of Color”)
should not be used as nouns; these terms are acceptable, when necessary, in broad
references to multiple races other than white.
Asian People and Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI)
Do not describe Pacific Islanders as “Asian Americans,” “Asians,” or “of Asian descent.”
Avoid using “Asian” as shorthand for “Asian American.” Asians and Asian Americans are
different.
NEVER use “Orient” or “Oriental” to describe East Asian nations and their peoples; these
terms are outdated. Similarly, refrain from using “Far East.”
Black and African American People
As of July 20, 2020
, “Black” is capitalized as an adjective in a racial, ethnic, or cultural sense
(e.g., Black people, Black culture, Black literature, Black studies, Black colleges).
African American is also acceptable for those in the United States, but these terms are not
necessarily interchangeable. Follow an individual’s preference if known and be specific when
possible and relevant.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 20
Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous refers to the original inhabitants of a place and should be capitalized (Bolivia’s
Indigenous peoples represent 62% of the population).
In the U.S., American Indians and Native Americans are both acceptable terms to use when
referring to two or more people of different tribal affiliations; however, avoid generalizing
whenever possible. Some tribes and tribal nations use member, others use citizen (e.g.,
“citizens of the Nipmuc Nation, “members of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation”).
For individuals, use their specific affiliation, if known (“She is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation
of Oklahoma”). Use the person’s preference and clarify the official name of the tribe if
necessary. For example, some members of the Navajo Nation refer to themselves as Diné, the
Navajo word for “the people”.
Additionally, avoid using words such as warpath, powwow, and teepee, which can be
disparaging and offensive.
Native Hawaiians are the Indigenous inhabitants of Hawaii.
In Alaska, Indigenous groups are collectively known as Alaska Natives. Whenever possible,
avoid generalizing and note an individual’s specific affiliation (“John Hoover, the Aleut
sculptor”).
First Nation is the preferred term for tribes in Canada.
Latino and Hispanic People
Latino is the masculine noun or adjective for a person from, or whose ancestors were from,
Latin American (Latina is the feminine form; Latine is an acceptable gender-neutral form).
Some prefer the recently coined gender-neutral term Latinx, which should be confined to
quotations, names of organizations or descriptions of individuals who request it and should be
accompanied by a short explanation.
Hispanic describes a person from, or whose ancestors were from, a Spanish-speaking area or
culture. Latino, Latina, Latine, or Latinx are sometimes preferred. Follow an individual’s
preference if known and be specific when possible and relevant.
When possible, use more specific identification, such as Cuban, Puerto Rican, or Mexican
American.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 21
White People
Do not use white(s) as a singular noun and do not capitalize
. For plurals, phrasing such as
white people or white students is preferable when clearly relevant. In these instances, “white”
is never capitalized.
Avoid using “Caucasian” to as a synonym for “white” unless in a quotation.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Marketing and Communications | 22
Disability Status
When writing about disability, consider whether person first language or identity first language
is more appropriate:
• Person first language focuses first on a person and second on their experience related
to disability.
• Identity first language references the disability first and is often used by individuals to
reflect pride in their disability related identity.
Use person first language for policies, procedures, and communications that speaks about
disability generally. When writing about an individual, invite the person to tell you how they
would like to be described and/or use the language they use in communicating about
themselves.
Use the terms “cognitive disability” or “intellectual disability” instead of terms like “mentally
challenged.” Where possible or when writing about a specific person, write with specificity by
referencing the specific relevant disability.
Avoid terms like crippled by, suffers from, victim of, etc., which assume that a person with a
disability is suffering or is otherwise afflicted by their disability.
Handicap, “differently abled,” and disability are all acceptable.
When writing about spaces or systems designed to support the needs of people with
disabilities, focus on the accessibility of the space rather than the disability of users. For
example, write “accessible parking” or “accessibility services” instead of “handicapped
parking” or “disability services.”
If it is necessary to differentiate between the experiences of people with disabilities and
people without, use the terms “non-disabled” or “people without disabilities” instead of terms
like “healthy,” “able-bodied,” or “normal.”
Return to Contents
.
