Editorial Style

This list clarifies the spelling and treatment of BYU terms and related academic terms. Regardless of which general editorial style you adhere to, please follow these guidelines for BYU publications. Send corrections and comments to style@byu.edu

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y

A

admissions advisors

Advanced Placement

Advanced Placement Program; Advanced Placement teachers; Advanced Placement courses

advisement centers

See individual colleges for more information, but generally follow this format:

College of Life Sciences Advisement Center

There are two known exceptions:

Education Advisement Center (David O. McKay School of Education)

Liberal Arts Advisement and Careers (College of Humanities)

AIM

AIM (Academic Information Management); AIM system

Aims of a BYU Education, The

The official title of the document is The Aims of a BYU Education—just like The Mission of Brigham Young University. Capitalize but don’t italicize or enclose in quotation marks these full titles.

The Aims of a BYU Education (published 1995)

a BYU aim

the aims

the third aim of a BYU education

All-American

all-state

all-state (generic use)

All-State Academic Tournament (capitalized in official names)

Alumni, BYU

In most cases, the university’s alumni association should be referred to as BYU Alumni. This term is preferred when identifying programs, events, or groups overseen by the alumni association. When describing the association’s leadership or in formal usage, the full name (BYU Alumni Association) is appropriate.

Francine Peabody received a BYU Alumni Replenishment Grant.

BYU Alumni hosts the Traditions Ball each spring.

On this website you can find information about the BYU Alumni chapter in your area.

Amy Fennegan is president of the BYU Alumni Association.

alumnus/alumni

alumnus/alumni (male singular/male plural)

alumna/alumnae (female singular/female plural)

alum (used informally for either singular male or female)

alumni/alums (mixed male and female plural)

applications

The official titles of application forms are capitalized. For example:

Application for Admission to Graduate Studies

Application for Admission to the J. Reuben Clark Law School

Application for Graduation

Application to Resume Graduate Study

BYU Admission and Scholarship Application (refers to the entire BeSmart.com website); admission application; admission process

Continuing Student Enrollment and Scholarship Deferment Application

LDS Missionary Enrollment and Scholarship Deferment Application

athletic conferences

independent: since 2011 (football and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field)

Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF): BYU a member since 1992 (men’s volleyball, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, and men’s and women’s swimming and diving)

Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference (MRGC): BYU a member since 2013

Mountain West Conference (MWC): BYU a member from 1999 to 2011

Pacific Coast Softball Conference (PCSC): BYU a member since 2013 (women’s softball)

West Coast Conference (WCC): BYU a member since 2011 (baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball)

Western Athletic Conference (WAC): BYU a member from 1962 to 1999

athletic teams

Do not capitalize the names of athletic teams.

cross country (distance-running sport); BYU cross country; however, cross-country skiing (As an exception to Webster’s rule of hyphenating cross-country, the nationwide usage for the distance-running sport does not include a hyphen, even when the term is used as an adjective.)

football; BYU football

men’s basketball; BYU men’s basketball

women’s volleyball; BYU women’s volleyball

Exceptions

Cheer Squad; BYU Cheer Squad; the Cougar Cheer Squad

Cougarettes

awards

The name of an award is capitalized, but descriptive words and phrases that are not actually part of the award’s name are not. The word award may or may not be capitalized, depending on the award. For awards not listed here, it may be necessary to find their official usage online. See also fellowships and scholarships.

Academy Award

Emmy

New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award

Nobel Peace Prize; Nobel Prize; Nobel Prize in medicine; Nobel Prize winner; Nobel Prize–winning statesman (Use an en dash, not a hyphen, between Prize and winning in this instance.); Noble laureate

Pulitzer Prize–winning author (Use an en dash, not a hyphen, between Prize and winning in this instance.)

Rhodes Scholarship (but Rhodes scholar)

student Emmy; College Television Awards (official name)

BYU Awards

Abraham O. Smoot Citizenship Award

Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award

Alcuin Fellowship Award

Alumni Achievement Award(s)

Alumni Distinguished Service Award

Alumni Professorship Award

Alumni Service to Family Award

Ben E. Lewis Management Award

BYU Class of 1949 Young Faculty Award

Creative Works Award

Fred A. Schwendiman Performance Award

General Education Professorship Award

Honorary Alumni Award

Maeser awards

Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award

Karl G. Maeser Research and Creative Arts Award

Karl G. Maeser Excellence in Teaching Award

Karl G. Maeser General Education Professorship

Karl G. Maeser Professional Faculty Excellence Award

Phi Kappa Phi Award

Presidential Citation

Presidential Medallion

President’s Appreciation Award

Religious Education Transfer Professor

Sponsored Research Recognition Award

Student Award for Excellence in Teaching

Teaching and Learning Faculty Fellowship Award

Technology Transfer Award

University Professorship Award

Wesley P. Lloyd Award for Distinction in Graduate Education

Young Scholar Award

B

block classes

first or second block

fall block

winter block

first-block classes

board of trustees

board of trustees

BYU Board of Trustees (official name)

board (referring to the Church or BYU—or any other entity’s board, for that matter)

trustee

Brigham Young Academy

Brigham Young Academy

the academy

Academy Building (the part of the Provo Library that was an academy building)

Brigham Young Academy building (there were many)

Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University

the university (not University capitalized)

BYU (not B.Y.U., B. Y. U., or “the BYU,” unless you are President Kimball or you’ve been known to sing “The College Song”; see Cougar fight song)

the Y; see Y

Here is a growing collection of random things you should know about using BYU’s name:

In mailing addresses, include Brigham Young University or BYU for best possible results.

We recommend that Brigham Young University or BYU appear on the front or back cover of all university publications.

As stated in the mission statement, BYU is “founded, supported, and guided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” When describing BYU’s relationship to the Church, it is appropriate to say that the Church is BYU’s sponsoring institution.

buildings (BYU campus)

For building names and abbreviations, see the BYU Map and Building List.

When used with the name of a BYU campus building, capitalize Building.

Abraham O. Smoot Administration Building

Joseph F. Smith Building

Oddities

BYU Conference Center (south of the Caroline Harman Continuing Education Building; the two buildings share the same lobby but not the same name)

Caroline Harman Continuing Education Building (on University Parkway just west of 900 East; its east side has mirrored windows that reflect the mountains; it shares a lobby with the BYU Conference Center but not its name)

Joseph Smith Building (BYU campus); Joseph Smith Memorial Building (Temple Square)

LaVell Edwards Stadium: Home of the BYU Cougars (formerly Cougar Stadium); Lavell Edwards Stadium

Richards Building; Stephen L Richards Building (no period after L; not Richards PE Building)

BYU Broadcasting channels

BYUradio (BYU- and Church-related content; available via satellite/cable and the internet)

BYUtv (available via satellite/cable and online)

BYUtv International (similar content to BYUtv, with English, Spanish, and Portuguese versions; available via satellite/cable and the internet)

Create TV (do-it-yourself and how-to programming from public television; available only over the air and on selected cable systems)

KBYU-FM; branded as Classical 89 (local radio programming, featuring classical music and some BYU- and Church-related content; available via the internet)

KBYU-TV; branded as KBYU Eleven (local PBS affiliate, also featuring some BYU- and Church-related content; not available via the internet)

BYU Store, the

If you accidentally happen to call it “the bookstore,” do not capitalize bookstore.

BYU–Hawaii, BYU–Idaho, and BYU–Pathway Worldwide

Use BYU alone when referring to the Provo campus. For other BYU campuses, use an en dash, not a hyphen, to connect BYU with the campus name.

Brigham Young University–Hawaii; Brigham Young University–Idaho; Brigham Young University–Pathway Worldwide

BYU–Hawaii; BYU–Idaho; BYU–Pathway Worldwide (use en dash)

never BYU–H, BYU–I, or BYU–PW

BYUSA (BYU Student Service Association)

C

campus places and spaces

Brigham Square (plaza northwest of the Wilkinson Student Center)

Garden Court (skylighted room north of the WSC Ballroom)

Joseph Smith Atrium (open area in the center of the Joseph Smith Building)

Kimball Quad (area between the Kimball Tower, the Eyring Science Center, and the Joseph Smith and McKay Buildings)

Lee Quad (area between the Lee Library, Smoot building and Harris Fine Arts building)

Maeser Quad (grassy area between the Maeser, Brimhall, Joseph Smith, and Grant buildings)

Marigold Mall (north–south walkway between the Fletcher, Clyde, Martin, and Clark buildings)

Native Garden (five native plant theme gardens on the hill south of the Joseph Smith Building)

North Hillside (area below the Centennial Carillon Tower featuring the waterfall)

Richards Quad (area between the Richards Building, the stairs to campus, the George Albert Smith Fieldhouse, and the Student Athlete Building)

Sculpture Garden (area surrounding the Museum of Art)

Smoot Mall (area north of the Smoot Building featuring the fountain and flowers)

Wilkinson Way (north–south walkway west of the BYU Store and east of the Lee Library, formerly known as the Checkerboard Quad)

Wilk Terrace (large dining area north of the Cougareat)

capstone

capstone (generic senior course)

Capstone (two-semester program for engineering students)

Career Placement Services

Centennial Carillon Tower

Centennial Carillon Tower

carillon tower

bell tower

centers and institutes

Lowercase the word center or institute when it appears by itself. Capitalize when part of an official name (see 17th Chicago 8.57). Please consult the telephone directory or the entity itself for the proper treatment of its name.

Church Educational System (CES)

class of

class of [year] (class not capitalized)

the class of 1988

class schedule

When the full title is used, capitalize but do not italicize or enclose in quotation marks: Winter 2016 Class Schedule.

college-level entities

College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences

College of Fine Arts and Communications

College of Humanities

College of Life Sciences

College of Life Sciences

College of Nursing

College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences

David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies; Kennedy Center

David O. McKay School of Education; McKay School

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering

J. Reuben Clark Law School; BYU Law; the Law School

BYU Marriott School of Business; J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott School of Business; BYU Marriott

Religious Education

commencement and convocation

Commencement, convocation, and graduation are not synonymous. Commencement is the event at which the university celebrates the graduation of its students. Convocation is the corresponding college-level event. Graduation is what happens to make these events possible.

Capitalize the formal title of particular commencement exercises; lowercase general references.

BYU commencement

university commencement

commencement

132nd Spring Commencement Exercises

April (or spring) 2017 commencement exercises

August (or summer) commencement

December (or June) graduation (there are no commencement exercises in these months, but students still graduate)

committees

Capitalize titles of official or formal committees; lowercase unofficial or informal ones.

Academic Standards Committee

Undergraduate Scholarship Committee

Her courses must be preapproved by her graduate committee.

Commons at the Cannon Center, the; the Commons

continuing education

BYU Continuing Education

BYU Division of Continuing Education

convocation

Lowercase generic references to convocation exercises; capitalize specific references. See commencement

convocations

convocation exercises

College of Humanities Convocation

College of Life Sciences Convocation

Cougar

Capitalize when used as a nickname for a student, athletic team, alumnus, or BYU-blue-wearing supporter of the university.

Cougar fan

They played the Cougars.

Cosmo the Cougar

There are two stuffed cougars in the Wilk.

Cougar Cash (formerly Signature Card)

Cougar Club

Cougar fight song

Officially “The Cougar Song,” the Cougar fight song, with its famous “rise and shout” chorus, is sung frequently—due to the high number of touchdowns scored—at athletic events. It was written by Clyde D. Sandgren. “The College Song,” written by Annie Pike Greenwood, is sometimes sung at other events (usually by old people who refer to the university as “the BYU” and by the Cougar Marching Band at the end of a football game).

Cougar Marching Band

Cougar Marching Band (plays for football games)

BYU Cougar Marching Band

BYU marching band

Cougareat

Cougareat Food Court

the Cougareat

course numbers and their titles in text

Capitalize course titles, spell out any abbreviations, and set off course descriptions with a colon. Catalogs, class schedules, and so forth that are filled with information about courses are an exception to this rule; common sense dictates the use of abbreviations there.

Philosophy 105: Reasoning and Writing was the course I took.

She is taking Philosophy 105 with her younger sister.

I took philosophy from an awesome professor.

She is taking a 100-level philosophy course about reasoning and writing with her younger sister.

D

dean's list, the; National Dean's List

dean's office

deferment forms

See applications

degrees, academic

When academic degrees are referred to in general terms, they are not capitalized (see 17th Chicago 10.21; 8.29). When academic degrees are abbreviated, do not use periods.

associate’s degree (AA) (preferred over associate degree for consistency with other degrees)

bachelor’s degree; baccalaureate; baccalaureate degree; plural: bachelor’s degrees, bachelor of science degrees, bachelors of science

bachelor of arts (BA)

bachelor of fine arts (BFA)

bachelor of general studies (BGS)

bachelor of music (BM; not BMu or BMU)

bachelor of science (BS)

doctoral degree; doctorate; juris doctor (not juris doctorate)

doctor of education (EdD)

doctor of philosophy (PhD)

juris doctor (JD)

master’s degree; plural: master’s degrees, master of science degrees, masters of science

educational specialist (EdS) (similar to a master’s degree but requires more credit hours and a full-time internship during the third year)

executive master of business administration (EMBA; executive MBA)

executive master of public administration (EMPA; executive MPA)

master of accountancy (MAcc)

master of arts (MA)

master of business administration (MBA)

master of education (MEd)

master of fine arts (MFA)

master of information systems management (MISM)

master of laws (LLM)

master of music (MM)

master of public administration (MPA)

master of public health (MPH)

master of science (MS)

master of social work (MSW)

departmental review board

departments

Use before or after the noun (Department of Exercise Sciences or Exercise Sciences Department). Only capitalize when used with the full name of the department (Sociology and Psychology Departments; the department).

When the name of a department includes a list of three nouns, only use the serial comma if it follows the publication style of the surrounding text (Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science for Chicago style or Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science for AP style).

Academic department-level entities (including departments and schools):

David O. McKay School of Education

Communication Disorders, Department of

Counseling Psychology and Special Education, Department of

Educational Leadership and Foundations, Department of

Instructional Psychology and Technology, Department of

Teacher Education, Department of

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering

Chemical Engineering, Department of

Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of

Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of

Mechanical Engineering, Department of

Technology, School of

College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Anthropology, Department of

Economics, Department of

Family Life, School of

Geography, Department of

History, Department of

Psychology, Department of

Social Work, School of

Sociology, Department of

Women’s Studies, Department of

College of Fine Arts and Communications

Art, Department of

Communications, School of

Dance, Department of

Design, Department of

Music, School of

Theatre and Media Arts, Department of

College of Humanities

Asian and Near Eastern Languages, Department of

Comparative Arts and Letters, Department of

English, Department of

French and Italian, Department of

German and Russian, Department of

Linguistics, Department of

Philosophy, Department of

Spanish and Portuguese, Department of

David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies

College of Life Sciences

Biology, Department of

Exercise Sciences, Department of

Health Science, Department of

Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Department of

Neuroscience, Department of

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science, Department of

Physiology and Developmental Biology, Department of

Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Department of

Marriott School of Business

Accountancy, School of

Experience Design and Management, Department of

Finance, Department of

Information Systems, Department of

Management, Department of

Marketing and Global Supply Chain, Department of

Military Science, Department of

College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of

Computer Science, Department of

Geological Sciences, Department of

Mathematics, Department of

Mathematics Education, Department of

Physics and Astronomy, Department of

Statistics, Department of

Religious Education

Ancient Scripture, Department of

Church History and Doctrine, Department of

devotionals

devotional

BYU devotional

university devotional

directory, BYU telephone

E

ecclesiastical endorsements

ecclesiastical endorsement

Continuing Student Ecclesiastical Endorsement (do not add the word form)

Continuing Student Ecclesiastical Endorsement interview

Education Week

BYU Campus Education Week (official name)

Education Week (most common)

electronic handbook

Electronic Handbook of University Organization, Policies, and Procedures

BYU Electronic Handbook

electronic handbook

emeritus/emerita

For more information, see 17th Chicago 8.28.

emeritus/emerita (male/female) professor

professor emeritus of art

general authority emeritus

Enrollment Services, BYU

Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve

When used in body text, BYU mottoes should be enclosed in quotation marks with the first word capitalized and the rest of the words lowercased. In display type, mottoes should be capitalized according to headline style and not enclosed in quotation marks (see 17th Chicago 7.61–62). See mottoes.

“Enter to learn; go forth to serve”

Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve

evening classes

Evening Classes (referring to the department)

Department of Evening Classes

Evening Classes Office

evening class(es) (referring to a generic class taken in the evening)

exams

Because the abbreviations of these exams are more common than their full names, we deem it permissible—even advisable—to use the abbreviations even if the full name hasn’t been introduced previously in the text. When the nouns exam, test, or the like follow the exam name but are not actually part of the exam’s official name, do not capitalize them (e.g., SAT exam).

ACT (no longer stands for anything)

AP (Advanced Placement test)

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)

GRE (Graduate Record Examinations; no s on Record)

IB (International Baccalaureate)

LSAT (Law School Admission Test)

MCAT (Medical College Admission Test)

SAT (no longer stands for anything)

F

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

Federal Pell Grant; Pell Grant

Fellows and fellowships

The name of a fellowship is capitalized (such as Guggenheim Fellowship). The word fellow is not usually part of the official award name and is therefore not capitalized. See also awards.

a fellow of the Royal Academy

Fulbright fellow

Fulbright Fellowship

first-block classes

first-priority deadline

Food to Go, BYU

BYU’s takeaway food catering service

forms

Capitalize the word form when it is in the title of an official university form across the top of the page; otherwise lowercase it or delete it from the title being discussed.

Change of Major Form

Form 8c

Form I-20

University Honors Graduation Commitment Form

forums

Lowercase; do not use forum assembly, as it’s redundant.

forum

BYU forum

forum address

university forum

Founders Day

G

“The Glory of God Is Intelligence”

When used in body text, BYU mottoes should be enclosed in quotation marks with the first word capitalized and the rest of the words lowercased. This motto should also include the scriptural reference in body text. In display type, this motto should be capitalized according to headline style and enclosed in quotation marks because it is a scriptural citation, but it does not need the reference (see 17th Chicago 7.61–62). See mottoes.

“The glory of God is intelligence” (D&C 93:36) (body text)

“The Glory of God Is Intelligence” (display type)

galleries

B. F. Larsen Gallery

Education in Zion; Education in Zion Gallery (gallery in the Joseph F. Smith Building)

Gallery 303

Garden Court

GE course list

general education

Always lowercase general education. It is one of the three components of a BYU bachelor’s degree (general education, religious education, major education); general education and religious education constitute the university core.

grade point average (GPA)

GPAs may be listed with only two digits, except they must be listed with three for scholarship purposes and when in text alongside a three-digit GPA, such as 3.85.

3.5 GPA

He improved from a 3.50 GPA to a 3.89 GPA in one semester.

Graduate Council

graduate school (when speaking generally)

Graduate Studies, BYU

Capitalize as the name of a division at the university. Do not capitalize when speaking about graduate studies in general.

H

Harris Fine Arts Center

Home of College of Fine Arts and Communications from 1964 to 2022. It was demolished in 2023 and will be replaced by the new Arts Building.

Hinckley Center

In a departure from Church style, BYU style omits the apostrophe in visitors in the name of this building (and any visitors center on campus).

Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center

John Franklin Shelley Visitors Center (inside the Hinckley Center)

Homecoming

BYU Homecoming

Homecoming

Homecoming week, game, etc.

Honor Code

BYU Honor Code (not BYU Code of Honor)

the Honor Code

Church Educational System (or CES) Honor Code (when applicable to BYU, BYU–Hawaii, BYU–Idaho, LDS Business College, and BYU–Pathway Worldwide)

Honor Code Advisory Council

Honor Code Office

BYUSA Student Honor

honor societies

Spell and capitalize them according to each society’s preference.

Golden Key National Honour Society

Phi Kappa Phi

honors

Great Questions Essay

Honors Advisement Center

Honors Course Guide

honors education

Honors Program, BYU

Honors Student Council

honors students (both BYU and generically)

honors thesis

graduated with University Honors

graduated with honors

I

Incomplete Grade Contract

Independent Study, BYU

information desk

information desk

ASB Information Desk

WSC Information Desk

RB Information Center

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS)

International Cinema

International Cinema

BYU International Cinema

International Cinema program

International Student Services, BYU

international study programs

Capitalize only when referring to the specific entity that runs the programs; lowercase when referring to the programs in general. BYU offers four types of International Study Programs: study abroad, international internships, direct enrollment, and field school. These terms are lowercased unless they are part of an official program name (such as London Study Abroad, Denmark Internship Program, or Brazil Field School).

international study programs

BYU International Study Programs (the entity that organizes and runs the programs)

internships

Capitalize only when used with a specific program; lowercase in generic references.

Denmark Internship Program (David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies)

New York Internship Program (Department of Communications)

international internship

J

J. Reuben Clark Law School

J. Reuben Clark Law School

BYU Law School

BYU Law

the Law School

Jerusalem Center

Jerusalem Center

BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies

Jerusalem Center Office

K

Kevin J Worthen

The president of BYU (2013–). There is no period after the J. (Except when it ends a sentence, which it likely never will, except for here. Take note of this rare thing.)

L

learning resource centers

The university used to have multiple spaces known as learning resource centers, but the two major centers have been renamed as follows:

Humanities Learning Resources

Media Center (in the library)

libraries

Harold B. Lee Library

Lee Library

the university library

BYU library

Howard W. Hunter Law Library

Hunter Law Library

law library

London Centre, BYU; London Study Abroad program

Lower Campus

M

majors, minors, and academic disciplines

Lowercase the names of majors, minors, and academic disciplines, except for those that are already proper nouns.

civil engineering

English

European studies

music dance theatre

nursing

Marriott Center

Marriott School of Business, BYU; BYU Marriott

Maxwell Institute; Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Formerly known as the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), the Maxwell Institute includes the Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts and the Laura F. Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies.

mentored-learning experience

mentored-student learning (not student-mentored learning)

Mission of Brigham Young University, The

The official title of the document is The Mission of Brigham Young University—just like The Aims of a BYU Education. Capitalize but don’t italicize or enclose in quotation marks these full titles, similar to how the Chicago Manual of Style recommends we treat the US Constitution (for they are similar in importance, are they not?).

The Mission of Brigham Young University (published November 4, 1981)

the mission of BYU

the BYU mission statement

mission statement

moot court

mottoes

When used in body text, the BYU mottoes should be enclosed in quotation marks with the first word capitalized and the rest of the words lowercased.

“Enter to learn; go forth to serve”

“The world is our campus”

“The glory of God is intelligence” (D&C 93:36); always include the scriptural reference in body text

In display type, BYU mottoes should be capitalized according to headline style and should not be enclosed in quotation marks (see 17th Chicago 7.61–62), except for the university’s motto that is a scriptural citation, as shown below.

Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve

The World Is Our Campus

“The Glory of God Is Intelligence”

Multicultural Student Services

museums

Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum; Life Science Museum (acceptable on second reference); never Bean Museum

Museum of Art (MOA)

Museum of Paleontology

Museum of Peoples and Cultures

myBYU

MyMAP

N

names

To verify how a name is spelled, check the department’s website, the person’s office, or, for public figures, a reliable source on the internet.

Commonly misspelled BYU names:

Larry Echo Hawk

Kieth Merrill

John A. Widtsoe

Put spaces between two initials; for example, B. H. Roberts (see 17th Chicago 10.12). AP style, however, would omit the spaces.

The following prefer no periods following the initials in their names:

Jack H Goaslind

Daniel K Judd

Brayden G King

Richard L Manning

Hal G Moore

Stephen L Richards

Michael M. O Seipel (no period after the O)

Ronald J Staheli

Dennis L Thomson

J Paul Warnick

Kevin J Worthen

Net ID

New Student Orientation (NSO)

O

off campus; on campus

Use off campus and on campus (no hyphen) after the noun and off-campus and on-campus (hyphen) before the noun, as with many other compound adjectives.

offices and other campus entities

Capitalize office when included as part of the name. See the current telephone directory for official names.

P

Performing Arts Management (PAM)

performing groups (auditioned only)

Ballet Showcase Company; BYU Ballet Showcase Company

Ballroom Dance Company; BYU Ballroom Dance Company

Chamber Orchestra; BYU Chamber Orchestra

Concert Choir; BYU Concert Choir

Contemporary Dance Theatre; BYU Contemporary Dance Theatre

dancEnsemble; BYU dancEnsemble

Kinnect; BYU Kinnect

Folk Music Ensemble

This is their official name, but sometimes they are called Mountain Strings.

Gamelan Bintang Wahyu

International Folk Dance Ensemble; BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble; American Folk Dance Ensemble; Folk Dance Ensemble; Folk Dancer(s); member(s) of International Folk Dance Ensemble

When performing internationally, this group is known as American Folk Dance Ensemble; when performing inside the United States it is known as International Folk Dance Ensemble. If you are easily confused or favor simplicity, you can just refer to them as Folk Dance Ensemble.

Jazz Ensemble; BYU Jazz Ensemble

Jazz Voices; BYU Jazz Voices

Living Legends; BYU Living Legends; a member of Living Legends (not a Living Legend)

Marching Band; Cougar Marching Band; BYU Cougar Marching Band

Men’s Chorus; BYU Men’s Chorus

Noteworthy; BYU Noteworthy

Panoramic Steel Band; BYU Panoramic Steel Band

Philharmonic Orchestra; BYU Philharmonic Orchestra

ROC Band

Singers, BYU

Symphonic Band; BYU Symphonic Band

Symphony Orchestra; BYU Symphony Orchestra

Synthesis; BYU Synthesis

Theatre Ballet; BYU Theatre Ballet

Traditionz; BYU Traditionz

University Chorale; BYU University Chorale

Vocal Point; BYU Vocal Point

Wind Symphony; BYU Wind Symphony

Women’s Chorus; BYU Women’s Chorus

Young Ambassadors; BYU Young Ambassadors; a member of Young Ambassadors (not a Young Ambassador)

Young Company; BYU Young Company

personal titles

Personal titles are capitalized only when used as part of the name.

president of BYU

President Kevin J Worthen

dean of the college

Dean Miller

academic vice president

professor of ancient scripture

Professor Hugh Nibley

department chair

assistant professor John Smith

When a title is used in apposition before a personal name—that is, not as part of the name but as an equivalent to it, usually preceded by the or by a modifier—it is considered not a title but rather a descriptive phrase and is therefore lowercased (see 17th Chicago 8.21–22).

BYU president Kevin J Worthen

College of Humanities dean J. Scott Miller

religion professor Hugh Nibley

When a title is preceded by the adjectives then, past, acting, former, future, and so on and so forth, don’t hyphenate. Sometimes then can be a bit confusing because it could also function as an adverb or a noun, as in “Then President Cecil O. Samuelson turned to his wife and said, ‘Let’s get some Whoosh! Cecil ice cream.’” In such cases you may decide to hyphenate the term or rewrite the sentence to avoid using such befuddling situations. (And if you now have a headache, we recommend getting some Whoosh! Cecil ice cream.)

then president Merrill J. Bateman

former dean John Rosenberg

Follow Church style for the proper treatment of titles of general authorities (section 8.4)—although we do have a few exceptions, as per usual, particularly that we do not capitalize general authority callings unless they are used as titles as part of the name.

President Russell M. Nelson

Russell M. Nelson, president of the Church

Church president Russell M. Nelson

planetarium; BYU Planetarium; Royden G. Derrick Planetarium

Police, BYU

Not Security or BYU Security or University Security

Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC)

President’s Council

The President’s Council comprises the top-level administrators of the university.

President’s Leadership Council (PLC)

The President’s Leadership Council comprises major donors to the university.

Press, Brigham Young University; BYU Press

While the Brigham Young University Press was discontinued, the imprint is still in use. For information regarding use of the BYU Press imprint, contact the academic vice president’s office.

Princeton Review, the

Do not italicize; this is an organization, not a publication.

Professional Certificate (for teachers)

professorships, chairs, and the like

BYU follows the rules outlined in 17th Chicago 8.28, in which named professorships and chairs are capitalized.

D. Gordon Smith, dean of the BYU Law School and the Glen L. Farr Professor of Law

C. Arden Pope III, Mary Lou Fulton Professor of Economics

Thomas B. Russell holds the General Education Professorship

J. Clifton Fleming occupies the Ernest L. Wilkinson Chair

publications (publications of the university)

Capitalize and italicize the names of magazines, newsletters, newspapers, and journals. Included here is a list of major campus publications. If you think your publication is major enough to be included on this list, you are welcome to try to convince us. We accept well-worded submissions and doughnuts.

Bridges Alumni Magazine (published by the David M. Kennedy Center for International Relations)

BYU Education and Law Journal (published by the Law School and the School of Education)

BYU Law Review (BYU legal studies journal)

BYU Magazine (the university’s alumni magazine)

BYU Studies Quarterly (an academic journal for LDS studies)

BYU Today (biweekly email sent to alumni)

Clark Memorandum, the; Clark Memo (published by the J. Reuben Clark Law School)

Connections (magazine published by the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences)

Encore (published by Performing Arts Management)

Frontiers (published by the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences)

Humanities (magazine published by the College of Humanities)

Learning the Healer’s Art; Healer’s Art (published by the College of Nursing)

Marriott Alumni Magazine (published by the Marriott School of Management)

McKay Today Magazine (published by the David O. McKay School of Education)

BYU College of Life Sciences: A Magazine for Friends and Alumni (published by the College of Life Sciences)

Universe, the (formerly the Daily Universe)

Y News (BYU community’s newsletter published by University Communications)

ROC Band, BYU

This is the school spirit–infusing crew formerly known as the Pep Band that plays for basketball games; it is different from Cougar Marching Band.

Q

question-and-answer session (Q&A)

This is here just in case you look it up. And so that there is something under Q. And because the Merriam-Webster online dictionary doesn’t include the hyphens in question-and-answer when used as an adjective, and we happen to think they should be included. And so does Chicago (see 17th Chicago 7.85 and 5.250—good luck finding the example).

R

replenishment grant

Capitalize only when part of the official and complete name of the grant.

replenishment grant

BYU Alumni Replenishment Grant (granted by the university alumni association)

Alumni Chapter Replenishment Grant (granted by an alumni chapter)

residence hall (not dorm or dormitory)

reunions

Lowercase reunion in all contexts.

Young Ambassadors reunion

class of 1974 reunion

room numbers

Room numbers should precede the building name and should not include the word room. Building wings are designated with a letter and a hyphen before the room number. Rooms within an office suite are denoted by a letter (no hyphen) following the suite number.

3412 HBLL

C-550 HFAC

332D MCKB

S

Salt Lake Center, BYU

scholars and scholarships

The name of a scholarship is capitalized (such as Heritage Scholarship, Thomas S. Monson Scholarship). The word scholar is not usually part of the official award name and is therefore not capitalized (such as Fulbright scholar, Monson scholar). See also awards.

Heritage Scholarship (formerly Trustees Scholarship)

Hinckley Scholarship(s); Abrelia Clarissa Seely Hinckley Scholarship; Edwin Smith Hinckley Scholarship

The most prestigious private scholarships awarded at BYU, these scholarships are given to juniors and seniors—the Abrelia Clarissa Seely to women and the Edwin Smith to men.

Presidential Scholarship

Recipients of Presidential Scholarships bearing the name of the president of the Church continue to receive these scholarships under the name of the president for which the scholarship was named, even if that president has died. For example, for a while there were Howard W. Hunter Presidential Scholarships in effect at the same time there were Gordon B. Hinckley Presidential Scholarships.

University Scholarship

scholastic recognitions

The honors summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude are not italicized (except in this sentence) or capitalized (not even in this sentence).

semesters and terms

Lowercase semesters and terms.

fall semester

spring term

winter 2014 semester

spring 2016

Spectacular

BYU Spectacular! (official name of the show)

Spectacular

never Homecoming Spectacular

spirit of the Y

The spirit of the Y is an expression often used to communicate many aspects of the BYU experience, especially the uplifting feelings evoked by the campus environment. Although the spirit of the Y can include the presence of the Holy Ghost, this term may also communicate other emotions and experiences. To avoid conflating the spirit of the Y with the Spirit of God, spirit in the spirit of the Y should be lowercased. (See Church style 8.33 for a second witness.)

Spirit Squad; BYU Spirit Squad

Stafford Loan (SL)

There is a Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan and an Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan.

Standards

When used in tandem with the Honor Code, capitalize and put a the before both Honor Code and the standards, such as the Dress and Grooming Standards so they appear as the separate entities they are. Lowercase when used in general terms.

Dress and Grooming Standards

BYU Dress and Grooming Standards

CES Dress and Grooming Standards

Residential Living Standards

the Honor Code and the Dress and Grooming Standards

student body (n.); student-body (adj.) (Webster’s 11th)

Student Employment (not Student Employment Office)

Student Health Center

student health plan

BYU Student Health Plan

student health plan

student insurance plan

Student Life

In addition to capitalizing this campus department name, capitalize these divisions under Student Life:

Campus Life

Residence Life

Student Service Association, BYU (BYUSA)

student-athlete; scholar-athlete

studies

When referring to an academic discipline, major, minor, or degree, do not capitalize the word studies.

African studies

Asian studies

bachelor of general studies

European studies

Latin American studies

Middle East studies/Arabic

Native American studies

Scandinavian studies

study abroad

This term is lowercased unless it is part of an official program name (such as the London Study Abroad). See international study programs

style guide

BYU Style Guide (meaning this style guide; don’t italicize, like the Bible, and adhere to it, like the Bible)

university style guide

T

teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL); TESOL Certificate

terms and semesters

See semesters and terms

Testing Center

As a note on behalf of all those who work in the Heber J. Grant Building, the Testing Center is housed inside the Heber J. Grant Building, but the two are not synonymous, nor does the Testing Center take up the entire building.

theaters and concert halls

When the Department of Theatre and Media Arts is involved, spell theater the British way: theatre (-re). If speaking generally and this department isn’t involved, spell it the American way (-er).

Mainstage Theatre

Studio Theatre

Blackbox Theatre

Little Theatre (3380 WSC)

The following theatres are no longer part of BYU campus since the Harris Fine Arts Center was demolished in 2023. Though the spaces are gone, the memories are not.

de Jong Concert Hall; Gerrit de Jong Jr. Concert Hall

Gates Opera Workshop; B. Cecil Gates Opera Workshop; Gates Theatre

Madsen Recital Hall; Franklin and Florence Jepperson Madsen Recital Hall

Margetts Arena Theatre; Philip N. Margetts Arena Theatre

Merrill Debate Theatre; Harrison Reuben Merrill Debate Theatre

Nelke Theatre; Miriam Nelke Experimental Theatre

Pardoe Theatre; T. Earl and Kathryn Pardoe Drama Theatre

ticket office

BYU Tickets has two locations: the Harris Fine Arts Center ticket office and the Marriott Center ticket office.

ticket office

BYU Ticket Office

BYU Tickets

U

undergraduate catalog

The title is not italicized nor enclosed in quotation marks. It is lowercased when referred to generically as “the undergraduate catalog” and BYU doesn’t precede it.

undergraduate catalog

BYU Undergraduate Catalog

BYU 2016–17 Undergraduate Catalog (published online)

university

Lowercase university when used by itself (the university). Never ever capitalize it. It’s unnecessary and arguably pompous. See the following two entries for more examples.

university chaplain

university conference

Lowercase.

university conference (UC; somehow not to be confused with University Communications, which is also abbreviated UC)

BYU university conference

university core

The university core includes general education and religious education requirements.

Upper Campus

V

Varsity Theatre

Our vote is to spell it Theatre simply to be consistent with the other theater names on campus. Of interesting note, however, is the fact that in all printed and online matter it is spelled Theater, but the canopy and marquee show it spelled Theatre. We don’t know Y. Go ask your mother.

Visiting Student Program; BYU Visiting Student Program

W

The World Is Our Campus

When used in body text, the BYU mottoes should be enclosed in quotation marks with the first word capitalized and the rest of the words lowercased. In display type, BYU mottoes should be capitalized according to headline style and not enclosed in quotation marks (see 17th Chicago 7.61–62). See mottoes.

“The world is our campus”

The World Is Our Campus

Washington Seminar

Women’s Conference

Y

Y Be Fit

Y Days

Y Days (not hyphenated) is a multiday service festival held each year at BYU. (Y-Days hyphenated could potentially be a multiday festival about asking questions, but to our knowledge, nothing of the sort exists.) When referring to the historical one-day event when students would whitewash the Y, use Y Day.

Y Group; Y Group leader

Y Mountain

Y-Serve

Y-Serve is under the auspices of the Center for Service and Learning.

Y-Serve

Y-Serve Office

Y; the Y

Y is not italicized when referring to this great university we call BYU or to the Y on Y Mountain. If, however, you are referring to the Y on the mountain as a letter, then italicize it. For example, “I hiked to the letter Y on the mountain” but “I hiked to the Y.” (If you find this confusing, please see the reference for Varsity Theatre.)

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