Style

=Bear Facts Style Sheet= This sheet contains the most common style situations you will run into as a //Bear Facts// staff writer. All other situations should be researched in the //AP Libel and Style Manual.//
 * //PEOPLE//**
 * First reference: give first name, last name, and identification (for students, give grade level; for faculty, give title/job).
 * All references thereafter: use last name only (do not use courtesy titles Mr., Ms., Mrs., or Miss).
 * //CAPITALIZATION//**
 * Capitalize titles when they precede names, but not when they follow: //Principal// David Holmquist, but David Holmquist, //principal.//
 * Only capitalize grade levels in reference to the class itself: //senior// John Brown; the //Senior// Class; the //seniors.//
 * Capitalize names of athletic teams: the //Bears//, the //Spartans//, etc. Do not capitalize team levels (but use //JV// rather than "junior varsity"): the //varsity baseball team// and //boys' JV football//.
 * Capitalize names of clubs, schools, departments and buildings: //Spanish Club//; //English// Department; North Gym.
 * Do not capitalize rooms, committees, or the unofficial names of buildings: //room 219N//; the //auditorium,// the //cafeterias//; //spirit committee.//
 * Only capitalize school subjects if you are referring to a specific course: she's in //band//; I like //journalism//; //Journalism I.//
 * Capitalize the holidays and special events: //Homecoming//; //Spring Break.//
 * Capitalize sections of a country, state, etc., but not **//Directions://** the //South; Southwest Houston//; it's //south// of here.
 * Only capitalize seasons when they are personified: //winter; Old Man Winter//.
 * Times should follow this form: //10 a.m.////;// //2: 30 p.m.////;// //noon////.//
 * Always capitalize proper nouns and adjectives (such as names of languages).
 * //PUNCTUATION//**
 * Do not use a comma before and in a series: apples, bananas, oranges and pears.
 * Put punctuation at the end of a quote inside the quotation mark.
 * When using identification after names in a list, use semicolons to separate the people: John Jones, president; Marla Adams, vice-president; and Lee Smith, treasurer.
 * Hyphenate the word vice-president.

// //
 * //NUMBERS//**
 * In copy, spell out numbers (normal and ordinal) **one** through **nine**, but use numerals for **10** and above.
 * Exceptions to above rule:
 * Always spell out a number if it is the first word of a sentence.
 * Never spell out numbers if you are dealing with:
 * money: $3, $11 million; 5 cents
 * sports scores: 9-4
 * time: 3 p.m.; 6: 54 a.m.
 * dates: Oct. 8 (not October 8th)
 * percents: 9 percent; not nine percent or 9%
 * ages: 7 years old (not seven years)