The Gregg Reference Manual - SILO.PUB (2024)

WILLIAM A. SABIN

A Quick Guide to Key Topics By Paragraph Number

Abbreviations, 501-550 Academic formats, 1411,1513,1549 Addresses, 1310-1312,1316-1336, 1368-1369 Adjectives and adverbs, 1065-1073 Agendas, 1703 Ages, 433-435 Bibliographies, 1545-1549 Book titles, 242-243, 289, 360-362, 1022, 1513-1521, 1538

Business organizations, 320-324, 520-521,1020, 1326, Appendix C: Rules 6-11 Capitalization, 196-199,272-273,301-366, 514 Charts and graphs, 1642 Compound adjectives, 813-832 Compound nouns, 801-810 Compound verbs, 811-812 Computer terms, 365, 544, 847 Dangling constructions, 1082-1085 Dates, 407-412 Editing techniques, 1201,1203-1206 E mail, 1375-1389,1533 Employment documents, 1708-1717 Endnotes, 1501-1502,1505-1506 Envelopes, 1367-1370 Fax cover sheets, 1706 Filing rules, Appendix C Footnotes, 1501-1504,1513-1544,1634-1636 Foreign expressions, 241,287, 545,614,1018 Forms of address, 1320-1324,1801-1812 Grammar, 1001-1088, Appendix D Hyphenated words, 801-847 Infinitives, 1044-1046 Itineraries, 1705 Letters, 1301-1366 Manuscripts, 1432-1437 Measurements, 429-432,535-538 Memos, 1373-1374,1410,1413 Metric measurements, 537-538 Minutes of meetings, 1704 Misplaced modifiers, 1086 Money, 413-420 Negatives, 1074-1076 News releases, 1707 Notes, 1501-1544 Numbers, 401-470 Online citations, 1508-1512,1513,1522-1523, 1525-1526,1533-1535 Outlines, 1718-1723 Parallel structure, 1081 Percentages, 447-449

Plurals. 601-626 Possessives, 627-652 Prefixes and suffixes, 833-846 Prepositions, 1077-1080 Pronouns, 1049-1064 Pronunciation problems, Appendix B Proofreaders' marks, 1206 Proofreading techniques, 1201-1202,1204-1206 Punctuation Apostrophe, 245-246, 298, 412, 432, 505, 543, 622-625, 627-652 Asterisk, 292-293 Brackets, 296-297 Colon, 187-199 Comma, 122-175 Dash, 201-217,1548 Diagonal, 294-295 Ellipsis marks, 275-281,291 Exclamation point, 119-121 Hyphen, 217, 411, 420, 427, 459-460, 465, 801-847, 901-922 Italics, 285-290 Parentheses, 218-226 Period, 101-109 Question mark, 110-118 Quotation marks, 227-284 Semicolon, 176-186 Underlining, 285-290 Reports, 1401-1431 Resumes, 1708-1713 Salutations, 1320-1322,1338-1341 Sentence structure, 1081-1088 Sexism, 809-810, 840,1050-1053,1340 Signature blocks, 1347-1354,1374,1384 Social-business correspondence, 1371-1372 Spacing with punctuation marks, 102,299 Spelling, 701-720, 801-848 State abbreviations, 527,1334, inside back cover Subjects and verbs, 1001-1029 Tables, 1601-1642 Telephone numbers, 454 Textnotes, 1507 Time, 436-442, 533-534 URL addresses, 1508,1510-1511,1513,1522-1523 1525-1526,1533-1535 Usage, Section 11 Verbs, 1030-1048 Word division, 901-922 Words that sound alike or look alike, 719 Words frequently misspelled, 720

A MANUAL OF STYLE, GRAMMAR, USAGE, AND FORMATTING Tenth Edition

To M.FS. "For all that has been, thanks. For all that is yet to come, yes!" —Dag Hammarskjold

A MANUAL OF STYLE, GRAMMAR, USAGE, AND FORMATTING Tenth Edition

WILLIAM A. SABIN

McGraw-Hill Irwin Boston Burr Ridge Dubuque Madison New York San Francisco St. Louis Bangkok Bogota Caracas Kuala Lumpur Lisbon London Madrid Mexico City Milan Montreal New Delhi Santiago Seoul Singapore Sydney Taipei Toronto

The McGraw-Hill Companies * » ' « « ® | ^

McGraw-Hill Irwin THE GREGG REFERENCE MANUAL, Tenth Edition A Manual of Style, Grammar, Usage, and Formatting Published by McGraw-Hill/Irwin, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, 10020. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. No rights reserved. All parts of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. This book is printed on acid-free electrons. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 KGP/KGPO 9 8 7 6 5 4 ISBN

0-07-293653-3

Senior Lead Editorial Book Pirate: retrosynthetic Editorial director: John E. Biernat Publisher: Linda Schreiber Sponsoring editor: Doug Hughes Developmental editor: Tammy Higham Marketing manager: Keari Bedford Producer, media technology: Damian Moshak Lead project manager: Mary Conzachi Manager, new book production: Heather D. Burbridge Lead designer: Matthew Baldwin Senior digital content specialist: Brian Nacik Interior design: Matthew Baldwin Cover design: Ark Design, Amanda Kavanaugh Typeface: 70/72 Cushing Book Compositor: Interactive Composition Corporation Printer: Quebecor World Kingsport Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sabin, William A. The Gregg reference manual: a manual of style, grammar, usage, and formatting / William A. Sabin. - 10th ed. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 0-07-293653-3 (alk. paper) 1. English language—Business English-Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. English language-Grammar-Handbooks, manuals, etc. 3. English language-Transcription-Handbooks, manuals, etc. 4. Business writing-Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title. PE1479.B87S23 2005 808'.042-dc22 2004040335

I

About the Author William A. Sabin has retired as publisher of business books in the Professional Book Group, a division of McGraw-Hill. He has written many articles about style, usage, and grammar, and he has frequently spoken at regional and national conferences. Mr. Sabin is now a year-round resident of Bristol, Maine, and he considers himself a confirmed Mainiac.

About the Name Gregg John Robert Gregg was the inventor of Gregg shorthand, which was considered a major improvement over other speedwriting systems then in use. He was born in Ireland in 1867, and his ideas on this subject first appeared in 1888 in a short pamphlet published in Liverpool when he was 21. In 1893 he came to Chicago and founded the Gregg Publishing Company. The first edition of Gregg Shorthand was released that same year. Because Gregg shorthand was relatively easy to learn, it soon was taught in schools around the world, and in an age when there were no electronic recording devices, it became an essential skill for reporterS( scholars, authors, and even political figures. Mr. Gregg died in 1948 at the age of 81.

When McGraw-Hill acquired the Gregg Publishing Company in 1948, the Gregg name had come to stand for the highest-quality materials designed for academic programs in business education. It is for that reason that The Gregg Reference Manu continues to bear the Gregg name, even though the manual is no longer aimed exclusively at an academic audience. Indeed, The Gregg Reference Manual now serve as the primary reference for professionals in all fields who are looking for authoritative guidance on matters of style, grammar, usage, and formatting.

Preface

viii

Acknowledgments

xii

How to Look Things Up

xiv

PART 1 Grammar, Usage, and Style SECTION 1.

Punctuation: Major Marks

2

SECTION 2.

Punctuation: Other Marks

54

SECTION 3.

Capitalization

92

SECTION 4.

Numbers

120

SECTION 5.

Abbreviations

145

SECTION 6.

Plurals and Possessives

172

SECTION 7.

Spelling

193

SECTION 8.

Compound Words

214

SECTION 9.

Word Division

248

SECTION 10. Grammar

254

SECTION 1 1 . Usage

308

EsHfik

*•>.
- For additional examples involving dates, see 11410.

With Jr., Sr., Etc. 1

Do not use commas to set off Jr., Sr., or roman or arabic numerals following a person's name unless you know that the person i n question prefers to do so. Kelsey R. Patterson Jr. Benjamin Hart 2d Christopher M. Gorman Sr. Anthony Jung III John Bond Jr.'s resignation will be announced tomorrow. Continued on page 38

38

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

11157 NOTE: W h e n a person prefers to use commas i n his name, observe the f o l l o w i n g style: Peter Passaro, Jr. [Use one comma when the name is displayed on a line by itself.) Peter Passaro, Jr., director o f . . . [Use two commas when other copy follows.) Peter Passaro, Jr.'s promotion... [Drop the second comma when a possessive ending is attached.) % ^ 2 # Abbreviations l i k e Esq. and those that stand for academic degrees or religious orders are set off b y two commas w h e n they f o l i o w a person's name. Address the letter to Helen E. Parsekian, Esq., in New York. Roger Farrier, L.L.D., will address the Elizabethan Club on Wednesday. The Reverend James Hanley, S.J., will serve as moderator of the panel. Ruth Menendez, M.D., F.A.C.S., will be joining the Miles Medical Group on September 1. [See fl519 for the use of periods in these abbreviations.)

158

When a personal name is given in inverted order, set off the inverted portion with commas. McCaughan, James W., Jr.

With Inc. and Ltd. l k ! ^ l Do not use commas to set off inc., Ltd., and similar terms in an organization's name unless you know that a particular organization prefers to do so. (See also M1328-1329.) Time Inc.

Field Hats, Ltd.

Time Inc. has expanded its operations beyond magazine publishing. Field Hats, Ltd., should be notified about this mistake. NOTE: W h e n commas are to be used i n an organization's name, f o l i o w this style: Alwyn & Hyde, Inc. [Use one comma when the name is displayed on a line by itself.) Alwyn & Hyde, Inc., announces the publication of... (Use two commas when other copy follows.) Alwyn & Hyde, Inc.'s annual statement... Prop the second comma when a possessive ending is attached.)

>• For the use of commas with other parts of an organization's name, see 1163.

In Geographic References and Addresses fTTTE a. Use two commas to set off the name of a state, a country, or the equivalent when it directly foliows the name of a city or a county. Four years ago I was transferred from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, to Bern, Switzerland. The MIT Press is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, not Cambridge, England. Could Pickaway County, Ohio, become a haven for retired editors? Our Pierre, South Dakota, office is the one nearest to you. OR: Our Pierre {South Dakota) office is the one nearest to you. (Parentheses are clearer than commas when a city-state expression serves as an adjective.) Washington, DCs transportation system has improved greatly since I was last there. (Omit the second comma after a possessive ending.)

NOTE: It

could be logically argued that the comma foliowing the state or country should be omitted, because using two commas to set off this name gives parenthetical treatment to an element that is not parenthetical. Nevertheless, the use of two commas is a firmly entrenched convention of style and is not likely to change.

Section 1 • Punctuation: Major Marks

39

11162 b. In sentences that mention one or more cities, omit the state or country names if the cities are well known and are clearly linked with only one state or country. We'll be holding meetings in Atlanta, Baltimore, and Chicago. My agent has arranged for me to address groups of business executives in Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen later this year.

161

When expressing complete addresses, follow this style: I N SENTENCES: During the month of September you can send all documents directly to me at 402 Woodbury Road, Pasadena, CA 91104, or you can ask my assistant to forward them. (Note that a comma does not precede the ZIP Code but follows it in this sentence to indicate the end of the first independent clause.) IN DISPLAYED BLOCKS: 402 Woodbury Road Pasadena, CA 91104

The following rules (Jl! 162-175) deal with various uses of separating commas: to separate items in a series, to separate adjectives that precede a noun, and to clarify meaning in sentences with unusual word order or omitted words.

In a Series I a. When three or more items are listed in a series and the last item is preceded by and, or, or nor, place a comma before the conjunction as well as between the other items. (See also 1126c.) Study the rules for the use of the comma, the semicolon, and the colon. The consensus is that your report is well written, that your facts are accurate, and that your conclusions are sound. The show will appeal equally to women and men, adults and children, and sophisticates and innocents. (See page 314 for a usage note on and.) Only this software lets you fax, transfer files, exchange e-mail, access the Internet and manage phone calls-all from one window on your computer. Here's what the comedian Joe E. Lewis had to say about trying to lose weight: "I went on a diet, I swore off drinking and heavy eating, and in fourteen days I had lost exactly two weeks."

NOTE: An

alternative style—often used by newspapers and magazines—omits the comma before and, or, or nor in a series, but this practice can sometimes lead to confusion. The job involves restocking shelves, cleaning and serving customers. (Without a comma before and, the sentence suggests that the person doing this job will be responsible for cleaning the customers in addition to serving them.)

The customary practice in business is to retain the comma before the conjunction. b. Sometimes, what appears to be an item in a series is actually a mod'ifying expression that refers to the preceding element. Consider this confusing sentence: Please set up a meeting immediately with Blake Mancuso, the contractor, the plumber, and the electrician.

If Blake Mancuso is the name of the contractor, confusion can be avoided by using different punctuation. Please set up a meeting immediately with Blake Mancuso (the contractor), the plumber, and the electrician. Continued on page 40

40

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

11163 However, if Blake Mancuso is one of four people to be invited to the meeting, confusion can only be avoided by changing the wording. For example: Please set up a meeting immediately with Blake Mancuso as well as the contractor, the plumber, and the electrician. OR: Please set up a meeting immediately with the following four people: Blake Mancuso, the contractor, the plumber, and the electrician.

>- See also 11148, note. c. If a nonessential element follows the conjunction (and, or, or nor) in a series, omi the comma before the conjunction to avoid excessive punctuation. We invited Ben's business associates, his fnends and, of course, his parents. (RATHER THAH: . . . his friends, and. of course, his parents.)

ft ["El For a series in an organization's name, always follow the style preferred by that organization. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc.

If you do not have the organization's letterhead or some other reliable resource at hand, foliow the standard rule on commas in a series (see 11162). Our primary supplier is Ames, Koslow, Milke, and Company. NOTE: Do not use a comma before an ampersand (&) in an organization's name unless you know that a particular organization prefers to do so. Aspinwall, Bromley, Carruthers & Dalgleish ft ["LIWhen an expression such as and so on or etc. closes a series, use a comma before and after the expression (except at the end of a sentence). Our sale of suits, coats, hats, and so on, starts tomorrow. Tomorrow morning we will start our sale of suits, coats, hats, etc. >• For a usage note on etc., see pages 323 324. ft I"kBDo not insert a comma after the last item in a series unless the sentence structure demands a comma at that point. May 8, June 11, and July 16 are the dates for the next three heanngs May 8, June 11, and July 16,2007, are the dates for the next three heanngs (The comma after 2007 is one of the pair that sets off the year See H154)

ft I^HWhen and, or, or nor is used to connect aU the items in a series, do not separate the items by commas. (See also 1123b.) Send copies to our employees and stockholders and major customers Neither my brother nor his wife nor his two sons can explain how my van got dented last night

ft [ r y j If a series consists of only two items, do not separate the items with a comma. (See also 1125f.) We can send the samples to you by regular mail or by one of the express services. HOTE: Use a comma, however, to separate two independent clauses joined by and, but or, or nor. (See 1126a.) >• For the use of semicolons in a series, see If 184-185

Section 1 • Punctuation: Major Marks

41

11172 With Adjectives I a. When two consecutive adjectives modify the same noun, separate the adjectives with a comma. Jean is a generous, outgoing person. (A person who is generous and outgoing)

b. Do not use a comma between the adjectives if they are connected by and, or, or nor. Jean is a generous and outgoing person. c. Sometimes two words that seem to be consecutive adjectives are really an adverb plus an adjective. Do not insert a comma in this case. We have found a pretty, out-of-the-way town where we plan to retire. (Two adjectives.] That's a pretty out-of-the-way place to build your East Coast distribution center. (Here pretty is used as an adverb meaning "very."]

When two adjectives precede a noun, the first adjective may modify the combined idea of the second adjective plus the noun. In such cases do not separate the adjectives by a comma. The estate is surrounded by an old stone wall. (A stone wall that is old.) Here is the annualfinancialstatement [A financial statement that is annual.) TEST: To decide whether consecutive adjectives should be separated by a comma or not, try using them in a relative clause after the noun, with and inserted between them. If they read smoothly and sensibly in that position, they should be separated by a comma in their actual position. We need an intelligent, enterprising person for the job. (One can speak of "a person who is intelligent and enterprising," so a comma is correct] Throw out your old down coat (One cannot speak of "a coat that is old and down," so no comma should be used in the sentence.] You can purchase any of these printers with a low down payment On this case the adjective low modifies a compound noun, down payment) To put it gently but plainly, I think Jason is a low-down scoundrel. Qn this case low-down is a compound adjective and requires a hyphen to connect low and down. Seeffl]813-832 for a discussion of compound adjectives.]

I When more than two adjectives precede a noun, insert a comma only between those adjectives where and could have been used. a relaxed, unruffled, confident manner (a relaxed and unruffled and confident manner] an expenenced, efficient legal assistant (an experienced and efficient legal assistant] the established Amencan political system [and cannot be inserted between these adjectives]

Do not use a comma between the final adjective in a series and the following noun. On Monday I put in a long, hard, demanding day. (NOT: a long, hard, demanding, day)

To Indicate Omitted Words . Omission of Repetitive Wording. Use a comma to indicate the omission of repetitive wording in a compound sentence. (This use of the comma usually occurs when clauses are separated by semicolons.) Employees aged 55 and over are eligible for a complete physical examination every yean those between 50 and 54, every two years; and those under 50, every three years. Continued on page 42

42

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

1)172 If the omitted words are clearly understood from the context, simpler punctuation may be used. NOTE:

Employees aged 55 and over are eligible for a complete physical examination every year, those between 50 and 54 every two years, and those under 50 every three years.

b. Omission of That. In some sentences the omission of the conjunction that creates a definite break in the flow of the sentence. In such cases insert a comma to mark the break. Remember, this offer is good only through May 31. The problem is, not all of these assumptions may be correct The fact is, things are not working out as we had hoped. Chances are, the deal will never come off.

In sentences that are introduced by expressions such as he said, she thinks, we feel, or they know, the conjunction that is often omitted following the introductory expression. In such cases no comma is necessary because there is no break in the flow of the sentence. We know you can do it They think our price is too high. She said she would handle everything. We believe we offer the best service. I heard you were moving back North.

NOTE:

Do not omit that if a misreading is possible.

CONFUSING: Researchers have found some medications, even though approved, carry unforeseen risks. (When that is omitted, you might initially mistake some medications as the object of have found rather than as the subject of a relative clause.) CLEAR: Researchers have found that some medications, even though approved, carry unforeseen risks.

c. Omission of Some Other Connective. In some sentences the omission of a preposition or some other connective creates a break in the flow of the sentence. In such cases insert a comma to mark the break. NOT: Our store is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. (The omission of a connective before Monday creates a break.) BUT: Our store is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. A s an alternative, r e w o r d the sentence to eliminate the break and the need for a comma. Our store is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Our store is open between 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Monday through Friday.

d. Balancing Expressions. Use a comma to separate the two parts of a balancing expression from which many words have been omitted. First come, first served. First in, last out Here today, gone tomorrow. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. The more we give, the more they take. GIGO: garbage in, garbage out The less I see of him, the better I like it NOTE: The phrase the sooner the better usually appears w i t h o u t a separating comma.

Section 1 • Punctuation: Major Marks

43

11175 To Indicate Unusual Word Order 1 7 3 In some colloquial sentences, clauses or phrases occur out of normal order and connective words may be omitted. Use a comma to mark the resulting break in the flow of the sentence. You must not miss the play, it was that good. (NORMAL ORDER: The play was so good that you must not miss it.] Why he took the money, I'll never understand. That the shipment would be late, we were prepared to accept; that you would ship the wrong goods, we did not expect.

NOTE: In formal writing, these

sentences should be recast in normal word order.

>- See also 31135c, note. For Special Emphasis 1 7 4 Individual words may be set off by commas for special emphasis. I have tried, sincerely, to understand your problems. They contend, unrealistically, that we can cut back on staff and still generate the same amount of output

NOTE: The use

of commas in the examples above forces the reader to dwell momentarily on the word that has been set off in each case. Without this treatment sincerely and unrealistically would not receive this emphasis. For Clarity I a. Use a comma to prevent misreading. As you know, nothing came of the meeting. (NOT: As you know nothing came of the meeting.) To a liberal like Bill, Buckley seems hard to take. Soon after, the committee disbanded without accomplishing its goal. At our outdoor party last Saturday night, I watched my brother as he stepped backward into our swimming pool, and burst out laughing. (Believe me, it wasn't my brother who was laughing.)

b. Sometimes, for clarity, it is necessary to separate two verbs. All any insurance policy is, is a contract for services. This dispute is not about money, and anyone who thinks it is, is very much mistaken. All the good pieces of furniture that we have, have been in my wife's family for generations. c. Use a comma to separate repeated words. It was a long, long time ago. Well, well, we'll find a way. That was a very, very old argument. Now, now, you don't expect me to believe that! BUT: I can prove that that conversation never took place.

>• Commas with dashes: see 11213, 215b. Commas in numbers: see 11461-463. Commas to separate adjacent numbers: see 11456-457. Commas with questions within sentences: see 11114-117. Commas with parentheses: see 1224a. Commas inside closing quotation marks: see 1247. Continued on page 44

44

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

1)176 Commas at the end of quotations: see 11253-255. Commas preceding quotations: see 1256. Commas with quotations within a sentence: see 11259-261. Commas to set off interruptions in quoted material: see 11262-263. Spacing with commas: see 1299c.

The Semicolon >- For a perspective on the use of the semicolon, see the essay on pages 600-603.

Between Independent Clauses—And, But, Or, or Nor Omitted ^ . f c l ^ a . When a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, or nor) is omitted between two independent clauses, use a semicolon—not a comma—to separate the clauses. (See 11187.) If you prefer, you can treat the second clause as a separate sentence. Most of the stockholders favored the sale; the management did not OR: Most of the stockholders favored the sale. The management did not. (NOT: Most of the stockholders favored the sale, the management did not.] Bob is going for his M.BA; Janet already has hers. Workers in the computer industry don't get fired; they get "uninstalled." (NOT: Workers in the computer industry don't get fired, they get "uninstalled") If I die, I forgive you; if I live, we'll see. (A Spanish proverb.)

b. If the clauses are not closely related, treat them as separate sentences. WEAK: Thank you for your letter of September 8; your question has already been passed on to the manager of mail-order sales, and you should be hearing from Mrs. Livonia within three days. BETTER: Thank you for your letter of September 8. Your question has already been passed on to the manager of mail-order sales, and you should be . . .

c. The omission of but between two independent clauses requires, strictly speaking, the use of a semicolon between the two clauses. However, when the clauses are short, a comma is commonly used to preserve the flow of the sentence. Not only was the food bad, the portions were minuscule. NOTE: A semicolon is used mainly to separate independent clauses. For additional examples, see 1111182a, 184-186.

Between Independent Clauses—And, But, Or, or Nor Included > f r > ^ A comma is normally used to separate two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. However, under certain circumstances a semicolon may be used. a. Use a semicolon in order to achieve a stronger break between clauses than a comma provides. NORMAL BREAK: Many people are convinced that they could personally solve the problem if given the authority to do so, but no one will come forward with a clear-cut plan that we can evaluate in advance. STRONG BREAK: Many people are convinced that they could personally solve the problem if given the authority to do so; but no one will come forward with a clear-cut plan that we can evaluate in advance.

Section 1 • Punctuation: Major Marks

45

1J178 b. Use a semicolon when one or both clauses have internal commas and a misreading might occur if a comma also separated the clauses. COHFUSING. I sent you an order for copier paper, computer paper, and No 10 envelopes, and shipping tags, cardboard cartons, stapler wire, and binding tape were sent to me instead. CLEAR: I sent you an order for copier paper, computer paper, and No. 10 envelopes; and shipping tags, cardboard cartons, stapler wire, and binding tape were sent to me instead.

•MB: To prevent misreading, you will usually find it better to reword the sentence than rely on stronger punctuation. BETTEB: I sent you an order for copier paper, computer paper, and No. 10 envelopes, and you sent me shipping tags, cardboard cartons, stapler wire, and binding tape instead. (The shift in the verb from passive to active eliminates any confusion and produces a stronger sentence as well.)

c. If no misreading is likely, a comma is sufficient to separate the clauses, even though commas are also used within the clauses. On June 8,2006,1 discussed this problem with your customer service manager, Fay Ougan, but your company has taken no further action. All in all, we're satisfied with the job Bergquist Associates did, and in view of the tight deadlines they had to meet we're pleased that they came through as well as they did.

>• For additional examples, see J133. VOTE: Some writers still insist on using a semicolon in sentences like those in c above simply because of the presence of internal commas in the clauses, even though no misreading is possible. Yet no one appears to be troubled by the use of a comma to separate clauses in a complex sentence when commas also appear within the clauses. Although I discussed this problem with your customer service manager. Fay Dugan, on June 8, 2006, your company has taken no further action.

In summary, do not use a semicolon in sentences like those in c above except to prevent misreading or to deliberately create a stronger break between clauses.

With Transitional Expressions C Iri.BWhen independent clauses are linked by transitional expressions (see a partial list below), use a semicolon between the clauses. (You can also treat the second independent clause as a separate sentence.) accordingly besides consequently for example (see U181) furthermore hence

however moreover namely (see 1)181) nevertheless on the contrary otherwise

so (see 1,179) that is [see j|181) then therefore thus yet (see 1,179)

They have given us an oral okay to proceed; however, we're still waiting for wntten confirmation. (OS:... okay to proceed However, we're still...) Our costs have started to level off, our sales, moreover, have continued to grow Let's give them another month to see what they can accomplish, then we can pin them down on their progress. Continued on page 46

46

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

11179

Use a comma after the transitional expression when it occurs at the start of the second clause. (See the first example at the bottom of page 45.) However, no comma is needed after hence, then, thus, so, and yet unless a pause is wanted at th point. (See the third example at the bottom of page 45.) »- For the use of commas with transitional expressions, see ff 138-143. An independent clause introduced by so (in the sense of "therefore") or yet may be preceded by a comma or a semicolon. Use a comma if the two clauses are closely related andthereis a smooth flow from the first clause tothesecond. Use a semicolon or a period if the clauses are long and complicated or if the transition between clauses calis for a long pause or a strong break. NOTE:

179

These sale-priced attach^ cases are going fast, so don't delay if you want one. We have been getting an excessive number of complaints during the last few months about our service; so I would like each of you to review the operations in your department and indicate what corrective measures you think ought to be taken. (OR:... about our service. So I would like...) Sales have been good, yet profits are low. This report explains why production has slowed down; yet it does not indicate how to avoid future glitches.

180

If both a coordinating conjunction and a transitional expression occur at the start of the second clause, use a comma before the conjunction. The site has a number of disadvantages, and furthermore the asking price is quite high. (See 11142b, c, and note.)

REMEMBER: A

semicolon is needed to separate independent clauses, not so much because a transitional expression is present but because a coordinating conjunction is absent.

With For Example, Namely, That Is, Etc I Before an Independent Clause

a. In general, when two independent clauses arelinkedby a transitional expression such as for example (e.g.), namely, or that is (i.e.), use a semicolon before expression and a comma afterward. She is highly qualified for the job; for example, she has had ten years' experience as a research chemist

NOTE: You

can also replace the semicolon with a period and treat the second clause as a separate sentence. She is highly qualified for the job. For example, she has had . . .

b. If the first clause serves to anticipate the second clause and the full emphasis is to faU on the second clause, use a colon before the transitional expression. Your proposal covers all but one point: namely, who is going to foot the bill?

c. For a stronger but less formal break between clauses, the semicolon orthecolon may be replaced by a dash. Hampton says he will help-f/iaf is, he will help if you ask him to. NOTE: Usetheabbreviated forms e.g. and i.e. only in informal, technical, or "expedie documents (such as business forms, catalogs, and routine e-mail messages, memos, and letters between business offices).

^

Section 1 • Punctuation: Major Marks

*7

11183 %±*J

At the End of a Sentence

Wbeaforexample namely or that is introduces words, phrases, or a series of clauses at the end ofa sentence, the punctuation preceding the expression may vary as follows. a. If the first part of the sentence expresses the complete thought and the explana tion that f Hows seems to be added as an afterthought, use a semicolon before the transit! nal expression. Always use figures with abbreviations: for example. 6 m, 9 sq 4 p m (Here the ea ter part of the sentence carries the ma thought: the examples are a welcome but nonessential addition.) MOTE. The use

of a semicolon before for example with a series of phrases is an ex cepti n to the general rule that a semicol n is always followed by an independent clause. b. If the first part of the sentence suggests that an important explanation or illus tration will f Uow, use a colon before the transitional expression to throw empha sis on what follows. My assistant has three mportant duties: namely, attending ail meetings, writing the minutes, and sending out notices. (The word tfvee anticipates the enumeration f lowing namely The colon suggests that what follows is the mam thought of the sentence.)

• o n . Use a comma before the transitional expression to throw emphasis on what precedes I checked these figures with three people, namely, Alma. Andy and J m. (This punctuation emphasizes torn people rather th n the specific names.

c If for example, namely, or that is introduces an appositive that explains a word or phrase immediately preceding, a comma should precede the transitional expression Do not use quotation marks to enclose an md rect quotation, that e, a restatement of a persons exact words. (Here agam, a comma m used because what precedes the transitional expression more important than what follows.

d. The semi 1 n, the colon, and the comma in the examples in 1182a-c may be replaced by a dash or by parentheses The dash provides a stronger but less formal break, the parentheses serve to subordinate the explanatory element (See also 112 1-205 219) C O

Within a Sentence When for example namely or that is introduces words, phrases, or clauses within a sentence treat the entire con tructi n as nonessential and set it off with commas, dashes, r parentheses. Dashes will give emphasis to the interrupting construction, parentheses will make the con tructi n appear less important than the rest of the words in the sentence N^

d to oomfKme^ kx example, the motor re manufactured by outside suppliers.

Many of the

for

Mary of the components

example, the motor-ate manufactured by outside suppliers. example, the motor am

factored by outside suppliers.

• o n . mmas can be used to set ff the n nessential element as 1 ng as it contains n internal punctuati n other than the mma after the introductory expressi n) If

48

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

11184 the nonessential element is internally punctuated with several commas, set it off with either dashes or parentheses. Many of the components-fo/- example, the motor, the batteries, and the cooling unit-are manufactured . . . (Use dashes for emphasis. See H201.)

OR: Many of the components (for example, the motor, the batteries, and the cooling unit) ar manufactured . . . (Use parentheses for subordination. See fl219b.)

In a Series 184

Use a semicolon to separate items in a series if any of the items already contain commas. (See also 11186.) The company will be represented on the Longwood Environmental Council by Martha Janowski, director of public affairs; Harris Mendel, vice president of manufacturing; and Daniel Santoya, director of environmental systems.

NOTE: As an alternative use parentheses to enclose the title following each name. Then use commas to separate the items in the series. The company will be represented on the Longwood Environmental Council by Martha Janowski (director of public affairs), Harris Mendel (vice president of manufacturing), and Daniel Santoya (director of environmental systems).

185

Avoid starting a sentence with a series punctuated with semicolons. Try to recast the sentence so that the series comes at the end. AWKWARD: New offices in Framingham, Massachusetts; Rochester, Minnesota; Metairie, Louisiana; and Bath, Maine, will be opened next year. IMPROVED: Next year we will open new offices in Framingham, Massachusetts; Rochester, Minnesota; Metairie, Louisiana; and Bath, Maine.

In sentences that mention one or more cities, omit the state names if the cities are well known and are clearly linked with only one state. (See also 11160b.) Next year we will open new offices in St. Louis, Denver, and Fort Worth.

NOTE:

With Dependent Clauses 186

Use semicolons to separate a series of parallel dependent clauses if they are long or contain internal commas. (See 1184.) If you have tried special clearance sales but have not been able to raise the necessary cash; if you have tried to borrow the money and have not been able to find a lender; if you have offered to sell part of the business but have not been able to find a partner, then it seems to me that your only course of action is to go out of business. (See H185.) They promised that they would review the existing specifications, costs, and sales estimates for the project; that they would analyze Merkle's alternative figures; and that they would prepare a comparison of the two proposals and submit their recommendations.

NOTE: A simple

series of dependent clauses requires only commas, just like any other kind of series. (See also 11162.) Mrs. Bienstock said that all the budgets had to be redone by Monday, that she could not provide us with any extra help, and that we'd better cancel any weekend plans.

>• Semicolons with dashes: see ff213, 215c. Semicolons with parentheses: see f224a. Semicolons with quotation marks: see f248. Spacing with semicolons: see f299d.

Section 1 • Punctuation: Major Marks

49

1)188

The Colon Between Independent Clauses (jQ[£^a. Use a colon between two independent clauses when the second clause explains or illustrates the first clause and there is no coordinating conjunction or transitional expression linking the two clauses. I have a special fondness for the Maine coast it reminds me of the many happy summers we spent there before our children went off to college. I have two major hurdles to clear before I get my Ph.D.: I need to pass the oral exam and write a dissertation.

The second clause that explains or illustrates the first clause may itself consist of more than one independent clause. It has been said that a successful project goes through three stages: it won't work, it costs too much, and I always knew it was a good idea. As Mark Twain was fond of saying, "Never try to teach a pig to sing: it wastes your time and annoys the pig."

BOTE: It has been traditional to leave two spaces after

a colon. Now that the standards of desktop publishing predominate, the use of only one space is appropriate. Unlike the spacing between sentences, where two spaces may be needed to improve the visual break, the use of only one space after a colon within a sentence normally provides an adequate visual break, just as it does for a semicolon or a comma. (See also 1I299e.) b. Compare the use of the colon and the semicolon in the following sentences. The job you have described sounds very attractive: the salary, the benefits, and the opportunities for training and advancement seem excellent [Use a colon when the second clause explains the first) The job you have described sounds very attractive; it is the kind of job I have been looking for. (Use a semicolon when the second clause does not explain the first clause.) The job you have described sounds very attractive; for example, the salary and the benefits are good, and the opportunities for advancement seem excellent (Ordinarily, use a semicolon when a transitional expression links the clauses. However, see Hi88.)

c. If you arent sure whether to use a semicolon or a colon between two independent clauses, you can treat each clause as a separate sentence and use a period at the end of each. The job you have described sounds very attractive. For example, the salary and the benefits are good, and the opportunities for advancement seem excellent

Before Lists and Enumerations > tifil Place a colon before such expressions as for example, namely, and that is when they introduce words, phrases, or a series of clauses anticipated earlier in the sentence. (See 1111181-182.) The company provides a number of benefits that are not commonly offered in this area: for example, free dental insurance, low-cost term insurance, and personal financial counseling services.

>• For spacing after a colon when it is used with a list or an enumeration within a sentence, see fl87a, note.

50

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

11189 189

When a clause contains an anticipatory expression (such as the following, as follow here is, thus, and these) and directs attention to a series of explanatory words, phrase or clauses, use a colon between the clause and the series. 77?ese are some of the new features in this year's models: a fuel economy indicator, a new rear suspension, and a three-year limited warranty. The following staff members have been selected to attend the national sales conference in Honolulu: Frances Berkowitz Thomas Gomez Thomas Miscina

NOTE: Use as follows (not as follow) even if this phrase refers to a plural noun. The restrictions on the use of this property are as follows:...

190

Use a colon even if the anticipatory expression is only implied and not stated. The house has attractive features: cross ventilation in every room, a two-story living room, and two terraces. Scientists have devised a most appropriate name for a physical property opposed to gravity: levity. (The colon may be used even when what follows is only a single word. See also H 210.)

191

a. Do not use a colon if the anticipatory expression occurs near the beginning of a long sentence. We have set the following restrictions on the return of merchandise, so please be aware of this new policy when dealing with customers. Goods cannot be returned after five days, and price tags must not be removed. BUT: We have set the following restrictions on the return of merchandise: goods cannot be returned...

b. Do not use a colon if the sentence that contains the anticipatory expression is foUowed by another sentence. Campers will find that the following items will add much to their enjoyment These articles may be purchased from a store near the camp. Lightweight backpack Unbreakable vacuum bottle Insulated sleeping bag Polarized sunglasses

c. Do not use a colon if an explanatory series foUows an introductory clause that does not express a complete thought. (In such cases the introductory element often ends with a verb or a preposition.) WRONG. Some of the questions that this book answers are: How can you reduce your insurance expenses without sacrificing protection? How can you avoid being over- or underinsured? How can you file a claim correctly the first time around? (Here the introductory clause is incomplete. It has a subject Some, and a verb, are, but it lacks a complement) BIGHT: Some of the questions that this book answers are these: How can you . . . ? (Here the introductory clause is complete; hence a colon is acceptable.) BIGHT: Here are some of the questions that this book answers: How can y o u . . . ? (Here again the introductory clause is complete; hence a colon is acceptable.) WBONG: The panel consists of: Ms. Seidel, Mrs. Kitay, and Mr. Haddad. BIGHT: The panel consists of Ms. Seidel, Mrs. Kitay, and Mr. Haddad. BIGHT: The panel consists of the following people: Ms. Seidel, Mrs. Kitay, and Mr. Haddad.

Section 1 • Punctuation: Major Marks

51

1)194 WRONG: This set of china includes: 12 dinner plates, 12 salad plates, and 12 cups and saucers. RIGHT: This set of china includes 12 dinner plates, 12 salad plates, and 12 cups and saucers. RIGHT: This set of china includes the following pieces: 12 dinner plates, 12 salad plates, and 12 cups and saucers. NOTE: A colon

may be used after an incomplete introductory clause if the items in the series are listed on separate lines. This set of china includes: 12 dinner plates 12 salad plates 12 cups and saucers

The panel consists of: Ms. Seidel Mrs. Kitay Mr. Haddad

In Expressions of Time and Proportions I When hours and minutes are expressed in figures, separate them with a colon, a s in the expression 8:25. (No space precedes or follows this colon. See also 11112996,440g.) 193

A colon is used to represent the word to in proportions, as in the ratio 2:1. (No space precedes or follows this colon. See also 1H[299e, 450a.)

In Business Documents la. In business letters, use a colon after the salutation (see also 1(1346). In socialbusiness letters, use a comma (see also 111395b). b . In business letters, a colon is often used with elements displayed on separate lines. (In some cases another type of punctuation is also acceptable.) REFERENCE NOTATIONS:

When replying, refer to: Policy 356 627 894 [see Hi 316)

ATTENTION LINE:

Attention: Ms. Jane Palmer (see Hi 344)

SUBJECT LINE:

Subject: Amendments to Berkowitz Contract (see H1353)

REFERENCE INITIALS:

DMD:SBC OR: dmd/sbc OR: sbc (see Hi370c]

ENCLOSURE NOTATION:

Enclosures: OR: Under separate cover: (see HHI373-1374)

COPY NOTATION:

cc: P. Malone OR: c: P. Malone OR: Copies to: P. Malone (see Hl376d-f)

PS: Please call on Monday OR: PS. Please call... (see Hi 381) NOTE: Leave one or two spaces after the colon a s needed to achieve an adequate visual break. (A colon used in reference initials should not be followed or preceded by any space.) c. In memos and other business documents, u s e a colon after displayed guide words. TO: FROM: DATE: SHIP TO: BILL TO: Distribution: NOTE: Leave a minimum of two spaces after displayed guide words like these. If a number of displayed guide words are arranged in a column (as in the heading of a memo), set a tab a minimum of two spaces after the longest guide word in the column so that the entries following the guide words will all align a t the same point. You may be able to use a preset tab instead of setting a n e w tab. (See K1393f.) POSTSCRIPT:

52

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

1)195 In References to Books or Publications 195

a. Use a colon (followed by one space) to separate the title and the subtitle of a book. Be sure to read The New Financial Order: Risk in the Twenty-First Century. If you want to see how our language is being abused, I urge you to read William Lutz's classic work, The New Doublespeak: Why No One Knows What Anyone's Saying Anymore.

b. A colon may be used to separate volume number and page number in footnotes and similar references. (Leave no space before or after the colon. See also 1[299e.) 8:763-766 [meaning Volume 8, pages 763-766; see also Hi512, note] NOTE: A reference

to chapter and verse in the Bible is handled the same way: Isa. 55:10 [meaning the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 55, verse 10)

Capitalizing After a Colon I Do not capitalize the first word after a colon if the material that follows cannot stand alone as a sentence. All cash advances must be countersigned by me, with one exception: when the amount is less than $50. [Dependent clause following a colon.) Two courses are required: algebra and English. (Words following a colon.)

Capitalize the first word after the colon if it is a proper noun, a proper adjective, or the pronoun /.

EXCEPTION:

Two courses are required: English and algebra. BUT: Two courses are required: algebra and English.

Do not capitalize the first word of an independent clause after a colon if the clause explains, iliustrates, or amplifies the thought expressed in the first part of the sentence. (See 1196, exception.) Essential and nonessential elements require altogether different punctuation: the latter should be set off by commas; the former should not.

Capitalize the first word of an independent clause after a colon only if it requires special emphasis or is presented as a formal rule. (In such cases the independent clause expresses the main thought; the first part of the sentence usualiy functions only as an introduction.) Let me say this: If the company is to recover from its present difficulties, we must immediately devise an entirely new marketing strategy. Here is the key principle: Nonessential elements must be set off by commas; essential elements should not. Although index investing derives from the theory that the markets operate efficiently, its intellectual foundation is based on a simple truth: It is impossible for all stock investors together to outperform the overall stock market.

NOTE: Some

writers like to capitalize every independent clause that foliows a colon, even though they would not be tempted to capitalize independent clauses that follow a semicolon or a dash. The best policy is not to capitalize independent clauses after a colon except as specificaliy noted in M197-199.

Section 1 • Punctuation: Major Marks

53

11199 capitalize the first word after a colon under these circumstances: a. When the material following the colon consists of two or more sentences.

^L££)A1SO

There are several drawbacks to this proposal: First, it will tie up a good deal of capital for the next five years. Second, the likelihood of a significant return on the investment has not been shown.

b. When the material following the colon is a quoted sentence. Frederick Fontina responded in this way: "We expect to win our case once all the facts are brought out in the trial." (See fl256b-f for the use of a colon before a quoted sentence.)

c. When the material following the colon starts on a new line (for example, the body of a letter following the salutation or the individual items displayed on separate lines in a list). Dear John:

Capitalize the first word of:

I have read your latest draft, and I find it much improved. However, on page 41 wish you would redo...

a. Every sentence, b. Direct quotations, c. Salutations in letters.

d. When the material preceding the colon is a short introductory word such as Note, Caution, ox Remember. Note: All expense reports must be submitted no later than Friday. Remember: All equipment must be turned off before you leave.

e. When the material preceding the colon is the name of a speaker in the transcription of court testimony or in a script for a play. (See also 11270.) SPELLMAN: According to Mrs. Genovese's testimony, you called Mr. Mellon "a person of hidden depths." RISKIN: What I actually said was that I found Mr. Mellon to be a person of hidden shallows.

>- Colons with dashes: see 11213, 215c. Colons with parentheses: see 1224a. Colons with quotation marks: see 11248, 256b-f. Spacing with colons: see 1187a, note, and 11299e, 1433e.

I^^^^^^^^l^L^M^^^SKBI^^^^^^^^M

Section 2 Punctuation: Other Marks The Dash (M201-217) In Place of Commas (11201-203) In Place of a Semicolon (11204) In Place of a Colon (f 205) In Place of Parentheses (11206) To Indicate an Abrupt Break or an Afterthought (11207-208) To Show Hesitation (11209) To Emphasize Single Words (H210) With Repetitions, Restatements, and Summarizing Words (11211) Before Attributions (H212) Punctuation Preceding an Opening Dash (H213) Punctuation Preceding a Closing Dash (11214) Punctuation Following a Closing Dash (1215) Typing Dashes (UK216-217)

Parentheses (HU218-226) With Explanatory Material (111218-219) With References (1220) With Dates (1221) With Enumerated Items (11222-223) Parenthetical Items Within Sentences (1224) Parenthetical Items at the End of Sentences (1225) Parenthetical Items as Separate Sentences (1226)

Quotation Marks (1JH227-284) With Direct Quotations (11227-234) For Special Emphasis (11235-241) With Titles of Literary and Artistic Works (11242-244) Quotations Within Quotations (11245-246) With Periods and Commas (1247) With Semicolons and Colons (1248) With Question Marks and Exclamation Points (1249) With Dashes (1250) With Parentheses (1251) Punctuating Quotations That Stand Alone (1252) Punctuating Quotations That Begin a Sentence (11253-255)

Punctuating Quotations That End a Sentence (11256-258) Punctuating Quotations Within a Sentence (11259-261) Punctuating Quoted Sentences With Interrupting Expressions (11262-263) Punctuating Long Quotations (11264-265) Quoting Letters (1266) Quoting Poetry (11267-268) Quoting Dialogues and Conversations (11269-270) Style in Quoted Material (1271) Capitalization in Quoted Material (11272-273) Aligning Quotation Marks (1274) Omissions in Quoted Material (11275-281) Insertions in Quoted Material (11282-284)

Italics and Underlining (UU 285-290) For Special Emphasis (11285-288) With Titles of Literary and Artistic Works (1289) Guidelines for Italics and Underlining (1290)

Other Marks of Punctuation (HU291-298) Ellipsis Marks (...) (1291) The Asterisk (*) (11292-293) The Diagonal (/) (11294-295) Brackets ([ ]) (1296) Angle Brackets () (1297) The Apostrophe (') (1298)

Spacing With Punctuation Marks (11299)

>• For definitions of grammatical terms, see the appropriate entries in the Glossary o Grammatical Terms (Appendix D).

The Dash Although the dash has a few specific functions of its own, it most often serves in place of the comma, the semicolon, the colon, or parentheses. When used as an alternative to these other marks, it creates a much more emphatic separation of words within a sentence. Because of its versatility, some writers are tempted to use a dash to punctuate almost any break within a sentence. Indeed, some writers mistakenly think it is fashionable to use dashes in place of periods at the end of sentences. However, this indiscriminate use of dashes destroys the special forcefulness that a dash can convey. So please use the dash sparingly—and then only for deliberate effect DfPouftHT HOTS: Dashes come in different lengths—one em, two ems, three ems, and one en. (An em has the same width as a capital M; an en is one-half the width of an em.) Continued on page 56

56

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

11201

The term dash—as used in 11201-215—refers in all cases to a one-em dash; 11216-217 deal in part with the use of two-em, three-em, and en dashes. (In the preceding sentence the dash used in the phrase 11201-215 is an illustration of an en dash. The dashes used to set off the phrase as used in 11201-215 as a whole are illustrations of an em dash,thesimple way of referring to a one-em dash.) In Place of Commas fr-I'll Use dashes in place of commas to set off a nonessential element that requires special emphasis. At this year's annual banquet, the speakers-and the food-were superb. Of all the color samples you sent me, there was only one I liked-taupe. ^ J j J J If a nonessential element already contains internal commas, use dashes in place of commas to set the element off. (If dashes provide too emphatic a break, use parentheses instead. See 11183, 219.) Our entire inventory of Oriental rugs-including a fine selection of Sarouks, Kashans, and Bokharas-will be offered for sale at a 40 percent discount

203

To give special emphasis to the second independent clause in a compound sentence, use a dash rather than a comma before the coordinating conjunction. The information I sent you is tme-and you know it!

In Place of a Semicolon 2 0 4 For a stronger but less formal break, use a dash in place of a semicolon between closely related independent clauses. (See 11176,178.) I do the work-he gets the credit! The job needs to be done-moreover, it needs to be done well. Wilson is totally unqualified for a promotion-for example, he still does not grasp the basic principles of good management

In Place of a Colon 2 0 5 For a stronger but less formal break, use a dash in place of a colon to introduce explanatory words, phrases, or clauses. (See 11187-189.) I need only a few items for my meeting with Kaster-namely, a copy of his letter of May 18, a copy of the contract under dispute, and a bottle of aspirin. My arrangement with Gina is simple-she handles sales and I take care of promotion.

In Place of Parentheses 2 0 6 Use dashes instead of parentheses when you want to give the nonessential element strong emphasis. (See 11183, 219.) Call Mike Habib-he's with Jax Electronics-and get his opinion.

To Indicate an Abrupt Break or an Afterthought 2 0 7 Use a dash to show an abrupt break inthoughtor to separate an afterthought from the main part of a sentence. When a sentence breaks off after a dash, leave one or two spaces before the next sentence. (See 11102, 299f.) I wish you would- Is there any point in telling you what I wish for you? We offer the best service in town-and the fastest! According to Bert/and Russell, "Many people would sooner die than think-and usually do."

Section 2 • Punctuation: Other Marks

57

1)212 208

If a question or an exclamation breaks off abruptly before it has been completed, use a dash followed by a question mark or an exclamation point as appropriate. (See 1215a.) If the sentence is a statement, however, use a dash alone. Leave one or two spaces before the next sentence. (See 1102.) Do you want to tell him or-? Suppose I wait to hear from you. If only- Yet there's no point in talking about what might have been. (HOT: If only-. Yet there's no point in talking about what might have been.)

>- For the use of ellipsis marks to indicate a break in thought, see f291b.

To Show Hesitation 209

Use a dash to indicate hesitation, faltering speech, or stammering. The work on the Patterson project was begun-oh, I should say-well, about May 1-certainly no later than May 15.

To Emphasize Single Words 210

Use dashes to set off single words that require special emphasis. Jogging-that's what he lives for. There is, of course, a secret ingredient in my pasta sauce-fennel.

With Repetitions, Restatements, and Summarizing Words 211

a. Use dashes to set off and emphasize words that repeat a previous thought or restate it to make it more specific. Don't miss this opportunity-the opportunity of a lifetime! Next week-on Thursday at 10 a.m.-we will be making an important announcement at a press conference. In November and December, fear of family reunions-sometimes referred to as "kindred"-is a common phenomenon.

b. Use a dash before such words as these, they, and all when these words stand as subjects summarizing a preceding list of details. Network television, magazines, and newspapers-tfiese will be the big losers in advertising revenues next year. India, China, and Australia-a//are important new markets for us. BUT: India, China, and Australia are all important new markets for us. (No dash is used when the summarizing word is not the subject)

Before Attributions 212

When providing an attribution for a displayed quotation—that is, when identifying the author or the source of the quotation—use a dash before the name of the author or the title of the work. Never put off till tomorrow that which you can do today. -Benjamin Franklin Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow. -Aaron Burr Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow. -Mark Twain

The attribution typically appears on a separate line, aligned at the right with the longest line in the displayed quotation. For additional examples, see 1274b. HOTE:

58

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

11213 Punctuation Preceding an Opening Dash 2 1 3 Do not use a comma, a semicolon, or a colon before an opening dash. Moreover, do not use a period before an opening dash (except a period following an abbreviation). Quality circles boost productivity-and they pay off in higher profits too. (HOT: Quality circles boost productivity,-and they pay off in higher profits too.) The catalog proofs arrived before 11 a.m.-just as you promised.

Punctuation Preceding a Closing Dash 2 1 4 a. When a statement or a command is set off by dashes within a sentence, do not us a period before the closing dash (except a period following an abbreviation).

Ernie Krauthoff-he used to have his own consulting firm-has gone back to his old job at Marker's (HOT: Ernie Krauthoff-He used to have his own consulting firm.-has gone back to his old job at Marker's.)

Your proposal was not delivered until 6:15 p.m.-more than two hours after the deadline. b. When a question or an exclamation is set off by dashes within a sentence, use question mark or an exclamation point before the closing dash. The representative of the Hitchcock Company-do you know her?-has called again. The new sketches-l can't wait to show them to you!-should be ready by Monday or Tuesday.

HOTE: When

a complete sentence is set off by dashes, do not capitalize the first word unless it is a proper noun, a proper adjective,thepronoun J, orthefirstword of a quoted sentence. Punctuation Following a Closing Dash 2 1 5 Whenthesentence construction requires some mark of punctuation following a closing dash, either retain the dash or use the sentence punctuation—but do not use both marks together. a. When a closing dash falls at the end of a sentence, it should be replaced by the punctuation needed to end the sentence—a question mark or an exclamation point (but not a period). (See 1208.) Wheeler's Transport delivers the goods-on time! (HOT: Wheeler's Transport delivers the goods-on time-!)

b. When a closing dash occurs at a point where the sentence requires a comma, retain the closing dash and omit the comma. The situation has become critical-indeed dangerous-but no one seems to care. (Here the closing dash is retained, and the comma before the coordinating conjunction is omitted.) If you feel you are qualified for the job-and you may very well be-you ought to take the employment test and go for an interview. (Here the closing dash is retained, and the comma that separates a dependent clause from an independent clause is omitted.) Brophy said-and you can check with him yourself-This office must be vacated by Friday." (Here the closing dash is retained, and the comma before the quotation is omitted.)

Do not put a phrase in dashes if the closing dash occurs at a point where a comma is needed after an item in a series. Put the phrase in parentheses instead.

HOTE:

COHFOSIHG: I plan to ask Spalding, Crawford-Betty, not Harold-Higgins, and Martin to investigate why sales have fallen off so sharply. CLEAS: I plan to ask Spalding, Crawford (Betty, not Harold), Higgins, and Martin to investigate why sales have fallen off so sharply.

Section 2 • Punctuation: Other Marks

59

11216 c. If a closing dash occurs at a point where the sentence requires a semicolon, a colon, or a closing parenthesis, drop the closing dash and use the required sentence punctuation. Please try to get your sales projections to us by Wednesday-certainly by Friday at the latest; otherwise, they will be of no use to us in planning next year's budget. Here is what Marsha had to say-or at least the gist of it: look for new opportunities in niche marketing, and move quickly to capitalize on them. You need a volunteer [for example, someone like Louis Morales-he's always cooperative] to play the part of the customer.

Typing Dashes 216

a. If you are using word processing software, you will very likely have access to a special character called an em dash—so called because it is as wide as a capital M. (This is the dash that appears in all the examples in Sni201—215.) If you do not have access to this special character, you can construct a dash by striking the hyphen key twice with no space between the hyphens. Whether you use an em dash or two hyphens, leave no space before or after the dash. Don't believe him-ever! OH: Don't believe him~ever!

[NOT: Don't believe him - ever!) [NOT: Don't believe him — ever!)

BUT: If only I had realized- But now it's too late. (When a statement breaks off abruptly, leave one or two spaces between the dash and the start of the next sentence. See J1208 and important spacing guidelines in 1)102.)

b. Never use a single hyphen to represent a dash. There's only one person who can do this job~you! [NOT: There's only one person who can do this job-you! OR:... this job - you!)

c. A two-em dash is used to indicate that letters are missing from a word. If you do not have access to a two-em dash, type four consecutive hyphens (with no space between). If the letters are missing from within a word, leave no space before or after the two-em dash. If the letters are missing at the end of a word, leave no space before; leave one space after unless a mark of punctuation needs to be inserted at that point. Mr. T—n was the one who tipped off the police. OR: Mr. T-—n was the one . . . Mrs. J — asked not to be identified, OR: Mrs. J — asked not to be identified.

d. A three-em dash is used to indicate that an entire word has been left out or needs to be provided. If you do not have access to a three-em dash, type six consecutive hyphens (with no space between hyphens). Since the three-em dash represents a complete word, leave one space before and after the three-em dash unless a mark of punctuation is required after the missing word. We expect our sales will reach — by the end of the year. OR: We expect our sales will reach by the end of the year. NOTE: A

three-em dash is also used in bibliographies to represent an author's name in subsequent entries, after the first entry in which the author's name is given in full. See 111548 and the illustration on page 506. e. Type a dash at the end of a line (rather than at the start of a new line). He lives in Hawaiion Maui, I believe.

NOT: He lives in Hawaii -on Maui, I believe.

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11217 217

a. Use an en dash—half the length of an em dash but longer than a hyphen—to connect numbers in a range. The en dash means "up to and including" in expressions like these: open 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday

see Chapters 2-3, pages 86-124

planned for the week of March 2-8

a loan of $50,000-$60,000 for 10-15 years

during the years 2005-2008 a seminar scheduled for May-June 2006

retirement plans for employees aged 55-62 new offices located on Floors 16-17

>• For the use of an en dash in certain compound adjectives, see 1819b, note, and note; for other examples showing the use of an en dash, see 311459-460. b. Use an en dash to signify a minus sign. (See S[1631e.) c. If the equipment you are using does not offer access to an en dash, use a hyphen in expressions like those in a above. d. In manuscript being prepared for publication, it is often necessary to use special proofreaders' marks to distinguish en dashes from em dashes and hyphens, especialiy when hyphens have been used throughout the manuscript to represent dashes of varying length. The proper way to code the length of dashes is as foliows:

J-

±

J=-

A

N

/V\

M

/A

The proper way to indicate which hyphens are to be treated as hyphens is to double the hyphen to look like an equal sign. For example: first-rate

firstfate

postTtevolutionary War period

WinstonlSalem-Washington flight connections A tworday conference will take place early this spring-sometime during the week of A />\ April 4-10,1 believe. The registration fee of $250-$300 will be reduced for those who N N sign up for the firstlay program.

Parentheses Parentheses and dashes serve many of the same functions, but they differ in one significant respect: parentheses can set off only nonessential elements, whereas dashes can set off essential and nonessential elements, REMEMBER: In setting off elements, dashes emphasize; parentheses de-emphasize.

With Explanatory Material Use parentheses to enclose explanatory material that is independent of the main thought of the sentence. The material within parentheses may be a single word, a phrase, an entire sentence, a number, or an abbreviation. We called him Mr. B. for so long that when I ran into him last week, I couldn't remember his last name [BertolucciJ. (A single word.] By Friday (or sooner if possible) I will have an answer for you. (A phrase.)

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61

1)222 Our competitors (we consistently underpnce them) can't understand how we are able to do it (A sentence.) This note for Five Thousand Dollars C$5000) is payable within ninety (90) days. (Numbers. See tlH 420,436a, note.) Many corporations have created a new top-level job: chief information officer (CIO). (Abbreviation. See 11504. note.) HOTS: Be sure the parentheses enclose only w h a t is t r u l y parenthetical. WBONG. I merely said I was averse (not violently opposed to) your suggestion. SIGHTS I merely said I was averse (not violently opposed) to your suggestion.

€ 2 D Use parentheses to set off a nonessential element when dashes would be too emphatic and commas might create confusion. a. Parentheses are clearer than commas when a city-state expression occurs as an adjective. Sales are down in our Middletown (Connecticut) office. BETTER THAN: Sales are down in our Middletown, Connecticut office.

b. Parentheses are clearer than commas when the nonessential element already contains commas. (See H183, 202.) In three of our factories (Gary, Detroit and Milwaukee) output is up.

With References t £ i J j Use parentheses to set off references and directions. When I last wrote to you (see my letter of July 8 attached), I enclosed photocopies of checks that you had endorsed and deposited.

When a reference falls at the end of a sentence, it may be treated as part of the sentence or as a separate sentence. (See also 11225, note.) This point is discussed at greater length in Chapter 7 (see pages 90-101). OB: This point is discussed at greater length in Chapter 7. (See pages 90-101.) >• For the use of parentheses in footnotes, endnotes, and textnotes, see Section 15.

With Dates fr-Hl

Use parentheses to enclose dates that accompany a person's name, a publication, or an event. He claims that he can trace his family back to Charlemagne (742-814). The "Sin On" Bible (1716) got its name from an extraordinary typographical error instead of counseling readers to "sin no more," it urged them to "sin on more."

With Enumerated Items € 2 J *• Within a Sentence. Use parentheses to enclose numbers or letters that accompany enumerated items within a sentence. We need the following information to complete our record of Ms. Pavlick's experience: (1) the number of years she worked for your company, (2) a descnption of her duties, and (3) the number of promotions she received. HOTS . . . our record of Ms. Pavlick's experience: 1) the number of years she worked for your company, 2) a descnption of her duties, and 3) the number of promotions she received. (The only acceptable use of a single closing parenthesis is in an outline. See 11223.) Continued on page 62

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1)223 NOTE: Use

letters to enumerate items within a sentence when the sentence itself is part of a numbered sequence. 3. Please include these items on your expense report: (a] the cost of your hotel room, (b) the cost of meals, and (c) the amount spent on travel.

b. In a Displayed List. If the enumerated items appear on separate lines, the letters or numbers are usually foUowed only by periods. (See 11107a.) 223

Subdivisions in outlines are often enclosed in parentheses. It is sometimes necessary to use a single closing parenthesis to provide another level of subdivision. 1 I a A (1) 1 (a) a 1) (1) a) (a) 1) a) NOTE: At every level of an outline there should be at least two items. If an item is labeled A, there must be at least one more item (labeled B) at the same level. >• For guidelines on formatting outlines, see flfll718-1723.

Parenthetical Items Within Sentences If the item in parentheses falls within a sentence: a. Make sure that any punctuation that comes after the item (such as a comma, a semicolon, a colon, or a dash) falls outsidetheclosing parenthesis. Unless I hear from you within five working days (by May 3), I will turn this matter over to my attorney. I tried to reach you last Monday 0 called just before noon]; however, no one in your office knew where you were. For Jane there is only one goal right now (and you know it): getting that M.BA I saw your picture in a magazine last week On People, I think)-and how I laughed when I saw who was standing next to you!

NOTE: Do

not insert a comma, a semicolon, a colon, or a dash before an opening parenthesis. b. Do not capitalize the first word of the item in parentheses, even if the item is a complete sentence, EXCEPTIONS: Proper nouns, proper adjectives, the pronoun 7, and the first word of a quoted sentence. (See examples in c below.) c. Do not use a period before the closing parenthesis except w i t h an abbreviation. Plan to stay with us (we're only fifteen minutes from the airport) whenever you come to New Orleans. NOT: Plan to stay with us (We're only fifteen minutes from the airport.) whenever you come to New Orleans. Paul Melnick (he's Boyd's new sales manager) wants to take you to lunch. At last week's hearing (I had to leave at 4 p.m.), was the relocation proposal presented?

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63

11226 d. Do not use a question mark or an exclamation point before the closing parenthesis unless it applies solely to the parenthetical item and the sentence ends with a different mark of punctuation. At the coming meeting (will you be able to make it on the 19th?), lefs plan to discuss next year's budget (A question mark is used in parentheses because the sentence ends with a period.) May I still get tickets to the show (and may I bring a friend), or is it too late? (A question mark is omitted in parentheses because the sentence ends with a question mark.) HOT. May I still get tickets to the show (and may I bring a friend?), or is it too late?

Parenthetical Items at the End of Sentences € ^ S H the item in parentheses is to be incorporated at the end of a sentence: a. Place the punctuation needed to end the sentence outside the closing parenthesis. Please return the payroll review sheets by Monday (October 8). Is it true that there is a special term for gossip spread by e-mail (word of mouse)? What a prima donna I work with (you know the one I mean)!

b. Do not capitalize the first word of the item in parentheses, even if the item is a complete sentence, EXCEPTIONS: Proper nouns, proper adjectives, the pronoun /, and the first word of a quoted sentence. (See examples in c and d below.) c. Do not use a period before the closing parenthesis except with an abbreviation. Our office is open late on Thursdays (until 9 p.m.). Our office is open late on Thursdays (we're here until nine). HOT: Our office is open late on Thursdays (We're here until nine.).

d. Do not use a question mark or an exclamation point before the closing parenthesis unless it applies solely to the parenthetical element and the sentence ends with a different mark of punctuation. My new assistant is Bill Romero (didn't you meet him once before?). Be sure to send the letter to Portland, Oregon (not Portland, Maine!). Then he walked out and slammed the door (can you believe it?)! Do you know Ellen Smyth (or is it Smythe)? HOT: Do you know Ellen Smyth (or is it Smythe?)? I'm through with the job (and I mean it)! HOT: I'm through with the job (and I mean it!)!

HOTE: When a complete sentence occurs within parentheses at the end of another sen-

tence, it may be incorporated into the sentence (as in the examples above) as long as it is fairly short and closely related. If the sentence in parentheses is long or requires special emphasis, it should be treated as a separate sentence (see 1226). Parenthetical Items as Separate Sentences ^ £ £ j If the item in parentheses is to be treated as a separate sentence: a. The preceding sentence should close with a punctuation mark of its own. b. The item in parentheses should begin with a capital letter. c. A period, a question mark, or an exclamation point (whichever is appropriate) should be placed before the closing parenthesis. Continued on page 64

64

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

H226 d. No other punctuation mark should follow the closing parenthesis. Leave one or two spaces before the start of the next sentence. (See 1102.) Then Steven Pelletier made a motion to replace the board of directors. [He does this at every stockholders' meeting.) However, this year... I was most impressed with the speech given by Helena Verdi. (Didn't you used to work with her?) She knew her subject and she knew her audience.

>• Parentheses around question marks: see 1118. Parentheses around exclamation points: see 1119c. Parentheses around confirming figures: see 1420a. Parentheses around area codes in telephone numbers: see 1454c. Parenthetical elements within parenthetical elements: see 1296b. Plural endings in parentheses: see 1626.

Quotation Marks Quotation marks have three main functions: to indicate the use of someone else's exact words (see 11227-234), to set off words and phrases for special emphasis (see 11235-241), and to display the titles of certain literary and artistic works (see 11242-244). IMPORTANT HOTE: There are three styles of quotation marks: curly (" "), slanted (" "), and straight ("). (Curly quotation marks are often referred to as smart quotes.) In the following examples, note that curly and slanted quotation marks require a different symbol to mark the opening and closing of the quoted material; straight quotation marks are the same, whether they open or close the quoted material. (Note also that the style of the apostrophe in won't matches the style of the quotation marks.) CDBLT: Paul simply said, "It won't work." SLABTED: Paul simply said, "It won't work." STRAIGHT. Paul simply said, "It won't work." The font you select will determine the style of quotation marks to be used. If you wish, you can switch from the defaalt style to an alternative style by accessing an extended character set. Quotation marks usually appear as a doubled set of symbols, but in certain circumstances single quotation marks are called for. (See 11245-246,247b, 248b, 249d, 250b, 265b, 298a.) For guidance on how to position punctuation marks in relation to the closing quotation mark—inside or outside—see 11247-251. For more specific guidance on when to use punctuation with quoted material and which punctuation to use, refer to the following paragraphs: >- Quotations standing alone: see 1252. Quotations at the beginning of a sentence: see 11253-255. Quotations at the end of a sentence: see 11256-258. Quotations within a sentence: see 11259-261. Quotations with interrupting expressions: see 11262-263. Quotations within quotations: see 11245-246. Long quotations: see 11264-265. Quoted letters: see 1266. Quoted poetry: see 11267-268. Quoted dialogues and conversations: see 11269-270. Quotation marks as a symbol for inches: see 11432, 543b.

Section 2 • Punctuation: Other Marks

65

H230 With Direct Quotations i Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation, that is, the exact words of a speaker or a writer. As Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan once observed, "You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts." In her fight for civil rights during the 1960s, Fannie Lou Hamer said, "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired." Casey Stengel once said, The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate you from the guys who are undecided." When I asked Diana whether she liked the new format of the magazine, all she said was "No." (See 1111233,256a, note.)

a. Do not use quotation marks for an indirect quotation, that is, a restatement or a rearrangement of a person's exact words. (An indirect quotation is often introduced by that or whether and usually differs from a direct quotation in person, verb tense, or word order.) DIRECT QUOTATION: Mrs. Knudsen asked her supervisor, "Am I still being considered for the transfer?" INDIRECT QUOTATION: Mrs. Knudsen asked her supervisor whether she was still being considered for the transfer. DIRECT QUOTATION: Her supervisor said, "You're still in the running, but don't expect a quick decision." INDIRECT QUOTATION: Her supervisor said that she was still in the running but should not expect a quick decision.

Sometimes direct quotations are introduced by that. (See M256f and 272, note.) b. In some cases a person's exact words may be treated as either a direct or an indirect quotation, depending on the kind of emphasis desired. NOTE:

The chairman himself said. The staff should be told at once that the rumors about a new building have no foundation." [The use of quotation marks emphasizes that these are the chairman's exact words.) The chairman himself said the staff should be told at once that the rumors about a new building have no foundation. (Without quotation marks, the emphasis falls on the message itself. The fact that the chairman used these exact words is not important)

Do not use quotation marks to set off a direct question at the end of a sentence unless it is also a direct quotation (one that uses someone's exact words). DIRECT QUESTION: The question is, Who will pay for restoring the landmark? DIRECT QUOTATION: Mrs. Burchall then asked, "Who will pay for restoring the landmark?" DIRECT QUOTATION: Mrs. Burchall then replied, "The question is, Who will pay for restoring the landmark?" (See also fll 15.)

Quotation marks are not needed to set off interior thoughts or imagined dialogue. Treat this kind of material like a direct question (as shown in 1229 above). After I left Joe's office, I thought. He has no business telling me what to do.

I should have said, i can handle this situation-thank you very muchl-without any of your help. NOTE: In special cases quotation marks may help to preserve clarity or maintain styl-

istic consistency (for example, when imaginary dialogue is interspersed with actual dialogue).

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Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

11231 231

a. When only a word or phrase is quoted from another source, be sure to place the quotation marks only around the words extracted from the original source and not around any rearrangement ofthosewords. Tanya said she would need "more help" in order to finish your report by this Friday. (Tanya's exact words were, "How can he expect me to finish his report by this Friday without more help?")

b. When a quoted word or phrase comes at the end of a statement, the period goes insidetheclosing quotation mark. President Harry Truman said he wanted to find a one-armed economist-someone who wouldn't say "on the one hand, on the other hand."

NOTE: When a

quoted word or phrase comes at the end of a question or an exclamation, the placement of punctuation with respect to the quotation marks will vary. (See 11258 for guidelines. Seealso1247a, particularly examples 2-4.) c. Be particularly sure not to include such words as a and the atthebeginning of th quotation or etc. at the end unless these words were actually part of the original material. Ben thought you did a "super" job on the packaging design. (Ben's exact words were, Tell Bonnie I thought the job she did on the packaging design was super") Explain the decision any way you want but tell George I said, "I'm truly sorry about the way things turned out," etc, etc

232

When quoting a series of words or phrases in the exact sequence in which they originaliy appeared, use quotation marks before and after the complete series. However, if the series of quoted words or phrases did not appear in this sequence in the original, use quotation marks around each word or phrase. According to Selma, the latest issue of the magazine looked "fresh, crisp, and appealing." (Selma's actual words were, "I think the new issue looks especially fresh, crisp, and appealing.") BUT: Selma thinks the magazine looks "fresh" and "crisp." (NOT. Selma thinks the magazine looks "fresh and crisp.")

233

Do not quotethewords yes and no unless you wish to emphasizethatthesewere (o will be) the exact words spoken. Please answer the question yes or no. Don't say no until you have heard all the terms of the proposal. You need to start saying no to cookies and yes to laps around the block. When asked if he would accept a reassignment, Nick thought for a moment; then, without any trace of emotion, he said "Yes." (The quotation marks imply that Nick said precisely this much and no more. See H256a, note, for the use or omission of a comma after he said.)

When quoting the words yes and no, capitalize them if they represent a complete sentence. NOTE:

All she said was "No." I would have to answer that question by saying "Yes and no." BUT: That question requires something more than a yes-or-no answer.

234

Do not use quotation marks with well-known proverbs and sayings. They are not direct quotations. When I was young, I was taught that the person who laughs last laughs best When I was older, I learned that the person who laughs last thinks slowest Now that I'm old, I know that people who laugh last

Section 2 • Punctuation: Other Marks

67

H237 For Special Emphasis 235

When using technical terms, business jargon, or coined words or phrases not likely to be familiar to your reader, enclose them in quotation marks when they are first used. One computer support center reports that some software users become confused when they are directed to press any key. They call to complain that they cannot find the "any" key. It takes Joe a long time to get himself "booted up" in the morning. (The quoted phrase refers to the technique whereby a computer gets itself up and running. The quotation marks are unnecessary if you are writing to someone familiar with computer terms.)

236

a. Words used humorously or ironically may be enclosed in quotation marks. Rose's shop does not sell second-hand clothes. It sells "experienced" clothing. When I invited Sally to join me today for a lunch alfresco (out of doors), she said she only had time for lunch "al desko." My opponent has pledged to oppose any legislation that would levy "new taxes." However, he is on record as favoring "revenue enhancement through new user fees."

However, unless you are convinced your reader will otherwise miss the humor or the irony, omit the quotation marks. I was totally underwhelmed by Joe's proposal to centralize all purchasing. (RATHER THAN: I was totally "underwhelmed" by Joe's proposal...) HDL cholesterol is the good kind; it's LDL that's the bad kind. (RATHER THAN: . . . the "good" kind... the "bad" kind . . . ) Is it really true that some Germans refer to their laptop computers as schleptops? (RATHER THAN: . . . some Germans refer to their laptop computers as "schleptops"?)

b. A slang expression, the use of poor grammar, or a deliberate misspelling is enclosed in quotation marks to indicate that such usage is not part of the writer's normal way of speaking or writing. Now that his kids have run off to Europe with the college tuition money, Bob has stopped boasting about his close-knit "nucular" family. (The writer is mimicking Bob's habitual mispronunciation of nuclear.) As far as I'm concerned, Polly Harrington's version of what happened "ain't necessarily so."

c. Quotation marks are not needed for colloquial expressions. She cares less about the salary than she does about the perks-you know, chauffeured limousine, stock options, and all the rest of it {Perks is short for perquisites, meaning "special privileges.") Pam is planning to temp until she's sure about staying in Los Angeles. {To temp means "to do temporary work.")

237

a. Use quotation marks to enclose words and phrases that have been made to play an abnormal role in a sentence—for example, verb phrases made to function as adjectives. We were all impressed by her "can do" attitude. [Can do is a verb phrase used here as an adjective modifying attitude.) OR: We were all impressed by her can-do attitude. (A hyphen may also be used to hold together a phrase used as an adjective before a noun. See j|828a.) BUT NOT: We were all impressed by her "can-do" attitude. (Do not use both quotation marks and a hyphen for the same purpose.) I'm selling my car on an "as is" [OR: as-is] basis. "Backspace and overstrike" is a hacker's way of saying that you ought to take back something you just said or undo something you just did. Continued on page 68

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Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

1)238 NOTE: When

a verb like must or a preposition/adverb like in becomes established as a noun oranadjective (as indicated inthedictionary), use quotation marks only in those constructions where confusion could otherwise result. You have to read that book; it's a must. BUT: You have to get that book; it's "must" reading. Frank must have an in with their purchasing department. BUT: I guess she thinks it's still the "in" thing to do. This has been an off year for real estate sales and housing starts. b . Do not use quotation m a r k s to enclose phrases taken f r o m other parts of speech and n o w weU established as nouns. (See also 1(625.) a helpful list of dos and don'ts all the whys and wherefores a lot of ifs, ands, or buts (see also H285a) a widening gap between the haves and the have-nots an explanation of the ins and outs of the way things work a need to consider the pros and cons of this proposal

238

When a word or an expression is formally defined, the word to be defined is usually italicized or underlined and the definition is usually quoted so that the two elements may be easily distinguished. (See 11286.) Resentment, according to an Irish proverb, is "a poison you drink yourself, hopin' the other guy will die." Someone has come up with a wonderful word that means "to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach": abdicate. Bissextile means "pertaining to the leap year or the extra day in the leap year."

5* For guidelines on italics and underlining, see 1290.

239

A word referred to as a word may be enclosed in quotation marks but is now more commonly italicized or underlined. (See 1285a.)

€ 2 3 a - Words and phrases introduced by such expressions as marked, labeled, sign entitled, ortitledare enclosed in quotation marks. The carton was marked "Fragile." He received a message signed "A Friend."

The article entitled "Write Your Senator" was in that issue. (See 11260.) NOTE: Titles of complete published works foliowing the expression entitled or title require italics or underlining rather than quotation marks. (See H289 for titles to be italicized or underlined; see KK242-244 for titles to be quoted.) >- For a usage note on entitled and titled, see Section 11, page 323.

b. Wordsandphrases introduced by so-called do not require quotation marks, italic or underlining. The expression so-called is sufficient to give special emphasis to the termthatfollows. The so-called orientation session struck me as an exercise in brainwashing.

241

The translation of a foreign expression is enclosed in quotation marks; the foreign word itself is italicized or underlined. (See U287.)

Section 2 • Punctuation: Other Marks

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^245 With Titles of Literary and Artistic Works •F'-EV-l Use quotation marks around the titles that represent only part of a complete published work—for example, the titles of chapters, lessons, topics, sections, and parts within a book; the titles of articles and feature columns in newspapers and magazines; and the titles of essays and short poems. Also use quotation marks around the titles of lectures, sermons, conference themes, presentations, events, brochures, and albums. (Italicize or underline titles of complete published works. See T[289.) The heart of her argument can be found in Chapter 3, The Failure of Traditional Therapy." You'll especially want to read the section entitled "Does Father Know Best?" An exciting article-"Can Cancer Now Be Cured?"-appears in the magazine I'm enclosing. (Seeflfl260-261for the use of commas, dashes, and parentheses with quoted titles.] The theme of next month's workshop is "Imperatives for the New Millennium-From the Ragged Edge to the Cutting Edge." The title of my speech for next month's luncheon will be "Reforming Our Local Tax Policy." BUT: At next month's luncheon I will be talking about reforming our local tax policy. (Do not enclose the words with quotation marks when they describe the topic rather than signify the

exact title.] Where can I see an original copy of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address or the Declaration of Independence? (Quotation marks are not necessary for the names of well-known documents or the titles of sacred works. See fl350.] NOTE: The titles Preface, Contents, Appendix, and Index are not quoted, even though they represent parts within a book. They are often capitalized, however, for special emphasis. All the supporting data is given in the Appendix. (Often capitalized when referring to another section within the same work.] BUT: You'll find that the most interesting part of his book is contained in the appendix. [Capitalization is not required when reference is made to a section within another work.]

243

Use quotation marks around the titles of complete but unpublished works, such as manuscripts, dissertations, and reports. I would like to get a copy of Sandor's study, "Criteria for Evaluating Staff Efficiency." Thank you for giving us the chance to review 'Working out of Your Home." I have given your manuscript to an editor with a good deal of personal experience in this field.

244

Use quotation marks around the titles of songs and other short musical compositions and around the titles of individual segments or programs that are part of a larger television or radio series. (Series titles are italicized or underlined. See 11289.) Have you ever heard any of these country songs: "All My Exes Live in Texas," "If the Phone Doesn't Ring, It's Me," or "Your Coffee's on the Table but Your Sugar's out the Door"? I understand that our company was briefly mentioned on the Frontline program entitled "Pentagon, Inc.," which was shown last Tuesday night.

Quotations Within Quotations 2 4 5 a. A quotation within a quotation should be enclosed in a pair of single quotation marks that match the style of the regular quotation marks you are using: curly C '), slanted f '), or straight (' ')• Continued on page 70

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Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

11246 b. If you do not have access to single quotation marks, use two straight apostrophes to enclose a quotation within a quotation. (See 1298a.) Dorothy Parker once said, "The most beautiful words in the English language are 'Check enclosed.'" According to an unnamed twelve-year-old [quoted in a BellSouth ad], 'The most dreaded words in the English language are 'Some assembly required.'" My pal Ike says, "The four most satisfying words in the English language are 'I told you so.'"

246

c. When single and double quotation marks occur together, insert a space between the two marks (as in the examples above) to keep them distinct. If a quotation appears within the single-quoted material, revert to double quotation marks for the inner portion. Mrs. DeVries then remarked, "I thought it a bit strange when Mr. Fowler said, 'Put these checks in an envelope marked "Personal Funds," and set them aside for me."'

NOTE: For the positioning of punctuation in relation to a single quotation mark, see the following paragraphs: >- For placement ofperiods and commas, see 1247b. For placement of semicolons and colons, see 1248b. For placement of question marks and exclamation points, see 1249d. For placement of dashes, see 1250b.

The following rules f][ 11247-251) indicate how to position punctuation marks in relation to the closing quotation mark—inside or outside.

With Periods and Commas

&Z.yM a. Periods and commas always go insidetheclosing quotation mark. This is the preferred American style. (Some writers in the United States follow the British style: Place the period outside when it punctuates the whole sentence, inside when it punctuates only the quoted material. Place the comma outside, since it always punctuates the sentence, not the quoted material.) Pablo Picasso is the person who said, "Computers are useless. They can only give you answers." He wants to change "on or about May 1" to read "no later than May 1." Brad denies that he is paranoid; he claims that he is simply "hypervigilant." Sign your name wherever you see an "X." "Let's go over the details again," she said. "The date stamp indicates that my copy arrived at 10:50 a.m.," he said. Their latest article, "Scanning the Future of E-Commerce," will appear in next month's issue of Inc. magazine. "Witty," "clever," "amusing," and "hilarious" are only a few of the adjectives that are being applied to her new book. The package was labeled "Fragile," but that meant nothing to your delivery crew.

b. Periods and commas also go insidethesingle closing quotation mark. Mr. Poston said, "Please let me see all the orders marked 'Rush.'" "All he would say was 'I don't remember,'" answered the witness.

c. Do not confuse a single quotation mark with an apostrophe used to show possession or indicate a contraction. When a sentence requires the use of a comma or a period at the same point as an apostrophe, the comma or period follows the apostrophe.

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71

1)249 The only message Brad left was, "I'll be spending the weekend at the Motleys'." (The single quotation mark following Morleys is an apostrophe showing possession; the implied meaning is "at the Morleys' house." Note that the period follows the apostrophe but comes before the closing quotation mark.) Dwayne could be heard in the shower, singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Momin'." (The single quotation mark following Momin reflects a contraction-the dropping of the g at the end of the word. Here again the period follows the apostrophe but precedes the closing quotation mark]

With Semicolons and Colons fr'-EHa.

Semicolons and colons always go outside t h e closing quotation m a r k . Last Tuesday you said, "I will mail a check today"; it has not yet arrived. When the announcement of the changeover was made, my reaction was "Why?"; John's only reaction was "When?" The memo I sent you yesterday said that the new workstations would cost "a nominal egg"; it should have said "an arm and a leg." Please send me the following items from the file labeled "In Process": the latest draft of the Bern/man agreement and FASB Statement 33.

b. Semicolons and colons also go outside the single closing quotation mark. Alice Arroyo called in from Dallas to say, "Please send me the following items from the file labeled 'In Process': the latest draft of the Berryman agreement, the comments provided by our lawyer, and FASB Statement 33."

With Question Marks and Exclamation Points F'-ET-l a. At the end of a sentence, a question mark or an exclamation point goes inside the closing quotation mark when it applies only to the quoted material. His first question was, "How long have you worked here?" [Quoted question at the end of a statement) Garland still ends every sales meeting by shouting, "Go get 'em!" (Quoted exclamation at the end of a statement)

b. At the end of a sentence, a question mark or an exclamation point goes outside the closing quotation mark when it applies to the entire sentence. When will she say, for a change, "You did a nice job on that"? (Quoted statement at the end of a question.) Stop saying "Don't worry"! (Quoted statement at the end of an exclamation.)

c. If a sentence ends with quoted material and both the sentence and the quoted material require the same mark of punctuation, use only one mark—the one that comes first. (See also M257-258.) Have you seen the advertisement that starts, "Why pay more?" (Quoted question at the end of a question.) Let's not panic and yell "Fire!" [Quoted exclamation at the end of an exclamation.)

d. These same principles govern the placement of a question mark or an exclamation point in relation to a single quotation mark. What prompted her to say, "Be careful in handling documents marked 'Confidential'"? (Quoted word within a quoted statement at the end of a question.) Dr. Marks asked, "Was the check marked 'Insufficient Funds'?" (Quoted phrase within a quoted question at the end of a statement) Miss Parsons then said, "How did you answer him when he asked you, 'How do you know?" (Quoted question within a quoted question at the end of a statement)

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11250 With Dashes 250

a. A dash goes inside the closing quotation mark to indicate that the speaker's or writer's words have broken off abruptly. It was tragic to hear Tom say, "If he had only listened-"

b. A dash goes outside the closing quotation mark when the sentence breaks off abruptly after the quotation. If I hear one more word about "boosting productivity"BOT: Mrs. Halliday said, "If I hear one more word from the general manager about 'boosting productivity"-"

c. A closing dash goes outsidetheclosing quotation mark when the quotation itself is part of a nonessential element being set off by a pair of dashes. Get the latest draft of the Montague contract-it's the one with the notation "Let's go with this"— and take it to Gladys.

With Parentheses 251

a. The closing parenthesis goes inside the closing quotation mark when the parenthetical element is part of the quotation. Fox agreed to settle his account "by Friday (July 28]" when he last wrote us.

b. The closing parenthesis goes outsidetheclosing quotation mark when the quotation is part of the parenthetical element. Joe Elliott [the one everyone calls "Harper's gofer") will probably get the job.

The following rules (1[ It 2 5 2-2 70) indicate what punctuation to use with various kinds of quoted material.

Punctuating Quotations That Stand Alone 252

When a quoted sentence stands alone, put the appropriate mark of terminal punctuation—a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point-—insidetheclosing quotation mark. "I think we should switch suppliers at once." "Can you send us your comments within two weeks?" "I won't accept that kind of response!"

Punctuating Quotations That Begin a Sentence C S J a. When a quoted statement occurs at the beginning of a sentence, omit the period before the closing quotation mark and use a comma instead. "I think we should switch suppliers at once," he said. (HOT: ... at once.," he said.) EXCEPTION: Retain the period if it accompanies an abbreviation. "I'm still planning to go on for an LL.B.," she said. b. Omit the comma after a quoted statement if it is smoothly woven into the flow of the sentence. "I haven't a clue" is all Bert says when you ask what he plans to do next (NOT: "I haven't a clue," is all Bert says...)

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11256 ^ 2 3 When a quoted question or exclamation occurs at the beginning of a sentence, retain the question mark or the exclamation point before the closing quotation mark and do not insert a comma. "Can you send us your comments within two weeks?" she asked. (HOTS . . . within two weeks?," she asked.) 1 won't accept that kind of response!" I told him. (HOT; . . . that kind of response!," I told him.)

255

When aTquoted word or phrase occurs at the beginning of a sentence, no punctuation should accompany the closing quotation mark unless required by the overall construction of the sentence. "An utter bore" was the general reaction to yesterday's speaker. "Managing Your Portfolio," the second chapter in the Klingenstein book, sets forth some guidelines I have never seen anywhere else. (The comma that follows the chapter title is the first of a pair needed to set off a nonessential expression.)

Punctuating Quotations That End a Sentence fr-klrl a. When a quoted statement, question, or exclamation comes at the end of a sentence and is introduced by an expression such as he said or she said, a comma usually precedes the opening quotation mark. Mr. Kelley said, "We'll close early on Friday." In her letter Diana said, 1 plan to arrive on Thursday at 6 p.m." Ulysses S. Grant explained his military success by saying, "The fact is, I think I am a vert) instead of a personal pronoun." Upon reflection, Albert Einstein said, "If I had my life to live over again, I'd be a plumber." When asked about her successful career in the U.S. Army, Brigadier General Elizabeth P. Hoisington replied, "If I had learned to type, I never would have made brigadier general."

HOTE. If the quotation is quite short or is woven into the flow of the sentence, omit

the comma. All she said was "No." oit All she said was, "No." (The comma creates a slight pause and throws greater emphasis on the quotation.) Why does he keep saying "It won't work"?

b. Use a colon in place of a comma if the introductory expression is an independent clause. The artist Willem de Kooning had this to say about poverty: "The trouble with being poor is that it takes up all your time." Miss Manners, as usual, makes her point simply but well: "If you can't be kind, at least be vague." When you can't make up your mind, remember Yogi Berra's sage advice: "If you come to a fork in the road, take it"

c. Use a colon in place of a comma if the quotation contains more than one sentence. Rita Mae Brown wrote: The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you." Professor Robert Silensky then said: "We've all heard how 1,000,000 monkeys pounding on 1,000,000typewriterswill eventually reproduce Shakespeare's entire works. Well, now thanks to the Internet, we know that's not true." Continued on page 74

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1)257 d. Use a colon in place of a comma if the quotation is set off on separate lines as an extract. (See also 1T265.) Sheila's letter said in part: I have greatly valued your assistance. You have always acted as if you were actually part of our staff, with our best interests in mind.

e. Do not use either a comma or a colon before an indirect quotation. Sheila said that she had always valued Bob's assistance on various projects.

f. Do not use either a comma or a colon when a direct quotation is introduced by that or is otherwise woven into the flow of the sentence. In a previous letter to you, I noted that "you have always acted as if you were actually part of our staff, with our best interests in mind."

257

NOTE: The first word of the quotation is not capitalized in this case, even though it was capitalized in the original. Compare you here with You in the example in d above. (See 1272 for the rule on capitalizing the first word of a quoted sentence.) When a quoted sentence (a statement, a question, or an exclamation) falls at the end of a larger sentence, do not use double punctuation—that is, one mark to end the quotation and another to end the sentence. Choose the stronger mark, (BEMEMBEHU A question mark is stronger than a period; an exclamation point is stronger than a or a question mark.) If the same mark of punctuation is required for both the quotation and the sentence as a whole, use the one within quotation marks. Quoted Sentences at the End of a Statement Bob said, "I can't wait to get back to work." (MOT. .".) Mrs. Fahey asked, "How long have you been away?" (NOT: ?".] Mr. Auden shouted, "We can't operate a business this way!" (NOT: !".) Quoted Sentences at the End of a Question Did you say, "I'll help out"? (NOT:."?) Why did Mary ask. "Will Joe be there?" (NOT: ?"?) Who yelled "Watch out!" (NOT:!"?) Quoted Sentences at the End of an Exclamation How could you forget to follow up when you were specifically told, "Give this order special attention"! (NOT: ."!) Stop saying "How should I know"! (NOT: ?"!)

How I'd like to walk into his office and say, "I quit!" (NOT:!"!) NOTE: When a quoted sentence ends with an abbreviation, retain the abbreviation period, even though a question mark or an exclamation point follows as the terminal mark of punctuation. The reporter asked, "When did you first hear about the board's decision to sell the company to Modem Inc.?"

Didn't Larry tell Meg, "I'll help you with the tuition for your M.D."? However, if a period is required as the terminal mark of punctuation, use only one period to mark the end of the abbreviation and the end of the sentence. Gloria said, "You can call as early as 6:30 a.m." (NOT: .".) >• For the placement of periods and commas, see 11247; for the placement of que marks and exclamation points, see 1249.

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11261 258

When a quoted word or phrase occurs at the end of a sentence, punctuate according to the appropriate pattern in the following examples, (NOTE: If the quoted word or phrase represents a complete sentence, follow the patterns shown in 11257.) Quoted Words and Phrases at the End of a Statement He says he is willing to meet "at your convenience." (NOT:".] I thought her letter said she would arrive "at 10 p.m." (NOT: .".) I've been meaning to read "Who Pays the Bill?" (NOT: ?".] Critics have praised his latest article, "Freedom Now!" (NOT: !".) Quoted Words and Phrases at the End of a Question Why is he so concerned about my "convenience"? Didn't she clearly state she would arrive "at 10 p.m."? Have you had a chance to read "Who Pays the Bill?" (NOT: ?"?) What did you think of the article "Freedom Now!"? Quoted Words and Phrases at the End of an Exclamation He couldn't care less about my "convenience"! You're quite mistaken-she clearly said "at 10 a.m."! Don't waste your time reading "Who Pays the Bill?"! What a reaction he got with his article "Freedom Now!" (NOT: !"!]

Punctuating Quotations Within a Sentence 259

Do not use a comma before or after a quotation when it is woven into the flow of the sentence. Don't say "I can't do it" without trying. No considerate person would say "Why should I care?" under such desperate circumstances.

The audience shouted "Bravo!" and "Encore!" at the end of Emanuel Ax's recital last night such cases do not use a period at the end of a quoted statement, but retain the question mark or the exclamation point at the end of a quoted question or exclamation (as illustrated in the examples above). Do not use commas to set off a quotation that occurs within a sentence as an essential expression. (See 11149.) NOTE: In

260

The luxurious practice of booking passage between England and India on the basis of "Port Outward, Starboard Homeward" (so as to get a cabin on the cooler side of the ship) was once thought to be the origin of the word posh. The chapter entitled "Locating Sources of Venture Capital" will give you specific leads.

261

a. When a quotation occurs within a sentence as a nonessential expression, use a comma before the opening quotation mark and before the closing quotation mark. His parting words, "I hardly know how to thank you," were sufficient The next chapter, "The Role of Government," further clarifies the answer. b. If the nonessential quoted matter requires a question mark or an exclamation point before the closing quotation mark, use a pair of dashes or parentheses (rather than commas) to set off the quoted matter. Your last question-"How can we improve communications between departments?"-can best be answered by you. RATHER THAN: Your last question, "How can we improve communications between departments?," can best be answered by you. Continued on page 76

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1)262 NOTE: When some or

all ofthequoted items in a series end with a question mark or an exclamation point, displaythemin alistto avoidtheawkwardness of inserting commas before the quotation marks. Next month's issue will feature the following articles: "Will the Internet Replace Long-Distance Telephone Service?" "Tax Law Changes-Again!" "Are Business Cycles Obsolete?" "Whither Wall Street?" RATHER THAN: Next month's issue will feature the following articles: "Will the Internet Replace Long-Distance Telephone Service?," "Tax Law Changes-Again!," "Are Business Cycles Obsolete?," and "Whither Wall Street?"

c If essential quoted material ends with a question mark or an exclamation point an occurs within a sentence where a comma would ordinarily follow (for example, at th end of an introductory clause or phrase), omitthecomma. (Seealso111518a, note.) Although we were all asked last week to read an article entitled "Can U.S. Manufacturers Prosper in Today's World Markets?" the topic was totally ignored in this week's seminar. RATHER THAN: . . . an article entitled "Can U.S. Manufacturers Prosper in Today's World Markets?," the topic was . . .

NOTE: If the omission of a comma at this

point could lead to confusion, reword the

sentence to avoid the problem. We were all asked last week to read an article entitled "Can U.S. Manufacturers Prosper in Today's World Markets?" Yet the topic was . . . OR: We were all asked last week to read an article entitled "Can U.S. Manufacturers Prosper in Today's World Markets?"; yet the topic was . . .

Punctuating Quoted Sentences With Interrupting Expressions 2 6 2 When a quoted sentence is interrupted by an expression such as he asked or she said, use a comma and a closing quotation mark before the interrupting expression and another comma after it. Then resume the quotation with an opening quotation mark, but do not capitalize the first word unless it is a proper noun, a proper adjective, or the pronoun /. "During the past month," the memo said in part, "we have received some welcome news from our overseas branches."

263

If the interrupting expression ends the sentence and the quotation continues in a new sentence, put a period after the interrupting expression and start the new sentence with an opening quotation mark and a capital letter. "I think we should decline the invitation to the Lombardis' reception," Margaret said. "It would be better not to go than to arrive late."

Punctuating Long Quotations 2 6 4 If a quotation consists of morethanone sentence withoutanyinterrupting elements, use quotation marks only at the beginning and at the end of the quotation. Do not put quotation marks around each sentence within the quotation. Here is the full text of the release he gave to the media: "I have decided to withdraw from the upcoming election. I have personal and family obligations that require my full attention. I want to thank my supporters for their enormous help."

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1)266 265

A long quotation that will make four or more lines may be handled in one of the following ways: a. The preferred style for displaying the quoted material is to treat it as a singlespaced extract. Indent the extract a half inch from each side margin, and leave a blank line above and below the extract. Do not enclose the quoted material in quotation marks; the indention replaces the quotation marks. If any quoted material appears within the extract, retain the quotation marks around this material. If the extract consists of more than one paragraph, leave a blank line between paragraphs. (See page 369 for an illustration of an extract in the body of a letter.) NOTE: Ordinarily, start the quoted material flush left on the shorter line length; however, if a paragraph indention was called for in the original, indent the first line a half inch. Indent the first line of any additional paragraphs a half inch also, but do not leave a blank line between indented paragraphs. b. Use the same line length and spacing for the quoted material as for other text material on the page. (1) If the quoted material consists of one paragraph only, place quotation marks at the beginning and end of the paragraph. Use the normal paragraph indention of a half inch. (2) If the quoted material consists of two or more paragraphs, place a quotation mark at the start of each paragraph but at the end of only one paragraph— the last one. (3) Change double quotation marks within the quoted material to single quotation marks, and vice versa. (See M245-246.) "When you are writing a letter that grants a request, you can follow this pattern: "First, express appreciation for the writer's interest in the company's product or service. "Next give the exact information requested and, if possible, additional information that may be of interest. "Finally, express willingness to 'be of further help.'"

Quoting Letters 266

Letters and other business documents that are to be quoted word for word may be handled in one of the following ways: a. Make a printout, a photocopy, or a scanner copy of the material. In this case no quotation marks are used. b. If no reproduction equipment is available, type the material on a separate sheet of paper headed COPY. In this case no quotation marks are used. c. The material, if short, may be treated like a long quotation (see 11265). If you use a shorter line length, omit the quotation marks. If you use the same line length as you do for other material on the page, then place the opening quotation mark before the first word and the closing quotation mark after the last word.

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11267

Quoting Poetry 2 6 7 When quoting a complete poem (oranextended portion of one) in a letter or a report, type it line for line, single-spaced (except for stanza breaks). If the line length is shorterthanthatofthenormal text aboveandbelowthepoem, no quotation marks are needed;thepoem will stand out sufficiently as an extract. If, however, quotation mark are needed to indicatethespecial nature ofthematerial, place a quotation mark at the beginning of each stanzaandat the end of onlythelast stanza. (Seealso31274b.) NOTE: As a rule, follow the poet's layout of the poem. If the poet uses an irregular pattern of indention (instead of the customary practice ofaligningalllines at the left), try to reproduce this layout. 2 6 8 A short extract from a poem is sometimes woven right into a sentence or a paragraph. In such cases use quotation marks at the beginning and end of the extract, and use a diagonal line (with one space before and after) to indicate where each line breaks in the actual poem. In a poem about the death of an American poet, Richard Wilbur refers scathingly to the more prominent notices given to a "cut-rate druggist, a lover of Giving, / A lender, and various brokers: gone from this rotten / Taxable world to a higher standard of living." To describe the difficulty of writing, T. S. Eliot wrote, "Words strain, / Crack and sometimes break, under the burden, / Under the tension, slip, slide, perish, / Decay with imprecision, will not stay in place, / Will not stay still."

Quoting Dialogues and Conversations 2 6 9 When quoting dialogues and conversations, start the remarks of each speaker as a new paragraph, no matter how brief. "Waiter, what was in that glass?" "Arsenic, sir." "Arsenic. I asked you to bring me absinthe." "I thought you said arsenic. I beg your pardon, sir." "Do you realize what you've done, you clumsy fool? I'm dying." "I am extremely sorry, sir." "I DISTINCTLY SAID ABSINTHE." "I realize that I owe you an apology, sir. I am extremely sorry." -Myles na Gopaleen

270

In plays, court testimony,andtranscripts of conversations where the name of th speaker is indicated, quotation marks are not needed. (The foUowing example is a fictitious account of a radio conversation supposedly released by the U.S. chief of naval operations.) STATION l: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the north to avoid a collision. STATION 2: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision. STATION l: This is the captain of a U.S. Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course. STATION 2: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course. STATION 1: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER ENTERPRISE. WE ARE A LARGE WARSHIP OF THE U.S. NAVY. DIVERT YOUR COURSE NOW! STATION 2: This is the Puget Sound lighthouse. It's your call.

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11274 The following rules (1111271-284) cover a number of stylistic matters, such as how to style quoted material (11271), how to capitalize in quoted material (M272-273), how to align quotation marks (11274), how to handle omissions in quoted material (HH275-281), and how to handle insertions in quoted material (KH282-284).

Style in Quoted Material 271

In copying quoted material, follow the extract exactly with regard to punctuation, spelling, hyphenation, and number style. (See 1284 for the use of [sic] to indicate errors in the original.)

Capitalization in Quoted Material 272

Ordinarily, capitalize the first word of every complete sentence in quotation marks. I overheard Ellis mutter, "Only a fool would make such a claim." Here is the key sentence in her memo: "Despite the understaffing in the department everyone is expected to meet the goals established for the coming year."

BOTE: If the quoted sentence is preceded by that or

is otherwise incorporated into the flow of a larger sentence, do not capitalize the first word (unless it is a proper noun, a proper adjective, or the pronoun / ) . I overheard Ellis mutter that "only a fool would make such a claim." In essence, she says that "despite the understaffing in the department everyone is expected to meet the goals established for the coming year!*

273

When quoting a word or phrase, do not capitalize the first word unless it meets one of these conditions: a. The first word is a proper noun, a proper adjective, or the pronoun /. No one is terribly impressed by what Jim calls his "Irish temper."

b. The first word was capitalized in its original use. I watched her scrawl "See me about this at once" at the bottom of the memo, and I could tell that your proposal was not going to fly.

c. The quoted word or phrase occurs at the beginning of a sentence. "Outrageous" was the publisher's reaction to Maxon's attempt to duck the questions of the reporters. (Even if the expression was not capitalized in the original material, it is capitalized here to mark the start of the sentence.)

d. The first word represents a complete sentence. The Crawleys said "Perhaps"; the Calnans said "No way." >• See M278-279 on capitalizing thefirstword of a quoted sentence fragment.

Aligning Quotation Marks 274

a. In a list, any opening quotation mark should align with the first letter of the other items. I urge you to read the following materials (which I am sending to you under separate cover): The PC Is Not a Typewriter by Robin Williams "How Do I Make Type More Readable?" by Daniel Will-Harris Continued an page 80

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11275 b. In a poem, the opening quotation mark at the beginning of each stanza should clear the left margin so that the first letter of each line will align. (See 11267.) "So here I am, in the middle way, having had twenty yearsTwenty years largely wasted, the years of I'entre deux guerresTrying to learn to use words, and every attempt Is a wholly new start and a different kind of failure Because one has only learnt to get the better of words For the thing one no longer has to say, or the way in which One is no longer disposed to say i t And so each venture Is a new beginning, a raid on the inarticulate With shabby equipment always deteriorating In the general mess of imprecision of feeling ..." -T. S. Eliot

NOTE: When

a quoted extract is displayed beneath the title of a chapter or some other work, quotation marks are not necessary. For all that has been, thanks. For all that is yet to come, yes!

-Dag Hammarskjold >• For other examples of displayed quotations, see 1212.

Omissions in Quoted Material 275

If one or more words are omitted within a quoted sentence, use ellipsis marks (thre spaced periods, with one space before and after each period) to indicate the omission. "During the past fifty years... we have been witnessing a change in buying habits, particularly with respect to food."

Omit any marks of internal punctuation (a comma, a semicolon, a colon, or a dash) on either side oftheellipsis marks unlesstheyare required for the sake of clarity.

NOTE.

ORIGINAL VERSION: The objectives of the proposed bill are admirable, I will cheerfully concede; the tactics being used to gain support for the bill are not" CONDENSED VERSION: "The objectives of the proposed bill are admirable...; the tactics being used to gain support for the bill are not" (The comma preceding the omitted phrase is not needed; however, the semicolon following the omitted phrase must be retained for clarity.)

276

If one or more words are omitted at the end of a quoted sentence, use three spaced periods foliowed by the necessary terminal punctuation for the sentence as a whole. "Can anyone explain why . . . ?" (The original question read, "Can anyone explain why this

was so?T "During the past fifty years, starting in the mid-1950s, we have been witnessing a change in buying habits Consumers have become more concerned with what's in the package rather than with the package itself." (The first three periods represent the omitted words "particulariy with respect to food"; the fourth period marks the end of the sentence. One or two spaces follow before the next sentence; see Hi02.)

NOTE: If

the quotation is intended to trail off, use only three spaced periods at the end of the sentence. (See also 1[291a.) His reaction was, "If I had only known ..."

277

If one or more sentences are omitted between other sentences within a long quotation use three spaced periods after the terminal punctuation of the preceding sentence.

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81

H283 "During the past fifty years, starting in the mid-1950s, we have been witnessing a change in buying habits, particularly with respect to food How far this pattern of change will extend cannot be estimated."

There is no space between food and the first period because that period marks the end of a sentence. The remaining three periods signify the omission of one or more complete sentences. One or two spaces follow before the next sentence. If only a fragment of a sentence is quoted within another sentence, it is not necessary to use ellipsis marks to signify that words before or after the fragment have been omitted.

NOTE:

278

According to Robertson's report, there has been "a change in buying habits" during the past fifty years.

Moreover, if the fragment as given can be read as a complete sentence, capitalize the first word in the quoted fragment, even though this word was not capitalized in the original. (Compare We in the following example with we in the example in 11277.) According to Robertson's report, "We have been witnessing a change in buying habits, particularly with respect to food."

279

If a displayed quotation starts in the middle of a sentence, use three spaced periods at the beginning of the quotation. According to Robertson's report, there has been . . . a change in buying habits, particularly with respect to food change will extend cannot be estimated.

How far this pattern of

lithe fragment, however, can be read as a complete sentence, capitalize thefirstword of the fragment and omit the ellipsis marks. (Compare Starting in the following example with starting in the example in 11277.) According to Robertson's report: Starting in the mid-1950s, we have been witnessing a change in buying habits, particularly with respect to food.

280

281

When a long quotation starts with a complete sentence and ends with a complete sentence, do not use three spaced periods at the beginning or the end of the quotation unless you need to emphasize that the quotation has been extracted from a larger body of material. If one or more paragraphs are omitted within a long quotation, indicate the omission by adding three spaced periods after the terminal punctuation that concludes the preceding paragraph.

Insertions in Quoted Material 282

For clarity, it is sometimes necessary to insert explanatory words or phrases within quoted material. Enclose such insertions in brackets. (See also 11296.) Ms. Rae added, "During the first lawsuit [2003] there was no evidence of fraud."

283

For special emphasis, you may wish to italicize words that were not so treated in the original. In such cases insert a phrase like emphasis added in brackets immediately after the italicized words or in parentheses immediately after the quotation. In the course of testifying, she stated, "I never met Mr. Norman in my life, to the best of my recollection." (Emphasis added.] OH:... met Mr. Norman in my life, to the best of my recollection [emphasis added]." Continued on page 82

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1J284

284

NOTE: If the equipment you are using does not provide italic type, underline the words to be emphasized. (See 1290 for guidelines on italics and underlining.) When the original wording contains a misspelling, a grammatical error, or a confusing expression of thought, insert the term sic (meaning "so" or "this is the way it was") in brackets to indicate that the error existed in the original material. As he wrote in his letter, "I would sooner go to jail then [sic] have to pay your bill." NOTE: When sic is used in this way, italicize the word but not the brackets that enclose it. If you do not have access to an italic font, do not underline sic. *- For simple interruptions such as he said or she said, see ff262-263.

Italics and Underlining IMPORTANT NOTE: Since

italic type (the counterpart of underlining or underscoring) is provided in word processing and desktop publishing software, it is the preferred means of giving special emphasis to words and phrases and to the titles of literary and artistic works.

For Special Emphasis I a. A word referred to as a word is usualiy italicized or underlined. (Some writers prefer to enclose the word in quotation marks instead.) A word referred to as a word is often introduced by the expression the term or the word. The term muffin-choker refers to a bizarre item in the morning newspaper that you read as you eat your breakfast. A number of years ago a newspaper editor expressed his feelings about a certain word as follows: "If I see upcoming in the paper again, I will be downcoming and the person responsible will be outgoing." If you used fewer compound sentences, you wouldn't have so many ands [OR: andsl in your writing. [Only the root word is italicized or underlined, not the s that forms the plural.)

BUT: She refused to sign the contract because she said it had too many ifs, ands, or buts. (Neither italics nor underlining is required for the phrase ifs, ands, or buts because the writer is not referring literally to these words as words. The phrase means "too many conditions and qualifications.")

b. Letters referred to as letters are usually italicized or underlined if they are not capitalized. In such cases underlining maybe preferable since a single italic letter may not look sufficiently different to stand out. dotting your i's (OR: /*s) minding your g's and q's (OR: p's and * For the plurals of personal names, see ff615-616; for the possessives of person names, see if630-633.

Titles With Personal Names € I U a. Capitalize all official titles of honor and respect when they precede personal names. PERSONAL TITLES:

Mrs. Norma Washburn [see 11517) Ms. Terry Fiske

Miss Popkin Mr. Benedict

EXECUTIVE TITLES:

President Julia McLeod

Vice President Saulnier

PROFESSIONAL TITLES:

Professor Henry Pelligrino Professor Emerita Ann Marx (see page 323)

Dr. Khalil (see H517) Dean Aboud

CIVIC TITLES:

Governor Samuel 0. Boiling

Ambassadors Ross and Perez

Mayor-elect Louis K. Uhl (see 11317)

ex-Senator Hausner (see 1)317)

MILITARY TITLES:

Colonel Perry L. Forrester

Commander Comerford

RELIGIOUS TITLES:

the Reverend William F. Dowd

Rabbi Gelfand

Sister Marianne McGuire

Bishop Ellington

b. Do not capitalize such titles when the personal name that foUows is in apposition and is set off by commas. (Some titles, like that of the President of the United States, are usualiy capitalized. See 11313 for examples of such exceptions.) Yesterday the president, Julia McLeod, revealed her plans to retire next June. BUT: Yesterday President Julia McLeod revealed her plans to retire next June.

c. Do not capitalize occupational titles (such as author, surgeon, publisher, and lawy preceding a name. The reviews of drama critic Simon Ritchey have lost their bite. (NOT: The reviews of Drama Critic Simon Ritchey have lost their bite.)

Occupational titles can be distinguished from official titles in that only official titles can be used with a last name alone. Since one would not address a person as "Author Mailer" or "Publisher Johnson," these are not official titles and should not be capitalized. d. Do not confuse a true title preceding a name (such as fudge) with a generic expression (such as federal judge). NOTE:

Judge Ann Bly OR: federal judge Ann Bly (BUT NOT: federal Judge Ann Bly) President Julia McLeod OR: company president Julia McLeod (BUT NOT: company President Julia McLeod)

e. Always capitalize titles used with personal names when they appear in an inside address, in a complimentary closing, on an envelope, or on a business card.

Section 3 • Capitalization

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11313 H H

a. In general, do not capitalize titles of honor and respect when they follow a personal name or are used in place of a. personal name. Julia McLeod, president of McLeod Inc., has revealed her plans to retire next June. During her sixteen years as president, the company grew... Henry Fennel, emeritus professor of English history, will lead a tour of Great Britain this summer. (For a usage note on emeritus, see page 323.]

However, exceptions are made for important officials and dignitaries, as indicated in the following paragraphs. b. Retain the capitalization in the titles of high-ranking national, state, and international officials when they follow or replace a specific personal name. Below are examples of titles that remain capitalized. NATIONAL OFFICIALS: the President, the Wee President Cabinet members [such as the Secretary of State and the Attorney General), the heads of government agencies and bureaus (such as the Director or the Commissioner), the Ambassador, the Speaker (of the House), the Representative, the Senator, the Chief Justice of the United States (NOT: of the Supreme Court) STATE OFFICIALS: the

Governor, the Lieutenant Governor (BUT. the attorney general, the senat Queen of England, the King, the Prime Minister INTERNATIONAL FIGURES: the Pope, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (see fl808a) NOTE: Many authorities now recommend that even these titles not be capitalized when they follow or replace the names of high-ranking officials. For example: During hertourof the United States, the queen will visit the president in Washington. When using this style, try to give the parties equal treatment. Refer to them both by using their titles alone (as in the example above) or by using each title with a name (Queen Elizabeth and President Bush). Try to avoid treating each party differently; for example, a meeting of Queen Elizabeth and the president. FOREIGN DIGNITARIES: the

c Titles of local governmental officials and those of lesser federal and state officials are not usually capitalized when they follow or replace a personal name. However, these titles are sometimes capitalized in writing intended for a limited readership (for example, in a local newspaper, in an organization's internal communications, or in correspondence coming from or directed to the official's office), when the intended reader would consider the official to be of high rank. The Mayor promised only last fall to hold the city sales tax at its present level. (Excerpt from an editorial in a local newspaper.) BUT: Francis Fahey, mayor of Coventry, Rhode Island, appeared before a House committee today. The mayor spoke forcefully about the need to maintain federal aid t o . . . (Excerpt from a national news service release.) I would like to request an appointment with the Attorney General. On a letter sent to the state attorney general's office.) BUT: I have written for an appointment with the attorney general and expect to hear from his office soon.

d. Titles of organizational officials (for example, the president, the general manager) should not be capitalized when they follow or replace a personal name. Exceptions are made in formal minutes of meetings (see page 548) and in rules and bylaws. The presidentwW visit thirteen countries in a tour of company installations abroad. (Normal style.) The Secretary's minutes were read and approved. On formal minutes.) Continued on page 100

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11314 NOTE: Some organizations choose to capitalize these titles in all their communications because of the great respect the officials command within the organization. However, this practice confers excessive importance on people who are neither public officials nor eminent dignitaries, and it should be avoided. e. In general, do not capitalize job titles when they stand alone. However, in procedures manuals and in organizational memos and announcements, job titles are sometimes capitalized for special emphasis. Marion Conroy has been promoted to the position of senior accountant. OR: Marion Conroy has been promoted to the position of Senior Accountant

f. Titles following a personal name or standing alone are often capitalized in forma citations and acknowledgments. 314

Do not capitalize titles used as general terms of classification. (See 11307.) a United States senator

every king

a state governor any ambassador EXCEPTION: Because of the special regard for the office of the President of the United States, this title is capitalized even when used as a general term of classification; for example, every President, Presidential campaigns. (However, see 1313b, note.) 315

Capitalize any title (even if not of high rank) when it is used in direct address (that is, quoted or unquoted speech made directly to another person). DIRECT ADDRESS: Please tell me, Doctor, what risks are involved in this treatment.

INDIRECT ADDRESS: I

asked the doctor what risks were involved in this treatment. NOTE: In direct address, do not capitalize a term like madam, miss, or sir if it stands alone without a proper name following. Isn't it true, sir, that the defendant offered you money for trade secrets?

H [ ^ I n the inside address of a letter, in the writers identification block, and onanenvel capitalize aU titles whether they precede or foliow the name. (See 11111322-1325, 1362-1368, and the iliustrations on page 414.)

1• For city and state names, see M334-335. 326

Capitalize short forms of names of national and international bodies and their major divisions. the House (referring to the House of Representatives) the Department (referring to the Department of Justice, the State Department the Department of the Treasury, etc.) Continued on page 104

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11327 the Bureau (referring to the Bureau of the Budget, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of the Census, etc.] the Commission (referring to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Security and Exchange Commission, etc.) the Administration (referring to the General Services Administration, the Social Security Administration, the Small Business Administration, etc.) the Court (referring to the United States Supreme Court, the International Court of Justice, etc.) the Fed OR: the Board (referring to the Federal Reserve Board) BUT. the feds (referring to federal regulators)

Do not capitalize short forms of names of state or local governmental groups except when special circumstances warrant emphasis or distinction. (See 11327.) 327

Common terms such as police department, board of education, and county court n not be capitalized (even when referring to a specific body), since they are terms of general classification. However, such terms should be capitalized when the writer intends to refer to the organization in all of its official dignity. We are awaiting the release of next year's budget from City Hall. {City Hall is capitalized here because the term refers to the seat of municipal power in its full authority.) You can't fight City Hall. (Here again, the term is intended to invoke the full authority of a particular city government.) BUT: The public school teachers will be staging a rally in front of city hall. On this case a particular building is being referred to in general terms.) The Police Department has announced the promotion of Robert Boyarsky to the rank of sergeant. (The short form is capitalized here because it is intended to have the full force of the complete name, the Cranfield Police Department) BUT: The Cranfield police department sponsors a youth athletic program that we could well copy. (No capitalization is used here because the writer is referring to the department in general terms and not by its official name.)

Do not capitalize the short form if it is not actually derived from the complete name. For example, do not capitalize the short form police department if the full name is Department of Public Safety. NOTE:

Capitalize federal only when it is part of the official name of a federal agency, a federal act, or some other proper noun. the Federal Reserve Board

the Federal Insurance Contributions Act

BUT: ... subject to federal, state, and local laws. NOTE: It is customary to capitalize federal when making reference to a specific style of American architecture.

The terms federal government and government (referring specifically to the United States government) are now commonly written in lowercase because they are considered terms of general classification. In government documents, however, and in other types of communications where these terms are intended to have the force of an official name, they are capitalized. The federal government is still wrestling with the problem of corporate welfare-that is, federal subsidies to large corporations. BUT: If you can't fight City Hall, what makes you think it's any easier to fight the Federal Government? (Here the writer wants to emphasize the full power of the national government as an adversary.)

Section 3 • Capitalization

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H333 Capitalize union only w h e n i t refers t o a specific government W ki

tect

red

the top m a most every state tn the Union.

b . Capitalize commonwealth only when it is part of an official name. (See also 1 3 3 5 c . ) the Commonwealth f ependent States (f rmerly the USS R the Commonwealth OB: the Commonwealth of Nati ns fj rmerly the British Commonwealth)

>• For the capitalization of state, see f 335, for the capitalization of city, see 1334

Names of Places I Capitalize the names of places, such as streets, buildings, parks, monuments, rivers, oceans, and mountains. Do not capitalize short forms used in place of the full name. (See 1332 for a few exceptions.) M tgomery Street Emp re State Bu d ng Stone Mo ntam Park Sacramento River Lake Pontchartra n BscayneBay Chebeague Isla d Colony Surf H te R ttenhouse Row U lonSq are Riverside Drive Dupont C rcle B ghom Mounta n Shoshone Fa Is the Wash ngton Monument Stapleton A rport the Fogg Art Museum Go den Gate Bridge N let Ma

BUT: the street the building the park the river the lake the bay the is and the hotel the row the square the drive the arc e the mountain the falls the monument the a rport the museum the bridge the mall

>• For plural expressions like the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, see 1309a, note; for the treatment ofprepositions and conjunctions in proper names, see J303, note. 3 3 2

A f e w short forms are capitalized because o f clear association w i t h one place, the Coast (the West Coast) the HII (Caprto H 0 the Co tinent (Europe the Street (Wa I Street the Chan el (Eng ish Channel) the V age (Greenwich V age) Capitalize imaginative names t h a t designate specific places or areas. Down East coasta Ma ne the Outer Banks (of North Carolina) the Lower East Side n Manhattan Back Bay n Boston) the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay the Bay Area around San Francisco the South Side fChcago La La Land (Los Angeles the Near North Chicago TnsertownCH lywood) the Mag ficentMIe n Chicago the South Lawn of the White House the French Quarter n New Orleans inside the Beltway (Wash ngton, D C

Continued on page 106

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U334 the Main Line (the Philadelphia suburbs)

DUMBO (part of Brooklyn down under

the Big D Pallas)

the Manhattan Bridge overpass)

the Big Muddy (the Missouri River)

SoHo On New York); Soho (in London)

the Big Apple (New York)

Down Under (Australia and New Zealand)

TriBeCa (the triangular area below

the Pacific Rim

Canal Street in Manhattan) the Far East OR: the Orient NoLita (north of Little Italy in Manhattan) the Middle East (NOT: the Near East) NOTE: The terms Sunbelt, Snowbelt, and Frostbelt are now commonly spelled as on word; the terms Farm Belt, Corn Belt, and Cotton Belt are still commonly spelled as two words. Within the same context treat these terms the same way—as two words; for example, in the Farm Belt and the Frost Belt. b. Some place names are used imaginatively to refer to specific types of businesses or institutions. Silicon Valley (the cluster of high-tech industries south of San Francisco) Silicon Alley (the cluster of software development firms in Manhattan) Siliwood (the collaboration between Silicon Valley and Hollywood) Bollywood (the film and music industry of India) the K Street crowd (the lobbying industry in Washington, D.C) Gucci Gulch (the halls of Congress where lobbyists ply their trade) Madison Avenue (the advertising industry) Wall Street (the financial industry) Off-Off-Broadway (experimental theater in New York City) Foggy Bottom (the U.S. State Department)

I Capitalize the word city only when it is part of the corporate name of the city or part of an imaginative name. Kansas City

the Windy City (Chicago)

BUT: the city of Dallas

) a. Capitalize state only when it foliows the name of a state or is part of an imaginative name. New York State is also called the Empire State. The state of Alaska is the largest in the Union. Washington State entered the Union in 1889, the forty-second state to do so. Next year we plan to return to the States. (Meaning the United States.)

b. Do not capitalize state when it is used in place of the actual state name. He is an employee of the state. (People working for the state government however, might write State.)

336

c. Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia are actualiy commonwealths. In ordinary usage, however,theyare referred to as states. the commonwealth of Kentucky OR: the state of Kentucky According to the U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual, the terms used to refer to the residents of the fifty states are formed according to different patterns. a. Sixteen states just add n. Alaskan Arizonan

lowan Mmnesotan

Nevadan North Dakotan

South Dakotan Utahn

Cahfornian Georgian

Montanan Nebraskan

OklahomaQ Pennsylvanian

Virginian West Virginian

Section 3 • Capitalization

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H338 b. Eight states add an. Delawarean Hawaiian

Idahoan lllinoisan

Massachusettsarj Mississippian

Missourian Ohioan

c. Six states drop thefinalletter and add n or an. Arkansan

Kansan

Tennessean

Coloradan

New Mexican

Texan

Oregonjan

Washingtonjan

d. Three states add ian. Michiganian

A number of authorities refer to residents of Michigan as Michiganders or Michiganites.

NOTE:

e. Seven states drop thefinalletter and add ian. Alabamjan

Indianian

Louisianjan

Floridian

Kentuckian

North Carolinian

South Carolinian

f. Only one state adds r. Mainer

OR: Mainiac (the term favored by some residents]

g. Five states add ex. Connecticuter

New Yorker

Marylander

Rhode Islander

Vermonter

h. Three states add ite. New Jerseyite

Wisconsinite

Wyomingite

i. One state drops thefinalletter and adds ite. New Hampshirjte 337

a. Capitalize the only when it is part of the official name of a place. The Dalles The Hague

BUT: the Bronx the Netherlands

b. Capitalize the words upper and lower only when they are part of an actual place name or a well-established imaginative name. Upper Peninsula

Lower East Side

Upper West Side

Newton Lower Falls

Lower California (more commonly known as Baja California]

c. Capitalize the word greater when it precedes a city name, referring to the city plus the outlying suburbs; for example, Greater Atlanta.

Points of the Compass I a. Capitalize north, south, east, west, and derivative words when they designate definite regions or are an integral part of a proper name. in the North down South out West back East

the Far North the Deep South the Far West the Middle East

the North Pole the South Side the West Coast the Eastern Seaboard Continued on page 108

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1J339 b. Do not capitalize these words when they merely indicate direction or general location. Many start-up companies have moved from the Northeast to the Midwest (Region.) BUT: They maintain a villa in the south of France. (General location.) OR: Go west on Route 517 and then south on 1-95. (Direction.) John is coming back East after three years on the West Coast (Region.) BUT: The west coast of the United States borders on the Pacific. (Referring only to the shoreline, not the region.) Most of our customers live on the East Side. (Definite locality.) BUT: Most of our customers live on the east side of town. (General location.)

Capitalize such words as Northerner, Southerner,andMidwesterner.

TJ Capitalize such words as northern, southern, eastern, and western when they refer the people in a region or to their political, social, or cultural activities. Do not capitalize these words when they merely indicate general location or refer to the geography or climate of the region. Eastern bankers Southern hospitality

BUT: the eastern half of Pennsylvania southern temperatures

Western civilization

westerly winds

the Northern vote

a northern winter

The Northern states did not vote as they were expected to. (Political activities.) BUT: The drought is expected to continue in the northern states. (Climate.) My sales territory takes in most of the southeastern states. (General location.)

NOTE: When terms like western region and southern district are used to name uni within an organization, capitalize them. The Hfesfem Region (referring to a part of the national sales staff) reports that sales are 12 percent over budget for the first six months this year.

When words like northern, southern, eastern,andwestern precede a place name, th are not ordinarily capitalized because they merely indicate general location within a region. However, when these words are actually part of the place name, they must be capitalized. (Check an atlas or the geographic listings in a dictionary when in doubt.) Preceding a Place Name northern New Jersey

Part of a Place Name Northern Ireland

western Massachusetts Western Australia NOTE: Within certain regions it is not uncommon for many people who live there to capitalize the adjective because of the special importance they attach to the regional designation. Thus people who live in southern California may prefer to write Southern California.

Days of the Week, Months, Holidays, Seasons, Events, Periods I Capitalize the names of days, months, holidays,

and religious days.

Tuesday

Juneteenth (June 19)

February

the Fourth of July

St. Patrick's Day Good Friday

New Year's Eve

Election Day

All Saints' Day

Section 3 • Capitalization

109

U344 Presidents' Day April Fools' Day Father's Day Veterans Day

Kwanza OR. Kwanzaa Martin Luther King's Birthday Kamehameha Day

Rosh Hashanah Yom Kippur Ramadan Mawlid (Muhammad's birthday)

>• For the use of apostrophes in names of holidays, see 1650. Do not capitalize the names of the seasons unless they are personified. We hold our regional sales conferences during the /a//and winter, but our national conference always takes place early in the spring. We do not plan to announce our new line of software applications until our faH'Q5/winter'Q6 catalog. BUT: And this you can see is the bolt The purpose of this Is to open the breech, as you see. We can slide it Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this Easing the spring. And rapidly backwards and forwards The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers: They call it easing the Spring. -Henry Reed

Companies sometimes capitalize the names of seasons in promotional materials.

NOTE:

the fall '05/winter '06 catalog OR: the Fall '05AA/inter '06 catalog

a. Capitalize the names of historical events and imaginative names given to historical periods. the Renaissance the Counter-Reformation the Enlightenment the American Revolution the Reign of Terror the Industrial Revolution the Gay Nineties

the Roaring Twenties Prohibition the Great Depression the New Deal World War II the Holocaust the War on Poverty

b. References to cultural ages are usually capitalized. However, contemporary references are not usually capitalized unless they appear together with a capitalized reference. the Bronze Age the Dark Ages the Middle Ages

BUT: the space age the atomic age the digital age

The course spans the development of civilization from the Stone Age to the Space Age.

c. References to cultural eras are usually capitalized, but references to cultural periods are usually not. the Common Era the Victorian Era

BUT: the romantic period the colonial period

d. Capitalize the names of sporting events. the Super Bowl the Masters the U.S. Open the Grand Slam

the World Series OR: the Series the Kentucky Derby OR: the Derby the Olympic Games OR: the Games OR: the Olympics Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

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11345 .^JJ^Do

n0

* capitalize the names of decades and centuries. during the fifties in the nineteen-nineties

NOTE:

in the twenty-first century during the nineteen hundreds

Decades are capitalized, however, in special expressions. the Gay Nineties

the Roaring Twenties

>- For a discussion on how to label the first decade of the twenty-first century, see 1439b.

Acts, Laws, Bills, Treaties ^ 2 3 3 a. Capitalize formal titles of acts, laws, bills, treaties, and amendments, but do not capitalize common-noun elements that stand alone in place of the full name, the Americans With Disabilities Act the act

Public Law 480 the law the Treaty of Versailles the treaty the First Amendment the amendment the Constitution of the United States BUT: the Constitution [see 11304] BUT: When Pelletier takes the stand next week, we think he is likely to take the Fifth. [Referring to the Fifth Amendment.]

b. Do not capitalize generic or informal references to existing or pending legislation except for proper nouns and adjectives. an environmental protection bill

the Brady gun control law

c "Laws" that make humorous or satirical observations about human and organizational behavior are capitalized to suggest that they carry the same authority as an actual piece of legislation.

Parkinson's Law states that work expands to fill the time that has been allotted for its completio Parkinson's Law of Data states that data expands to fill the space available.

Murphy's Law holds that if something can go wrong, it will. The Peter Principle maintains that people in an organization tend to be promoted until the reach their level of incompetence. According to Fudd's First Law of Opposition, if you push something hard enough, it will fall

A relatively new proverb called Hanlon's Razor states, "Never attribute to malice that which ca be adequately explained by stupidity." d. In the names of authentic scientific laws, capitalize only proper nouns and adjectives. Gresham's law Mendel's law

Newton's first law of motion the first law of thermodynamics

Programs, Movements, Concepts . Do not capitalize the names of programs, movements, or concepts when they are used as general terms. social security numbers BUT: the Social Security Administration medicare payments BUT: the Medicare Act

the civil rights movement BUT: the Civil Rights Act the big bang theory existentialism and rationalism

Some writers capitalize social security, medicare, and medicaid under circumstances.

NOTE:

Section 3 • Capitalization

111

11349 b. Capitalize proper nouns and adjectives that are part of such terms. the Socratic method

Newtonian physics

Keynesian economics

Marxist-Leninist theories

c. Capitalize imaginative names given to programs and movements. the New Deal the Great Society

the New Frontier the War on Poverty

d. Capitalize terms like democrat, socialist, and communist when they signify formal membership in a political party but not when they merely signify belief in a certain philosophy. a lifelong Democrat (refers to a person who consistently votes for candidates of the Democratic Party)

a lifelong democrat (refers to a person who believes in the principles of democracy)

the right wing leftists NOTE: Ordinarily, do not capitalize a reference to independent voters. However, in a context where polls or election results make reference to Republican voters and Democratic voters, it would be appropriate to refer to Independent voters. Moreover, in a context where politicians or officeholders are referred to in terms of their party affiliation, an unaffiliated politician or officeholder may be referred to as an Independent (for example, a bill cosponsored by Republican Senator John McCain from Arizona and Independent Senator James Jeffords from Vermont).

Races, Peoples, Languages frl^la.

Capitalize the names of races, peoples, tribes, and languages. Caucasians the Japanese

Hispanics the Inuit

Native Americans Mandarin Chinese

BUT: the blacks the whites

The people who live in the Philippines are called Filipinos, and the official language of the country is called Pilipino. b. Do not hyphenate terms like African Americans or French Canadians when they are used as nouns, because the first word in each case modifies the second. However, hyphenate such terms when they are used as adjectives; for example, AfricanAmerican enterprises, French-Canadian voters. Moreover, hyphenate such terms when the first element is a prefix; for example, an Afro-American style, the AngloSaxons, the Indo-Chinese. >• For a usage note on ethnic references, seepages 324-325. NOTE:

Religious References d £ 2 j j a . Capitalize all references to a supreme being. God

the Supreme Being

Allah

the Lord

the Messiah

Yahweh

the Holy Spirit

the Almighty

Providence

Toward the end of his life, Winston Churchill wrote, "I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter."

The word god is capitalized in such compound expressions as God-fearing and Godspeed but not in such terms as godforsaken and god-awfulContinued on page 112

NOTE:

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H350 b. Capitalize personal pronouns referring to a supreme being when they stand alone, without an antecedent nearby. Offer thanks unto Him.

BUT. Ask the Lord for his blessing.

Mr. Dooley (the pseudonym of Finley Peter Dunne] said, "A fanatic is a man that does what he thinks the Lord would do if he knew the facts of the case."

NOTE: Some writers capitalize these personal pronouns under all circumstances. c Capitalize references to persons revered as holy. the Prince of Peace

Buddha

John the Baptist

the Good Shepherd the Blessed Virgin

the Prophet the Apostles

Saint Peter (see f|518e) Luke the Evangelist

d. Capitalize the names of religions, their members, and their buildings. Reform Judaism

Mormons

Saint Mark's Episcopal Church

Zen Buddhism Methodists Temple Beth Sholom the Roman Catholic Church (meaning the institution as a whole] BUT: the Roman Catholic church on Wyoming Avenue (referring to a specific building] the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (see fl363, note]

e. Capitalize references to religious events. (See also 11342.) the Creation the Flood

the Exodus the Second Coming

the Crucifixion the Resurrection

f. In general, do not capitalize references to specific religious observances and services. However, if you are writing from the perspective of a particular religion, follow the capitalization style of that religion. bar mitzvah

baptism

seder

christening

BUT: the Eucharist the Mass

#- For the use of a colon in references to chapter and verse in the Bible, see fl95b, note.

b. Do not capitalize bible when the work it refers to is not sacred. That reference manual has become my bible.

c. Biblical scholars now prefer to use the term the Hebrew Bible rather than the Old Testament. As part of the same trend, biblical scholars prefer to use the abbreviations B. C.E. (before the Common Era) and C.E. (the Common Era) in place of B. C and A.D. (For a further discussion of these abbreviations, see the entry for A.D.-B.C. on page 312.) d. According to the Muslim Information Center, Qur'an is now the preferred spelling for the Koran. (See a above.)

Section 3 • Capitalization

113

1)355 Celestial Bodies j j i i l Capitalize the names of planets (Jupiter, Mars), stars (Polaris, the North Star), and constellations (the Big Dipper, the Milky Way). However, do not capitalize the words sun, moon, and earth unless they are used in connection with the capitalized names of other planets or stars. With the weather we've been having, we haven't seen much of the sun. We have gone to the ends of the earth to assemble this collection of jewelry. Compare the orbits of Mars, Venus, and Earth. The name of the constellation you have in mind is spelled Orion, not O'Ryan.

Course Titles, Subjects, Academic Degrees >< V&M Capitalize the names of specific course titles. However, do not capitalize names of subjects or areas of study (except for any proper nouns or adjectives in such names). American History 201 meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Course title.) Harriet got a bachelor's degree in American history. (Area of study.] I can't decide whether to major in philosophy, religion, English literature, or computer science. (Areas of study.)

#-j-~frflDo not capitalize academic degrees used as general terms of classification. However, capitalize a degree used after a person's name. a bachelor of arts degree

received his bachelor's (see 11644)

a master of science degree

working for a master's

a doctor of laws degree

will soon receive her doctorate

BUT: Claire Hurwitz, Doctor of Philosophy

^ ^ ^ 3 In references to academic years, do not capitalize the wordsfreshman,sophomore, junior, and senior. In references to grade levels, capitalize the word grade when a number follows but not when a number precedes. Harriet spent her junior year in Germany. Our oldest child is in Grade 6; our second child is in the third grade. NOTE: Some schools and colleges prefer to Usefirst-yearstudents in place offreshmen. All incoming freshmen [OR: first-year students] must register by September 4.

Commercial Products 355

Capitalize trademarks, brand names, proprietary names, names of commercial products, and market grades. The common noun following the name of a product should not ordinarily be capitalized; however, manufacturers and advertisers often capitalize such words in the names of their own products to give them special emphasis. Elmer's glue HOTE: Be

BUT: Krazy Glue

alert to the correct spelling of proper nouns.

Macintosh computers

BUT. Mcintosh apples

>• For the capitalization of short words in the names ofproducts, see 1303, note; for the use ofintercaps, see 1366.

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1)356 a. Capitalize all trademarks except those that have become clearly established as

common nouns. To be safe, consult the International Trademark Association by phone (212.768.9886) or by e-mail . NOTE: The foliowing list contains many trademarks that are often mistakenly considered to be uncapitalized generic terms. Xerox; BDT: photocopy, photostat Telecopier; BUT: fax LaserWriter, Laser Jet; BUT: laser printer Express Mail, Filofax BUT: e-mail, voice mail, yellow pages Scotch tape, Post-it notes, Rolodex Jiffy bag, Carousel slide projector Acrilan, Dacron, Lycra, Orion, Ultrasuede; BUT: nylon, spandex Naugahyde, Thinsulate, Perma-Prest Levi's, Windbreaker, Snugli, L'eggs Loafer shoes, Air Jordan, Hush Puppies Jeep, Dumpster, Hide-A-Bed Airbus, Learjet, AAdvantage Teflon, Velcro, Ziploc, Baggies, GLAD AstroTurf, Styrofoam, Lucite, Mylar Spackle, Plastic Wood, Sheetrock Fiberglas; BUT: fiberglass Jacuzzi, Disposall, Frigidaire, Thermos Laundromat, Dustbuster, Drygas Crock-Pot, Pyrex dish, Dixie cup Bac*Os, Jell-O, Big Mac, Whopper, SPAM Q-tips, U-Haul, X-Acto knives, C-SPAN

B, Off!, Oh Henry!, H2OH!, Guess? Band-Aid, Ace bandage, BOTOX Kleenex, Vaseline, Chap Stick Tylenol, Novocain, Demerol, Valium; BUT: aspirin Nicotrol, NyQuil, Motrin BUT: penicillin, cortisone Olean; BUT: olestra Adrenalin; BUT: adrenaline diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Kool-Aid, Popsicle, Gatorade, Sanka Kitty Litter, Seeing Eye dog Day-Glo colors, Technicolor Discman, Walkman, Polaroid BUT: camcorder StairMaster, Wiffle ball Jazzercise, Ski-Doo, Aqua-Lung Frisbee, Ping-Pong, Rollerblades Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit Realtor; BUT: real estate agent Hi-Liter, Magic Marker Neon (car); BUT: neon (gas) Jaws of Life, Breathalyzer

b. Trademark holders typicaliy use a raised symbol (such as ™ or ®) after their trademarks in ali of their correspondence, promotional material, and product packaging. If you refer to other organizations' trademarks in material of a commercial nature that wili be publicly distributed, use a raised symbol after each trademark. In ali other documents, the symbols are not necessary, but do use the proper spelling and capitalization for these trademarks. NOTE: If a mark of punctuation (such as a period or a comma) falis at the same point as a trademark plus a raised symbol, insert the punctuation after the symbol. >• For additional examples of trademarks, see 1303, note, 1366,1402, note, 1505b, and 1516a, note.

Business Terms and Titles i a. Words ordinarily written in lowercase may be capitalized in advertising copy for emphasis. (This style is inappropriate in aU other kinds of communication.) Save money now during our Year-End Clearance Sale. It's the event Luxury Lovers have been waiting f o r . . . from Whitehall's!

Section 3 • Capitalization

115

fl359 b. Titles of business forms are customarily capitalized in procedures manuals and in in-house communications. However, a generic reference to a common form (such as a purchase order or an invoice) does not have to be capitalized unless it is followed by a number or a letter (see 11359). You will have to fill out a Leave of Absence Request form. (Do not capitalize the word form unless it is actually a part of the title.) Fill out a purchase requisition and send it to Felix Estaban for an okay. Please track down Purchase Requisition 6489, which has not yet been approved.

»- For titles of organizational officials, see fS13d-e.

Legal Documents 358

Although it has been traditional in legal documents to capitalize many words that would ordinarily be written in lowercase, there is no agreement on one uniform style for these documents. The prevailing practice currently is to capitalize key terms— for example, references to the parties [the Buyer, the Seller, the Landlord, the Tenant, the Plaintiff, the Defendant), references to the nature of the document (the Agreement, the Affidavit, the Motion, the Memorandum), and spelled-out amounts of money (see 11420). The use of all-caps for such references is losing ground, but terms like ORDERED, GRANTED, and DENIED still often appear this way in court orders. Leading authorities for the plain language movement advocate eliminating capitalization, especialiy for terms that refer to the document unless these terms are proper nouns.

Nouns With Numbers or Letters ^ j £ j j j Capitalize a noun foUowed by a number or a letter that indicates sequence. EXCEPTIONS: Do not capitalize the nouns line, note, page, paragraph, size, step, and verse. Account 66160

Exercise 8

paragraph 2a

Actl

Exhibit A

Part Three

Appendix A

Extension 2174

Plate XV

Article 2

Figure 9

Platform 3

Book III

Form 1040

Policy 394857

Building 4

MOTE:

(BUT: a W-2 form)

Proposition 215

Bulletin T-119

Grade 6

Room 501

Catch-22

Illustration 19

Route 46

Channel 55

Interstate 5 OR:1-5

Rule 3

Chapter V

Invoice 270487

Section 1

Chart 3

Item 9859D

size 10

Check 181

Lesson 20

step 3

Class 4

line 4

Table 7

Column 1

Model B671-4

Unit 2

Day One

note 1

verse 3

Diagram 4

page 158

Volume II

It is often unnecessary to use No. before the number. (See 11455b.) Purchase Order 4713 (RATHER THAW: Purchase Order No. 4713) BUT: Social Security No. 042-62-5340 (NOT: Social Security 042-62-5340]

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• Grammar, Usage, and Style

1)360 Titles of Literary and Artistic Works; Headings fri^'la.

In titles of literary and artistic works and in displayed headings, capitalize ali words withfour or more letters. Also capitalize words with fewer than four letters except: ARTICLES: a, an, the SHORT CONJUNCTIONS: and, as, but, if, or, nor SHORT PREPOSITIONS: at, by, for, in, of, off, on, out, to, up

>- For additional exceptions, see f361. b. Be sure to capitalize short verb forms like is and be. However, do not capitalize to when it is part of an infinitive. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying "Redevelopment Proposal Is Not Expected to Be Approved"

c. In magazine titles, capitalize the word magazine only if it is actually part of the magazine name. Harper's Magazine Golf Magazine

BUT: Time magazine Smithsonian magazine

d. When citing titles in text, headings, source notes, or bibliographies, it is important to maintain a consistent style of capitalization. You may thus find it necessary to disregard the capitalization style used on the title page of a particular book or in the heading of a particular article or in the listings in a particular catalog. For reasons of typographic design or graphic appeal, titles may appear in such places in a variety of styles—in ali-caps, lowercase, small caps, or some combination of these styles. In some cases, only the first word of the title and subtitle is capitalized. In other cases, the first letter of every word is capitalized. In some books a different style of capitalization is used on the book jacket, the title page, and the copyright page. In light of ali these variations in capitalization style that you are likely to encounter, impose a consistent style as described in 1I1I360-361. However, do not alter the all-cap style used for acronyms (for example, AIDS) and organizational names (for example, IBM). #- For abbreviations of time zones such as CST, see 1534.

b. In books, journals, and similar publications, a.m. andp.m. usualiy appear in smali caps without internal space (A.M., P.M.). In other material, a.m. andp.m. typicaliy appear in lowercase without internal space; however, you can use smali caps if you have that option. Avoid the use of all-caps. c. For time "on the hour," zeros are not needed to denote minutes unless you want to give special emphasis to the precise hour.

Our store is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (NOT: 6:00 p.m.) BUT: Our store is always open until 6:00. (See fl442a for the use of zeros when am. or p.m. is omitted.) You may call me between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can reach me on the weekends between 2 and 5 p.m. We always close from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. From a church bulletin: The Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet on Thursday between 9:30 and / / a.m. Please use the back door.

In tables, however, when some entries are given in hours and minutes, add a colon and two zeros to exact hours to maintain a uniform appearance.

AIT. 8:45 9:00 9:50

Dep. 9:10 9:25 10:00

»- For other illustrations showing the alignment of clock times in columns, see 11 for the 24-hour system of expressing clock times, see 11627c. d. Do not use a.m. or p.m. unless figures are used. this morning (NOT: this a.m.)

tomorrow afternoon (NOT: tomorrow p.m.)

e. Do not use a.m. or p.m. with o'clock. 6 o'clock OR: 6 p.m. (NOT: 6 p.m. o'clock) NOTE:

ten o'clock OR: 10 a.m. (NOT: 10 a.m. o'clock)

The expression o'clock is more formal than a.m. or p.m.

Section 4 • Numbers

137

1J442 f. Do not use a.m. or p.m. with the expressions in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, and at night. The abbreviations themselves already convey one of these meanings. at 9 p.m.

OR: at nine in the evening (NOT. at 9 p.m. in the evening)

g. Use a colon (without space before or after) to separate hours from minutes (as in 3:22). h. The times noon and midnight may be expressed in words alone. However, use the forms 12 noon and 12 midnight when these times are given with other times expressed in figures. Dinner is served in the main dining room until midnight BUT: Dinner is served from 6 p.m. until 12 midnight NOTE: Plane

and train schedules often refer to noon as 12 a.m. and midnight as 12p.m., but in other contexts these designations are not as clear as the forms shown above. With O'Clock a. With o'clock, use figures for emphasis or words for formality. 3 o'clock (for emphasis) three o'clock (for formality) NOTE: Do not use a colon and two zeros when using o'clock to express time "on the hour." b. To express hours and minutes with o'clock, use this style: half past four o'clock OR.- half after four o'clock (BUT NOT: four-thirty o'clock OR: 4:30 o'clock)

c. Expressions of time containing o'clock may be reinforced by such phrases as in the morning and in the afternoon. 10 o'clock at night

seven o'clock in the morning

For quick comprehension, use the forms 10p.m. and 7 a.m. Without a.m., p.m., or O'Clock

a. When expressing time without a.m., p.m., or o 'clock, either spell the time out or— for quick comprehension—convert the expression to an all-figure style. arrive at eight five after six a quarter past ten twenty of four a quarter to five half past nine nine forty-two

arrive at 8:00 (NOT: at 8) 6:05 OR: 10:15 OR: 3:40 OR: a quarter of five OR: 4:45 OR: nine-thirty OR: 9:30 OR: 9:42 b . A hyphen i s used between hours and minutes (seven-thirty) but n o t if t h e minutes must be hyphenated (seven thirty-five). OR: OR:

The following rules (1HI443-45 5) deal with situations in which numbers are always expressed in figures.

138

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• Grammar, Usage, and Style

1J443 Decimals WSI/M Always write decimals in figures. Never insert commas in the decimal part of a number. 665.3184368 [no comma in decimal part of the number) 58,919.23785 (comma used in whole part of the number)

»• For the metric style of writing decimals, see fl461b.

444

When a decimal standsalone(without a whole number precedingthedecimal point), insert a zero before the decimal point. (Reason: The zero keepsthereader from overlooking the decimal point.) 0.55 inch

0.08 gram

EXCEPTIONS.- a Colt .45; a .357 Magnum revolver

445

Ordinarily, dropthezero at the end of a decimal (for example, write 2.787 rather than 2.7870). However, retain the zero (a) if you wish to emphasize that the decimal is an exact number or (b) if the decimal has been rounded off from a longerfigure.In a column offiguresadd zeros totheend of a decimal in order to makethenumber as long as other numbers in the column. (For illustrations, see 11111627,1629,1630,1632.)

446

Do not begin a sentence with a decimal figure. The temperature was 63.7

(NOT: 63.7 was the temperature.)

Percentages WiUiM a. Express percentages infigures,and spell out the word percent. (See I111421-422 for percentages at the beginning of a sentence.)

When your mortgage rate goes from 7 percent to 7.7 percent, it may have increased by less than 1 percentage point, but you'll pay 10 percent more in interest Yogi Berra once said, "Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical." My client expected a 25 percent discount (NOT: a 25-percent discount.) Our terms are 2 percent 10 days, net 30 days. (Abbreviate these credit terms as 2/10, n/30 on invoices and other business forms.)

NOTE: The

% symbol may be used in tables, on business forms, and in statistical or technical material. b. Spell outthenumber whenthepercentage does not represent a technical measurement. (See 11401c.) We're behind you a hundred percent

448

a. Fractional percentages under 1 percent may be expressed as foUows: one half of 1 percent

OR: 0.5 percent (see 11444)

b . Fractional percentages over 1 percent should be expressed i n 7'/2 percent

449

OR:

75 percent

9% percent

OR:

figures.

9.25 percent

In a range or series of percentages, the word percent follows the lastfigureonly. If the symbol % is used (see 11447a, note), it must foUow each figure. We give discounts of 10, 20, and 30 percent (BUT: 10%, 20%, and 30%.)

>• For the use of % in a column offigures,see 11630; for the use of percent an percentage, seepage 337.

Section 4 • Numbers

139

H454 Ratios and Proportions 4 5 0 a. As a rule, write ratios and proportions in figures. a proportion of 5 to 1

OR:

a 5-to-l ratio

the odds are TOO to 1

OR:

a 100-to-1 shot

OR:

a 5:1 ratio

b . A n o n t e c h n i c a l reference m a y be s p e l l e d o u t . a fifty-fifty chance of success

OR:

a 50-50 chance of success

Scores and Voting Results 4 5 1 Use figures (even for 1 through 10) to express scores and voting results. a score of 85 on the test

a vote of 17 to 6

a 5-4 Supreme Court decision

New York 8, Chicago 6

BUT: a 17-6 vote

a Senate vote of 58-42

Numbers Referred to as Numbers 4 5 2 Always usefiguresto express numbers referred to as numbers. pick a number from 1 to 10

divide by 16

multiply by '/«

Figures With Abbreviations and Symbols g.VK* a. Always usefigureswith abbreviations and symbols. $50

10:15 a.m.

43%

2 in

650

6 p.m.

No. 631

1-95

OR:

2"

FY2007 [see fl1621c)

200 km (see 11537a}

b. If a symbol is used in a range of numbers, it should be repeated with each number. A full word or an abbreviation used in place of the symbol is given only with the last number. 20°-30°C

BUT:

20 to 30 degrees Celsius (see fl537b)

5'/2" x 8"

5% by 8 inches

9'x12'

9 by 12 feet

30%-40%

30 to 40 percent

500-600

50 to 60 cents

$70-$80

seventy to eighty dollars

NOTE: A

OR:

OR:

5'/4 x 8 in

9 x 1 2 ft

symbol should be used with each number in a series.

discounts of 5%, 10%, and 15%

BUT: discounts of 5,10, and 15 percent

Telephone Numbers 4 5 4 a. Insert a hyphen after the first three digits of a telephone number; for example, 555-1789. If a company chooses to express its phone number partially or entirely in words, follow the company's style; for example, 345-GIFT, 4-ANGIES, JOB-HUNT, CASH-NOW, GOFEDEX, PICK-UPS. b. When providing a telephone extension along with the main number, use the following form: 555-4890, Ext. 6041. (In formal correspondence, spell out.Erte72.szon.) c. When the area code precedes a phone number, there are several ways to treat the number. The style most commonly seen, especially in text material, uses a hyphen (with no space on either side) to connect the elements: 707-555-3998. Continued on page 140

140

Parti

• Grammar, Usage, and Style

1)454 The style that encloses the area code in parentheses—(707) 555-3998—is also frequently used, but it does not work well in text material when the phone number as a whole has to be enclosed in parentheses. You can reach me by phone (707-555-3998) during normal business hours.

BUT NOT: ... by phone (C707) 555-3998) during normal business hours. In a growing number of areas, it has become necessary to use the area code even for local calls. In that case enclosing the area code in parentheses is inappropriate, since the area code is now an essential part of the phone number. When telephone numbers are displayed (for example, in letterheads and on business cards), other styles are often seen. Some writers prefer to use a diagonal after the area code: 707/555-3998. Others simply leave spaces between the elements: 707 555 3998. And an up-and-coming style—707.555.3998—uses periods to separate the elements; because these periods resemble the dots in e-mail addresses, this style is growing in popularity. >» For the types ofphone numbers used in business letterheads, see ffl311-1312. d. When an access code precedes the area code and the phone number, use a hyphen to connect all the elements. Please use our toll-free, 24/7 phone number: 1-877-555-6400. NOTE: Do not use "800 number" as a synonym for "toll-free phone number," since toll-free numbers may now begin with a different area code—for example, 855, 866, 877,and888. e. International phone numbers typically contain a series of special access codes. Use hyphens to connect all the elements. ,011-64-97555-1523 L

international access code from the United States •-country access code L city access code NOTE: The international access code 011 is valid only for international calls originating within the United States. f. When you are providing a U.S. phone number in a printed or electronic document that may elicit calis from other countries, use a plus sign to represent the international access code andthenumeral 1 to represent the country access code for the United States. For example: ± ,1,-4157555-2998

La symbol representing another country's international access code Khe country access code for the United States L-a U.S. area code Since each country has its own international access code—for example, 191 is the code for outgoing calis from France—use a plus sign rather than a specific international access code unless you are sure ali international calls to your number wili come from only one country. NOTE: Telephone calls between the United States and Canada, Puerto Rico, and most places in the Caribbean/Atlantic calling region do not require the use of international access codes.

Section 4 • Numbers

141

11459 No. or # With Figures 455

a. If the term number precedes a figure, express it as an abbreviation (singular: No.; plural: Nos.). At the beginning of a sentence, however, spell out Number to prevent misreading. Our check covers the following invoices: Nos. 8592, 8653, and 8654. Number 82175 has been assigned to your new policy, (NOT. NO. 82175 ...] Becky Noonan is our No. 1 resource on matters covered by environmental law. Pee fl817d.) Kyle Kenton will be the No. 2 person after the merger takes place.

b. If an identifying noun precedes the figure (such as Invoice, Check, Room, or Box), the abbreviation No. is usually unnecessary. Our check covers Invoices 8592,8653, and 8654. (Seefl463for exceptions.]

c. The symbol # may be used on business forms and in technical material. 5* For the capitalization of nouns precedingfigures,see 1359. The following rules (1111456-470) deal with two technical aspects of style: (1) treating numbers that are adjacent or in a sequence and (2) expressing numbers in figures, words, roman numerals, or abbreviated forms.

Adjacent Numbers I When two numbers come together in a sentence and both are in figures or both are in words, separate them with a comma. In 2005, 78 percent of our field representatives exceeded their sales goal. Although the staff meeting was scheduled for two, ten people did not show up. On page 192, 25 problems are provided for review purposes. On Account 53512, $125.40 is the balance outstanding.

On May 8, 18 customers called to complain. NOTE: No comma is needed when one number is in figures and the other is in words. On May 9 seven customers called to complain. I When two numbers come together and one is part of a compound modifier (see 11817), express one of the numbers in figures and the other in words. As a rule, spell the first number unless the second number would make a significantly shorter word. two 8-room houses sixty $5 bills

BUT: 500 four-page leaflets 150 five-dollar bills

Numbers in a Sequence 4 5 8 Use commas to separate numbers that do not represent a continuous sequence. on pages 18,20, and 28

459

the years 2000, 2004, and 2008

a. Use an en dash (or a single hyphen if you do not have access to an en dash) to link two figures that represent a continuous sequence. The en dash means "up to and including" in the following expressions: on pages 18-28

in Articles l-l 11

during the week of May 15-21 during the years 2003-2006 NOTE: Do not insert space before or after the en dash or the hyphen. (See also H299f.) >- For a full discussion of the use of the en dash and additional examples, see 1217. Continued on page 142

142

Parti

• Grammar, Usage, and Style

1J460 b. Do not use the en dash (or hyphen) if the sequence is introduced by the word from or between. from 1998 to 2001 (NOT: from 1998-2001)

between 2006 and 2007 (NOT: between 2006-2007)

c. When you want to indicate that some numerical quantity has risen or decreased from "here" to "there," it is customary to express the "from" number before the "to" number. The latest sales projections indicate an increase this year from $5.2 million to $6.3 million. Some authorities recommend expressing the "to" number before the "from" number to avoid a possible misreading. The latest sales projections indicate an increase this year to $6.3 million from $5.2 million. (This wording is intended to prevent readers from concluding that the actual amount of the sales increase will fall somewhere between $5.2 million and $6.3 million.)

If no misreading seems likely, use a "from here to there" sequence. 460

a. In a continuous sequence of figures connected by an en dash or a hyphen, the second figure may be expressed in abbreviated form. This style is used for sequences of page numbers or years when they occur quite frequently. In isolated cases, do not abbreviate. (See 11217.) 1997-98 (OR: 1997-1998)

pages 110-12 (OR: pages 110-112)

2005-6 (OR: 2005-2006)

pages 101-2 (OR: pages 101-102)

b. Do not abbreviate the second number when the first number ends in two zeros. 2000-2005 (NOT: 2000-05)

pages 100-101 (NOT: pages 100-1)

c. Do not abbreviate the second number when it starts with different digits. 1995-2005 (NOT: 1995-05)

pages 998-1004 (NOT: pages 998-04)

d. Do not abbreviate the second number when it is under 100. 46-48 C.E. pages 46-48 »- For a usage note on C.E., see the entry for A.D.-B.C. on page 312.

Expressing Numbers in Figures rf-T^iB a. When numbers run to five or more figures, use commas to separate thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions, etc., in whole numbers. Do not use commas in the decimal part of a number. (See also 1443.) 12,375

147,300

$11,275,478

4,300,000,000

BUT: 70,650.37248

EXCEPTION: The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 11722.98 on January 14, 2000. (A comma is not used in these five-digit numbers. See the illustrations on pages 494 and 498.)

NOTE: The

comma is now commoaly omitted in four-digit whole numbers except in columns with larger numbers that require commas. 3500

OR:

3,500

$2000.50

OR:

$2,000.50

b. In metric quantities, use a space to separate digits into groups of three. Separate whole numbers and decimal fractions, counting from the decimal point. 12 945 181 (RATHER THAN: 12,945,181)

0.594 31 (RATHER THAN: 0.59431)

NOTE: When

a four-digit number is used as a metric quantity, do not leave a space unless the number is used in a column that has larger numbers. 5181

OR:

5 181

0.3725

OR:

0.372 5

Section 4 • Numbers

143

1J466 g.Trfr'-l Do not use commas in year numbers, page numbers, house or building numbers, room numbers, ZIP Code numbers, telephone numbers, heat units, and decimal parts of numbers. 2003 page 1246

8760 Sunset Drive Room 1804

New York. NY 10021 602-555-2174 [see H454)

1500°C 13,664.9999

463

Serial numbers (for example, invoice, style, model, or lot numbers) are usually written without commas. However, some serial numbers are written with hyphens, spaces, or other devices. In all cases follow the style of the source. Invoice 38162 BUT: Social Security No. 152-22-8285 Patent No. 222,341 >• For the capitalization of nouns before numbers, see 1359; for the use of Ho., see 1455.

464

To form the plurals offigures,add s. (See 11624a.) in the '90s (decades]

in the 90s (temperature)

Expressing Numbers in Words %£^}

a. When expressing numbers in words, hyphenate all compound numbers between 21 and 99 (or 21st and 99th), whether they stand alone or are part of a number over 100. twenty-one twenty-first

twenty-one hundred twenty-one hundredth

seven hundred and twenty-five {and may be omitted) five thousand seven hundred and twenty-five (no commas)

b. Do not hyphenate other words in a spelled-out number over 99. one hundred two thousand

nineteen hundred three hundred thousand

six hundred million fifty-eight trillion

c. When a spelled-out number appears in a place name, follow the style shown in an authoritative postal directory or atlas. Twentynine Palms, California Eighty Four, Pennsylvania

Ninety Six, South Carolina Thousand Oaks, California

d. Spell out the word zero, but express it as a figure when it is part of a larger number. a ceremony at Ground Zero adopted a zero-tolerance policy

zero percent financing (For formality) 0% financing (for emphasis]

When a decimal stands alone, insert a zero before the decimal point; for example, 0.375 inch. (See also 11444.) e. Use an en dash (or a hyphen if necessary) to create a minus sign. (See 1111217b, 1631e.) >• For the capitalization of hyphenated numbers, see 1363. g f l r i ^ When there are two ways to express a number in words, choose the simpler form. For example, use the form fifteen hundred rather than one thousandfivehundred. (The longer form is rarely used except in formal expressions of dates. See 1411.)

144

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• Grammar, Usage, and Style

11467 ^ J 2 ^ T ° form the plurals of spelled-out numbers, add s or es. For numbers ending in y, change the y to i before es. (See 1624b.) ones twos threes sixes twenty-fives thirds sixths eighths twenties thirty-seconds >- For spelled-out dates, see 1411; for spelled-out amounts of money, see 11413c, 414, 417, 418a, 420; for spelled-out fractions, see 11427-428.

Expressing Numbers in Roman Numerals 468

Roman numerals are used chiefly for the important divisions of literary and legislative material, for main topics in outlines, for dates, and in proper names. Chapter VI Title IX MCMXCIX [1999) Thomas E. Granger II Volume III World War II MMIV [2004) Pope John XXIII NOTE: Pages in the front section of a book or a formal report (such as the preface and table of contents) are usuaUy numbered in small roman numerals: Hi, iv, v, etc. Other pages are numbered in arabic numerals: 1, 2, 3, etc. (See 1111420.1427.)

469

To form roman numerals, consult the following table. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

1 II III IV V VI VII VIII

IX X XI XII

13 14 15 19 20 21 24 25 29 30 40 50

XIII

XIV XV XIX XX XXI XXIV

XXV XXIX

XXX XL L

60 70 80 90 100 200 400 500 600 800 900 1,000

LX LXX LXXX

XC C CC CD D DC DCCC

CM M

1,100 1,400 1,500 1,600 1,900 2,000 5,000 10,000 50,000 100,000 500,000 1,000,000

MC MCD MD MDC MCM MM V X L

c

D M

NOTE: A bar appearing over any roman numeral indicates that the original value of the numeral is to be multiplied by 1000.

Expressing Large Numbers in Abbreviated Form 470

In technical and informal contexts and in material where space is tight (such as tables and classified ads), large numbers may be abbreviated. ROHAN STYLE: 48M [48,000); 6.3M (6,300,000) METRIC STYLE: 31K [31,000); K stands for kilo, signifying thousands 5.2M fJ5,200,000); M stands for mega, signifying millions 8.76G (8,760,000,000); G stands for giga, signifying billions 9.4T (9,400,000,000,000); T stands for Vera, signifying tnllions NOTE: Using M to express large numbers can create confusion, because M represents thousands in the roman style and millions in the metric style. As a general rule, use M only if you can be sure your readers will know what M stands for. When you cannot be sure who your readers are likely to be, either avoid using M or indicate at the outset what meaning you have assigned to it. >- Division of large numbers at the end of a line: see 1915. House, street, and ZIP Code numbers: see 111328-1332.

Section 5 Abbreviations Basic Rules (1111501-514) When to Use Abbreviations (M501-505) Punctuation and Spacing With Abbreviations (I111506-513) Capitalization (11514)

Special Rules (UH515-550) Personal Names and Initials (M515-516) Abbreviations With Personal Names (1H1517-518) Academic Degrees, Religious Orders, and Professional Designations (11519) Names of Organizations (M520-521) Acronyms (H522) Names of Broadcasting Stations and Systems (11523) Names of Government and International Agencies (1111524-525) Geographic Names (1111526-529) Compass Points (M530-531) Days and Months (1(532) Time and Time Zones (HK533-534) Customary Measurements (1111535-536) Metric Measurements (M537-538) Chemical and Mathematical Expressions (KH539-540) Business Expressions (1111541-542) Symbols (H543) Computer Abbreviations (11544) Foreign Expressions (11545) Miscellaneous Expressions (M546-550)

>• For definitions of grammatical terms, see the appropriate entries in the Glossa Grammatical Terms (Appendix D).

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11501

Basic Rules

>* For a perspective on the rules for using abbreviations, see the essay in Appendix pages 603-604.

When to Use Abbreviations

>^"l'l-ia. An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase used primarily to save space. Abbreviations occur most frequently in technical writing, statistical material, tables, and notes. b. Abbreviations that are pronounced letter by letter—for example, IBM, Ph.D., p.m.—are called initialisms. Abbreviations that are pronounced as words—for example, ZIP (Code), AIDS, laser—are called acronyms (see 11522). Consider these two expressions: CTscan and CAT scan. Both refer to a procedure used by radiologists (computerized axial tomography). CTis an initialism; CAT is an acronym. Occasionally, an abbreviation may have two acceptable pronunciations—for example, URL (which stands for uniform resource locator and refers to a specif Web address for an individual or an organization). When URL is pronounced yoo-arr-ell, it is an initialism; when pronounced erl, it is an acronym. NOTE: The use of a or an before an abbreviation will depend on whether the abbreviation is regarded as an initialism (and pronounced letter by letter) or is considered an acronym (and pronounced as a word). See the entry for a-an on pages 311-312. c. When using an abbreviation, do not follow it with a word that is part of the abbreviation (See also H522e.) a collection of CDs (NOT: CD discs)

runs on AC (NOT: AC current)

find an ATM (NOT: an ATM machine)

tested for HIV (NOT: HIV virus)

forgot my PIN (NOT: PIN number)

the cost of ABMs (NOT: ABM missiles)

>* For examples of redundant computer expressions to be avoided, see 1544b.

E^l'V-l a. In business writing, abbreviations are appropriate in expedient documents (such as business forms, catalogs, and routine e-mail messages, memos, and letters between business offices), where the emphasis is on communicating data in the briefest form. In other kinds of writing, where a more formal style is appropriate, use abbreviations sparingly. When in doubt, speli it out. b. Some abbreviations are always acceptable, even in the most formal contexts: those that precede or foliow personal names (such as Mr., Ms., Mrs., fr., Sr., Esq. Ph.D., S.J.); those that are part of an organization's legal name (such as Co., Inc., Ltd.); those used in expressions of time (such as a.m., p.m., CST, EDT); and a few miscelianeous expressions (such as AD. and .B.C.). c Organizations with long names are now commonly identified by their initials in all but the most formal writing (for example, NAACP, SEC). In fact, a number of organizations have now adopted those abbreviations as their formal names. (See fl520b.) d. Days of the week, names of the months, geographic names, and units of measure should be abbreviated only on business forms, in expedient documents, and in tables, lists, and narrow columns of text (for example, in a newsletter or brochure where space is tight).

Section 5 • Abbreviations

147

H 505 e. When an abbreviation is only one or two keystrokes shorter than the full word (for example, Pt. for Part), do not bother to abbreviate except to achieve consistency in a context where similar terms are being abbreviated. (See also 11532 for abbreviations of months.) ^-fjfrl Consult a dictionary or an authoritative reference work for the acceptable forms of abbreviations. When a term may be abbreviated in several ways, choose the form that is shortest without sacrifice of clarity. continued: Use cont rather than contd. 2 pounds: Use 2 lb rather than 2 lbs (see fl620a). Enclosures 2: Use Enc. 2 rather than Encs. 2 or End. 2. second, third: Use 2d, 3d rather than 2nd, 3rd (see also ]]425b, note). megabyte, kilobyte: Use MB, KB for clarity rather than M, K [see also fl470, note). NOTE: Merriam-Webster's

Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, the basic authority for all spelling in this manual, shows virtually every abbreviation without any periods, even though in actual practice many abbreviations are still written with periods. Thus, for example, unless your Latin is very good, you may not realize that in the expression et at, the word et is a full word (meaning "and") and requires no period, whereas al. is short for alii (meaning "others") and does require a period. Under these circumstances, for specific abbreviations not shown in this manual, you will need to consult another up-to-date dictionary. The forms shown here reflect the spellings found in Merriam-Webster, but the punctuation is based on observations of actual practice and is consistent with the style recommended by other authorities. . M i L ^ Be consistent within the same material: do not abbreviate a term in some sentences and spell it out in other sentences. Moreover, having selected one form of an abbreviation (say, co.d.), do not use a different style (COD) elsewhere in the same material. (See 11542.) NOTE: When using an abbreviation that may not be familiar to the reader, spell out the full term along with the abbreviation when it is first used. At the end of fiscal year (FY) 2005, we showed a profit of $1.2 million; at the end of FY2006, however, we showed a loss of $1.8 million. OH: At the end of FY2005 (fiscalyear 2005)...

H i H a . Given a choice between an abbreviation and a contraction, choose the abbreviation. It not only looks better but is easier to read. COnL (RATHER THAN: cont'd)

govt (RATHER THAN: gov't)

dept (RATHER THAN: dep't)

mfg. (RATHER THAN: m'f'g)

b. When a word or phrase is shortened by contraction, an apostrophe is inserted at the exact point where letters are omitted and no period follows the contraction except at the end of a sentence. you're doesn't could've rock 'n' roll ne'er-do-well up and at 'em let's don't o'clock s'mores nor"easter ol' boy network EXCEPTIONS: c'mon (come on) wannabes (want-to-bes) li'l (little) zine (magazine) NOTE: Respect a company's preference when it uses a contraction in its corporate name or in the name of a product. Continued on page 148

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1J506 Wash'n Dri Sweet'n Low Shake 'n Bake

Spray 'n Wash Linens 'n Things Light n' Lively

Dunkin' Donuts Cap'n Crunch Ship "n Shore

Bran'nola Chock full o' Nuts Land 0 Lakes

c. As a rule, contractions are used only in informal writing or in tables where space is limited. I'd've gone to Bart's reception if he'd invited me.

That was a lovely treat but you shouldn't've done it However, contractions of verb phrases (such as can't for cannot) are commonly used in business communications where the writer is striving for an easy, colioquial tone. In formal writing, contractions are not used (except for o'clock, which is considered a more formal way to express time than a.m. or p.m.). d. Be sure to distinguish certain contractions from possessive pronouns that sound the same but do not use an apostrophe. Ron has been pushing the Kirschner proposal for all it's worth. On other words, for all it is worth.) Let's get an outside consultant to analyze the Kirschner proposal and assess its worth. (Here its is a possessive pronoun; no apostrophe should be used.)

We had a lot of snow on Sunday, but most of it's melted now. On other words, it has melted.) >* For further examples and a test on whether to use a contraction or a possessive pronoun, see fl056e. e. Note that certain contractions can have more than one meaning. What's her name? (What is her name?) What's he do for a living? (What does he do for a living?) What's been happening? (What has been happening?) When's the last time you saw her? (When was the last time you saw her?) Let's find out. (Let us find out)

f. When typing an apostrophe to indicate the omission of one or more letters or figures, make sure the apostrophe is a closing quotation mark ('), not an opening mark ('). When the apostrophe occurs within a word (for example, doesn't or o'clock), you will automaticaliy get a closing quotation mark. However, if the apostrophe occurs at the beginning of a word or a number (for example, '07 for 2007), you are likely to get an opening mark ['07). One way to solve this problem is to type the apostrophe twice ("07) and backspace to delete the opening mark; you wiU be left with the closing mark you want ('07). (The user's manual for your software program may suggest other ways to create a closing quotation mark at the beginning of a word.) rock 'n' roll (NOT: rock 'n' roll) Shake 'n Bake (NOT. Shake 'n Bake) NOTE: If you frequently need to type an apostrophe at the beginning of a word or a figure, consider using a straight apostrophe (') rather than a curved (') or slanted (') apostrophe, since the straight apostrophe serves as both an opening and a closing quotation mark. You may also be able to change the smart quotes feature so that it always provides straight marks for either single or double quotation marks.

Punctuation and Spacing With Abbreviations •-rlilrB a. The abbreviation of a single word requires a period at the end. Mrs. Jr. Corp. pp. Wed. misc. Esq. Inc. Nos. Oct

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11510 NOTE: When the abbreviations appear in the names of organizations and products, the period is occasionally omitted. Always follow the style of the organization. Dr. Denton's clothing BUT: Dr Pepper soft drinks

b. Units of measurement are now commonly written without periods. (See M 5 3 5 a , 538b.) c. In certain expressions, abbreviations are written without periods. Consider the treatment of Gen, the abbreviation for Generation: Gen X [the generation born in the 1960s and 1970s] Gen Y (the generation born thereafter]

Almost all lowercase abbreviations made up of single initials require a period after each initial but no space after each internal period. a.m.

i.e.

f.o.b.

BUT: rpm

mpg

p.m. e.g. e.o.m. cpi mph >• For the omission ofperiods with abbreviations of units of measure, see 1535a; for the definition of business abbreviations like f.o.b. and e.o.m., see 1541. All-cap abbreviations made up of single initials normally require no periods and no internal space. AMA UAW PBS

IRS UN AICPA

CEO VIP PSAT

PIN ATM IRA

WWW RAM OCR

MIT

NFL VCR UFO FTP EXCEPTIONS: Retain the periods in abbreviations of geographic names (such as U. S.A.),

academic degrees (such as£.A,Af.S.),andafew expressions (such as AD., B. C, and P.O.). Also retain the periods when they are used in the names of organizations and products (for example, B. V.D. underwear, S.O.S. scouring pads). If an abbreviation of two or more words consists of more than single initials, insert a period and a space after each element in the abbreviation. N. Mex. Lt Col. Rt. Rev. loc. ciL nol. pros. EXCEPTIONS: Academic abbreviations—such as Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy), LL.B. (bachelor of law), zndLitt.D. (doctor of letters)—are written with periods but no spaces. Units of measurement such as sqft and cu cm are written with spaces but no periods. • J A number of shortened forms of words are not abbreviations and should not be followed by a period. (See 1111236c, 524c) abs app cell phone chemo combo comp condo co-op decaf deli

demo elhi exam expo

info

fax

max

photo op prefab premed prep promo

fridge glutes high-tech hype indie

meds memo micros perks perp

sales rep sci-fi sitcom slo-mo

lab limo logo

req

specs stereo sync temp typo veggies vibes zine before the 2d after the 5th Continued on page 150

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A number of the sales reps have sent a fax, asking for some info on this year's incentive com plans. When you check the proofs for typos, please watch out for the problems we had in our last promo piece, and make sure our logo is not left off this time. Also check everything against the original specs, and tell me what the total prep costs are.

• f T T B One space should follow an abbreviation within a sentence unless another mark of punctuation follows immediately. You ought to talk to your CPA about that problem. Dr. Wilkins works in Washington, D.C., but his home is in Bethesda. Please call tomorrow (before 5:30 p.m.]. When Jonas asked, "When do you expect to finish your Ph.D.?" Fred looked embarrassed. (See 11261c regarding the omission of a comma after an introductory dependent clause.) I'm waiting for some word on Harrison, Inc.'s stock repurchase plan. (See HH638-639 for possessive forms of abbreviations.)

g-~ik# One or two spaces should follow an abbreviation at the end of a sentence that makes a statement. (See 11102.) If the abbreviation ends with a period, that period also serves to mark the end of the sentence. If the abbreviation ends without a period, insert one to mark the end of the sentence. Helen has just returned from a trip to Washington, D.C. Next year... NOTE: Ordinarily, placing an abbreviation at the end of a sentence that makes a statement poses no problem. However, when the correct form of an abbreviation is the issue under discussion, place the abbreviation elsewhere in the statement. In that way the reader will not have to guess whether the period that marks the end of the statement also marks the end of the abbreviation.

The correct postal abbreviation tor Alaska is AK. (Here the period applies only to the end of the sentence.) CLEARER: AK\s the correct postal abbreviation for Alaska.

The correct abbreviation for numbers is Nos. (Here the period applies to the end of the statement aw/the abbreviation.) CLEARER: Nos. is the correct abbreviation for numbers. If rewording the sentence is not feasible, then as a last resort use this solution: The correct postal abbreviation for Alaska is AKfro period). H M . M ? space should follow an abbreviation at the end of a question or an exclamation. Insert a question mark or exclamation point directly after the abbreviation. Did you see Jack Hainey being interviewed last night on CBS? Because of bad weather our flight didn't get in until 4 a.m.!

Capitalization U L l

Most abbreviations use the same capitalization as the full words for which they stand. Mon. Btu

Monday British thermal unit

EXCEPTIONS:

CST A.D.

e-mail electronic mail D.C. District of Columbia

Central standard time anno Domini (see page 312)

»- For abbreviations with two forms (for example, COD or c.o.dj, see 1542; for th capitalization of acronyms, see 1522d.

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11517 The following rules ( 1 1 5 1 5 - 5 5 0 ) offer guidance on how to treat specific types of abbreviations.

Special Rules Personal Names and Initials 515

Use periods with abbreviations of first or middle names but not with nicknames. Thos. Jos. Robt Benj. Jas. Wm, Saml. Edw. Tom Joe Bob Ben Jim Bill Sam Ed NOTE: Do not abbreviate first and middle names unless (a) you are preparing a list or table where space is tight or (b) a person uses such abbreviations in his or her legal name. (See also 11321a.) H H t . Each initial in a person's name should be followed by a period and one space. W. E. B. Du Bois Mr. L. Bradford Anders Samuel F. B. Morse L B. Anders Inc. (see also Hi59] NOTE: Respect the preference of individuals and of companies that use a person's

initials in their company name. Harry S Truman L.L. Bean

BFGoodrich JCPenney

FAO Schwarz TJ.Maxx

b . When personal initials stand alone, type them preferably without periods or space. If periods are used, omit the internal space. JTN

OH: J.T.N.

c. For names with prefixes, initials are formed as follows: JDM (for John D. MacDonald) FGO (for Frances G. O'Brien) If you know that an individual prefers some other form (for example, FGO'B rather than FGO), respect that preference. NOTE:

d. Do not use a period when the initial is only a letter used in place of a real name. (See also 1109a.) I have selected three case studies involving a Ms. A a Mr. B, and a Miss C. (Here the letters are used in place of real names, but they are not abbreviations of those names.) BUT. Call Mrs. G. when you get a chance. (Here G. is an initial representing an actual name like Galanos.)

e. The abbreviation NMI is sometimes used on forms and applications to indicate that an individual has no middle initial.

Abbreviations With Personal Names 1

a. Always abbreviate the following titles when they are used with personal names: SINGULAR: f Mrs. (for Mistress)

Ms.

Mr.

Dr.

Messrs.

Drs.

I Mme. (for Madame) PLUBAL:

Mmes.

OR: Mesdames

Mses.

OR: Mss.

Mr. and Mrs. Polio both speak highly of Dr. Fry. Ms. Harriet Porter will serve as a consultant to the Finance Committee. NOTE: Strictly speaking, Ms. is not an abbreviation, but i t is followed by a period to maintain a consistent style for a l l of these titles.

„ . _, Continued on page 152

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11518

b. The title Ms. is used (1) when a woman has indicated that she prefers this title, (2) when a woman's marital status is unknown, or (3) when a woman's marital status is considered not relevant to the situation. Always respect the individual woman's preference. If her preference is unknown, use Ms. or omit the title altogether. (See also M618,1322b, 1366.) »• For the proper use of the singular and plural forms of these titles, see 1618; for the of Dr. and other titles with academic degrees, see 1519c. c. The titles Miss and Misses are not abbreviations and should not be foUowed by periods. d. In general, spell out all other titles used with personal names. Vice President Howard Morse Mayor Wilma Washington

Professor Harriman Father Hennelly

Governor Warren R. Fishback Senator Hazel Benner

Dean Castaneda Lieutenant Cowan

e. Long military, religious, and honorable titles are spelled out in formal situations but may be abbreviated in informal situations as long as the surname is accompanied by a first name or initials. Formal

Informal

Brigadier General Percy J. Cobb

Brig. Gen. P. J. Cobb

Brigadier General Cobb (NOT: Brig. Gen. Cobb) Lieutenant Governor Nancy Pulaski

Lt. Gov. Nancy Pulaski

Lieutenant Governor Pulaski (NOT: Lt. Gov. Pulaski) NOTE: Do not abbreviate Reverend or Honorable when these words are preceded by the. Formal

Informal

the Reverend William R. Bullock

Rev. W. R. Bullock

the Honorable Sarah T. McCormack Hon. Sarah T. McCormack >• For the treatment of titles in addresses, see 111322-1323; for the treatment of tit in salutations, see 111347-1350. a. Always abbreviatefr., Sr., and Esq. when these terms follow personal names. b. The forms fr. and Sr. should be used only with a fall name or initials. A title like Mr. or Dr. may precede the name. Mr. Henry J. Boardman Jr.

OR:

Mr. H. J. Boardman Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Boardman Jr. OR: Henry J. Boardman Jr. and Sybil P. Boardman (BUT NOT: Henry J. and Sybil P. Boardman Jr. OR: Henry J. Jr. and Sybil P. Boardman) NOTE: Ordinarily, do not use fr. or Sr. with a surname alone. However, in an office where both father and son work, it may be necessary in internal communications to refer to Mr. Boardman Sr.andMr. Boardman fr. as the only practical way to t them apart. »• For the use or omission of commas with Jr. and Sr., see 1156. c. The form Esq. should also be used only with a fall name or initials, but no title should precede the name. (See 11157.) George W. LaBarr, Esq.

(NOT: Mr. George W. LaBarr, fsqr.)

Section 5 • Abbreviations

153

1)519 NOTE: In

the United States the form Esq. is used primarily by lawyers. Although by derivation the title applies strictly to males, it is now common practice for women who are lawyers to use the title as a professional designation. d. The terms 2d or II and 3d or III following personal names are not abbreviations and should not be used with periods. (See ^156.) e. When the word Saint is part of a person's name, follow that person's preference for abbreviating or spelling out the word. Yves Saint-Laurent Camille Saint-Saens Ruth St. Denis St John Perse NOTE: When used with the name of a person revered as holy, the word Saint is usually spelled out, but it may be abbreviated in informal contexts and in lists and tables where space is tight. Saint Jude

Saint Peter Claver

Saint Therese

Saint Catherine

>- For the treatment of Saint in place names, see 1529b.

Academic Degrees, Religious Orders, and Professional Designations i a. Abbreviations of academic degrees and religious orders require a period after each element in the abbreviation but no internal space. B.S. M.BA

LLB. LitLD.

B.Ch.E. B.Arch.

M.D. D.D.S.

S.J. O.S.B.

Ph.D. Ed.D. M.Div. R.N. S.N.D. NOTE: The term ABD (without periods) is often used to identify a graduate student who has completed all the requirements for a doctorate except the dissertation. (The initials stand for all but dissertation.) So far we have received resumes from two Ph.D.s and seven ABDs. (See 11622a for guidelines on forming the plurals of these abbreviations.]

b. The term M.BA. is now commonly written without periods when it is used to signify an executive with a certain type of training rather than the degree itself. We have just hired two Stanford MBAs and one from Harvard. BUT: After I get my M.B.A., I plan to go on to law school.

c. When academic degrees follow a person's name, do not use such titles as Dr., Mr., Ms., Miss, or Mrs. before the name. Dr. Helen Garcia OR: Helen Garcia, M.D. (BUT NOT: Dr. Helen Garcia, M.D.)

However, other titles may precede the name as long as they do not convey the same meaning as the degree that follows. Professor Rex Ford, Ph.D. President Jean Dill, L.H.D. Dean May Ito, J.S.D.

the Reverend John Day, D.D. OR: the Reverend Dr. John Day (BUT NOT: the Reverend Dr. John Day, D.D.)

»- See also 1111324c, 1324d, 1364a.

d. When two or more academic degrees follow a person's name, list them in the order in which they were awarded. Honorary degrees (if any) should follow earned degrees. Kim LeClaire, BA, LLB., J.D. Continued on page 154

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H 520 e. Use academic degrees only after a fuli name (George A. Schell, Ph.D.), not after a last name alone (Professor Schell, Ph.DJ. f. Academic degrees standing alone may be abbreviated except in very formal writing. I am now completing my Ph.D. She received her MA. last year. OR:... her master of arts degree last year. [See also 1)3530

g. Professional designations such as CPA (certified public accountant), CPS (certified professional secretary), CAP (certified administrative professional), PLS (certified professional legal secretary), CFP (certified financial planner), CLU (chartered life underwriter), and FACS (feliow of the American College of Surgeons) are commonly written without periods when they are used alone but with periods when they are used with academic degrees. Anthony Filippo, CPA Ruth L Morris, CLU

BUT: Anthony Filippo, B.S., M.B.A., CPA. Ruth L. Morris, B.A., CLU.

List professional designations alter a person's name (for example, in the signature line in a letter) only in situations where one's professional qualifications are relevant to the topic under discussion. NOTE:

h. There is no fixed sequence for listing two or more professional designations after a person's name. If the person does not indicate the sequence he or she prefers, these designations may simply be listed in alphabetic order. When academic degrees and professional designations both follow a person's name, the academic degrees should come first (as illustrated in g above).

Names of Organizations • t £ i J j a . Names of weli-known business organizations, labor unions, societies, associations (trade, professional, charitable, and fraternal), and government agencies are often abbreviated except in the most formal writing. When these abbreviations consist of all-cap initials, they are typed without periods or spaces. AFL-CIO ILGWU NAACP NAM YMCA NYSE AMEX CBOT FTSE IRS

American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union National Association for the Advancement of Colored People National Association of Manufacturers Young Men's Christian Association New York Stock Exchange American Stock Exchange (BUT: AmEx referring to American Express) Chicago Board of Irade Einancial limes Stock Exchange (pronounced FOOT-see) internal Revenue Service

SEC Securities and Exchange Commission >• For other abbreviations of the names of government agencies, see f524. b. A number of organizations that were commonly referred to by abbreviations have now adopted those abbreviations as their formal names. AAA (American Automobile Association) AARP (American Association of Retired Persons)

Section 5 • Abbreviations

155

H522 Jaycees ABC NBC CBS AT&T Corporation

(Junior Chamber of Commerce] (American Broadcasting Company) (National Broadcasting Company) (Columbia Broadcasting System) (American Telephone & Telegraph Company)

c. The following terms are often abbreviated in the names of business organizations. However, follow the individual company's preference for abbreviating or spelling out. (See 11159.) Co. Company Corp. Corporation

Inc. Incorporated Ltd. Limited

Mfg. Manufactunng Mfrs. Manufacturers

5 2 1 In ordinary correspondence, for the sake of brevity and simplicity, you may drop abbreviations and other elements in organizational names as long as your reader will know which organization you are referring to. For example, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., may be referred to simply as Schwab; America Online, Inc., may be referred to as America Online or AOL. In formal and legal documents, an organization's name should be given in full when it is first introduced; if appropriate, a shorter form may be used in subsequent references.

Acronyms t r W - 1 a. An acronym—for example, NOW—is a shortened form normally derived from the initial letters of the words that make up the complete form. Thus NOW is derived from National Organization forWomen. Like all-cap initialisms such as IRS and FBI, acronyms are usually written in all-caps and without periods; however, unlike those abbreviations, which are pronounced letter by letter, acronyms are pronounced as words. (See H501b.) Because they have been deliberately coined to replace the longer expressions they represent, acronyms are appropriate for use on all occasions. However, if your reader may not be familiar with a particular acronym, provide the full expression when the acronym is first used. (See 11504, note.) DAM C-SPAN CAN-SPAM WATS POTS ZIP (Code)

PIN SKU SOHO BOGO DRIP ESOP COBRA ERISA FASB

Mothers Against Dyslexia Cable Satellite Public Affairs Network Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act Wide-Area Telecommunications Service plain old telephone service Zone Improvement Plan* personal identification number (see H522e) Stockkeeping unit (pronounced SKEW) small office, home office (as in the SOHO market) buy-one, get-one-free offer dividend reinvestment program employee stock ownership plan Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act Employee Retirement Income Security Act Financial Accounting Standards Board (pronounced FAZ-bee) Continued on page 156

'ZIP Code is the style used by the United States Postal Service, the organization that invented the concept. The term may also be styled as Zip code or zip code.

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11522 NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement

OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (pronounced REE-koe)

RICO FOIA EPIC SWAT [team) NASCAR AIDS

Ereedom of Information Act (pronounced FOY-uh) Electronic Privacy information Center Special Weapons and Tactics National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing

SARS

acquired immune deficiency syndrome severe acute respiratory syndrome

CARE

Cooperative for American Relief to Everywhere

NIMBY

not in my backyard (as in a NIMBY protest) build almost nothing anywhere near anything

BANANA SADD FONZ

Students Against Destructive Decisions Friends of the National Zoo

EMILY'S List

a political fund-raising group based on the concept that early money is like yeast (and makes the dough rise)

SPELL MEGO

Society for the Preservation of English Language and Literature my eyes glaze over

BOGSAT

bunch of guys sitting around a table (an ad hoc decision-making process!

SITCOMs

couples with a single income, two children, and an onerous mortgage

THINKER

two healthy incomes, no kids, early retirement

SINK

single, independent, no kids

PONA

person of no account (someone not hooked up to the Internet; pronounced POH-nuh)

WOMBAT

waste of money, brains, and time

PEBCAK

problem exists between chair and keyboard (computer service technician's diagnosis in the absence of other problems)

YAHOO

yet another hierarchically officious oracle

YABA

yet another bloody acronym

b. In a few cases acronyms derived from initial letters are written entirely in lowercase without periods. spim scuba

spam sent by instant messaging self-contained underwater breathing apparatus

laser

light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation

yuppies

y_oung urban professionals

gorp

good old raisins and peanuts (a high-energy snack)

c. Some coined names use more than the first letters of the words they represent. Such names are often written with only the first letter capitalized. Ameslan

American Sign Language

Delmarva

an East Coast peninsula made up of Delaware and parts of Maryland and Virginia Consolidated Rail Corporation

Conrail Amtrak Calpers Echo The Well radar

American travel by track California Public Employees Retirement System East Coast Hang Out (an online service) The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link (an online community) radio detecting and ranging

Section 5 • Abbreviations

157

11524 modem

sound navigation ranging modulator/demodulator

sonar medevac

medical evacuation

canola (oil] op-ed page

Canada oil low acid the page that is opposite the editorial page

pixel domos

picture element downwardly mobile professionals

dinks BUT: AmEx

American Express

couple with double incomes and no kids

FedEx INTELPOST

Federal Express International Electronic Postal Service

d. Very long acronyms (withfiveor more letters) are sometimes written with only the initial letter capitalized to avoid the distracting appearance of too many capital letters. UNESCO OR: Unesco (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization] UNICEF OH. Unicef (the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund; now simply called the United Nations Children's Fund] NASDAQ OR: Nasdaq (the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System]

e. When using an acronym, do not follow it with a word that is part of the acronym. For example, write PIN (personal identification number), notPIN number. (For other examples, see M501c, 544b.) Names of Broadcasting Stations and Systems 523

The names of radio and television broadcasting stations and the abbreviated names of broadcasting systems are written in all-caps without periods and without spaces. Portsmouth: WRAP-AM San Antonio: KISS-FM CNN (BUT: CNNfn) Houston: KILT-FM New Orleans: WYES-TV MSNBC According to ABC and CBS, the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.8.

Names of Government and International Agencies %££} a. The names of well-known government and international agencies are often abbreviated. They are written without periods or spaces. GAO

General Accounting Office

GNMA SLMA FEMA EEOC

Government National Mortgage Association (referred to as Ginnie Mae] Student Loan Marketing Association (referred to as Sallie Mae) the Eederal Emergency Management Agency the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

b. The initials FNMA are no longer used to refer to the Federal National Mortgage Association. The official name of this agency is now Fannie Mae (a nickname widely used for many years and derived from the attempt to sound out the initials FNMA). By the same token, the initials FHLMC are no longer used to refer to the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. The name of this agency has been officially changed to Freddie Mac (a nickname that had also been widely used for many years). c. Expressions such as the Fed (for the Federal Reserve Board) and the Ex-Im Bank (for the U.S. Export-Import Bank) involve shortened forms rather than true abbreviations and thus are written without periods.

158

Parti

• Grammar, Usage, and Style

11525 The name United States is usually abbreviated when it is part of the name of a government agency. When used as an adjective, the name is often abbreviated, though not in formal usage. When used as a noun, the name is spelled out. U.S. Department of Agriculture

USDA

U.S. Air Force

USAF

the United States government

the U.S. government

United States foreign policy

U.S. foreign policy

throughout the United States [NOT: throughout the U.S.)

Geographic Names Do not abbreviate geographic names except in tables, business forms, and expedient documents (see SI502) and in place names with Saint. (See 1[529b.) NOTE: In informal writing, the city of Washington may be referred to as D.C. and Los Angeles as L.A. In general, however, speli these names out. INFORMAL CONTEXT: Did you know that Liz has been transferred from the D.C. office to the branch in LA.? OTHER CONTEXTS: Did you know that Liz has been transferred from the Washington, D.C, office to the branch in Los Angeles?

a. When abbreviating state names in addresses, use the two-letter abbreviations (without periods) shown in 111334 and on the inside back cover of this manual. b. In all situations other than addresses, use the following abbreviations (with period and spacing as shown). Alabama

Ala.

Nevada

Nev.

Arizona

New Hampshire

N.H.

Arkansas

Ariz. Ark.

California

Calif.

New Jersey New Mexico

N. Mex.

Canal Zone Colorado

C.Z.

New York

N.Y.

Colo.

Connecticut Delaware

Conn. Del.

North Carolina North Dakota

N.C. N. Dak. Okla.

District of Columbia

Oklahoma Oregon

Florida

D.C. Fla.

Georgia

Ga.

Illinois Indiana

III.

Puerto Rico Rhode Island

Ind. Kans.

South Carolina South Dakota

Ky. La. Md.

Tennessee Texas

Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska

Mass. Mich. Minn. Miss.

Mo. Mont. Nebr.

NJ.

Oreg.

Pennsylvania

Pa. P.R. S.C. S. Dak. Tenn.

R.I.

Tex.

Vermont Virgin Islands

Vt.

Virginia

Va.

Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Wash.

V.I.

WVa. Wis. Wyo.

Section 5 • Abbreviations

159

11531 Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, and Utah are not abbreviated. c. Some authorities now advocate abandoning these traditional abbreviations and using the two-letter abbreviations wherever the abbreviation of state names is acceptable. (See also 1U527d.) TOTE.

^ a. Geographic abbreviations made up of single initials require a period after each initial but no space after each internal period. U.K. NA B.W.I.

United Kingdom North America British West Indies

P.R.C. People's Republic of China C.I.S. Commonwealth of Independent States (formerly the U.S.S.R.)

NOTE: When a company uses a geographic abbreviation in its corporate name or in the name of a product, respect the company's style. U.SA

BUT: USA Today

U.S.

BUT: U S WEST Communications

b. If the geographic abbreviation contains more than single initials, space once after each internal period. N.Mex.

N.Dak.

W.Va.

W.Aust

a. In place names, do not abbreviate Fort, Mount, Point, or Port except in tables and lists where space is tight. Fort Wayne Fort Myers

Mount Pleasant Mount Rainier

Point Pleasant Point Pelee

Port Arthur Port Ludlow

b. In U.S. place names, abbreviate Saint. For other place names involving Saint, follow the style shown in an authoritative dictionary or atlas. St Louis, Missouri St Lawrence River St. Petersburg, Florida St Charles Avenue >- For the abbreviation or the spelling out of names of streets, cities, states, and countries, see also 111334-1337,1340-1341,1343.

Compass Points [••a. Spell out compass points used as ordinary nouns and adjectives. The company has large landholdings in the Southwest We purchased a lot at the southwest corner of Green and Union Streets. >• For the capitalization of compass points, see 11338-341. b. Spell out compass points included in street names except in lists and tables where space is tight. (See also 111334.) 143 South Mountain Avenue 1232 East Franklin Street a. Abbreviate compass points without periods when they are used, following a street name to indicate the section of the city. (See also 111335.) 1330 South Bay Boulevard, SW NOTE: In some communities the predominant style is to use periods in such abbreviations; for example, S.W., N.E. (See U133S.) Continued on page 160

160

Parti

• Grammar, Usage, and Style

TI532 b. In technical material (especially pertaining to real estate and legal or nautical matters), abbreviate compass points without periods. N north NE northeast NNE north-northeast S south SW southwest SSW south-southwest

Days and Months ^•"frfr-l Do not abbreviate names of days of the week and months of the year except in tables or lists where space is limited. In such cases the following abbreviations maybe used: Sun.

Thurs., Thu.

Jan.

May

Sept., Sep.

Mon. Tues.,Tue.

Fri. Sat.

Feb. Mar.

June, Jun. July, Jul.

Oct. Nov.

Wed. Apr. Aug. Dec. NOTE: When space is extremely tight, as in the column heads of some computer reports, the foliowing one- and two-letter abbreviations may be used. Su

M

Tu

W

Th

F

Sa

Ja

F

Mr

Ap

My

Je

Jl

Au

S

N

D

Time and Time Zones >^~Eft>Use the abbreviations a.m. and p.m. in expressions of time. These abbreviations most commonly appear in lowercase, but you may use smaU caps (A.M., P.M.) if you have that option. (See 11440.) For more formal expressions of time, use o'clock (see 1(441). 534

a. The standard time zones in the continental United States are abbreviated as foUows: EST (Eastern standard time) CST (Central standard time)

MST (Mountain standard time) PST (Pacific standard time)

>- For examples, see 1440a. b. When daylight saving time is in effect, use DST (daylight saving time) or one of the foliowing forms: EDT (Eastern daylight time) CDT (Central daylight time)

MDT (Mountain daylight time) PDT (Pacific daylight time)

When referring to daylight saving time, note that saying is singular. Do not say "daylight savings time."

NOTE:

c. An alternative style of time zone abbreviations eliminates all references to standard and daylight time. ET (Eastern time) CT (Central time)

MT (Mountain time) PT (Pacific time)

These shorter abbreviations are especialiy useful in promotional materials that are to be distributed without change throughout the year. To place an order, call our toll-free number between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., PT. OR:... between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. (PT).

d. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are in the Atlantic standard time zone (AST). Hawali is in the Hawali-Aleutian time zone (abbreviated simply as HST with reference to Hawali). Most of Alaska falis in the Alaska time zone (which has the same abbreviation as the Atlantic time zone—AST). However, a portion of the Aleutian Islands falis in the Hawali-Aleutkn time zone (HST).

Section 5 • Abbreviations

161

11537 Customary Measurements i Abbreviate units of measure when they occur frequently, as in technical and scientific work, on invoices and other business forms, and in tables. a. Units of measure are now commonly abbreviated without periods. The abbreviations are the same for the singular and the plural. yd (yard, yards] ft [foot, feet) mi (mile, miles)

oz (ounce, ounces) gal (gallon, gallons) lb (pound, pounds)

rpm (revolutions per minute) cpi (characters per inch) mph [miles per hour)

NOTE: The

abbreviation in (for inch or inches) may be written without a period if it is not likely to be confused with the preposition in. 8 in

OR

8 in.

BUT: 8 sq in

8 ft 2 in

b. In a set of simple dimensions or a range of numbers, use an abbreviation only with the last number. Repeat a symbol with each number. a room 10 x 15 ft 35°to45°F

OR:

BUT: a room 10' x 15' (see fl543d) 35°-45°F (see 1ffl538d, 543d)

In a set of complex dimensions, where more than one unit of measure is involved, repeat the abbreviations with each number. a room 10 ft 6 in x 19 ft 10 in OR: a room 10'6" x 19'10" (seefl432) In nontechnical writing, spell out units of measure. NOTE:

536

a 20-gallon container a 150-acre estate

8'/2 by 11 inches an 814- by 11-inch book (see fl817)

Metric Measurements The following rules of style are based on the Metric Editorial Guide, published by the American National Metric Council (Washington, D.C.). For a full listing of metric terms, consult a dictionary. I a. The most common metric measurements are derived from three basic units and several prefixes indicating multiples or fractions of a unit, as shown below. The abbreviations for these terms appear in parentheses in the first column below. Basic Units meter (m) One meter is 10 percent longer than a yard (39.37 inches). gram (g) A thousand grams (a kilogram) is 10 percent heavier than 2 pounds (2.2 pounds). liter (L)* A liter is about 5 percent larger than a quart (1.057 quarts). Prefixes Indicating Fractions deci (d) 1/10 A decimeter (dm) equals one-tenth of a meter. centi (c) 1/100 A centigram (eg) equals one-hundredth of a gram. milli (m) 1/1000 A milliliter (mL) equals one-thousandth of a liter. nano (n) 1/1,000,000,000 A nanosecond (ns) equals one-billionth of a second. Prefixes Indicating Multiples deka (da) 10 A dekameter (dam) equals 10 meters (about 11 yards). hecto (h) 100 A hectogram (hg) equals 100 grams (about 3V2 ounces). kilo (k) 1000 A kilometer (km) equals 1000 meters (about 5/8 mile).

>• For the prefixes mega, giga, and tera, see f470.

.

,

Continued on page 162 The abbreviation for liter is often shown as a lowercase t. However, because an I can easily be mistaken for the numeral 1, the use of a capital L is recommended as the abbreviation for liter.

162

Parti

• Grammar, Usage, and Style

1)538 b. Temperatures are expressed i n t e r m s of the Celsius scale (abbreviated C). Water freezes at 0°C (32°F) and boils at 100°C (212°F). With a temperature of 37°C (98.6°F), you can't be very sick. The temperature here on the island stays between 20° and 30°C (68° and 86°F)Here's an easy way to relate the two temperature scales: when it's 16°C, it's 61°F; when it's 28°C, it's 82°F.

>• For the use of spaces infiguresexpressing metric quantities, see 3[461b. ^^Jj^a.. Metric units of measurement, like the customary units of measurement described in 11535, are abbreviated in technical and scientific work, on business forms, and in tables. In nontechnical writing, metric units are ordinarily spelled out, but some expressions typically appear in abbreviated form (for example, 35-mmfilm). b. Abbreviations of metric units of measurement are written without periods except at the end of a sentence. 100-mm cigarettes (10 centimeters or about 4 inches) a 30-cm width (about 12 inches or 1 foot) an office 5 x 3 m (about 5.5 by 3.3 yards) a 1000-km trip (620 miles) weighs 100 kg (about 220 pounds) 50 to 75 kg (about 110 to 165 pounds) feels like 10°C weather (50°F weather)

In abbreviations of expressions like kilometers per hour, a diagonal is used t express per.

NOTE:

an 80-km/h speed limit (50 miles per hour)

c. Metric abbreviations are the same for the singalar and the plural. 1 kg (1 kilogram)

5 kg (5 kilograms)

d. When expressing temperatures, leave no space between the number and the degree symbol or between the degree symbol and the abbreviation for Celsius. 14°C(NOT: 14° C)

e. In printed material, metric measurements for area and volume are usually expressed with superscripts (raised numbers). m2 square meter cm3 cubic centimeter If the equipment you are using makes it difficult or awkward to create raised numbers, use the foUowing forms: sq m square meter cu cm cubic centimeter NOTE: In material that also uses superscripts for footeote references, use the forms sq m and cu cm to avoid the possibility of confusion.

Chemical and Mathematical Expressions 539

Do not use a period after the symbols that represent chemical elements and formalas. K (potassium)

NaCI (sodium chloride-table salt)

The chemical notations H20 and C02 stand for "dihydrogen oxide" (namely, water) and "carbon dioxide." They do not refer, as one student observed, to hot water and cold water.

540

Do not use a period after such mathematical abbreviations as log (for logarithm) and tan (for tangent).

Section 5 • Abbreviations

163

11541 Business Expressions IA number of terms are commonly abbreviated on business forms, in tables, and in routine business documents. In addition to the list of abbreviations shown below, several other lists are provided in the following paragraphs: >- Computer abbreviations: see 1544. Abbreviations in foreign expressions: see 1545. Common abbreviations in general usage: see 1546. CD

compact disc, certificate of deposit

CDC

community development corporation chief executive officer

additional

CEO CFO eg

agt AHS Al

agent

chg.

charge

automated highway systems

ci.f. OR: CIF

cost, insurance, and freight (see H542]

CIO CKO cm Co. c/o

chief information officer

AA

administrative assistant, Alcoholics Anonymous, author's alteration®

A.A. accL

associate in arts [degree]

ack.

acknowledge

addl.

account

artificial intelligence

a.k.a.

also known as

amt

amount

anon.

anonymous

AP APB

accounts payable all points bulletin

chief financial officer centigram(s]

chief knowledge officer centimeters] Company care of

approx.

approximately

APR AR ARM

annual percentage rate

C.O.d. OR: COD cash (or collect] on delivery (see fl542]

accounts receivable

COLA

cost-of-living adjustment

adjustable-rate mortgage

cont.

continued

as soon as possible

COO

chief operating officer

Assn. assoc.

Association

Corp.

Corporation

associate®

CPA

asst att.

assistant

certified public accountant (see fl519g]

cpi

Attn.

Attention

characters per inch (see H507]

avg.

average

consumer price index

bal.

balance

bbl bf bl

barrel(s]

CPI CPM CPS

boldface type

cr.

credit

ctn.

carton

BL OR: B/L

bill of lading

cwL

hundredweight

bldg.

building

BO

back order bill of sale

ASAP

BS OR: B/S B-school

attachment

baleCs]

bu

graduate school of business bushel (s]

c, cc

copy, copies (see HI376a]

C CBD

100, Celsius (temperature] central business district

cost per thousand certified professional secretary (see H519g]

d.b.a. OR: DBA OR: d/b/a dept

doing business as (see fl542] department

dis.

discount

dist

district

distr.

distributor, distribution, distributed

div.

division

Continued on page 164

164

Parti

• Grammar, Usage, and Style

11541 DJIA doz.

Hz

hertz (a unit of frequency)

in OR: in.

inch(es) (see 1)535a, note) Incorporated (see 1)159)

dr.

Dow Jones industrial average dozen debit record

dstn.

destination

Inc. incl.

dtd.

dated

ins.

insurance

DVD

digital video disc, digital versatile disc

intl. inv.

international

ea. EEO EIN

each

IPO

equal employment opportunity employer identification number

ips JIT

enc.

enclosed, enclosure equal opportunity employees)

kg kHz km

kilogram(s) (see 1)537a)

EOE

end of month (see 1)542)

km/h

kilometers per hour (see 11538b, note)

e.o.m. OR:

EOM

including, inclusive

invoice initial public offering (of company shares) inches per second just in time kilohertz kilometer(s) (see 1)537a)

Esq.

Esquire (see Hi57)

ETA ETD

estimated time of arrival

1., II.

line, lines

estimated time of departure

exec.

executive

liter(s) (see 11537a) poundfs) (see 1)535a)

F

Fahrenheit (temperature)

L lb LBO

f.a.s. OR: FAS

free alongside ship (see 1)542)

I.C.I. OR: LCL

less-than-carload lot (see fl542) last in, first out limited-liability company

leveraged buyout

f.b.o. OR: FBO

for the benefit of (see 1)542)

FIFO

first in, first out

f.o.b. OR: FOB

free on board (see 1)542)

fps ft

feet per second foot, feet (see 1)535)

UFO LLC LLP LP

ft-tn

foot-ton (s)

Ltd.

Limited (see 1)159)

fwd.

forward

meter(s) (see H537a)

FY FYI

fiscal year (see 1)504)

m M M&A max. mdse.

maximum merchandise

mfg. mfr.

manufacturing manufacturer milligram(s) (see H537a) manager

for your information

g

gram(s) (see 1)537a)

GAAP

generally accepted accounting principles

gal

gallonfsj (see 1)535a)

GATT

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

mg

general manager, General Motors, genetically modified (food)

mgt. OR: mgmt.

GM

grgr. w l

gross gross weight

HMO

handling health maintenance organization

HOV

high-occupancy vehicle

HP OR: hp

horsepower

HQ hr

headquarters

hdlg.

hour(s)

mgr.

MHz mi min min. misc.

mL mm mo MO

limited-liability partnership limited partnership

1000 (see 1)469) mergers and acquisitions

management megahertz mile(s) (see H535a) minutefs) minimum miscellaneous milliliters) (see H537a) millimeter(s) (see H537a) month(s) mail order, money order (see M.O. in H545)

Section 5 • Abbreviations

165

11541 mpg mph

miles per gallon

Q&A

question and answer

miles per hour

qt

quart(s)

msg.

message

qtr.

quarterfjy)

mtg. OR: mtge. mortgage

qty.

quantity

n/30

net in 30 days

®

registered trademark

NA

not applicable, not available

reed.

received

n.d.

no date

reg.

registered, regular

NGO NIC NMI

nongovernmental organization

REIT

real estate investment trust

newly industrialized country

ret

retired

no middle initial

rev.

revised

No., Nos.

number(s) [see H455J

reduction in force

ntwL

net weight

NV 0AG OJT opt OS OTC oz

no value

optional

RIF ROA ROE ROI rpm S&H

out of stock

SASE

self-addressed stamped envelope

ounce(s) (see fl535a)

SC OR: SC

small caps (see fl533)

p., pp.

page, pages

sec

second(s)

P&H

postage and handling profit and loss (statement)

sec.

secretary

shtg.

shortage

personal computer, politically correct

SM

unregistered service mark

SO SSN

shipping order

std.

standard

stmt

statement

SUV tb.a. OR: TBA

sport utility vehicle to be announced (see H542)

tb.d. OR: TBD

to be determined (see fl542)

P&L OR: P/L

PC

Official Airline Guide on-the-job training

over the counter

PC.

professional corporation

pd. PE

paid printer's error(s), Professional Engineer

P/E PERT

price/earnings (ratio] program evaluation and review technique

pkg.

package(s)

PLC

public limited company

PO

purchase order

P.O.

post office

POD

publishing on demand

p.o.e. OR: POE

port of entry (see 11542)

POP-

population point of purchase

POP POS POV PP ppd.

point of sale point of view parcel post postpaid, prepaid (postage paid in advance)

pr.

pair(s]

PS, PS.

postscript

Pt pt QA

pint(s) part, point(s), port quality assurance

return on assets return on equity return on investment revolutions per minute shipping and handling

social security number

TM

unregistered trademark

TO

table of organization

treas. UPC

treasury, treasurer Universal Product Code

VAT

value-added tax

VP vs. w/

vice president versus (v. in legal citations)

whsle

wholesale

w/o wt WTO yd YOB

without week of

yr YTD

with

weight World Trade Organization yard(s) (see 11535a) year of birth year(s) year to date

166

Parti

• Grammar, Usage, and Style

1)542 542

A few common business abbreviations listed in 11541 are frequently typed in lowercase (with periods) when they occur within sentences but are typed in all-caps (without periods) when they appear on business forms. For example: ci.f.

OR: CIF

c.o.d. OR: COD

e.o.m. OR. EOM

l.c.l.

OR. LCL

Ib.a. OR: TBA

f.o.b.

p.o.e. OR: POE

Lb.d. OR: TBD

OR: FOB

Symbols I a. A number of symbols are often used on business forms, in tables and statistical material, and in informal business documents. If you are using software with special character sets, you can access these symbols. @ & % $ 0 =

at and

degrees

fl

paragraph

feet

percent

' "

dollars

§

cents

# number [before a figure) # pounds (after a figure)

equals

x

by, multiplied by

inches; ditto

®

a registered trademark or service mark

section

™ an unregistered trademark SM

an unregistered service mark

©

copyright

>- For a comment on the use of trademark symbols, see T356b.

b. When using symbols for feet and inches, use either the slanted version of the single and double quotation mark (' and ") or the straight version (' and"). Do not use the curly version (' and "). c Leave one space before and after the foliowing symbols: @

order 200 @ $49.95

=

if a = 7 and b = 9

& Barnes & Noble x a room 12x18 ft NOTE: As a rule, do not leave any space before and after an ampersand (&) in allcap abbreviations. AT&T pursues a wide range of R&D [research and development] activities. At the next shareholders' meeting we need to anticipate some tough queries during the Q&A [question and answer] session about our M&A [merger and acquisition] activities.

d. Do not leave space between a figure and one of the foliowing symbols: %

a 65% sales increase

#

use 50# paper for the job

about 30C a pound

'

a 9' x 12' Oriental carpet

reduce heat to 350°

"

an WA" x 11" sheet of paper

e. Do not leave any space after these symbols when they are foliowed by a figure: $ #

in the $250-$500 range reorder #4659 and #4691

ffll §

as explained in Hfl1218-1220 will be covered in §14.26

Computer Abbreviations I a. The foliowing list presents some of the abbreviations commonly used in references to computers and the Internet. ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange (pronounced as-kee)

b

bit

B BASIC

byte Beginner's All-Purpose Symbolic instruction Code

Section 5 • Abbreviations

167

1J544 BBSs BCD BIOS bit BLOB blog bps B2B B2C B2G CAD CAI CAM CAR CD-R CD-ROM CD-RW CGA CPU CRT DBMS DNS DOS dpi DRAM DSL DTP DVD e-mail EOF f2f FAQ FAT FP GB GHz •gif

GIGO GUI HD-DVD IC ICQ IM I/O

bulletin board services (see fl622a] binary coded decimal basic input/output system binary digit binary large object Web log bits per second business-to-business [online transactions] business-to-consumer [online transactions] business-to-government [online transactions] computer-aided design computer-aided instruction computer-aided manufacturing computer-assisted retrieval compact disc-recordable compact disc-read-only memory compact disc-rewritable color graphics adapter central processing unit cathode-ray tube database management system domain name system disk operating system (see page 321], denial of service dots ger inch dynamic random access memory digital subscriber line desktop publishing digital video disc, digital versatile disc electronic mail end of file face to face frequently asked question (pronounced fak) file allocation table File Transfer Protocol gigabyte gigahertz Graphics interchange Format garbage in, garbage out graphical user interface (pronounced goo-ee) high-definition digital video (OR. versatile] disc integrated circuit I seek you (a form of instant messaging] instant messaging input/output Continued on page 168

168

Parti

• Grammar, Usage, and Style

11544 IP ISP

internet Protocol

.jpg OR: .jpeg

Joint Photographic Experts Group

Kb

kilobit

internet service provider

KB OR: K

kilobyte [see 1)503)

LAN LCD

local area network

LQ

letter quality

liquid crystal display

Mb

megabit

MBOR:M

megabyte (see fl503)

Mbps

megabits per second

megs

megabytes

MHz

megahertz

MICR

magnetic ink character reader

mips

million instructions per second

mpg or .mpeg

Moving Pictures Experts Group

NC OCR OS P2P PC PCI PDA POD ppm PPP RAM

network computer optical character recognition OR: reader operating system peer-to-peer [network) personal computer Peripheral Component interface personal digital assistant publishing on demand pages per minute Point-to-Point Protocol random-access memory

RISC

reduced instruction set computer

ROM

read-only memory

SCSI

small computer system interface port [pronounced scuzzy)

SLIP

Serial Line internet Protocol

spim

spam sent by instant messaging

TB

terabyte

TCP/IP

transmission control protocol/internet protocol

USB VDT VGA VM VR

universal serial bus

virtual reality

WAIS

wide area information server (pronounced ways)

WAN WAP WEP

wide area network

Wi-Fi

wireless fidelity

video display terminal Video Graphics Array voice mail

Wireless Application Protocol Wired Equivalent Privacy

Section 5 • Abbreviations

169

H545 WORM WWW OR: W3 W3C WYSIWYG XGA

write once-read many times the World Wide Web (sometimes pronounced triple-dub to avoid having to say double-u, double-u, double-u) World Wide Web Consortium what you see is what you get (pronounced wiz-ee-wig) extended graphics array

b. When using a computer abbreviation like those listed above, do not follow it with a word that is part of the abbreviation. (See also fl501c.) CD-ROM DOS ISP

(NOT: CD-ROM disc] (NOT: DOS operating system] (NOT: ISP provider]

LCD (NOT: LCD display] RAM (NOT: RAM memory] TCP/IP (NOT: TCP/IP protocol]

>• For a glossary of computer terms, see Appendix B; for the capitalization of computer terms, see 11365, 366a, 847f. Foreign Expressions 545

Many foreign expressions contain or consist of short words, some of which are abbreviations and some of which are not. Use periods only with abbreviations. ad hoc ad val. c. OR: ca. cf. Cie. C.V. e.g. et al. etc. ibid. idem i.e. infra inst loc. cit

meaning "for a particular purpose" ad valorem, meaning "according to the value" circa, meaning "approximately" confer, meaning "compare" Compagnie, meaning "Company" curriculum vitae, meaning "course of one's life"; a resume exempli gratia, meaning "for example"(see fl 181 a] et alii, meaning "and other people" et cetera, meaning "and other things," "and so forth" ibidem, meaning "in the same place" meaning "the same" id est meaning "that is"(see fl181a] meaning "below" instans, meaning "the current month" loco citato, meaning "in the place cited"

M.O. N.B. nol. pros. non seq. op. cil p.a. OR: PA p.d. OR: PD pro tern prox. Q.E.D.

modus operandi, meaning "the way in which something is done" nota bene, meaning "note well" nolle prosequi, meaning "to be unwilling to prosecute" non sequitur, meaning "it does not follow" opere citato, meaning "in the work cited" per annum, meaning "for each year" per diem, meaning "for each day" pro tempore, meaning "for the time being" proximo, meaning "in the next month" quod erat demonstrandum, meaning "which was to be demonstrated" Continued on page 170

170

Parti

• Grammar, Usage, and Style

1)546 q.v.

quod vide, meaning "which see"

re OR: in re

meaning "in the matter of," "concerning"

R.S.V.P. OH: R.s.v.p. supra ult.

Repondez s'il vous plait, meaning "please reply" meaning "above" ultimo, meaning "in the last month"

Miscellaneous Expressions 5 4 6 The foUowing list of expressions presents common abbreviations acceptable in general usage. A-OK

very definitely OK

a team spirit that is A-OK

ATM ATV AV CB CD

automated teller machine all-terrain vehicle

got $60 from the nearest ATM saving up for an ATV

audiovisual

a list of AV materials

citizens band

called in on her CB radio

CPR CRP EKG ESP GDP ID IOU IQ IRA IV NIH PA PAC PR R&D S&L SOP SRO TLC TV UFO VCR VIP

certificate of deposit,

investing in 6% CDs

compact disc

the quality of a CD recording

cardiopulmonary resuscitation

a need for CPR training

C-reactive protein

arranging for a CRP evaluation

electrocardiogram

waiting for the results of my EKG

extrasensory perception

a manager who must have ESP

gross domestic product

the GDP for the fourth quarter

identification

asking to see your user ID card

1 owe you

holds my IOU for $500

intelligence quotient individual retirement account

taking an IQ test

intravenous

still hooked up to an IV [device)

not invented here

a proposal rejected for NIH reasons a problem with our PA system

public address

making a tax-deductible deposit to your IRA

political action committee

limiting the role of PACs

public relations

working on your PR campaign

research and development

need a bigger R&D budget

savings and loan association

a small S&L mortgage

standard operating procedure

learning the SOP for submitting expense reports

standing room only

an SRO audience at our show

tender, loving care

giving this customer some TLC as seen on TV

television unidentified flying object

took off like a UFO

videocassette recorder

playing this tape on your VCR

very important person

treating these VPs like VI Ps

NOTE: Initialisms and acronyms are continualiy enteringthelanguage, and while some

may not yet be widely used, in many casestheyought to be. For example: IAD

Internet addictive disorder [a compulsive form of behavior in which the victim chooses cyberspace activities over real-world responsibilities and relationships)

QCD

quarterly charm deficiency [an emotional disorder that afflicts executives at the end of each fiscal quarter)

Section 5 • Abbreviations

171

11550 ROMEOs SAHD MOP BIC CLM IRL

547

retired old men eating out stay-at-home dad millionaire on paper best in class career-limiting move in real life [that is, offline]

Do not use periods with letters that are not abbreviations. (See also M109a, 807.) Brand X X-ray

V-neck T square

f-stop y-axis

I-beam pointer U-turn

V-chip B picture

548

The abbreviation OKis written without periods. In sentences, the forms okay, okayed, and okaying look better than OK, OK'd, and OK'ing, but the latter forms may be used. (See also 11550.)

549

The dictionary recognizes x as a verb; however, cross out, crossed out, and crossing out look better than x out, x-ed out, and x-ing out.

550

In a few cases all-cap initialisms such as MC (for master of ceremonies) or DJ (for disc jockey) may also be spelled out in an uncapitalized form [emcee and deejay). The spelled-out forms are preferable when such abbreviations are used as verbs. Fran Zangwill emceed (RATHER THAN: MC'd] the fund-raiser kickoff dinner. Who has been okaying (RATHER THAN: OK'ing] these bills? (See fl548.] BUT: You'd find it easier to get up in the morning if you didn't OD on TV every night. (Here the choice is between OD and overdose, not oh-dee.)

>• Plurals of abbreviations: see 11619-623. Possessives of abbreviations: see 11638-639.

Section 6 Plurals and Possessives Forming Plurals (HU 601-626) Basic Rule 01601) Nouns Ending in S, X, CH, SH, or Z (11602-603) Nouns Ending in Y (11604-605) Nouns Ending in 0 (11606-607) Nouns Ending in F, FE, or FF (1608) Nouns With Irregular Plurals (11609-610) Compound Nouns (11611-613) Foreign Nouns (1614) Proper Names (11615-617) Titles With Personal Names (1618) Abbreviations, Letters, Numbers, Words, and Symbols (11619-625) Plural Endings in Parentheses (1626)

Forming Possessives (UH627-652) Possession Versus Description (11627-629) Singular Nouns (11630-631) Plural Nouns (11632-633) Compound Nouns (11634-635) Pronouns (11636-637) Abbreviations (1638) Personal, Organizational, and Product Names (11639-640) Nouns in Apposition (1641) Separate and Joint Possession (11642-643) Possessives Standing Alone (1644) Inanimate Possessives (11645-646) Possessives Preceding Verbal Nouns (1647) Possessives in Of Phrases (1648) Possessives Modifying Possessives (1649) Possessives in Holidays (1650) Possessives in Place Names (1651) MisceUaneous Expressions (1652)

>• For definitions of grammatical terms, see the appropriate entries in the Glos Grammatical Terms (Appendix D).

Section 6 • Plurals and Possessives

173

11605

Forming Plurals When you are uncertain about the plural form of a word, consult a dictionary. If no plural is shown, form the plural according to the rules in M601-626.

Basic Rule I Plurals are regularly formed by adding s to the singular form. suburbs

suburb fabric

fabrics

yield

yields

egg

eggs

length

lengths

check

checks

rhythm flight quota idea committee freebie

rhythms

league

leagues

flights

alibi

alibis

quotas

ski

skis

ideas

taxi

taxis

committees

menu

menus

freebies

guru

gurus

NOTE: A few

words have the same form in the plural as in the singular. (See M603, 1016,1017.) A few words have no plural form; for example, news, information. (See 111014.)

Nouns Ending in S, X, CH, SH, or Z C 3 ! 0 When the singular form ends in s, x, ch, sh, or z, the plural is formed by adding es to the singular. virus summons business

viruses summonses businesses

sketch wish quartz

sketches wishes quartzes

fax faxes BUT: quiz quizzes NOTE: When ch at the end of a singular word has the sound of k, form the plural by simply adding s. epoch

epochs

monarch

monarchs

stomach stomachs BUT: arch arches >• For plural forms ofproper names ending in ch, see f 1615b, 617a. 603

Singular nouns ending in silent s do not change their forms in the plural. (However, the s ending is pronounced when the plural form is used.) one corps

two corps

a rendezvous

many rendezvous

Nouns Ending in Y )When a singular noun ends in y preceded by a consonant, the plural is formed by changing the y to i and adding es to the singular. copy policy

copies policies

liability proxy

liabilities proxies

) When a singular noun ends in y preceded by a vowel, the plural is formed by adding s to the singular. delay attorney NOTE: The

delays attorneys

boy guy

boys guys

BUT: soliloquy colloquy

soliloquies colloquies

regular plural of money is moneys. The plural form monies does not follow the rule, but it often appears in legal documents nonetheless. To avoid the use of either plural, simply write funds.

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• Grammar, Usage, and Style

1J606 Nouns Ending in O [•If* Singular nouns ending in o preceded by a vowel form their plurals by addings to the singular. stereo ratio

stereos ratios

shampoo boo

shampoos boos

portfolio

portfolios

tattoo

tattoos

duo

duos

scenario scenarios

Singular nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant form their plurals in different ways. a. Some nouns in this category simply add s. euro solo

euros solos

macro demo

macros demos

zero

zeros egos

memo

memos

ego

placebo

placebos

photo

photos

two

twos

typo

typos

weirdo

weirdos

logo

logos

hairdo

hairdos

hero embargo

heroes embargoes

fiasco

fiascoes

motto

mottoes

Some add es. potato

potatoes

tomato

tomatoes

echo

echoes vetoes

veto

c. Some have two plural forms. (The preferred form is given first.) cargo

cargoes, cargos

zero

zeros, zeroes

no

nos, noes*

tuxedo

tuxedos, tuxedoes

proviso

provisos, provisoes

innuendo

innuendos, innuendoes

d. Singular musical terms ending in o form their plurals by adding 5. soprano

sopranos

piano

pianos

alto

altos

cello

cellos

basso

bassos

banjo

banjos

5* For foreign nouns ending in o, see f614.

Nouns Ending in F, FE, or FF [ i l . l a . Most singular nouns that end inf fe, or ff form their plurals by adding s to the singular form. belief

beliefs

safe

safes

proof proofs tariff tariffs b. Some commonly used nouns in this category form their plurals by changing thef orfe to ve and adding s. half

halves

self

selves

wife leaf thief

wives leaves thieves

shelf knife life

shelves knives lives

*Merriam-Webster shows noes first.

Section 6 • Plurals and Possessives

175

11612 c. A few of these nouns have two plural forms. (The preferred form is given first.) scarf

scarves, scarfs

dwarf

dwarfs, dwarves

Nouns With Irregular Plurals [ ' i l The plurals of some nouns are formed by a change of letters within, woman women foot feet mouse mice* goose geese [jj A few plurals end in en or ren. ox child

oxen children

brother

brethren {an alternative plural to brothers]

Compound Nouns When a compound noun is a solid word, pluralize the final element in the compound as if i t stood alone, printout* printouts flashback flashbacks wineglass w'meglasses batbox batboxes eyelash eyelashes strawberry strawberries bookshelf bookshelves standby standfcys [NOT: standbies] BUT: passerby passersby

birthday photocopy grandchild foothold forefoot toothbrush mousetrap workman BUT: talisman

birthdays photocop/es grandcMdren footholds forefeet toothbrushes mousetraps workmen talismans [NOT: talismen)

a. The plurals of hyphenated or spaced compounds are formed by pluralizing the chief element of the compound. fefner-in-law senafor-elect looker-on runner-up grant-\n-a\d attorney at law board of directors BUT: time-ouf

/ai7?e/s-in-law senafore-elect lookers-on runners-up Srra/?fs-in-aid attorneys at law boards of directors time-oute

couch pofato couch potatoes bill of lading bills of lading letter of credit tetters of credit account payable accounts payable ed/'for in chief editors in chief deputy chief of staff deputy chiefs of staff lieutenant general lieutenant generals BUT: chaisetongue*chaise tongues filet mignon

filets mignons

>• For the plurals of foreign compound words, see 1614.

b. When a hyphenated compound does not contain a noun as one of its elements, simply pluralize the final element. go-between get-together bang-up

go-betweens get-togethers bang-ups

come-on show-off run-through

come-ons show-offs run-throughs Continued on page 176

*Mice may refer to computer devices as well as to rodents. Some authorities prefer mouse devices when writing about computers. ^Note that the correct spelling of tins word is tongue (not lounge).

176

Parti

• Grammar, Usage, and Style

11613 hand-me-down hand-me-downs drive-/n drive-ms fade-ouf fade-oufs

two-by-four no-no

two-by- fours

has-been

have-nof

do-it-yourselfer

has-beens do-it-yourselfers

know-it-a//

have-nofs (see fl625a) know-it-a//s

so-and-so

so-and-sos

no-nos*

shoot-'em-up no-see-um

shoot-'em-ups no-see-ums

c. Some of these compounds have two recognized plural forms. (The first plural form shown below is preferred because it adds the plural sign to the chief element of the compound.) court-martial

courts-martial, court-martials

notary public

notaries public, notary publics

attorney general attorneys general, attorney generals A. When the first element of a compound is a possessive, simply pluralize the final element. collector's item

collector's items

traveler's check

traveler's checks

rabbit's foot

rabbit's feet

proofreaders' mark

proofreaders' marks

seller's market

seller's markets

farmers' market

farmers' markets

women's college

women's colleges

finder's fee

finder's fees

visitor's permit visitor's permits NOTE: Do not convert a singular possessive form into a plural unless the context clearly requires it. (See 11652.) The number of driver's licenses issued last year was 15 percent ahead of the number issued the year before. BUT: As a result of the highway checkpoints set up by the state police, more than 200 drivers' licenses have been revoked in the past four weeks.

613

The plurals of compounds ending injul are formed by adding s. armful

armfuls

handful

handfuls

teaspoonful

teaspoonfuls

cupful

cupfuls

basketful

basketfuls

pocketful

pocketfuls

Compare the difference i n meaning i n these phrases: six cupfuls of sugar (a quantity of sugar that would fill one cup six times] six cups full of sugar [six separate cups, each filled with sugar]

Foreign Nouns I Many nouns of foreign origin retain their foreign plurals, others have been given English plurals, and still others have two plurals—an English and a foreign one. When two plural forms exist, one may be preferred to the other or there may be differences in meaning that govern the use of each. Consult your dictionary to be sure of the plural forms and the meanings attached to them. >- For agreement of foreign-plural subjects with verbs, see 11018. *Merriam-Webster shows the plural of no-no two ways: first as no-no's and then as no-nos.

Section 6 • Plurals and Possessives

177

11614 WORDS ENDING IN US Singular alumnus (m.) apparatus cactus census corpus focus fungus genus locus nucleus octopus opus prospectus radius status stimulus stylus syllabus terminus thesaurus

English Plural

Foreign Plural alumni (see note below]

apparatuses* cactuses censuses focuses* funguses

nucleuses octopuses* opuses prospectuses radiuses statuses

apparatus cacti* corpora foci + fungi* genera loci nuclei* octopi opera* radii* stimuli

styluses syllabuses terminuses thesauruses

styli* syllabi* termini* thesauri*

NOTE: The

term alumni (the plural of alumnus) refers to a group of male graduates; the term alumnae (the plural form of alumna, shown below) refers to a group of female graduates. Traditionally, alumni has also been used to refer to a mixed group of male and female graduates; in fact, many colleges still have an "alumni association" with a mixed group of members. However, this use of alumni is no longer appropriate. When referring to a mixed group, either write alumni and alumnae or simply refer to members of the mixed group as graduates. WORDS ENDING IN A Singular

English Plural

agenda alga alumna (f.)

agendas algas

antenna dogma formula

antennas (of radios) dogmas* formulas* lacunas

lacuna larva minutia schema stigma vertebra

larvas schemas* stigmas vertebras

'Preferred form. 'Merriam-Webster shows this form first.

Foreign Plural algae* alumnae (see note above) antennae (of insects) dogmata formulae lacunae* larvae* minutiae (see page 612) schematat stigmata* vertebrae* Continued on page 178

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• Grammar, Usage, and Style

1)614 WORDS ENDING IN UM Singular addendum auditorium bacterium candelabrum colloquium consortium cranium curriculum curriculum vitae datum emporium erratum forum gymnasium honorarium maximum medium

memorandum millennium minimum momentum optimum podium referendum sanitarium stadium stratum symposium ultimatum

English Plural auditoriums* candelabrums colloquiums* consortiums* craniums* curriculums datums emporiums* forums* gymnasiums* honorariums* maximums* mediums (spiritualists)

memorandums* millenniums* minimums* momentums* optimums* podiums* referendums* sanitariums* stadiums* symposiums* ultimatums*

Foreign Plural addenda auditoria bacteria candelabra* colloquia consortia1' crania curricula* curricula vitae data* [see HI018b) emporia errata fora gymnasia honoraria1. maxima'*' media (for advertising and communication) (see 111018c) memoranda millennia* minima1' momenta1' optima1' podia referenda1. sanitaria stadia1. strata symposia1. ultimata

WORDS ENDING IN 0 Singular

English Plural

Foreign Plural

concerto graffito libretto paparazzo tempo virtuoso

concertos*

concert graffiti libretti paparazzi tempi On music) virtuosi

librettos* tempos virtuosos*

WORDS ENDING IN ON Singular automaton criterion phenomenon

English Plural

Foreign Plural

automatons* criterions phenomenons

automata criteria* phenomena*

'Preferred form. 1 Merriam-Webster shows this form first.

Section 6 • Plurals and Possessives

179

11614 WORDS ENDING IN X Singular

English Plural

Foreign Plural

apex

apexes*

apices

appendix

appendixes*

appendices codices

codex crux

cruxes*

cruces

helix

helixes

helices*

index

indexes (of books)

indices (math symbols)

larynx

larynxes

larynges*

matrix

matrixes

matrices*

vertex

vertexes

vertices*

vortex

vortexes

vortices*

WORDS ENDING IN IS Singular

English Plural

Foreign Plural

analysis

analyses

axis

axes

basis

bases

chassis

chassis

crisis

crises

diagnosis

diagnoses

ellipsis

ellipses

emphasis

emphases

exegesis

exegeses

hypothesis

hypotheses

oasis

oases

parenthesis

parentheses

prognosis

prognoses

synopsis

synopses

synthesis

syntheses

thesis

theses

WORDS ENDING IN EU OR EAU Singular

English Plural

Foreign Plural

adieu

adieus*

adieux

beau

beaus*

beaux

bureau

bureaus*

bureaux

chateau

chateaus*

chateaux

milieu

milieus*

milieux

plateau

plateaus*

plateaux

tableau

tableaus*

tableaux

trousseau

trousseaus*

trousseaux

NOTE-. The x ending for the preceding foreign plurals is pronounced like z. Continued on page 180 •Preferred form.

Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

180

11615 COMPOUND WORDS Singular chaise longue

English Plural

Foreign Plural

chaise longues*

chaises longues

coup d'etat

coups d'etat

Eminence grise

eminences grises

fait accompli

faits accomplis

hors d'oeuvre

hors d'oeuvres*

hors d'oeuvre

idiot savant

idiot savants

idiots savants*

maitre d'

maitre d's

maitre d'hotel nouveau riche pas de deux

maitres d'hotel nouveaux riches pas de deux

Proper Names .. Most surnames are pluralized by the addition of s. Mr. and Mrs. Brinton

the Brintons

Mr. and Mrs. Romano

the Romanos

Mr. and Mrs. Chung

the Chungs

Mr. and Mrs. Gray

the Grays

b. W h e n a surname ends i n s, x, ch, sh, or z, add es t o f o r m the p l u r a l . Mr. and Mrs. Banks

the Bankses

Mr. and Mrs. Van Ness

the Van Nesses

Mr. and Mrs. Maddox

the Maddoxes

Mr. and Mrs. March

the Marches

Mr. and Mrs. Welsh

the Welshes

Mr. and Mrs. Perez

the Perezes

Mr. and Mrs. Jones

the Joneses

Mr. and Mrs. James

the Jameses

Mr. and Mrs. Barnes

the Barneses

Omit the es ending if it makes the plural surname awkward to pronounce, the Hodges (NOT. Hodgeses) the Hastings (NOT. Hastingses) c. Never change the original spelling of a surname when forming the plural. Simply add s or es, according to a and b above. NOTE:

Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy

the McCarthys (NOT: McCarthies)

Mr. and Mrs. Wolf

the Wolfs CNOT: Wolves]

Mr. and Mrs. Martino

the Martinos (NOT: Martinoes)

Mr. and Mrs. Goodman

the Goodmans (NOT: Goodmenj

Mr. and Mrs. Lightfoot

the Lightfoots (NOT: Lightfeetj

Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild

the Fairchilds (NOT: Fairchildren]

d. When a surname is followed by Jr., Sr., or a number like 2d or //, the plural can be formed two ways. ORDINARY USAGE: the Roy Van Allen Jrs.

the Ellsworth Hadley 3ds

FORMAL USAGE: the Roy Van Aliens Jr.

the Ellsworth Hadleys 3d

"Preferred form.

Section 6 • Plurals and Possessives

181

H618 616

To form the plurals offirstnames, add sores but do not change the original spellings. Mane Ralph Waldo

617

Manes Raphs Waldos

Douglas Dolores Gladys

Douglases Doloreses Gladyses

Timothy Beatrix Fntz

Tmothys Beatrixes Fntzes

a. To form the plural of other proper names, add s or es but do not change the original spelling three Texans the Norwegians the Dakotas the Tonys, the Emmys. and the Grammys the two Kansas Crtys (BOTS Cities)

two Chnstmases ago checked our Rolodexes bought six Macintoshes Marches (es after ch sound) Czechs (s after k sound)

b. I n a few cases t h e original spelling is altered when the plural is f o r m e d , the Alleghenies (for Al egheny Mountains)

the Rockies (for Rocky Mountains)

c U S Treasury bills, notes, and bonds are often referred to simply by the plural form of Treasury. Some publications create the plural according to the standard rule Treasurys (which is correct but looks odd). Others violate the rule to create a more normal looking form: Treasuries. To avoid choosing between these plural forms, use Treasury as an adjective: for example, Treasury bills, Treasury notes, Treasury bonds d. When the singular form ends with an apostrophe plus s, adding es to form the plural produces an awkward result AWKWARD-. There are two Bbommgdale'ses close to where I live. ACCEPTABLE: There are two Bloomingdales otL There are two Bloomingdak s stores

e. When forming the plural of an italicized or underlined proper name, do not itali cize or underline the plural ending. (See also 1290d.) I've accumulated a year's worth of BusmessWeeks (OR. BusinessWeeksl.

Titles With Personal Names 6 1 8 a. The plural of Mr is Messrs (not Mrs), the plural of Ms is Mses or Mss; the plural of Mrs o r Mme. is Mmes. (for Mesdames); the plural of Miss is Misses (with n o period). However, the use of plural titles normally occurs only in formal situations. I n ordinary usage, simply r e t a i n the singular form and repeat i t w i t h each name. Formal Usage Ordinary Usage Messrs. Rae snd Tate Mr Rae and Mr Tate Mmes. (0& Mesdames) Byrd and Clyde Mrs. Byrd and Mrs. Oyde Misses Russo and Dupree Miss Russo and M ss Dupree Mses. OB: Mss. Lai and Cohen Ms. La and Ms. Cohen

b. When these titles apply to two or more people with the same surname, the plural may be formed in two ways (1) plurahze only the title (formal usage), (2) plurahze only the surname (ordinary usage) Formal Usage the Messrs. Steele the Mmes. OR. Mesdames Bergeret the Misses Conroy the Mses. OB: Mss. Purdy

Ordinary Usage the Mr Steele the Mrs. Bergerets the Miss Conroys theMs.Purdys

182

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• Grammar, Usage, and Style

11619 Abbreviations, Letters, Numbers, Words, and Symbols • ( • i £ J Form the plurals of most abbreviations by adding s to the singular. apt

apts.

vol.

vols.

No.

Nos.

Dr.

bldg.

bldgs.

par.

pars.

Co.

Cos.

401 (k)

Drs. 401 OOs

fl'^Wl a. The abbreviations of many customary units of weight and measure, however, are the same in both the singular and the plural. (See also 11535a.) oz (ounce OR: ounces] ft (foot OR: feet) deg (degree OR: degrees) in (inch OR: inches) bbl (barrel OR: barrels) mi (mile OR: miles) WOTE: For a number of these abbreviations, two plural forms have been widely used: for example, lb or lbs (meaning "pounds"), yd or yds (meaning "yards"), qt or qts (meaning "quarts"). However, the trend is toward using lb, yd, and qt to signify the plural. b. The abbreviations of metric units of weight and measure are the same in both the singular and the plural. (See also 1111537-538.) km (kilometer OR: kilometers)

eg (centigram OR: centigrams)

mL (milliliter OR: milliliters)

dam (dekameter OR: dekameters)

>- For the omission of periods with abbreviations of measurements, see 1111535a, ^ £ J J a . The plurals of a few single-letter abbreviations (such asp. for page andf for the following page) consist of the same letter doubled. p. 64 (page 64) pp. 64-72 (pages 64 through 72)

c. (copy) cc. (copies)

pp. 9 f. (page 9 and the following page) pp. 9 ff. (page 9 and the following pages)

n. 3 (note 3) nn. 3-4 (notes 3 and 4)

I. 23 (line 23) II. 23-24 (lines 23 through 24) b. Plurals of certain symbols consist of the same symbol doubled. U paragraph

Iffl paragraphs

§ section

§§ sections

HypM a. Capital letters and abbreviations ending with capital letters are pluralized by adding s alone. three Rs

HMOs

BBSs

R.N.S

VCRs

fourCs

POs

IQs

M.D.s

DVDs

five VI Ps

S&Ls

PTAs

Ph.D.s

PCs

b . Use a n apostrophe before the s where confusion might otherwise result. three A's

too many I's

two U's

W h e n the context i s clear, no apostrophes are necessary. His report card showed three As, two Bs, and one C. Our CEO is not the company's only Type A. All the people who report to him are Type As. 623

For the sake of clarity, uncapitalized letters and uncapitalized abbreviations are pluralized by adding an apostrophe plus s. (See also 11285b.) dotting the i's four co.d.'s

p's and q's wearing pj's

sending out three bee's BUT: 401 (k)s and 403(b)s

Following their losses in the stock market, Al and Tyler now refer to their 401 (k)s as 201 (k)s.

Section 6 • Plurals and Possessives

183

H627 NOTE: When initials

emcees

are spelled out, the plurals are formed normally, deejays okays Jaycees

Numbers expressed in figures are pluralized by the addition of s alone. in the 1990s in the '90s (decade] in the 90s [temperature) sort the W-2s Numbers expressed in words are pluralized by the addition of s or es. ones

twos

threes

sixes

twenties (see

fl604)

twenty-fives

When words taken from other parts of speech are used as nouns, they are usually pluralized by the addition of s or e.s. ifs, ands, or buts dos and don'ts yeses and nos

ins and outs ups and downs yeas and nays

pros and cons the haves and tne have-nots

whereabouts whys and wherefores

If the pluralized form is unfamiliar or is likely to be misread, use an apostrophe plus s to form the plural. which's and that's or's and nor's If the singular form already contains an apostrophe, simply add s to form the plural. ain'ts mustn'ts don'ts ma'ams >• For the use of italics or underlining with words referred to as words, see 11285, 290.

Plural Endings in Parentheses 626

When referring to an item that could be either singular or plural, enclose the plural ending in parentheses. Please send the appropriate formfsj to the appropriate state agency(ies).

Forming Possessives Possession Versus Description %££J

a. A noun ending in the sound of s is usually in the possessive form if it is followed immediately by another noun. In the following examples note that possessive forms may express a number of different relationships, only one of which refers literally to possession or ownership. my boss's approval (meaning the approval of my boss) Belknap's farm (meaning the farm possessed or owned by Belknap) IBM's product line (meaning the product line made or sold by IBM) Faulkner's novels (meaning the novels written by Faulkner) Matisse's paintings (meaning the paintings created by Matisse) Frank's nickname (meaning the nickname given to or used by Frank) a two weeks' vacation (meaning a vacation for or lasting two weeks)

An apostrophe alone or an apostrophe plus s is the sign of the possessive. (See 131630-640.)

NOTE:

b. To be sure that the possessive form should be used, try substituting an of phrase or making a similar substitution as in the examples above. If the substitution works, the possessive form is correct.

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H628 a . Do not mistake a descriptive f o r m ending i n s for a possessive f o r m , sales effort [sales describes the kind of effort) savings account [savings describes the kind of account) news release [news describes the type of press release) earnings record [earnings describes the type of record)

b. Some cases can be difficult to distinguish. Is it the girls basketball team or the girl basketball team? Try substituting an irregular plural like women. You wouldn't sa the women basketball team; you would say the women's basketball team. By anal the girls' basketball team is correct. c Sometimes the possessive form in a name becomes a descriptive form and loses the apostrophe plus s. For example, what was traditionally called Down's syndrome now appears without an apostrophe (1) in such names as the National Down Syndrome Society and the National Association for Down Syndrome and (2) in ge eral usage as Down syndrome. >- For descriptive and possessive forms in organizational names, see fl640a-c. In a number of cases only a slight difference in wording distinguishes a descriptive phrase from a possessive phrase. Descriptive a six-month leave of absence

Possessive a six months' leave of absence

a high school diploma

a high school's performance rating

the California climate

California's climate

the Burgess account

Burgess's account

the Crosby children

the Crosbys' children OR: Mr. and Mrs. Crosby's children

Singular Nouns [ 3 a. To form the possessive of a singular noun not ending in an s sound, add an apostrophe plus s to the noun. my lawyer's advice a child's game

Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin's party Alzheimer's disease

Gloria's career

Hobson's choice

b. W h e n a singular noun ends i n a silent s sound, add an apostrophe plus s. Illinois's highways Arkansas's mountains Degas's paintings

the corps's leadership Des Moines's mayor Saint Croix's beaches

> To form the possessive of a singular noun that ends in an s sound, be guided by the way you pronounce the word. a. If a new syliable is formed in the pronunciation of the possessive, add an apostrophe plus s. your boss's approval

Mr. and Mrs. Morris's plane tickets

the witness's reply

Phoenix's suburbs

Congress's intention

Ms. Lopez's application

Dallas's business district SL Louis's airport

Mr. Marsh's office my coach's training regimen

Section 6 • Plurals and Possessives

185

11632 b. If the addition of an extra syllable would make a word ending in an s hard to pronounce, add the apostrophe only. Mr. Hastings' proposal Peter Jennings' newscasts Texas' best-known writer Los Angeles' freeways New Orleans' restaurants

Jesus' parables Moses' flight from Egypt Euripides' plays Demosthenes' orations Achilles' heel

for goodness' sake (see also fi646] BUT: Achilles tendon differences in pronunciation will affect the way some of these possessives are written. For example, if you pronounce the possessive form of Perkins as two syllables, you will write Mr. Perkins' kindness; if you pronounce the possessive of Perkins as three syllables, you will write Mr. Perkins's kindness. The important thing is to listen to your own pronunciation. When you hear yourself pronounce the possessive of boss as two syllables (boss's) and the possessive of witness as three (witness's), you will not be tempted to write your boss' approval or the witness' reply. Naturally, tradition should take precedence over your ear. For example, an ambassador to Great Britain is appointed to the Court of St. James's (not, as you might expect, Court of St. James). NOTE: Individual

c. When forming the possessive of any noun ending in s (for example, Mr. Hodges), always place the apostrophe at the end of the original word. Mr. Hodges' message CNOT: Mr. Hodge's message] Brahms' symphonies (NOT: Brahm's symphonies] the United States' policy [NOT: the United State's policy] Robert's Rules of Order [NOT: Roberts' Rules of Order)

Plural Nouns I a. For a regular plural noun (one that ends in 5 or es), add only an apostrophe to form the plural possessive. (See M639-640 for the use of the apostrophe in organizational names.) investors' objectives the witnesses' contradictions the Darlings' grandchild

the agencies' conflicting rules the Hodges' legal residence [see fl615b, note] an old boys' network

attorneys' fees BUT: a teachers college (see fl652] b. Since the singular and plural possessives for the same word usually sound exactly alike, pay particularly close attention to the meaning in order to determine whether the noun in question is singular or plural. An investor's objectives should largely define investment strategy. BUT: Investors' objectives are often not clearly defined. We will need a ride to Mr. and Mrs. Gaines's party. BUT: We will need a ride to the Gaineses' party. I especially want to hear the last witness's testimony. BUT: I especially want to hear the last two witnesses' testimony. Season's greetings! (Referring to the holidays that occur in only one season-winter.] Do you know the name of Fran and Jay Boyd's new store? The Boyds'Uest Awful, isn't it?

Continued on page 186

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1)633 NOTE: In

some cases only a dictionary can help you determine whether the possessive form should be singular or plural. For example, a plural possessive is used in Legionnaires' disease, but a singular possessive is used in Hodgkin 's d ease since the discoverer's name was Dr. Hodgkin (and not, as you might have expected, the more common name Hodgkins). Unlike the term deacon's bench (which uses a singular possessive), the term Parsons table involves no possessive form at all. For an irregular plural noun (one that does not end in s), add an apostrophe plus s to form the plural possessive. women's blouses

men's shirts

the alumni's reunion

children's toys

BUT: menswear (originally, men's wear)

the alumnae's contribution

IMPORTANT NOTE: To avoid mistakes in forming the possessive of plural nouns, form the plural first; then apply the rule in 11632 or 11633, whichever fits. Singular

Plural

Plural Possessive

boy

boys (regular)

boys'

boss

bosses (regular)

bosses'

hero

heroes (regular)

heroes'

Mr. and Mrs. Fox

the Foxes (regular)

the Foxes'

child

children (irregular)

children's

alumnus

alumni (irregular)

alumni's

alumna

alumnae (irregular)

alumnae's

Compound Nouns i To f o r m the singular hyphenated),

1

possessive of a compound noun (whether solid, spaced, or

add an apostrophe plus s to the last element of the compound.

my son-in-law's job prospects

my stockbroker's advice

the secretary-treasurer's report

the notary public's seal

the owner-manager's policies

an eyewitness's account

a do-it-yourselfer's obsession

the attorney general's decision

To form the plural possessive of a compound noun, first form the plural.

a. If the plural form ends in s, add only an apostrophe. Singular

Plural

Plural Possessive

stockholder

stockholders

stockholders'

vice president

vice presidents

vice presidents'

wheeler-dealer

wheeler-dealers

wheeler-dealers'

salesclerk

salesclerks

salesclerks'

b. If the plural form does not end in sF add an apostrophe plus s. Singular

Plural

Plural Possessive

editor in chief brother-in-law

editors in chief brothers-in-law

editors in chief's brothers m-law's

NOTE: To avoid

the awkwardness of a plural possessive such as editors in chief's o brothers-in-law's, rephrase the sentence

Section 6 • Plurals and Possessives

187

1)639 AWKWARD: We may have to invite my three sisters-in-law's parents too. BETTER: We may have to invite the parents of my three sisters-in-law loo. AWKWARD: Mr. Ahmed's statement agrees with both attorneys general's views. BETTER: Mr. Ahmed's statement agrees with the views of both attorneys general.

Pronouns MifrHThe possessive forms of personal pronouns and of the relative pronoun who do not require the apostrophe. These pronouns have their own possessive forms. I: my, mine he: his we: our, ours you: your, yours she: her, hers they: their, theirs it: its

who: whose

My copy of the letter arrived last week, so she should have received hers by now. (NOT: her's.) Each unit comes carefully packed in its own carton, (NOT: it's.) The two products look so much alike that it's [it is] hard to tell ou/sfrom theirs. CNOT: our's from their's.) CAUTION: Do not confuse personal possessive pronouns with contractions that are pronounced the same way. (See 1I1056e for examples.)

dtfrfrJ a. Some indefinite pronouns have regular possessive forms. one's choice

one another's help

no one's responsibility

anyone else's job

anybody's guess

someone's chance

NOTE: When forming the possessive, be sure to place the apostrophe correctly. the other's claim (only one person is involved} the others' claim (more than one person is involved)

each other's claim (NOT: each others' claim)

b. For those indefinite pronouns that do not have possessive forms, use an ofphrase. Although the children in this group seem very much alike, the needs of each are different. (NOT: each's needs.)

Abbreviations • l ^ f : ! To form the singular possessive of an abbreviation, add an apostrophe plus s. To form the plural possessive, add an 5 plus an apostrophe to the singular form. (See also 11639.) Singular Mr. C's opinion PBS's programming this HMO's doctors

Plural the M.D.s' diagnoses the Ph.D.s' dissertations the CPAs' meeting

Personal, Organizational, and Product Names flrfrfrlTo form the possessive of a personal or an organizational name that ends with an abbreviation, a number, a prepositional phrase, or a mark of punctuation, add an apostrophe plus s at the end of the complete name. the Winger Co.'s new plant the Knights of Columbus's drive United Bank of Arizona's loan rates Yahool's Web site

Hyde & Sikh Inc.'s dividends David Weild M's retirement Walter Frick Jr.'s campaign BUT: Carl's Jr. restaurants Continued on page 188

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1)640 If no extra s sound is created when you pronounce the possessive form, add only an apostrophe.

NOTE:

the Gerald Curry Jrs.' yacht

>• For the treatment ofpossessive forms when terms like Jr. and Inc. are set off mas, see M156,159.

M.TLVM The names of many organizations, products, and publications contain wordsthatcould be considered either possessive or descriptive terms. a. As a rule, use an apostrophe iftheterm is a singular possessive noun or an irregular plural noun. Bloomingdale's

Levi's jeans

Reese's Pieces

Harper's Bazaar

Kinko's

Elmer's glue

Uncle Ben's rice

Women's Wear Daily

McDonald's

Wrigley's gum

St. Joseph's aspirin

McCall's

Wendy's

M&M's candy

Domino's pizzas

Barron's

Children's Hospital [normal style]

St Patrick's Cathedral

BUT: Childrens Hospital (in Los Angeles)

America's Cup (yachting)

St. Elizabeths Hospital On D.C.)

BUT: Americas Cup (golf)

b. As a rule, do not use an apostrophe if the term is a regular plural. Chemical Workers Union

American Bankers Association

Investors Trust Company

Government Employees Insurance Company

Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Consumers Union

BUT: Reserve Officers' Training Corps

Authors Guild

National Governors' Association

c. In aU cases foUow the organization's preference when known. Standard & Poor's

Cliffs Notes

Actors' Equity

Diners Club members

Taster's Choice

Little Charlies pizzas

Shoppers' Choice

Planters peanuts

Mrs. Paul's frozen foods

Folgers coffee

Mrs. Fields cookies

Talbots for Mens stores

Dr. Denton's clothing

Thomas' English muffins

Dr. Martens shoes

Lands' End catalogs

d. Intitlesof books, periodicals, and similar works,alwaysfoliowthe style as given. Gulliver's Travels

Reader's Digest

BUT: Finnegans Wake

BUT: Consumers Digest

e. When adding the sign of the possessive to a phrase that must be italicized or underlined, do not italicize or underline the possessive ending. (Seealso1I290d.) The Wind in the Willows' author

Gone With the Wind's main characters

Nouns in Apposition l Sometimes a noun that normaUy would be in the possessive is Mowed byanappositive, a closely linked explanatory word or phrase. In such cases add the sign of the possessive to the appositive. Stowe, Vermont's ski runs

Washington, D C's museums

Lima, Peru's climate

(Note that the comma that normally follows an appositive is omitted after a possessive ending.)

Section 6 • Plurals and Possessives

189

H644 You will faint when you see Paul the plumber's bill. Of the noun and the appositive are closely linked as a unit, even the first comma is omitted. See also HI500 NOTE: To avoid an awkward construction, use an of phrase instead. You will need to get the signature of Mr. Bartel, the executor. [BETTER THAN: You will need to get Mr. Bartel, the executor's signature.)

Separate and Joint Possession M^t.'V-i a. To indicate separate possession, add the sign of the possessive to the name of each individual. the buyer's and the seller's signatures the Joneses' and the Browns' houses NOTE:

Repeating the with each name emphasizes that ownership is separate.

b. If one or both of the individuals' names are replaced by a possessive pronoun, watch out for awkwardness and reword if necessary. AWKWARD: my and the seller's signatures BETTER: the seller's and my signatures OR: the seller's signature and mine AWKWARD: their and our houses BETTER: their house and ours AWKWARD: your and your husband's passports BETTER: the passports for you and your husband WRONG: he and his wife's work schedules RIGHT: his and his wife's work schedules

M^i-'^l a. To indicate joint (or common) ownership, add the sign of the possessive to the final name alone. the Barneses and the Terrys' property line a house like Paul and Molly's waiting for the CEO and the board of directors' decision (a joint decision] BUT: listening to the CEO's and the board of directors' opinions [separate opinions]

In organizational names, follow the company's preference. Ben & Jerry's ice cream Barnes & Noble's Web site b. If one of the owners is identified by a pronoun, make each name and pronoun possessive. NOTE:

Karen's and my ski lodge BUT: Karen and Brian's ski lodge

Andy's and her new SUV BUT: Andy and Gina's new SUV

Possessives Standing Alone M-1.T.^ Sometimes the noun that the possessive modifies is not expressed but merely understood. Fred is getting a master's [degree] in international economics. Ask for it at your grocer's [store]. Wear your oldest shirt and Levi's [jeans], fjhe trademark lew's is a singular possessive form.] We have been invited to dinner at the Furnesses' [house]. BUT: We always enjoy an evening with the Furnesses. (The people themselves are referred to; hence no possessive.)

Continued on page 190

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H645 The possessive form must be used in the following construction in order to keep the comparison parallel. NOTE:

This year's product line is pulling better than last year's [product line]. NOT: This year's product line is pulling better than last year. (Incorrectly compares product line with last year)

Inanimate Possessives I As a rule, nouns referring to inanimate things should not be in the possessive. Use an of phrase instead. the bottom of the barrel (NOT: the barrel's bottom] the top of the bookcase [NOT: the bookcase's top] the wording of the agreement (NOT: the agreement's wording] the lower level of the terminal (NOT: the terminal's lower level]

I In many common expressions that refer to time and measurements, however, and in phrases implying personification, the possessive form has come to be accepted usage. (See also 11817a, note.) one day's notice

a dollar's worth

a stone's throw

a nine days' wonder

several dollars' worth

for heaven's sake

an hour's work two years' progress

two cents' worth at arm's length

for conscience' sake (see fl631b]

the company's assets

New Year's resolutions

the earth's atmosphere

the computer's memory

this morning's news

in today's world

NOTE: Be

sure to distinguish possessive expressions like those above from similar wording where no possessive relation is involved. two weeks' salary

BUT: two weeks ago, two weeks later, two weeks overdue

I bought five dollars' worth of chocolate truffles. BUT: I found five dollars lying on the sidewalk.

Possessives Preceding Verbal Nouns i a. When a noun or a pronoun modifies a gerund (the ing form of a verb used as a noun), the noun or pronoun should be in the possessive. What would have been the point of our asking the speaker any further questions? (NOT: What would have been the point of us asking the speaker any further questions?)

The use of a possessive form before a gerund can produce a sentence that is grammatically correct but is awkward nonetheless. In such cases reword the sentence. NOTE:

AWKWARD: He wanted to be reassured about his children's being given a ride home. BETTER: He wanted to be reassured that his children would be given a ride home.

b. Not every noun or pronoun preceding the ing form of a verb should be in the possessive form. Compare the following pairs of examples: What do you think of that man lighting a cigarette at the next table? (Here the focus is on the man himself, who is identified by the fact that he is lighting a cigarette.) What do you think of that man's lighting a cigarette at the next table? (Here the focus is on the act of lighting a cigarette close to where you are sitting.)

Section 6 • Plurals and Possessives

191

fl649 I heard you singing at the party. (Here the emphasis is on you, the object of heard; singing is a participle that modifies you.) I liked your singing at the party. iTHere the emphasis is on singing, a gerund that is the object of liked; the pronoun your is in the possessive form because it modifies singing.) Our success in this venture depends on Allen acting as the coordinator. [This suggests that the success depends on Allen himself rather than on the role he is playing. Even if Allen's role should change, success seems likely as long as he is associated with the project in some way.] Our success in this venture depends on Allen's acting as the coordinator. [This puts the emphasis squarely on Allen's acting in a certain role. If he ceases to function as the coordinator, the venture may not succeed.]

Possessives in Of Phrases M il.?-! a. The object of the preposition of should not ordinarily be in the possessive form, since the of phrase as a whole expresses possession. However, possessives are used in a few idiomatic expressions. Tony and Fiona are good friends of ours as well as our children's. Did you know that Polly and Fred are neighbors of the Joneses'? Bobby Busoni is a business associate of Gordon's. That car of yours is going to need a new muffler. The restaurant at the Bradley Inn is a real favorite of mine.

b. Note the difference in meaning in the following phrases: a statue of Rodin (a statue showing the likeness of the sculptor Rodin] a statue of Rodin's (a statue created by Rodin] a controversial view of the President [a view held by someone else] a controversial view of the President's (a view held by the President]

c. Avoid adding the sign of the possessive to an of phrase. AWEWAHD: A friend of mine's house burned down last night BETTER: The house of a friend of mine burned down last night. AWKWARD: One of my friends' son has been named a Rhodes scholar. BETTER: The son of one of my friends has been named a Rhodes scholar. AWKWARD: I just found out that the director of our training program's husband is the chief information officer of your company. BETTER: I just found out that the husband of the director of our training program is the chief information officer of your company.

NOTE: Attaching

the sign of the possessive to an of phrase can sometimes create humorous confusion in addition to awkwardness. CONFUSING: You must negotiate the purchase price with the owner of the horse's wife. CLEAR: You must negotiate the purchase price of the horse with the owner's wife.

Possessives Modifying Possessives I Avoid attaching a possessive form to another possessive. Change the wording if possible. AWKWARD: I have not yet seen the utility company's lawyer's petition. BETTER: I have not yet seen the petition of the utility company's lawyer.

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1J650 Possessives in Holidays J i M ' l a. Possessives in names of holidays are usualiy singular. New Year's Eve

Valentine's Day

Lincoln's Birthday

Saint Patrick's Day

BUT: Presidents' Day April Fools' Day

Mother's Day

Father's Day

All Saints' Day

b. Some holiday names contain a plural form rather than a plural possessive; for example: firmed Forces Day, Veterans Day, United Nations Day. c. The celebration that used to be called Secretary's Day is now called Administrativ Professionals Day (with no apostrophe).

Possessives in Place Names 651

Place names that contain a possessive form typically do not use an apostrophe. Dobbs Ferry, New York

Grants Pass, Oregon

Colts Neck, New Jersey

Howards Grove, Wisconsin

Saint Catharines, Ontario

Devils Lake, North Dakota

Kings Point, New York

Toms River, New Jersey

BUT: Devil's Island

Loves Park, Illinois

Travelers Rest, South Carolina

Farmers Branch, Texas

BUT: Martha's Vineyard

No Mans Land, Massachusetts

Pikes Peak, Colorado

Miscellaneous Expressions IA number of common expressions contain possessive forms. athlete's foot

proofreaders' mark

traveler's check

lovers' lane

collector's item

workers' compensation [see fl809a, note)

baker's dozen

writer's block

cook's tour

Adam's apple

dean's list

no man's land

visitor's permit

witches' brew

seller's market

women's room

BUT: farmers' market

BUT: woman's rights

finder's fee

states' rights

dog's life

BUT: state's evidence

cat's-paw

citizen's arrest

rabbit's foot

BUT: citizens band

bull's-eye

teacher's pet BUT: teachers college

lion's share

NOTE: Although

a number of states now issue drivers licenses (without an apostrophe) the preferred form remains driver's licenses. >• For the plural forms of expressions like these, see 1612d.

Section 7 Spelling Spelling Guides (HU701-718) When a Final Consonant Is Doubled (KH701-702) When a Final Consonant Is Not Doubled (KH703-706) Final Silent £ (HK707-709) When Final YIs Changed to / (KH710-711) EI and IE Words (11712) Words Ending in ABLE and IBLE (11713) Words Ending in ANT, ANCE, ENT, and ENCE (1(714) Words Ending in IZE, ISE, and YZE (1(715) Words Ending in CEDE, CEED, and SEDE (1716) Words Ending in C(K717) Words With Diacritical Marks (1718)

Words That Sound Alike or Look Alike (11719) Troublesome Words (IT720)

>• For definitions of grammatical terms, see the appropriate entries in the Glossa Grammatical Terms (Appendix D).

Section 7 offers three kinds of assistance: KK701-718 present the basic guidelines for correct spelling; H719 provides a list of look-alike and sound-alike words for review and fast reference; H720 presents a list of troublesome words.

The authority for spelling in this manual is the 2003 printing of Menriam-Webster's Collegia Dictionary, Eleventh Edition. Whenever two spellings are allowable, only the first form is usually given here. NOTE: The

dictionaries and spell checkers that are built into word processing software may not always agree with the dictionary that serves as the authority for spelling in this manual. A spell checker will flag any word not listed in its own dictionary or in a supplemental dictionary you create, even if the word is spelled correctly. Reduce the number of "false alarms" by expanding your dictionary to include frequently used terms and names. In addition, always proofread carefully since no spell checker will flag words spelled correctly but used incorrectly. (See K1202b.) For example, if you write "Summer is our peek season for swimwear," the spell checker will not question peek because it is spelled correctly. You will have to find the error yourself or suffer the embarrassing consequences.

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11701

Spelling Guides When a Final Consonant Is Doubled )When a word of one syllable ends in a single consonant (bag) preceded by a single vowel (bag), double the final consonant before a suffix beginning with a vowel (baggage) or before the suffix y (baggy). (See 1(703.) rub

rubbed

swim

swimmer

stop

stop£ed

glad if

gladden iffy

skin

skinny

slippage

clan

clannish

slip star

fog

foggy

run

running

bet

bettor

dew bow sew

dewy

tax fax box

taxing

starring

EXCEPTIONS:

yes

yeses

bus

buses

gas

gases

bowed sewing

faxed boxy

NOTE: When a one-syllable word ends in y preceded by a single vowel, do not double the y before a suffix beginning with a vowel. (See 11711.) pay

payee

joy

joyous

toy

toying

key

keyed

boy

boyish

buy

buyer

When a word of more than one syllable ends in a single consonant (refer) preceded by a single vowel (refer) and the accent falls on the last syliable of the root word [refer), double the final consonant before a suffix beginning with a vowel (referred). (See 11704.) forbid

forbidden

unclog

unclogged

retag

retagging

control

control/er

begin

beginning

infer

inferred

unzip

unzipped

occur

occurring

concur

concurrent

regret

regrettable

defer

deferring

admit

admitting

obey

obeyed

enjoy

enjoyable

EXCEPTIONS (see K 7 1 1 ) :

display

displaying

When a suffix beginning with a vowel is added, do not double the final consonant if the accent shifts from the second syllable. NOTE:

refer

referred

BUT. reference

prefer

preferred

BUT: preferable

transfer

transferred

BUT: transferee

When a Final Consonant Is Not Doubled When a word of one syliable ends in a single consonant (bad) preceded by a single vowel (bod), do not double the final consonant before a suffix beginning with a consonant (bad/^). glad

gladness

ten

tenfold

ship

shipmenf

star wit flag

stardom

play

playfe/

wit/ess

joy

joyfully

flagsn/p

boy

boyhood

When a word of more than one syllable ends in a single consonant (benefit) preceded by a single vowel (benefit) and the accent does not fall on the last syllable of the root word (benefit), do not double the final consonant before a suffix beginning with a vowel (benefited).

Section 7 • Spelling

195

11707 catalog

cataloged, cataloging

differ

differed, different

total

totaled, totaling

credit

credited, creditor

cancel

canceled, canceling

profit

profited, profiting

BUT: cancellation

benefit

benefited, benefiting

worshiped, worshiper

borrow

borrowed, borrowing

gossiped, gossiping

index

indexed, indexing

worship gossip

EXCEPTIONS: program

programmed, programming

outfit

outfitted, outfitting

format

formatted, formatting

kidnap

kidnapped, kidnapping

diagram

diagrammed, diagramming

handicap

handicapped, handicapping

When a word of one or more syllables ends in a single consonant (cloud, repeat) preceded by more than one vowel (cloud, repeat), do not double the final consonant before any suffix (cloudless, repeating). wool

woolen

gain

gainful

bias

biased

haul

hauling

chief

chief/y

dream

dreamy

riot

riotous

loud

loudness equaled

BUT: woolly

cheer

cheery

broad

broad/y

equal

deceit

deceitful

poet

poet/c

duel

dueling

feud

feuda/

toil

toilsome

buoy

buoyant

EXCEPTIONS: equip

equipped, equipping BUT: equipment

quit

quiUing

quiz

quizzed, quizzing, quizzical

squat

squatter

II*When a word of one or more syllables ends with more than one consonant (wor£, detacA), do not double the final consonant before any suffix [workday, detached). comb

combing

back

backward

shirr

hand

handy

curl

curly

mass

shirr/ng mass/ve

self

selfe/?

warm

warm/y

slant

slantwise

swing

swinging

return

returned

jinx

jinxed

wish

wishfty/

harp

harping

blitz

blitzing

NOTE: Words ending in 11 usually retain both consonants before a suffix. However, when adding the suffix ly, drop one / from the root word. When adding the suffix less or like, insert a hyphen between the root and the suffix to avoid three Z's in a row.

skill install

skillful installment*

full dull

lully dully

hull shell

hull-fess shell-Wee

Final Silent E [ • yM a. Words ending in silent e usually drop the e before a suffix beginning with a vowel. sale

salable

sense

sensible

propose

proposition

size

sizable

argue

arguing

execute

executive

store

storage

issue

Issuing

sincere

sincer/fy

arrive

arriva/

blue

bluish

desire

desirous

accuse

accusation

true

truism

use

usual Continued on page 196

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• Grammar, Usage, and Style

11708 EXCEPTIONS:

agree

agreeing

mile

mileage

see

seeing

acre

acreage

dye eye

eyeing

puree

pureeing

line

lineage

canoe

canoeing

saute

saute/ng

segue

segueing

queue

queueing

dyeing

b . Words ending i n silent • For guidelines ondropping or retaining silent e before ' the ending, see f[707. Continued on page 198

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• Grammar, Usage, and Style

1J714 b. However, a number of frequently used words end in ible. accessible admissible compatible convertible credible

deductible eligible feasible flexible irrepressible

irresistible legible negligible permissible possible

responsible sensible susceptible terrible visible

Words Ending in ANT, ANCE, ENT, and ENCE I Words ending in ant, ance, ent, and ence foUow no clear-cut pattern. Therefore, con sult a dictionary when in doubt. accountant defendant descendant exorbitant* irrelevant resistant

acquaintance assistance attendance quidance maintenance relevance

dependent eminent permanent persistent prevalent strident

confidence experience intelligence occurrence reference subsistence

minimize organize prize

realize recognize specialize

summarize vandalize visualize

franchise improvise merchandise paradise revise

supervise surmise surprise televise treatise

Words Ending in IZE, ISE, and YZE I a. Most of these words end in ize. apologize authorize characterize

criticize economize emphasize

A number of ['!'>.# The number of the verb is not affected by the insertion between subject and verb of phrases beginning with such expressions as: along with together with and not (see Hl006b)

as well as in addition to accompanied by

plus besides including

except rather than not even

If the subject is singular, use a singular verb; if the subject is plural, use a plural verb. This study, along with many earlier reports, shows that the disease can be arrested if detected in time. Mr. and Mrs. Swenson, together with their son and daughters, are going to New Mexico. No one, not even the executive vice presidents, knows whether the CEO plans to resign. (See 111010.) The director of finance, not the divisional controllers, is authorized to approve unbudgeted expenditures over $5000. (See 1)1006b.)

HOTB: When the construction of a sentence like those above requires a singular verb but a plural verb would sound more natural, reword the sentence to create a plural subject. cojutECT: The national sales report, along with the regional breakdowns you specifically requested plus the individual performance printouts, was sent to you last week. BETTER: The national sales report the regional breakdowns you specifically requested, and the individual performance pnntouts were sent to you last week. (The three subjects joined by and-report, breakdowns, and pnntouts-ca\\ for a plural verb.)

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111008 One

of...

ft [ ' I ' M a. Use a singular verb after a phrase beginning w i t h one of or one of the; the singular verb agrees w i t h the subject one. (Disregard any plural that follows of or of the.) One of my backup disks has been lost One of the reasons for so many absences js poor motivation. One of us has to take over the responsibility for in-service training. One of you is to be nominated for the office. One of the interviewers is going to call you early next week.

b. The phrases one of those who and one of the things that are followed by plur verbs because the verbs refer to those or things (rather than to one).

She is one of those who favor increasing the staff. On other words, of those who favor increasing the staff, she is one. Favor is plural to agree with those.) He is one of our employees who are never late. (Of our employees who are never late, he is one.]

I ordered one of the new copiers that were advertised in Monday's paper. (Of the new copier that were advertised in Monday's paper, I ordered one.) You are one of those rare individuals who are always honest with themselves. (Of those rar individuals who are always honest with themselves, you are one.) Tyson is one of the best programmers who have ever come along. (Of the best programmer who have ever come along, Tyson is one.) One in four who have tried this medication has reported serious side effects. (This sentence is grammatically correct but awkward.) BETTER: Of those who have tried this medication, one in four has reported serious side effects.

c. When the words the only precede such phrases, the meaning is singular and a singular verb is required. Note that both words, the and only, are required to produce a singular meaning. John is the only one of the staff members who is going to be transferred. (Of the staff members, John is the only one who is going to be transferred. Here the singular verb is going is required to agree with one.) BDT-. John is only one of the staff members who are going to be transferred. (Of the staff members who are going to be transferred, John is only one.)

Indefinite Pronouns Always Singular

l [ i l i p l a . The words each, every, either, neither, one, another, and much are always si When they are used as subjects or as adjectives morlifying subjects, a singular verb is required. Each has a clear-cut set of responsibilities. Each employee was informed of the new policy well in advance. One shipment was sent yesterday; another is to leave the warehouse tomorrow morning. Neither one of the applicants « eligible. OIL- Neither applicant is eligible. Much remains to be done on the Belgravia project

OR: Much work remains to be done on the Belgravia project

>-For the use of either... or and neither . . . nor, see f 11003 1005.

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261 H1013

b. When each, every, many a, or many an precedes two or more subjects joined by and, the verb should be singular. Every customer and supplier has been notified Many a liberal and conservative has raised objections to that proposal. >• See f1002c for other examples. c. When each follows a plural subject, keep the verb plural In that position, each has no effect on the number of the verb. To test the correctness of such sentences, mentally omit each. The members each fgej their responsibility. They each have high expectations. Twelve each of these items are required.

The following compound pronouns are always singular and require a singular verb: anybody everybody somebody anything everything something anyone everyone someone OR: anyone OR: everyone OR: someone Was anybody monitonng actual costs against the budget? Everyone is required to register in order to vote. Something M s me I'm wrong.

nobody nothing no one

No one could explain why the project was so far behind schedule. HOTE: Spell anyone, everyone, and someone as two words when these pronouns are followed by an of phrase or are used to mean "one of a number of things." Every one of us [each person in the group] likes to be appreciated. BUT: Everyone [everybody] likes to be appreciated. I think that any one of these designs [each of them] creates a warm, inviting impression. BUT: I think that anyone [anybody] who sees these designs will find them warm and inviting.

1011

Useasingularverbwhentwocompoundpronounsjoinedbyantiareusedassubjects. Anyone and everyone is entitled to a fair heanng. Nobody and nothing is going to stop me.

Indefinite Pronouns Always Plural I I ' I H The words both, few, many, others, and several are always plural. When they are used as subjects or as adjectives modifying subjects, a plural verb is required. Several members were invited, the others were overlooked. Bom books §JS out of print Many were asked but few were able to answer.

Indefinite Pronouns Singular or Plural I a. An, none, any, some, more, and most may be singular or plural, depending on the noun that they refer to. (The noun often occurs in an of phrase that follows.) All of the manuscript has been finished. All of the reports have been handed in Is there any (money) left?

AJS there any (bills) still to be paid? Continued on page 262

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111014 Do any of you know John Ferguson well? [Any is plural because it refers to the plural you; hence the plural verb do know.) Does any one of you know John Ferguson well? [Any is singular because it refers to the singular one; hence the singular verb does know) Some of the software seems too high-priced. Some of the videotapes seem too high-priced. Some was acceptable. (Meaning some of the manuscript.) Some were acceptable. (Meaning some of the reports.) More of these computer stands are due.

Most of the stock has been sold.

More than one customer has complained about that item. [More refers to the singular noun customer; hence the singular verb has complained.) More than five customers have complained... [More refers to the plural noun customers; hence the plural verb have complained.)

b. In formal usage, none is still considered a singular pronoun. In general usage, however, none is considered singular or plural, depending on the number of the noun to which it refers. No one or not one is often used in place of none to stres the singular idea. None of the merchandise was stolen. None of the packages were properly wrapped. None were injured. (Meaning none of the passengers.) Not one of the associates has a good word to say about the managing partner.

c. When one or more is the subject or is used to modify the subject, the verb should be plural. One or more of our clients have to be reminded of the deadline. [More refers to the plural noun clients; hence the plural verb have.) One or more pages in the report need to be updated.

d. The relative pronouns who, which, and that (like the indefinite pronouns discussed in 111013a) may be singular or plural, depending on the noun they refer to. (See S[1062d.) Nouns Ending in 5 1014 Some nouns appear to be plural but are actually singular. When used as subjects, these nouns require singular verbs. news (no plural) lens [plural: lenses) measles (no plural) summons [plural: summonses) The news from overseas is very discouraging. The lens has to be reground.

1015

A number of nouns are always considered plural, even though they each refer to a single thing. As subjects, they require plural verbs. assets belongings credentials

dues earnings goods

grounds odds premises

The premises are now available for inspection.

proceeds quarters riches

savings thanks whereabouts

My earnings this year have not gone up.

NOTE: The following nouns are considered plural: glasses, scissors, pliers, pants, and trousers. However, w h e n they are preceded by the phrase pair of, the entire expression is considered singular. These scissors need sharpening.

BUT: This pair of scissors needs sharpening.

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H1018 1016

A few nouns (not all of which end in s] have the same form in the plural as in the singular. When used as subjects, these nouns take singular or plural verbs according to the meaning. series

means

chassis

headquarters

deer

species

gross

corps

sheep

moose

The series of concerts planned for the spring looks very exciting. [One series.) Three series of tickets are going to be issued. [Three series.) One means of breaking the impasse js to offer more money. Other means of solving the problem have not come to mind. Her means [her financial resources] are not sufficient to justify her current level of spending. Headquarters is not pleased with the performance of the Northeastern Region. [Referring to top management or central authority.) The Pesco Corporation headquarters are located at the intersection of Routes 80 and 287, (Referring to the offices of top management)

Nouns Ending in ICS 1017

Many nouns ending in ics (such as acoustics, economics, ethics, politics, and statistics] take singular or plural verbs, depending on how they are used. When they refer to a body of knowledge or a course of study, they are singular. When they refer to qualities or activities, they are plural. Economics [a course of study] is a prerequisite for advanced business courses. The economics [the economic aspects] of his plan are not very sound. Statistics js the one course I almost failed. The statistics indicate that the market for this product line is shrinking. Acoustics was not listed in last year's course offerings. The acoustics in the new concert hall are remarkably good. Ethics is a subject that ought to be part of the M.BA curriculum. Frank's ethics ham always met the highest standards. As Tip O'Neill liked to say, "All politics is local." Farnsworth's politics are dictated by the results of the latest poll.

Nouns With Foreign Plurals > [ ' 1 H a. Watch for nouns w i t h foreign-plural endings (see 11614). Such plural nouns, when used as subjects, require plural verbs. No criteria have been established. BUT: No criterion has been established. Parentheses are required around such references. BUT. The closing parenthesis was omitted.

b. The noun data, which is plural in form, is commonly followed by a plural verb in technical and scientific usage. In general usage, data in the sense of "information" is followed by a singular verb; in the sense of "distinct bits of information," it is followed by a plural verb. The data obtained after two months of experimentation js now being analyzed. [Here data means "information.") BUT: The data assembled by six researchers are now being compared. (Here data refers to several distinct bits of information.)

Continued on page 264

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1J1019

c. The noun media is the plural form of medium when that word refers to various forms of mass communication, such as the press, radio, and television. The media through which we reach our clients are quality magazines and radio broadcasts. BUT: The medium we find most effective is television.

Media has acquired an acceptable singular meaning when it refers to reporters, journalists, and broadcasters acting in concert. However, treat media as a plural when these practitioners are not acting as a unified group. NOTE:

The media has given so much publicity to the claims against the defendant that a fair trial may not be possible. BUT: The media have approached the Bergamot case from a wide range of perspectives.

Collective Nouns ^JJX^^The following rules govern the form of verb to be used when the subject is a collective noun. (A collective noun is a word that is singular in form but represents a group of persons, animals, or things; for example, army, audience, board, cabinet, c committee, company, corporation, council, department, faculty, firm, group, jur minority, organization, public, school, society, staff.) a. If the group is acting as a unit, use the singular form of the verb. The Board of Directors meets Friday. The firm is one of the oldest in the field. The committee has agreed to submit its report on Monday. (The pronoun its is also singular to agree with committee.) My staff has compiled a set of recommendations for a reorganization.

b. If the members of the group are acting separately, use a plural verb. A group of researchers are coming from all over the world for the symposium next month. (The members of the group are acting separately in coming together from all over the world.) BUT: A group of researchers is meeting in Geneva next month. (The members of the group are acting as a unit in the process of meeting.)

NOTE: The use of a collective noun with a plural verb often

produces an awkward sentence. Whenever possible, recast the sentence by inserting a phraselikethe members of before the collective noun. AWKWARD: The committee are not in agreement on the action they should take. (The verb are and the pronoun they are plural to agree with the plural committee.) BETTER: The members of the committee are not in agreement...

c. In a number of constructions, the choice of a singular or plural verb often depends on whether you wish to emphasize the group as a unit or as a collection of individuals. However, once the choice has been made, treat the collective noun consistently within the same context. If the resulting sentence sounds awkward, recast it as necessary. I hope your family is well. (Emphasizes the family as a whole.) OR: I hope your family are all well. (Emphasizes the individuals in the family.) SMOOTHER: I hope all the members of your family are well. OR: I hope everyone in your family is well.

d. References to a married couple can pose problems. When referring to the two people in the context of their wedding, treat couple as plural since they are individuals entering into a marriage. The couple were married last Saturday.

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1)1021 After the wedding, when the two people are acting as a unit, treat couple as singular. That couple has been married for more than twenty years.

Each couple has volunteered to participate in the literacy campaign. Occasionally, it makes sense to treat couple as plural, even though the two people are acting as a unit. The couple have moved into their new house. [More idiomatic than: The couple has moved into its new house.]

If you are uncertain how to proceed in a specific case, replace the word couple with the actual names. Then the subject will be clearly plural. The Goodwins have moved into their new house.

OR: Bob and Pauline have moved into their new house. e. The expression a couple of is usually plural in meaning. A couple of customers have already reportedthe error in our ad. A couple of orders have been shipped to the wrong address. BUT: A couple oAdays js all I need to complete the report. [When the phrase refers to a period of time, an amount of money, or a quantity that represents a total amount, treat the phrase as singular. See also H1024.)

Organizational Names 1020

Organizational names may be treated as either singular or plural. Ordinarily, treat the name as singular unless you wish to emphasize the individuals who make up the organization; in that case, use the plural. Once a choice has been made, use the singular or plural form consistently within the same context. Brooks & Rice has lost its lease. It js now looking for a new location. OR: Brooks & Rice have lost their lease. They are now looking f o r . . . [ B U T NOT: Brooks & Rice has lost its lease. They are now looking f o r . . . )

The Boston Red Sox are having a great season this year. (Team names take plural verbs.) NOTE: If the organization is referred to as they or who, use a plural verb with the company name. If the organization is referred to as it or which, use a singular verb. (See also f 1049a.)

Geographic Names 1021

When a geographic name such as the United States or the Virgin Islands is used as a subject, use a singular verb if the name represents a single entity; use a plural verb if the individual states or islands are referred to as separate entities. The Netherlands js the first stop on my itinerary. The United Nations has sent a special task force to study the problem. The Philippines jwas the host of last year's conference on globalization. The U.S. Virgin Islands consists of three large islands (St John, St. Croix, and St Thomas) and about fifty smaller islands. BUT: The U.S. Virgin Islands are among, the most beautiful in the world. The United States has undertaken a new foreign aid program. BUT: These United States are bound'together by a common heritage of political and religious liberty.

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1J1022 Names of Publications and Products 1 0 2 2 The name of a publication or product is considered singular, even though it may be plural in form. Computers in Medicine is an online newsletter that you should consider if you want to market your software to doctors.

Consumer Reports is publishing an update on automobile insurance costs. Womanwords by Jane Mills discusses how language reflects women's role in society and actively creates that role.

Miss Thistlebottom's Hobgoblins by Theodore M. Bernstein deals forcefully with the "taboos bugbears, and outmoded rules of English usage."

The Number and A Number > f iV-frflThe expression the number has a singular meaning andthereforerequires a singular verb. A number has a plural meaning and requires a plural verb.

The number of branch offices we have in the Southeast has increased in each of the last five years. A number of our branch offices are now located in suburban malls rather than in the central business district.

Expressions of Time, Money, and Quantity 1 0 2 4 When subjects expressing periods of time, amounts of money, or quantities represent o total amount, use singular verbs. When these subjects represent a number o individual units, use plural verbs. 777ree months is too long a time to wait. BUT: Three months have passed since we last spoke. That $10,000 was an inheritance from my uncle. BUT: Thousands of dollars have already been spent on the project. Ten acres is considered a small piece of property in this area. BUT: Ten acres were plowed last spring. A total of 52 orders is not a very good response rate to a full-page ad. BUT: A total of 52 callers have placed an order in response to our ad. A psychotic is convinced that 2 and 2 equals 5, whereas a neurotic recognizes that 2 plus 2 is 4 but can't stand it. Less than $1 million was budgeted for the restoration of City Hall. (For a usage note on fewer-less, see page 326.)

Fractional Expressions aiiy+rBWhen the subject is an expression such as one-half of, two-thirds of, a part of majority of, a percentage of, a portion of or the rest of: a. Use a singular verb if a singular noun foliows of or is implied. Three-fourths of the mailing list has been checked. Part of our Norfolk operation is being closed down. A majority of 2000 signifies a landslide in this town. (The noun 2000 is considered singular because it is a total amount; see Hi024. For a usage note on majority, see page 334.) A large percentage has to be retyped. (Referring to a manuscript.) About 20 percent of the production run was unacceptable.

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til 027 b. Use a. plural verb when a. plural noun follows of or is implied. Two-thirds of our customers live in the suburbs. Part of the walls are to be papered. About 20 percent of the applicants have Ph.D.s. A large percentage of the students hold part-time jobs. BUT: The percentage of students who hold part-time jobs is quite large. (When percentage is used as a subject and is preceded by the, use a singular verb.) A majority of our employees have contributed to the United Way fund drive. NOTE: Sometimes the context requires a singular verb. A majority of only 90 votes is not exactly a ringing endorsement of our candidate.

c. Consider the word half as a condensed version of one-half of. Over /.a/fthe staff have signed up for the additional benefits. On this case half the staffIs plural in meaning; the staff members are signing up as individuals and not as a group. Seefl1019b.)

Phrases and Clauses as Subjects 1026

a. When a phrase or clause serves as the subject, the verb should be singular. Reading e-mail js the first thing I do in the morning. That they will accept the offer js far from certain. Whatever sales brochure they mail me goes directly into the circular file. According to Bill Cosby, whether the glass is half full or half empty depends on whether you're pouring or drinking.

b. Clauses beginning with what maybe singular or plural, according to the meaning. What we needt a new statement of policy. (The what clause refers to statement; hence the verb is singular.) What we need are some guidelines on personal time off. (Here the what clause refers to guidelines; hence the verb is plural.) NOTE: When clauses beginning with what appear in the predicate, they may also be accompanied by singular or plural verbs, depending on their meaning. Conflicting points of view are what make a conference exciting and instructive. (Here what stands for "those things thaf-namely, points of view. For that reason, the verb in the what clause should be plural-ma/ce.) BUT: Recruiting panelists with conflicting points of view js what makes a conference exciting and instructive. (Here what stands for "the thing thaf-namely, the noun clause that serves as the singular subject of the sentence: Recruiting panelists with conflicting points of view. For that reason, the verb in the what clause should be singular-mates.)

Subjects in Inverted Sentences > 11 y*M

a. Whenever the verb precedes the subject, make sure they agree. Attached is a swatch of the fabric I'd like to order. Attached are two copies of the January mailing piece. Enclosed is a copy of the consultant's recommendations for boosting profits. Also enclosed are my comments on his suggested plan of action. Where js [OR: Where's] this strategy going to take us? Where are the reviews of the Kelly book? (NOT: Where & [OR.- Where's] the reviews of the Kelly book?) Continued on page 268

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Part 1 • Grammar, Usage, and Style

H1028 What ism g fr m the rep rt the rationale for the decision What appear to be prob ems am often opportun ties. What were your reas for re g g? Shoud a position become ava ab e we will let you know (In this case the helping verb should precedes the sub eel If written in normal word rder th s sentence would read If a position shou d become ava a b e )

b. Whentheverb is followed by two subjects joined by and,theverb should be plural. However, if the resulting sentence sounds awkward, reword as necessary. AWKWARD: Where am the address and phone number ior this customer? BETTER: Where can I iLtfthe address and phone number for this customer? B U T NOT: Where $ [OR: Where's] the address and phone number for this customer?) AWKWARD: Why am consumer spend ng up and reta sales down? BETTER: Why am retail sa es down and consumer spending up? OR: Why am retai sa es d wn when consumer spending is up?

> I W 1 a. In a sentence beginning with there is, there are, here is, here are, or a simila construction, the real subject follows the verb. Use is when the real subject is singular, are when it is plural. There is a vast dfference between the two plans There are a great many ang es to th s prob em Here are. two catalogs and an order bank (See HH 1002a, 1028b) He e s an Id friend and former partner of mine (The subject, friend and partner, is singular be ause only one person is referred to See H10 2 b ) There $ many an nvestorwho regrets having invested in such h gh nsk stocks. (See 111002c) The e a a branch offce or an agency represent ng us in every major city in the country (See H1003) There £ not only a 5 percent state tar but a so a 2 5 percent city tax. (See 1)1003) There t$ the cost of your own time in addition to the substantial outlay for matenals that must be f gured n (See Hi 7 There a_s a n mberot prob ems to be resolved Pee a so H1023) Here s the number of rders rece ved s nee Mo day Here ten dollars as a contnbuti n (See a so Hi 2 4 ) He e ais ten Iverdola f ryourco ect n There a t nguar that we n ti do There am a lot f people [pura watch ng what we do There ne ther a hospit ned by ne ther nor

or a

on the

a d (See Hi 3 for two singular subjects

There am ne the mot rooms or ava b e for rent th Hi 4 f r t w o p ra ectsjo ed by neither Th

ate in the season Pee

were e ther ten rts nor a swtmmng the hotel where we fina ry found a Were greeswiththe ect tennis courts. See a H> 5forsinguarandpural ect ed by neither There Mas net er centra monmg nor fa for ny f the rooms in the h tel {Was ree with the nearer ect bonmg.Seea H

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HI 030 NOTE: Do not use there is or there is when the context calls for there are or there're. There's [There is] more than one way to solve the problem. (See 1]1013a.) There're [There are] more than six candidates running for mayor. (See 1]1056e.) (NOT: There's more than six candidates running for mayor.)

b. When the subject consists of two or more singular nouns—or several nouns, the first of which is singular—there is or here is usually sounds more idiomatic (despite the fact that the subject is plural) than there are or here are. If you do not feel comfortable with this idiomatic construction, change the wording as necessary. In the higher-priced model there is a more powerful processor, a 19-inch display, and a 100-GB hard drive. On this construction, there is is understood to be repeated before the second and third subjects.] OR: In the higher-priced model there are the following features: a more powerful processor, a 19-inch display, and a 100-GB hard drive. On this version are agrees with the plural subject features; the three subjects in the sentence above are now simply appositives modifying features.) Within a mile of the airport there is a full-service hotel and three motels. OR: Within a mile of the airport there is a full-service hotel plus [OR. in addition to OR: as well as] three motels. (By changing the connective from andlo plus or something similar, you are left with a singular subject hotel, that calls for the singular verb is.) OR: Within a mile of the airport there are three motels and a full-service hotel. fJA/hen the first subject in the series is plural, the verb are not only is grammatically correct but also sounds more natural.)

Subjects and Predicate Complements 1029

a. Sentences containing a linking verb (such as become or some form of to be] sometimes have a plural subject and a singular complement or a singular subject and a plural complement. In such cases make sure that the verb agrees with the subject (and not with the complement). Bicycles are the only product we make. The key /Issue is higher wages. One of the things we have to keep track of is entertainment expenses. (Use is to agree with one, the subject)

It !§. they who are at fault (Use is to agree with it, the subject) confuse the last two examples with the inverted sentences shown in 111028. In a sentence beginning with here is or there is, the subject follows the linking verb. In a sentence beginning with it is or one... is, the subject precedes the linking verb. b. If sentences of this type seem awkward, do not hesitate to rewrite them. We make only one product: bicycles. Higher wages are the key issue. NOTE: Do not

Verbs This section deals with the correct use of verb tenses and other verb forms. For the rules on agreement of verbs with subjects, see M1001-1029.

Principal Parts [•MiJThe principal parts of a verb are the four simple forms upon which all tenses and other modifications of the verb are based. Continued on page 270

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1)1030

a. For most verbs, form the past and the past participle simply by adding d or ed to the present; form the present participle by adding ing to the present. (Some verbs require a minor change intheending ofthepresent form before ed or ing is added.) Present fax ski drop occur offer sneak fill warm issue die try obey panic

Past faxed skied drop occurred offered sneaked filled warmed issued died tried obeyed panicked

Past Participle faxed skied dropped occurred offered sneaked filled warmed issued died tried obeyed panicked

Present Participle faxing skiing dropping occurring offering sneaking filling warming issuing dying trying obeying panicking

[see 11701) Csee H702) (see H704) (see HH705,1032b) (see H706, note) (see H706) (see U707) (see H709) (see H710b) (seeH711) (see H717)

b. Many verbs have principal parts that are irregularly formed. The following list presents the ones most commonly used, beginning w i t h the most irregular of all—to be. Present am, is, are become begin break bring buy catch choose come cost do draw drive eat fall feel find fly forget

Past was, were became began broke brought bought caught chose came cost did drew drove ate fell felt found flew forgot

forgive get give

forgave got gave went grew

g° grow

Past Participle been become begun broken brought bought caught chosen come cost done drawn driven eaten fallen felt found flown forgotten OR: forgot forgiven gotten given gone grown

Present Participle being becoming beginning breaking bringing buying catching choosing coming costing doing drawing driving eating falling feeling finding flying forgetting forgiving getting giving going growing

(see pages 274-275) (see H1032b) (see 111033d) (see 111032b)

(see H1032b)

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HI 031 Present hang (suspend) hang (execute) hold keep know lay (place) lie (recline) make mean pay prove ring rise say see sell send set shnnk

Past hung hanged held kept knew laid lay made meant paid proved rang rose said saw sold sent set shrank

Past Participle hung hanged held kept known laid lain made meant paid proved OR. proven rung risen said seen sold sent set shrunk

sit speak swing take teach tell think throw understand wear write

sat spoke swung took taught told thought threw understood wore wrote

sat spoken swung taken taught told thought thrown understood worn written

Present Participle hanging hanging holding keeping knowing (see page 332) laying (see page 332) lying making meaning paying proving ringing rising (see H1033d) saying seeing (see 111032b) selling sending setting (see page 339] shrinking (see HH1032b, 1033d) sitting (see page 339) speaking swinging taking teaching telling thinking throwing understanding wearing (see 111033d) writing

NOTE. Dictionaries typically show the principal parts for all

irregular verbs. If you are in doubt about any form, consult your dictionary. If the principal parts are not shown, the verb is regular. (See 111030a.) >• For theformation of principalparts ofverbs ending in c {for example, to picnic, to spec), see f 717. c. The past participle and the present participle, if used as part of a verb phrase, must always be used with one or more helping verbs, also known as auxiliary verbs. The most common helping verbs are: is are

was were

can could

do did

has had

have may

might must

shall should

will would

>• For a graphic view of how all the tenses areformed, see the chart on pages 274-275.

Forming Verb Tenses a i i f r i - l T h e first principal part of the verb (thepresent tense) is used: a. To express present time. We fill all orders promptly

She does what is expected of her. Continued on page 272

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HI 032 b. To make a statement that is true at all times. There is an exception to every rule (including this one).

c. With shall or will to express juture time. We will order [OR. shall order] new stock next week. (For the use of the helping verbs shall and iv///in the future tense, see page 340.)

>* For the third-person singular form of the present tense, see 11035.

1032 I a. The second principal part of the verb (the past tense) is used to express past time (No helping verb is used with this form.) We filled the order yesterday. She did what was expected of her. b. Do not use a past participle form to express the past tense. I saw it. (NOT: I seen it.)

He drank his coffee, (NOT: He drunk his coffee.)

They began it together, (NOT: They begun it together.) He was the one who did it. (NOT: He was the one who done it) I can't believe this sweater shrank. (NOT:... this sweater shrunk.) Jill brought me up to date on the Cox project, (NOT: Jill brung me...)

Someone sneaked into my office last night, (NOT: Someone snuck...) NOTE: A number of idiomatic expressions deliberately use incorrect verb forms. Don't try to correct them. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. You goffa dance with them what brung you. According to Dizzy Dean, "It ain't braggiri if you really done it!"

The third principal part of the verb [the past participle) is used:

a. To form the present perfect tense. This tense indicates action that was started in the past and has recently been completed or is continuing up to the present time. It consists of the verb have or has plus the past participle. We have filled the orders, (NOT: We have filled the orders yesterday.) She has always done what we expect of her. Consumers have become an articulate force in today's business world.

b. To form the past perfect tense. This tense indicates action that was completed before another past action. It consists of the verb had plus the past participle. We had filled the orders before we saw your letter. She had finished the job before we arrived.

c. To form the future perfect tense. This tense indicates action that will be completed before a certain time in the future. It consists of the verb shall have or w have plus the past participle. We will have filled ihe orders by that time (See page 340 for a usage note on shall and w///.) She will have finished Ihe job by next Friday.

d. Do not use a past tense form (the second principal part) in place of a past participle. I have broken the racket (NOT: I have broke the racket) The dress has shrunk (NOT: The dress has shrank) Prices have risen again (NOT: Prices have rose again.) He has worn his shoes out (NOT: He has wore his shoes out)

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HI 035 a i ' f r E I The fourth principal part of the verb (the present participle) is used: A. To form the present progressive tense. This tense indicates action still in progress. It consists of the verb am, is, or are plus the present participle. We are filling all orders as fast as we can She is doing all that can be expected of her. b. To form the past progressive tense. This tense indicates action in progress sometime in the past It consists of the verb was or were plus the present participle. We were waiting for new stock at the time your order came in She was doing a good job when I last checked her work.

c. To form the future progressive tense. This tense indicates action that will be in progress in the future. It consists of the verb shall be or will be plus the present participle. We will be working overtime for the next two weeks. (See page 340 for a usage note on shall and will) They will be receiving additional stock throughout the next two weeks.

d. To form the present perfect progressive, the past perfect progressive, and the future perfect progressive tenses. These tenses convey the same meaning as the simple perfect tenses (see 111033) except that the progressive element adds the sense of continuous action. These tenses consist of the verbs has been, have been, had been, shall have been, and will have been plus the present participle. Compare the following examples with those in H1033. We have been filling these orders with Model 212A instead of Model 212. (Present perfect progressive) We had been Ming these orders with Model 212A until we saw your directive. (Past perfect progressive) By next Friday we will have been working overtime for two straight weeks. (Future perfect progressive)

( H ' E k i The first principal part of the verb undergoes a change in form to express the thirdperson singular in the present tense. a. Most verbs simply add £ in the third-person singular. he feels she thinks it looks

BUT. I feel, you feel, we feel, they feel I think, you think, we think, they think I look, you look, we look, they look

b. Verbs ending in s, x, z, sh, ch, or o add es. he misses she fixes it buzzes

he wishes she watches it does

c. Verbs ending in a vowel plus y add s; those ending in a consonant plus y change y to i and add es. say he says convey she conveys emp oy she employs

buy he buys apply it applies try she tnes

d. Verbs ending in / simply add s. taxi he taxis

ski she skis

„, Text continues on page 276

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fl 1 0 3 5 CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO SEE PRESENT, PAST, AND FUTURE TENSES (1111031-1032) INFINITIVE

TO SEE

PRESENT TENSE First Principal Part

I you see he or she sees

TO BE

f have you have he or she Am

we are you are they are

we have you have they have

we see you see they see PAST TENSE Second Principal Pail

FUTURE TENSE Helping Verb (shall or will) +

I saw you saw he or she saw

I war you were he or she was

I had you had he or she had

we saw you saw they saw

we were you were they were

we had you had they had

I shall see you will see he or she will see

1 shall be you will be he or she will be

I shall have you will have he or she will have

vie shall see you will see they will see

we shall be you will be they will be

we xhall have you will have they will have

Mam Verb (first principal part)

PASSIVE TENSES (ffll 1036-1037) INFINITIVE PRESENT PASSIVE TENSE Helping Verb (present tense of be) + Main Vert) (past participle)

PAST PASSIVE TENSE Helping Verb (past tense of be) Mam Verb (past participle)

FUTURE PASSIVE TENSE Helping Verb (future tense of be) + Main Verb (past participle)

1

TO SEE

1

seen youlam are seen he or she is seen we are seen you are seen they are seen

Iwas seen you were seen he or she was seen we were seen you were seen they were seen I shall be seen you will be seen be or she will be seen •He shall be seen you will be seen they will be seen

PROGRESSIVE TENSES ffll034) INFINITIVE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE Helping Verb (present tense of be) + Main Verb (present participle)

PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE Helping Verb (past tense of be) + Mam Verb (present participle)

FUTURE PROGRESSIVE TENSE Helping Verb (future tense of be) Main Verb (present participle)

TO HAVE

I am you are he or she is

TO SEE I am seeing you are seemg he or she Is seeing we an seeing you are seeing Ihey are seeing I was seemg you were seeing be or she war seeing we were seeing you were seeing they were seeing 1 shall be seeing you will be seeing he or she will be seeing vn shall be seeing you will be seeing they will be teeing

1

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1)1035 PERFECT TENSES (11033) INFINITIVE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE Helping Vert (present tense of have) + Main Vert) (past participle)

PAST PERFECT TENSE Helping Verb (past tense of nave)

Main Vert (past participle)

FUTURE PERFECT TENSE Helping Vert) (future tense of nave) + Main Veib (past participle)

TO SEE Ihavs seen you have seen be or she not seen

I have been you havw been heorshenor been

we have seen you have seen they have seen

wchavfr been you have been they have) been

I had seen you had seen be or she had seen

I had been you had been heorshehad been

we had seen you had seen they had seen

we had been youhad been they had been

ljnaff have seen you will have seen he or she will have seen

lanav/have been you will have been he or she will have been

wejtW/have seen you will h a w seen they will bav^ seen

wesAo/Zhave been you will have been they will have been

PERFECT PASSIVE TENSES ffll036) INFINITIVE PRESENT PERFECT PASSIVE TENSE Helping Vert) (present perfect tense of be) + Main Verb (past participle)

PAST PERFECT PASSIVE TENSE Helping Verb (past perfect tense of be)

Main Verb (past participle)

FUTURE PERFECT PASSIVE TENSE Helping Veib (future perfect tense of be) + Main Vert) (past participle)

TO SEE I have been seen you have been seen be or she not been, seen we have been seen you have been seen they have been seen I had been seen you had been seen be or she had been seen we had been seen you had been seen theyhadbeen seen IjAaiYhavebcenv seen you will have been seen he or she will have been seen we shall have been seen you will have been seen they wdl have been seen

PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES (11034d) INFINITIVE PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSE Helping Verb (present perfect tense of be) Mam Verb (present participle)

PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSE Helping Verb (past perfect tense of Be) + Main Verb (present participle)

FUTURE PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSE Helping Verb (future perfect tense of be) + Mam Verb (present participle)

TO BE

TO SEE I have been seeing you have been seeing he or she has been seeing we have bear seeing you have been seeing they have been seeing I had been; seeing yon had been seeing he or she had been seeing we had been seeing you had been seeing theyhadbeen seeing I shall have been seeing you wdl have been seeing he or she will have been seeing we shall have been seeing you will have been seeing they will hive been seeing

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1J1036 e. The verb to be is irregular since be, the first principal part, is not used in the present tense. (See the chart on pages 274-275.) I am you are he, she, it is

we are you are they are

f. A few verbs remain unchanged in the third-person singular. PRESENT TENSE: he may she can it will PAST TENSE: he might she could it would >• Seepage 322 for a usage note on don't. Passive Forms >[iM^ [ < M i ~ P Possessive Forms of Personal Pronouns

a. Most personal pronouns have two possessive forms: my mine

your yours

his ...

her hers

its ...

our ours

their theirs

b. Use my, your, his, her, its, our, or their when the possessive pronoun immedia precedes the noun it modifies. That is my book.

It was their choice.

George is her neighbor.

c. Use mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, or theirs when the possessive pronoun sta apart from the noun it refers to. That book is mine.

The choice was theirs.

George is a neighbor of hers.

NOTE: Do not insert an apostrophe before the final s i n possessive pronouns. yours [NOT: your's)

hers (NOT: her's)

ours (NOT: our's]

theirs (NOT: their's)

d. A pronoun that modifies a gerund (a verbal noun ending in ing) should be in the possessive. (See 1(647.) I appreciated your shipping the order so promptly. (NOT: I appreciated you shipping the order so promptly.) BUT: If I saw him picking up his room, I would be very much surprised. (Here him is the object of saw; picking is a participle modifying him. See fl647b.)

e. Do not confuse certain possessive pronouns with contractions and other phrases that sound like the possessive pronouns. its (possessive) their (possessive) theirs (possessive)

it's (it is OR: it has) they're (they are) OR: there're (there are) there's (there is OR: there has)

your (possessive) you're (you are) As a test for the correct form, try to substitute it is, it has, they are, there ar there is, there has, or you are, whichever is appropriate. If the substitution doe not make sense, use the corresponding possessive form. The company must protect its assets. ("Protect it is assets" makes no sense.) BUT: It's time to take stock of our achievements. Their investing in municipal bonds was a shrewd idea. BUT: They're investing in municipal bonds. Their complaints have proved to be unfounded. BUT: There are complaints that have proved to be unfounded. 77?e//s no longer works; that's why they borrow ours. BUT: There's no use expecting him to change. Your thinking is sound, but we lack the funds to underwrite your proposal. BUT: You're thinking of applying for a transfer, I understand. »- For other possessive pronouns, see also

11636-637.

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1J1060 > [ < ] - " > . < When a pronoun follows than or as i n a comparison, determine the correct form of the pronoun by mentally supplying any missing words. She writes better than /. (She writes better than / do.) Joe is not as talented as she. (Joe is not as talented as she is.) I like you better than him. (I like you better than / like him.) BUT: I like you better than he. (I like you better than he does)

NOTE: To

avoid correct but awkward sentences, actually supply the missing words, as indicated in the parenthetical examples above.

1058

When a pronoun is used to identify a noun or another pronoun, it is either nominative or objective, depending on how the antecedent is used. The committee has asked us, Ruth and me, to present the report (Since us is objective, the identifying pronoun me is also objective.] The explanation was for the newcomers, Marie and me. (Was for me.) The exceptions were the newcomers, Marie and /. (Exception was /.) Let's you and me schedule a brown-bag lunch, {let's is a contraction for let us. Since us is the objective form, the pronouns you and me are also objective.)

NOTE: In sentences like the following,

mentally omit the noun (employees) to deter-

mine the correct form. The company wants us employees to work on Saturdays. (The company wants us to work on Saturdays.) We employees need to confer. {We need to confer.)

1059

Some writers consistently use we instead of / to avoid a seeming overemphasis on themselves. However, it is preferable to use we only when you are speaking on behalf of an organization you represent and to use /when speaking for yourself alone. We shall prepare the necessary forms as soon as you send us a signed release. (This writer is speaking on behalf of the organization.) It is my opinion that this patient may be discharged at once. (This writer is speaking only for himself. Under these circumstances it would sound pompous to say, "It is our opinion.")

Compound Personal Pronouns T l i i i J i Compound personal pronouns end in self or selves: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves. a. They can direct the action expressed by the verb back to the subject. She found herself the only one in favor of the move. We have satisfied ourselves as to the wisdom of the action.

b. They can emphasize a noun or pronoun already expressed. / will write her myself. The trainees themselves arranged the program. / myself am bewildered, (BUT NOT: / myself am personally bewildered. Using myself and personally in the same sentence creates redundancy rather than emphasis.)

c. Place a compound personal pronoun carefully to avoid confusion or misreading. CONFUSING. Now surgeons can have patients wheeled inside a new three-dimensional imaging machine; then they can step inside themselves to operate. (Are the surgeons stepping inside themselves or inside the machine?) CLEAR: . . . then they themselves can step inside the machine to operate. Continued on page 290

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1)1061 If necessary, reword the sentence without using a compound personal pronoun. CONFUSING. Are you tired of cleaning yourself? Let us do it for you.

Are you tired of doing your own cleaning? Let us do it for you. d. Do not use a compound personal pronoun unless the noun or pronoun to which it refers is expressed in the same sentence. CLEAS:

The tickets are for the Wrights and me. [NOT. myself.) The report will be prepared by Ray, Nessa, and me. (NOT: myself.) Henry and /can handle all the mail. (NOT. Henry and myself.) BUT: Henry wants to handle all the mail himself.

Interrogative and Relative Pronouns > [ ' I ^ > Who and Whom; Whoever and Whomever

a. These pronouns are both interrogative pronouns (used in asking questions) and relative pronouns (used to refer to a noun or pronoun in the main clause). Who is going? (Interrogative.) Mr. Sears is the one who is going. (Relative, referring to one.) To whom shall I deliver the message? (Interrogative.) Ms. DeAngelis, whom I have never met is in charge of next month's program. (Relative, referring to Ms. DeAngelis.)

b. These pronouns may be either singular or plural in meaning. Who is talking? (Singular.) Who are going? (Plural.)

Whom do you prefer for this job? (Singular.) Whom do you prefer for these jobs? (Plural.)

c. Who (or whoever) is the nominative form. Use who whenever he, she, they, I, we could be substituted in the who clause. (If in doubt, mentally rearrange the clause as is done in parentheses after each of the following examples.) Who is arranging the teleconference? [She is arranging the teleconference.) Who could it have been? (It could have been he. See fl1054b.) Who booked our sales conference in a honeymooners' hideaway? (We booked the sales conference.) Who shall I say is calling? 0 shall say he is calling.) (NOT: Whom shall I say is calling?) Who do you think you are? (You do think that you are he.) (NOT: Whom do you think you are?) Who did they say was chosen? (They did say she was chosen.) The matter of who should pay was not decided. (We should pay.) Everybody wants to know who you think should be appointed. (You think she should be appointed.) Whoever Wms the primary will win the election. {She wins the primary.) We will select whoever meets our qualifications. (We meets our qualifications.) I will speak to whoever answers the phone. (We answers the phone.) Please write at once to whoeveryoii think can supply the information desired. (You think she can supply the information desired.) Gloria is the one who can best do the job. [She can best do the job.) James is the one who we expect will win. (We expect he will win.) Please vote for the member who you believe has done the most for the club. (You believe he has done the most for the club.)

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1)1062 You are free to vote for whoever appeals to you. [She appeals to you.) BUT: You are free to vote for whomever you wish. (You wish to vote for him.) We have referred your claim to our attorney, who we are sure will reply soon. (We are sure she will reply soon.) We have sent this order blank to all who we have reason to believe are interested in our book. (We have reason to believe they are interested . . . )

d. Whom (or whomever) is the objective form. Use whom whenever him, her, them, me, or us could be substituted as the object of the verb or as the object of a preposition in the whom clause. Whom did you see today? (You did see her today.) To whom were you talking? (You were talking to him.) Whom were you talking about? (You were talking about him?) Whom did you say you wanted to see? (You did say you wanted to see her?) It depends on whom they mean. (They mean him.) The question of whom we should charge is at issue. (We should charge her?) Whomever you designate will get the promotion. (You designate him.) I will hire whomever I can find. 0 can find her?) I will speak to whomever you suggest (You suggest her.) I will give the job to whomeveryou think you can safely recommend. (You think you can safely recommend him.) BUT: I will give the job to whoever you think can be safely recommended. (You think he can be safely recommended.) I need a cashier whom I can trust. 0 can trust her?) The man to whom I was referring is Ed Meissen. 0 was referring to him.) The person whom I was thinking of doesn't have all those qualifications. 0 was thinking of her?) The person whom we invited to address the committee cannot attend. (We invited him to address the committee.) Steve Koval is the person whom we all thought the committee would nominate. (We all thought the committee would nominate him.) Elaine Gerrity, whom I considered to be their most promising representative, resigned. 0 considered her\a be their most promising representative.)

NOTE: The humorist Calvin Trillin has said, "As far as I'm concerned, whom is a word that was invented to make everyone sound like a butler." In colloquial speech, most people are likely to say, "Who ya gonna vote for?" rather than "Whom are you going to vote for?" But in a business or academic document, be sure to use whom when the objective form is called for. If whom strikes you as too stilted or sounds unnatural, reword the sentence; for example, "Who is your choice in the next election?" • H l r y < Who, Which, and That

a. Who and that are used when referring to persons. Select who when the individual person or the individuality of a group is meant and that when a class or type is meant. She is the only one of my managers who can speak Japanese fluently. He is the kind of student that should take advanced math.

b. Which and that are used when referring to places, objects, and animals. Which is always used to introduce nonessential clauses, and that is ordinarily used to introduce essential clauses. Continued on page 292

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1J1062 Laura's report on employee benefits, which I sent you last week, should be of some help. {Which introduces a nonessential clause; the report has already been identified.) The report that I sent you last week should be of some help. [That introduces an essential clause; it is needed to identify which report the writer is referring to.)

Who is now often used when an animal is identified by gender or a pet is identified by name. NOTE:

It was a chocolate Lab named Luke who located your missing child.

c. Many writers now use either which or that to introduce an essential clause. Indeed, which is to be preferred to that (1) when there are two or more parallel essential clauses in the same sentence, (2) when that has already been used in the sentence, or (3) when the essential clause is introduced by an expression such as this... which, that... which, these... which, or those... which. Vivian is taking courses which will earn her a higher salary rating in her current job and which will qualify her for a number of higher-level jobs. That is a movie which you must not miss.

We need to reinforce those ideas which were presented in earlier chapters. Keep in mind that that can also introduce a nonessential clause when it serves as a subordinating conjunction rather than as a relative pronoun.

Damato's latest suggestion, that we submit the issue to arbitration, may be the only sensible alternative. On this case, that is a subordinating conjunction that introduces a nonessential clause. Since latest tells which of Damato's suggestions is meant, the that clause provides additional but nonessential information.)

>- For a usage note on that as a subordinating conjunction, seepage 342; for a note on which, see pages 344-345. d. The verb in a relative clause introduced by who, which, or that should agree in number with the subject of the relative clause. In many cases the subject is clearly expressed. The laser printer that you have ordered will be delivered in two weeks. [The subject of the relative clause is you, which requires a plural verb, have ordered)

However, when the relative pronoun who, which, or that is itself the subject of th relative clause, the verb in the relative clause must agree with the antecedent of the relative pronoun. The laser printer that was ordered on May 4 will be delivered in two weeks. (The relative pronoun that is the subject of the relative clause and refers to a singular antecedent, printer. Therefore, the verb in the relative clause-was ordered-musX be singular.) BUT: The laser printers that were ordered...

I am determined to succeed, not only for myself but for you, who have always encouraged me [The relative pronoun who is the subject of the relative clause and refers to the antecedent you, which requires a plural verb-in this case have encouraged)

Sometimes it is difficult to determine the antecedent of the relative pronoun. In such cases mentally rearrange the wording, as is done in the following example.

Hyphenate the elements of a compound adjective that occur?/occurs? before a noun. (To determine whether the antecedent of that is the plural term elements or the singular term compound adjective, recast the sentence: "When a compound adjective occurs before a nou hyphenate the elements." This makes it clear that in the original sentence compound adjective is the antecedent of that; thus the verb in the relative clause must be singular: occurs) Hyphenate the elements of a compound adjective that occurs before a noun.

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HI 064 e. Which, that, and who may be used to refer to organizations. When you are referring to the organization as a single entity (in other words, as it), then use which or that as indicated in HI062b. However, when you are thinking of the organization in terms of the individuals who make up the organization (in other words, when you think of the organization as they), you may use who or that as indicated in 111062a. (See also H1020.) Whenever we run short of computer supplies, the Brown & Weiner Company is the one that gives us the best service and the best prices. We really like doing business with the people at the Brown & Weiner Company. They are a customer-oriented group who give us the best service and the best prices. {.That may also be used in this sentence in place of who)

f. Make sure that a relative clause is placed close to its antecedent to avoid unintended (and sometimes humorous) interpretations. (See also 1(1086.) HOT: Wanted: Nanny to take care of two-year-old who does not drink or smoke. BUT: Wanted: Nanny who does not drink or smoke, to take care of two-year-old.

Whose and Who's

Do not confuse whose (the possessive form of who) with who's (a contraction meaning "who is" or "who has"). Whose house is it? Ot is his) Who's the owner of that house? {She is.) Who's had the most experience in that position? {She has had the most experience...) Who's the most experienced person in that position? {She is the most experienced person...) Whose experience is best suited to that position? {Her experience is.)

Pronouns With To Be 1064

a- If a pronoun is the subject of to be, use the objective form. I want her to be successful. I expected them to be late. Whom do you consider to be the more expert driver? (You do consider whom to be the more expert driver?)

b. If to be has a subject and is followed by a pronoun, put that pronoun in the objective case. They mistook the visitors to be us. {Visitors, the subject of to be, is in the objective; therefore, the predicate pronoun following to be has to be in the objective-us.) They took her to be me. Whom did you take him to be? (You did take him to be whom?)

c. If to be has no subject and is followed by a pronoun, put that pronoun in the nominative case. The caller was thought to be /. (/agrees with the subject, caller) The Macauleys were thought to be we. Who was he thought to be? (We was thought to be who?) NOTE. The examples

directly above are all grammatically correct, but they also sound quite awkward. Whenever possible, use more idiomatic wording. For example, the three sentences above could be recast as follows: They thought I was the one who called. The Macauleys were mistaken for us. Who did they think he was?

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1)1065 Troublesome Pronouns >• See the individual entries in Section 11 for the following pronouns: All of [see flIIOI) Anyone-any one [see HT11010, note, and 1101) Between you and me [see H111055b, and 1101) Both-each (see 111101) Both alike (see H1101) Each-either-both (see H1101)

Each other-one another (see H1101) Everyone-every one (see HH1010, note, and 1101)

Its-it's (see H1101) It's me (see H1101) Most (see H1101)

None-no one (see UH1013b, 1101) Someone-some one (see H1010, note) That-which-who (see HH1062,1101) These sort-these kind (see H1101) Whatever-what ever (see HI 101) Who-whom (see HH1061,1101)

Nobody-no body (see H1101)

Whoever-who ever (see HH1061,1101)

Adjectives and Adverbs

*- For definitions of the terms adjective and adverb, see the appropriate entries in the Glossary o Grammatical Terms (Appendix D).

>I'IMrlOnlv an adverb can modify an adjective. Packard's will give you a really good buy on PDAs. (NOT: Packard's will give you a real good buy on PDAs.)

ftl'IflfEWhen a word in the predicate refers to the action of the verb, use an adverb (not an adjective). We guarantee to ship the portfolios promptly.

They were injured badly in the accident. a... manner can be substituted for the ly-ending word, choose the adverb. Read the directions carefully On a careful manner). >['!?>,- For a usage note on more, see page 335.

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fl 1072

amri'-BAdverbs such as only, nearly, almost, ever, scarcely, merely, too, and also sh placed as close as possible to the word modified—usually directly before it. Putting the adverb in the wrong position may change the entire meaning of the sentence. (See also 11087.) Our list of depositors numbers almost 50,000. (NOT: almost numbers 50,000.] Only the board can nominate the three new officers. [Cannot be nominated by anyone else.) The board can only nominate the three officers. (They cannot elect.) The board can nominate only the three officers. (They cannot nominate anyone else.) Elvira and Frank Mancuso have been married for not quite two years. (NOT: Elvira and Frank Mancuso have nor quite been married for two years.)

•CJHJjDo not use an adverb to express a meaning already contained in the verb. assemble (NOT: assemble together) begin (NOT: first begin) cancel (NOT: cancel out) combine (NOT: combine together) confer (NOT: confer together) continue (NOT: continue on) convert (NOT: convert over) cooperate (NOT: cooperate together)

finish (NOT: finish up or off) follow (NOT: follow after) recopy (NOT: recopy again) recur (NOT: recur again) refer (NOT: refer back) repeat (NOT: repeat again) return (NOT: return back) revert (NOT: revert back)

Troublesome Adjectives and Adverbs >• See the individual entries in Section 11 for the following adjectives and adverb A-an Above Accidentally Adverse-averse Afterward-afterwards All right Almost-all most Already-all ready Altogether-all together Always-all ways Another Anxious-eager Anymore-any more Anytime-any time Anyway-any way Awhile-a while Backward-backwards Bad-badly Biannual-biennialsemiannual Biweekly-bimonthly Classic-classical Complementarycomplimentary Different-differently Disinterested-uninterested

Economic-economical Entitled-titled Equally-as Everyday-every day Ex-former Farther-further Fewer-less First-firstly, etc. Fiscal-financial Flammable-inflammable Former-first Fortuitous-fortunate Fulsome Good-well Hardly Healthy-healthful Historic-historical Hopefully Incidentally Incredible-incredulous Indifferent-in different Indirect-in direct Intents-intense Last-latest Latter-last

Literally Livid Masterly-masterful Maybe-may be More More importantmore importantly More than-over Only Preventive-preventative Proved-proven Real-really Reluctant-reticent Said Same Scarcely Someday-some day Sometimesometimes-some time Sure-surely Unique Up Verbal Very Wise

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1)1075

Negatives >Ii>Z.'F a. To express a negative idea in a simple sentence, use only one negative expression in the sentence. (A double negative—two negative expressions in the same sentence—gives a. positive meaning.) We can sit by and do nothing. We cannot sit by and do nothing. (The not and nothing create a double negative; the sentence now has a positive meaning: "We ought to do something.") Jim is unaware of the facts. (Here the negative element is the prefix un.) Jim is not unaware of the facts. (With the double negative, the sentence means "Jim is aware of the facts."]

A double negative is not wrong in itself. As the examples above indicate, a double negative may offer a more effective way of expressing a positive thought than a straightforward positive construction would. However, a double negative is wrong if the sentence is intended to have a negative meaning. Remember, two negatives make a positive. b. Some words—for example, hardly, only, and scarcely—already have a negative meaning. To preserve this negative meaning, do not use another negative with these words. NOTE:

Nick could hardly expect you to lend him that much money. (NOT: Nick couldn't hardly expect you to lend him that much money.) I miss hearing from you on a regular basis. (NOT: I miss not hearing from you on a regular basis.)

c. There is a significant difference between "could not care less" and "could care less." Saying "I could not care less" means that you no longer care at all. Saying "I could care less" means that you still have a long way to go before you reach the state of "no longer caring at all." Unfortunately, many people say "I could care less" when what they really mean is "I could not care less." *- For usage notes on hardly, only, scarcely, and could not care less, see the appropriate entries in Section 11. 1075

A negative expression gives a negative meaning to the clause in which it appears. In a simple sentence, where there is only one clause, the negative expression affects the entire sentence (see 111074). In a sentence where there are two or more clauses, a negative expression affects only the clause in which it appears. Therefore, each clause may safely contain one negative expression. A double negative results when there are two negative expressions within the same clause. If Mr. Bogosian cannof lower his price, there is no point in continuing the negotiations. [The //clause contains the negative not; the main clause contains the negative no. Each clause has its own negative meaning.) I have nor met Halliday, and I have no desire to meet him. OR: I have not met Halliday, nor do I have any desire to meet him. (When the negative conjunction nor replaces and, the adjective no changes to any so as to avoid a double negative in the second clause.) We have never permitted, nor will we permit, any lowering of our standards. (Here the second clause interrupts the first clause. If written out in full, the sentence would read, "We have never permitted any lowering of our standards, nor will we permit any lowering of our standards.")

Continued on page 300

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111076 NOTE: A

second negative expression may be used in a clause to repeat or intensify the first negative expression. This construction is not a double negative. No, I did not say that.

1076

He would never, never do a thing like that

That's a no-no

To preserve the negative meaning of a clause, follow these basic principles:

a. If the clause has a negative verb (a verb modified by not or never), do not use a additional negative expression, such as nor, neither... nor, no, none, no one, or nothing. Instead, use the corresponding positive expression, such as or, either... or, any, anyone, or anything. I have not invited anyone, (WRONG: I have not invited no one.) She does not want any. (WRONG: She does nofwant none.) Mary did not have anything to do. (WRONG: Mary did not have nothing to do.) I cannof. find eitherthe letter orthe envelope, (WRONG: I cannoffind neitherthe letter northe envelope.) He did not say whether he would mail the money to us or whether he would bring it himself (WRONG: He did not say whether he would mail the money to us nor whether he would bring it himself.)

b. If a clause contains any one of the following expressions—no, no one, none, nothing, or neither... nor (this counts as one expression)—make sure that the verb and all other words are positive. I see nothing wrong with either proposal, (NOT: neither proposal.) Neither Martha Gutowski nor Yvonne Christopher can attend the meeting, (NOT: cannot.)

c. The word nor may be used alone as a conjunction (see the third and fourth examples in ^[1075) or together with neither. Do not use nor in the same clause with any other negative; use or instead. There are neither diskettes nor toner cartridges in the stockroom. BUT: There are no diskettes or toner cartridges in the stockroom. (NOT: There are no diskettes nor toner cartridges in the stockroom.) There are no clear-cut rights or wrongs in this situation. (NOT: There are no clear-cut rights nor wrongs in this situation.) Francine has not called or written us for some time. (NOT: Francine has not called nor written us for some time.) Never try to argue or debate with Larry. (NOT: Never try to argue nor debate with Larry.)

Prepositions Words Requiring Certain Prepositions ^HZ^

Usage requires that certain words be followed by certain prepositions. Here are some of the most frequently used combinations: account for something or someone: I find it hard to account for his behavior. account to someone: You will have to account to Anne for the loss of the key. agree on or upon (reach an understanding): We cannot agree on the price. agree to (accept another person's plan): Will you agree to their terms? agree with (concur with a person or an idea): I agree with your objectives.

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1)1078 angry at or about something: He was angry about the total disorder in the office. angry with someone: You have every right to be angry with me. apply for a position: You ought to apply for Harry's job, now that he has left apply to someone or something: You must apply yourself to the job in order to master it I am thinking of applying to the Field Engineering Company. argue about something: We argued about the terms of the contract argue with a person: It doesn't pay to argue with Bremer. center on (NOT: around]: The entire discussion centered on increasing our market share. compare to Cassert a likeness): She compared my writing to E. B. White's. (She said I wrote like E. B. White.] compare with (analyze for similarities and differences): When she compared my writing with E. B. White's, she said that I had a similar kind of humor but that my sentences lacked the clean and easy flow of White's material. conform to (preferred to with): These copies do not conform to the originals. consists in (exists in): Happiness largely consists in wanting what you have, not having what you want. consists of (is made up of): Their new formula for a wage settlement consists of the same old terms expressed in different language. convenient for (suitable): What time will be most convenient for you? convenient to (near at hand): Our plant is convenienttoall transportation facilities in the area. correspond to (agree with): The shipment does not correspond to the sample. correspond with (exchange letters with): It may be better to see him in person than to correspond with him. differ about (something): We differed about means but not about objectives. differ from (something else): This job differs very little from the one that I had. differ with (someone): I differ with you over the consequences of our plan. different from: This product is different from the one I normally use. different than: I view the matter in a different way than you do. (Although from is normally preferred, than is acceptable in order to avoid sentences like "I view the matter in a different way from the way in which you do.") identical with or to: This $180 suit is identical with [or to] one sold for $235 at other stores. independent of (NOT: from): He wants to be independent of his family's money. interested in: We are interested in discussing the matter further with you at the conference. retroactive to (NOT: from): This salary adjustment is retroactive to May 1. speak to (tell something to): You must speak to them about their absences. speak with (discuss with): It was good to speak with you yesterday.

Superfluous Prepositions % U 2 £ J 0 m i t prepositions that add nothing to the meaning—as in the following examples. Where is she [at]? She could not help [from] laughing. Your chair is too near [to] your terminal. Let's focus [in] on ways to boost sales.

Where did that check go [to]? His office is opposite [to] hers. The carton apparently fell off [of] the truck. The strike is now over [with].

Why don't we meet at about one o'clock? (Omit either at or about.) >• For a usage note on all of, seepage 314; for a usage note on at-about, seepage 316.

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HI 079 Necessary Prepositions >[•>.£ Jl Conversely, do not omit essential prepositions. A couple of CDs are missing, (NOT. A couple CDs are missing.) BUT: We'll need to reserve a couple dozen rooms for our conference. Of what use is this gadget? (NOT: What use is this gadget?) We don't stock that type of filter. (NOT: We don't stock that type filter.) Jo will graduate from Yale next spring. (NOT: Jo will graduate Yale next spring.) Flight 338 is expected to arrive at O'Hare at 6:42 p.m. (NOT: Flight 338 is expected to arrive O'Hare at 6:42 p.m.) What time does the Down Easter depart from North Station? (NOT: What time does the Down Easter depart North Station?) You appear to have a great interest in, as well as a deep respect for, fine antiques. (NOT: You appear to have a great interest, as well as a deep respect for, fine antiques.) She frequently appears in movies, in plays, and on television. (NOT: She frequently appears in movies, plays, and on television.) NOTE: The preposition of is understood i n what color cloth and what size shoes.

Prepositions at the End of Sentences T I - I i J l a. Ending a sentence with a preposition is not incorrect. Whether you do so or not should depend on the emphasis and effect you want to achieve. INFORMAL: I wish I knew which magazine her article appeared in. FORMAL: I wish I knew in which magazine her article appeared. b. Trying not to end a sentence with a preposition may lead to very awkward results. STILTED: It is difficult to know about what you are thinking. NATURAL: It is difficult to know what you are thinking about

c. Short questions and statements frequently end with prepositions. How many can I count on? What is this made of? Where did he come from? You have nothing to worry about

What is this good for? We need tools to work with. That's something we must look into. That's the car I want to look at.

d. Some sentences end with what seem like prepositions but are really adverbs. I'm sure another job will turn up.

When does your plane take off?

e. Sometimes the object of a preposition at the end of a sentence is not expressed. Although most of our car trips to the West Coast are uneventful, the last one was anything but. (Anything but uneventful.)

NOTE: Many

people are familiar with Sir Winston Churchill's complaint to an editor who tried to discourage him from ending his sentences with prepositions: This is the sort of English up with which I will not put At the other extreme is a sentence that probably takes the prize for piling the greatest number of prepositions at the end. It is the complaint of a small child who does not want to listen to a particular bedtime story about Australia: What did you bring that book that I don't want to be read to from out of about Down Under up for?

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Hi 081 Both these examples reinforce the main point: Use good sense in deciding whether or not to end a sentence with a preposition. BETTER THAN: Use good sense in deciding whether or not to use a preposition to end a sentence with.

Troublesome Prepositions >• See the individual entries in Section 11 for the following At about Beside-besides Between-among Due to-because of-on account of Except From-off In-into-in to

prepositions:

In behalf of-on behalf of In regards to Indifferent-in different Indirect-in direct Like-as, as if Of-have

Off On-onto-on to On-upon-up on Opposite Per-a Toward-towards

>- For the treatment of words that can function as both prepositions and adverbs, see %1070;for the capitalization of such words, see 1361c-d.

Sentence Structure Parallel Structure Q [ i }• 1 B Express parallel ideas in parallel form. a. Adjectives should be paralleled by adjectives, nouns by nouns, dependent clauses by dependent clauses, and so on. WRONG: Your new training program was stimulating and a challenge. [Adjective and noun.] RIGHT: Your new training program was stimulating and challenging, fjwo adjectives.) WRONG: The sales representatives have already started using the new techniques and to produce higher sales. (Participial phrase and infinitive phrase.) RIGHT: The sales representatives have already started using the new techniques and producing higher sales, fjwo participial phrases.) RIGHT: The sales representatives have already started to use the new techniques and produce higher sales, fjwo infinitive phrases.) WRONG: This scanner is easy to operate, efficient, and it is relatively inexpensive. (Two adjectives and a clause.) RIGHT: This scanner is easy to operate, efficient, and relatively inexpensive. (Three adjectives.) NOTE: Parallelism is especially important in displayed enumerations. POOR: This article will discuss: 1. How to deal with corporate politics. 2. Coping with stressful situations. 3. What the role of the manager should be in the community. BETTER: This article will discuss: 1. Ways to deal with corporate politics. 2. Techniques of coping with stressful situations. 3. The role of the manager in the community. OR:

This article will tell managers how to: 1. Deal with corporate politics. 2. Cope with stressful situations. 3. Function in the community. Continued on page 304

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1)1082 b. Correlative conjunctions [both ... and, either... or, neither... nor, not only... but also, whether... or, etc.) should be followed by elements in parallel form. WRONG: We are flying both to Chicago and San Francisco. RIGHT: We are flying to both Chicago and San Francisco. RIGHT. We are flying both to Chicago and to San Francisco. WRONG: He would neither apologize nor would he promise to reform. RIGHT. He would neither apologize nor promise to reform. RIGHT He would not apologize, nor would he promise to reform. WRONG: Dwayne is not only gifted as a violinist but also as a music critic. RIGHT: Dwayne is gifted not only as a violinist but also as a music critic.

NOTE: When using the correlative conjunction

not only... but also, you do not have to place also immediately after but; in fact, also may be omitted altogether. Dwayne is not only a sensitive musician but a music critic who is sensitive to the gifts >- For parallelism in headings, see 11425; for parallelism in outlines, see 111723

Dangling Constructions [When a sentence begins with a participial phrase, an infinitive phrase, a gerund phrase, or an elliptical clause (one in which essential words are missing), make sure that the phrase or clause logically agrees with the subject of the sentence; otherwise, the construction will "dangle." To correct a dangling construction, make the subject of the sentence the doer of the action expressed by the opening phrase or clause. If that is not feasible, use an entirely different construction. a. Participial Phrases WRONG: Stashed away in the attic for the past hundred years, the owner of the painting has decided to auction it off. (What was stashed in the attic: the owner or the painting?) RIGHT: The owner of the painting that has been stashed away in the attic for the past hundred years has decided to auction it off. WRONG: After coming out of a coma, the police officer asked the driver what caused the accident. (As worded, this version suggests that the police officer had been in a coma.) RIGHT. After the driver came out of a coma, the police officer asked her what caused the accident. WRONG: Having studied your cost estimates, a few questions occur to me about your original assumptions. (This version implies that the questions have studied the cost estimates.) RIGHT: Having studied your cost estimates, I would like to ask you a few questions about your original assumptions. On the correct version, the person who studied the cost estimates is now the subject of the sentence and is the one asking the questions.) WRONG: Putting the issue of costs aside, production delays need to be discussed. RIGHT: Putting the issue of costs aside, we need to discuss production delays.

NOTE: A few participles have nowbecome established as

prepositions; for example: assuming, concerning, considering, depending, following, given, granted pending, providing, and regarding. Therefore, when they introduce phrases the start of a sentence, it is not essential that they refer to the subject of the sentence. (For a further discussion of these phrases at the start of a sentence, see "1110826.) Considering how long the lawsuit has dragged on, it might have been wiser not to sue.

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1)1084 b. Infinitive Phrases WRONG. To appreciate the full significance of Fox's latest letter, all the previous correspondence should be read. RIGHT: To appreciate the full significance of Fox's latest letter, you should read all the previous correspondence. WRONG: To obtain this free booklet, the enclosed coupon should be mailed at once. RIGHT: To obtain this free booklet, mail the enclosed coupon at once.

c. Prepositional-Gerund Phrases WRONG: By installing a computerized temperature control system, a substantial saving in fuel costs was achieved. RIGHT: By installing a computerized temperature control system, we achieved a substantial saving in fuel costs. WRONG: In analyzing these specifications, several errors have been found. RIGHT: In analyzing these specifications, I have found several errors.

d. Elliptical Clauses WRONG: If ordered before May 1, a 5 percent discount will be allowed on these goods. RIGHT: If these goods are ordered before May 1, a 5 percent discount will be allowed. WRONG: When four years old, my family moved to Omaha. RIGHT: When I was four years old, my family moved to Omaha.

e. Absolute Phrases Absolute phrases are not considered to "dangle," even though they come at the beginning of a sentence and do not refer to the subject. Strictly speaking, what you did was not illegal—but it wasn't right All things considered, Phyllis's plan may be the best way to proceed. Weather permitting, the graduation ceremonies will be held in the quadrangle. Speaking of weird performances, what did you think of George's presentation? Judging by the response to our ads, our chances of meeting our sales goal this year are nil. Avoid using absolute phrases when they produce awkward sentences. AWKWARD: The speeches having been concluded, we proceeded to vote. BETTER: After the speeches were concluded, we proceeded to vote.

1083

When verbal phrases and elliptical clauses fall elsewhere in the sentence, look out for illogical or confusing relationships. Adjust the wording as necessary. WRONG: I saw two truck drivers get into a fistfight while jogging down the street RIGHT: While jogging down the street I saw two truck drivers get into a fistfight.

T i } : E ^ a . A phrase will dangle at the beginning of a sentence if it leads the reader to expect a certain word as the subject and then another word is used instead. WRONG: As head of the program committee, we think you should make immediate arrangements for another speaker. [The head of the committee is you, not ive.) RIGHT: Since you are the head of the program committee, we think you should make immediate arrangements for another speaker. WRONG: As a young boy, the woman I was destined to marry did not appeal to me in any way. (That woman never was a "young boy."] RIGHT: When I was a young boy, the woman I was destined to marry did not appeal to me in any way. Continued on page 306

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111085 WRONG: You voted for change. As your next governor, you will get change. (The voters are not going to be the next governor.] RIGHT: You voted for change. As your next governor, I will see to it that you get change!

b. A phrase will dangle if the doer of the action is not the subject of the sentence but is expressed as a possessive form modifying the subject. WRONG: Despite having been declared mentally incompetent, Adam Blondel's lawyers tried to protect his claim to his inheritance. (This sentence suggests that the lawyers have been declared mentally incompetent.] RIGHT: Even though Adam Blondel had been declared mentally incompetent, his lawyers tried to protect his claim to his inheritance. WRONG: Having called in sick for the fifth straight day, Paula's colleagues began to worry about the state of her health. (This sentence suggests that Paula's colleagues are the ones who have been calling in sick.] RIGHT: After Paula called in sick for the fifth straight day, her colleagues began to worry about the state of her health. WRONG: A native of Cleveland, his first teaching job was at Stanford University. (This sentence suggests that his first teaching job was a native of Cleveland.] RIGHT: A native of Cleveland, Glen began his career as a teacher at Stanford University.

1085

A phrase will dangle at the end of a sentence if it refers to the meaning of the main clause as a whole rather than to the doer of the action. WRONG: Our sales have been steadily declining for the past six months, thus creating a sharp drop in our profits. (As worded, the sentence makes it appear that our sales, by themselves, have created the drop in profits. Actually, it is the fact that our sales have been declining which has created the drop in profits.] RIGHT: The steady decline in our sales for the past six months has created a sharp drop in our profits. RIGHT: Our sales have been steadily declining for the past six months. As a result, we have experienced a sharp drop in our profits.

Misplaced Modifiers >Ii}:{!^ Watch out for misplaced modifiers (either words or phrases) that provide the basis for unintended (and sometimes humorous) interpretations. (See also 111072.) WRONG: I suspect that my assistant accidentally dropped the report I had been drafting in the wastebasket. (What an uncomfortable location in which to draft a report!] RIGHT: The report I had been drafting has disappeared. I suspect that my assistant accidentally dropped it in the wastebasket. WRONG: Here are some helpful suggestions for protecting your valuable possessions from our hotel security staff. (Can no one be trusted?] RIGHT: Here are some helpful suggestions from our hotel security staff for protecting your valuable possessions. WRONG: One of our assistant vice presidents has been referred to a personal finance counselor with serious credit problems. (Would you consult such a counselor?) RIGHT: One of our assistant vice presidents has serious credit problems and has been referred to a personal finance counselor. WRONG: For anyone who has children and does not know it, there is a free after-school program at the Marshfield Community Center. RIGHT: Anyone with children will be glad to know that there is a free after-school program at the Marshfield Community Center.

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HI 088 WRONG: The hospital would not disclose the name of the man who drove his car off the pier at the request of his family. RIGHT: At the request of the family, the hospital would not disclose the name of the man who drove his car off the pier. WRONG: Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address while traveling to Gettysburg on the back of an envelope. RIGHT: Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address on the back of an envelope while traveling to Gettysburg.

1087

Watch out for squinting modifiers—modifiers placed in such a way that they can be interpreted as modifying either what precedes or what follows. SQUINTING: Traveling abroad frequently can become exhausting. [Does frequently modify Traveling abroad or can become exhausting?) CLEAR: Frequently traveling abroad [OR: Making frequent trips abroad] can become exhausting. CLEAR: Traveling abroad can frequently become exhausting.

NOTE: This

problem can also occur with other parts of speech. Consider the following newspaper headlines. "Software Helps Blind Computer Users" {.Detroit Free Press, September 12, 2002) "District Attorney Declines to Try Shooting Suspect" {The Times-Picayune, November 30,2001) "U.S., Allies Demand N. Korea Drop Nukes" {Stars and Stripes, October 28, 2002)

>- For additional examples, see 11046, note; see also 111062f, 1072.

Run-On Sentences ( ^ j £ £ ^ W h e n two independent clauses appear in the same sentence with only a comma to separate them, the result is known as a run-on sentence. (See also 11128.) You can correct this error in three ways: (a) use a stronger mark of punctuation in place of the comma (a semicolon, a colon, or a dash); (b) insert a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, or nor) after the comma; (c) treat the two independent clauses as separate sentences. WRONG: Steve and Leslie are now at a conference in Tokyo, they will both be back in the office next week. (A comma is not enough to link two independent clauses in the same sentence.) RIGHT: Steve and Leslie are now at a conference in Tokyo; they will both be back in the office next week. (Insert a semicolon.) RIGHT: Steve and Leslie are now at a conference in Tokyo, but they will both be back in the office next week. (Insert a coordinating conjunction.) RIGHT: Steve and Leslie are now at a conference in Tokyo. They will both be back in the office next week. (Make two sentences.)

Section 11 Usage A-An A-Of A Lot-Alot-Allot Above Accidentally A.D.-B.C. Additionally Ado-Adieu Adverse-Averse Affect-Effect Afterward-Afterwards Age-Aged-At the Age of Aggravate Ain't All of All Right Allude-Refer Almost-All Most Already-All Ready Altogether-All Together Always-All Ways Amount-Number And And Etc. And/Or Another Anxious-Eager Anymore-Any More Anyone-Any One Anytime-Any Time Anyway-Any Way Appralse-Apprise Appreciate As A s . . . as-Not so . . . as

As Far as At-About Attorney-Lawyer Author Awhile-A While Backward-Backwards Bad-Badly Balance Beg the Question Being That Beside-Besides Between-Among Between You and Me Biannual-Biennial-Semiannual Biweekly-Bimonthly Both-Each Both Alike-Both Equal-Both Together Bring-Take But . . . However But What Cannot Help but Celebrity-Notoriety Classic-Classical Come-Go Come to-Come and Compare to-Compare With Complement-Compliment Complementary-Complimentary Comprise-Compose Consensus Consists of-Includes Convince-Persuade Could Not Care Less Data

Deja Vu Dialogue Different-Differently Different From-Different Than Dilemma Disc-Disk Disinterested-Uninterested Done Don't (Do Not) Doubt That-Doubt Whether Due to-Because of-On Account of Each-Either-Both Each Other-One Another Economic-Economical Emeritus-Emerita Enormity Ensure-Insure-Assure Enthused Over Entitled-Titled Equally-As Etc. Ethnic References Everyday-Every Day Everyone-Every One Ex-Former Except Farther-Further Fewer-Less Firm-Company-Corporation First-Firstly, etc. Fiscal-Financial Flammable-Inflammable Former-First Fortuitous-Fortunate From-Off Fulsome Gender-Sex Good-Well Graduated-Was Graduated Grow Had Better Hardly Healthy-Healthful

Help Historic-Historical Hoi Polloi Home-Hone Hopefully However If-Whether Impact Imply-Infer In-Into-In to In Behalf of-On Behalf of In Regards to Incentivize-Incent Incidentally Incredible-Incredulous Indifferent-In Different Indirect-In Direct Individual-Party-Person-People Intents-Intense Irregardless Is Where-Is When Its-It's It's Me Journal Kind Kind of-Sort of Kind of a Kudos Last-Latest Latter-Last Lay-Lie Learn-Teach Leave-Let Lend-Loan Like-As-As if Like-Such as Literally livid Look Forward to Maiden Name Majority-Plurality Masterly-Masterful May-Can (Might-Could)

Maybe-May Be Media More More Important-More Importantly More Than-Over Most Nobody-No Body None-No One Of-Have Off On-Onto-On to On-Upon-Up on Only Opposite Parameter Per-A Percent-Percentage Period Ended-Period Ending Plus Preventive-Preventative Principle-Principal Proved-Proven Rack-Wrack Raise-Rise Real-Really Reason Is Because Reluctant-Reticent Retroactive to Said Same Scarcely Scots-Scottish-Scotch Serve-Service Set-Sit Shall-Will

Should-Would Since So-So That Someday-Some Day Someone-Some One Sometime-Sometimes-Some Time Supposed to Sure-Surely Sure and Tack-Tact Than-Then That That-Which-Who Therefore These Sort-These Kind Toward-Towards Try and Type-Key Unique Up Used to Verbal Very Vicious Circle Ways Whatever-What Ever Where-That Which While Who-Which-That Who-Whom Whoever-Who Ever Wise Would Have

>• For a list of words that are frequently misused because they sound alike o alike, see f 719; for definitions of grammatical terms, see the appropriate e the Glossary of Grammatical Terms (Appendix D).

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111101 The following entries will help you avoid a number of common mistakes in usage. A-an. In choosing a or an, consider the sound (not the spelling) of the word that follows. Use the article a before all consonant sounds, including sounded h (as in hat), long u (as i n use), and o w i t h t h e sound of w (as i n one). a day a week a year a home a house a hotel

a unit a union a uniform a youthful spirit a euphoric feeling a European trip

a one-week delay a 60-day note a CPA a B.A degree a PSAT score a UN resolution

Use an before all vowel sounds except when words start with long u or silent h. an asset an essay an eyesore an input an outcome an umbrella an upsurge

an heir an hour an honor an honest man an 8-hour day an 80-year-old man an 11 a.m. meeting

an AT&T product an EPA ruling an FTC ruling an IRS audit an OPEC price cut an ROI objective an X-ray reading

In speech, both a historic occasion and an historic occasion are correct, depending on whether the h is sounded or left silent. In writing, a historic occasion is the form more commonly used. When you are dealing with an abbreviation, the choice of a or an will depend on whether you pronounce the expression letter by letter or as a word. Abbreviations pronounced letter by letter are called initialisms; abbreviations pronounced as words are called acronyms. (See also 11501b.) In the following examples, note that when the consonants F, H, L, M, N, R, and S are pronounced as letters at the start of an initialism, they are preceded by an. When these same letters introduce an acronym and are pronounced as part of a word, they are preceded by a. Pronounced Letter by Letter an FBI agent an HMO physician an LA-based firm an M B A degree an NAACP member anR.SV.P. an SRO performance

Pronounced as a Word a FICA tax increase a HUD project a LIFO method of inventory valuation a MADD fund-raising drive a NATO strategy a RICO investigation a SWAT team

When other consonants appear at the start of an initialism or an acronym, they are always preceded by a. a CEO's compensation package a DUI conviction a P&L statement a VOA broadcast a WTO decision

a CARE package a DARE researcher a PEN conference a VISTA project a WATS line Continued on page 312

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111101 NOTE: As

a rule, use a or an before each item in a series. However, if the series describes a single concept, use only one article at the outset. We need a scanner, a printer, and a shredder. (NOT: a scanner, printer, and shredder.) Amy's lunch typically consists of a peach, a pear, and an apple. BUT: The Benners live a hop, skip, and jump away from our house.

A-of. Do not use a in place of of. What sort of turnout did you have at your seminar? (NOT: What sort a turnout did you have at your seminar?) The weather has been kind of cool for this time of year. (NOT: The weather has been kinda cool for this time of year.)

A lot-alot-allot. The phrase a lot (meaning "to a considerable quantity or extent") always consists of two words. Do not spell this phrase as one word (dot). Thanks a lot [NOT: alot] for all your help on this year's budget. Do not confuse this phrase with the verb allot (meaning "to distribute or assign a share of something"). You will have to a//of a portion of next year's budget to cover unforeseen expenses, even though you are not likely to have a lot of money left over after you cover your basic operations.

>• See Kind of-sort of and Kind of a A-per. SeePer-a. Above. Avoid the use of above before a noun. (See also Said.) in the paragraph above OR: in the preceding paragraph (RATHER THAN: in the above paragraph)

Accidentally. Note that this word ends in ally. (The form accidently is incorrect.)

A.D.-B.C A.D. (abbreviation of anno Domini, Latin for "in the year of our Lord") and B.C. ("before Christ") are usually written in all-caps, with a period following each letter and with no internal space. Do not use a comma to separate B.C. or A.D. from the year. 150 B.C. in the first century B.C.

465 A.D. (ordinary usage) A.D. 465 (formal usage)

You may also type A.D. and B.C. i n small caps (A.D., B . C ) .

NOTE: In works of history andtheology,theterm A.D. is often replaced by the abbreviation C.E. (meaning "in the Common Era"); B.C. is replaced by B.C.E. (meaning "before the Common Era").

Additionally. Avoid the use of additionally as a transitional expression. Use in addi tion, moreover, furthermore, or besides instead. (See 11138a.) AWKWARD: Additionally, the new packaging will reduce costs by 20 percent BETTER: Moreover, the new packaging will reduce costs by 20 percent. Ado-adieu. Ado means "fussing over trivial things." Adieu means "farewell." Paula decided to walk out without further ado. (Without making a fuss.) Paula decided to walk out without further adieu. (Without saying good-bye.)

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111101 Adverse-averse. Adverse means "unfavorable, harmful, hostile." Averse means "opposed (to), having a feeling of distaste (for)." This research report will have an adverse [unfavorable] effect on our sales. The medication you are taking could have adverse [harmful] side effects. I am not averse [opposed] to working on weekends for the next month I am averse [opposed] to exercise in any form. BUT: I have adverse [hostile] feelings about exercise in any form.

Affect-effect Affect is normally used as a verb meaning "to influence, change, assume." Effect can be either a verb meaning "to bring about" or a noun meaning "result, impression." The court's decision in this case will not affect [change] the established legal precedent She affects [assumes] an unsophisticated manner. It is essential that we effect [bring about] an immediate improvement in sales.

It will be months before we can assess the full e/fecf [result] of the new law. In psychology, affect is used as a noun meaning "feeling, emotion," and the related adjective affective means "emotional." Because of the limited context in which these terms are likely to be used with these meanings, it should be easy to distinguish them from effect as a noun and the related adjective effective. HOTE:

We need to analyze the effects [results] of this new marketing strategy. We need to analyze the affects [emotions] produced by this conflict Which technique is effective [capable of producing the desired results]? Let's deal with the affective [emotional] factors first

Afterward-afterwards. Both forms are correct, but afterward is more common in U.S. usage. Age-aged-at the age of I interviewed a man aged 52 for the job. (NOT. a man age 52.)

I don't plan to retire at the age of 65. (NOT. at age 65.) NOTE: Elliptical references to age—for example, at age 65—should not be used except in technical writing such as human resources manuals. See the chart on page 64 for the schedule of retirement benefits for employees who retire at age 65.

Aggravate. Use aggravate to mean "make something worse." Although she meant to ease the tension between her partners, Eve's remarks actually aggravated \he situation. (Made the situation worse.)

Avoid using aggravate to mean "irritate, annoy, exasperate." AVOID: I get so aggravated when Joe tries to tell me how to do my job. BETTEH: I get so irritated when Joe tries to tell me how to do my job.

Ain't. Aint has long been considered nonstandard usage, but it is acceptable in certain idiomatic expressions. Making that many mistakes in one document ain't easy. Two thousand dollars for a thirty-minute speech' That ain't hay! You ain't seen nothin' yet If it ain't broke, don't fix it (One could clean up this expression grammatically and wnte, "If it isn't broken don't fix it" but then one would lose the special flavor of the ongmal.)

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111101 All of. Of is not needed after all unless the following word is a pronoun serving as the object of the preposition of. All my plans have gone up in smoke. All the staff members belong to the softball team. OR: All of the staff members belong to the softball team. All of us belong to the softball team.

All right. Like all wrong,theexpression all right should be spelled as two words (While some dictionaries list alright without comment, this spelling is not generally accepted as correct.)

Allude-refer. Allude means "to refer indirectly to something"; refer means "to make specific mention of." The CEO merely alluded'to a possible decline in sales this year, but he provided no specific details. To divert the analysts' attention, he referred to the data in last year's annual report

Almost-all most. See also Most. The plane was almost [nearly] three hours late. We are all most pleased [all very much pleased] with the new schedule.

Already-all ready The order had already [previously] been shipped. The order is all ready [all prepared] to be shipped.

Altogether-all together He is altogether [entirely] too lazy to be a success. The papers are all together [all in a group] in the binder I sent you.

Always-all ways She has always [at all times] done good work. We have tried in all ways [by all methods] to keep our employees satisfied.

Among-between. See Between-among. Amount-number. Use amount for things in bulk, as in "a large amount of lumber." Use number for individual items, as in "a large number of inquiries." Monday's ad generated a large amount of interest Monday's ad generated a large number of phone calls, (NOT. a large amount.) And. Retain and before the last item in a series, even when that last item consists of two words joined by and. We need to increase our expense budgets for advertising, staff training, and research and development (NOT: We need to increase our expense budgets for advertising, staff training, research and development)

Beginning a sentence with and or some other coordinating conjunction (but, or, or nor) can be an effective means—if not overused—of giving special attention to the thought that follows the conjunction. No comma should follow the conjunction at the start of a new sentence unless a parenthetical element occurs at that point.

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fliioi Last Friday George promised to submit the market analysis this Monday. And\hen he took off on a two-week vacation. Tell him to return to the office at once. Of else. BUT: George called from Lake Tahoe to say that the report was undergoing some last-minute changes and would be on my desk by 11 a.m. And, to my delight, it was!

NOTE: Each

of the sentences above illustrates how this device can be effectively used. However, these sentences also illustrate, when taken as a whole, how quickly the overuse of this device dissipates its effectiveness.

And etc Never use and before etc. [See Etc.) And/or. Avoid this legalistic term in ordinary writing. Another. Although another is often used colloquially as a synonym for additional, avoid this usage in formal writing. FORMAL: I have four copies left, but I will need an additional ten copies.

INFORMAL: . . . but I will need anothertencopies. Anxious-eager. Both anxious and eager mean "desirous," but anxious also implies fear or concern. I'm anxious to hear whether we won the bid or not I'm eager [NOT: anxious] to hear about your new house.

Anymore-any more We used to vacation in Bermuda, but we don't go there anymore [any longer]. Please call me if you have anymore [any additional] suggestions. A n y o n e - a n y one. See 5 1 0 1 0 , n o t e .

Anytime-any time Come see us anytime you are in town. (One word meaning "whenever."] Did you have dealings with Crosby at any time in the past? (Two words after a preposition such as at.) Can you spend any time [any amount of time] with Jill and me when you next come to Tulsa?

Anyway-any way Anyway [in any case], we can't spare him now. If we can help in any way [by any method], please phone.

Appraise-apprise We would like to appraise [set a value on] Mrs. Ellsworth's estate. I will apprise [inform] you of any new developments. I will keep you apprised of the reactions of the board members to your proposal. CNOT: I will keep you appraised of the reactions of the board members to your proposal.]

Appreciate. When used with the meaning "to be thankful for," the verb appreciate requires an object. NOT: We would appreciate if you could give us your decision by May 1. BUT: We would appreciate it if you could give us your decision by May 1. (Pronoun as object.] OR: We would appreciate your [NOT: you] giving us your decision by May 7. (Noun clause as object. See fl647b on the use of your before a verb ending in ing.) We will always appreciate the help you gave us. (Noun as object.] I will appreciate whatever you can do for us. (Noun clause as object]

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111101 As. Do not use as for that or whether. I do not know whether NOT: as] I can go Use because, since, or for rather than as in clauses of reason. I can t attend the meeting n Omaha because HOT: as] III be out on the West Coast that day

As-as if-like. See Like-as-as if. As . . . as-not so . . . as. The term as . . . as is now commonly used in both positive and negative comparisons. Some writers, however, prefer to use not so... as for negative comparisons. B b is every b t as bnght as his older s ster (Pos tive comparison) It s n t as mportant as you think O I L companson)

HOTE:

not so important as you think. (Negative

Do not replace the second as with than. 0 r fam ly spends tw ce as much money on entertainment as on food HOT: Our fam y spends twice as much money on enterta nment than on food)

As-equally. SeeEqually-as. As far as. As far as may be used as a preposition or as a subordinating conjunction. 1 can drive you as far as Spokane (Used as a preposition) I would recommend this template as far as format is concerned (Used as a subordinating conjunction) B U T HOT: I would recommend this template as far as format (Either create a clause following as far as, as in the example above, or change as far as to on the basis of or a similar expression / wou d recommend this template on the basis of format)

Assure. See .Ensure insure-assure. At-about Use either at or about but not both words together. If you write "I'll meet you at 630," you're promising to be there "at 6.30 on the dot." If you write "I'll meet you about 6:30," you're promising to be there "around 6:30, but dont hold me to the minute, okay?" In effect, using at and about together suggests precision and vagueness at the same time. For that reason use one or the other but not both.

Attorney-lawyet These terms are not synonyms. An attorney is someone empow ered to serve as another person's legal agent. A lawyer is someonelicensedto prac bee law. An attorney does not have to be a lawyer, by means of a legal instrument called a. power of attorney, a layperson can be authorized to act as another person' agent. An attorney who isalsoa lawyer is known as an attorney at law (See 1804c.) Author. Do not use author as a verb. How ma y books have you wntte HOT: a th red ' Averse-adverse. See Adverse-averse. Awhile-a while. The one word form is an adverb, the two word form is a noun. Y u may have t w t awhte.(Adverb Y may have to wa t for a wh e (N n b ect f the prepo t on for) Iran

to m a writeback.

HOTB: When a prepos tion precedes this expression, be sure to spell a while as two words ce

w/i I

Itog ther with my d f en

f

h h

h

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Backward-backwards. Both forms are correct, but backward is more common in U.S. usage; for example, "to lean over backward." Bad-badly. Use the adjective bad (not the adverb badly) after the verb feel or look. (See K1067.) I feel bad [NOT: badly] about the mistake.

BUT: He was hurt badly. only way you can "feel badly" is to have your fingertips removed first. Balance. Do not use balance to mean "rest" or "remainder" except in a financial or accounting sense.

NOTE: The

I plan to use the rest of my vacation time next February. [NOT: I plan to use the balance of my vacation time next February.] BUT: The balance of the loan falls due at the end of this quarter.

B.C.-A.D. See AD.-B. C. Because. See Reason is because. Because of. See Due to-because of-on account of. Beg the question. This phrase is often used mistakenly to mean "to avoid answering a question" or "to invite a question." Here is what it really means: "to assume as a fact the very thing you are trying to prove." The illustration most often cited is this: "Parallel lines never meet because they are parallel." Being that. Do not use being that for since or because. Because I arrived late, I could not get a seat. [NOT: Being that I arrived late, 1 could not get a seat.) Beside-besides I sat beside [next to] Mr. Parrish's father at the meeting. Besides [in addition], we need your support of the measure.

Between-among. Ordinarily, use between when referring to two persons or things and among when referring to more than two persons or things. The territory is divided evenly between the two sales representatives.

The profits are to be evenly divided among the three partners. Use between with more than two persons or things when they are being considered in pairs as well as in a group. There are distinct differences between New York, Chicago, and Dallas. In packing china, be sure to place bubble sheets between the plates. The memo says something different when you read between the lines. Between you, me, and the gatepost, we don't stand a chance of making budget

Between you and me (NOT: I). See 11055b. Biannual-biennial-semiannual. Biannual and semiannual both mean "occurring twice a year." Biennial means "occurring every two years." Because of the possible confusion between biannual and biennial, use semiannual when you want to describe something that occurs twice a year. PREFERRED: our semiannual sales conference CLEARER THAN: our biannual sales conference Continued on page 318

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fluoi

If you think that your reader could misconstrue biennial, avoid the term and use every two years instead. Within our global organization each national company holds its own sales conference on a semiannual basis [OR: semiannually]; an international sales conference is scheduled on biennial basis [OR. biennially OR: every two years].

Biweekly-bimonthly. These two words do not mean the same thing. Moreover, bimonthly has two quite different meanings, which could confuse your readers. If you are paid biweekly [every two weeks], you get 26 checks a year. If you are paid bimonthly [twice a month], you get only 24 checks a year.

OR: If you are paid bimonthly [every two months], you get only 6 checks a year. NOTE: To keep your meaning clear, avoid bimonthly and say "twice a month" or "every two months." You may also use semimonthly to mean "twice a month."

Both-each. Both means "the two considered together." Each refers to the individual members of a group considered separately. Both designs are acceptable. The designs are each acceptable. Each sister complained about the other. [NOT: Both sisters complained about the other.)

NOTE:

Use each in cases where both leads to confusion or ambiguity. CONFUSING: There are two statues on both sides of the entrance hall. (Is there a total of two statues or four?) CLEAR: There are two statues on each side of the entrance hall. OR: There is a statue on each side of the entrance hall.

>• See E a c h - e i t h e r - b o t h .

Both alike-both equal-both together. Both is unnecessary with alike, equal, o together. These laser printers are alike, (NOT: both alike.) These tape systems are equal in cost, (NOT: both equal.) We will travel together to Japan, (NOT: both travel together.)

Bring-take. Bring indicates motion towardthespeaker. Take indicates motion away from the speaker, Please bring the research data with you when you next come to the office. (This office is where the speaker works.) BUT: Please take the research data with you when you next go to the office. (The speaker is referring to someone else's office.) Please take the enclosed letter to Farley when you go to see him. You may take my copy with you if you will bring it back by Friday. >- See note under Come-go.

But. . . however. Use one or the other. We had hoped to see the show, but we couldn't get tickets. OR: We had hoped to see the show; however, we couldn't get tickets. (BUT NOT: . . . but we couldn't get tickets, however)

But what. Use that. I do not doubt that [NOT: but what] he will be elected.

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1)1101 Can-could. See May-can (might-could). Cannot help but This expression is a confusion of two others, namely, can but and cannot help. I can but try. (BETTER. I can only try ] I cannot help feeling sorry for her. [NOT: I cannot help but feel sorry for her.) Celebrity-notoriety. Celebrity means "fame." Notoriety also means "fame" but of a disreputable nature. With the publication of her third novel, Jenna has finally achieved the celebnty she deserves. With the conviction of Fred Koenig and his two sons, the Koenig family has achieved an unparalleled notoriety in this community.

Class. See Kind. Classic-classical. Classic means "serving as a standard or model" (as in a classic triple play, a blunder of classic proportions). Classical refers to the language and art of earlier cultures (as in a study of classical Greek or sketches of classical architecture). Last night's concert offered a classic performance of Mahler's Ninth Symphony.

Next week's concert will offer an odd program of classical and pop music. Come-go. The choice between verbs depends on the location of the speaker. Come indicates motion toward; go, motion awayfrom.(See also Bring-take.) When Bellotti comes back, I will go to the airport to meet him. A manager speaking over the phone to an outsider. Will it be convenient for you to come to our office tomorrow? NOTE: When discussing your travel plans with a person at your destination, adopt that person's point of view and use come. An outsider speaking over the phone to a manager. Will it be convenient for me to come to your office tomorrow? Midwesterner to Califomiani am coming to California during the week of the 11th. I will bring the plans with me if they are ready.

However, if you are discussing your travel plans with someone who is not at your destination, observe the regular distinction between come and go. An outsider speaking to an outsider-1 hope it will be convenient for me to go to their office tomorrow Midwesterner to Midwesterner-1 am going to California during the week of the 11 th. I will take the plans with me if they are ready.

Come to-come and. In formal writing, use come to instead of the colloquial come and. FORMAL: Come to see me. INFORMAL: Come and see me. Company-firm-corporation. See Firm-company-corporation, Compare to-compare with. See 11077. Complement-compliment Complement as a noun means "something that completes" or "one of two mutually completing parts"; as a verb it means "to complete, to be complementary to." Compliment as a noun means "an admiring or flattering remark"; as a verb it means "to praise, to pay a compliment to." A simple dessert of berries and sherbet makes a fine complement to an elaborate meal with several nch courses. The CEO was full of compliments for your sales presentation yesterday.

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Complementary-complimentary. Complementary means "serving to complete" o "mutually supplying what each other lacks." Complimentary means "flattering" o "given free." Our top two executives work so well as a team because they bring complementary skills and expertise to their jobs. The CEO had many complimentary things to say about your sales presentation. May I get a complimentary copy of your new book?

Comprise-compose. Comprise means "to contain, consist of"; compose means "t make up." The parts compose (make up) the whole; the whole comprises (contains the parts; the whole is composed of (NOT: is comprised of) the parts. The parent corporation comprises [consists of] three major divisions. Three major divisions compose [make up] the parent corporation.

Do not use comprise in the passive. The parent corporation is composed of'[is made up of] three major divisions. [NOT: The parent corporation is comprised of three major divisions.)

Do not use comprise and include as synonyms. Include implies that what follow represents some but not all of the parts. Comprise implies that what follows embraces all the parts.

The alphabet includes the letters A to Y. BUT: The alphabet comprises [OR: consists of] the letters A to Z. [See the entry for Consist of-mcludes.)

Consensus. One seeks a consensus (NOT. a consensus of opinion). Consists of-includes. Use consists of to introduce a complete list of items; use includes to introduce a partial list. This mailing list consists ofa\\ our active accounts.

This mailing list includes the active accounts that were opened this year. NOTE: Do not use etc. or and so on at the end of a list introduced by includes, sinc the verb makes it sufficiently clear that the list is not complete. (See also the entry for £tc) Convince-persuade. You convince others when you get them to agree that what you are saying is correct. You persuade others when you get them to do something that they hadn't planned to do. Convince implies changing another person's mind; persuade implies getting another person to act. I convinced'Vic that Maria's proposal was more cost-effective than his I persuaded'Vic to drop his objections to Maria's proposal Alice convinced me that my situation was not as bad as I had thought.

She persuaded me to tear up my letter of resignation. Corporation-firm-company. See Firm company-corporation. Could not care less. To say that you "could not care less" means that you do not care at ali. To say that you "could care less" implies that your inability to care has not yet reached rock bottom. If the first meaning is the one you wish to communicate, do not omit not. (See also 11074c.) If Val does not attend our class reunion I could not care less On effect, I don't care at all) When I told another classmate about Val he said "Well I could care tess-but then I'd really have to wo k at if

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111101 Couldn't-hardly. See Hardly. Data. See 11018b. Deja vu. Strictly speaking, this term refers to the illusion that what you are now experiencing for the first time is something that happened to you in the past. The first time we came to Maine for a summer vacation, I had a deja vu sensation that I had been living there for most of my life.

The term is now loosely used to refer to something that actually did happen in the past. In your own writing, use deja vu only to refer to an illusion. AVOID: When I went back for my twentieth college reunion, I had that deja vu sensation of coming to the campus for the first time as a freshman. (With apologies to Yogi Berra, this is not a case of "deja vu all over again." This is a memory or a recollection.] BETTER: When I went back for my twentieth college reunion, it brought back memories of coming to the campus for the first time as a freshman.

Dialogue. The use of dialogue as a verb is a matter of taste. If it sounds like jargon to you (as it does to most people), use a different word. Parents need to spend more time talking with their children. [RATHER T H A N : Parents need to spend more time dialoguing with their children.]

Different-differently. "When the meaning is "in a different manner," use the adverb differently. I wish we had done it differently.

It came out differently than we expected. (See HI077] After linking verbs and verbs of the senses, the adjective different is correct. (See 111067.) That music sounds completely different He seems [appears] different since his promotion. Don't believe anything different. (Meaning "anything that is different."]

Different from-different than. See 111077. Dilemma. A dilemma is a situation in which one must make a choice between two or more unpleasant alternatives. Do not use dilemma as a synonym for problem or predicament. Many communities now face a common dilemma: whether to raise real estate taxes or cut essential services. Many communities now face a common problem: how to provide adequate shelter for the homeless.

Disc-disk. Disc is the customary spelling in terms such as disc brakes, compact disc, laser disc, optical disc, * videodisc, and disc jockey. Disk is the customary spelling in computer terms such as disk drive, disk space, disk directory, disk operating system, floppy disk, hard disk, and diskette; it is also the spelling used for spinal disk and slipped disk.

'Merriam-Webster shows optical disk, but the form optical disc (which appears in other dictionaries) is more consistent with the spelling of compact disc, laser disc, and videodisc.

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Disinterested-uninterested. The primary meaning of disinterested is "unbiased, impartial." This word is now often used incorrectly as a synonym for uninterested, which means "unwilling to take an interest in."

I am trying to evaluate these conflicting accounts from a disinterested [impartial] perspective. I can't understand why my son is so totally uninterested [NOT: disinterested] in his courses.

Done. When you hear people say "I done it," please tell them tactfully to say "I did it." (See also fll032b.) Don't (do not). When you hear people use one of the following expressions—he don % she don % or it don't—please tell them tactfully to use doesn 't. He doesn't talk easily. She needs help, doesn't she? It doesn't seem right to penalize them.

BUT: I don't think so. They don't want any help. We don't understand.

Doubt that-doubt whether. Use doubt that in negative statements and in questions. Use doubt whether in all other cases. (SeealsoIf-whether.) We do not doubt that she is capable. [Negative statement.) Does anyone doubt that the check was mailed? (Question.) I doubt whether I can go.

Due to-because of-on account of. Due to introduces an adjective phrase and should modify nouns. It is normally used only after some form of the verb to be [is, are, was, were, etc.). Her success is due to talent and hard work. (Due to modifies success.) Because of and on account of introduce adverbial phrases and should modify verbs He resigned because of ill health. (Because of modifies resigned.) [NOT: He resigned due to ill health.)

Each-either-both. Use each in cases where either or both leads to confusion o ambiguity. (SeealsoBoth-each.) CONFUSING: The landscaper has planted two gingko trees on either side of the driveway. (A total of two trees or four trees?) CONFUSING: The landscaper has planted two gingko trees on both sides of the driveway. (Again, a total of two trees or four trees?) CLEAB: The landscaper has planted two gingko trees on each side of the driveway. (A total of four trees.) CLEAR: The landscaper has planted one gingko tree on each side of the driveway. (A total of two trees.)

Each other-one another. Use each other to refer to two persons or things and one another for more than two. Al and Ed respected each other's abilities.

The four winners congratulated one another.

Eager-anxious. See Anxious-eager.

Economic-economical. Economic refers to economics (as in the economic factor affecting the volatility of the stock market). Economical means "thrifty" (as in mother's economical habit of keeping a canister for "string too short to be saved" Effect-affect. See Affect-effect. Either-each-both. See Each-either-both.

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flUOl Emeritus-emerita. The terms emeritus (m.) and emerita (f.) are honorary designations used mainly with academic titles to signify that the holders of those titles are now retired from active service. These terms usually follow the title (for example, Paul Shea, professor emeritus; Jean Lovett, professor emerita). However, when a title is long, emeritus or emerita may precede the title for smoother reading (for example, Denton Fox, emeritus professor ofAsian studies OR. Benton Fox, professor emeritus of Asian studies). Capitalize these honorary titles when they appear before a person's name (for example, Professor Emeritus Hugh Benz; Dean Emerita Ann Cory). Enormity. Use this word only in reference to an outrageous act or a monstrous condition. Do not use enormity to mean "great size"; use enormousness or enormous size instead. We are still trying to cope with the enormity of the scandal. BUT: We must find ways to deal with the enormous size of the national debt. (Those who are appalled by the nation's current level of debt could, in this instance, justifiably refer to the enormity of the national debt.)

Ensure-insure-assure. Ensure means "to make certain." Insure means "to protect against loss." Assure means "to give someone confidence"; the object of this verb should always refer to a person. I want to ensure [make certain] that nothing can go wrong tomorrow. I want to insure this necklace [protect it against loss] for $5000. I want to assure you [give you confidence] that nothing will go wrong.

Enthused over. Use was or were enthusiastic about instead. The sales staff was enthusiastic about next year's styles.

[NOT: The sales staff enthused over next year's styles.) Entitled-titled. The primary meaning of entitled is "having a right to." After a year you will be entitled to two weeks of vacation time. It is now generally acceptable to say that a book or a similar item is entitled in a certain way. The book I plan to write about my attempts to survive marriage and five children will be entitled [OR: titled] Looking Out for Number Seven.

Equal. See Both alike-both equal-both together. EquaUy-as. Use either equally or as but not both words together. This printer is the latest model, but that one is equally good. OR: This printer is the latest model, but that one is just as good. (BUT NOT: This printer is the latest model, but that one is equally as good.) I would pick Pam for that job, but Joe is equally capable. OR: I would pick Pam for that job, but Joe is every bit as capable.

[BUT NOT: I would pick Pam for that job, but Joe is equally as capable.) Etc. This abbreviation stands for et cetera and means "and other things." Therefore, do not use and before etc. Use a comma before and after etc. (unless the expression falls at the end of a sentence or requires a stronger mark of punctuation, such as a semicolon). In formal writing, avoid the use of etc.; use a phrase such as and the like or and so on instead. Continued on page 324

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111101

Do not use etc. or an equivalent expression at the end of a series introduced by such as, for example, or e.g. Such terms imply that only a few selected examples will be given; therefore, it is unnecessary to add etc. or and so on, which suggests that further examples could be given. NOTE:

As part of its employee educational program, the company offers courses in report writing, business communication, grammar and style, and so on. OR: . . . the company offers courses such as report writing, business communication, and grammar and style. [BUT NOT:... the company offers courses such as report writing, business communication, grammar and style, and so on.)

>• For the use or omission of a comma before such as, see 3[ffl48-149. Ethnic references. When identifying U.S. citizens or residents as members of a certain ethnic group, use great care in choosing an appropriate term. There is often a good deal of disagreement within the group about which terms are acceptable and which are offensive, soalwaysrespect individual preferences if you know what they are. (See 11348.)

a. Use African Americans or Afro-Americans to refer to black people of Afric ancestry. The terms Negroes and colored people are rarely used today except the names of long-established organizations (for example, the United Negro College Fund and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). Use the term blacks only in a context where you might also refer to whites. Use a term like African Americans (which reflects ethnic ancestry rath than skin color) in a context where you are also referring to other ethnic groups such as Latinos. the votes of Latinos and African Americans (RATHER THAN: the votes of Latinos and blacks')

b. Use Hispanics to refer broadly to people who trace their roots to Latin America or Spain. Use Latinos to refer to people of Latin-American ancestry (that is, from Central or South America). The term Chicanos may be used to refer to people of Mexican ancestry, but some members of this group consider the term offensive; a saler alternative is Mexican Americans.

Within the groups designated Hispanic, Latino, or Chicano, some people ar white and some black. Therefore, do not use these terms in the same context with white or black. the buying patterns of Hispanics and African Americans (RATHER THAN: the buying patterns of Hispanics and blacks)

When referring to a group of men, use Latinos or Chicanos. When referring to group of women, use Latinas or Chicanos. When reference is being made to mixed group of men and women, it has been traditional to simply use the masculine form to refer to the entire group. However, it is now preferable to use both the masculine and the feminine forms in such references; for example, Latinos and Latinas OR: Chicanos and Chicanas. NOTE: The term Hispanic does not apply to Brazilians, who trace their roots to Portugal and speak Portuguese. Refer to these people simply as Brazilians.

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H1101 c. The terlns Anglo-Americans and Anglos are used in some parts of the United States to refer to white people who have an English-speaking background. Are there significant differences in the consumer preferences of Latinos, African Americans, and Anglos? (Note that all three groups are identified here by ethnic ancestry and not by color.)

Ideally, the term whites should be used only in a context where you might also refer to blacks. However, in the absence of a more widely accepted term than Anglos or Anglo-Americans, use whites even though other groups are identified by ethnic ancestry in the same context. Are there significant differences in the consumer preferences of Latinos, African Americans, and whites?

A. Use Asian Americans to refer to people of South and East Asian ancestry. When appropriate, use a more specific term—for example, Japanese American or Korean American. When referring to people who live in Asia, use Asians (rather than Asiatics or Orientals, which many now consider offensive). e. The term Native American is now the preferred way to refer to American Indians. Although some members of this group still refer to themselves as Indians, use the term Indians to refer only to people who live in India. f. The term people of color refers broadly to people who trace their roots to nonEuropean countries—for example, African Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans. g. Many ethnic references consist of two words, the second of which is American. Do not hyphenate terms like an African American, a German American, or a Chinese American when they are used as nouns, because the first element in each case modifies the second.* Hyphenate such terms, however, when they are used as adjectives: African-American entrepreneurs, a German-American social club, ChineseAmerican restaurants. Also hyphenate such terms when the first element is a prefix; for example, Afro-Americans, Anglo-Americans. NOTE: The term hyphenated American refers to an earlier stylistic practice of hyphenating nouns like Polish Americans and Swedish Americans. This term has fallen into disfavor because of the implication that hyphenated Americans are not fully American.

Everyday-every day You'll soon master the everyday [ordinary] routine of the job. He has called every day [each day] this week. Everyone-every one. See 111010, note.

Ex-former. Use ex- with a title to designate the person who immediately preceded the current titleholder in that position; use former with a title to designate an earlier titleholder. Charles Morganstern is the ex-president of the West Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce. (He held office immediately before the current president) BUT: Charles Morganstern is a former president of the West Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce. (He held office sometime before the current president and that person's immediate predecessor.) *Merriam-Webster hyphenates these terms when they are used as nouns.

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111101 Except. When except is a preposition, be sure to use the objective form of a pronoun that follows. (See also 111055b.) Everyone has been notified except Jean and me. (NOT* except Jean and I.)

Farther-further. Farther refers to actual distance; further refers to figurative distance and means "to a greater degree" or "to a greater extent." The drive from the airport was farther [in actual distance] than we expected. Let's plan to discuss the proposal further [to a greater extent].

Fewer-less. Fewer refers to number and is used with plural nouns. Less refers to degree or amount and is used with singular nouns. fewer accidents [a smaller number] were reported than we expected. Less effort [a smaller degree] was put forth by the organizers, and thus fewer people [a smaller number] attended.

Note the difference in meaning in the following pair of examples: In the future our company may hire fewer skilled workers [a smaller number of workers who are skilled]. In the future our company may hire less skilled workers [workers with a lower level of skill].

>• See also the usage note on more on page 335. When dealing with things that can be counted, you may use either fewer than or less than, depending on the effect you want to achieve.

Fewer than 20 people attended the in-service workshop, {fewer than is grammatically correct, but it sounds formal, stiff, and even a little stuffy.] Less than 20 people attended the in-service workshop. (Strictly speaking, the use of less than here is not grammatically correct, but like the expression "It's me," less than is acceptable because it sounds more colloquial, more natural.)

The expression less than (rather than fewer than) precedes nouns referring to peri ods of time, distance, amounts of money, quantities, and percentages. less than ten years ago less than 35 years old less than six miles away less than 10°F less than $1 million less than 20 percent of the voters less than 20 pounds less than half of our customers After a reference to a number of items, the expression or fewer would certainly be correct, but or less is more commonly used. in 100 words or less (RATHER THAN: in 100 words or fewer) in groups of six people or less (RATHER THAN: in groups of six people or fewer) SIGN OVER A CHECKOUT LINE: 10 items or less. (This wording sounds better in the casual setting of a supermarket than 10 items or fewer.)

Finn-company-corporation. Usejzmi to refer only to a business partnership or a small unincorporated business but not to a company or a corporation, EXCEPTION: Within the financial industry, brokerage firms that later become corporations are still referred to as firms.

First-firstly, etc In enumerations, use the forms first, second, third (NOT: firstly secondly, thirdly).

Fiscal-financial. The adjectivejzscal (as m fiscal year 2007or FY2007) can be used to refer to all types of financial matters—those of governments and private

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niioi businesses. However, with the exception offiscalyear, it is better to usefiscalonly in connection with government matters and to usefinancialin all other situations. NOTE: Within a governmental context, it is customary to use monetary (rather than fiscal) to refer to the nation's money supply. The Federal Reserve will be meeting next week to discuss possible changes in monetary policy. [Changes in policy that would affect the nation's money supply.)

Flammable-inflammable. Both terms mean "easily ignitable, highly combustible." Since some readers may misinterpret inflammable to mean "nonflammable," flammable is the clearer form. Former-ex. See Ex-former. Former-first. Former refers to the first of two persons or things. When more than two are mentioned, usejzrst. (See also Latter-last.) This item is available in wool and in Dacran, but I prefer the former. This item is available in wool, in Dacron, and in Orion, but I prefer the first.

Fortuitous-fortunate. Fortuitous means "accidental, happening by chance." Fortunate means "lucky, being rewarded beyond what one deserves." I hadn't seen Amie in years, so it was fortuitous [it happened by chance] that we found ourselves seated next to each other on a flight to Houston. When he invited me to join him in a new partnership that he was setting up, I realized how fortunate [lucky] I was to be in the right place at the right time.

From-off. Use from (NOT: off) with persons. I got the answer I needed from Margaret [NOT. off Margaret].

Fulsome. Do not use fulsome to mean "lavish" or "profuse." As commonly used, fulsome has the negative sense of "excessive." For example, fulsome praise is praise so excessive as to be offensive. Further-farther. See Farther-further. Gender-sex. Use gender to refer to social or cultural characteristics of males and females; for example, gender gap. Use sex to refer to biological characteristics. The results of the lab tests have been broken down according to the age and sex of the participants in the study. See Chart 2-5 for an analysis of Presidential voting patterns on the basis of gender. NOTE: In a grammatical context, gender refers to the classification of nouns and pronouns as masculine, feminine, and neuter.

Go-come. See Come-go. Good-well. Good is an adjective. Well is typically used as an adverb but may be used as an adjective to refer to the state of someone's health. Marie got good grades in school. [Adjective.) I will do the job as well as I can. [Adverb.)

To feel well means "to be in good health." To feel good means "to be in good spirits."

NOTE:

He admits he does not feel well today. (Adjective.) The security guards feel good about their new contract. (Adjective.)

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1)1101 Graduated-was graduated. Both forms are acceptable. However, usefwn after either expression. My daughter graduated from [OR. was graduated from] MIT last year. (NOT. My daughter graduated MIT last year.)

Grow. Avoid the use of grow as a transitive verb. make the economy grow OR-, improve economic growth (RATHER THAN, grow the ec Had better. This idiomatic phrase means ought to or must. While had is often omit ted in speech, be sure to retain it in written material. You had better [OR. You'd better] be sure of your facts. (NOT: You better be sure of your facts.)

Hardly. Hardly is negative in meaning. To preserve the negative meaning, do not use another negative with it. You could hardly expect him to agree.

(NOT: You couldn't hardly expect him to agree.) Have-of. See Of-have. Healthy-healthful. People are healthy; a climate or food is healthful. You need to move to a healthful [NOT. healthy] climate. Help. Do not usejron? after the verb help. I couldn't help [NOT. help from] telling her she was wrong.

Historic-historical. Historic means "important" or "momentous." Historical means "relating to the past." The Fourth of July commemorates a historic event-the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The following article provides a historical account of the events leading up to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

>• For a usage note on a historic occasion vs. an historic occasion, see A-an. Hoi polloi. This Greek expression refers to the common people (not to the upper class or the elite, as some people mistakenly assume). Because hoi is the Greek word for the, purists consider the use of the before hoi polloi to be redundant. However, the hoi polloi is now generally considered to be acceptable.

Home-hone. One homes in (NOT. hones in) on a target. Hone means "to sharpen something"—for example, an axe or one's professional skills.

Hopefully. Although the subject of much controversy, the use of hopefully at the beginning of a sentence is no different from the use of obviously, certainly, fort nately, thankfully, actually, apparently, and similar words functioning as indepen comments (see 11138b). These adverbs express the writer's attitude toward what he or she is about to say; as such they modify the meaning of the sentence as a whole rather than a particular word. Hopefully, the worst is over and we will soon see a strong upturn in sales and profits.

However. Beginning a sentence with however is now considered perfectly acceptable. However (like other transitional expressions, such as therefore and moreov helps readers relate the thought being introduced to the thoughts that went before. Many readers find it more helpful if they encounter the transitional expression at

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H1101 the beginning of the sentence. In that way they can tell at the outset the direction in which the new sentence is proceeding. (See also Therefore.) However at the start of a sentence can have two meanings: "on the other hand" and "in whatever way." When it means "on the other hand," follow however with a comma to prevent a misreading. Compare these examples: However, you decide what you want to say, and we'll back you up. (Insert a comma after however when it means "on the other hand."] However you decide to organize your presentation, I'm sure it will be a great success. (Use no comma after however when it means "in whatever way."]

In any case, the location of a transitional expression in a sentence must be determined by the individual writer. (For a list of transitional expressions, see 11138a.) >• For the entry B u t . . . however, seepage 318. If-whether. If is often used colloquially for whether in such sentences as "He doesn't know whether he will be able to leave tomorrow." In formal writing, use whether, particularly in such expressions as see whether, learn whether, know whether, and doubt whether. Also use whether when the expression or not follows or is implied. Find out whether [NOT: if] this format is acceptable or not Impact. Do not use impact as a verb unless you really want to convey a sense of a powerful force striking something and producing harsh consequences. Use a simpler, quieter verb like affect instead. Any increase in fuel prices could affect [NOT: impact] our travel plans this summer. Any further cuts in the agency's budget will seriously impact [have a destructive effect on] our ability to serve the homeless in this community.

Imply-infer. Imply means "to suggest"; you imply something by your own words or actions. Verna implied [suggested] that we would not be invited.

Infer means "to assume, to deduce, to arrive at a conclusion"; you infer something from another person's words or actions. I inferred [assumed] from Verna's remarks that we would not be invited.

In-into-in to The correspondence is in the file. {In implies position within.) Is there some way we can avoid driving into San Jose? {Into implies entry.] Sheila thinks she can turn Brad into Mr. Nice Guy. {Into implies a change of form.) All sales reports are to be sent in to the sales manager. {In is an adverb in the verb phrase are to be sent in; to is a simple preposition.) Mr. Boehme came in to see me. {In is part of the verb phrase came in; to is part of the infinitive to see.)

Failing to distinguish carefully between into and/n to can create humorous confusion. The fugitives turned themselves in to FBI agents.

(NOT: The fugitives turned themselves into FBI agents.) In behalf of-on behalf of. In behalf of means "for the benefit of"; on behalf of means "acting as the agent of." This fund-raiser is in behalf of [for the benefit of] the victims of last week's flood. On behalf of [acting as the agent of] the company, I want to thank you all for your help.

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111101 In regards to. Substitute in regard to, with regard to, regarding, or as regards. I am writing in regard to [NOT: in regards to] your letter of May 1. Incentivize-incent. Avoid these recently coined "verbs," which are an objectionable form of jargon. Avon): Research shows that profit-sharing plans incent employees to meet their goals. BETTER: Research shows that profit-sharing plans encourage employees to meet their goals.

Incidentally. Note that this word ends in ally. Never spell it incidently. Includes-consists of. See Consists of-includes.

Incredible-incredulous. Incredible means "unbelievable"; incredulous mean "skeptical, unable to believe something." I thought Ralph's account of his whereabouts last night was incredible [unbelievable]. I was incredulous [skeptical] when I heard Ralph's account of his whereabouts last night

Indifferent-in different She was indifferent [not caring one way or the other] to the offer. He liked our idea, but he wanted it expressed in different [in other] words.

Indirect-in direct Indirect [not direct] lighting will enhance the appearance of this room. This order is in direct [the preposition in plus the adjective direct] conflict with the policy of this company.

Individual-party-person-people. Use individual to refer to someone whom you wish to distinguish from a larger group of people. We wish to honor those individuals who had the courage to speak out at a time when popular opinion was defending the status quo.

Use party only to refer to someone involved in a legal proceeding. All the parties to the original agreement must sign the attached amendment. Use person to refer to a human being i n a l i other contexts. Please tell me the name of the person in charge of your credit department.

If reference is made to more than one person, the term people usualiy sounds more natural than the plural form persons. In any event, always use people when referring to a large group. We need to find five more people [RATHER THAN: persons] to serve on this committee. If you like, I can send you a list of all the people in our corporation who will be attending this year's national convention.

Infer. See Imply-infer. Inflammable-flammable. See Flammable-inflammable. Insure. See Ensure-insure-assure.

Intents-intense. Intents means "aims, goals." Intense means "extreme" (as in intense pain) or "deeply felt" (as in an intense discussion of conflicting views). Bec intense is pronounced exactlylikeintents, it is sometimes incorrectly used in place of intents. for all intents and purposes [NOT: for all intensive purposes]

Irregardless. Use regardless.

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111101 Is where-is when. Do not use these phrases to introduce definitions. A dilemma is a situation in which you have to choose between equally unsatisfactory alternatives. (NOT. A dilemma is where you have to choose between equally unsatisfactory alternatives.] However, these phrases may be correctly used in other situations. The Ritz-Carlton is where the dinner-dance will be held this year. Two o'clock is when the meeting is scheduled to begin.

Its-it's. See 1ll056e. It's me. It's me is acceptable in colloquial speech and informal writing. To be grammatically correct, one should say It is I, but this would produce much the same effect as changing the name of Toys "R" Us to Toys "R " We. (See also the note to 111054b.) Journal. The use of journal as a verb is a matter of taste. Those who record their thoughts in a journal every day are likely to endorse usingjot/mal as a verb; those who don't probably won't. Key-type. See Type-key. Kind. Kind is singular; therefore, write this kind, that kind, these kinds, those kinds (BUT NOT: these kind, those kind). The same distinctions hold for class, type, and sort. Kind of-sort of. These phrases are sometimes followed by an adjective (for example, kind ofsorry, sort of baffled). Use this kind of expression only in informal writing. In more formal situations, use rather or somewhat (rather sorry, somewhat baffled). I was somewhat [NOT: kind of, sort of] surprised. She seemed rather [NOT: kind of, sort of] tired. NOTE: When kind of

or sort of is followed by a noun, the expression is appropriate in all kinds of situations. What sort ofbusiness is Vern Forbes in?

What kind of expression is that?

>• See A - o f and Kind of a.

Kind of a. The a is unnecessary. That kind of [NOT: kind of a] car is very expensive.

Kudos. Kudos, a Greek word meaning "praise," is a singular word, but because of the s ending, kudos is often mistakenly assumed to be a plural noun that requires a plural verb when it is the subject of a sentence. This mistake has led to a further mistake (now accepted by many dictionaries): the assumption that kudo is the singular form of kudos. Do not use kudo (despite what the dictionaries say), and do not use kudos as a plural noun. In fact, avoid the use of kudos altogether and use praise instead. Last-latest. These two adjectives are commonly distinguished in this way: last means "coming after all others" or "final"; latest means "most recent." Mr. Lin's last act [his final act] before leaving was to recommend Ms. Roth's promotion. Attached is the latest report [the most recent report] we have received from the Southern Region. Continued on page 332

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Unoi In actual usage, however, last can also mean "most recent," especially in references to time (for example, last night, last week, last month, last year). In some cases, meaning of last can be ambiguous unless clarified by the context. I thoroughly enjoyed Nelson's last book. [Did Nelson never write another book after this one, or was this simply his most recent book, with others likely to be written in the future? One way to avoid ambiguity here is to replace last book with final book or most recent book, depending on the meaning intended.]

Latter-last. Latter refers to the second of two persons or things mentioned. When more than two are mentioned, use last. (SeealsoFormer-first.) July and August are good vacation months, but the latter is more popular. June, July, and August are good vacation months, but the last is the most popular. Lawyer-attorney. See

Attorney-lawyer.

Lay-lie. Lay (principal parts: lay, laid, laid, laying) means "to put" or "to place This verb requires an object to complete its meaning. Please lay the boxes on the pallets with extreme care. I /ate1 the message right on your desk. I had laid two other notes there yesterday. He is always laying the blame on his assistants. [Putting the blame.) The dress was laid'm the box. [A passive construction implying that someone laid the dress in the box.)

Lie (principal parts: lie, lay, lain, lying) means "to recline, rest, or stay" or "to tak a position of rest." It refers to a person or thing as either assuming or being in a reclining position. This verb cannot take an object. Now he lies in bed most of the day. The mountains lay before us as we proceeded west. This letter has lain unanswered for two weeks.

Today's mail is lying on the receptionist's desk. TEST; In deciding whether to use lie or lay in a sentence, substitute the word place, placed, or placing (as appropriate) for the word in question. If the substitute fits, the corresponding form of lay is correct. If it doesn't, use the appropriate form of lie. I will (lie or lay?) down now. (You could not say, "I will place down now." Therefore, write "I will lie down now.") I (laid or lay?) the pad on his desk. ("I placed the pad on his desk" works. Therefore, write "I laid the pad on his desk.") I (laid or lay?) awake many nights. ("I placed awake" doesn't work. Write "I lay awake.") These files have (laid or lain?) untouched for some time. ("These files have placed untouched" does not work. Write "These files have lain untouched.") He has been (laying or lying?) down on the job. ("He has been placing down on the job" does not work. Write "He has been lying down.")

NOTE: Whentheverb lie means "to tell a falsehood,"

it has regularly formed principal parts (lie, lied, lied, lying) and is seldom confused with the verbs just described.

Learn-teach. Learn (principal parts: learn, learned, learned, learning) mean acquire knowledge." Teach (principal parts: teach, taught, taught, teaching) mean impart knowledge to others." Iteamedfrom a master teacher. (NOT: I was learned by a master teacher.)

A first-rate instructor taught me how. I was taught by a first-rate instructor.

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Hiioi Leave-let. Leave (principal parts: leave, left, left, leaving) means "to move away, abandon, or depart." Let (principal parts: let, let, let, letting) means "to permit or allow." TEST: In deciding whether to use let or leave, substitute the appropriate form of permit. If permit fits, use let; if not, use leave. I now leave you to your own devices. (Abandon you.) Mr. Morales left on the morning train. (Departed.) Let me see the last page. (Permit me to see.) Leave me alone. OR: Let me alone. (Either is acceptable.)

Lend-loan. Although lend and loan have long been used as verbs, it is preferable to use loan only as a noun. Hal has asked for a loan of $500, and I'll be glad to lend it to him. (RATHER T H A N : I'll be glad to loan it to him.)

Less-fewer. See Fewer-less. Lie-lay. See Lay-lie. Like-as-as if. Like is correctly used as a preposition. Although like is also widely used as a conjunction in colloquial speech, use as, as if, or a similar expression in written material. We need to hire another person like you. Kate, like her predecessor, will have to cope with the problem. As I told you earlier, we will not reorder for six months. (NOT: Like I told you earlier, we will not reorder for six months.) It looks like snow. It looks as (7 it will snow. (NOT: It looks like it will snow.) Mary looks like her mother. Mary looks as her mother did at the same age. OR: Mary looks the way her mother did at the same age. (BUT NOT: Mary looks like her mother did at the same age.) COLLOQUIAL USAGE: Ann Richards, former Governor of Texas, made this observation on the role of women in today's society: "Like we say in Texas, the roosters may crow but the hens deliver the goods."

When using like as a preposition, be alert to the possibility that your reader could mistakenly interpret like as a verb on first encounter. NOTE:

CONFUSING: Part of our mission is to make people like lawmakers more sensitive to the needs of those without medical insurance. CLEAR: Part of our mission is to make lawmakers and others more sensitive to the needs of those without medical insurance.

Like-such as. Although like and such as are often used interchangeably, there is a real distinction in meaning. Consider these two examples: "companies such as Dell and Cisco" and "companies like Dell and Cisco." The example using such as refers specifically to Dell and Cisco. The example using like literally refers to other companies (companies that are like Dell and Cisco but not specifically these two companies themselves). This is a distinction that careful writers will want to observe.

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Literally. This adverb means "actually, truly." Do not use it in the sense of "almost" to modify a reference to an exaggerated or unreal situation. NOT: When Jensen got the bill for all the "minor changes" made at the last minute, he literally hit the ceiling. (Omit the word literally or change it to almost unless Jensen actually exploded out of his chair and hit the ceiling headfirst.)

Livid. Livid means "pale or ashen," not "red or flushed with anger." Loan-lend. See Lend-loan. Look forward to. In this phrase to is a preposition and should be followed by a gerund (a verbal noun ending in ing) or some other type of noun. Do not mistake to in this phrase for the start of an infinitive to be followed by a verb. I look forward to meeting you next Friday. (Meeting is a gerund, serving as the object of the preposition to.) OR: I look forward to our meeting next Friday. (Meeting here is an ordinary noun, serving as the object of the preposition to.)

BUT NOT: I look forward to meet you next Friday. [Do not use an infinitive after look for Malden name. Replace this obsolete term with birth name or original name. Majority-plurality. A majority means "more than half the total." Aplurality means "more than the next highest number (but not more than half)." Edna Welling received a majority of the votes in her district. (She received more than 50 percent of the total votes cast.) Victor Soros won the election by a plurality. (He received 43 percent of the total votes cast; his two opponents received 31 percent and 26 percent respectively.)

Masterly-masterful. Masterly means "skillful." The primary meaning of masterful is "domineering, overpowering," but over the years it has acquired the meaning of "skillful" as well. To avoid ambiguity, use masterful only in its primary sense. Margaret has a masterly [skillful] command of grammar, style, and usage.

Shawna is a masterful [domineering] presence at any meeting she attends. May-can (might-could). May and might imply permission or possibility; can and could, ability or power. You may send them a dozen cans of paint on trial. (Permission.) The report may (OR: might) be true. (Possibility.) Can he present a workable plan? (Has he the ability?) The CEO could change this policy if he wanted to. (Power.) Please call me if you think I can be of any help. (Emphasizes the ability to help.)

Please call me if you think I may be of any help. (Emphasizes the possibility of helping.) to maintain sequence of tenses, use may to express the present and might to express the past. (See 111047.) NOTE: When it is important

I think [present] that I may go to Australia next winter.

I thought [past] that I might go to Australia next winter. Under certain circumstances may and might convey different meanings. Consider the following examples: The CFO's reorganization plan may have sailed the company from bankruptcy. (Other factors may also have contributed to the outcome, but the company is still a going concern.) The CFO's reorganization plan might have savedthe company from bankruptcy. (However, the CFO's plan was not implemented, and the company did fail.)

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fliioi Maybe-may be. Maybe is an adverb; may be is a verb. If we don't receive a letter from them today, maybe [an adverb meaning "perhaps"] we should give them a call.

Mr. Boston may be [a verb] out of town next week. Media. Media, referring to various channels of communication and advertising, is a plural noun. Medium is the singular. NOTE: Under special circumstances media may be considered a singular noun. (See

•nioisc.) More. In some sentences it may not be clear whether more is being used to form the comparative degree of an adjective (for example, more experienced] or is being used as an adjective meaning "a greater number of." In such cases reword to avoid confusion. CONFUSING: We need to hire more experienced workers. (A greater number of experienced workers? Or workers who are more experienced than those now on staff?) CLEAR: We need to hire a greater number of experienced workers. CLEAR: We need to hire workers who are more experienced.

>• For a usage note on fewer-less see page 326. More important-more importantly. More important is often used as a short form for "what is more important," especially at the beginning of a sentence. More importantly means "in a more important manner." More important, we need to establish a line of credit very quickly. (What is more important) The incident was treated more importantly than it deserved. On a more important manner.)

More than-over. Either more than or over may be used before numbers, but more than is preferable in formal writing. Our fall catalog brought in more than $400,000 in sales.

How could you lose over $80,000 in the stock market? In some situations—especially involving age—more than is not appropriate. These provisions apply only to people over 50. In all cases, choose the form that sounds more natural. Most. Do not use most for almost. Almost all the money is gone. OR: Most of the money is gone.

(BUT NOT: Most all of the money is gone.) Nobody-no body There was nobody [no person] at the information desk when I arrived. No body [no group] of employees is more cooperative than yours. (Spell no body as two words when it is followed by of. See also Hi010.)

None-no one. See 1U013. Not so . . . as. See As... as-not so... as. Notoriety-celebrity. See Celebrity-notoriety. Number. See Amount-number. Of-a. SeeA-of.

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1)1101

Of-have. Do not use of instead of have in verb forms. The correct forms are could have, would have, should have, might have, may have, must have, ought to have, and so for What could have happened' NOT: What could of happened?] Off. Do not use offofor off from in place of off. (See also H1078.) The papers fell off the desk (NOT. off of the desk.) Off-from. SeeFrom-off.

On-onto-on to It's dangerous to drive on the shoulder. [On is a preposition that implies movement over) He lost control of the car and drove onto the sidewalk. [Onto is a preposition that implies movement toward and then over) She then went on to tell about her experiences in Asia [On is part of the verb phrase went on, to is part of the infinitive to tell) Let's go on to the next problem, which runs on to the next page. [Go on and rvns on are verb phrases followed by the preposition to) First log on to the Internet. [On is part of the verb phrase log on, to is a preposition) Our new marketing campaign is off to a fast start! Hold on to your hatsl It's time to stop arguing about this point and moire on to other matters.

On-upon-up on His statements were based on [OR. upon] experimental data. [On and upon are interchangeable) Please follow up on the case [Up is part of the verb phrase follow up, on is a preposition) The district attorney's whole case hangs on [OR. upon] the testimony of one witness. Don't let yourself get hung up on a small detail like that [Up is part of the verb phrase hung up, on is a preposition.)

On account of. See Due to-because of-on account of. On behalf of-in behalf of. See In behalf of-on behalf of. One another-each other. See Each other-one another. Only. The adverb only can be negative in meaning. Therefore, do not use another negative with it unless you want a positive meaning. (See H1072.) I use this letterhead only for formal matters (I do not use this letterhead for anything else)

BUT: I do not use th s letterhead only for formal matters (I use it for other things too) Opposite. When used as a noun, opposite is followed by of. Her opinion is the oppos te fmne In other uses, opposite is followed by to or from or by no preposition at all. Her opinion is opposite to [OR: from mine She ives opp te the school Over-more than. See More than-over. Parameter. This technical term has now acquired two meanings in general usage. It may refer to a variable factor, the value of which has to be established in specific calculations. Wth these ba

formu as n p

e y u an change a y paramete OR: any of these param

ete ] and imme ate y see the effect on the b ttom ne The plural form, parameters, can also mean "limits, boundaries." We must est deta ed a s

h the pa meters mrts

f t s resea h pr ect bef re we can draw up

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flllOl Party-people. See Individual-party-person-people. Per-*.. Per, a Latin word, is often used to mean "by the," as in 28 miles per gallon (mpg) or 55 miles per hour (mph). Whenever possible, substitute a or an; for example, at the rate of $8 an hour, 75 cents a liter. Per must be retained, of course, in Latin phrases—for example, per diem (by the day) OR. per capita (for each person; literally, by the head). NOTE: Do not use per or as per in the sense of "according to" or "in accordance with." We are sending you the samples you requested. [NOT: as per your request) Percent-percentage. In ordinary usage, percent should always be accompanied by a number; for example, 20percent, 0.5percent, 150percent. In a table, a column of figures representing percentages may be headed Percent of Total or something comparable. In all other cases, use the term percentage. A large percentage of the calls we got yesterday came from customers who misread our ad. (NOT: A large percent of the calls . . .)

What percentage of our subscribers are in the 30-49 age group? (See HI 025.] NOTE: In the percentage formula used in mathematics (base x rate = amount), the rate is called a.percent and the amount is called ^percentage. Thus you might be asked to calculate the percentage when a sales tax of 6 percent (the rate) is applied to a purchase of $50 (the base). By the same token, you might be asked to calculate the percent (the rate) if you know that a tax of $5 (the amount, or percentage) has been paid on an order of $200. Apart from this special context, percent and percentage should be used as noted above. Period ended-period ending. When referring to a period of time that is already in the past, write period ended. When the period in question has not yet ended, write period ending. Enclosed are the sales figures for the period ended June 30. (U is now July.] Here are my sales projections for the period ending December 31. (It is only September.]

Person-people. See Individual-party-person-people. Persuade-convince. See Convince-persuade. Plurality-majority. See Majority-plurality. Plus. Plus can be correctly used as a noun, an adjective, or a preposition. However, do not use it as a conjunction (with the sense of "and"). Your presence at the hearing was a real plus for our cause. {Plus used correctly as a noun.) The decision to offer a 10 percent discount on all orders received by June 1 was a plus factor in the campaign. {Plus used correctly as an adjective.) Your willingness to innovate plus your patient perspective on profits has permitted this company to grow at an astonishing rate. {Plus used correctly as a preposition. Note that a plus phrase following the subject of a sentence does not affect the number of the verb. See H1007.) BUT NOT: You have always been willing to innovate, plus you have been patient about the profits to be derived from the innovations. (Do not use plus as a conjunction; use and instead.)

Preventive-preventative. Although these words have the same meaning, preventive is preferred because it is the shorter form and the one more commonly used. We need to take some preventive [RATHER THAN-, preventative] action before sales drop further.

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111101

Principle-principal. The word principle can be used only as a noun. It can mean "a basic law or rule" (a key principle of economics) or "faithful adherence to a cod of ethics" (a person of principle). The derivative adjective principledalsorefers adherence to an ethical code (a principled politician). The word principal can serve as a noun or an adjective. As a noun, it may refer to a business owner or a partner (a principal in the firm), the head of a school (appointed principal of Edison Middle School), or a sum of invested money (recei an excellent return on my principal). As an adjective, principal means "the m important" (my principal reason for quitting, the principal parts of a verb). Proved-proven. Use^royen only as a modifier before a noun. Otherwise, use proved. Here is a proven remedy for your condition.

This remedy has proved [NOT: proven] to be extremely effective. Rack-wrack. The words rack and wrack have been used interchangeably so often in certain contexts that some authorities now regard wrack as a spelling variant of rack. However, careful writers will want to respect the traditional distinction in usage. to rack one's brains a nerve-racking encounter

a storm-ivrac/cerf island a business wracked by heavy losses

to be racked with pain let the property go to wrack and ruin Raise-rise. Raise (principal parts: raise, raised, raised, raising) means "to caus lift" or "to lift something." This verb requires an object to complete its meaning. Mr. Pinelli raises a good question. Most growers have raised the price of coffee. We are raising money for the United Fund.

Our rent has been raised. (A passive construction implying that someone has raisedx Rise (principal parts: rise, rose, risen,rising)means "to ascend," "to move upward by itself," or "to get up." This verb cannot be used with an object. We will have to rise to the demands of the occasion. The sun rose at 6:25 this morning. The river has risen to flood level.

The temperature has been rising all day. TEST: Remember, you cannot "rise" anything. Real-really. Real is an adjective; really, an adverb. Do not use real to modify anoth adjective; use very or really. One taste will tell you these cookies were made with real butter. (Adjective.) We were really expecting a lower price from you this year. [Adverb.) BUT: It was very nice OR: really nice [NOT: real nice] to see you and your family again.

Reason is because. Replace because with that. The reason for such low sales is that [NOT: because] prices are too high.

Refer-allude. See Allude-refer. Reluctant-reticent. Reluctant means "disinclined," "unwilling," or "hesitant." Reticent means "inclined to be silent." Although some dictionaries now show reticent as a synonym for reluctant, careful writers and speakers will avoid this usage. I am reluctant [NOT: reticent] to agree to these changes in the contract. Phil was reticent when you asked what he thought of the CEO's speech.

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Hum Retroactive to. After retroactive use to (NOT: from). These improvements in benefits under the company dental plan will be retroactive to July 1. (See also Hi077.J

Rise-raise. See Raise-rise. Said. Avoid the use of said or above as an adjective (as in the said document or the above document), especially in legal writing, where this usage still tends to persist. There are a number of alternatives readily at hand. You could write this document, that document, or the document cited above; you could even use a shortened name to refer to the document. (See also Above.) Same. Do not use same to refer to a previously mentioned thing. We are now processing your order and will have it ready for you Monday. (NOT: We are now processing your order and will have same ready...] Scarcely. The adverb scarcely is negative in meaning. To preserve the negative meaning, do not use another negative with it. (See 111072 for the placement of scarcely.) I scarcely recognized [NOT: didn't scarcely recognize] you.

Scots-Scottish-Scotch. To refer to the people of Scotland, use the Scots or the Scottish. As a general rule, use Scottish (rather than Scotch) as an adjective; for example, the Scottish language, Scottish weather, Scottish culture. Restrict the use of Scotch to well-established expressions; for example, Scotch egg, Scotch pine, Scotch tape, Scotch terrier, Scotch whisky. (Whiskey is normally spelled with an e, but the e is omitted when the word is preceded by Scotch.) Semiannual. See Biannual-biennial-semiannual. Serve-service. Things can be serviced, but people are served. We take great pride in the way we serve [NOT: service] our clients. For a small additional charge we will service the equipment for a full year. Set-sit. Set (principal parts: set, set, set, setting) means "to place something somewhere"; in this sense, set requires an object to complete its meaning. Sit (principal parts: sit, sat, sat, sitting) means "to be in a position of rest" or "to be seated." This verb cannot be used with an object, REMEMBER: YOU cannot "sit" anything. It's important to set down your recollections while they are still fresh. I must have dropped my wallet when I set my suitcase down. I have set my alarm for six in the morning. The crew was setting the stage for the evening performance. The date was set some time ago. (A passive construction implying that someone set the date.) So here we sit, waiting for a decision from top management I sat next to Ebbetsen at the board meeting.

NOTE: Set has a few other meanings in which the verb does not require an object, but these meanings are seldom confused with sit. They set out on the trip in high spirits. The sun set at 5:34 p.m. Wednesday.

Allow a full hour for the mixture to set Sex-gender. See Gender-sex.

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fluoi Shall-will. The helping verb shall has given way to the verb will in all but the most formal writing and speech. The following rules reflect both ordinary and formal usage. a. To express simple future tune: (1) In ordinary circumstances use will with all three persons. / [OR: we] will be glad to help you plan the program Y u w//want to study these recommendations before the meeting He [OH: she it they] will arrive tomorrow morning

(2) In formal circumstances use shall with the first person (I, we) and will with the second and third persons (you, he, she, it, they). I [OR: we] shall be glad to answer all inquiries promptly You will meet the McGmnesses at the reception this evening. They [OR: he she] will not find the trip too t ring

b. To indicate determination, promise, desire, choice, or threat: (1) In ordinary circumstances use will with all three persons. (2) Informal circumstances use will for the first person (I, we) and shall for th second and third persons (you, he, she, it, they). In spite of the risk, / iv///go where I please. (Determination.) They shall not interfere with my departmenL (Determination) / will send my check by the end of the week (Promise) We will report you to the authorities if this is true (Threat.) You shall regret your answer (Threat) He shall study or he shall leave col ege (Threat)

c. To indicate willingness (to be willing, to be agreeable to) in both ordinary and f mal circumstances, use will with all persons. Yes I will meet you at six o'clock Should-would. Should and would follow the same rules as shall and will (see preceding entry) in expressions of future tune, determination, and willingness. The distinctions concerning ordinary and formal usage also apply here, ORDINARY: I would like to hear from you FORMAL: I should like to hear from you ORDINARY: We w u d be g ad to see

her

FORMAL: We should be g ad to see her

ORDINARY: I would be pleased to serve on that committee FORMAL: \ s udbep eased to serve on that committee

a. Always use should in all persons to indicate "ought to." I sh ud study tonight Y u

uld e

rt h d

ty to the man g r

Hes/j ud pay h d bts

b. Always use would in all persons to indicate customary action. Every day I w sw fame Tmea d g t yie ay N comme L S e w ul p act ce d y after day

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111101 c. Use should in all three persons to express a condition in an if clause. If I should win the prize, I will share it with you. If you should miss the train, please call me collect.

d. Use would in all three persons to express willingness in an if clause. If he would apply himself, he could win top honors easily.

If you would delay your decision, I could offer you more attractive terms. Since. Since has two meanings: it can refer to some point of time in the past, or it can mean "because." Since [from the time that] we last talked, I've found a much better job at another company.

Since [because] I will be traveling for the next two weeks, please hold my mail until I return. Ordinarily, the context makes it clear which meaning is intended, but reword in cases where the use of since could cause confusion. CONTUSING: I've not talked with Rob since he got the job that I had hoped to snare for myself. (It is not clear why the writer has not talked to Rob. Is it because the writer is suffering from a bad case of envy, or is it simply because Rob is no longer easy to stay in touch with?] CLEAR: I've not talked with Rob since he left the company for another job. As it happens, he got the job that I had hoped to snare for myself. CLEAR: I've not talked with Rob since he left the company, because he got the job that I had hoped to snare for myself.

Sit-set. See Set-sit. So-so that. So as a conjunction means "therefore"; so that means "in order that." The work is now finished, so you can all go home. (See also H179.] Please finish what you are doing so that we can all go home. Someday-some day Please set up a meeting with Al and Jerry someday [on an unspecified day] next week. BUT: Please set up a meeting with Al and Jerry for some day next week. (Two words when used as the object of a preposition such as for)

Someone-some one. See 1U010, note. Sometime-sometimes-some time The order will be shipped sometime [at some unspecified time] next week. Sometimes [now and then] reports are misleading. It took me some time [a period of time] to complete the job. I saw him some time ago [a long time ago],

Spell some time as two words when the term follows a preposition. We will be happy to reconsider your proposal at some time in the future. I've been thinking about retiring for some time. Sort. See Kind.

NOTE:

Sort of-kind of. See Kind of-sort of. Such as . . . etc. See Etc. Such as-like. See Like-such as. Supposed to. Be sure to spell supposed with a d. Under the circumstances what was I supposed to think? (NOT: suppose to.]

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111101 Sure-surely. Sure is an adjective, surely an adverb. I am sure that I did not make that mistake. (Adjective.]

You can surely count on our help. (Adverb.) Do not use sure as an adverb; use surely or very. I was very glad to be of help. (NOT. sure glad.) Sure and. In written material use sure to in place of the colloquial sure and. Be sure to give them my best regards. (NOT: Be sure and give them my best regards.) Tack-tact. Use tack (NOT: tact) in the expression to take a different tack (meaning "to move in a different direction"). Tact means "a considerate way of behaving so as to avoid offending others." We may have to take a different tack in our negotiations with Firebridge.

Please use a great deal of tact when you reply to Korbman's letter. Take-bring. See Bring-take. Teach-learn. See Leam-teach. Than-then. Than is a conjunction introducing a dependent clause of comparison. Then is an adverb meaning "at that time" or "next." The compulsory retirement age is higher now than it was then. They then asserted that they could handle the account better than we. (See fll057 for the case of pronouns following than)

Remember that then (like when) refers to time. That. As a subordinating conjunction, that links the dependent clause it introduces with the main clause. That is often omitted (but understood). NOTE:

We realize that our bargaining position is not a strong one.

OR: We realize our bargaining position is not a strong one. However, under certain circumstances that should not be omitted: a. When the word or phrase following that could be misread as the object of the verb in the main clause. NOT: I heard your speech next Wednesday had to be rescheduled. BUT: I heard that your speech next Wednesday had to be rescheduled.

b. When that introduces two or more parallel clauses. NOT: Hilary said she had narrowed the applicants for the job down to three people and that she would announce her choice by this Friday. BUT: Hilary said that she had narrowed the applicants for the job down to three people and that she would announce her choice by this Friday.

c. When an introductory or interrupting element comes between that and the subject of the dependent clause. NOT: I think whenever possible, you should consult everyone involved before making your decision. BUT: I think that whenever possible, you should consult everyone involved before making your decision. (See fl130d.)

If you are in doubt, do not omit that. That-where. See Where-that. That-which-who. See 311062. NOTE:

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tinoi Therefore. Beginning a sentence with therefore is now considered perfectly accept able. Therefore (like other transitional expressions, such as however and moreover) helps readers relate the thought being introduced to the thought that went before. Many readers find it more helpful if they encounter the transitional expression at the beginning of the sentence In that way they can tellfromthe outset the direction in which the new sentence is proceeding. (See also However.) Compare these examples: When you are address ng a request to someone who reports to you you expect that person to comply A penod can be properly used therefore, to punctuate such requests. Since most people prefer to be asked to do someth ng rather than be to d to do it, however a quest on mark establishes a nicer tone and often gets better results. When you are addressing a request to someone who reports to you you expect that person to comply Therefore, a penod can properly be used to punctuate such requests However, since most people prefer to be asked to do something rather than be told to do it a question mark estab shes a n cer tone and often gets better results.

In any case, the location of a transitional expression in a sentence must be deter mined by the individual writer. (For a list of transitional expressions, see 1138a.) These sort-these kind. Incorrect; the correct forms are this sort, this kind, these sorts, these kinds. (See also Kind.) Titled-entitled. See Entitled titled. Together, See Both dike-both equal-both together. Toward-towards. Both forms are correct, but toward is more common in U.S. usage. Try and. In written material use try to rather than the colloquial try and Please try to be here on time (ROT. Please try and be here on time) Type. See End.

Type-key. The verb type has traditionally been used to refer to actions performed on atypewriterkeyboard. The verb key was originally introduced to refer to actions performed on a computer keyboard. However, type has supplanted key in many software manuals and even appears in screen displays. Uninterested-disinterested. See Disinterested-uninterested. Unique. Do not use unique in the sense of "unusual." A unique thing is one of a kind. (See 1107If.) Up. Many verbs (for example, end, rest, lift, connect, join, hurry, settle, bum, drink, eat) contain the idea of "up"; therefore, the adverb up is unnecessary. In the fol lowing sentences, up should be omitted. You need to rest up for a bit

Save $50 if you jon (up now

Lets divide up the workload Iw call hm (up tomorrow Upon-np on. See On-upon-^up on. Used to. As a general rule, be sure to spell used with a d. Ma a used to rve in Phoenix, oa. Marcta used to tve in Phoenix, didnt she?

BXCKPTUM: Marcta didnt use to live in Phoenix OK Didn't Marcia use to rve in Phoenix? However, drop the d in these expressions—did use to and didn t use to—as in the example directly above. Reason- A helping verb (in this case, did or didn t) should be followed by an infinitive (in this case, use)ratherthan a past tense form (used).

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UllOl To better understand this principle, consider another example, where want takes the place of used or use: Marcia didn't want to live in Phoenix, (NOT: didn't wanted.)

As an alternative to these subtle distinctions, reword to avoid used to or didn 't use to altogether. Marcia formerly lived in Phoenix. OR: Marcia lived in Phoenix some time ago.

Did Marcia ever live in Phoenix? OR: Marcia never lived in Phoenix, did she? Verbal. The word verbal can often cause confusion because it means "expressed in words" as well as "oral, not written." Reword as necessary to make your meaning clear. AMBIGUOUS: How would you rate Sid's verbal skills? CLEAR: How would you rate Sid's ability to express himself in words? CLEAR: How would you rate Sid's ability to express himself orally?

How would you rate Sid's ability to express himself in speech and writing? Avoid expressions such as verbal contracts unless you are sure your audience knows that these are oral agreements. Very. This adverb can be used to modify an adjective, another adverb, a present participle, or a "descriptive" past participle. CLEAR:

We are very happy with the outcome. (Modifying an adjective.) This finish dries very quickly. (Modifying an adverb.) It was a very disappointing showing. (Modifying a present participle.) I was very pleased with the pictures. (Modifying a descriptive past participle.)

When the past participle expresses action rather than description, insert an adverb like much after very.

They are very much opposed to your plan. [Opposed \s part of the complete verb are oppose and expresses action rather than description.) (NOT: They are very opposed to your plan.) Vicious circle. The correct form is vicious circle (NOT: vicious cycle).

Ways. Do not use ways for way in referring to distance. For example, "I live a short way [NOT: ways] from here." Well-good. See Good-well. Whatever-what ever. You may write on whatever [any] topic you wish. What ever made you think that was true? {Ever is an adverb here.)

Where-that. Do not use where in place of that. I saw in yesterday's paper that Schuster's had decided to close its midtown store. (NOT: I saw in yesterday's paper where Schuster's had decided to close its midtown store.)

Whether-if. See If-whether. Which. Traditionally, the use of which to refer to a previous clause in a sentence has been frowned upon, but it is now considered acceptable if it is not overdone. Nick Farnsworth promised to forward my movie script to his own agent which he did. (Here which refers to the entire main clause in the sentence)

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111101 Avoid this usage when simpler means of expression are readily available. AVOID: Some legal writing will not be comprehensible to people without legal training, which is to say, it may refer to legal principles unfamiliar to lay readers. BETTER: Some legal writing will not be comprehensible to people without legal training, that istosay.it may refer to legal principles unfamiliar to lay readers.

While. While has two meanings: "during the time that" and "although." While [dunng the time that] Sam was here as a summer intern, he did a great job in cleaning up our mailing lists

While [although] I understand your objections, I feel that I must proceed as I had planned. Ordinarily, the context makes it clear which meaning is intended, but reword in cases where the use of while could cause confusion. Who-which-that See 1U062. Who-whom. See 1U061. Whoever-who even See HI061. Whoever [anyone who] made such a statement should be fired. Who ever made such a statement? {Ever is an adverb here.) Will-shall. See

Shall-will.

Wise. Avoid the temptation to coin new words by attaching the suffix wise to various nouns. (Stylewise, it's considered bad form.) NOT: Costwise, we're already 20 percent over budget BUT: We're already 20 percent over budget on costs.

HOT: Sizewise, what comes after extra large? Gross? (Even when used in a conscious attempt at humor, the approach leaves much to be desired. Once again, avoid the temptation.] BUT: In terms of size, what comes after extra large? Gross? NOTE: A number of words ending in wise are quite acceptable. For example: clockwise crosswise lengthwise otherwise counterclockwise edgewise likewise sidewise In the examples above, wise is a suffix meaning "with regard to" or "in the manner of." Wise (in the sense of "knowledgeable about") is also used in compound adjectives like these: penny-wise weather-wise worldly-wise streetwise Such words are also quite acceptable. Would-should. See Should-would. Would have. Note that the second word in this verb phrase is have. (The form would of is wrong.) I myself would have [NOT: would of] taken a different tack. I n a clause beginning w i t h if, do not use would have i n place of had. If you had come early you could have talked with Or Fernandez yourself (NOT: If you would have come early, you could have talked with Dr. Fernandez yourself.)

Wrack-rack. See Rack-wrack.

Port Techniques and Formats Section Section Section Section Section Section Section

12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

Editing and Proofreading Letters, Memos, and E-Mail Reports and Manuscripts Notes and Bibliographies Tables Other Business Documents Forms of Address

348 360 442 474 508 539 577

Section 12 Editing and Proofreading Editing and Proofreading Guidelines (WI1201-1206) The Editing and Proofreading Process (H1201) What to Look For When Proofreading (111202) What to Look For When Editing (111203) Editing and Proofreading at the Computer (HI 2 04) Using a Spell Checker and a Grammar Checker (111205) Proofreaders' Marks (H1206)

Editing and Proofreading Guidelines

In the traditional business world, editing and proofreading have been considered activitie quite distinct from the act of composing (whether letters, reports, or some other documents). In this environment one person composes the document—either in the form of a written draft in the form of dictated material—and someone else assumes the responsibility for editing and proofreading the material and producing the final document. Although this separation of re ponsibilities still exists in many offices, only higher-level executives typically continue to e joy this arrangement.

In the modern business world, the widespread use of computers has greatly alfected the way in which documents are prepared and produced. Many people are now responsible both for c mposmg and for producing the final document themselves. In this new environment editing and proofreading become fully integrated into the overall writing process. Individuals approach the writing process in different ways. Some begin by planning what they want to say in the form of an outline (see HH1718-1723). Then, on the basis of this outline, they compose a first draft of the document. Many other people find it difficult to plan and outline before they begin to write. For such people the first stage of writing is the means by which they discover what they are trying to say. They typicaliy begin by jotting their thoughts dwnin random order, knowing that the result of this first effort mayliterallybe a mess that needs to be cleaned up. (They may even find it helpful to pretend that someone else has created the mess that they are about to clean up.) People who are paralyzed by the sight of a blank screen or a blank sheet of paperfindit comforting to begin the serious job of writing by starting with a c py of an existing document and adapting it to fit the current situation. However writers arrive at a first draft—whether through careful planning and outlining or by m an of a rand m outpouring of thoughts—they must now apply editing techniques to the writing process in order to determine (1) what material to add or leave out, (2) how to organize the m tenal that remains, and (3) how t adjust the wording so as to achieve their bj tve. As they edit, they must also c rrect any pr blems they encounter in grammar,

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1)1201 usage, and style. And as they go through one or more additional drafts, they must also apply proofreading techniques to confirm that each draft accurately presents the material in the form that was intended. When writers proceed in this way, editing and proofreading become totally integrated in the writing process almost from the very beginning. Whether you are working on material composed by someone else or you are responsible for all phases of the writing process, the following guidelines on editing and proofreading should help you achieve a higher level of quality in the documents you produce.

The Editing and Proofreading Process I a. Proofreading is the process by which you look at copy that you or someone else has written and confirm that this version faithfully reproduces the original material in the intended form. If the copy deviates in any way from the original, you have to mark it for correction. Once the corrections are made, you have to read the copy again to ensure that everything is now as it should be. HOTE: Ordinarily, one person can handle the task of comparing the copy against the original and noting any necessary corrections. However, if the material is complex or involves many statistics or formulas, it is wise for two people to share the proofreading function: one (known as the copyholder) reads the original material aloud and also indicates the intended punctuation, capitalization, and paragraphing, as well as other significant details of style and format, while the other person (the proofreader) examines the copy closely to ensure that everything appears as it ought to. b. Editing is the process by which you look at material that you or someone else has written and evaluate it on its own terms (either in its original form or at a later stage). You question the material on the grounds of accuracy, clarity, coherence, consistency, and effectiveness. If you have drafted the material yourself, you may have to revise it several times in order to resolve all the problems you find. If you encounter problems while editing material that someone else has written, you resolve the ones you are equipped and authorized to handle. You refer the other problems (with suggestions for changes when possible) to the author of the original material, who will then decide how to resolve these problems. c. If you encounter a set of figures as a proofreader, your responsibility—strictly speaking—is only to ensure that the figures on the copy agree with the corresponding figures in the original. However, as an editor, you may question whether the figures in the original are correct as given or even the best figures that might be supplied. By the same token, if you examine text material as a proofreader, your only responsibility is to confirm that the copy agrees with the original in wording, style, and format. However, as an editor, you might question—and change—the wording, the format, and the style in the interests of accuracy, clarity, coherence, consistency, and effectiveness. d. Many people often function simultaneously as editors and proofreaders without realizing that they are operating at two levels—one essentially mechanical (checking for similarities and differences) and the other essentially analytical and judgmental (looking for problems and solving them). Ideally, editing should be done on the original material so that all problems of substance, grammar, style, and format are resolved before a copy is executed infinalform. However, it would

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1202

be a mistake to read the final copy merely as a mechanical proofreader, assuming that the original is perfect and that you only need to look for places where the copy deviates from the original. On the chance that problems may have gone undetected in the earlier editing, you need to read the final copy in that challenging, questioning way that distinguishes editing from simple proofreading. You may be able to edit and proofread at the same time, or you may need to make several readings, focusing each time on different things. The following paragraphs (OT1202-1203) will suggest the kinds of things you should be looking for when you proofread and edit. As you review these suggestions, keep in mind that a sharp eye and sound judgment are essential elements in this process.

What to Look For When Proofreading

1202 I When proofreading a document, be especially watchful for the following types o mistakes.

a. Repeated words (or parts of words), especially at the end of one line andthebeginning of the next. (Your spell checker will usually point out this kind of error.) What are the chances of your your coming to see us sometime this summer?

I have been awaiting some indw Indication of a willingness to compromise.

I can help you in the event in the event you have more work than you can handle.

We are looking forward to the to the reception you are planning for the Lockwoods.

b. Substitutions and omissions, especially those that change the meaning. Original Material

Erroneous Copy

We offer a full range of goods and services.

We offer a full range of goofs and services.

The court has ruled that this transaction is not legal.

The court has ruled that this transaction is now legal.

In my opinion, there is no reason to suspect Fred.

In my opinion, there is reason to suspect Fred.

I hereby agree to pay you $87.50 in full settlement of your claim.

I hereby agree to pay you $8750 in full settlement of your claim.

Tom has probably reached the acme of his career.

Tom has probably reached the acne of his career

The board has decided to install metal detectors in all the schools

The board has decided to install mental detectors in all the schools

Ron's test scores ranked near the bottom

Ron's test scores tanked near the bottom.

Section 12 • Editing and Proofreading

351

H1202 Original Material

Erroneous Copy

touts! had a great time until the money in her JfUStMd. ran out

tousie had a great time until the money in her Jrust furj ran out

(would ike to apply for a Iparlfimf Position

I would like to apply for a ijafty-time. position

You need to consult the Uniform Gift to Minors Act

You need to consult the Uninformed Gift to Minors Act

I felt that Kurt's criticism of my tennis game was Undeserye&

I felt that Kurt s criticism of my tennis game was ynderseryed

Who told you that-Bifl?

Who told you that-fiuO9

When provoked, Gail has been known to turn jflolent

When provoked, Gail has been known to turn Violet

All of Trent's actions reflect his strong,flprigrftcharacter

All of Trent's actions reflect his strong (Jptighf character

We want our managers to Bvi in the communities where our plants are located

We want our managers to M in the communities where our plants are located

He is quite proud of his |af stomach.

He is quite proud of his fet stomach

The company needs a good turnaround strategy, but what that will be is still lindetermined.

The company needs a good turnaround strategy, but what that will be is still findermlned.

My son was ticketed yesterday for tackles* driving

My son was ticketed yesterday for frrecklesj driving

III gladly give you the job ffyouHctottlnaweekancI if you II reduce your price by $200

I'll gladly give you the job nyoull reduce your pnce by $200

c Errors in copying key data. Original Material

Erroneous Copy

Kathfnne AnnJJorgensfn

Kathfnne Ann| Jorgensfn

The Johnj Hopkins University

The JohnfHopkins University

TITLES:

W Margaret A. Kelef

ftlif Margaret A. Kelffl

ADDRESSES.

§r64t]Vauxhal Road Union N l 07W3

|40vauxhallRoad Union |Ui07Hp

DATES.

October U 2 03

October H . 2 59

FHONENOS^

411-555-15B

4l|-555-1521

NAMES:

Continued on page 352

352

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1202 Original Material

Erroneous Copy

MONEY:

$83,454,000,000

$38,454,000

DECIMALS:

sales fell 5.2 percent

sales fell 52 percent

CLOCK TIME:

arrive at 4:15 p.m.

arrive at 4:$1 p.m.

boil for?* minutes

boil for 20 minutes

AMOUNTS OF

PERIODS OF TIME:

Proofread addresses carefully, especially place names. An error in a single keystroke could create confusion, especially when cities with the same names are located in different states. (See also f 1333a.) NOTE:

Aberdeen, MD Auburn, ME Berlin, NH Bloomington, IL Bristol, MA Brunswick, MD

Aberdeen, MS Auburn, NE Berlin, NJ Bloomington, IN Bristol, ME Brunswick, ME

Canton, Ml China, ME Kearney, NJ Las Vegas, NV Memphis, TN Rockford, IL

Canton, MO China, Ml Kearney, NE Las Vegas, NM Memphis, TX Rockford, IA

d. Transpositions in letters, numbers, and words as well as other typographical errors. (These are the kinds of mistakes a spell checker usually does not catch.) Original Material

Erroneous Copy

Paula has earned a black belt in martial arts.

Paula has earned a black belt in marital arts.

Don had to struggle on the court yesterday to eke out a victory.

Don had to struggle on the court yesterday to eek out a victory.

Ruth's a shoo-in for the job of executive vice president

Ruth's a shoe-in for the job of executive vice president

Harley is one politician who has good moral values.

Harley is one politician who has good moral valves.

Everything Dale touches turns to gold.

Everything Dale touches turns to golf.

I'll buy two boats this May.

I'll buy tow boats this May.

a process of trial and error

a process of trail and error

Paul is a leader in today's world of public relations.

Paul is a leader in toady's, world of public relations.

We'll need 82 binders for the seminar beginning July )2.

We'll need 28 binders for the seminar beginning July 21.

Capitalize the first lettef of each word.

Capitalize the first word of each letted

Section 12 •

Editing and Proofreading

353

1)1203 e. Errors in spacing and inconsistencies in format (for example, indenting some paragraphs but not others, leaving too little or too much space between words or after punctuation, improperly aligning lines). Original Material

Erroneous Copy

Dear Mrs. Neilson:

Dear Mrs. Neilson:

Jhank yot| for your letter of April 24. Let me try to answer each of the questions you raised.

Jhankyou for your letter of April 24. Let me try to answer each of the questions you raised.

first we do not sell the components separately;*they only come package^ as a set

prst,w4 do not sell the cornponents separately;!*they only come pack agecj as a set

BOTE: As a final step in proofreading,

check the appearance of the document. Is the document printed clearly? Are there any smudges or marks that need to be cleaned up? Is it properly aligned on the page? Does each page as a whole look attractive? Apply standards that are appropriate for the occasion. Documents prepared for higher management and for clients or customers of your organization should meet the highest standards of appearance. On the other hand, manuscripts, drafts, and even rush memos to coworkers can be sent forward with minor corrections neatly inserted by hand. Naturally, if you are using a computer, you can make the corrections and quickly obtain a clean (and correct) page. (See M1203-1204.) What to Look For When Editing i When editing a document at any stage in the writing process, consider the material in light of the following factors. >• For an explanation of the proofreaders' marks used to indicate the necessary corrections in the following examples, see T1206 and the charts on pages 358-359. a. Check for errors in spelling (see Section 7). Give special attention to compound words (see Section 8) and words that have plural or possessive endings (see Section 6). When the material is in its final form, confirm the correctness of all word divisions (see Section 9). We had a simi^ir brealQlown in communications last May when a higrHevel executive failed to inform us that the corporation attornies| had advised against ire proceBing with merger negotjjpns. However, that was only the tip of the iceberg. BOTE. Use a spell

checker if you have one. However, since spell checkers are not infallible, keep an up-to-date dictionary at hand. Continued on page 354

354

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 203

b. Make sure that every necessary mark of punctuation is correctly inserted. (See Sections 1 and 2.) How do you account for the fact that/whenever we are about to launch a new product the company cuts the marketing dollars we need to promote the p r o d u c t ^

c. Inspect the material for possible errors in capitalization, number, and abbre tion style. (See Sections 3, 4, and 5.) Please be sure to attend the Managers' meeting scheduled forjune 4/0 at-ihfee p7m. There will be(§)announcements of special interest.

d. Correct any errors in grammar and usage. (See Sections 10 and 11.) •-

f

Ms

_, fewer

Everyone of the sales representatives-Rave-made4esscalls in the past six months th0n 4 h « y ^ a in the previous six-month period.

e. Be on the lookout for inconsistencies in the wording of the document. If you a editing someone else's material, resolve any problems that you can and refer the rest to the author of the original material. When I met with you, Harry Mills,(gnd Paula Fierr§)on May 8, we agreed t h a t . .

-

E

^

I think that you ought to (fill Paula h e r r o T r p n what happened at our May 8 meeting and get her thoughts about how we ought to proceed. NOTE: Be

especially alert to wording that conveys a meaning you did not intend.

BAD: We take pride in offering excellent food and service every day except Sunday. (Does this mean that on Sundays the food and service are perfectly dreadful?] BETTER: We take pride in offering excellent food and service. We are open every day except Sunday. BAD: To enjoy our specially priced pretheater menu, you must be seated by 6 p.m. Remember, the early bird gets the worm. (Does the menu offer anything more appetizing?] BETTER: To enjoy our specially priced pretheater menu, you must be seated by 6 p.m. Please try to come earlier if you can.

f. Also look out for inconsistencies in format. Make sure that comparable elemen in the document (for example, text, titles, headings, displayed extracts, and

Section 12 • Editing and Proofreading

355

HI 204 numbered or bulleted lists) have been treated the same way in terms of typeface, type size, placement, and so on. g. Look for problems in organization and writing style. The material could be entirely correct in terms of grammar, style, and usage, but it could still contain unclear or repetitive wording, clumsy sentences, a weak organization, or a tone that is not appropriate for the occasion. h. Look at the document as a whole from the intended readers' perspective, and consider whether it is likely to accomplish its objective. If the document is intended to persuade readers to accept a recommendation that they currently tend to oppose, has the writer (you or someone else) anticipated their objections and dealt with them? Or has the writer ignored the existence of such objections and thereby created the need for a follow-up document—or, what is worse, made it likely that the readers' negative leanings will harden into a flat rejection of the writer's recommendations? NOTE: If you are editing material you yourself have written, consider all the points

noted in ?1203a-h. However, if you are editing material written by someone else, the extent of your editing will depend on your experience and your relationship with the writer. If you are working for a literate boss, determine whether your boss has any special preferences with regard to matters of style. (What may look like an error to you could be an acceptable practice that you are not familiar with.) On the other hand, a boss who does not pretend to grasp the technical points of style will no doubt welcome your editing for such things as spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, usage, and inconsistencies (see H1203a-f). How much your boss—or anyone else for that matter—will appreciate your comments about the organization, writing style, and effectiveness of the material (see H1203g-h) will depend not only on your relationship with the writer but also on the tact with which you make your comments. Do not assume that because you have a close relationship with the writer, you can speak bluntly. Indeed, the closer the relationship, the more tact you may need to exercise.

Editing and Proofreading at the Computer >k-(iI^The computer provides some wonderful enhancements to the editing process. You can insert new copy, kill old copy, rearrange copy as many times as you like, and then print a clean version without any evidence of all the previous changes. Yet in the process of all this electronic "cutting and pasting," you may have failed to remove every bit of the old version you rejected; you may have changed the subject of a sentence from singular to plural without realizing the effect this change would have on the verb; you may even have inserted new copy in the wrong place and thus unintentionally produced pure gibberish. It is imperative, therefore, that you carefully proofread copy that has been rewritten and edited on a computer. Try to catch and correct as many errors as you can whenreviewingcopy on the screen. However, experienced usersreportthat it is difficult tofindevery error when proofing on the screen, so give the printout a careful reading as well. In any case, edit the material carefully in light of all the factors noted in H1203. Continued on page 356

356

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

til 204 To maximize the benefits from a computer and minimize the drawbacks, follow these guidelines. a. If you are composing at the computer, be especially careful when reviewing your work. Experienced writers recognize that when they read what they have written, they have a tendency to see what they intended to write rather than what is actually there. That's why even good writers always need good editors. b. If someone else will be editing your material and preparing the final document, you may be tempted to deliver the material (whether on disk or in some other electronic format) in rough, first-draft form and expect the other person to resolve any problems that remain in your material. However, you need to take full responsibility for the document, even though editorial assistance is provided. NOTE: If you are delivering a rough draft along with specific instructions on how certain material should be handled, write the instructions in the margin and circle them sothattheywili not be confused with material to be inserted in the text. c If you are typing material from hard copy, first edit it carefuUy. If someone else wrote the copy, then before you type it, get the writer's help in resolving any questions about content and style that you do not feel equipped or authorized to resolve yourself. By carefully editing this material prior to typing it, you greatly reduce the likelihood of undetected errors in the final document. d. If you are transcribing from recorded input, you may have to consider the first version you print as a draft that must be approved by the author. e. By the same token, if you receive input on disk or via a modem, you may want to give the person who originated the document a chance to review and alter the document before you undertake the final editing and proofreading. f. Before you print the material, run it through the speli checker and the grammar checker and make the necessary corrections. (See 111205.) Also scan the material on the screen for any obvious mistakes (such as those noted in M1202 and 1203), and make the necessary changes. If you have transcribed from recorded dictation, you wili have no original copy to proofread against. Moreover, in the act of transcribing, it is easy to misinterpret and mispunctuate words and phrases or to omit them altogether. Therefore, while you should try to identify and correct as many errors on the screen as you can, you need to recognize that the editing you have done at this stage is not likely to be sufficient. g. After you print the material, examine it carefuliy for ali types of errors as weli as possible instances of inconsistency and incoherence. Make the necessary corrections, and then review the new material—first on the screen and then again on the final printout—to make sure you have not introduced any new errors. NOTE:

If more than one draft is required before you get to the final version, use a header or a footer to identify each succeeding draft by number and, if appropriate, by date and time. This is particularly important when several people are reviewing and commenting on the document. In that way, you can be sure—if further changes are required—that you are making them on the most recent version of the document. NOTE:

Section 12 • Editing and Proofreading

357 HI 206

Using a Spell Checker and a Grammar Checker (The easy availability of spell checkers and grammar checkers has lulled many a computer user into a complacent (and false) sense of security. While these are extremely useful tools, they will not detect manytypesof errors. You will still have to read with a keen eye when you proofread, and you will always have to exercise sound judgment when you edit a. When you use a spell checker, do not assume that it will find all of your errors. If you have mistakenly substituted one correctly spelled word for another, the spell checker will not report this as an error. If you write, "Stella will be included in the bridle; party," the spell checker will not tell you that "bridle" should be "bridal." If you write, That article has really peaked* my interest," the spell checker will not tell you that "peaked" should be "piqued/ And if you should write, "Be sure to Jruiif this material through the spell checker," the spell checker will utter no protest. b. When you use a grammar checker, do not accept its corrections or suggestions uncritically. Grammar checkers can sometimes provide totally misguided advice. Consider the following examples: ORIGINAL VERSION: SUGGESTED REVISION:

I was wealing loafers that day. I was $ wearing loafef that day.

ORIGINAL VERSION:

Thank you for all you have done to make this achievement possible. Thank you for all you has done to make this achievement possible.

SUGGESTED REVISION: ORIGINAL VERSION: SUGGESTED REVISION-.

If the next edition of the book IS now available, please let me know. If the next edition of the book were now available, please let me know.

ORIGINAL VERSION: SUGGESTED REVISION:

Let Claudia herself do the necessary work. Let Claudia herself does the necessary work.

ORIGINAL VERSION:

Its time to face the plane truth. [This sentence contains two errors.) Fragment [consider revising). [No other suggestions were provided.)

SUGGESTED REVISION: ORIGINAL VERSION: SUGGESTED REVISION:

I would have been totally confused if I did not know the situation as well as I dd, I would have been totally confused if I did not know the situation as well as I does.

Proofreaders' Marks > Kit 1^1 Whether you are editing or proofreading, use the proofreaders' marks shown on pages 358 and 359 to indicate the corrections that need to be made. Minor variations in the way these marks are formed are unimportant as long as the marks clearly indicate what corrections have to be made.

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1206 PROOFREADERS' MARKS

PROOFREADERS' MARK 55 [2

Single-space

ssl

DRAFT

FINAL COPY

I have heard

I have heard he is leaving.

he is leaving. dstZ

Double-space

When will you have a decision?

When will you have a decision?

+ lx>4fc-> Insert 1 line space

Percent of Change

Percent of Change 16.25

—1£#-> Delete (remove) 1 line space

Northeastern

Northeastern regional sales

regional sales v^

Delete space

Tr Insert space C ~ 3 Move as shown L/^

O

A»«A

-

J>«

A

OR

A

So, 2 >

OR

/

Transpose

Spell out

together

Itmaybe

It may not be

A

A

it is true

it is(noT)true

believable

be|^)vable

it is so

Ijs'rfyso

two years ago

@years ago

16 Elm Street

Insert a word

16Elm(§t)

How much is it?

Delete a word or a punctuation mark

How mucf^t?

it may be true

it may-aepbe truel^ 5 U tempenure

temperature

Delete a letter and close up

commitjment to bw5y

commitment to buy

Add on to a word

a reaj/good day

a really good day

Change a letter

this supegeedes

this supersedes

Change a word

.^aritnfyou-wgrrt-

but if you can't

Insert a letter

Stet (don't delete]

/

together

H

[emailprotected]

I was very glad

Lowercase a letter (make it a small letter)

/ederal jaovernment

federal government

Capitalize

Janet Ljjreyston

Janet L Greyston

Section 12 • Editing and Proofreading

359

HI 206 PROOFREADERS' MARKS (Continued) PROOFREADERS' MARK

DRAFT

FINAL COPY

V

Rane above the line

In her new book2

in her new book2

A

Drop below the line

wkA

H2SO4

O

Insertaperiod

MCHenry Grenade

Mr Henry Grenada

Insert • oomme

a laig&old house

a large, old house

Insert an apostrophe

my child-ens car

my children's car

Insert quotation marks

he wants aloan

he wants a loan*

Insert a hyphen

afirstratejob

a first-rate job

asktheccjpwner

ask the co-owner

SuccessjjatlastJ

Success—at tost)

Here it r%|pashl

Here it •—ceshl

Do it now. Bill!

Do it now, Billl

V

VV *

r —

Insert a one-em dash or change a hyphen to a one-em dash*

Inaert italics Delete Italics

&

Dort^T

10

Doitnowl CONFIDENTIAL

Change to boldface a*y\ Lt

^

Delete boldface

Shtpbvflluoe;J?>1J*''

Ship by June!

Change to Kgrraace

ShipbyQunai)*'"'-*

Ship by June 1

fe

Inaert underline

an issue ofJimtO

an issue of Time

f-f

Delete underline

a very long day

every long day

a

Insert parentheses

lefttoday(Jviay 3)

left today (May 3)

&

• For an example of the standard pattern, see the illustration on the top ofpage 372. Continued on page 372

372

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1309 May 4,2007

Mr. Bernard Krause Jr. The Bergen Press Inc. 313 North Street San Jose, CA 95113 Dear Mr. Krause:

Sincerely, HUDSON COMPANY

Lee Brower Sales Manager mr krauseb-754 Enclosure cc: Ms. Loo

b. Open Pattern. Use no punctuation at the end of any line outside the body of the letter unless that line ends with an abbreviation (for example,jr.).

May 4 , 2 0 0 7

Mr. Bernard Krause Jr. The Bergen Press Inc. 313 North Street San Jose, CA 95113

*^&K

ear Mr. Krause

Sincerely HUDSON COMPANY

Lee Brower Sales Manager

krauseb754 Enclosure cc: Ms. Loo

Spacing 1 3 0 9 Type all letters single-spaced. Leave 1 blank line between paragraphs. (See the illustrations on pages 366-370.)

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

373

fll310 The following guidelines (Till 1310-1315) deal with the heading of a letter. The heading may include a letterhead or a return address (I1111310-1312), a date line (111313), a personal or confidential notation (H1314), and a reference notation (H1315). The model letters shown on pages 366-370 illustrate the position of these elements in the heading.

Letterhead or Return Address 1 3 1 0 Using a Letterhead

a. The first page of a standard business letter is customarily written on stationery with a letterhead that contains at least these elements: the organization's name; the street address or post office box number (or both); the city, state, and ZIP Code; a phone number and a fax number. The letterhead may also contain a number of additional elements—for example, an e-mail address, a Web address (see 111508), and a logo or some other graphic element. However, large organizations with a number of operating units widely dispersed at the same location often provide a letterhead template that contains only those elements that are common to all operating units. Then each employee can customize the template by inserting the specific phone number and electronic address that are appropriate for that employee. As an alternative, each employee can provide this specific information in the signature block. (See also 111349c.)

THE PATERSON COMPANY 1950 Pelham Avenue Phone: (310)555-3738 Fax:rajO) 555-3748 ^ ^ ^

Los Angeles, CA 9002S-S83S E-Mail: [emailprotected] Web: www.paterson.com

b. High-level members of an organization may have special letterheads showing their name and title. >• For an illustration of a top executive's stationery, seepage 369. c. Avoid using abbreviations in a letterhead except those that are part of the organization's name or that represent a state name (see H 1334a). To achieve a more formal effect, spell out the state name and Post Office. NOTE: Abbreviations are also commonly used in references to post office box numbers (P.O. Box 447) and telephone numbers. >• For examples of how these abbreviations may be used in letterheads, see the illustration above and on pages 374-375. d. Even if your organization uses a post office box number as its primary mailing address, show a street address as well. In that way others will know where to direct ordinary mail (to the post office) and where to direct express mail (to the organization's office). If the two addresses have different ZIP Codes, be sure to provide this information.

374

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

111311

1 3 1 1 Designing a Letterhead The design of a letterhead can take many different forms. If there is any single feature that characterizes contemporary letterhead designs, it is a movement toward a cleaner, sleeker, less cluttered look. a. The illustration in SI 1310 represents a traditional approach. Note that guide words (followed by colons) are used to identify the two telephone numbers and the two electronic addresses. (For another illustration, see page 366.) b. The following letterhead (designed for a small company) reflects a contemporary style, which simplifies or eliminates some of the elements that appear in the traditional format.

poe research associates 11 West 19th Street New York, NY 10011 -4285 Tel 212.555.9897 Fax 212.555.9803

P.O. Box 3291 New York, NY 10011 -3291 www.poeresearch.com [emailprotected]

(1) Note that no guide words have been provided for the Web and e-mail addresses; they are now considered so familiar that no additional identification is required. In actual practice, most organizations do not include a general e-mail address in their letterhead. (See the note below.) (2) It is now commonly accepted practice to omit http:// from Web addresses in letterheads. Some organizations omit www as well. (3) Guide words are provided to distinguish the two telephone numbers, one of which is a fax, but no punctuation has been used and Telephone has been shortened to Tel. If the two phone numbers had consisted of a regular number plus a toll-free number, no guide words would have been required; the difference between the two numbers would have been quite clear. NOTE: As an alternative to providing a main e-mail address in the letterhead, some organizations provide a letterhead template that permits each employee to personalize it with that employee's own e-mail address and phone number. Other organizations provide a "Contact Us" section on their Web site that displays different e-mail addresses for different types of inquiries (general, sales, order fulfillment, technical support, and so on). c. Individuals who want to make themselves available to clients and customers at all hours will want to provide more than a mailing address, an e-mail address, and a phone number. They may also insert such elements as a Web address, a home phone number, a mobile phone number, a pager number, and a voice mail number. All of these elements may appear as part of the letterhead at the top of the page, or some may be located at the foot of the page to avoid a cluttered design.

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

375

111312

p 860.555.2026

/ 860.555.2036

v 860.555.3968

« [emailprotected]

>• For guidelines on how to treat telephone numbers in letterheads and on business cards, see V454. 1312

Using a Return Address

If you are using plain paper for a. personal-business letter (one you write as an individual from your home), you can supply the necessary address information in the form of a return address. a. At the top of the page, provide the following information on three or more singlespaced lines: (1) the street address; (2) the city, state, and ZIP Code; (3) the phone number (if you want the addressee to have it); and (4) the date (see 1(1313). Apartment 2B

OR: 212 West 22d Street, Apt. 2B

212 West 22d Street

New York, NY 10011-2706

New York, NY 10011-2706

212-555-9097

212-555-9097

January 24,2007

January 24, 2007

b. Begin each line of the return address at the same point as the complimentary closing and the writer's typed name—at the center of the page for the modifiedblock style and at the left margin for the block and simplified styles. NOTE: If

you place the return address at the left margin, you may encounter a small problem when you want to transfer the inside address to the envelope. Some software programs automatically select the address block that comes first. If your program selects your return address for this purpose, you can easily overcome this problem by manually selecting the inside address block for use on the envelope.

c. To establish a top margin, space down 6 times from the default top margin of 1 inch to create a top margin of approximately 2 inches. One-page letters may be centered vertically; in this case simply start the return address on the first available line.

376

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1313

Date Line 1313 a. The date line consists of the name of the month (written in full—never abbreviated or represented by figures), the day (written in figures and followed by a comma), and the complete year. September 17, 2007 [NOT: Sep. 17, 2007

OR:

September 17th, 2007]

Do not use the style 9/17/07 in the date line of a business letter. b. In military correspondence and in letters from other countries, the date typically appears in this order: day, month, year. NOTE:

17 September 2007

c. If you are using a letter template provided by your software, the current date will ordinarily be inserted in position as you begin to type the letter. If you then file a copy of the letter electronically, that date will remain unchanged every time you open the document. If the document represents a form letter and you want the current date to appear every time you open it, select the automatic update feature. However, if you intend to retain an electronic copy of a specific document based on this form letter, the only way you can preserve the original date is to turn the automatic update feature off. Otherwise, every time you open the document, it will carry the current date. d. For the modified-block letter style, start the date at the center. For the block an simplified letter styles, start the date at the left margin. e. As a general rule, type the date about 2 inches from the top of the page. (See the illustration on page 366.) If you are typing a one-page letter and have decided to center it vertically, type the date on the first available line. (See the illustration on page 368.) If you are using stationery with a deep letterhead, type the date about 0.5 inch below the letterhead. (See the illustration on page 369.) f. If you are using a return address at the top of a letter, type the date directly under the last line in the return address block (as illustrated in ^[1312a). Personal or Confidential Notation 1314 If a letter is of a personal or confidential nature, type the appropriate notation on the second line below the date, starting at the same point as the date. Type the notation in bold caps. (See the illustration on page 369.) PERSONAL

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference Notation 1315 a. A reference notation—beginning with the guide words When replying, refer to: something similar)—may be inserted on the second line below the date (or on the second line below any notation that follows the date). Start typing at the same point as the date. When replying, refer to: watsonnd363

You may insert a file name notation here instead of at the bottom of the letter. (See fll357b.) NOTE:

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1)1316 b. When you are replying to a letter that contains a reference number or when you want to emphasize the fact that your letter concerns an insurance policy, an order, or a similar document, type a reference notation on the second line below the date (or on the second line below any notation that follows the date). Start typing at the same point as the date. (See the illustration on page 368.) In reply to: G241 782 935

Refer to: Policy 234844

c. When there are two reference notations to be given, type your own reference notation Erst (as indicated in 311315a). Then type the addressee's reference notation on the second line below. When replying, refer to: dingesc524 ±2x

Your reference: blockagc747

d. If you prefer, you can give the addressee's reference notation in a subject line. (See H1343f.) e. If you want the addressee of a given letter to send a response by fax or e-mail, you may make this request in the body of the letter or, for greater emphasis, in the form of a reference notation. When replying, send fax to: 707555.9985 When replying, send e-mail message to: [emailprotected] NOTE: If the notation is too long to fit on one line, break i t after the colon. When replying, send e-mail message to: [emailprotected]

The following guidelines (1111316-1341) deal with the opening of a letter. The opening typically includes two elements: the inside address (TH1316-1336) and the salutation (TH1338-1341). It may also include an attention line (111337).

Inside Address 1 3 1 6 Letters to an Individual

a. The inside address for a letter to an individual's home should include the following information: (1) the name of the person to whom you are writing; (2) the street address, the box number (see 311331), or the rural route number (see 11316c); and (3) the city, state, and ZIP Code (see M1332-1335). Dr. Margaret P. Vanden Heuvel 615 University Boulevard Albuquerque, NM 87106-4553

Mrs. Bernell Williams 5860 Spring-Cypress Road Spring, Texas 77379

>• For the placement of the inside address, see $1318a; for the use of the nine-digit ZIP Code, see It1332b. b. If the person lives in an apartment building, give the apartment number after the street address or, if it will not fit, on the line above. Mr. William E. Slifka 13 Cat Mousam Road, Apt IB Kennebunk, Maine 04043

Ms. Susan H. Ellington Apartment 2104 11740 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90025 Continued on page 378

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1317 c. If you are writing to someone with a rural route address or a highway contract route address, do not use rural route, highway contract route, number, No., the address. Use the abbreviation RR or HC plus a box number. For example: Margo Zahner RR 2, Box 116 Bennett, IA 52721

Avoid using a street name in conjunction with an RR or HC address. If one is used, place it on the line above the RR or HC address. NOTE: You may want to create an autotext entry containing the inside address and salutation for any individual or organization that you frequently write to. 1 3 1 7 Letters to an Organization

a. The inside address for a letter to an organization should include the following information: (1) the name of the organization, (2) a street address or a post office box number, and (3) the city, state, and ZIP Code. Whenever possible, address the letter to a specific person in the organization and include that person's job title and department (if known). If you do not have the name of a specific person, use a title instead (for example, Director ofMarketing). Mr. Arthur L Quintero National Sales Manager Paragon Industries 211 North Ervay Street Dallas, Texas 75201

Director of Research Stanton Chemical Company Post Office (OR. P.O.) Box 21431 Chattanooga, TN 37421-0431

>- For the placement of the inside address, see 111318a; for the use of the nine Code, see 11332b. b. When the inside address requires a room number, a suite number, or a floor number, insert that element after the street address or, if it will not fit, on the line above. Note the use of a comma when this element follows the street address on the same line. (See 1U327.) Ms. Alice G. Alvarez Werler Construction Company 416 12th Street, Room 8 Columbus, Georgia 31901-2528

James W. Chiverton, M.D. Suite 1200 1111 West Mockingbird Lane Dallas, TX 75247-3158

Use figures for room numbers and suite numbers, even from 1 through 10. Use words for floor numbers from 1 to 10 and figures for higher floor numbers.

NOTE:

621 Mehnng Way, Fourth Floor Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

1318

521 Fifth Avenue, 17th Floor New York, NY 10175

a. Whether a letter is going to an individual's home or to an organization, start the inside address at the left margin, on the fourth line below the date or below any notation that falls between the date and the inside address (see 11^11314-1315). *• See the illustrations on pages 366-370. NOTE: You may need to modify these guidelines if you plan to use a window envelope (see H1368i, 1370d).

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H1319 b. In social business correspondence (see 111371-1372), type the inside address at the bottom of the letter. In a purely personal letter, no inside address is given at all c. Single-space the inside address and align each line at the left 1 3 1 9 a. If a letter is addressed to two people at the same address, list each name on a separate line. Do not show a position title for each person unless it is short and can go on the same line as the name. Moreover, omit the names of departments unless the people are in the same department In effect, type only those parts of the address that are common to the two people named at the start (On the envelope for each person, give the full address for that person.) Dr Paul J. Rogers Mr James A. Dawes Research Department Sloan and Hewitt Advertising 700 North Harding Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60624-1002

HOTE: As an alternative, send each person a customized version of the same letter.

See c below for a description of this procedure. b. If a letter is addressed to two people at different addresses, type the individual address blocks one under the other (with 1 blank line between) or side by side. If the address blocks take up too much space at the opening of the letter, type them at the end of the letter, starting at the left on the fourth line below the final notation or, if there are no notations, on the fourth line below the signature block. c. If a letter is addressed to more than two people at different locations, placing an inside address block for each person poses a problem. The simplest solution is to draft the basic letter and then prepare a customized version for each recipient (1) On each letter, insert the appropriate inside address for the intended recipient (2) Insert the appropriate salutation just for the intended recipient. (3) On the second line below the reference initials, the file name notation, or the enclosure notation (whichever comes last), insert a distribution list Type Distribution in caps and lowercase, followed by a colon. Italicize the word (plus the colon) or underline the word (but not the colon). Beneath this heading, type the names of all the recipients. On each customized version, highlight the name of the intended recipient ON FILE COPY

Distribution C Mowat J Bon SO Me a

ON S. O'MELW'S COPY

Distribution C Mowat J Bios S-0'Meiia"

>• For another illustration of a distribution list, seepage 425. (4) Insert the address blocks for all the recipients at the end of thefilecopy or on a separate sheet attached to thefilecopy.

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1320 The following guidelines (1HI13 2 0-13 3 6) provide additional details concerning the parts of inside addresses. See also the models in Section 18 for special forms of address used for individuals, couples, organizations, professional people, education officials, government officials, diplomats, military personnel, and religious dignitaries.

Name of Person and Title 1320 a. When writing the name of a person in an inside address or elsewhere in a letter, be sure to follow that person's preferences in the spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and spacing of the name. Obviously, the way a person signs his or her letters is the clearest indication of how that person prefers to be addressed. For illustrations of the various ways in which people may sign their letters, see M1351-1353. b. Do not abbreviate or use initials unless the person to whom you are writing prefers that style. For example, do not write W. B. Sachs if the person to whom yo are writing used William B. Sachs in his correspondence. c. When writing to a married woman, follow her preference for first and last names if you know it. She may prefer to be addressed by her original name (for example, Ms. Joan L. Conroy), or she may prefer to use her husband's last name in conjunc tion with her own first name and middle initial (for example, Mrs. Joan L. Noonan NOTE: The form that simply places Mrs. in front of her husband's name (for example, Mrs. James W. Noonan) should be used only for social purposes. It should be used (1) when addressing a business letter to a married woman or (2) when a married woman becomes a widow unless she clearly indicates that this is her preference. 1321

As a general rule, use a title before the name of a person in an inside address. (See 11517 for appropriate abbreviations of such titles.) a. If the person has no special title (such as Dr., Professor, or The Honorable), Mr., Ms., Mrs., or Miss. (See also K1801.) b. In selecting Ms., Mrs., or Miss, always respect the individual woman's preference If her preference is unknown, use Ms. or omit the title altogether. (See also I1801b-c.) NOTE: Follow the same procedure in the salutation. (See 1U339.) c. If you have no way of determining whether the person addressed is a man or a woman, do not use a title in the inside address or the salutation. (See also H1339,1801d.) NOTE: People who use initials in place of their first and middle names or who have ambiguous names (like Marion, Leslie, Hilary, and Lee) should use atitlewhen t sign their letters so that others may be spared the confusion over which title to use. If they choose not to provide a title, they will have to accept the possibility that they may be inappropriately addressed. (See also OT1351-1352.) d. Address teenage girls as Ms. or Miss and respect the individual's preference if you know it. For girls younger than 13, Ms. or Miss may be used or omitted. e. Address teenage boys as Mr. For boys younger than 13, omit the title. (Master is now rarely used except with the names of very young boys.)

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HI 322 1 3 2 2 a. A letter to a husband and wife is traditionally addressed in this form: Mr. and Mrs. Harold D. Bennisch Jr. (NOT: Mr. & Mrs.]

The appropriate salutation for this couple would be Dear Mr. and Mrs. Bennisch (NOT: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Bennisch Jr.). »* For an alternative to this traditional format, see U322g. b. If the husband has a special title (such as Dr. or Professor) and the wife has none, the couple is usually addressed as follows: Dr. and Mrs. Thomas P. Geiger

The appropriate salutation for this couple would be Dear Dr. and Mrs. Geiger. c. If the wife has a special title but the husband does not, list the names of the married couple on separate lines. Dr. Eleanor V. Eberhardt Mr. Joseph L Eberhardt

The appropriate salutation for this couple would be Dear Dr. and Mr. Eberhardt. d. If both spouses have special titles, list their names on separate lines. Dean Walter 0. Goetz Professor Helen F. Goetz

The appropriate salutation for this couple would be Dear Dean and Professor Goetz. e. If both spouses have the same special title—for example. Dr. or Rabbi—list their names on separate lines and use the following salutations: Dr. Louise Saroyan

Rabbi Richard Cohen

Dr. Henry Saroyan

Rabbi Aria Cohen

Dear Drs. Saroyan:

Dear Rabbis Cohen:

f. If each spouse has a different surname, list their names on separate lines and use the following salutation: Ms. Eloise Belmonte Mr. Philip O'Connell Dear Ms. Belmonte and Mr. O'Connell:

g. Some married couples prefer a style of address that uses the first names of the spouses and omits Mr. and Mrs. Those who use this style typically do so because it treats both spouses as equals and does not imply that the wife can be identified only by her husband's name. Respect such preferences when you are aware of them. Janet and Arnold Rogon

OR:

Arnold and Janet Rogon

(RATHER T H A N : Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Rogon]

If you use this format in the inside address, then the appropriate salutation (depending on whose name comes first) would be Dear Janet and Arnold (if you know the couple well) or Dear Janet and Arnold Rogon (if you don't). Continued on page 382

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1323 h. If Jr., ST., or a roman numeral such as III accompanies the husband's name, choose one of the following forms: Janet Rogon and Arnold Rogon Jr. OR: Arnold Rogon Jr. and Janet Rogon BUT NOT: Janet and Arnold Rogon Jr. OH: Arnold Jr. and Janet Rogon

>• For other forms of address to use for couples in special circumstances, see fl 1323

a. When a man's name ends with jr., Sr., or a roman numeral such as III, omit the comma before this element unless you know that the person being addressed prefers the use of a comma. (See also H1156,1322h.) b. Do not use a title before a name if the term Esq. follows the name. (See also 111518c, 1804a.) Rita A. Henry, Esq. [NOT: Ms. Rita A. Henry, Esq.)

NOTE: Insert a comma to separate the last name from the term Esq. c. As a rule, do not insert an academic degree after a person's name in an inside address. However, some doctors of medicine and divinity prefer the use of the degree after their names (rather than the title Dr. before). Respect a person's preference if you know what it is. (See also M1804b, 1810d, 1811a.) NOTE: If an academic degree follows the person's name, separate it from the last name with a comma. Moreover, omit the titles Dr., Miss, Mr., Mrs., and Ms. befo the name. Another title (for example, Professor, The Reverend, Captain, Dean be used before the name as long as it does not convey the same meaning as the degree that follows. (See 1519c) Reva C Calhoun, M.D. [NOT: Dr. Reva Calhoun, M.D.) The Reverend Ernest G. Wyzanski, D.D.

d. Abbreviations of religious orders, such as S.J. and S.N.D., are typed after names and preceded by a comma. An appropriate title should precede the name, even though the abbreviation follows the name; for example, The Reverend Christoph DeMaio, O.P. (See also IIS 19a, 1519c, 1809.) 1324

a. A title of position, such as Vice President or Sales Manager, may be included is not required in an inside address. If a title is to be used, place it on the line following the name. b. If the title is long and requires a second line, indent the turnover 2 or 3 spaces or omit the title altogether. c Capitalize the first letter of every word in the title except (1) prepositions under four letters (like of, for, and in), (2) conjunctions under four letters (like and), and (3) the articles the, a, and an when they appear within the title. Mr. Ralph Nielsen Vice President and [NOT: &) General Manager

Mrs. Martha Hansen Chairman of the Board

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383

HI 326 NOTE: In the

following examples, In is capitalized because it is the first element in a compound adjective (rather than a pure preposition as in Editor in Chief]. By the same token, in the title Coordinator of On-the-job Training, On is capitalized as the first element in a compound adjective but of and the are not. Ms. Evangeline S. Palmer

Mr. Franklin G. Bassinger

Director of In-Service

Coordinator of On-the-Job

Training

Training

d. If the title is very short, it may be typed on the same line as the person's name or the person's department in order to balance the length of the lines in the address. However, do not type a title on the same line as the name of an organization. (See 111326.) Mr. J. C. Lee, President

Mrs. Lucinda Hollingsworth

Merchants National Bank

Manager, Support Services E. J. Haines & Company

In Care of... 1325

Sometimes a letter cannot be sent to the addressee's home or organization; it must be directed instead to a third person who will see that the letter reaches the addressee. In such cases use an in care of notation. Here are two versions of this notation. Professor Eleanor Marschak

OR. Professor Eleanor Marschak

In care of Henry Ward, Esq.

c/o Henry Ward, Esq.

Name of Organization 1326

a. Type the organization's name on a line by itself. If the name of a division or a department is needed in the address, it should precede the name of the organization on a line by itself. Ms. Laura J. Kidd Assistant Vice President Department of Corporate Planning Holstein, Brooks & Co.

b. When writing the name of an organization in an inside address, always follow the organization's style for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, spacing, and abbreviations. The letterhead on incoming correspondence is the best source for this information. Note the variations in style in these names. United Airlines

Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps

Delta Air Lines

Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co.

Time Inc.

JP Morgan Chase & Co.

Newsweek, Inc.

BancorpSouth

Hewlett-Packard Company

BancWest Corporation

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Banknorth Group, Inc.

Dell Computer Corporation

eBay Inc.

USLife Corp.

ETRADE Group, Inc.

Continued on page 384

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 327

c. If the name is long and requires more than one line, indent any turnover line 2 or 3 spaces. (For examples, see d below.) d. If you do not have a document that shows the official form of an organization's name, consult the organization's Web site or Standard & Poor's Register for thi information. If you cannot access these sources, make use of the following guidelines when writing the organization's name. (1) Spell out the word and. Do not use an ampersand (&,). Haber, Curtis, and Hall

(2) Write Inc. for Incorporated and Ltd. for Limited. Do not use a comma before abbreviation. (3) As a rule, spell out Company or Corporation. If the name is extremely lon however, you may use the abbreviation Co. or Corp. (4) Do not cap the word the at the beginning of an organization's name unless you are sure it is part of the official name; for example, The Wall Street Journa (as illustrated in the note below). (5) Capitalize the first letter of every word except (1) prepositions under four letters (like of and for), (2) conjunctions under four letters (like and], and (3) the articles the, a, and an when they appear within the organization's name. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 424 East 92d Street New York, New York 10128

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201

NOTE: In the following example note that the article the is capitalized because it

comes at the start of the organization's official name. Note also that the name of the newspaper is not italicized or underlined because here it refers to the organization rather than to the actual newspaper. (See also ^[289e.) The Wall Street Journal 200 Liberty Street New York, NY 10281-1099

s* For the use or omission of apostrophes in organizational names, see f640a-c Building Name; Room, Suite, or Floor Number 1 3 2 7 If the name of a building is part of the recipient's inside address, type it on a line by itself immediately above the street address. A room number, a suite number, or a floor number should follow the street address, but if it will not fit on that line, insert it before the building name on the line above. Park Square Building 31 St James Avenue, Room 858 Boston, MA 02116-4255

Room 118, Acuff Building 904 Bob Wallace Avenue, SW Huntsville, AL 35801

>• For additional examples and for guidelines regarding the use of figures or w room, suite, or floor numbers, see 11317b.

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fl1331 Street Address 1328

a. Always type the street address on a line by itself, immediately preceding the city, state, and ZIP Code. (See M1316-1317 for examples.) b. Use the word and, not an ampersand (&), in a street address; for example, Tenth and Market Streets. However, do not use such "intersection" addresses if a normal address is available; for example, 304 Tenth Street. >• For the spelling out of numbered street names, see f 1329b. c. Do not abbreviate such words as Street and Avenue in inside addresses. >• For apartment, room, suite, and floor numbers with street addresses, see ff 1316b, 1317b, 1327.

1329

a. Use figures for house and building numbers. Do not include the abbreviation No. or the symbol # before such numbers, EXCEPTION: For clarity, use the word One instead of the figure 1 in a house or building number; for example, One Park Avenue. NOTE: Some house numbers contain a fraction, a letter, or a hyphen. 23414 Linden Street

8740B Water Road

220-03 46th Street

b. Numbers used as street names are written as follows: (1) Spell out the numbers 1 through 10; for example, 177 Second Avenue. (2) Use figures for numbers over 10; for example, 627 East 202d Street or 144 65th Street. (See H425b.) (3) Some grid-style addresses require a period in a numbered street name; for example, 26.2 Road. 1330

a. When a compass point (for example, East, West, Southeast, Northwest) appears before a street name, do not abbreviate it except in a very long street address when space is tight. 330 West 42d Street

3210 Northwest Grand Avenue

b. When a compass point appears after a street name, follow the style most commonly used in your area. In the absence of a local style, follow these guidelines: (1) Abbreviate compound directions (NE, NW, SE, SW) that represent a section of the city. Do not use a period with these abbreviations (see 11531a). Insert a comma before them. 817 Peachtree Street, N E

120 112th Street, NW

(2) Spell out North, South, East, and West following a street name, and omit the comma. (In such cases these compass points are typically an integral part of the street name rather than a designation of a section of the city.) 10 Park Avenue South

2049 Century Park East

Box Number 1331

a. A post office box number may be used in place of the street address. The following forms are acceptable: Post Office Box 1518

OR: P.O. Box 1518

Continued on page 386

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1332 Do not use the form Box 1518 except with a rural route (RR) address or a highway contract (HC) address. (See 111316c.) NOTE: A designation such as Drawer L should be changed to Post Office Box L. b. It is no longer necessary to use a station name with a post office box number. P.O. Box 76984 Los Angeles, CA 90076-0984

RATHER THAN: P.O. Box 76984, Sanford Station Los Angeles, CA 90076-0984

c. When you are writing to an organization that provides both a street address and a post office box number in its letterhead, use only one address: the post office box number for ordinary mail and the street address for express mail. If you provide both addresses on an envelope, the United States Postal Service (USPS) will deliver the mail to the address that appears directly above the line showing the city, state, and ZIP Code.

d. If you are writing to someone who rents a mailbox from a private company, insert the private mailbox number (PMB) on the line below the person's name. Then on t next line, insert the street address of the private company where the mailbox is located. For example: Ms. Robin B. Kantor PMB 215 621 Bloomfield Avenue Verona, NJ 07044

City, State, and ZIP Code 1 3 3 2 a. On the line directly below the street address or box number, type the name of the city (followed by a comma and 1 space), the name of the state (followed by 1 space but no comma), and the ZIP Code. It is important to keep all of this information on the same line. Denver, Colorado 80217 OR: Denver, CO 80217-9999

You can find or confirm the ZIP Code for a specific address on the USPS Web site: . NOTE:

b. The USPS encourages the use of a nine-digit ZIP Code (consisting of the basic five digits followed immediately by a hyphen and another four digits); hence the designation ZIP + 4 Code. The use of the additional four digits is voluntary, but as an inducement the USPS offers discounts on postage fees. To qualify for a discount, mailers must submit a minimum of 500first-classletters or postcards at one time, and the envelope addresses must be readable by electronic equipment known as optical character readers (OCRs). Moreover, the mailing list must be certified by USPS-approved software. NOTE: Because of the number of criteria that must be satisfied, mailers who want to qualify for a discount should consult their local USPS business center for details. (See M1368-1369.)

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387

HI 335 1 3 3 3 When writing the name of a city in an inside address: a. Take special care in spelling city names. Do not go by sound alone. Baldwyn, MS

Hillsboro, OR

Hillsborough, NC

Center, PA

Centre, PA

Jessup, PA

Jesup, GA

Cortland, NY

Cortlandt, NY

Kenedy, TX

Kennedy, PA

Green, IN

Greene, IN

Lynnwood, WA

Lynwood, CA

Hamden, CT

Hampden, MA

Paterson, NJ

Patterson, NY

Baldwin, LA

*- See also f1202c, note. NOTE: Some

city names require hyphens.

Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts

Hastings-on-Hudson, New York

St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

b. Do not abbreviate the city name; for example, L.A. for Los Angeles. c. Do not abbreviate the words Fort, Mount, Point, or Port. Write the name of the city in full; for example, Fort Worth, Mount Vernon, Point Pleasant, Port Huron. (See also 5529a.) d. Abbreviate the word Saint in the names of American cities; for example, St. Louis, St. Paul, St. Petersburg. (See also 5529b.) 1334

a. In an address, spell out the name of the state or use a two-letter abbreviation of the state name. Either form is correct for use with a ZIP Code. >• For a list of the two-letter abbreviations, seepage 388 or the inside back cover. NOTE: The two-letter abbreviations (for example, AL for Alabama) were created by the USPS and should be used only in mailing addresses. Use the more traditional abbreviations of state names (for example, Ala. for Alabama) in other situations where abbreviations are appropriate. (See 5527b for a list of the traditional abbreviations.) Some authorities now advocate abandoning these traditional abbreviations and using the two-letter abbreviations wherever the abbreviation of state names is acceptable. (See also 1U527d, 1540a, note.) b. When using two-letter state abbreviations, type them in all-caps, without space between the letters or a period after each letter. c When giving an address in a sentence, insert a comma after the street address and after the city. Leave 1 space between the state and the ZIP Code. Insert a comma after the ZIP Code unless a stronger mark of punctuation is required at that point. My new address will be 430 Westchester Way, Canton, Georgia 30115, as of April 1. BUT: As of April 1, my new address will be 430 Westchester Way, Canton, Georgia 30115.

1335

Omit the name of the county or area (such as Long Island) in an address. However, the name of a community, subdivision, or real estate development may be included as long as it comes before the lines containing the mail delivery address. Ms. Janet G. Arnold

NOT: Ms. Janet G. Arnold

Muir Meadows

1039 Erica Road

1039 Erica Road

Muir Meadows

Mill Valley, CA 94941

Mill Valley, CA 94941

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1336 Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Federated States of Micronesia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Marshall Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi

AL AK AS AZ AR CA CO CT DE

Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Palau Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

DC FM FL GA GU HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MH MD MA Ml MN MS

MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND MP OH OK OR PW PA PR Rl SC SD TN TX UT VT VI VA WA WV Wl WY

International Address 1 3 3 6 a. In international addresses, type the name of the country on a separate line in allcaps. Do not abbreviate the name of the country. Graf-Adolf Strasse 100 Dusseldorf 4000 GERMANY

4-14-11 Ginza Chuo-Ku, Tokyo 104 JAPAN

44 Park Street South Sydney, NSW 1230 AUSTRALIA

Rua Tabapua, 1105 Sao Paulo, S.P. BRAZIL

If you are writing from another country to someone in the United States, type UNITED STATES OF AMERICA or U.S.A. as the last line of the addres NOTE:

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389

fl 1337 b. In a Canadian address, the name of the province or territory may be spelled out or abbreviated. However, Canada Post has expressed a preference for the abbreviated form in order to keep the city, province, and postal code all on one line. Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Northwest Territories

AB BC MB NB

Nova Scotia Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon

NL NT

NS NU ON PE Q.C SK YT

NOTE: In an inside address or an envelope address, insert a comma and 1 space between the city name and the two-letter abbreviation, followed by 2 spaces and the six-character postal code. (Note that a space is used in the postal code to separate the first three and the last three characters.) 21 St Clair Avenue Toronto, ON M4T1L9 CANADA

When giving an address in a sentence, spell out the name of the province and leave only 1 space before the postal code. Then insert a comma, 1 space, and Canada. Write to me at 21 St Clair Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M4T 1L9, Canada.

Attention Line 1 3 3 7 a. In the past, when a letter was addressed directly to an organization, the organization's name was typed as the first line of the inside address and an attention line was often typed on the second line below the inside address. Here is the format that was traditionally used: Shelton & Warren Industries

Carrolton Labs

6710 Squibb Road

1970 Briarwood Court

Mission, KS 66202-3223

Atlanta, GA 30329

Attention: Mr. John Ellery

ATTN: SALES MANAGER

However, this type of attention line is not really needed and in fact is no longer frequently used. It is simpler—and just as effective—to type the person's name (or title) directly above the organization's name. When a letter is addressed this way, then in the absence of a personal or confidential notation, it will be presumed to deal with company business and may be handled by others if the person named in the address is not available. There is a more compelling reason for abandoning the traditional type of attention line. If you want to copy the inside address on the envelope, nothing must come beneath the line containing the city, state, and ZIP Code. Continued on page 390

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111338

b. If you plan to include an attention line in an inside address block that is suitable for use on the envelope, you should insert the attention line as the first line of the inside address—with or without the -word Attention. (See also 11I1368n, 1369h. Mr. John Ellery Shelton & Warren Industries 6710 Squibb Road Mission, KS 66202-3223

Attention: Sales Manager Carrolton Labs 1970 Briarwood Court Atlanta, GA 30329

c. If you decide to retain the word Attention in the first line of the address, you will have to use one of the organizational salutations shown in M1339-1340. (See also 11341.) NOTE: The USPS uses the term attention line to refer to any information—whethe a person's name (Ms. Hilary Edwards), a person's title (Marketing Director a departmental name (Research Department)—that appears on the line abo the organization's name (The E. J. Monagle Publishing Company). If you r somewhere that the USPS wants the first line of a business address to be an "attention line," do not conclude that it is requiring the use of the word Attention. The USPS simply wants to have names or titles come above the name of the organization. >• For the treatment of an attention line on an envelope, see ffl368n, 1369h. Salutation 1 3 3 8 a. On the second line below the inside address, type the salutation, beginning at the left margin. b. As a general rule, follow the salutation with a colon. Use a comma instead if you are writing a social-business letter (see 111372b), and use no punctuation at all if you are following the open punctuation style (see 11308b). c. Omit the salutation if you are using the simplified style, and replace it with a subject line. (See 11342.)

d. Abbreviate only the titles Mr., Ms., Mrs., and Dr. and their plural forms. Spell ou all other titles, such as Professor and Father. (See Section 18 for titles used b officials, dignitaries, and muitary personnel.) e. Capitalize the first word as well as any nouns and titles in the salutation; for example. Dear Mrs. Brand, Dear Sir.

f. Be sure that the spelling of the surname in the salutation matches the spelling in the inside address. If the person you are writing to has a hyphenated last name (for example, Mrs. Hazel Gray-Sparks), the salutation should include the entir last name (Dear Mrs. Gray-Sparks).

g. In salutations involving two people, use and, not &, between the names. In salutations involving three or more people, separate the names with commas and insert and, not &, between the last two names. >- For the use of customized letters when writing to more than two people, see

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HI 339 1 3 3 9 a. The following list of salutations deals with the most common situations. Note that the salutations identified as "more formal" are no longer frequently used. >• For a more comprehensive list of salutations to accompany various forms of address, see Section 18. To One Person (Name, Gender, and Personal Title Preference Known) Dear Mr. Smith:

Dear Ms. Simpson:

Dear Mrs. Gray:

Dear Miss Wells:

To One Person (Name Known, Gender Unknown) Dear Marion Parker:

Dear R. V. Moore:

To One Person (Name Unknown, Gender Known) Dear Madam:

OR: Madam: (more formal)

Dear Sir.

OR: Sir [more formal)

To One Person (Name and Gender Unknown) Dear Sir or Madam:

OR: Sir or Madam: (more formal)

Dear Madam or Sir:

OR: Madam or Sir: (more formal)

To One Woman (Personal Title Preference Unknown) Dear Ms. Malloy:

OR:

Dear Ruth Malloy: (see fl1321b)

To Two or More Men Dear Mr. Gelb and Mr. Harris:

OR: Gentlemen:

OR: Dear Messrs. Gelb and Harris: (more formal) To Two or More Women Dear Mrs. Allen, Ms. Ott, and Miss Day: Dear Mrs. Jordan and Mrs. Kent: (see fl618) OR: Dear Mesdames Jordan and Kent: (more formal) Dear Ms. Scott and Ms. Gomez: (see 11618] OR: Dear Mses. (OR: Mss.) Scott and Gomez: (more formal) Dear Miss Winger and Miss Rossi: (see H618J OR: Dear Misses Winger and Rossi: (more formal) To a Woman and a Man Dear Ms. Kent and Mr. Winston:

Dear Mrs. Kay and Mr. Fox:

Dear Mr. Fong and Miss Landis:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Green:

To a Married Couple (see HI] 1322,1802) To Several Persons Dear Mr. Anderson, Mrs. Brodsky, and Dr. Dellums: Dear Friends (Colleagues, Members, or some other appropriate collective term): To an Organization Composed Entirely of Men Gentlemen: To an Organization Composed Entirely of Women Ladies:

OR: Mesdames: (more formal)

To an Organization Composed of Men and Women (see HI340)

Continued on page 392

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1)1340

b. When writing to someone you know well, use a first name or nickname in place of the more formal salutations shown in K 1339a. However, once you start using an informal salutation, be sure that anyone who prepares your letters for you maintains that form of address. Otherwise, a person who is used to getting Dear Mike letters from you may one day receive a Dear Mr. Romano letter and wond what could have caused the sudden chill in your warm relationship. c. When you are preparing a letter that may be sent or shown to a number of as yet undetermined individuals, use Dear Sir or Madam (rather than To Whom It M Concern). You may also use the simplified letter style and omit the salutation. 1340

For an organization composed of men and women, consider the following alternatives: a. Use Ladies and Gentlemen or Gentlemen and Ladies. (Do not use Gentlemen b. Address the letter to the head of the organization—by name and title if known, otherwise by title alone. Then the salutation would appear as shown in 311339a. Mr. James V. Quillan President United Services Corporation 100 Kendall Parkway Somerset, NJ 08873

President (PR: Chief Executive Officer] United Services Corporation 100 Kendall Parkway Somerset, NJ 08873

Dear Mr. Quillan:

Dear Sir or Madam:

c. Use the name of the organization in the salutation. Dear United Services Corporation: OR. TO the United Services Corporation: NOTE: This approach is acceptable except in formal communications. (See the illustration on page 368 and in 111803a.) d. Use the simplified letter style and omit the salutation. (See page 370.) 1341

a. If you have used an attention line beginning with the word Attention (see 311337), the letter is considered to be addressed to the organization rather than to the person named in the attention line. Therefore, use one of the organizational salutations shown in 11111339 and 1340. b. If you drop the word Attention (as shown in 1U337) and address the letter directly to an individual in the organization (either by name or by title), use one of the personal salutations shown in 11339.

The following guidelines (f.11342-1345) deal with the body of a letter. The body contains the text of the letter—in other words, the message (see HH1344-1345). The body may also begin with a subject line (see 1.1.1342-1343), which briefly identifies the main idea in the message. Subject Line 1342 In the simplified letter style: a. Use a subject line in place of the salutation. b. Start the subject line on the third line below the inside address. Begin at the left margin and type the subject line in all-caps.

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HI 344 c. Do not use a term like Subject to introduce the subject line. (See the illustration on page 370.) 1343

In all other letter styles: a. If a subject line is used, insert it between the salutation and the text of the letter, with 1 blank line above and below. (See the illustration on page 369.) NOTE: A subject line is conventionally inserted below the salutation because it is considered part of the body of a letter. Placing it above the salutation would make the subject line part of the opening. In actual practice, some business writers cheerfully disregard this long-established convention and insert the subject line above the salutation, where they feel it achieves greater prominence. b. Ordinarily, the subject line starts at the left margin, but it may be centered for special emphasis. In a letter with indented paragraphs, the subject line may also be indented (typically, 0.5 inch). c. Type the subject line either in caps and lowercase or in all-caps. NOTE: A number of organizations use boldface to make the subject line stand out. However, using all-caps for the subject line should be sufficient to provide the necessary emphasis. d. The term Subject or In re or Re usually precedes the actual subject but may be omitted. SUBJECT: MORAN LEASE

In re: Moran Lease

e. If the subject line is long, type it in two or more single-spaced lines of roughly equal length. Subject: Introductory Offer to New Subscribers and Renewal Offer to Present Subscribers >• For additional illustrations

of the treatment of long subject lines, seepages 451 and 546.

f. When replying to a letter that carries a "refer to" notation, you may put the desired reference number or filing code in a subject line orbelowthe dateline. (See 1I1315d.) Subject: Policy 668485 OR: Refer to: Policy 668485

Message 1344 a. As a general rule, begin the text of the letter—the message—on the second line below the subject line, if used, or on the second line below the salutation. In the simplified letter style, begin the message on the third line below the subject line (which replaces the salutation). NOTE: You can use the autotext feature of your software to capture the keystrokes that represent frequently used names, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs. b. Try to organize the text of the letter in short paragraphs; long paragraphs are harder to read. NOTE: One-sentence paragraphs are acceptable, but if you overdo it, the body of your letter will have a choppy, disconnected appearance. c. Do not follow a rigid formula in writing your letters. Not all readers are alike, so organize your thoughts in a sequence that is likely to be most persuasive for the

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HI 3 4 5 reader you have in mind. Carefully consider not only what to include but also what to leave out. Decide how formal or informal the letter should be, and adjust the tone and the language of your message accordingly. d. If you are writing in response to a letter or some other document, it is helpful to refer to that document by date in the first sentence of your letter. Thank you for your letter of May 9 (OR: May 9, 2007).

Whether you use the full date or the month and day alone to refer to the earlier document will depend on the nature of your letter. For a full discussion of this subject, see 11409. NOTE:

e. Use single spacing for the message, and leave 1 blank line between paragraphs. f. Align each line of the message at the left margin. However, if you are using the modified-block letter style with indented paragraphs, indent the first line of each paragraph 0.5 inch. (See the illustration on page 368.) g. You can use your word processing software to justify the right margin—that is, have each fuU line of text end at the same point. If you choose this format (known as full justification), your software will automatically insert extra space between words to make each line the same length. (See page 370 for an ulustration of a letter with a justified right margin.) NOTE: While full justification (aligning the lines of text at both the left and the right margins) looks attractive, the insertion of extra space between words can sometimes produce unintended "rivers" of white space running verticaliy down through the text. Full justification can also produce significant variations in the space between sentences (as illustrated in K102f). More important, studies have demonstrated that text with a ragged (unjustified) right margin is easier to read. Moreover, some recipients of a fully justified letter tend to regard it as a form letter and not take it seriously. h. If you decide on a ragged right margin, try to avoid great variations in the length of adjacent lines. (See Section 9 for guidelines on dividing words in order to keep the lines of text roughly equal in length.)

i. If a letter takes two or more pages, do not divide a short paragraph (with only two or three lines) at the bottom of a page. Always leave at least two lines of the paragraph at the foot of one page and carry over at least two lines to the top of the next page. (See 1U366h.) NOTE: Use the widow/orphan control feature to prevent the creation of orpha (printing the first line of a new paragraph as the last line on a page) and widows (printing the last line of a paragraph as the first line of a new page).

1 3 4 5 a. Quoted Material. If a quotation will make four or more lines, type it as a singlespaced extract, indent it 0.5 inch from each side margin, and leave 1 blank line above and below the extract. (See the ulustration on page 369.) You can change the settings for indentions, or you can use the double indent feature (if one is avail able), which will indent the extract equaliy from each side margin. If the quoted material represents the start of a paragraph in the original, indent the first word an additional 0.5 inch. (For different ways of handling a long quotation, see 11265.)

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H1345 b. Tables. When a table occurs in the body of a letter, center it between the left and right margins. Try to indent the table at least 0.5 inch from each side margin. If the table is very wide, reduce the space between columns to prevent the table from extending beyond the width of the text. As an alternative, reduce the size of the type. (See Section 16 for a discussion on how to plan and execute tables.) c Items in a List Type the list with 1 blank line above and below the list as a whole. Either type the list on the full width of the letter, or indent the list 0.5 inch from each side margin. If each item in the list requires only one line, you may single-space the list or, for a more open look, leave a blank line after each item. If any item in the list requires more than one line, leave a blank line after each item. Align any turnovers with the first word in the line above.

1 inch When you are ready to distribute your analysis for the first round of comments, 11 inch (min.) suggest you send it to the following people inside the company: (min.) T 2X Angela Lawless, director of information systems Thomas Podgorski, manager of corporate planning 12x In addition, you may want to get reactions from two trustworthy consultants: 12x Dr. Harriet E. Fenster, professor of computer science at Michigan 0.5 S t a t e University „5 -*- n c n inch Wilson G. Witherspoon, president of Witherspoon Associates in ' Princeton, New Jersey I2x I can give you mailing addresses for these consultants if you decide to get in touch with them.

>• See fl424e, note, and the illustration on page 544. d. Enumerated Items in a List. If the items each begin with a number or a letter, you may use the numbered list feature of your word processing program. Depending on the program you are using, each item will begin at the left margin or will be indented 0.25 inch from the left margin, and no space will be left between items. When I review the situation as you described it in your letter of June 24, it seems to me that you have only two alternatives: 1. Agree to pay the additional amount that Henning now demands, 2. Drop Henning and start the search all over again for a new firm.

px >• For an example of a numbered list indented 0.25 inch from the left margin, see the first illustration at the bottom ofpage 396. Continued on page 396

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1345 Note the treatment of turnover lines when you use the numbered list feature.

When I review the situation as you described it in your letter of June 24, it seems to me that you have only two alternatives: 12x 1. Agree to pay the additional amount that Henning now demands before he will start construction. 2. Drop Henning and start the search all over again to find a firm qualified to handle a project of this size and this complexity. .

For a more open look, leave 1 blank line after each item, whether the list contains one or more turnover lines (as in the illustration below) or whether all the items consist of only one line (as in the illustration on page 544).

When I review the situation as you described it in your letter of June 24, it seems to me that you have only two alternatives: , J |2x 1. Agree to pay the additional amount that Henning now demands before he will start construction., l2x 2. Drop Henning and start the search all over again to find a firm qualified to handle a project of this size and this complexity., 2 x

If you want to format the numbered list yourself, you may type it on the full width of the letter or you may indent it 0.25 inch or 0.5 inch from the left margin. However, if you also plan to indent the text paragraphs 0.5 inch, use either one of the following arrangements:

When I review the situation as yo seems to me that you have only two alten I i I

1. -Agree to pay the additional amou Swill start construction. I i l

l

;1. Agree to pay the additional \ | he will start construction. i i

2. JDrop Henning and start the searc •die a project of this size and thisj i i

When I review the situation as yl seems tp me that you have only two alteij *f

JZ. Drop Henning and start thel ! to handle a project of this si:

f

1

!As painful as it may be, you may tor than to have to deal with new dema the way through the job.

lAs painful as it may be, you mat tor than to have to deal with new dema the way! through the job.

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1)1345 NOTE: The numbered list feature

aligns numbers and letters at the left. If your list contains 10 or more items, you can make an adjustment so that the numbers will appear in the standard format—aligned at the right. DEFAULT ALIGNMENT: 8.

STANDARD ALIGNMENT: 8.

9. 10.

9. 10. 11. 12.

11. 12.

The numbered list feature of some word processing programs (such as Microsoft Word) indents the first word that follows the number and the first word of any turnover lines 0.25 inch from the number (as shown in the illustrations at the bottom of page 396). The numbered list feature of other programs uses a default indent of 0.5 inch, but you can change this indent to 0.25 inch for a more attractive look. e. Bulleted Items in a List Instead of numbers or letters, you can use bullets before the items in a list. Your software provides a variety of styles from which you can choose. For example: CIRCLES: O •

TRIANGLES: >

SQUARES: •

OTHER ASCII CHARACTERS: > -» *

If the items each begin with a bullet, you may use the automatic bullet insert feature of your word processing program. Depending on the program you are using, each item will begin at the left margin (as in the illustration below) or will be indented 0.25 inch from the left margin. Turnovers will be automatically indented. No space will be left between items, but as the illustration below demonstrates, you can create a more open look by inserting 1 blank line between items. If you prefer to indent the bullets 0.5 inch from the left margin, press the tab before activating the bullet feature. When Ireviewthe situation as you described it in your letter of June 24, it seems to me that you have only two alternatives:, 12x • Agree to pay the additional amount that Henning now demands before he will start construction., l2x • Drop Henning and start the search all over again to find a firm qualified to handle a project of this size and this complexity..

The following guidelines (111346-1365) deal with the closing of a letter. The closing typically includes a complimentary-closing phrase (111346), the writer's signature block (111348-1354), and reference initials (11355). The closing may also include a company signature line (11347), a file name notation (111356-1357), an enclosure notation (11358), a delivery notation (11359), a confirmation notation (11360), a copy notation (111361-1364), and a postscript (11365).

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1)1346 Complimentary Closing 1346 a. Type the complimentary closing on the second line below the last line of the body of the letter. In a modified-block-style letter, start the closing at the center. In a block-style letter, start the closing at the left margin. In a simplified letter, omit the closing. (See the illustrations on pages 366-370.) b. Capitalize only the first word of a complimentary closing. c. Ordinarily, insert a comma at the end of the closing except when open punctuation is used. (For another exception, see e.) d. The following complimentary closings are commonly used: Sincerely,

Sincerely yours,

Cordially,

More formal closings—such as Very truly yours and Respectfully yours— infrequently used these days. e. An informal closing phrase may be inserted in place of one of the more conventional closings shown in d. If the wording is an adverbial phrase (one that tells how or in what manner—for example, With all best wishes or With warmest r follow the closing with a comma. If the wording is a complete sentence (for example, See you at the convention), follow the closing with a period. In each case t comma or the period may be replaced with stronger punctuation as appropriate— that is, a question mark, an exclamation point, or a dash. NOTE: If you are using open punctuation, see 111308b. f. If both a complimentary closing and an informal closing phrase are used, type the complimentary closing in its regular position, and (1) type the informal phrase at the end of the last paragraph or (2) treat the informal phrase as the final paragraph with the appropriate terminal punctuation. g. Once a pattern of personal or informal closings is begun, it should not be discontinued without good reason. Otherwise, if a subsequent letter uses a more formal closing, the person who receives the letter may wonder what has happened to the established relationship. (See also 111339b.) NOTE:

Company Signature 1347 A company signature may be used to emphasize the fact that a letter represents the views of the company as a whole (and not merely the individual who has written it). If included, the company signature should be typed in all-caps on the second line below the complimentary closing. Begin the company signature at the same point as the complimentary closing. (See the illustration on page 366.) Sincerely yours, ± 2x HAS KINS & COHEN INC. NOTE: When a letter is written

on letterhead stationery, the recipient of the letter may reasonably assume that the individual who signs the letter does so on behalf of the organization named in the letterhead. For that reason a company signature (like an attention line) is not really needed. Nevertheless, follow the style of the organization you work for.

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1)1349 Writer's Signature Block 1348

a. Ordinarily, type the writer's name in caps and lowercase on the fourth line below the company signature, if used, or on the fourth line below the complimentary closing. In the simplified letter style, type the writer's name and title in all-caps on thefifthline below the body. (See the examples in 11349 and the illustrations on pages 366-370.) NOTE: If the letter is running short, you can leave up to 6 blank lines for the signature. If the letter is running long, you can reduce the signature space to 2 blank lines. (See also 11307.) b. Ordinarily, start typing at the same point as the complimentary closing or the company signature. In the simplified letter style, start typing at the left margin. c Although some writers prefer to give only their title and department name in the signature block, a typewritten signature should also be included so that the unsigned copies will clearly show who sent the letter. If the writer prefers to omit his or her name from the signature block, then it should be spelled out in the reference initials. (See 1ll355d.) d. Some managers have special stationery with their name and title imprinted along with other elements of the letterhead. When using this type of stationery, supply a typewritten signature but omit the title. (For an illustration, see page 369.)

1349

a. Arrange the writer's name, title, and department on two or more lines to achieve good visual balance. Align any turnovers at the left. Janice Mahoney, Manager

Ernest L. Welhoelter

Data Processing Division

Chairman of the Board

Charles Saunders

Franklin Browning

Assistant Manager

Vice President and

Credit Department

General Manager

SIMPLIFIED STYLE: MARY WELLER, MANAGER, SALES DEPARTMENT

b. In signature blocks, capitalize the first letter of every word in the title and department except (1) prepositions under four letters (like of, for, and in), (2) conjunctions under four letters (like and), and (3) the articles the, a, and an when they appear within the title. (See also 11324c.) c. If an organization's letterhead stationery or computerized template does not easily accommodate the appropriate phone numbers and an e-mail address for each employee, this information can be included at the end of the signature block. The following arrangements are acceptable: Charles Saunders Assistant Manager Credit Department phone: 630.555.5084

OR:

tel

630.555.5084

fax: 630.555.6594

fax

630.555.6594

e-mail: [emailprotected]

e-mail: [emailprotected]

OR:

t 630.555.5084 f 630.555.6594 e [emailprotected]

Continued on page 400

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 350 If a personal e-mail address is available, use that instead of the one established for the department or the organization. Charles Saunders Assistant Manager Credit Department phone: 630.555.5084 fax: 630.555.6594

1350

e-mail: [emailprotected] NOTE: Telephone numbers may also be written with hyphens (630-555-5084) or with spaces (630 555 5083). For additional details, see 11454. If a special title is to be used in a signature block, observe these guidelines: a. A person who wants to be addressed as Dr. should use an appropriate academic degree after his or her name (not Dr. before it). Jane Bishop, M.D.

Nancy Buckwalter, Ph.D.

Charles Burgos, D.D.S.

Morris Finley, D.D.

Lee Toniolo, D.O.

Henry Krawitz, D.H.L

b. A person who wants to be addressed by an academic or a military title (Dean, Major) should type this title after the name or on the next line, not before it. Helene C. Powell Dean of Students

Joseph F. Corey Major, USAF

(NOT: Dean Helene C. Powell]

[NOT. Major Joseph F. Corey]

c. When a title cannot be placed after a surname or cannot be inferred from the initials of an academic degree, then it may precede the name. Rev. Joseph W. Dowd

1351

1352

Mother Ellen Marie O'Brien

Ordinarily, a man should not include Mr. in his signature. However, if he has a name that could also be a woman's name (Adrian, Leslie, Sandy, Lynn) or if he uses initi in place of a first and middle name (J. G. Eberle), he should use Mr. in either handwritten or his typed signature when writing to people who do not know him. Otherwise, he will have to accept the fact that he may be addressed as a woman. NOTE: If given in the handwritten signature, Mr. should be enclosed in parentheses. If given in the typed signature, Mr. should appear without parentheses. Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Lynn Treadway

Mr. Lynn Treadway

a. A woman may choose not to include any title along with her signature. In that case, someone writing to her may choose to address her as Ms. or use her full name without any title at all. Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Joan Beauregard

Leslie Ellis

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HI 352 If she uses initials in place of a first name or if she has a first name that could also be a man's name (as in the case of Leslie Ellis, which is shown at the bottom of page 400), she will have to accept the fact that by not indicating her gender, she may be addressed as a man. *- For salutations to use when writing to someone whose gender is unknown to you, see 11339. b. A woman who wants to indicate her preference for Ms. should use this title in either her handwritten or her typed signature (but not both). Sincerely yours,

Sincerely yours,

Constance G. Booth

Ms. Constance G. Booth

c. A single woman who wants to indicate her preference for Miss should include this title in her handwritten or her typed signature (but not both). Cordially,

Cordially,

Margaret L Galloway

Miss Margaret L. Galloway

d. A married woman who retains her original name for career purposes or who does not change her surname at all may use either Ms. or Miss, as illustrated in b and c above. e. A married woman or a widow who prefers to be addressed as Mrs. has many variations to choose from. The following examples show the possible styles for a woman whose original name was Nancy 0. Ross and whose husband's name is (or was) John A. Wells. Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Nancy 0. Wells

Mrs. Nancy O. Wells

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

f j u . ) j ^ mwdL,

J^U^ i. n?M,

Nancy R. Wells

Mrs. Nancy R. Wells

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Nancy Ross Wells

Mrs. Nancy Ross Wells

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Nancy 0. Ross-Wells

Mrs. Nancy 0. Ross-Wells Continued on page 402

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H1353 NOTE: Giving the husband's full name in the typed signature (as in the example below) is a style often used for social purposes. It should not be used in business, and it should not be used when a married woman becomes a widow unless she indicates that this is her preference. Sincerely,

Mrs. John A. Wells

f. A divorced woman who has resumed her original surname may use Ms. or Miss in any of the styles shown in S[1352b-c. If she retains her ex-husband's surname, she may use Ms. or Mrs. in any of the styles shown in 111352b and e. (EXCEPTION: The style that uses the husband's full name in the typed signature is not appropriate for a divorced woman.) 1353

a. An administrative assistant or secretary who signs a letter at the boss's request customarily signs the boss's name and adds his or her own initials. However, if the boss prefers, the administrative assistant may sign the letter in his or her own name. Sincerely yours,

Sincerely yours,

Robert H. Benedict Production Manager

Ms. Dorothy Kozinski Administrative Assistant to Mr. Benedict

b. If the person who signs for another is not the administrative assistant, either of the following forms may be used:

1354

Sincerely yours,

Sincerely yours,

For Robert H. Benedict Production Manager

Robert H. Benedict Production Manager

When two people have to sign a letter, arrange the two signature blocks side by side or one beneath the other. a. If they are placed side by side, start the first signature block at the left margin and the second block at center. If this arrangement is used, the complimentary closing should also begin at the left margin. (This arrangement is appropriate for all letter styles.) b. If the signature blocks are positioned one beneath the other, start typing the second block on the fourth line below the end of the first block, aligned at the left. In a modified-block-style letter, begin typing at center; however, in a block-style or simplified letter, begin typing at the left margin.

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1)1356 Reference Initials 1 3 5 5 a. When the writer's name appears in the signature block and someone other than the writer has typed the letter, the simplest and least obtrusive way to format reference initials is to give the typist's initials alone in lowercase. (See the illustrations on pages 366, 369, and 370.) NOTE: Do not include reference initials in a personal-business letter (see the illustration on page 368) or a social-business letter (see TH1371-1372 and the illustration on page 419). Moreover, omit reference initials on letters you type yourself unless you need to distinguish them from letters prepared for you by someone else. b. Type the initials of the typist at the left margin, on the second line below the writer's name and title. If the writer wants his or her initials used, they should precede the initials of the typist. c. Type the initials either in small letters or in all-caps. When giving two sets of initials, type them both the same way for speed and simplicity. TYPIST ONLY: WRITES AND TYPIST,

gdl dmd/mhs

OR. GDL OR. DMD/MHS

(BUT NOT. DMD/mhs)

>• For the use ofautotext, see J1344a, note; for initials based on names like McFarland and O'Leary, see f516c. d. If the writer's name is not given in the signature block, type the writer's initials and surname before the initials of the typist; for example, BSDixon/rp. e. When the letter is written by someone other than the person who signs it, this fact may be indicated by showing the writer's and the typist's initials (not the signer's and the typist's). Sincerely yours,

J4x •j^JotJbezA.

W&ffnasrm^

Herbert Heymann President „ I2x

pbrjbp

File Name Notation 1 3 5 6 When you create documents using word processing software, each document needs a unique file name so that it can be readily retrieved from storage. Some organizations have specific guidelines for creating file names so that anyone in the organization can retrieve a document If you are free to create your own file names, the following guidelines may be of some help. Continued on page 404

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1)1356 a. A file name has three components: a name, a dot (a period used as a separator), and a default extension that specifies the type of document that is beingfiled.This extension may or may not be visible, depending on the software you are using. b. In creating afilename, try to make it as meaningful as possible. You can use the letters a to z, thefigures0 to 9, and certain symbols. Depending on the software that you are using, you may be able to use spaces in file names. NOTE: Refer to your software help file or your user's manual to determine whether you can use spaces and to confirm which symbols may or may not be used.

c. If you are planning to file alphabetically, the first element in a file name may be the name of a person, an organization, or a subject. If you are dealing with a long name, you may abbreviate it in a way that suggests the full name. For example, a long name like Yvonne Christopher could be transformed into chrstph or better yet, chrstphy (to distinguish it from a file name created for Henry Christopher—chrstphh). An organizational name like Bank of America Corpor could be abbreviated as bankamer. A subject name like Direct Marketing Pl for 2007 could be shortened to dmplns07. However, abbreviations are not necessary now that most software programs no longer restrict the length of file names. d. If you are planning to file numerically, the first element in a file name may be a date, a policy number, an order number, or something similar. If you are using dates, express months in a sequence that ranges from 01 to 12, days in a sequence that ranges from 01 to 31, and years in a sequence that ranges from 00 to 99. Express the date in year-month-day sequence; for example, the file name based on May 2, 2007, would be 070502.

If you file a lot of correspondence by date, you may want to include the recipient's surname following the date. For example, the file name for a letter sent to Alexander Grayson on June 4, 2007, might be 070604grayson or 070604grys The file name for a letter sent to the International Association of Business Communicators on the same date might be 070604iabc.

NOTE:

e. If you arefilingalphabetically and want to include a date as part of the file name, you may use the year-month-day format as described in d above. Then, for example, the file name for a letter sent to Thomas Poe on November 2, 2006, would be written aspoet061102. Here is an alternative format for expressing the date in year-month-day order:

(1) To express the year, use only the last digit of the year (for example, 5 for 2005). (2) To express the months from January to September, use thefigures1 to 9. For October, November, and December, use the abbreviations oct, nov, and dec o simply the letters o, n, and d. (3) To express the day, use the figures 1 to 31. With this format, the file name for the letter sent to Thomas Poe on November 2, 2006, would bepoet6nov2 orpoet6n2.

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1)1358 f. In addition to a default extension, another extension may be used: (1) To show the initials of the writer. (2) To indicate where a document falls in chronological order. (For example, bonojl2 would signify that a given document is the twelfth sent to J. Bono.) (3) To identify a document in different stages of revision. (For example, dl could signify the first draft, d3 the third draft, and df the final version.) (4) To indicate the initials of the recipient of the letter if the primary component of the file name is the date. 1357

a. It is not essential to provide a file name notation on your letters, but some organizations require it and some writers prefer to do so. On the other hand, some organizations specify that for security purposes the file name should appear only on the file copy. b. If you want to insert a file name notation in a letter, type it on the line below the reference initials (see H1355). Some writers prefer to treat the file name notation as a reference notation and insert it after the phrase When replying, refer to:. (See 111315.)

Enclosure Notation 1358 a. If one or more items are to be included in the envelope with the letter, indicate that fact by typing the word Enclosure (or Enclosures) at the left margin, on the line below the reference initials or the file name notation, whichever comes last. NOTE: Before sending the letter, make sure that the number of enclosures shown in the enclosure notation agrees with (1) the number cited in the body of the letter and (2) the number of items actually enclosed. b. The following styles are commonly used: Enclosure Enc. (See H 503.) 1 Enclosure Check enclosed

2 Enclosures 2 Enc. Enclosures 2 Enc. 2

Enclosures: 1. Check for $500 2. Invoice A37512

c. You may use the term Attachment or Att. when the material is actually attached to the cover letter rather than simply enclosed. d. If material is to be sent separately instead of being enclosed with the letter, indicate this fact by typing Separate cover or Under separate cover on the line below the enclosure notation (if any) or on the line directly below the reference initials or the file name notation, whichever comes last. The following styles may be used: Separate cover 1

Under separate coven 1. Annual report 2. Product catalog 3. Price list

e. If you have several enclosures and want to identify each one by name, list them in the order in which you referred to them in the body of the letter. Continued on page 406

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1359 f. When the letter and the enclosures are being assembled for mailing, clip the pages together in some way that can be easily undone. NOTE: Do not staple these pages before sending them out. If the recipient wants to make copies, having to remove staples is a nuisance and may even cause the original pages to tear. If stapling is desired, let the recipient of the letter do it.

Delivery Notation 1359 a. If a letter is to be delivered in a special way (other than ordinary first-class mail), type an appropriate notation on the line below the reference initials, the file name notation, or the enclosure notation, whichever comes last. Among the notations that could be used are By fax, By e-mail, By FedEx, By Express Mail, By cert mail, By registered mail, By special delivery, and By messenger. crj

HWM:FH

tpg/wwc

Enc. 2

By FedEx

Enclosures 4

By e-mail

cc: Mr. Fry

By fax

b. If you send a letter by fax and want to record the fax number on your file copy, simply expand the delivery notation as foliows: By fax (203.555.4687)

c. If you want to e-mail a normal letter (that is, one that uses a letterhead design and normal margins), you must take special precautions to preserve the overall formatting of the letter. The simplest technique is to send the letter as an attachment to an e-mail message that serves as a cover note. (See 111385.) If you try to e-mail the letter itself, it is likely to arrive with its format significantly distorted. NOTE: In view of the special precautions that are required when e-mailing a letter, it may be simpler to fax the letter instead. Confirmation Notation 1360 a. When a letter is initially faxed or e-mailed and then sent through the mail as a confirmation copy, it is helpful to provide a confirmation notation on the letter being mailed. In that way the recipient will realize at once that the document now in hand is not a new letter but simply a hard-copy version of the fax or e-mail message previously received. b. Type the confirmation notation on the second line below the date line (see 11313) or below any notation that foliows the date (see M1314-1315). Starting at the left margin, type the foliowing notation: Confirmation of [fax OR: e-mail] sent on [date on which the letter was transmitted].

Copy Notation 1361 a. A copy notation lets the addressee know that one or more persons will also be sent a copy of the letter. The initials cc are still the most commonly used device for introducing this notation. Although the abbreviation originaliy referred to carbon copies, cc also means copies (in the same way that pp. means pages 11. means lines). The initials cc may also stand for courtesy copies; indeed, th how cc is defined in the Microsoft Word program.

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1J1362 Some writers object to using cc, now that the widespread use of photocopies or duplicate printouts has made the use of carbons obsolete. However, cc and its related form bcc (see 511362) continue to be widely used (regardless of how the copies are made), in much the same way that a dial tone continues to be heard on telephone instruments that use buttons rather than a rotary dial. NOTE: The abbreviation cc is used in the heading of many memo templates and e-mail formats. (For illustrations see pages 421 and 429.) b. Writers looking for an alternative to cc may use a single c or the phrase Copies to [ox Copy to). c. Start the copy notation on the line directly under any previous notation (such as reference initials or an enclosure notation). If there is no previous notation, type the copy notation on the second line below the writer's signature block. d. Type cc or c or Copies to at the left margin, and follow it immediately with a colon. NOTE: When you type cc at the start of a new line, your word processing program may automatically change it to Cc. This change is caused by an automatic styling function that capitalizes the first letter of anything typed at the left margin when a blank line is directly above or when the previous text line ends with a hard return. This automatic function should be permanently disabled. e. If you are sending a copy to only one person, insert 1 or 2 spaces between the colon and the person's name. mfn

Enclosure

pda/gfy

cc: Ms. Wu

c: Mr. Case

Copy to: Mrs. L Bergamot

£. If you are sending copies to several people, set a tab 1 or 2 spaces after the colon in order to start all the names at the same point. List the names in alphabetic order or according to rank. Type cc or Copies to only alongside the first name in the list. cc: Ms. Aguirre

c: Mr. Devoe

Copies to: Mrs. Gold

Mr. Boulet

Ms. Eggleston

Mr. Hunsicker

Mrs. Corbm

Mrs. Franco

Ms. Ismail

g. When first names or initials are given along with last names, omit titles such as Mr., Miss, Mrs., and Ms. except in formal letters. Moreover, do not use these titles if nicknames are given with last names, c: James Diaz cc: J. Diaz cc: Jim Diaz Kenneth Eustis K. Eustis Ken Eustis Margaret Foster M. Foster Peggy Foster 1 3 6 2 If you do not want the addressee to know that one or more persons are also being sent a copy of the letter, use a blind copy notation. a. Print the original letter plus any copies on which the regular copy notation is to appear. b. Print the blind copies one at a time, with a blind copy notation showing the name of the designated recipient. c. Under certain circumstances, you may wish to let all recipients of blind copies know who the others are. Continued on page 408

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1363 d. Type the blind copy notation on the second line below the last item in the letter (whether reference initials, an enclosure notation, or any other notation). e. The form of a blind copy notation should follow the form of the copy notation. If you have used cc or c, then use bcc or be accordingly. If you have used Copies use Blind copies to. i. The file copy should show all the blind copy notations, even though the individual copies do not. Whether the file copy is stored in computer memory or in hardcopy form, you may need to use the file copy later on to make additional copies for distribution. In such cases make sure that no prior blind copy notation appears on these new copies unless you want it to. 1 3 6 3 When a letter carries both an enclosure notation and a copy notation, it is assumed that the enclosures accompany only the original letter. If a copy of the enclosures is also to accompany some copies of the letter, this fact may be indicated as follows: cc w/o enc: D. P. Wellak N. A. Warren cc w/enc: J. Baldwin G. Conger

(will receive only the letter) (will receive only the letter) (will receive the letter and the enclosures) (will receive the letter and the enclosures)

1 3 6 4 a. A copy is not usually signed. However, a check mark is usually made on each copy next to the name of the person or department for whom that copy is intended. As an alternative, you may use a highUghting marker to identify the recipient of each copy. c: M.Starr/ W. Fried C.Bell

c: M.Starr W. Fried / C.Bell

c: M.Starr W. Fried C.Bell /

If the letter is sent by e-mail, you can use electronic highlighting to identify the recipient of each copy. *- For an illustration of electronic highlighting, see f1319c. NOTE:

b. When an unsigned copy is likely to strike the recipient as cold and impersonal, it is appropriate for the writer to add a brief handwritten note at the bottom of the copy and sign or initial it. c. If a letter is addressed to two people, the copy sent to each of them should be treated as an original and should be signed. A copy notation will be required only if additional copies are being sent to other people. d. If a letter is addressed to more than two people, the copy sent to each of them will require special treatment, as described in 111319. Postscript 1 3 6 5 a. A postscript can be effectively used to express an idea that has been deliberately withheld from the body of a letter; stating this idea at the very end gives it strong emphasis. A postscript may also be used to express an afterthought; however, if the afterthought contains something central to the meaning of the letter, the reader may conclude that the letter was badly organized.

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H1366 b. When a postscript is used: (1) Start the postscript on the second line below the copy notation (or whatever was typed last). If the paragraphs are indented, indent thefirstline of the postscript (see the illustration on page 368). Otherwise, begin it at the left margin. (2) Type PS: or PS. and leave 1 or 2 spaces before the first word of the postscript (You can omit the abbreviation if you prefer.) •are: The abbreviation P.S. (with an internal period after the P) is no longer used because the word postscript is now spelled as one word. (3) Use PPS: or PPS. (or no abbreviation at all) at the beginning of an additional postscript, and treat this postscript as a separate paragraph. PS Instead of dashing for the airport as soon as the meeting is over, why don't you have dinner and spend the n ght with us and then go back on Saturday morning? PPS Better yet why don't you bnng Joyce with you and plan to stay for the whole weekend'

Continuation Pages 1 3 6 6 a. Use plain paper of the same quality as the letterhead (but never a letterhead) for all but the first page of a long letter. b. Use the same left and right margins that you used on thefirstpage. BOTE: If the first page of the letter is typed on letterhead stationery with printed copy running down the left side of the page, the copy on that page will require special margin adjustments. On any continuation pages, revert to the side margins you normally use. (See also 11305d, note.) c. The continuation-page heading consists of the name of the recipient, the page number, and the date. Type all three items on one line or stack them at the left margin. Mrs Laura R Austin

2

September 28,2007 , „ „ |2or3x

OR:

Mrs Laura R. Austin Page 2 September 28,2007 1 2 or 3*

Your word processing software may automatically insert a continuationpage heading and correctly number each continuation page. d. If the letter is addressed to two people, it is usually simplest to type both names at the left margin preceding the page number and the date. HOTS.

Mrs Laura R. Austin Mr Phillip N Goya Page 2 September 28,2007

,2w3x Continued on page 410

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1366 If the names are short, type them on the same line with the page number and the date. Use only each person's title and surname, and join the names with and. NOTE:

Mrs. Austin and Mr. Goya

2

September 28,2007 , _ _ r |2or3x

e. If the letter is addressed to more than two people, it is not feasible to list all their names in a continuation heading or include all the inside address blocks within the same letter (see 311319c). In that case, prepare a customized version of the letter for each recipient, and use only that recipient's name in the continuation line.

f. If the letter is addressed to Dear Sir or Madam or if it lacks the name of a particu lar recipient, use a brief phrase in the heading that clearly links the continuation page to the first page of the letter. Recommendation for Emily Hanson

2

September 28,2007, _ |2or3x

g. Leave 1 or 2 blank lines below the last line of the continuation-page heading and resume typing the letter. If you use the header feature of your word processing software to create a continuation-page heading, be sure there is at least 1 blank line between the header and the text of the letter. Ms. Jenny Applegate

2

February 23,2007 ,

|2or3x and comparison shopping on Web sites will help you research products and compare prices to find the best bargains.

If you use Microsoft Word's header feature for the one-line format, you will automatically get 2 blank lines below the continuation heading. If you use the same feature for the three-line format, you will need to insert 1 or 2 blank lines in the header box before resuming the text of the letter. Do not divide a short paragraph (one that contains only two or three lines) at the bottom of a page. For a paragraph of four or more lines, always leave at least two lines of the paragraph at the bottom of the previous page. Carry over at least two lines to the continuation page. (See also 1U344i.) Never use a continuation page just for the closing section of a business letter. (The complimentary closing should be preceded by at least two lines of text.) Leave a bottom margin of at least 1 inch. The last page may run short. (See \ 1306.) Do not divide the last word on a page. When a letter consists of two or more pages, do not staple it before sending it out. If the recipient wants to make copies, having to remove staples is a nuisance and may even cause the original pages to tear. If the letter consists of too many pages to be folded, clip the pages together in some way that can be easily undone. NOTE:

h.

i. j. k. 1.

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

411

1J1368

Envelopes For useful guidance on sending business mail, go to , the Web site established by the United States Postal Service (USPS); there you will find an online brochure titled "A Guide to Mailing for Business and Organizations." For guidelines on personal mail, get a copy of "Consumer's Guide to Postal Services & Products" (Publication 201).

Selecting the Right Size 1 3 6 7 a. The following chart indicates the envelope to be used, depending on the size of the stationery and the way in which the stationery is folded (see 111370). Stationery Letter (8V2"x 11")

Executive C7W'x 10V2")

Half Letter C5V2"x8V2")

Envelope in thirds In half, then in thirds

No. 10C9V2"x4V8") NO. 63/4 [6V2" X 35/8")

In thirds In thirds

No. 9 C87/B" x 37/8")

In thirds

No. 63/4 [6V2" x 3V8")

Monarch CV2" x 378")

NOTE: If

you are using stationery and envelopes other than those shown above, consult the standards established by the USPS for envelope size and thickness in order to qualify for automated processing. b. If you use the envelope feature of your word processing program, you will be presented with a menu from which you can select the envelope size you want to use. Moreover, your program will automatically place the return address and the mailing address in positions appropriate for the envelope size you have selected. HOTE: You can modify these default

placement specifications to meet special requirements. You can also use a custom-size envelope (assuming your printer will support it) and establish appropriate placement specifications for that size. >• For an illustration of an envelope prepared by Microsoft Word (using the envelope feature and all the default specifications), seepage 412.

Addressing Envelopes 1 3 6 8 The Inside-Address Style

The traditional style for addressing envelopes—and the style most commonly seen on envelopes—uses caps and lowercase plus punctuation as appropriate. This style may be thought of as the inside-address style, because it follows all aspects of the format for inside addresses, as discussed in M1316-1336. The advantage of using this style is that it saves time and effort: your software program will copy the inside address as it appears in the letter and paste it on the envelope. You do not have to retype the address on the envelope. Moreover, the OCRs (optical character readers) used by the USPS are programmed to read this traditional style of address. >• For the use of the all-cap style in addressing envelopes, see 11369. Continued on page 412

412

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1368

When using the inside-address style: a. Always use single spacing and block each line at the left. >• See the illustrations on pages 413-414; for specific details on the handling of within the address block, see ffl316-1336. b. Capitalize the first letter of every word in an address except (1) prepositions under four letters (like of and for), (2) conjunctions under four letters (like and), and (3) the articles the, a, and an when they are used within a name or title. (Under certain circumstances even some of these short words are capitalized. See 111324c, 1326d.) c Type the city, state, and ZIP Code on the last line. If space limitations make it impossible for the ZIP Code to fit on the same line, the ZIP Code maybe typed on the line directly below, blocked at the left. NOTE: You can find or confirm the ZIP Code for a specific address on the USPS Web site: . d. Leave 1 space between the state name and the ZIP Code. (The USPS recommends either 1 or 2 spaces.) e. The state name may be spelled out or given as a two-letter abbreviation. Either form is correct for use with a ZIP Code. (See 1[1334a-b.) f. The next-to-last line in the address block should contain a street address, a post office box number, a rural route address, or a highway contract address. (See M1316C, 1328-1331.) Elvera Agresta, M.D.

Mr. Peter Schreiber

218 Oregon Pioneer's Building

Director of Research

320 Southwest Stark Street

Colby Electronics Inc.

Portland, Oregon 97204-2628

P.O. Box 6524 Raleigh, NC 27628

g. When using the envelope template of a word processing program to prepare an envelope, accept the default positions for the mailing address and the return address. Doing so will ensure that the mailing address falls within the OCR "read area" and that the return address does not. The OCR read area starts 23/4 inches above the bottom edge of the envelope, ends 5/8 inch from the bottom edge, and extends horizontally to V2 inch from the left and right edges. Do not allow any notations to fall alongside or below the OCR read area. NOTE:

h. Your software may permit you to insert the USPS POSTNET bar code above or below the address block. (See 111369b.) Before you take advantage of this option, make sure that your complete database of mailing addresses has been certified by means of address-matching software approved by the USPS. For further information, contact your local Postal Service business center. (See also 111332b.) i. When using a window envelope, adjust the placement of the inside address on the material to be inserted so that there will be a minimum clearance of Vs inch (and

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

413

HI 368 No. 10 envelope created by Microsoft Word, using all the default specifications. Arlene M. Myers 1900 Swmyslope Drive Tampa, FL 33615

Leslie J. Donovan, Ph.D. Apartment S20 One North 88th Avenue Miami, FL 33172

preferably V4 inch) between the edges of the window and all four sides of the address block, no matter how much the inserted material shifts around inside the envelope. (See also 1[1370d.) j . To facilitate OCR processing, make sure that the lines in the address block are parallel to the bottom edge of the envelope. Moreover, there should be good contrast between the typed address and the color of the envelope; black type on a white background is preferred. In addition, do not use a script or italic font The type should be clear and sharp, and adjacent characters should not touch or overlap. k. When the envelope is already imprinted with an organization's return address, it is not possible to type the writer's name above the printed address. In such cases you may write the name in by hand above the printed address, or you may type the name on the second line below the printed return address. 1. If you have to create a return address, it should contain the following information, arranged on single-spaced lines, aligned at the left: (1) the name of the writer, (2) the name of the organization (if appropriate), (3) a street address or post office box number, and (4) the city, state, and ZIP Code. If you are using the envelope template of a word processing program, accept the default position for the return address. m. If a notation such as Confidential, Personal, Please Forward, or Hold for Arrival is to be used, type it on the third line below the return address. Align the notation at the left with the return address. Begin each main word with a capital letter, and use boldface or underlining. For special emphasis type Confidential and Personal in bold caps (as in the second illustration on page 414). NOTB: Do not

allow any notations or graphics to fall alongside or below the area established for the mailing address (see 111368]). Copy placed in these locations will interfere with OCR processing. Continued on page 414

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1368 No. 6 3 / 4 envelope.

I 'A inch 1f2 Ralph L. Landers • » 172 Western Dnve inch San Jose, CA 95117

2 inches

• 2'A inches -

Mr. John R. Reardon, Treasurer Blake, Walsh & Company 598 East 77th Street Los Angeles, CA 90052

For OCR processing, start the mailing address no higher than 2 3 / 4 inches from the bottom edge. Leave a minimum bottom margin of 5 / 8 inch and minimum side margins of V2 inch. (See 1I1368J.) No. 10 envelope with confidential notation. 11A inch Edgar Gardner Evans & Massey Inc. 129 East Carlisle Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60616

3x

2 inches

CONFIDENTIAL

- 4 inches -

iiiiillinilliilliiiiilliililil Mrs. Susan Costello Manager, Housewares Division Lewis & Erickson Products Inc. 398 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60603

n. If an attention line was used within the letter itself, it should appear on the envelope as well. The attention line should be typed as the first line of the address block (see 111337). o. When a letter is to be sent in a special way by the U.S. Postal Service, do not type a mailing notation on the envelope (a customary practice in the past). The Postal Service will either affix a label or stamp the envelope to indicate the special handling that the sender has specified. p. Make sure that the spelling of the name and address on the envelope agrees with the spelling shown in the inside address (and with the spelling shown on your records or the incoming document). *- For letters being sent to two or more people at the same address, see SI131

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

415

HI 369 1 3 6 9 The All-Cap Style The all-cap style for addressing envelopes was devised by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) primarily for the benefit of high-volume mailers who must contend with space limitations for the address blocks they generate by computer. The all-cap style typically appears on labels to be used in a mass mailing. The USPS has issued many brochures urging everyone—individuals as well as organizations—to use the all-cap style, but it acknowledges that envelope addresses that use the inside-address format (see 111368) can be easily read by the USPS OCRs. Keep in mind that the USPS now subjects all letter-size mail and postcards to OCR processing—even mail with handwritten addresses. Only those items that cannot be read by OCR are diverted to special encoding centers for manual processing. NOTE: If your organization maintains its mailing lists on tapes or disks and uses these to generate inside addresses in letters (as well as address blocks on envelopes), the all-cap (and no-punctuation) style designed for the envelope will look inappropriate inside the letter. Moreover, the heavy use of abbreviations in the all-cap style (see a below) often makes the address uninteUigible to readers—another reason for not using this format for inside addresses. In such cases it makes sense to use the insideaddress style described in 111368. You will then have a format that looks attractive as an inside address and that is also OCR-readable when used on an envelope. When using the all-cap style: a. Keep in mind the maximum number of keystrokes you can get in any one line. If necessary, use abbreviations freely and omit all punctuation except the hyphen in the ZIP+4 Code. NOTE: To keep the line length down to 28 keystrokes, the USPS has provided three special sets of abbreviations: one for state names; another for long names of cities, towns, and places; a third for names of streets and roads and general terms like University or Institute. By means of these abbreviations (see the ZIP Code directory), it is possible to limit the last line of any domestic address to 28 keystrokes. P a s s - a - G r i l l e Beach, F l o r i d a 33741-9999 12345678901234567 890123456 7890123456789 PAS-A-GRL BCH FL 3 3 7 4 1 - 9 9 9 9

[39 keystrokes) C27 keystrokes)

Abbreviations such as those shown above serve to facilitate OCR processing, but they also serve in some cases to make the address incomprehensible to all except devoted students of USPS manuals. (Read the copy in the illustration on page 483.) These abbreviations appear on the USPS Web site: . b. Type the lines in all-caps, single-spaced, blocked at the left, with no punctuation. Try to hold the address block to 5 lines. Your software may permit you to insert the USPS POSTNET bar code above or below the address block. (See the illustrations on pages 412, 414, and 416.) NOTE:

Before you insert a bar code, make sure that your complete database of mailing addresses has been certified as correct by means of address-matching software approved by the USPS. For further information, contact your local Postal Service business center. (See also 111332b.) NOTE:

Continued on page 416

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 369 No. 10 envelope showing the all-cap address style. EVANS & MASSEY INC 129 EAST CARLISLE AVE CHICAGO, IL 60616 2 inches

• 4 inches

MR HENRY T MACMILLAN JR »• CAMPING ENTERPRISES INC 412 HIGH ST RM 980 WASHINGTON DC 20017

c. Type the city, state, and ZIP Code on the last line. If space limitations make it impossible for the ZIP Code to fit on the same line, the ZIP Code may be typed on the line directly below, blocked at the left. d. Leave 1 space between the state name and the ZIP Code. (The USPS recommends either 1 or 2 spaces.) e. Express the state name as a two-letter abbreviation. f. The next-to-last line in the address block should contain a street address, a post office box number, a rural route address, or a highway contract address. (See M1316c, 1328-1331.) g. If a room number, a suite number, an apartment number, or a floor number is part of the address, insert it immediately after the street address on the same line. (See the examples in f 1369b and h.) When this information will not fit on the same line as the street address, place it on the line above but never on the line below. (See the examples in 11111316b, 1317b.) NOTE: Do not use the pound sign (#) if a term such as Room, Suite, Apartment, Floor is used before the number. If you do use the pound sign, the USPS asks that 1 space be left between the symbol and the number that follows; for example: 616 OHIO AVENUE #203

h. If an attention line is to be included in the address, insert it on the line directly above the organizational name or (in the absence of an organizational name) on the line directly above the street address or post office box number (see 11337). If a serial number of some kind (for example, an account number or a file reference number) is required, insert it as the first line of the address block. H 048369 1078 AT5 MRS M R TURKEVICH BROCK & WILSON CORP 79 WALL ST STE 1212 NEW YORK NY 10005-4101

OH: H 048369 1078 AT5 ATTN MRS M R TURKEVICH BROCK & WILSON CORP 79 WALL ST STE 1212 NEW YORK NY 10005-4101

i. To facilitate OCR processing, make sure that the mailing address starts no higher than 23/4 inches from the bottom edge, falls no lower than 5/8 inch from the

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

417

HI 370 bottom edge, and comes no closer to either the left or the right edge than V2 inch. Do not allow any notations or graphics to fall alongside or below the area established for the mailing address. Make sure that the lines in the address block are parallel to the bottom edge of the envelope. Moreover, there should be good contrast between the typed address and the color of the envelope; black type on a white background is preferred. Do not use a script or italic font. The type should be clear and sharp. Adjacent characters should not touch or overlap.

Folding and Inserting Letters 1 3 7 0 The following paragraphs provide guidelines for folding letters and inserting them into envelopes. a. To fold a letter in thirds:

^ C2D

CD

(1) Bring the bottom third of the letter up and make a crease. (2) Fold the top of the letter down to within 3/8 inch of the crease you made in step 1. Then make the second crease. (3) The creased edge made in step 2 goes into the envelope first. NOTE: Use this method for 8V2" x 11" stationery with a No. 10 envelope; executive stationery with a No. 9 or a Monarch envelope; 5V2" x 8V2" stationery with a No. 63/4 envelope. To fold a letter in half and then in thirds:

-JH co

CO

C3D

(1) Bring the bottom edge to within 3/8 inch of the top edge and make a crease. (2) Fold from the right edge, making the fold a little less than one-third the width of the sheet before you crease it. (3) Fold from the left edge, bringing it to within 3/8 inch of the crease you made in step 2 before you crease the sheet again. (4) Insert the left creased edge into the envelope first. This will leave the crease you made in step 2 near the flap of the envelope. 3 NOTE: Use this method for 8V2" x 11" stationery with a No. 6 A envelope. Continued on page 418

418

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

111371 c. To fold a letter in half:

(1) Bring the bottom edge to within 3/8 inch of the top edge and make a crease. (2) Insert the creased edge into the envelope first. 3 NOTE: Use this method for 5V2" x 8V2" stationery with a No. 5 /8 envelope. d. To fold a letter for insertion into a window envelope:

"

CD

^

GO

(1) Place the letterface down with the letterhead at the top, and fold the bottom third of the letter up. (2) Fold the top third down so that the inside address shows. (3) Insert the letter with the inside address toward \he front of the envelope. The inside address should now be fully readable through the window of the envelope. Moreover, there should be at least Vs inch (and preferably V4 inch) between all four sides of the address and the edges of the window, no matter how much the letter shifts position in the envelope.

Social-Business Correspondence 1 3 7 1 The term social-business correspondence applies to the following types of letters: a. Executive correspondence addressed to high-level executives, officials, and dignitaries. (Unlike ordinary business correspondence—which deals with sales, production, finance, advertising, and other routine commercial matters—these letters deal with such topics as corporate policy and issues of social responsibility, and they are written in a more formal style.) b. Letters expressing praise, concern, or condolence to someone within or outside the organization. The occasion that prompts the letter could be exceptional performance on the job or in the community, an employment anniversary, the death or serious illness of a family member, or an upcoming retirement. Such letters may be formal or informal, depending on the relationship between the writer and the person addressed.

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

419

H1372 c. Letters to business associates within or outside the company on purely social matters. 1 3 7 2 Social-business correspondence differs from ordinary business correspondence in several ways: a. The inside address is typed at the bottom of the letter, aligned at the left margin and starting on the fourth line below the writer's signature or title (whichever comes last). b. The salutation is followed by a comma rather than a colon. c. Reference initials and notations pertaining to file name, enclosures, delivery, and copies are typically omitted. (It would make good sense, however, to put such notations on the file copy in case this information is needed later on.)

PrfaPBT^niniiiffW In f AVON ADVISORY COUNCIL 192 WEST MAIN STREET PHONE 860-555-4954

AVON, CONNECTICUT 06001 FAX 860-555-4960

September 26,2007 .

j« DearAnnle,. 2 x You and I have worked together on the Advisory Council for nearly six years, and In that time we have gotten to know each other pretty well. So you'll understand why I was deeply pained to hear that you and your husband have sold your house and are planning to move to the Northwest next month., 2 x We have not always seen eye to eye (I still think you were dead wrong to vote against the parking lot expansion), but there is no one who has given as much thought and imagination and caring service to this town as you have. • 2 x All of us on the Advisory Council are going to miss you very much, both as a forceful participant and as a rare and generous friend, but we wish you and George the best of hick as you make new lives for yourselves. We envy your new neighbors, for they will be the beneficiaries of what we in Avon have so long enjoyed—your vital presence., O x We won't forget you, Annie , 2 x Sincerely,.

Harlan W. Estabrook Chairman.

Ux Mrs Anne 6 Wheatley 14 Tower Lane

Avon, Connecticut 06001

Continued on page 420

420

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1373

d. If the letter requires a Personal or Confidential notation, place the notation on on the envelope, not on the letter itself. (For the appropriate placement of the notation on an envelope, see 11368m and the second illustration on page 414.) NOTE: Include the Personal or Confidential notation on the file copy. e. Social-business correspondence is also more formal or less formal than ordinary business correspondence. For example, correspondence to high-level officials and dignitaries is customarily more formal. In such cases use the word style for numbers (see M404-406) and one of the special salutations listed in Section 18. However, in letters to business associates who are also close friends, the salutation and the complimentary closing may be very informal, and the writer's typed signature and title—and even the inside address—may be omitted. Moreover, when such letters are purely personal in nature, the writer may use plain stationery and omit the return address.

Memos 1373

a. The memo format was designed to simplify the exchange of information vvithin an organization. The printed memo form is now a thing ofthepast, butthememo format continues to be widely used for certain types of documents transmitted by e-mail. b. The memo format and the e-mail format look very much alike. The heading in each case calls for the same kind of information: the names of the recipients, the subject of the message, and the date of transmittal. Yettheyeach work best under different circumstances. The e-mail format is typically used when a message deals with a topic of only temporary importance (for example, arranging dates for meetings or exchanging comments on routine matters). Such messages are usuaUy deleted sooner or later. The memo format is typicaUy used when the message deals with topics likely to form part of a permanent record—for example, announcements of changes in policy, procedures, organization, or staffing. Minutes of meetings done in an informal style also make use of the memo format (see 11704 and the iliustration on page 546). c. Many organizations have designed their own memo format. If your organization has not done so, you can use a memo template provided by your word processing software. The iliustration at the top of page 421 shows one of the templates provided by Microsoft Word.

1374

If you want to create your own memo template, consider the foliowing guidelines. (The iliustrations on pages 422-423 have been formatted to reflect these guidelines.) Please remember: There is no one correct format for a memo. Design the format to meet your needs and those of the organization you work for. NOTE: Because memos are now typicaliy distributed by e-mail, you mayfindit helpful to consider the guidelines for preparing e-mail messages. (See W1375-1385.) a. For side margins, either choose the default settings (1.25 inches for Microsoft Word, 1 inch for WordPerfect) or, for better appearance and legibility, choose even wider side margins (as shown in the table in 11305b).

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

421

U1374 The Professional memo template (using 10-point Axial), provided by Microsoft Word.

I

4 i,

Li.

Company N a m e Here

i1

•^ %

Memo [Clk* hers and type name]

h

[Ok* here and type name] CCJ

[dick here and type name] [Current date will be Inserted automattcalty]

'

i

Ra

-%

pick here and type subject]

b. The standard top margin for all business documents is 2 inches (established by spacing down 6 times from the default top margin of 1 inch). However, if you stay with a top margin of only 1 inch, you can fit more copy on the page and reduce the need for a continuation page. If you are planning to use letterhead stationery for a memo, make sure you leave at least a 0.5-inch space between the letterhead and the first element to be typed. c. You can choose the heading you prefer: for example, MEMO (as in the illustration above), INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM (as in the illustration at the bottom of page 422), or simply MEMORANDUM (as in the illustration on page 423). d. The heading of the memo should include the following guide words—TO, FROM, DATE, and SUBJECT. NOTE. If you

decide not to use a heading such as INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM or MEMORANDUM, change TO (the first guide word) to MEMO TO (as shown in the illustration at the top of page 422). >- For an explanation of the spacing notations that appear on the illustrations of memos, see f!302d. e. You may also wish to add a number of other guide words. For example, below the guide word TO you could insert COPIES TO. If you work in a large organization and are sending memos to people who do not know you, then below the guide word FROM you might want to insert such guide words as DEPARTMENT, FLOOR, PHONE NO., or FAX NO. Start typing the guide words at the left margin and use double spacing. Type the guide words in bold caps or in bold caps and lowercase (as in the illustrations on page 422). Continued on page 422

422

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1374

6x AEMO TO: Joanne Malik, Forrest Talbot, Lee Wriston FROM:

Sally Klein , „

DATE:

February 9, 2007, „

|2x

|2x

HEADING

|2x SUBJECT: Convention Invitation

I 2xor3x We have just been invited to make a one-hour presentation on catalog marketing at the annual convention of the International Marketing Institute. The convention will be held on November 12-15 at the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, Arizona. I don't have all the details we need in order to start planning the presentation, but I would like you to block out these dates on your calendar now so as to avoid any schedule conflicts later on.,

f2x

This invitation represents an excellent opportunity for us to show the profession some of the exciting things we have done in the past few years, and it could bring us a number of new clients next year. Let's give it our best shot.

BODY

|2x

As soon as I receive more information from the program coordinator, I'll set up a luncheon at which we can decide how best to proceed.

s% SK

4x CLOSING

+ 2x

job imiconvn070209

NOTE: If you plan to use a large number of guide words

(beyond TO, FROM, DAT and SUBJECT), you may want to arrange the guide words in two columns to prevent the heading from taking too much space. In that case, start the second column of guide words at center (as shown in the illustration below).

Interoffice Memorandum To:

Bernard O'Kelly

From:

Janet R. Wiley

Dept.:

Special Sales

Dept.:

Software Products

Floor:

4

Floor and Ext:

7/3825

Date:

April 7,2006

Subject: Test Marketing Arrangements

f. Set a tab so that the entries following the guide words will all block at the left and will clear the longest guide word by a minimum of 2 spaces.

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

423

HI 3 7 4

MEMORANDUM TO:

Bernard O'Kelly

9 y

T

COPIES TO:

Steve Kubat, Pat Rosario

FROM:

Janet R. Wiley ^ * £ | A

DATE:

April 7,2006

Dear Berniei

«„

T Let me try to summarize the outcome of our excellent meeting last Friday, in which we discussed how your group might sell our product lines to the markets you serve. n „

T 1. Steve Kubat, chief product manager for my group, will provide you with product descriptions, catalog sheets, ad mats, and current price lists. If you need additional information, just call Steve (or me in his absence) and we'll be glad to help m any way that we can. Q „

t 2. We will pay you an 18 percent commission on all orders you generate for our products. Please forward a copy of these orders to Steve, who will arrange to have the commission credited to your account. « „

T 3. We very much appreciate your offer to give us three hours at your weeklong sales meeting next month to present our products to your field staff. We'll be there. —

f 4. We have agreed to give this new arrangement a six-month test to determine (a) how much additional sales revenue you and your people can produce with our products and (b) what effect, if any, this special marketing effort will have on your sales of other products. At the end of the test period, we will analyze the results and decide whether to continue the arrangement, modify it in some way, or abandon it altogether.

o„

T I don't think we'll be abandoning it, Bernie. In fact, I feel quite confident that this new arrangement is going to produce significant gains in sales and profits for both of us. I look forward to working with you to make it all happen. n „

•'

g. After the guide words TO (or MEMO TO) and FROM, type the names of the addressee and the writer without personal titles (Mr, Miss, Mrs., Ms.). Indeed, when you are doing a memo to someone within your immediate unit, the use of initials or simply a first name may suffice. In short, the way you treat these names will depend on the relative formality or informality of the occasion. John A. Mancuso OR: JAM OR: Jack h. If you want to provide additional information (such as a department name or title, a phone number, a fax number, or an e-mail address), you can add the appropriate guide words to the heading of the memo or you can insert the relevant information after the person's name. For example: Cynthia Chen, Accounting Manager

OR: Cynthia Chen [Ext. 4782) Continued on page 424

424

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 374 i. If the memo is being addressed to two or three people, try to fit all the names on the same line.

MEMO TO:

Hal Parker, Meryl Crawford, Mike Monagle

If there are too many names to fit on the same line, then list the names in one or more single-spaced columns alongside TO or MEMO TO. Leave 1 blank line be fore the next guide word and fill-in entry.

MEMO TO:

Louise Landes Fred Mendoza Jim Norton Ruth O'Hare

FROM:

Neil Sundstrom

j . If listing all the addressees in the heading of a memo looks unattractive or takes up too much space, then after the guide words MEMO TO or TO, type See Distribution Below or something similar (see the illustration on page 425). Then on the second line below the reference initials, the file name notation, or the enclosure notation (whichever comes last), type Distribution. Use caps and lowercase, followed by a colon, and italicize or underline the word for emphasis. (If you use italics, italicize the colon as well. If you underline, do not underline the colon.) Leave 1 blank line and then list the names of the individuals who are to receive a copy of the memo. Arrange the names either by rank or in alphabetic order, and type them blocked at the left margin. (If space is tight, arrange the names in two or more columns.) NOTE: If you are distributing printed copies of the memo, simply place a check mark next to one of the listed names to indicate who is to receive that particular copy. As an alternative, use a highlighting marker to identify the recipient of each copy. If you are distributing the memo as an e-mail attachment, type the names of all the recipients in the e-mail heading; this will ensure that each person receives a copy. However, retain the distribution list in the memo itself so that these names will appear on a printed copy of the memo. k. If the fill-in after the guide word SUBJECT is long, type it in two or more singlespaced lines of roughly equal length. Align all turnover lines with the start of the first line of the fill-in. (For illustrations, see pages 451 and 546.) 1. Begin typing the body of the memo on the second or third line below the last line in the heading. (The iliustration on page 425 shows the use of only 1 blank line between the heading and the body of the memo. The illustrations at the top of pages 422 and 423 show the use of 2 blank lines.)

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

425

HI 374

6x MEMO TO: See Distribution Below ~

T

FROM:

Stanley W.Venner (Ext. 3835)

DATE:

May 10, 2007

SUBJECT: Car Rentals

12 or 3x We have just been informed that car rental rates will be increased by $1 to $2 a day, effective July 1. ^

T

This daily rate increase can be more than offset if you refill the gasoline tank before returning your rental car to the local agency. According to our latest information, the car rental companies are charging an average of 32 percent more per gallon than the gas stations in the same area. Therefore, you can help us achieve substantial savings and keep expenses down by remembering to fill up the gas tank before turning your rental car in. o T SWV l2X jmb venner070510 ~ „ T Distribution: j _

f

G. Bonardi D. Catlin S. Folger V. Jellinek E. Kasendorf R Legrande T. Pacheco F. Sullivan J. Trotter W.Zysk

An interoffice memo ordinarily does not require a salutation, especially if the memo is an impersonal announcement being sent to a number of people or the staff at large. (See the illustration above.) However, when a memo is directed to one person (as in the illustration on page 423), use a salutation—such as Lear Andy or Andy alone—to keep the memo from seeming cold or impersonal. (If a salutation is used, begin typing the body of the memo on the second line below the salutation.) KOTE:

m. Use single spacing and either block the paragraphs at the left margin or indent the first line of each paragraph 0.5 inch. Leave 1 blank line between paragraphs. If a list appears in the body of a memo (as in the illustration on page 423), it will require special treatment. For detailed guidelines, see 1I1345c-e. NOTE:

n. Although memos do not require a signature line, some writers prefer to end their memos in this way. In that case type the writer's name or initials at the left margin, on the second line below the last line of the message (as shown in the illustration

426

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

111374 at the top of page 425). If the writer plans to insert a handwritten signature or initials above the signature line, type the signature line on the fourth line below (as shown in the illustration at the top of page 422) to allow room for the handwriting. If the writer simply inserts handwritten initials next to the typed name in the heading (as in the illustration on page 423), omit the signature line altogether. o. Type the reference initials (see 111355) at the left margin, on the second line below the end of the message or the writer's typed name or initials, whichever comes last. (See the illustrations at the top of pages 422, 423, and 425.) p. Type a file name notation (if needed) on the line below the reference initials. (See M1356-1357 and the illustrations on 422, 423, and 425.) q. Type an enclosure notation (if needed) on the line below the reference initials or the file name notation, whichever comes last. (See K1358.)

r. Type a copy notation (if needed) on the line below the reference initials, the file name notation, or the enclosure notation, whichever comes last. Use the same style for the copy notation as in a letter. (See HK1361-1364.) If the recipient of the memo is not intended to know that a copy of the memo is being sent to one or more other persons, use a blind copy notation. (See 11362.) NOTE: As an alternative, place the copy notation in the heading. (See the illustration on page 423.) On the second line below TO or MEMO TO, insert the guid words COPIES TO and then insert the appropriate names at the right, starting at the same point as the other fill-ins in the heading.

s. If the memo is of a confidential nature, type the word CONFIDENTIAL in bold caps. Center the confidential notation on the second line below the last line of the memo heading. i2x CONFIDENTIAL |2or3x

Begin typing the body of the memo on the second or third line below this notation. (See 1113741.) t. If the memo continues beyond the first page, insert a continuation heading on a new sheet of paper. (Use the same style as shown in 1(1366 for a letter.) Leave 1 or 2 blank lines between the continuation-page heading and the message. (See K1366 for additional details on continuing the message from one page to another.)

E-Mail

The volume of e-mail messages continues to grow at an explosive rate—and for good reason. The use of e-mail eliminates the time lag involved in sending documents by regular mail (also known as snail mail), and it avoids the expense of sending documents by express mail. It also does away with the frustration that results from playing telephone tag (leaving messages but never connecting).

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

427

JI1376 The following guidelines (M1375-1389) suggest how to make the best use of what this technology has to offer.

The Nature of E-Mail 1375

a. The term e-mail refers to a way of transmitting messages electronically. In that sense it is an alternative to snail mail, express mail, and faxes. Whether we say we want "to send a report by e-maiT (using the term as a noun) or "to e-mail a report" (using the term as a verb), we are referring to e-mail as a mode of transmission.

b. The term e-mail can also be used to describe messages that are formatted by means of a special template. Thus it is quite acceptable to say, "I received three e-mails from Tony LaBalme today." HOTE: As a way of preserving the distinction between these two meanings, the following discussion will use e-mail to refer to the mode of transmission and e-mail message to refer to a document formatted in a special way. c. Not everything transmitted by e-mail has to make use of an e-mail template. Letters typed on a letterhead template, messages typed on a memo template, as well as reports, contracts, itineraries, and many other types of documents are often sent by e-mail. However, special precautions are required in order to preserve the original formatting of these documents. (See H1385.) >• For an illustration of the e-mail template provided by Outlook Express, seepage 42 1376

a. Many people consider e-mail to be a very informal means of communication, and therefore they assume that e-mail messages do not have to comply with the normal standards of written English. This assumption is reflected all too often in hastily written messages that are badly organized and ridden with errors in spelling, grammar, usage, and style. If there were a motto for this style of e-mail composition, it would be "Anything Goes." b. The "Anything Goes" approach may be acceptable in one's personal e-mail messages, but business communications are business communications, no matter how they are sent—by e-mail, fax, or snail mail. c. E-mail messages can range from the extremely formal to the extremely informal as specific circumstances dictate. When making initial contact with someone outside your organization, it is appropriate to write more formally. Once you have established a friendly relationship with this person, your subsequent exchanges can become more informal. By the same token, your e-mail messages to higher-level managers will be more formal unless a relationship is established that permits a more casual approach. But even when circumstances warrant a less formal style, this does not mean that you can ignore the rules for grammar, usage, and style. d. In short, if you are writing as an individual on your own behalf, you can be as casual and as sloppy as you wish. But when you write e-mail messages on behalf of the organization you work for, you must observe all the standards that apply to other forms of business communications. Continued on page 428

428

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 377 e. Always remember that the e-mail messages you write in the course of doing your job belong to your organization and might one day be cited as part of a legal action. 1 3 7 7 E-mail messages can be distributed through local and wide area networks, bulletin board systems, online services, and the Internet. Procedures for sending and receiving e-mail messages will therefore differ, depending on the system you use. Even the construction of mailing addresses will vary as a result. a. An e-mail address consists of several elements. Here are a few examples: [emailprotected] [emailprotected]

[emailprotected] [emailprotected]

(1) The address begins with a user name (the distinctive name used to sign on to an e-mail system). For example, a person named Rita J. Bella might use ritajbella, rita.bella, rita_bella, or rbella560. An organization might u name of a position, a department, or a function as a user name (for example, info or customer service).

(2) The user name is followed by the symbol for at—@—which is sometimes referred to as a "strudel" because of its resemblance to a type of rolled pastry.

(3) The final element of an e-mail address consists of two parts: the name of the host computer, followed by a dot and a top-level domain (TLD), which indicates the type of organization that owns the host computer. If you use America Online, the final element will appear as aol.com; if you use BellSouth, the final element will appear as bellsouth.net. Many organization have their own host computers; for example: mcgraw-hill.com national.unitedway.org

cornell.edu senate.gov

(4) The top-level domain is expressed in abbreviated form. For example, .com signifies a commercial enterprise, .org signifies a nonprofit organization, .edu signifies an educational institution, and .gov signifies a governmental institution. Here is a brief fist of typical e-mail abbreviations: [emailprotected] [Wired magazine] [emailprotected] [Doctors Without Borders) [emailprotected] (Kellogg School of Management) [emailprotected] (the President of the United States)

>• For a full list of the top-level domains now in use, see 11508b. b. E-mail addresses may be typed in all-caps, in lowercase, or in some combination of the two. However, the use of lowercase simplifies the typing of these addresses. Thus you may lowercase an e-mail address that the user has chosen to capitalize. c Never alter the spacing, the punctuation, or the symbols that appear in an e-mail address.

>• For guidelines on how to divide a long e-mail address at the end of a line, se

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

429

HI 379 E-Mail Netiquette 1 3 7 8 Netiquette is the name given to a code of behavior for people who send and receive e-mail messages. Upon first hearing, the term suggests the electronic equivalent of a set of fussy rules that tell you, for example, which fork to use with the salad course. But netiquette does not consist of a set of rigid rules. It encourages you to adopt a certain attitude of thoughtfulness—to be more considerate of the people you write to, to protect the privacy of their e-mail addresses, to avoid burdening them with messages they do not need to see. And netiquette is more than a matter of good manners. It can help you create messages that are more likely to achieve the results you want. As you consult the following guidelines for such topics as filling in the heading of an e-mail template, composing the message, and responding to messages, you will find netiquette considerations at every point.

Filling In the Heading The e-mail template consists of nothing more than a heading that serves to organize some basic information about the recipients of the message and the nature of the message. Here is an illustration of the e-mail template provided by Outlook Express.

Bffl®

i* New Message. File

Edit

View

Insert

Format

Tools

Message

Help

fi/ *y

a

end

Check

T0!

|

CC

|

Bca

|

Spelling

v. Attach

Prionty

cj Sign

a Encrypt

Offline

'

Subject: Anal

i# io *

I,

B

i

u A.

E EC*:

mS a •

-

UH

1 3 7 9 The Recipients

When you are sending a message to only one person, simply enter that person's name in the To box. If the person's name is not included on your Contacts list (where it is linked to that person's e-mail address), you will have to enter the e-mail address rather than the person's name. To: Adam Stamm OR. TO: [emailprotected] When you are writing to a number of people, a key netiquette issue is whether or not to permit all the recipients to see one another's e-mail addresses. a. If the message will be distributed to members of the same organization or association or if the designated recipients all know one another, exposing each person's e-mail address to the others poses no problem: Continued on page 430

430

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1379 M\New Messate File

Edit

View

Insert

Send

Format

Paste

Tools

Message

Undo

Help

Check

Spelling

| To:

Carol Lutz, Nelson Block

| Cc:

Martin Goldman, Phyllis Martino, Paul Perrier, Sally Watson

Attach

[H|Bcc: Subject:

(1) In the To box, enter the names of those for whom the message is primarily intended. Separate the names with commas or semicolons. (2) In the Cc box, enter only the names of those who have a genuine need to see this message. Resist the impulse to copy everyone on your mailing list. (3) In the Bcc box, enter the names of those who are to receive a blind copy (one that the other recipients do not know about). NOTE: As a general rule, it is bad policy to send blind copies to others in your organization. Doing so not only damages a desirable climate of direct and open communication among colleagues; it ultimately damages the reputation of anyone who is discovered to be sending bee's on a routine basis. b. When your message is intended for people who do not know each other, your message, upon arrival, will display the e-mail address of every recipient. These recipients may not be pleased to see their privacy invaded in this way (however unintentionally). To avoid this problem, enter all the names in the Bcc box. In this way you protect their privacy. When each person receives your message, the To box will simply say "Undisclosed Recipient" or something similar. W^

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10 To: iHCc: [TJ3 Bcc: Subject:

Terry Filbin, Gary Freeman, Dorothy James, Milton Boyarski

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Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

431

1J1380 c. Under certain circumstances, you may want all the recipients to know one another's names without revealing their e-mail addresses. In this case, you would still enter all the recipients' names in the Bcc box, but at the end of the message, provide all the recipients' names in a distribution list, just as you would at the end of a memo. (For an illustration of a distribution list, see page 425.) NOTE: Your user's manual may provide another technique for displaying all the recipients' names without revealing their e-mail addresses. d. Experienced users of e-mail know the risk of accidentally sending a message before it is ready to be sent. To avoid this possibility; follow their example: do not enter anything in the To box until you are satisfied with what you have written and have checked it for spelling, grammar, and other types of errors. e. As a general rule, keep the distribution of your e-mail messages to a ininimum. Given the ease of transmitting messages to everyone on your mailing list, you could be sending copies to people who don't need to see them and thus be adding to their e-mail overload. 1 3 8 0 The Subject Line a. In the Subject box, insert a concise title that accurately describes your message. The recipient of a great many messages scans the subject lines quickly to determine which messages require the fastest action. Therefore, use wording that will get you the attention you want. * New Date and Location for Albany Sales Conference ^ g . File

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JTom Madison, Evelyn Jeffers, Wallace Goransen

msec. | US Bcc: j Subject:

J New Date and Location for Albany Sales Conference

Some writers prefer to capitalize only the first word in the subject line plus any proper nouns; for example, New date and location for Albany sales conference.

NOTE:

b. To attract special attention, insert a special symbol (such as!) alongside your subject line. However, use this symbol sparingly and only when sending something really urgent. Otherwise, your recipients may conclude that you have an exaggerated sense of what is urgent, and they may not give immediate consideration to subsequent messages that are truly urgent. Some e-mail programs (Netscape, for one) allow you to specify the priority status of your messages—from very high to very low.

NOTE:

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1J1381 Composing the Message 1 3 8 1 The Salutation a. An e-mail message (like a memo) does not require a salutation, especially when (1) the message is being distributed to a number of people within your organization or (2) the message consists of an impersonal announcement about a change in policy or procedure. b. A salutation is desirable, however, when your message might otherwise strike the recipient as cold and impersonal. c When you are writing to someone you know, the salutation can take a number of forms and it may be followed by a comma rather than a colon. For example: Doug,

Dear Doug,

Good morning, Doug,

Hello, Doug,

Hi Doug,

Strictly speaking, there should be a comma after Hi in Hi Doug, but to insist on a comma in a salutation so brisk and breezy is to carry grammatical correctness to an extreme. (For a comment on grammatical correctness, see the introduction to Section 10 on page 256.) NOTE: As an alternative to inserting a salutation on a line by itself, you can incorporate the person's name in the opening of the message. You're right, Doug. I goofed.

d. When you are writing to someone you don't know or someone with whom you still have a formal relationship, use a formal salutation and follow it with a colon. For example: Dear Ms. Ballantine: OR: Dear Frances Ballantine: *• For a list of appropriate salutations, see T1339.

1 3 8 2 The Message Before composing an e-mail message, keep in mind that your intended recipient may have been traveling for several days or may simply have been away from the computer all day. Upon turning on the computer, this person may be confronted with more than 100 e-mail messages that have piled up each day in the interim. Many recipients report increasing frustration over the time it takes to read each day's e-mail messages, especially if many of those messages represent spam, the electronic equivalent of junk mail. To avoid frustrating the recipients of your e-mail messages, consider the following netiquette factors as you write. a. Keep the message as short as possible—ideally to one screen, two at the most. NOTE: Some authorities recommend limiting the line length in your e-mail messages to 70 or 80 characters. Doing so, however, may have no effect on how your message will appear when it is received, because the recipient's e-mail program may reformat your message according to its own specifications. b. Organize your sentences in short, single-spaced paragraphs to make your message easier to understand. Do not indent the opening line of each paragraph, but do leave 1 blank line between paragraphs.

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

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1)1382 c. Try to keep the message focused on a single topic. If you have several topics to discuss, it is usually better to create a separate e-mail message for each topic than to cram them all into one message. d. If several topics have to be included in the same message, put them in separate paragraphs and use a side head or run-in head for each paragraph so that the recipient can see at a glance what the total message covers. (For examples of headings, see 11111425c, 1426.) e. If you are asking a number of specific questions and each requires a separate response, put them in separate paragraphs. In this way the recipient can easily insert a comment directly after each question and thus be spared the need to write a long, connected message that has to restate each question in the process of providing an answer. (For a further discussion and an illustration of this technique, see f 1386c.) f. You may have to provide some background information so that your recipient will understand your message. Resist the temptation to provide more than is necessary. g. Watch your tone as you compose the message. Before you send it, read the message from the recipient's point of view to make sure that the tone you have used is not likely to affect the recipient in ways you did not intend. If you are not confident about the tone of what you have written, wait a day and then reread the message with some detachment. You may find that it needs further work. h. Do not send a message composed in anger (an act known as flaming). Moreover, if you receive flames (angry messages), it is wiser to ignore them than to respond in kind. NOTE: If you have composed a message in anger, let it sit in your Drafts folder for a day and reread it in a calmer frame of mind. You may be glad you still have a chance to rewrite the message and tone it down. i. Do not use e-mail messages to make critical comments about your colleagues or the people you work for. Such comments have a way of leaking out and becoming common knowledge. When this happens, the writer is sure to be seriously embarrassed and may even be fired as a result. j . Never use e-mail messages to deliver negative assessments to the people who work under your supervision. These assessments are sensitive and highly confidential matters, and it is not appropriate to communicate them in an e-mail message. k. Put nothing in an e-mail message that you do not want anyone other than the intended recipient to see. For example, do not provide confidential information that could wind up in the wrong hands—items such as your social security number, your credit card numbers, and your bank account numbers. Remember: The privacy of the e-mail messages you send cannot be guaranteed. 1. Do not type your message in all-caps (a practice considered to be the equivalent of shouting) or all in lowercase. Either approach will make your message hard to read. Continued on page 434

434

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 382 E-Mail Message Sent

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lISBcc: | Subject: jSetting Up a Sub S Corporation Times New Roman

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Hi Jack, Bev and I have decided to take your advice and set up a Sub S corporation. I'll be in town next Thursday and Friday. Can you spare me a little time either afternoon? All the best, Margaret v

m. E-mail writers sometimes rely on special abbreviations to shorten their messages. For example: CUL

see you later

IKWUM

I know what you mean

OTOH

on the other hand

LOL

I'm laughing out loud at

BTW

by the way

IMHO

in my humble opinion

FWIW

for what it's worth

what I just read ROTFL

I'm rolling on the floor laughing at what I just read

Use abbreviations like these only in informal messages. n. Some e-mail users like to insert smileys [for example, :-)] in their messages to indicate their feelings about what they are writing. Smileys are acceptable in personal messages, but they are usually inappropriate in business messages. >• For a further discussion of this issue, go to and see entry for Smiley in the Glossary of Computer Terms. NOTE:

Section 13 • Letters, Memos, and E-Mail

435

HI 3 8 2 E-Mail Message Received

Margaret Miles ([emailprotected])

• For spacing above and below heads, see 11426.

(2) A side head starts flush with the left margin, on a line by itself. Type side heads in bold caps or in bold caps and lowercase. (3) A run-in head (also called a. paragraph heading) is one that begins a parag and is immediately followed by text matter on the same line. Indent a run-in head 0.5 inch from the left margin. Type it in bold caps and lowercase. The run-in head should be followed by a period (unless some other mark of punctuation, such as a question mark, is required). The text then begins 1 or 2 spaces after the punctuation. (See the illustrations in 1U426b-c.) >• For capitalization in headings, see ff360-361, 363.

Section 14 • Reports and Manuscripts

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HI 426 1 4 2 6 The illustrations below and on page 468 provide spacing guidelines for headings. You have two options. You can leave only 1 blank line above centered and side headings (as shown in the models in the right column). For a more open look, you can leave 2 blank lines above centered and side headings (as shown in the models in the left column). a. In a report that calls for only one level of heading, choose a side heading and type it in one of the styles shown below. Condensed Style

Open Style xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx..

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. 2x

SIDE HEAD SIDE HEAD , |2x Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Jixxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

L2X

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Ixxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx fxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. L2X

3x

Side Head

Side Head 2x Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

l2x Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

b. In a report that calls for two levels of headings, choose one of the styles shown below. Open Style

Condensed Style

.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

wxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx fxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx..

J3x SIDE HEAD , l2x Run-In Head. Xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx., i2x

Run-in Head. Xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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SffiE HEAD , l2x Run-in Head. Xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx., 12x Run-in Head. Xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Continued on page 468

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1427 When a paragraph begins with a run-in head, leave 1 blank line above it. (Even paragraphs without run-in heads should be preceded by 1 blank line.) NOTE: If you normally leave 2 blank lines above a side head, leave only 1 blank line when a side head comes directly below a centered head (without any intervening text). Open Style

Condensed Style

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. .

3x

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. l 2 x CENTERED HEAD

CENTERED HEAD

2x

2x

Side Head \2*

Side Head 2 x

j Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

c. In a report with three levels of headings, choose one of the following styles. Open Style

Condensed Style

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

Ux CENTERED HEAD . l2x Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. . |3x

Side Head

2x

Run-in Head. Xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. , l2x CENTERED HEAD , l2x Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. , l2x Side Head , l2x Run-in Head. Xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

1 4 2 7 Numbering Text Pages

a. When you use the page numbering feature of your word processing software, the appropriate page number will be properly positioned on each page in the correct sequence. If you later add or delete copy in a way that changes the overall length of the report, the page numbering will be automatically adjusted. HOTB: The page numbering feature will insert space below a page number at the top of a page or above a page number at the bottom, depending on how you set it.

Section 14 • Reports and Manuscripts

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HI 427 b. When the first page contains the title of the report and the body starts on the same page, count this as page 1 but do not type the number on the page. NOTE: With the page numbering feature you can easily suppress a page number and still have the page counted in the overall numerical sequence. c When the report begins with a formal title page and one or more additional pages of front matter, give these pages a separate numbering sequence, using lowercase roman numerals. (See 111420.) d. In a formal report, consider the first page following the front matter as page 1 in the arabic numbering sequence. e. If part-title pages are included in the report (see 1(1422), consider them in the numbering sequence for the body of the report but do not type a number on these pages. (Thus if the first page following the front matter is the part-title page for Part 1, it will count as page 1 but no number will appear.) f. On the first page of each new element in the body or back matter of the report, use the page numbering feature to center the page number at the bottom of the page. g. On all other pages in the body or back matter of the report, use the page numbering feature to position the page number in the upper right corner of the page. h. If the final version of a report is to be printed on both sides of the paper (as in a book), the odd-numbered pages will appear on the front side of each sheet and the even-numbered pages on the back. If the report is bound, then on a spread of two facing pages, the even-numbered pages will appear on the left and the oddnumbered pages on the right. In such cases it is more convenient for the reader if the page numbers at the top or bottom of the page appear at the outside corners, as in the following illustration.

14 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

NOTE: You

15 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

can direct the page numbering feature of a word processing program to alternate the placement of these page numbers in the outside corners, depending on whether the page has an odd or even number. i. In a long report with several chapters written by different authors under a tight deadline, it may be necessary to prepare the final version of the chapters out of order. In such cases, you may use a separate sequence of page numbers for each chapter, with the chapter number serving as a prefix. Thus, for example, the pages in Chapter 1 would be numbered 1-1,1-2,1-3,...; those in Chapter 2 would be numbered 2-1, 2-2, 2 - 3 , . . . ; and so on. NOTE: If the authors submit their material on disk, it is easy to renumber the entire report at the last minute, using one continuous sequence of numbers throughout.

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 428 The Back Matter of Formal Reports 1428 Following the last page of the body of the report are those elements of back matter that may be needed: appendixes, endnotes, bibliography, and glossary. Begin each of these elements on a new page. Use the same margins as for other pages in the report (see ff 1404-1406), and treat the numbering of these pages as discussed in 1[l427f-i. 1 4 2 9 Appendixes a. If you plan to include more than one appendix, number or letter each one in sequence. (For an example of the treatment of two appendixes, see the illustration of the table of contents on page 458.) b. On a new page, about 2 inches from the top, center APPENDIX (plus a number or letter if appropriate) and the appendix title in bold caps.

|6x APPENDIX B. PROFILES OF OUR MAJOR COMPETITORS . 12 or 3x

NOTE: If

the title is long, type it on two or more centered lines, single-spaced. Leave 1 blank line before starting the appendix title.

|6x APPENDIX A , i2x SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATION DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS , 1 2 or 3x

c. Leave 1 or 2 blank lines before typing the body of the appendix. Since this material may be a table, a chart, a list, or regular text, choose the format that displays this copy to best effect. 1 4 3 0 Endnotes and Bibliography For detailed guidelines on endnotes and the bibliography, see 1I1I1501-1502, 1505-1506,1545-1549.

1 4 3 1 Glossary If you plan to provide a glossary, then on a new page, approximately 2 inches from the top, center GLOSSARY or a heading such as KEY TERMS in bold caps. Leave 1 or 2 blank lines before beginning the text.

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H1431 There are a number of ways to set up a glossary: in two columns, in one column with hanging indentions, and in paragraphs. a. Two Columns. In the left column type the terms in alphabetic order, using boldface, italics, or underlining. In the right column put the corresponding definitions alongside. Begin the right column at least 2 spaces to the right of the longest term in the left column. Single-space each definition, and align turnover lines flush with the left margin of this column. Leave 1 blank line between entries. Elliptical expression

A condensed expression from which key words are omitted..

Essential elements

Words, phrases, or clauses that are necessary to the completeness of the structure or the meaning of a sentence.

b. Hanging Indention. Begin each term at the left margin, using boldface, italics, or underlining. Follow with a colon, a dash, or some other device and then the definition. Type the definition single-spaced and indent turnover lines 0.5 inch so that the term in the first line will stand out. Leave 1 blank line between entries. elliptical expression: a condensed expression from which key words are •'."• » omitted., 0.5 inch J2x essential elements: words, phrases, or clauses that are necessary to the completeness of the structure or the meaning of a sentence.

c. Paragraph Style. Indent each term 0.5 inch from the left margin, using boldface, italics, or underlining. Follow with a colon, a dash, or some other device and then the definition. Type the definition single-spaced, with turnover lines flush with the left margin. Leave 1 blank line between entries. \

"*» Elliptical expression—a condensed expression from which key words are omitted,, 12x Essential elements—words, phrases, or clauses that are necessary to the completeness of the structure or the meaning of a sentence.

Regardless of the format selected, the terms may be typed with initial caps or all in lowercase (except for proper nouns and adjectives). The definitions may also be styled either way; however, if they are written in sentence form, it is best to use initial caps for both the term and the definition. The use of periods at the end of definitions is optional unless, of course, the definitions are written as complete sentences. (See the illustration in a above for an example of the use of initial caps for both the term and the definition.} ROTE:

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 432

Manuscripts The preparation of manuscripts is subject to virtually the same considerations that apply to the preparation of reports (11111401-1431). However, manuscripts differ from reports in one fundamental way: they are written with the idea of publication in mind—whether as a selfcontained book, as an article in a magazine or some other printed periodical, or as an item to be included in a bulletin or newsletter. As a result, manuscripts require some special considerations concerning format. NOTE: Many publishers now require authors to submit their manuscripts on disk as well as in the form of hard copy. Whenever possible, try to determine a publisher's manuscript submission requirements and preferences in advance.

Preparing Manuscript for an Article 1432 If you have been invited to write an article for a specific publication, ask the editor for concrete guidelines on matters of format—line length, spacing, paragraph indention, heading style, preferences in capitalization and punctuation, overall length of article, and so on. You may also want to ask for guidance on content. 1433

If you are writing an article only with the hope that it may be accepted by a certain publication, you will enhance your chances of favorable consideration by imitating all aspects of the publication's format and style. If the publisher has prepared a set of guidelines for writers, request a copy. a. In particular, try to type your manuscript on a line length that equals an average line of copy in the finished publication. A manuscript prepared in this way will make it easy for the editor to determine how much space your article will fill in the publication. To determine the appropriate line length, type 10 to 20 lines—on aline-for-linebasis—from a representative article. Observe at what point most lines end, and set your margins accordingly. b. Even if the publication puts two or more columns on a page, type only one column on a manuscript page. The wider margins will provide space for editing. c. Type your manuscript double-spaced to allow room for editing. d. Be sure to keep the overall length of your manuscript within the range of the materials typically used by the intended publication. There is little point in submitting a 2000-line manuscript to a publication that carries articles of no more than 500 lines. NOTE: Your software

very likely has a feature that will provide the foUowing information you can share with your editor: the number of characters in your manuscript, the number of words, the number of lines, the number of paragraphs, and the number of pages. e. In trying to simulate the character count of a printed line on your computer, use only 1 space after periods, question marks, exclamation points, and colons. If the publication's format caUs for indented paragraphs, adjust your normal indention (typically 0.5 inch) to match the one used by the publication.

Section 14 • Reports and Manuscripts

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111437 Preparing Manuscript for a Book If you are writing a book or assisting someone who is, consider the following guidelines in the absence of specific guidancefroma publisher. 1 4 3 4 If the manuscript will consist essentially of regular text matter (with perhaps a few tables and illustrations), then in establishing a format for your manuscript, you can follow the standard guidelines for a formal report with respect to spacing, headings, page numbering, and other aspects involved in typing thefrontmatter, the body, and the back matter. Use 1.5-inch side margins to provide extra space for editing. NOTE: A book manuscript should not be bound. 1 4 3 5 If you think your manuscript, when set in type, will require a special format—for example, a larger-than-usual page size to accommodate extremely wide tables, to permit notes and small illustrations to run alongside the text, or to allow for a twocolumn arrangement for the printed text—then the easiest way to establish a format for your manuscript page is to select a published work that has the kind of format and font size you have in mind. Then, on your computer, type a full page of representative printed text—on a line-for-line basis, if possible—to determine the manuscript equivalent of a printed page. (If a printed line is too long to fit on one typed line and still leave side margins of 1.5 inches, choose some other format that you can readily execute.) The important thing is to determine how many pages of manuscript equal a page of printed text. Then, as you develop the manuscript, you can exercise some real control over the length of your material. Precautions for All Manuscripts 1 4 3 6 When sending material to a publisher, always retain a duplicate copy in case the material goes astray in the mail or the publisher calls to discuss the manuscript. HOTE: When you prepare your manuscript on a computer, be sure to save thefileon disk. If you are subsequently asked to make changes in the manuscript, you can readily do so and then print a corrected manuscript. 1 4 3 7 As soon as it is written, your unpublished manuscript is automatically protected by the copyright law without your putting a copyright notice on it or registering it with the U.S. Copyright Office. If you are concerned that someone may copy your material without giving you appropriate credit or compensation, you may place a copyright notice on the first page (Copyright © [current year] by [your name}) to call attention to your ownership of the material. Since the copyright law protects only the written expression of your ideas and not the ideas themselves, you should obtain the help of a lawyer if you have an original publishing idea that you are afraid may be misappropriated.

4/4

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Section 15 Notes and Bibliographies Footnotes, Endnotes, and Textnotes (Hill 501 -1507) Functions of Notes (111501) Text References to Footnotes or Endnotes (11502) Footnotes (H1503-1504) Endnotes (111505-1506) Textnotes (111507)

Notes Based on Online Sources (HIT 1508-1512) Dealing With URLs (11508) Dealing With E-Mail Addresses (11509) Dividing Online Addresses (11510) Making Use of Online Sources (11511) Avoiding Plagiarism (11512)

Constructing Source Reference Notes (Hill 513-1544) Patterns of Source Reference Notes (111513-1535) Book Title: Basic Pattern (11513) Book Title: With Edition Number (11514) Book Title: With Subtitle (11515) Book Title: With Volume Number and Volume Title (11516) Book Title: With Volume Number Alone (11517) Book Title: With Chapter Reference (11518) Selection From Collected Works of One Author (11519) Selection in Anthology (11520) Article in Reference Work (11521) Article in Newspaper (11522) Article in Magazine or Journal (11523) Quotation From a CD-ROM (11524) Newsletter, Bulletin, Pamphlet, or Monograph (11525) Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis (11526) Quotation From a Secondary Source (11527) Personal Interview or Conversation (11528) Television or Radio Interview (11529) Speech (11530) Paper Read at Meeting (11531) Report (11532)

Letter, Memo, or E-Mail Message (H1533) Independent Internet Document (111534) Message Posted on Internet Forum, Newsgroup, or Listserv (111535) Elements of Source Reference Notes (KK1536-1542) Note Number (11536) Names of Authors (H1537) Title of the Work (111538) Publisher's Name (1.1539) Place of Publication (K1540) Date of Publication (111541) Page Numbers fl[1542) Subsequent References (KK1543-1544)

Bibliographies (Hill 545-1549)

Footnotes, Endnotes, and Textnotes Functions of Notes

1 5 0 1 a. In a report or manuscript, notes serve two functions: (1) they provide comments on the main text, conveying subordinate ideas that the writer feels might be distracting if incorporated within the main text; and (2) they serve as source references, identifying the origin of a statement quoted or cited in the text. Comment ^ e actual date on which Governor Galloway made this statement is uncertain, but there is no doubt that the statement is his. Source Reference benjamin Graham, The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing, rev. ed., HarperBusiness, New York, 2003, p. 498.

b. Notes at the foot of a page are called footnotes. (See 11111503-1504.) an incredible range of bloopers to be found in classified ads. One anthology contains these gems: "Dog for sale: eats anything and is fond of children." "Illiterate? Write today for free help." "Auto Repair Service..., Try us once, you'll never go anywhere again.'*1

'Richard Lederer, Anguished English, Wyrick, Charleston, S.C,, 1987, p. 38.

>• For a discussion of whether to type the note number as a superscript (as shown a or on the line, see f 1536b; for a discussion of default formats provided by word p cessing software, see $1503. Continued on page 476

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Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

Til 501

c. When notes appear all together at the end of a complete report or manuscript (or sometimes at the end of each chapter), they are called endnotes. (See M1505-1506.

NOTES 1. Richard Lederer, Anguished English, Wyrick, Charleston, S.C., 1987, p. 38. 2. Ibid., pp. 39-40.

>• For a discussion of default formats provided by word processing software, se d. When source references appear parenthetically within the main text, they are called textnotes. (See SI1507.)

but the proper use of punctuation can sometimes have serious financial consequences. Consider the following predicament. We came upon a writer at his work . . . . Quite casually he mentioned that he was getting fifty cents a word. A moment or two later his face became contorted with signs of an internal distress. With his hand poised above the machine, he seemed to be fighting something out with himself.... "Listen," he said, grimly, "do you hyphenate 'willy-nilly'?" We nodded, and saw him wince as he inserted the little mark, at the cost of half a dollar. (E. B. White, "The Cost of Hyphens," Writings From The New Yorker: 1927-1976, HarperCollins, New York, 1991, p. 17.)

e. Footnotes or endnotes are ordinarily keyed by number to a word, phrase, or sentence in the text. Textnotes (which appear parenthetically at the desired point of reference right in the text itself) do not have to be keyed this way. f. Endnotes are growing in popularity because they leave the text pages looking less cluttered and less complicated. They do present one drawback, however: the reader does not know in each instance whether the endnote will contain a comment of substance (which is typically worth reading) or simply a source reference (which is usually of interest only in special cases). g. Textnotes are also growing in popularity for the same reason: lack of clutter. While it is possible to provide in a textnote all the information that a source reference typically contains, writers more often use the textnote to provide an abbreviated reference in the text, with the understanding that the reader who wants complete information can consult a bibliography at the back of the report or manuscript. (See 1U507 for examples of these abbreviated references.)

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

477

1)1502 h. To take advantage of the benefits and avoid the drawbacks of these three types of notes, some writers use a hybrid system: they treat comments as footnotes and source references as endnotes or textnotes. In this way comments of substance are conveniently positioned at the bottom of the page, whereas all or most of the information about sources is tucked out of sight but accessible when needed. (See I1502g.)

Text References to Footnotes or Endnotes 1 5 0 2 a. To indicate the presence of a comment or a source reference at the bottom of the page or in a special section at the end of the report or manuscript, insert a superscript (a raised figure) following the appropriate word, phrase, or sentence in the text. NOTE: The

footnote or endnote feature of your word processing software will insert superscripts in the text wherever you wish. (See b below for examples.)

b. There should not be any space between the superscript and the preceding word. If a punctuation mark follows the word, place the superscript immediately after the punctuation mark. (There is one exception: the superscript should precede, not follow, a dash.) A research study published last month by a leading relocation consulting firm 2 provides the basis for the recommendations offered in Chapter 5. The alternative approaches discussed in this report have been taken largely from an article entitled "Getting a Handle on Health Care Costs."1 An article entitled "Getting a Handle on Health Care Costs'^-written by an eminent authority in the field-was the source of the alternative approaches discussed in this report.

c. While the superscript should come as close as possible to the appropriate word or phrase, it is often better to place the superscript at the end of the sentence (if this will cause no misunderstanding) so as to avoid distracting the reader in the midst of the sentence. ACCEPTABLE: Her latest article, "Automating the Small Legal Office,"1 was published about three months ago. I urge you to read it. PREFERABLE: Her latest article, "Automating the Small Legal Office," was published about three months ago.1 I urge you to read it

Leave 1 or 2 spaces after a superscript that follows the punctuation at the end of a sentence. (See 1U02.)

NOTE:

d. When a paragraph calls for two or more footnotes or endnotes, try to combine all the necessary information within one note if this can be done without any risk of confusing the reader. This approach will reduce the sense of irritation that a large number of footnotes or endnotes tend to produce. NOTE: When this approach is used, the superscript is typically placed after the last word in the sentence or paragraph, depending on how the text references are dispersed. (See the examples at the top of page 478.)

Continued on page 478

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1)1503 AVOID: The following analysis draws heavily on recent studies undertaken by Andrew Bowen, Frances Kaplan,2 and Minetta Coleman.3 1

Andrew Bowen,... Frances Kaplan,... 3 Minetta Coleman,... 2

PREFERABLE: The following analysis draws heavily on recent studies undertaken by Andrew Bowen, Frances Kaplan, and Minetta Coleman.1 Andrew Bowen,...; Frances Kaplan

; and Minetta Coleman

e. The numbering of footnotes or endnotes may run consecutively throughout or begin again with each new chapter. f. Footnotes and endnotes are sometimes keyed by symbol rather than by number. This often occurs in tables with figures and in technical material with many formulas, where a raised figure—though intended to refer to a footnote or endnote— could be mistaken for part of the table text or the formula. When the use of symbols is appropriate, choose one of the following sequences: * t t § fl O R : a b c d e These tests confirmed that there was a reduction over time of the flexural strength of the marble unit from 1400 to 1200 lb/in2.t [NOT: These tests confirmed that there was a reduction over time of the flexural strength of the marble unit from 1400 to 1200 lb/in2.2)

g. If you wish to treat comments as footnotes and source references as endnotes suggested in 11150111), use symbols for the notes containing comments (at the bottom of the page) and usefiguresfor the notes containing source references (at the end of the report or manuscript). Footnotes 1 5 0 3 a. When you create footnotes using the footnote feature of a word processing program, the software will automatically position your footnotes at the bottom of the page where the footnote reference appears in the text. The software will also (1) insert a horizontal line to separate the footnotes from the text above, (2) continue a footnote on the following page if it is too long to fit as a whole on the page where it started, and (3) automatically number your footnotes. If subsequent additions or deletions in the text cause the text reference to shift to another page, the related footnote will automatically shift as well. If a footnote is subsequently inserted or deleted, all the remaining footnotes (and their related text references) will be automatically renumbered from that point on. b. The illustration at the top of page 479 shows you how your footnotes will look if you use the footnote feature of Microsoft Word and accept all the defaults. Note the following details: (1) the first line of each footnote begins at the left margin; (2) no extra space is inserted between footnotes; (3) no extra space is inserted between the horizontal rule and the first footnote; and (4) an ordinal abbreviation such as th (in the phrase 8th ed.) appears as a superscript (8th ed.).

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HI 503 into the new century.1 According to one source: The Internet—also known as the Net—is the world's largest computer network.. 11 The Internet isn't really one network-* it's a network of networks, all freely exchanging information. The networks range from the big and formal (such as the corporate networks at AT&T, General Electric, and HewlettPackard) to the small and informal (such as the one in John's back bedroom, with a couple of old PCs bought at an electronic parts store) and everything in between.2 1

For a detailed analysis of these technological developments, see Chap. 2, pp. 2&-38. 2 John R. Levine et al., The Internet for Dummies, 8th ed., IDG Books, New York, 2002, p. 10.

In the standard format most commonly used, a horizontal rule 2 inches long appears 1 line below the text (as in the illustration below); the first line of each footnote is indented; a blank line is inserted between the horizontal rule and the first footnote as well as between all footnotes; and ordinal abbreviations are placed on the line (for example, 2d ed., 3d ed., 4th ed.).

into the new century.1 According to one source: . «

t The Internet—also known as the Net—is the world's largest computer network.. . . The Internet isn't really one networkit's a network of networks, all freely exchanging information. The networks range from the big and formal (such as the corporate networks at AT&T, General Electric, and Hewlett0.5 Packard) to the small and informal (such as the one in John's a coupleinofbetween. old PCs2 bought at an electronic inch - back parts bedroom, store) andwith everything _

0.5 inch

T

i2x 1

For a detailed analysis of these technological developments, see

2

John R. Levine et al.. The Internet for Dummies, 8th ed., IDG Books, New York, 2002, p. 10.

NOTE: Whether

you are writing business or academic reports or developing manuscript for a particular publisher, you will be expected in most cases to follow a prescribed style for footnotes (unless, of course, you are required to use endnotes or textnotes instead). In situations where no format is prescribed but professional editorial standards have to be met, follow the standard format illustrated above. >• For guidelines on how to construct footnotes, see ffll513-1544.

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H1504 1 5 0 4 When dealing with footnotes, consider the following guidelines. a. If the text runs short on a page (say, the last page of a chapter), any footnotes related to that text should still be positioned at the foot of the page. b. Ordinarily, single-space each footnote, but in material that is to be edited, use double spacing to allow room for the editing. c. Type the footnote number as a superscript or on the line. (See 111536b for details on spacing and punctuation.)

d. Ideally, the complete footnote should appear on the same page as the superscript figure or symbol that refers to it. Occasionally, however, a footnote maybe so long that it will not all fit on the page, even if it begins immediately following the line of text in which the superscript figure or symbol occurs. In such a case the footnote feature of your word processing software will automatically break the footnote and complete it at the bottom of the next page (as shown in the following illustrations). Start of a Long Footnote

and computers should not be used to write thank-you notes.:

2 Judith Martin (in Miss Manners' Basic Training: Communications, Crown, New York, 1998, p. 37) clearly supports this position: "Thank-you letters should be written by hand. Miss Manners . . . grants exemptions

Continuation of a Long Footnote

on which there still is a considerable difference of opinion 3

only to people with specific physical disabilities that prevent them from writing Those who claim illegible handwntmg should be home practicing their penmanship instead of bragging about it." 3

Baldnge, p. 593.

NOTE: If you have a number of long notes that may not easily fit on the page where they are first referred to, you have an excellent reason for abandoning the footnote format and using endnotes instead. (See 111505-1506.)

>- For the treatment of footnotes that pertain to a table, see 111634-1636.

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1)1506 Endnotes 1 5 0 5 a. The endnote feature of a word processing program will automatically position all endnotes at the end of the document. If you add or delete endnotes, all the remaining endnotes (and their related text references) will be automatically renumbered from that point on. b. The endnote feature will also automatically format the endnotes for you. Here is how your endnotes will look if you accept all the defaults of the endnote feature of Microsoft Word. Note that the endnote section begins on the same page as the conclusion of the main text, separated by a short horizontal rule starting at the left margin but with no heading (such as NOTES) to introduce this section. Note also that each entry begins at the left margin with superscripts in small roman numerals and with no extra space between entries.

It's no accident that Linus Torvalds has been calling the shots for Linux longer than most world leaders have been in power. In the 12 years since he uploaded his operating system and became de facto master of the open source universe, the 33-year-old programmer has endured waves of attacks from developer zealots seeking to hijack open source to further their own agendas—toppling Microsoft, fighting the music industry, stopping the commercialization of open source softt ware. Through it all, Torvalds has maintained a Zen-like ability to defuse political opposition and saved Linux from being either co-opted or abandoned.11

' David Diamond, "The Peacemaker," Wired, July 2003, p. 132. ' Ibid., p. 133.

1 5 0 6 If you want to modify the default format shown above or if you prefer to create your own format for endnotes, consider the following guidelines. (The illustration on page 482 reflects these guidelines.) a. For better readability, use arabic rather than roman numerals in the text and the endnotes. The numbers in the endnotes sometimes appear as superscripts, but the on-the-line style is more commonly used. b. Indent the first line of each endnote 0.5 inch. The turnovers should start at the left margin. c On a new page type the heading NOTES, centered in bold caps, approximately 2 inches from the top of the page. NOTE: If the document consists of only one chapter, the endnotes may begin on the same page where the main text ends. In that case leave about 3 blank lines before the heading and 1 or 2 blank lines after it. Continued on page 482

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1)1507 Ordinarily, single-space each endnote, but in material that is to be edited, use double spacing to allow room for the editing. In either case leave 1 blank line between endnotes.

|6x NOTES 0.5

|2or3x

-+-1. David Diamond, "The Peacemaker," Wired, July 2003, p. 132. 12x 2. Ibid., p. 133.

e. Use the same margins as for other pages in the body of the report or manuscript (see M1404-1406), and treat the numbering of these pages as described in fll427f-g.

>• For guidelines on how to construct source reference endnotes, see M1513-1

f. If the numbering of endnotes starts again with each new chapter or with each new page, insert an appropriate heading—Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc., or Page 1 Page 2, etc.—above each sequence of endnotes in this section. Type the heading at the left margin in caps and lowercase (using boldface, italics, or underlining), and leave 2 blank lines above and 1 blank line below. NOTE: If the numbering of endnotes is consecutive throughout, no headings are needed. g. Insert this special section of endnotes in the back matter foliowing any appendixes. If no appendix is given, the endnotes begin the back matter. (See also < 111428.) NOTE: When the individual chapters of a report or a manuscript are prepared by different writers, it may be advantageous to have the endnotes that each author prepares inserted at the end of the respective chapter instead of redoing aU the endnotes as one continuous section in the back matter. If this approach is used, expand the heading NOTES in each case to read NOTES TO CHAPTER 1, NOTE TO CHAPTER 2, and so on. The disadvantage of this approach is that the reader will have a bit more difficulty locating the notes for each chapter than is true when ali the endnotes are presented in one section at the very end. Textnotes 1 5 0 7 a. In a report or manuscript with only a few source references and no bibliography at the end, the complete source data may be inserted within the text in the form of parenthetical textnotes. (See the iliustration at the top of page 483.)

>• For guidelines on how to construct source reference textnotes, see 111513 1

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1)1507 recommended by the U.S. Postal Service. As for the abbreviations devised to hold down the length of place names in addresses, here is what one authority had to say: And all you people with beautiful words in your addresses'. Cut 'em down. There's a bright golden haze on the MDWS; a fairy dancing in your GDNS; and a safe HBR past the happy LNDG at the XING, where no hope SPGS. Environmentalists are now GRN, as in how GRN was my V L Y . . , , Is the language not lessened when words like meadow, gardens, harbor, landing, crossing, green, valley—even islands (ISS)—are disemvoweled? (William Safire, In Love With Norma Loquendi, Random House, New York, 1994, p. 166.)

If some of the data called for in a source reference is already provided in the main text, there is no need to repeat it in the textnote.

NOTE:

recommended by the U.S. Postal Service. As for the abbreviations devised to hold down the length of place names in addresses, here is what William Safire had to say. And all you people with beautiful words in your addresses: Cut 'em down. There's a bright golden haze on the MDWS; a fairy dancing in your GDNS; and a safe HBR past the happy LNDG at the XING, where no hope SPGS. Environmentalists are now GRN, as in how GRN was my VLY.,.» Is the language not lessened when words like meadow, gardens, harbor, landing crossing green, valley—even islands (ISS)—are disemvoweled7 (In Love With Norma Loquendi, Random House, New York,: 1994, p. 166.^

In a report or manuscript that contains a number of source references and a complete bibliography, textnotes may be used as follows: (1) At the appropriate point in the main text, supply the author's last name and the appropriate page number in parentheses. The reader who wants more complete information can consult the full entry in the bibliography. According to a fine book on time management [Bittel, p. 27), your ability to manage time depends in part on the way you experience the passage of time. NOTE: Some authorities omit p. and pp. as well as the comma between the name and the page number. For example: ... book on time management (Bittel 27).., (2) If the author's name already appears in the main text, give only the page number in parentheses. Lester R. Bittel, in his fine book Right on Time! Cp. 27), says t h a t . . .

(3) If the bibliography lists more than one publication by the same author, then in the textnote use an abbreviated title or the year of publication to indicate which publication is being referred to. According to a fine book on time management (Bittel, Time, p. 27),.., OR:... a fine book on time management (Bittel, 1991, p. 27),... Continued on page

484

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1J1508 (4) If the bibliography lists publications by two or more authors with the same surname, use each author's first name or initial along with the surname. For example: According to a fine book on time management (L Bittel, p. 27],...

(5) If the entries in the bibliography are numbered in sequence (see 111547c), then the textnote can simply list the appropriate "entry number" along with the page reference. Italicize or underline the entry number to distinguish it from the page number, especialiy if the abbreviation^. or pp. is omitted. For example: According to a fine book... (78, p. 27),...

OR: (18, p. 27],...

Notes Based on Online Sources

Business and academic writers increasingly rely on the Internet rather than on printed materials as the source of information to be quoted, paraphrased, or summarized in the reports and manuscripts they prepare. Hence the critical need for guidelines on how to construct online citations—that is, footnotes, endnotes, and bibliographic entries that are based on online sources. The feature that distinguishes a citation based on an online source from one based on printed material is the inclusion of an online address—an element that takes the place of information about the name and location of the publisher. There are two major types of online addresses: a URL (discussed in 111508) and an e-mail address (discussed in 1(1509).

Dealing With URLs 1 5 0 8 Every unit of information on the Internet has its own unique address—a uniform resource locator, commonly referred to as a URL and pronounced as individual letters (you-are-el) or as a word (earl). (See K501b.) A URL represents not only the sto age location of a particular document on the Internet but also the means by which a document can be retrieved. If a URL is not accurately presented in an online citation, it will be impossible to locate the material being cited. A URL consists of at least two parts: (a) the protocol (the name of the system to be used in linking one computer with another on the Internet) and (b) the host name (the name of the host computer where the desired material is stored). Here, for example, is the URL for Yahoo!, a large directory of Web pages. Protocol Host Name http://www.yahoo.com

a. Protocol. There are a number of protocols that you can use to locate material stored on another computer on the Internet. • HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol). The most widely used of aU the protocols, HTTP permits you to surf the World Wide Web—that part of the Internet that provides access not only to text material but also to photographs, drawings, animations, and video and sound clips. • FTP (File Transfer Protocol). FTP permits you to transfer text material from anftpserver (the host computer where the desired material is stored) to your own computer.

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

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HI 508 •

Listserv. Listserv (a short form for mailing list server) permits you to retrieve messages posted to a network of mailing lists and to post your own messages as well. • Usenet. Usenet is a network consisting of thousands of newsgroups (discussion groups each focused on a particular topic of interest). A message posted to a particular newsgroup can be read and commented on by any interested member of that newsgroup, and those comments may prompt additional rounds of comments. The original message (known as an article) and the subsequent series of comments create what is known as a thread. Users doing research on Usenet have the option of citing only the article, one or more of the comments, or the entire thread. • Gopher. Gopher permits you to access text plus graphical and audio materials, but it first provides you with a series of menus that become progressively more specific until you locate the information you are looking for. • Telnet. Telnet permits you to log on to another computer on the Internet and retrieve the desired information located there. When these protocols appear as the first part of a URL, they are represented as follows: HTTP:

http://

Listserv:

listserv://

Gopher:

gopher://

FTP: ftp:// Usenet: news:// Telnet: telnet:// Note the use of a colon and two forward slashes (://) to set off the protocol from the rest of the URL. For example: HTTP:

http://www.mhhe.com/grm

FTP:

ftp://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Publications/womens_atlas

Telnet: telnet://telnet.ncf.carleton.ca Host Name. The second part of a URL—the host name—consists of several elements separated by dots (never referred to as periods). Here are some representative host names as they appear in Web-based URLs: Protocol Host Name eBay:

http://www.ebay.com

Gateway:

http://www.gateway.com

Intel:

http://www.intel.com

PBS Online:

http://www.pbs.org

NASA:

http://www.nasa.gov

EarthLink http://www.earthlink.net In the host names shown above, the first element—www—refers to the World Wide Web. The second and third elements—for example, .ebay.com (referred to as dotebay-dot-com)—represent the domain name. The second element often reflects some form of the organization's name. The third element is usually a three-letter unit preceded by a dot; it is called a top-level domain (TLD), and it indicates the type of organization that owns the host computer. Here is a list of the seven original TLDs: .com

commercial organization

.mil

military site

.edu

educational institution

.net

network organization

.gov

government body or agency

.org

nonprofit or noncommercial

.int

international organization

organization

Continued on page 486

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1)1508 T h e following seven T L D s were established i n 2 0 0 0 : .biz .info .pro aero .coop .museum .name

provider of business services provider of information services provider of professional services airline organization or group business cooperative museum personal Web site

Computers outside the United States usually have host names ending in a twoletter country code. For example: ca cl en .de

Canada Chile China Germany

fr .gr le it

France Greece Ireland Italy

jp ru sa uk

Japan Russia Saudi Arabia United Kingdom

The following URL for the government of Tasmania reveals that the host computer is located in Australia: http www tas gov au

c. File Name. A URL may also provide a file name as the final element. For example, the following URL directs a Web browser to retrieve a file named iway.html from a host computer named www.cc.web.com using the HypeiText Transfe Protocol. Protocol Host Name File Name http www ccweb com iway html

A swung dash (-)—also referred to as a tilde—is sometimes used to intro duce a file name. For example: http /www netaxs com -harnngton

NOTE:

d. Path. A URL may also include one or more elements between the host name and the file name. These elements indicate the electronic path to be taken (after the host computer is reached) in order to locate the desired file. For example: Protocol Host Name Path File Name http//www.yahoo.com/Computers/World Wide Web/HTML_Editors/

e. URLs are usually typed all in lowercase letters, but when capital letters appear, follow the style of the particular URL exactly as shown (as in the example in d above). Also note that spaces between words in any part of a URL have to be signified by means of an underline (as in the example above) or some other mark of punctuation such as a hyphen (as in the example below). http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/FAQ-List.html

f. When Web-based URLs are given in documents and publications aimed at computer professionals, the protocol http:// is often omitted; the fact that the host name begins with www makes it clear to knowledgeable readers which protocol is to be used. When constructing your own online citations, consider how much your readers know. As a general rule, it is safer to insert the protocol at the start of a URL, even if it was omitted in your source.

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111510 Dealing With E-Mail Addresses 1509 An e-mail address consists of several elements. Consider the following examples: [emailprotected] [emailprotected] The first part (mschneider or Icomerford) is the user's name, and it is followed by an at sign (@). The second part (attbi or earthlink) is the name of the host computer. The third part (.com or .net) is the top-level domain (TLD), and it is always preceded by a dot. TLDs indicate the type of organization that owns the host computer or the geographical location in which the host computer is located. (For a list of the most commonly used TLDs, see 111508b.) >• For a detailed discussion of e-mail, see 111375-1389. Dividing Online Addresses 1510 a. URLs. Always try to fit a URL on one line. If it becomes necessary to divide a URL at the end of a line, observe the following guidelines. (1) Never insert a hyphen within an online address to signify an end-of-line break. (2) You may break after the double slash (//) that marks the end of a protocol (but not within the protocol itself). Acceptable Line Ending

Next Line

http:// (NOT: http:)

www.nowonder.com (NOT. //www.nowonder.com)

(3) You may break before (but never after) a dot (.), a single slash (/), a hyphen (-), an underline (_), or any other mark of punctuation.

NOTE:

Acceptable Line Ending

Next Line

http://www (NOT: http://www.)

.pbs.org (NOT: pbs.org)

http://www.mcgraw (NOT: http://www.mcgraw-)

-hill.com/ (NOT: hill.com/]

http://www.senate.gov (NOT: http://www.senate.gov/)

/-daschle (NOT: -daschle)

Some authorities now allow a URL to be broken after a single slash.

b. E-Mail Addresses. Always try to fit an e-mail address on one line. If it becomes necessary to divide it at the end of a line, observe the following guidelines. (1) Never insert a hyphen within an e-mail address to signify an end-of-line break. (2) You may break before the at symbol (@) or before a dot. Acceptable Line Ending

Next Line

wryter6290 (NOT: wryter6290@)

@aol.com (NOT: aol.com)

pbenner@hncoln (NOT: pbenner@lincoln.)

.midcoast.com (NOT: midcoast.com)

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U1511 Making Use of Online Sources 1 5 1 1 Making use of online sources can pose special problems. After you have quoted or made reference to certain online materials in your report or your manuscript, the person who originally posted the material may later decide to change it or transfer it to a new location (with a new URL or e-mail address) or remove it from the Internet altogether. If any of these things should happen, readers who try to confirm the accuracy of your citations may very well draw unfair conclusions about your competence as a researcher and as a writer. To protect yourself against these potential problems, take the following precautions. a. Every online document that you plan to cite should be saved in the form of hard copy and as part of your backup files. If the document is very long, save at least enough of the document to establish the full context from which the cited material was taken. In that way you can always demonstrate—if the need arises—that you have not taken the material out of context or distorted its intended meaning. Since much online material originally appeared in print (a much more stable medium), refer whenever possible to the printed source rather than the online source. NOTE:

b. In your citations of online material, include not only the date on which the material was posted on the Internet but also the date on which you accessed the material. Then if the material is subsequently changed or removed, you will still be able to prove the accuracy of your citation if you have retained a hard copy of the cited material. As an extra precaution, recheck your online citations just before you submit your work; in that way you can make any last-minute adjustments that are necessary. c. When URLs or e-mail addresses appear in footnotes, endnotes, bibliographies, or even the main text, enclose each address in angle brackets (< >). The use of angle brackets makes it clear where a URL begins and ends. Otherwise, a reader might mistakenly consider the sentence punctuation that follows the URL to be an integral part of the URL. Moreover, when a long URL is divided at the end of a line, a reader might become confused if there is no closing angle bracket to clearly signal where the URL ends. If you are writing for knowledgeable readers who are accustomed to dealing with URLs, angle brackets are unnecessary and may be omitted. But for the general reader, it is safer to continue to use them.

When you type a URL or an e-mail address using angle brackets, your software may immediately convert that address to a hyperlink, turning the address blue, dropping the angle brackets, and adding an underline. If the document is to be e-mailed or is to be posted on a Web site, the hyperlink format is a great convenience to your readers: with only one click, they wili be instantly transferred to the appropriate site. However, if the URL or the e-mail address is to appear in a hard-copy document, the hyperlink format could cause several problems. The loss of the angle brackets could reopen the possibility of confusing a mark of sentence punctuation as part of the electronic address. Moreover, when the complete address is underlined, this obscures any single underline that may have been used to signify a space between elements in the address (for example. NOTE:

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

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1J1512 roy_w_poe). In circumstances where the hyperlink format creates a problem rather than a convenience, change the colorfromblue back to black, reinsert the angle brackets, and remove the full-length underline. (Any essential underlining between words will remain in place.) Your software user's manual may provide a simpler way to achieve this result. d. Always present a URL or an e-mail address exactly as it is given. Never alter the capitalization, the internal spacing, or the symbols used. Failure to provide an accurate address will usually make it impossible to locate the desired information. (See „1508e-f.) NOTE: A URL or an e-mail address should never contain a blank space. If you want to preserve the appearance of a blank space in your own address, insert an underline or a dot so that an unobtrusive mark will occupy that space.

[emailprotected]

OR:

[emailprotected]

Avoiding Plagiarism 1 5 1 2 a. Whether you are preparing a business report, writing a paper for an academic course, or creating a manuscript for publication, take special care to avoid committing the act of plagiarism, that is, passing off the words and ideas of others as your own without giving proper credit to your source. Plagiarism is universally considered a serious offense and can lead to the loss of one's job or expulsion from an academic institution. Under any circumstances, being found guilty of plagiarism does serious damage to one's reputation, and it can permanently affect one's future credibility. b. Although some writers deliberately set out to plagiarize the work of others, many writers unwittingly blunder into plagiarism simply because they are unaware of the various guidelines that indicate when it is necessary to provide proper credit for the words and ideas they have taken from others. For example, it is generally acceptable to paraphrase someone else's words as long as you provide an appropriate citation of your source. However, if you follow the source too closely in your paraphrase or you include exact words from the original source without (1) using quotation marks or (2) displaying the words as an extract, you may have committed plagiarism, even though that was not your intention. A number of writers mistakenly assume that the guidelines on plagiarism apply only to material found in printed works. But it is equally important to provide an appropriate citation for written and graphical material you have taken from a Web site. Moreover, the guidelines apply just as much to ideas that are not your own and are not considered common knowledge—the ideas of others that you have acquired from speeches at a conference, TV and radio programs, e-mail messages, and even interviews and conversations. c. If you are uncertain about these guidelines, do an Internet search \xswg plagiarism as the keyword and you willfinda number of excellent Web sites offering detailed analyses and comparative examples that distinguish responsible research from accidental plagiarism. Continued on page 490

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111512 Consult, for example, the following Web sites: http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/plagiarism.shtml http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html http://www.hamilton.edu/academics/resource/wc/usingsources.html http://www.georgetown.edu/honor/plagiarism.html

Constructing Source Reference Notes

The following guidelines provide a number of patterns for constructing source reference notes—whether in the form of footnotes, endnotes, or the type of textnote discussed in 111507. These patterns focus on the source materials most commonly referred to—for example, books, professional journals, magazines, and newspapers. For each type of source material discussed in the following paragraphs, patterns are provided for items that may appear only in printed form or only in electronic form or, in an increasing number of cases, in both forms. It is impossible for the following discussion to cover every contingency that you may encounter when constructing these notes, so you may need to modify a particular pattern to fit a particular situation. In doing so, remember that the key goal of source reference notes is to make it easy for your readers to locate any of the sources that you cite. Therefore, in special situations, providing more information than a particular pattern calls for could serve the best interests of your readers. Naturally, your freedom to make such changes may be quite limited if you have been instructed to adhere to a particular citation style. There is, of course, no universal agreement among authorities on how these notes should be constructed. Rather, there are several schools of thought on the subject, and within each school there are variations between one reference manual and another. Of all the well-established conventions and variations, the style best suited for business use—and the one presented here—is a style that employs the simplest punctuation and the most straightforward presentation of the necessary data without any sacrifice in clarity or completeness. However, certain professional organizations—for example, the American Psychological Association (the APA)—have each established a distinctive style, the use of which sometimes shows up in other fields. Moreover, slightly different patterns are often used in academic materials, such as those featured in The MLA [Modern Languag Association] Style Manual and The Chicago Manual of Style. If you are one of the many ful business workers who are simultaneously taking one or more academic courses or are one of the many full-time academic students who are concurrently holding down part- or full-time office jobs, you may need to familiarize yourself with more than one style. Note that along with the basic pattern for citing book titles (see 11513), you will find an "academic" variation that you may need to use from time to time. However, unless you are specifically directed to foliow a particular style, the foUowing ali-purpose patterns—based on well-established conventions—should meet your needs in virtually every type of situation you encounter. For information about specific elements within these patterns, see these paragraphs: >• Note number: see fl536. Names of authors: see 11537. Title of the work: see 111538. Publisher's name: see 11539.

Place ofpublication: see A1540. Date ofpublication: see 111541. Page numbers: see H1542. Subsequent references: see M1543-1544.

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

491

111513 Patterns of Source Reference Notes 1 5 1 3 Book Title: Basic Pattern

a. Business Style 'Author, booktitle,publisher, place of publication, year of publication, page number [if reference is being made to a specific page). 'Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, Broadway Books, New York, 2003, p. 384. OR:

1. Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, Broadway Books, New York, 2003, p. 384. HOTE: If any of these elements have already been identified in the text (for example, the author's name and the book title), they need not be repeated in the note. Moreover, if reference is made to the book as a whole rather than to a particular page, omit the page number. In the following illustration, observe that the quoted material requires more than three lines. For that reason, it is indented 0.5 inch from each side margin. (See fll424d.)

about the misconceptions associated with Darwin and the theory of evolution. Here is how Bill Bryson, in A Short History ofNearly Everything, deals with one of the most common misconceptions: 0.5 inch 1

» Interestingly, Darwin didn't use the phrase "survival O 5 i n c h 0 ^ 6 I * ttest " m ^ y °f his works (though he did express his Q g -mc^ - •• » admiration for it).... Nor did he employ the word evolution -*—— in print until the sixth edition of On the Origin of the Species (by which time its use had become too widespread to resist), preferring instead "descent with modification."1 'Broadway Books, New York, 2003, p. 384.

b. Academic Style 'Author, book title (place of publication: publisher, year of publication), page number [if reference is being made to a specific page]. 'Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything (New York: Broadway Books, 2003), p. 384. HOTE: The key distinction between the business style and the academic style lies in a slightly different sequence of elements and a slightly different form of punctuation: BUSINESS STYLE: . . . publisher, place of publication, year of publication . . . ACADEMIC STTLE: . . . (place of publication: publisher, year of publication)... The following patterns for books (in 1(^1514-1521) show only the business style. However, you can readily convert them to the academic style by simply changing the treatment of publisher, place of publication, and year of publication.

»• For the academic style for entries in bibliographies, see 11549c. Continued on page 492

492

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1514 c. Citing Online Books (1) If a printed book has been made available online and you have consulted the online version, you need to add only two elements at the end of the basic pattern for books: the URL and the date on which you accessed this source. 1

Author, book title, publisher, place of publication, year of publication, page number [if needed], , accessed on date.

William Still, The Underground Railroad, Porter & Coates, Philadelphia, 1872, , accessed on May 28, 2007.

(2) If a book has never been published in a printed form and is available only online, use this pattern: 1

Author, book title, page number [if needed], date of posting,* , accessed on date.

'David Gettman, The Twinkle Theory, n.d., , accessed on August 10, 2007. 1 5 1 4 Book Title: With Edition Number Author, book title, edition number [if not the first edition], publisher, place, year, page number.

'James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, The Leadership Challenge, 3d ed., Jossey-Bass, S Francisco, 2002, p. 87. (For the use of and rather than & between authors' names, see 111537a, note.)

Use an edition number only when the book is not in the first edition. If included, the edition number foliows the main title and any related elements, such as the subtitle or the volume number and title. (For an example, see 111516.) The following forms are commonly used: 2d ed., 3d ed., 4th ed., and rev. ed. (for "revised editio NOTE:

2

Warren Buffet et aL, The Essays of Warren Buffett, rev. ed., Lawrence A. Cunningham, N York, 2001. (For the use of ef al. with an author's name, see fl1537c.J

1 5 1 5 Book Title: With Subtitle

iAuthor, book title: subtitle, edition number [if not the first edition], publisher, place, year, page number. 'John McWhorter, Doing Our Own Thing: The Degradation of Language and Music an We Should, Like, Care, Gotham, New York, 2003, p. 189. 2

Louis V. Gerstner Jr., Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?: Inside IBM's Turnaroun HarperBusiness, New York, 2002, p. 303. 3 Peggy Klaus, Brag: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It, Warner B New York, 2003, p. 76.

It is not necessary to supply the subtitle of a book unless it is significant in identifying the book or in explaining its basic nature. If a subtitle is to be shown, separate it from the main title with a colon (unless the title page shows some other mark such as a dash). Italicize the main title and the subtitle. Capitalize the first word of the subtitle, even if it is a short preposition likefo^ a short conjunction like or, or an article like the or a. (See 11361.) NOTE:

"Stephen W. Hawking, The Theory of Everything: The Origin and Fate of the Universe Millennium Press, Beverly Hills, 2002, p. 108. 5 Vartan Gregorian, Islam: A Mosaic, Not a Monolith, Brookings, Washington, D.C., 2003, p 6 Michael Lewis, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an UnfairGame, Norton, New York, 2003, *If the date of posting cannot be determined, insert the abbreviation n.d. (no date).

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

493

1)1519 1516

Book Title: With Volume Number and Volume Title

iAuthor, book title, volume number, volume title, edition number [if not the first edition], publisher, place, year, page number. 'E. Lipson, The Economic History of England, Vol. 1, The Middle Ages, 12th ed., Adam & Charles Black, London, 1959, pp. 511-594. NOTE: As a rule,

do not show the volume title in a note unless it is significant in identifying the book. When the volume title is included, both the volume number and the volume title follow the book title (and subtitle, if any) but precede the edition number. The volume number is usually preceded by the abbreviation Vol or by the word Book or Part (depending on the actual designation). The volume number may be arabic or roman, depending on the style used in the actual book. Some writers prefer to use one style of volume number throughout the notes. (See also 111517.) 1517

Book Title: W i t h Volume Number Alone

lAuthor, book title, edition number [if not the first edition], publisher, place, year, volume number, page number. 'Ruth Barnes Moynihan et al. (edsO, Second to None: A Documentary History of American Women, Univ. of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 1994, Vol. II, p. 374.

>- For the use ofet al., see f 1537c; for the use ofeds., see 11537e. NOTE: When the

volume number is shown without the volume title, it follows the date of publication. When the volume number and page number occur one after the other, they may be styled as follows: Style for Roman Volume Number

Style for Arabic Volume Number

Vol. Ill, p. 197

Vol.5, pp. 681-684

OR: 111,197

OR: 5:681-684

'Ruth Barnes Moynihan et al. (eds.), Second to None: A Documentary History of American Women, Univ. of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 1994, II, 374.

Do not use the forms with figures alone if there is a chance your reader will not understand them. 1518

Book Title: W i t h Chapter Reference

^Author, book title, publisher, place, year, chapter number, "chapter title" [if significant], page number. 'Will Durant and Ariel Durant, The Age of Napoleon, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1975, Chap. XII, "Napoleon and the Arts," pp. 278-285.

When a note refers primarily to the title of a book, a chapter number and a chapter title are not usually included. If they are considered significant, however, these details can be inserted just before the page numbers. The word chapter is usually abbreviated as Chap., the chapter number is arabic or roman (depending on the original), and the chapter title is enclosed in quotation marks. Some writers prefer to use one style of chapter number throughout the notes. NOTE:

1519

Selection From Collected Works of One Author

Author, "title of selection," book title, publisher, place, year, page number. 'Richard Wilbur, "For C," Mayflies, Harcourt, New York, 2000, pp. 5-6.

494

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1520 1 5 2 0 Selection in Anthology 1

Author of selection, "title of selection," in editor of anthology (ed.), book title, publisher, place, year, page number. 1 Richard K. Wagner, "Smart People Doing Dumb Things: The Case of Managerial Incompetence," in Robert J. Sternberg fed.), Why Smart People Can Be So Stupid, Yale Univ. Press, New Haven, 2002, pp. 42-63. 2 E. B. White, "The Ring of Time," in Phillip Lopate (ed.), The Art of the Personal Essay: An Anthology From the Classical Era to the Present, Doubleday, New York, 1994, pp. 538-544. 3 Lindsy Van Gelder, "The Great Person-Hole Cover Debate: A Modest Proposal for Anyone Who Thinks the Word 'He' Is Just Plain Easier," in 75 Readings: An Anthology, 8th ed., McGrawHill, New York, 2000, pp. 347-349.

1 5 2 1 Article in Reference Work

iAuthor [if known], "article title," name of reference work, edition number [if not the first edition], publisher [usually omitted], place [usually omitted], year, volume number [may be omitted], page number [may be omitted]. ^ e n e Alexander, "Alzheimer's Disease," McGraw-Hill Technology, 9th ed., 2002. 2

Encyclopedia of Science and

"Computers," The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th ed., 2002, Vol. 16, pp. 638-652.

3

"Digital Technology," Guiness World Records 2003, Bantam, New York, 2003, pp. 249-25

NOTE: It is not necessary to give the

name of the publisher or the place of publication unless there is some possibility of confusion or the reference is not well known. ^Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed., 2003, pp. 23a-30a. 5

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., 2000, pp. xxvi-xxx

Moreover, if you are making reference to an article or an entry that appears in alphabetic order in the main portion of the work, even the page number may be omitted. If the reference work carries the name of an editor rather than an author, the editor's name is also usually omitted. 6

"Data Processing," The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed., 2000.

1 5 2 2 Article in Newspaper 1 Author [if known], "article title," name of newspaper, date, section number, page number, column number. ^om Lauricella, "In a World of Managed Accounts, Few One-of-a-Kinds," The Wall Street Journal, July 7, 2003, Sec. R, p. 1, col. 1. OR:... July 7, 2003, p. Rl, col. 1.

If you have consulted the online version of the newspaper rather than the printed version, use this pattern: 1

Author [if provided], "article title," name ofnewspaper, date, accessed on date Seth Schiesel, "In Frayed Networks, Common Threads," The New York Times on the We , accessed on April 7, 2004. 2

1 5 2 3 Article in Magazine or Journal a. Article in Magazine Author [if known], "article title," name of magazine, date, page number. v 'Budget Desktops," Consumer Reports, June 2003, pp. 42-44.

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

495

HI 523 2

Matthew Miller, "A New Deal for Teachers," The Atlantic July-August 2003, pp. 32-36.

3

Noah Lukeman, "How to Land an Agent," Poets & Writers, July-August 2003, pp. 57-64. Omit the comma between the article title and the name of the periodical if the article title ends with a question mark or an exclamation point. *Spencer E. Ante, "Why Count Your Own Beans?" BusinessWeek, June 23,2003, pp. 78-79. 5

Jeanette Hyde, "iViva Espanol!" The [London) Observer. June 22,2003, p. 31, col. 1. If you have consulted the online version of the printed magazine or if the magazine exists only in an online format, use this pattern: Author [if known], "article title," name of magazine, date, , accessed on date. 6 lrwin Jacobs, "Don't Scrimp on Tech," BusinessWeek Online, August 25, 2003, , accessed on May 1, 2004. 7 "Know Your Digital Parasites," Slate, August 12,2003, , accessed on September 14, 2004.

NOTE: If

any of the elements of the citation have already been identified in the text, they need not be repeated in the note.

Here is how Calvin Trillin defines turducken: It is a Cajun specialty that is made "by taking the bones out of a chicken and a duck and a turkey, stuffing the chicken with stuffing, stuffing the stuffed chicken into a similarly stuffed duck, and stuffing all that, along with a third kind of stuffing, into the turkey.* He goes on to say, The result cannot be criticized for lacking complexity, and it presents a challenge to the holiday carver almost precisely as daunting as meat loaf."1

A

The New Yorker, January 28,2002, p. 47.

b. Article in Professional Journal 1 Author [if known], "article title," title of journal [frequently abbreviated], series number [if given], volume number [if given], issue number [if given], date, page number. 1 Joseph Kimble, "The Elements of Plain Language," Michigan Bar Journal, Vol. 81, No. 10, October 2002, p. 44. 2 Leshe Gelb and Justine Rosenthal, The Rise of Ethics in Foreign Policy," Foreign Affairs, Vol. 82, No. 3, May-June 2003, pp. 2-7. 3

"Executive Pay: Revolting Shareholders," The Economist May 24,2003, p. 13. *Jim Toedtman, "Getting Beyond 'He Said, She Said,'" Columbia Journalism Review, March-Apnl 2003, pp. 22-25. 5

Anand Mohan Goel and Anjan V. Thakor, "Why Do Firms Smooth Earnings?" The Journal of Business, Vol. 76, No. 1, January 2003, pp. 151-192. (For the omission of a comma after a question mark, see HI523a.]

Titles of journals are often abbreviated in notes whenever these abbreviations are likely to be familiar to the intended readership or are clearly identified in a bibliography at the end. HOTE:

'Leslie Gelb and Justine Rosenthal, "The Rise of Ethics in Foreign Policy," FA, Vol. 82, No. 3, May-June 2003, pp. 2-7.

496

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 524 1 5 2 4 Quotation From a CD-ROM 1 Author [if known], "article title" [if appropriate], title of work (CD-ROM), publisher [may be omitted], place of publication [may be omitted], year of publication, reference to location of quotation [if available]. 1

The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary [CD-ROM Version 2.0], Oxford Univ. Press, New Yo 2003. 2

lnstant Immersion 18 Languages [CD-ROM], Houghton Mifflin Interactive, Boston, 20 NOTE: When citing material taken from a CD-ROM, try to provide some specific guidance on how to access the quoted passage on the disc. For example, if the material is organized in numbered paragraphs or pages, give the appropriate paragraph or page number. If the quoted passage is taken from a work organized like an encyclopedia or a dictionary (that is, in the form of brief articles or entries arranged in alphabetic sequence), provide the article title or key word used to identify the article or entry. Without such assistance, a person can usually input a key phrase (or character string) from the quoted material and use the search feature of a word processing program to locate the complete passage.

1 5 2 5 Newsletter, Bulletin, Pamphlet, or Monograph 1 Author [if known], "article title" [if appropriate], title ofpublication, series title and series number [if appropriate], volume number and issue number [if appropriate], sponsoring organization, place [may be omitted], date, page number.

Barbara Wallraff, "The State of Our Art," Copy Editor, August-September 2003, pp. 1, 6-7. Erin English, "Harnessing Ecology to Treat Waste," National Wetlands Newsletter, Vol. 2 No. 2, Washington, March-April 2003, pp. 57-64. 2

3

Diane Moore, 'The Zen of Office Work," The Office Professional, Vol. 23, No. 5, May 2 If you have consulted the online version of one of these works, add the URL to the basic pattern.

"Barbara Wallraff, "The State of Our Art," Copy Editor, August-September 2003, pp. 1, 6-7, .

Because the data used to identify newsletters, bulletins, pamphlets, and monographs varies widely, adapt the pattern shown above as necessary to fit each particular situation. For example, the name of the sponsoring organization may be omitted if it is incorporated in the title of the publication.

NOTE:

1 5 2 6 Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis iAuthor, "title of thesis," doctoral dissertation OR: master's thesis [identifying phrase to be inserted], name of academic institution, place, date, page number. Carolyn Bonifield, "Effects of Anger and Regret on Postpurchase Behaviors," doctoral dissertation, University of Iowa, Iowa City, 2002, p. 43.

If you have consulted the online version of one of these publications, add the URL to the basic pattern. 2

Carolyn Bonifield, "Effects of Anger and Regret on Postpurchase Behaviors," doctoral dissertation, University of Iowa, Iowa City, 2002, p. 43, .

1 5 2 7 Quotation From a Secondary Source

iAuthor, book title, publisher, place, date, page number, quoted by OR: cited by author, book title, publisher, place, date, page number. 'Robert J. Dolan and Hermann Simon, Power Pricing, Free Press, New York, 1997, cited by Jack Trout with Steve Rivkin, The Power of Simplicity, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1999, p. 76.

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

497

1)1528 NOTE: While it

is always preferable to take the wording of a quotation from the original source, it is sometimes necessary to draw the wording from a secondary source. In such cases construct the note in two parts: in the first part, give as much information as possible about the original source (derived, of course, from the reference note in the secondary source); in the second part, give the necessary information about the secondary source (which is at hand). Bridge the two parts of the note with a phrase such as quoted by or cited by. The pattern shown at the bottom of page 496 assumes that the quotation originally appeared in a book and that the secondary source for the quoted material was also a book. Naturally, if the original source or the secondary source is a work other than a book, use the pattern appropriate for that work, as shown in the illustration below.

Writing is hard work. A clear sentence is no accident Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time. Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it's because it is hard.1

'William Zinsser, On Writing Well, 6th ed., Harper, New York, 1998, quoted by Bryan A. Garner, "Calling for a Truce in the DescriptivistPrescriptivist Wars," English Today 66, Vol. 17, No. 2, April 2001, pp. 6-7,

1528

Personal Interview or Conversation

When quoting or paraphrasing words or ideas derived from a face-to-face encounter or a telephone conversation, use one of the following patterns: tName of person interviewed (title or affiliation if appropriate), personal interview, date. 2 Name of person interviewed (title or affiliation if appropriate), telephone conversation, date. 'Harold Pulsifer (professor of management, MIT), personal interview, May 26, 2006. 2

Amy Gorsky (information technology consultant), telephone conversation, June 6, 2007.

If you are relying on information acquired through an interview conducted by someone else, use one of the following patterns: 3 Name of person interviewed (title or affiliation if appropriate), interviewed by name of interviewer, date of interview. 4 Name of person interviewed (title or affiliation if appropriate), conversation with name of interviewer, date of conversation. 3

Harold I. Pulsifer (professor of management MIT), interviewed by Janet Dodd Bellafiore, May 26, 2006. 4

Amy Gorsky (information technology consultant), conversation with Franklin Guerin, June 6, 2007.

Continued on page 498

498

Part 2

Techniques and Formats

HI 529 NOTE: If the person being interviewed is well known to your readers, you do not need to identify that person by title or organizational affiliation. Moreover, you can eliminate other elements from the citation by incorporating that information in the text itself.

1529

Television or Radio Interview

^ame of person interviewed, interviewed by name of interviewer, "program title" or series title, name of TV channel or radio station, date of broadcast.

'Adeed Dawisha, interviewed by Margaret Warner, The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer, WPB August 14, 2003.

1530

Speech !

Name of speaker (title or affiliation if appropriate), "title of speech" [if known], speech given at type of meeting [conference, convention, symposium], place, date. ]

Ray Jordan (Pfizer), "E-Mail Marketing and Privacy," speech given at International Association of Business Communicators conference, Toronto, June 10,2003.

If the sponsoring organization is well known to your readers by an abbreviation, adjust your citation accordingly. NOTE:

2

Ray Jordan (Pfizer), "E-Mail Marketing and Privacy," speech given at IABC conference, Toronto, June 10,2003.

1531

Paper Read at Meeting :

Name of speaker, "title of paper," paper presented at type of meeting [conference, convention, symposium], place, date. Anthony LaBranche, "Academic Freedom and Professional Responsibilities," paper presented at Modem Language Association (OIL MLA) convention, San Diego, December 29,2003.

1532

Report

iName of author, "title of report," author's company or sponsoring organization, place, date, page number. ^uth Mendelsohn, "Acquisition of Desktop Publishing Equipment" Atlantic Enterprises Incorporated, Portland, Me., February 5, 2007, pp. 27-31.

1533

Letter, Memo, or E-Mail Message

a. Letter or Memo !Name of author, "subject line" [if appropriate], type of document [letter or memo], date. 'Wilson G. Demos, letter, October 24, 2006. Christine Freebody, "Rethinking Our Corporate Strategy," memo, January 23, 2007.

2

NOTE: If the document you are citing was addressed to someone else, expand the basic pattern as follows: 2 Name of author, "subject line" [if appropriate], type of document [letter or memo], addressed to name of recipient, date. 3

Wilson G. Demos, letter, addressed to Kyle Kurtz, October 24, 2006.

b. E-Mail Message iName of author, "subject line," e-mail message, date. 1

Ann Valdez, "Taking the Spin Out of Corporate Communications," e-mail message, July 9,2007

NOTE: An

e-mail address may follow the author's name in parentheses if the address ends with the name of an organization. 2

Ann Valdez ([emailprotected]), "Taking the Spin Out of Corporate Communications," e-mail message, July 9, 2007.

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

499

HI 536 Do not provide a personal e-mail address without the owner's consent and then only if there is a compelling reason to do so. 1 5 3 4 Independent Internet Document

To cite material in an independent Internet document—that is, one that does not appear within another online source (for example, an electronic journal or newspaper)—use the following pattern: x Name of author [if known], "title of document," date of posting [if known], , accessed on date.

A form of the word "sockdolager" (meaning anything big or otherwise outstanding) figured in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. As an actor, John Wilkes Booth knew that the biggest laugh line in the play Our American Cousin would be, "Well, I guess I know enough to turn you inside out, you sockdoiogizing old man-trap!" So Booth waited until that line, and then as the audience roared, he fired his gun and fled.1

'"Presidential Trivia," ,, accessed on May 31,2007.

1 5 3 5 Message Posted on Internet Forum, Newsgroup, or Listserv

^Author's name - For guidelines on numbering notes, see 11502e; for the use of symbols in place of figures, see 115Q2f-g.

500

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 537 1 5 3 7 Names of Authors

a. Type an author's name (first name first) exactly as it appears on the title page of a book or in the heading of an article. 1 Barbara Stanny, Secrets of Six-Figure Women: Surprising Strategies to Up Your Earnings and Change Your Life, HarperCollins, New York, 2002, p. 53.

2Tara Calishain and Rael Dornfest, Google Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips and Tools, O'Reilly, Cambridge, Mass., 2003, p. 149. 3 Arthur Levitt with Paula Dwyer, Take On the Street: What Wall Street and Corporate America Don't Want You to Know, What You Can Do to Fight Back Pantheon, New York, 2002, pp. 59-60.

*E. D. Hirsch, Jr., Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know, Vintage, New York, 1988, p. 64. (Note the author's preference to set off Jr. with commas. See Hi56.) 5 William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White, The Elements of Style, 4th ed., Longman, New York, 2000, pp. 32-33. (Note the first author's preference not to set off Jr. with commas. See HI56.)

Do not use an ampersand (&) in place of and to link the authors' names. b. When two authors have the same surname, repeat the surname for each author. NOTE:

6 Ralph E. Weber and Ralph A. Weber (eds.), Dear America: Letters From the Desk of Ronald Reagan, Broadway, New York, 2003, p. 227.

c. When there are three or more authors, list only the first author's name followed by et al. (meaning "and others"). Do not italicize or underline et al. 7 Price M. Cobbs et al., Cracking the Corporate Code: The Revealing Success Stories of 32African-American Executives, AMACOM, New York, 2003, p. 47.

NOTE: The

names of all the authors may be given, but once this style is used in a source reference note, it should be used consistently within the same document. 8

Price M. Cobbs, Judith L. Turnock, and Steve Reinemund, Cracking the Corporate Code: The Revealing Success Stories of 32 African-American Executives, AMACOM, New York, 2003, p. 47.

d. When an organization (rather than an individual) is the author of the material, show the organization's name in the author's position. 9

American Heart Association, Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook, 2d ed., Times Books, New York, 1997, p. 59.

However, if the organization is both the author and the publisher, show the organization's name only once—as the publisher. 10 /s the Market Moral?: Dialogues on Religion and Public Life, Brookings, Washington, 2003, p. 82.

e. When a work carries an editor's name rather than an author's name, list the editor's name in the author's position, foliowed by the abbreviation ed. in parentheses. If the names of two or more editors are listed, use the abbreviation eds. in parentheses. If the names of three or more editors are listed, list the name of the first editor followed by "et al. (eds.)." ^Harriet Sigerman (ed.), The Columbia Documentary History of American Women Since 1941, Columbia Univ. Press, 2003. 12 J. L. Holzgrefe and Robert 0. Keohane (eds.), Humanitarian Interventions: Ethical, Legal and Political Dilemmas, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, Mass., 2003. 13 E. D. Hirsch, Jr., et al. (eds.), The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know, rev. ed., Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2002. (See fl 1537c, note.)

If a reference work (such as an encyclopedia, a dictionary, or a directory) carries the name of an editor rather than an author, the editor's name is usuaUy omitted. (See 111521, note.)

NOTE:

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

501

HI 539 ^Dictionary of American Regional English, Belknap Press, Cambridge, Mass., 2002, Vol. IV, p. 161. RATHER THAN: 15

Joan Houston Hall (ed), Dictionary of American Regional English, Belknap Press, Cambridge, Mass., 2002, Vol. IV, p. 161.

f. If the author's name is incorporated in the title of the book, begin with the title. ^George Soros on Globalization, Public Affairs, New York, 2002, p. 54.

g. If the author of a work is unknown, begin the note with the title of the work. Do not use Anonymous in place of the author's name. 1 5 3 8 Title of the Work

a. In giving the title of the work, follow the title page of a book or the main heading of an article for wording, spelling, and punctuation. However, adjust the capitalization as necessary so that all titles cited in the notes conform to a standard style. For example, a book entitled Assertiveness, with a subtitle (the right to be you) shown entirely in lowercase on the title page for graphic effect, would appear in a note as follows: Claire Walmsley, Assertiveness: The Right to Be You. >• For the capitalization of titles, see ff 360-363. b. If a title and a subtitle are shown on separate lines in the original work without any intervening punctuation, use a colon to separate them in the source reference note. 1

John Ross, The Book of Wi-Fi: Install, Configure, and Use 802.1 lb Wireless Networking, No Starch, San Francisco, 2003, p. 34.

c. As a general rule, use italics or underlining for titles of complete published works, and use quotation marks for titles that refer to parts of complete published works. >- For the use of italics or underlining with titles, see 1289; for the use of quotation marks with titles, see 11242-243. 1 5 3 9 Publisher's Name

a. List the publisher's name as it appears on the title page (for example, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) or in a shortened form that is clearly recognizable (Wiley); use one form consistently throughout. If a division of the publishing company is also listed on the title page, it is not necessary to include this information in the footnote. Publishers, however, often do so in references to their own materials. b. The following list of examples shows acceptable patterns for abbreviating publishers' names. If in doubt, do not abbreviate. Full Name

Acceptable Short Form

Alfred A. Knopf John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Random House Inc. The Brookings Institution Press Houghton Mifflin Company Pearson Education Company

Knopf Wiley Random House Brookings Houghton Mifflin Pearson

HarperCollins Publishers The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

HarperCollins McGraw-Hill

Simon & Schuster

Contimed m page S02

502

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1540 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated Little, Brown and Company Farrar, Straus and Giroux Yale University Press

Merriam Little, Brown Yale Univ. Press

University of California Press Univ. of California Press NOTE: The patterns of abbreviation typically depend on how the publishers are referred to in speech. Since one never hears Random House referred to as Random, the name is not abbreviated. By the same token, one hears Little, Brown and Company referred to as Little, Brown, never simply as Little. c. Omit the publisher's name from references to newspapers and other periodicals. The publisher's name is also usualiy omitted from references to dictionaries and similar works unless confusion might result or the work is not well known. (For examples, see 1(1521.) 1 5 4 0 Place of Publication

a. As a rule, list only the city of publication (for example, New York, Boston, Washington, Toronto). If the city may not be weli known to your intended audien (for example, readers from abroad) or the city islikelyto be confused with another city of the same name, add the state or the country (for example, Cambridge Mass.; Cambridge, England). If the title page lists several cities in which the pu lisher has offices, use only the first city named.

Christine Mowat, A Plain Language Handbook for Legal Writers, Carswell Thomso Scarborough, Ontario, 1999.

When the city name is followed by a state name, the state name is customarily abbreviated, using the traditional abbreviations shown in S[527b. However, some authorities now endorse the use of the two-letter postal abbreviations in footnotes and endnotes. (See 1I1335 and the inside back cover.) b. Omit the place of publication from references to periodicals and well-known reference works. c. Incorporate the city name in the name of a newspaper that might otherwise be unrecognized. For example, The Star-Ledger (published in Newark, New Jersey should be referred to in a note as The (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger. NOTE:

1 5 4 1 Date of Publication

a. For books, show the year of publication. (Use the most recent year shown in the copyright notice.) b. For monthly periodicals, show both the month and the year. (See "111523 for examples.) c. For weekly or daily newspapers and other periodicals, show the month, day, and year. (See SIH522—1523 for examples.) d. For seasonal publications, show the season and the year.

'Imam Zaid Shakir, "American Muslims and a Meaningful Human Rights Discourse," Cross Currents, Vol. 52, No. 4, Winter 2003, pp. 521-535. (Note that the season is capitalized and there is no comma between the season and the year.)

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

503

1)1544 1 5 4 2 Page Numbers

a. Page references in notes occur in the following forms: p. 3 p. v pp. 3-4 pp. v-vi pp. 301 f. (meaning "page 301 and the following page"]

pp. 301 ff. (meaning "page 301 and the following pages"] Whenever possible, avoid using the indefinite abbreviations f. and J?., and supply a specific range of page numbers instead. b. In a range of page numbers the second number is sometimes abbreviated; for example, pp. 981-983 maybe expressed as pp. 981-83. (See 11460.) c There is a trend toward dropping^, and pp. when there is no risk of mistaking the numbers for anything but page numbers. >- For the use of an en dash or a hyphen in a range ofpage numbers, see 1459a. NOTE:

Subsequent References 1543 a. When a note refers to a work that was fully identified in the note immediately preceding, it may be shortened by the use of the abbreviation ibid, (meaning "in the same place"). Ibid, replaces all those elements that would otherwise be carried over intact from the previous note. Do not italicize or underline ibid., and do not capitalize ibid, except at the start of a citation. TBill Walsh, Lapsing Into a Comma: A Curmudgeon's Guide to the Many Things That Can Go Wrong in Print-and How to Avoid Them, Contemporary Books, New York, 2000, pp. 6-12. 2

lbid., p. 110. {Ibid, represents all the elements in the previous note except the page number.]

3

lbid. (Here ibid, represents everything in the preceding note, including the page number.]

b. If you plan to use ibid, in a. footnote, make sure that the footnote "immediately preceding" is no more than a few pages back. Otherwise, the interested reader will have to riffle back through the pages in order to find the "immediately preceding" footnote. To spare your reader this inconvenience, use the forms suggested in H1544. c Do not use ibid, in a textnote unless the one "immediately preceding" is on the same page and easy to spot; otherwise, your reader will have to search through lines and lines of text to find it. To spare your reader, construct these "subsequent reference" textnotes along the same lines as "first reference" textnotes. (See 111507b.) WOTE: With endnotes, the use of ibid, will cause no inconvenience, since it refers to the note directly above. 1544 a. When a note refers to a work fully identified in an earlier note but not the one immediately preceding, it may be shortened as follows: Author's surname, page number. Walsh, p. 65. (Referring to the work fully identified in an earlier note; see the first example in Hl543a.]

HOTE: When short forms are used for subsequent references, it is desirable to provide a complete bibliography as well, so that the interested reader can quickly find the complete reference for each work in an alphabetic listing. Continued on page 504

504

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1544 b. When previous reference has been made to different authors with the same surname, the use of a surname alone in a subsequent reference would be confusing. Therefore, the basic pattern in 11544a must be modified in the following way: iAuthor's initial(s) plus surname, page number. OR: iAuthor's full name, page number.

'J. Stewart Johnson, American Modern, 1925-1940: Design for a New Age, Abrams, Ne York, 2000, p. 83. 2 J. Richard Johnson, Schematic Diagrams: The Basics of Interpretation and Use, De Clifton Park, N.Y., 1994, p. 144. 3 J. S. Johnson, p. 91. 4 J. R. Johnson, p. 153.

c. If previous reference has been made to different works by the same author, any subsequent reference should contain the title of the specific work now being referred to. This title may be shortened to a key word or phrase; the word or phrase should be sufficiently clear, however, so that the full title can be readily identified in the bibliography or in an earlier note. 1 Author's surname, book title [shortened if feasible], page number. 5

Peter F. Drucker, The Effective Executive, rev. ed., HarperBusiness, New York, 2002, p. 2

6

Peter F. Drucker, Managing in the Next Society, St. Martin's, New York, 2002, p. 212.

7

Drucker, Effective, p. 309.

8

Drucker, Managing, p. 223.

If you are referring to an article in a periodical, use the periodical title rather than the article title. 2 Author's surname, periodical title [shortened if feasible], page number. 9

Matthew Miller, "A New Deal for Teachers," The Atlantic, July-August 2003, p. 32.

10

Lewis H. Lapham,...

"Miller, Atlantic, p. 35. (Referring to the work identified in note 9 above.]

d. A more formal style in subsequent references uses the abbreviations he. tit. ("in the place cited") and op. tit. ("in the work cited"). 12

Gail Evans, She Wins, You Win: A Guidebook for Making Women More Powerful, G Books, New York, 2003, p. 82. 13 Gregory S. Bell, In the Black: A History of African Americans on Wall Street Wiley, New Y 2001, p. 123. 14 Evans, op. cit., p. 113. (Referring to a different page in She Wins, You Win.) 15 Bell, loc. cit (Referring to the same page in In the Black.) 16 lbid. (Referring to exactly the same page as shown in note 15. Ibid, may be used only to refer to the note immediately preceding. See H1543.J

NOTE:

Do not italicize or underline loc. tit, op. tit, or ibid.

Bibliographies

A bibliography at the end of a report or a manuscript typically lists all the works consulted in the preparation of the material as weli as all the works that were actualiy cited in the notes. The format of a bibliography is also used for any list of titles, such as a list of recommended readings or a list of new publications.

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

505

HI 547 1545

1546

1547

Word processing programs do not typically provide a template for bibliographies. Some special word processing applications, however, will format not only footnotes and endnotes but bibliographies as well. These programs ask you to create a database (also referred to as a reference library) in which you enter the necessary data for each title you plan to cite. Then you select (1) one of the standard formats built into the software or (2) a format that you have modified or created. In effect, once you have developed the reference library, you can extract the data in the form of footnotes, endnotes, or entries in a bibliography. NOTE: M1546-1549 provide guidelines for formatting a bibliography. Consider the following guidelines for formatting a bibliography. (See the illustration on page 506.) a. On a new page type BIBLIOGRAPHY (or some other appropriate title) in bold caps. Center this title approximately 2 inches from the top of the page, and begin the text on the second or third line below. b. Use the same margins as for other pages in the body of the report or manuscript (see HK1404-1406), and treat the numbering of these pages as indicated in I1427f-g. c. Begin each entry at the left margin. Ordinarily, single-space the entries, but in material that is to be edited, use double spacing to allow room for editing. d. Indent turnover lines 0.5 inch so that the first word in each entry will stand out. e. Leave 1 blank line between entries (whether they are single- or double-spaced). a. List the entries alphabetically by author's last name. b. Entries lacking an author are alphabetized by title. Disregard the word The or A at the beginning of a title in deterrnining alphabetic sequence. For example, in the illustration on page 506, note that the third entry is alphabetized on the basis of Economist (not The); the next-to-last entry is alphabetized on the basis of Guide [not A). NOTE: When a publication lacks an author and the title begins with a figure, a title such as 100 Years ofHarley Davidson would be alphabetized as if it began "One Hundred Years," and it would come before One Hundred Years of World Military Aircraft. c There is no need to number the alphabetized entries in a bibliography unless you plan to use the style of textnotes described in f 1507b (5). In that case begin each entry of the bibliography with a number typed at the left margin, followed by a period and 1 or 2 spaces. Then type the rest of the entry in the customary way, but indent any turnover so that it begins under the first word in the line above. (In the parenthetical textnotes, you can then make reference to different works by their bibliographic "entry number" instead of by author.) 1. Gelb, Leslie, and Justine Rosenthal, 'The Rise of Ethics in Foreign Policy," Foreign Affairs, Vol. 82, No. 3, May-June 2003, pp. 2-7. 2. Gerstner, Louis V, Jr., Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?; Inside IBM's Turnaround, HarperBusiness, New York, 2002. 3. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 2000 e d , Project Management Institute, Philadelphia, 2001.

Continued on page 506

506

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1547

6x BIBLIOGRAPHY ,

1 inch (minimum) 1

|2or3x t

i inch

> Buffett, Warren, et al., The Essays of Warren Buffett, rev. ed., Lawrence A. Cunningham, - * -

— P - N e w York, 2001.. 9 0.5 inch f

(minimum)

A Critical Guide to Management Training Media, Harvard Business School Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1997. The Economist, Guide to Economic Indicators: Making Sense of Economics, 5th ed., Bloomberg, New York, 2003. "Executive Pay: Revolting Shareholders," The Economist, May 24, 2003, p. 13. Galbraith, Jay R., Designing Organizations: An Executive Guide to Strategy, Structure, and Process, 2d ed., Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 2001. Galbraith, John Kenneth, The Affluent Society, 4th ed., Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1998. , American Capitalism: The Concept of Countervailing Power, rev. ed., Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, N.J., 1993. , The Good Society: The Humane Agenda, Mariner, Boston, 1997. , The Great Crash. 1929, Mariner, Boston, 1997. , A Short History of Financial Euphoria, Penguin, New York, 1994. and Andrea D. Williams, A View From the Stands- Of People, Politics, Military Power, and the Arts, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, November 1986. Gerstner, Louis V, Jr., Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?: Inside IBM's Turnaround, HarperBusiness, New York, 2002. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 2000 ed., Project Management Institute, Philadelphia, 2001, Sigerman, Harriet (ed.), 77ie Columbia Documentary History of American Women Since 1941, Columbia Univ. Press, New York, 2003.

If you use the numbered list feature of your word processing program, the turnover lines will automatically be indented. The list will also be typed singlespaced. For a more open look, insert 1 blank line between entries (as shown in the illustration above). The numbered list feature also aligns single- and double-digit numbers on the left. However, you can make an adjustment so that the numbers align at the right (as in the examples in 11547c). For additional details and illustrations, see 1I1345d. NOTE:

Section 15 • Notes and Bibliographies

507

HI 549 1548

When a bibliography contains more than one work by the same author, replace the author's name with a long dash (using a three-em dash or six hyphens) in all the entries after the first. List the works alphabetically by title. For example, in the illustration on page 506, the works that John Kenneth Galbraith wrote by himself have been alphabetized on the basis of the key words Affluent, American, Good, Great, and Short. The work he wrote with a coauthor (A View From the Stands) should not be considered as part of this sequence when the titles are being alphabetized. NOTE: As an alternative, multiple entries pertaining to the same author may be listed in chronological sequence according to the date of each publication. >• For guidelines on the typing of three-em dashes, see 1216d; for guidelines on the marking of three-em dashes in manuscript, see 1217d.

1549

Entries in bibliographies contain the same elements and follow the same style as source reference notes except for two key differences. a. Begin each entry with the name of the author listed in inverted order (last name first). When an entry includes two or more authors' names, invert only the first author's name. When an organization is listed as the author, do not invert the name. American Heart Association, Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook, 2d ed, Times Books, New York, 1997. Hirsch, E. D., Jr., et al. (eds.), The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know, rev. ed., Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2002. Kouzes, James M., and Barry Z. Posner, The Leadership Challenge, 3d ed., Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 2002.

>• For additional examples, see the illustration on page 506. b. Include page numbers in bibliographic entries only when the material being cited is part of a larger work. Use the form. pp. 215-232. Gelb, Leslie, and Justine Rosenthal, 'The Rise of Ethics in Foreign Policy," Foreign Affairs, Vol. 82, No. 3, May-June 2003, pp. 2-7.

>- For the use of an en dash in a range ofpage numbers, see f459a. c. In academic material, bibliographic entries typically follow a slightly different style. In the examples below, note that a period follows each of the three main parts of the entry (author's name, the title, and the publishing information). Also note that the parentheses that normally enclose the pubUshing information in an academicstyle footnote or endnote are omitted in the bibliographic entry. (See 111513b.) American Heart Association. Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook, 2d ed. New York: Times Books, 1997. Hirsch, E. D., Jr., et al. (eds.). The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know, rev. ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Kouzes, James M., and Barry Z. Posner. The Leadership Challenge, 3d ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002.

Section 16 Tables Using the Software Table Feature (111601-1608) Locating Tables within the Text (111609-1611) Locating Tables on Separate Pages (111612-1615) Centering Tables (11616) Table Identification (111617-1620) Column Heads (111621-1624) Braced Column Heads (11623) Crossheads (11624) Table Text (111625-1633) Spacing (11625) Items Consisting of Words (11626) Items Consisting of Figures (11627) Items Consisting of Figures and Words (11628) Amounts of Money (11629) Percentages (11630) Special Treatment of Figures in Tables (11631) Leaders (11632) Accounting for Omitted Items (11633) Table Notes (111634-1636) Dealing With Long Tables (111637-1639) Dealing With Wide Tables (111640-1641) Converting Tables Into Charts and Graphs (11642)

You can fit a good deal of material into a compact space when you present it in the form of a table—with items arranged in rows (to be read horizontally) and in columns (to be read vertically). However, in designing a table, you should aim for more than compactness. Your reader should be able to locate specific information faster—and detect significant patterns or trends in the data more quickly—than would be possible if the same information were presented in the regular text. The following paragraphs provide detailed guidelines for creating a table. Modify these guidelines as necessary to achieve results that are easy to understand and attractive to look at.

Section 16 • Tables

509

Using the Software Table Feature Before the introduction of word processing software, the execution of tables required a great deal of advance planning and careful typing. Now, thanks to the table feature of your word processing software, you can prepare tables with little or no advance planning and you can make corrections and adjustments with relative ease. The table feature, however, does impose some limitations on the results you can achieve unless you are willing to invest additional time and effort. As a result, you may not always find it feasible or even possible to achieve the appearance of professionally typeset tables. Here, for example, is how a table might appear in a textbook or a magazine: > * \

Table A-15 LIFE INSURANCE IN FORCE

i \ \ i

!•

($000,000 Omitted) Year

Ordinary

Group

jj

1950 1960 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 ' 1995 f 2001 -

149,116 341,881 734,730 1,083,421 1,760,474 3,247,289 5,366,982 6,872,252 9,345,723

47,793 175,903 551,357 904,695 1,579,355 2,561,595 3,753,506 4,604,856 6.765,074

j 1 i ] « ^ , | \

i

> \ * i ' : .

" Source: The World Almanac and I Book ofFacts, 2003, p. 82.

t

\

'

Note that within each column the head and the text are centered between vertical rules. Note also the use of extra space surrounding various elements of the table to give it an open look and make it easy to read. Paragraphs 1601-1608 show you (1) the results you will achieve if you prepare this table with the Microsoft Word table feature, accepting all the default specifications, and (2) the steps you need to take in order to achieve the look of a professionally typeset table. IMPORTANT NOTE: When you use the table feature to execute a table, how far you go in modifying the default specifications will depend on a number of factors. If the table is intended for your eyes alone (or those of your immediate associates) and speed rather than appearance is critical, you may not want to go very far (if at all) in modifying those default specifications. However, if the table will appear in a document to be presented to higher management or to people outside the organization, you will have to invest the extra time and effort needed to create a more professional-looking table.

510

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1601 1 6 0 1 The default format provided by the Microsoft Word table feature encloses the complete table (including any heading at the top and any notes at the bottom) in a grid of horizontal and vertical lines. a. At the outset specify the number of columns the table should have (in this particular case, three). It is not necessary to specify the number of rows in advance since the act of tabbing at the end of a row will automatically add another row. NOTE: If you are using an autoformat style (see 111608), you may need to specify the number of rows as well. b. In the absence of other instructions, the table grid will have the same width as the regular text. You may find it simplest to accept this dimension at the outset and adjust the width of the table later on. (See 1U603.)

1 6 0 2 a. Begin by entering the column heads and the column text. Leave one blank row at the top for the heading and one blank row at the bottom for any notes. If you accept all the default specifications, the column heads and the text in each column will align at left.

Year 1950 1960 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2001

Ordinary 149,116 341,881 734,730 1,083,421 1,760,474 3,247,289 5,366,982 6,872,252 9,345,723

Group 47,793 175,903 551,357 904,695 1,579,355 2,561,595 3,753,506 4,604,856 6,765,074

b. It is appropriate to use left alignment when the column text consists entirely of words or of figures representing years (as in the first column above). However, when the column text consists of figures that have to be added or compared in some way (as in the second and third columns above), the figures should align at the right.

Section 16 • Tables

511

til 603 c. To save a step, select right alignment (or right justification) for the second and third columns before you enter any data in the grid. Moreover, to enhance the appearance of the table, select boldface for the column heads. If these modifications are made in advance, the first version of the table will look like this: Ordinary 149,116 341,881 734,730 1,083,421 1,760,474 3,247,289 5,366,982 6,872,252 9,345,723

Year 1950 1960 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2001

Group 47,793 175,903 551,357 904,695 1,579,355 2,561,595 3,753,506 4,604,856 6,765,074

1 6 0 3 a. The table, as it now stands, has excessively wide columns. To remedy the situation, use the autofit feature to adjust the width of the columns to fit the column text. Year 1950 1960 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2001

Ordinary 149,116 341,881 734,730 1,083,421 1,760,474 3,247,289 5,366,982 6,872,252 9,345,723

Group 47,793 175,903 551,357 904,695 1,579,355 2,561,595 3,753,506 4,604,856 6,765,074

Note that now the text in each column is not perfectly centered between the vertical rules. Moreover, the use of the autofit feature has created a fairly tight appearance. You can widen a column and simultaneously equalize the margins by changing the column cell margins in the table properties feature. Year 1950 1960 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2001

Ordinary 149,116 341,881 734,730 1,083,421 1,760,474 3,247,289 5,366,982 6,872,252 9,345,723

Group 47,793 175,903 551,357 904,695 1,579,355 2,561,595 3,753,506 4,604,856 6,765,074 Continued on page 512

512

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1604 If you try to widen a column simply by inserting extra space, all that extra space will appear on only one side of the column text (and not be evenly distributed on both sides). Thus in a column with left-justified text, all the extra space will appear on the right; in a column withright-justifiedtext, all the extra space will appear on the left. To avoid this result, use the technique described in H 1603a to visually center the column text. b. When a table that initially has the same width as the text is reduced in width (as in the illustrations in 111603a), the table as a whole will remain aligned at the left margin. Therefore, once you complete the table, center it horizontally on the page. Moreover, if the table occupies a page by itself, center the table vertically as well. 1 6 0 4 Before you can enter the table heading at the top or any table notes at the bottom, you need to merge or join the cells in the lines reserved for these purposes. NOTE:

Year 1950 1960 1970 1975

Ordinary 149,116 341,881 734,730 1,083,421

Group 47,793 175,903 551,357 904,695

1985 1990 1995 2001

3,247,289 5,366,982 6,872,252 9,345,723

2,561,595 3,753,506 4,604,856 6,765,074

1 6 0 5 a. The heading of a table may consist simply of a table title. Or the title may be preceded by a table number and followed by a subtitle—all on the same line or on separate lines. (See 111620 for the various ways in which these elements may be positioned.) Whether the heading consists of only one line or several lines, enter the complete heading in one cell at the top of the grid. b. If the table is accompanied by one or more footnotes, enter these elements in one cell at the bottom of the grid. c. As the following illustration demonstrates, when you enter these elements in the grid, they are automatically aligned at the left. Table A-15 LIFE INSURANCE IN FORCE ($000,000 Omitted) Ordinary Group Year 47,793 1950 149,116 341,881 175,903 1960 1970 734,730 551,357 1,083,421 1975 904,695 1,760,474 1,579,355 1980 1985 3,247,289 2,561,595 1990 5,366,982 3,753,506 6,872,252 1995 4,604,856 2001 9,345,723 6,765,074 Source: The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2003, p. 82.

Section 16 • Tables

513

1J1606 1 6 0 6 To improve the appearance of the table, consider making these adjustments: a. Use boldface for all the elements in the table heading. b. Select the centering option for the column heads and all the elements in the table heading. c. Insert 1 blank line between the lines in the table heading and above and below the heading as a whole. NOTE: If the table title or subtitle will not fit all on one line, break it into sensible phrases and single-space the turnover. (See 111620 for illustrations of the ways in which the elements in the table heading may be arranged.) d. Insert 1 blank line above and below the column heads. e. Insert 1 blank line between the notes at the bottom of the table and above and below the notes as a whole. f. If the footnotes each require no more than one full line, begin each note at the left margin of the table text. However, if any one of the notes turns over to a second line, indent the first line of each note. Ordinarily, the indention should be 0.5 inch, but if a table is relatively narrow (as in the illustration below), reduce the indention to 0.25 inch for better appearance. In any case, adjust the measure of the footnote so that the turnover aligns at the left margin of the table text and does not extend beyond the right margin of the table text. g. Add shading to portions of the table as desired to give special emphasis to certain elements and make the table more attractive as a whole. NOTE: If all of these modifications are made, the table will then look like this:

Table A-15 LIFE INSURANCE IN FORCE ($000,000 Omitted) Year

Ordinary

Group

1950 1960 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2001

149,116 341,881 734,730 1,083,421 1,760,474 3,247,289 5,366,982 6,872,252 9,345,723

47,793 175,903 551,357 904,695 1,579,355 2,561,595 3,753,506 4,604,856 6,765,074

Source: The World Almanac and Book ofFacts, 2003, p. 82.

1

514

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1607 1 6 0 7 a. If you want to achieve a more open look, you can remove the grid and increase the space between rows, as in the illustration below. Table A-15 LIFE INSURANCE IN FORCE ($000,000 Omitted)

Year

Ordinary

Group

1950

149,116

47,793

1960

341,881

175,903

1970 1975 1980 1985

734,730 1,083,421 1,760,474 3,247,289

551,357 904,695 1,579,355 2,561,595

1990 1995 2001

5,366,982 6,872,252 9,345,723

3,753,506 4,604,856 6,765,074

Even if you ultimately intend to remove the grid from the table, be sure to enter all the elements in the table heading and the table notes within the grid at the outset. In that way, if you later decide to transfer the table to another location in the document, you can be sure that the table will be moved as a whole. If the table heading and the source note are not inserted in the grid, only the body of the table will be moved. b. As an alternative, you can simply eliminate all the vertical rules in the grid. NOTE:

Table A-15 LIFE INSURANCE IN FORCE ($000,000 Omitted)

,

Year

Ordinary

1950 1960 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2001

149,116 341,881 734,730 1,083,421 1,760,474 3,247,289 5,366,982 6,872,252 9,345,723

Group 47,793 [ 175,903 551,357 " 904,695 1,579,355 2,561,595 3,753,506 4,604,856 6,765,074

Section 16 • Tables

515

1)1608 1 6 0 8 Some word processing programs provide a number of autoformats that can enhance the appearance of your tables. The following illustrations provide examples of two styles offered by Microsoft Word: Contemporary and Professional. NOTE: If you plan to use autoformat, select it before you make any modifications to the default format. If you apply autoformat afterward, you could lose some of the modifications you made. Contemporary Table A-15 LIFE INSURANCE IN FORCE ($000,000 Omitted)

Year

Ordinary

1950 1960

149,116 341,881 ^J34.730 3,247,289 £366,982 6,872,252 9,345,723!

ttiwo 1985

RJ1990 1995 2001

Group 47,793 175,903

55U5ZJB 2,561,595 3,753,506 4,604,856 6,765,074

Source: The World Almanac and Book ofFacts, 2003, p. 82.

Professional Table A-15

LIFE INSURANCE IN FORCE ($000,000 Omitted)

Year

Ordinary

Group

1950 1960 1970

149,116 341,881 734,730

47,793 175,903 551,357

1985 1990 1995 2001

3,247,289 5,366,982 6,872,252 9,345,723

2,561,595 3,753,506 4,604,856 6,765,074

Source: The World Almanac and Book ofFacts, 2003, p. 82.

516

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 609

Locating Tables Within the Text 1609 a. Tables should be easy to refer to. Therefore, try to locate each table on the page where the subject of the table is introduced in the text. In this way the reader will have ready access to the table while reading the text commentary that may precede and follow. b. Ideally, every table should fall immediately after the point in the text where it is first mentioned. However, if placing the table within a paragraph is likely to disrupt the reader's grasp of the material, then locate the table at the end of the paragraph or at the top or bottom of the page. (See also H1611d.) 1610 a. Avoid breaking a table at the bottom of a page. If starting a table at the ideal point means that it will not all fit in the space remaining on the page, then place the complete table at the top of the next page. (At the point in the text where the table is first mentioned, insert an appropriate cross-reference. See 1(1615.) NOTE: Many word processing programs have a feature called keep lines togethe that prevents tables from breaking across pages. (See 111639b.) b. If you have to fit a number of relatively short tables (half a page or less) in a given document, single-space the table text to maximize your chances of locating each table in the ideal place. (See HI625.) NOTE: Microsoft Word's table feature single-spaces the table text by default. >* For other techniques to limit the length of a table to one page, see 11637; fo lines on dealing with a table too long to fit on one page, see ni638-1639. 1611

If a table is to appear on a page that also carries regular text: a. Center the table horizontally within the established margins. (See K1603b.) b. Try to indent the table at least 0.5 inch from each side margin. In any case, the width of the table should not exceed the width of the text. (See 11(1640-1641.) c. Use blank lines to set off a table from the text above and below it as follows: (1) Leave only 1 blank line above and below the table if horizontal rules or shading sets the table off from the text. with prefixes indicating multiples or fractions of a unit. There are seven base units in the SI metric system: «* Quantity

Unit

Length Mass Time Electric current Thermodynamic temperature Amount of substance Luminous intensity

meter kilogram second ampere kelvin mole candela

Symbol m kg s A K mol cd

In addition, there are two supplementary units, the radian and the steradian.

Section 16 • Tables

517

111611 (2) Leave 1 blank line above and below an open table (one without horizontal rules) that has neither column heads nor a table title. Our analysis of the latest reports indicates that sales are up by at least 10 percent in all regions: 2x • Eastern Region North Central Region . Southern Region ; Western Region

16.2% | 11.0% ! 18.4% \

:

13.9% JS „ — i2x

The primary reason for this upsurge, according to the managers of these regions, is the rebuilding of inventories, which had been allowed to

(3) Leave 2 blank lines above and below an open table that uses column heads as its first element. When designing buildings for New England sites, keep in mind the typical outdoor winter temperatures. For example: ~x

i City I ; Boston, Mass. | Concord, N.H. | Hartford, Conn. * Portland, Maine

Temp. (°F) 0 -15

I

-5

i ,

3X

It is worth noting that Concord (an inland city) is colder than Portland (a coastal city), even though it is farther south. Moreover, Boston is no colder than

If you have inserted a blank line above a column head or a title within the grid, you will automatically achieve the appearance of 2 blank lines above the table when you remove the grid. (4) Leave 2 blank lines above and below an open table that begins with a table title. (See the note directly above.) NOTE.

and as shown in Table 12-5, the public debt tripled in the twenty-year period between 1960 and 1980—from $284 billion to $908 billion. ~x 'Bible 12-5 PUBLIC DEBT OF THE UNITED STATES 1900-2002 (In BUlions of Dollars) 1900 1920 1940 1980 1990 2000 2002

However, between 1980 and 2000, the public debt grew by more than six times—from $908 billion to nearly $5.7 trillion. Projections for Continued on page S18

518

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

111612

d. If space is tight, place the table at the top or bottom of the page. In that way you can eliminate one set of blank lines and improve your chances of fitting the table on the desired page. e. When using the table feature of a word processing program, simply insert the table copy at the desired location in the regular text. If you discover that the table will not all fit on the same page, you can move the table as a whole to the top or bottom of the page (as noted in d above), make other adjustments (as noted in 1111637-1639), or place the table on a page by itself (see M1612-1615). NOTE: If you use the keep lines together feature (see 111610a, note), the table w not be divided at the bottom of a page; instead the table as a whole will be moved to the top of the next page. (See 111639b.) f. Be sure you canfitat least two full lines of regular text above or below the table. If the results look unattractive, devote the full page to the table and resume the text on the following page. (See M1612-1615.) Locating Tables on Separate Pages 1612 When a table occupies more than two-thirds of a page, it can often be difficult to fit on the same page with regular text. In such cases type the table on a separate page and place it immediately after the text page on which the table is first referred to. NOTE: Insert a hard page break before and after the table to ensure that the table will appear on a page by itself. (See 111639b.) 1613

If a given document contains a number of tables, most of which will each require a separate page, then all the tables (short as well as long) may be executed as an appendix or as an attachment. NOTE: This arrangement—which permits the reader to keep the full set of tables alongside the regular text (except in the case of bound reports)—can be very convenient, especially if some tables are repeatedly cited throughout the regular text. (This arrangement also eliminates the problem of trying to fit tables within the text.)

1614

When a table is to appear on a page by itself, center the table horizontally and vertically within the established margins of the page. NOTE: If no margins have been established, leave a minimum margin of 1 inch on all four sides of the table.

1615

When a table is not located on the page on which it is referred to, provide a crossreference in parentheses to the appropriate page. (See Table 4 on page 18.) OR: (See Table 2-2 on page 31.) NOTE: These parenthetical cross-references may be treated as a separate sentence (as shown above) or as part of another sentence (see 11220). >- For the advisability of numbering tables to simplify cross-references, see 116

Centering Tables 1616 a. The table feature of a word processing program extends the table to the full width of the regular text. If you decide to reduce the overall width of the table, first type

Section 16 • Tables

519

HI 6 2 0 the table. Then use autofit to adjust the width of the columns (see 111603), and choose center alignment to position the table horizontally. If a table appears on a page by itself, center the table vertically as well. (Use the center page feature of your word processing software.) Table Identification 1617 Identify tables by title unless they are not very numerous and the significance of the material in the table is clear without some descriptive label. (See 1U620a.) 1618 Also identify tables by number unless they are quite short, not very numerous, and typically referred to only on the page on which they fall. The use of table numbers simplifies cross-references, an important consideration if you expect that a number of tables will notfiton the page where they are first mentioned or if you know that certain tables will be referred to repeatedly throughout the regular text. NOTE: Tables may be numbered consecutively throughout a given document or consecutively within each chapter and each appendix. With the latter technique, the chapter number (or the appendix number or letter) is used as a prefix in the numbering scheme. For example, Table 3-2 would be the second table in Chapter 3, and Table A-5 would be the fifth table in Appendix A. 1619 The table title may be followed by a subtitle, which provides additional information about the significance of the table, the period of time it covers, or the manner in which the information is organized or presented. Since a subtitle should be held to one line if possible (two at the most), treat a lengthy comment on any of these points as a note to the table rather than as a subtitle. (See 11111634-1636.) 1620 Type the elements of table identification as follows: a. Table Title. Center the table title, using bold caps. >• For guidelines on spacing above the table title, see f%1611c and 1614. b. Table Number. Type the word Table in caps and lowercase, followed by the appropriate number. To give the table number special emphasis, center it on the second line above the table title and use boldface. To hold down the length of the table, type the table number on the same line as the table title; in this case insert a period after the table number and leave 1 or 2 spaces before typing the table title. (See the illustrations below.) HOTE: Within a given document treat all table numbers the same way. lU,aiJ^.IBI.«!!^.l.UJtf.Ul

IIIUIW

I H H loll

Table 2

'

TITLE OF THE TABLE .W*.***^**^^,***^

fri-A^-i.*.^*^

._•» ^ . . ^ A ^ . ^ i _ 8 ^ - ^ . ^ . . j

'•Hi, awymiff n,'i-'Wiu• J-;uw-tfrmwgf" - ^ - y • For guidelines on how to enter the elements of the table heading in the grid by the table feature, see ff 1604-1605,1606a-d.

Column Heads 1 6 2 1 a. Unless a table is very simple and the significance of the material is clear without heads, provide a heading for each column. (A heading may be omitted over the first column, also known as the stub. See, for example, the table on page 531.) b. Whenever possible, use singular forms in the column heads. Thus, for example, over a column listing a number of cities, use the heading City rather than Cities. (See the illustration in the middle of page 517.) c. In order to hold down the length of column heads, use abbreviations and symbols as necessary. For example: AccL No. % of Total FY2005 OR: FY05 1Q/2006 OR: 1Q/06 Sales ($) Sales (U) Sales YTD ($) % 0/(U) Last Year 2005A 2006B 2006E 2007F

Account number Percent of total Fiscal Year 2005 (also used to indicate that a company's fiscal year does not coincide with the calendar year) First Quarter of 2006 [also used with 2Q, 3Q, and 4Q to signify the other three quarters of the year) Sales results expressed as a dollar amount On other words, sales revenues) Sales results expressed in terms of the number of units sold Cumulative sales revenues so far this year (that is, year to date) Percentage by which this year's results are over (or under) last year's results Actual results in 2005 Budgeted results in 2006 Estimated results in 2006 Forecast results in 2007

Section 16 • Tables

521

HI 622 If your reader may not understand some of the abbreviations and symbols you use, explain the unfamiliar ones in a footnote to the table. For example: Note: A = actual; E = estimated; F = forecast HOTE: As an alternative to the use of abbreviations, select a smaller font size for the column heads. d. Column heads should be single-spaced and may be broken into as many as five lines. e. Capitalize the first letter of each word in a column head except articles (a, an, the), conjunctions under four letters (such as and and or), and prepositions under four letters (such as of and in). >• See 11360-361, 363 for detailed guidance on capitalizing words in column headings. i. Type all column heads in boldface. g. If the column heads in a table do not all take the same number of lines, align the column heads at the bottom. NOTE: When you use the table feature of a word processing program, choose the bottom alignment option to automatically align column heads that do not take the same number of lines. h. Leave 1 blank line above and below the tallest column head.

Table 14-4 DISTRIBUTION OF PERSONAL INCOME: 1960 TO 2001 (In Billions of Dollars)

Year

Personal Income

Personal Taxes

Disposable Personal Income

Personal Savings

. I960 1970 1980 1990 2001

411.7 836.1 2285.7 4791.6 8685.3

48.7 109.0 312.4 624.8 1292.1 .

362.9 727.1 1973.3 4166.8 7393.2

23.3 61.0 161.8 208.7 169.7

1 6 2 2 a. When you use the table feature of a word processing program, the default alignment for all column heads is at the left. (See the illustration in 111602a.) b. If you change the alignment of the column text from left to right (for example, with a column of figures), align the column head at the right as well. (See the illustration in 111602c.) Continued on page 522

522

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1623 c. When a very narrow column head falls above a very wide column of text, the table will look more attractive if the column head is centered over the column text. It is easy to use center alignment in the table feature of word processing programs; therefore, as a general rule, plan to center all column heads. Name A. Michael Ashworth Dwayne Gilpatrick Jr. Bradley M. Harrington Annette G. LaFontaine Christopher T. Novotny Francesca R. Valdez Sales 95,517,833 1,039,875,742 874,320,199 779,239,821 590,465,342 658,241,378

Name A. Michael Ashworth Dwayne Gilpatrick Jr. Bradley M. Harrington Annette G. LaFontaine Christopher T. Novotny Francesca R. Valdez Sales 95,517,833 1,039,875,742 874,320,199 779,239,821 590,465,342 658,241,378

d. When a very wide column head falls above a very narrow column of text, you may produce some very odd-looking tables. To avoid this problem, move the indent markers to visually center the column text and heading as a block. >Iications Received 98 182 243 139 87 202

Applications Received 98 182 243 139 87 202

e. All column heads should be either blocked or centered. Do not mix styles within a table. 1 6 2 3 Braced Column Heads

a. Some complex tables contain braced column heads (heads that "embrace" two or more columns). They are also called straddle heads because they straddle two or more columns. (See the illustration on page 523.) b. There are two ways to create a table with braced headings. You can create the table body—5 columns in the illustration on page 523—and merge the cells that will be used for the braced headings. Or you can create a 3-column table, type the braced headings in the appropriate cells, and then split the cells below the braced headings to complete the table. c. To achieve the best appearance, center each braced column head over the appropriate columns; center the other column heads and the related column text between the vertical rules in each case.

Section 16 • Tables

523

1)1625 Table 12 CABLE DIVISION SALES AND NET OPERATING INCOME From 1995 to 2005

Note: A = actual; E = estimated; F = forecast. . . ^ ^

..**A*,~^

*,~..,..

~*

,„._^.^i

.^B,.i^..^^.^..

..X...P ^

s^_

. ^ ^ . ^ ^ i A

^ ^ t o

•E U ^ . - ^ ^ ^ . U , * , ^

^

1 6 2 4 Crossheads a. Crossheads are used to separate the data in the body of a table into different categories. (See the illustration on page 524.) b. The first crosshead falls immediately below the column heads across the top of the table; the other crossheads occur within the body of the table at appropriate intervals. c Type each crosshead in caps and lowercase, centered on the full width of the table. Using the table feature of a word processing program, you can automatically center each crosshead after you merge the cells in that row. d. Each crosshead should be preceded and followed by a horizontal rule running the full width of the table. Leave 1 blank line between the rule and the crosshead. Table Text 1 6 2 5 Spacing a. The table text may be typed with single or double spacing. However, you may find it simplest to accept the default spacing provided by your word processing program. (Microsoft Word uses single spacing.) NOTE: Within the same document try to treat all tables alike. b. Double-spaced tables are more readable. However, choose single spacing if the overall length of a document is a concern or you want to maximize your chances of locating each table on the page where it is first mentioned. NOTE: You can make single-spaced tables more readable by retaining the horizontal rules between rows and by the use of shading. (See 111608 for illustrations of single-spaced tables that have been enhanced for better readability.) And even a slight increase in space between rows can make single-spaced tables more readable. (See the illustration in 111607a.) Contimed on page 524

524

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1)1626 Table 8-4 SOCIAL SECURITY TAX RATE SCHEDULE (Percent of Covered Earnings)

Year

Total

OASDI*

HI*

Employees and Employers Each

1985 1986-1987 1988-1989 1990 and after

7.05 7.15 7.51 7.65

5.70 5.70 6.06 6.20

1.35 1.45 1.45 1.45

11.40 11.40 12.12 12.40

2.70 2.90 2.90 2.90

Self-Employed

1985 1986-1987 1988-1989 1990 and after

14.10 14.30 15.02 15.30

Source: The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2003, p. 739. *01d-age, survivors, and disability insurance. +

Hospital insurance.

c. As a rule, type the table with the same spacing (or less) used for the regular text. Thus when the regular text is single-spaced, all the tables should also be singlespaced. When the regular text is double-spaced, then all the tables may be typed with double or single spacing. 1 6 2 6 Items Consisting of Words

If the table text consists of items expressed entirely in words: a. Capitalize only the first word of each item in the table text plus any proper nouns and proper adjectives. NOTE: In special cases, where it may be important to show whether terms are capitalized or lowercased, the first word in each item need not be consistently capitalized. (See, for example, the second and third columns of the table on page 516.)

Section 16 • Tables

525

HI 626 Use abbreviations and symbols as necessary to hold down the length of individual items. (See It 1621c for examples.) Align each item at the left margin of the column. If any item requires more than one line, set a tab to indent the turnover line 0.25 inch. However, if a column contains both main entries and subentries, begin the main entry at the left margin of the column text, set tabs to indent the first line of subentries 0.25 inch, and indent all turnover lines 0.5 inch. "

1. '

-

1

*

- - " ••>'--•

" 1

:

,, Total weekly > broadcast i hours General 3 programs Instructional programs

Photographs, prints, and illustrations i Scientific or tech« nical drawings Commercial prints Reproductions of works of art

You can avoid the need to indent turnovers (but not subentries) if you use horizontal rules or extra space to separate the entries. The table feature will automatically align turnovers at the left, and the horizontal rules or extra space will help to make each entry visually distinct. NOTE:

Total weekly broadcast hours

Photographs, prints, and illustrations

General programs

Scientific or technical drawings 1 Commercial prints

> 1

Instructional programs

!

Reproductions of works of art d. If an item in the first column requires more than one line and all the other items in the same row require only one line, align all the items in that row at the bottom. Chemical and allied products

151

Petroleum refining and related products

69

Paper and allied products

391

201

73 ^ _ Aligned at the bottom

364 Continued on page 526

526

Part 2

Techniques and Formats

1J1627 e. If two or more items in a row each require more than one line, align all entries in that row at the top. Aligned at the top

Employee Benefit Report

Prepared quarterly

j Data based on-^ administrative records

f. Do not use a period as terminal punctuation at the end of any item except in a column where all entries are in sentence form. 1627

Items Consisting of Figures

a. If a column of table text consists of items expressed entirely in figures: (1) Align columns of whole numbers at the right. (2) Align columns of decimal amounts on the decimal point. (3) In a column that contains both whole numbers and decimals, add a decimal point and zeros to the whole numbers to maintain a consistent appearance. (4) Omit commas in four-digit whole numbers unless they appear in the same column with larger numbers containing commas. (Some writers prefer to retain the comma in four-digit numbers under all circumstances.) In any case, never insert commas in the decimal part of a number. (See also 11461.) 325 1 152,657 1,489

465.2137 1250.0004 1.0000 37.9898

(5) Align the figures in a column by using right alignment or a decimal tab. NOTE: If you want your software program to perform some calculations in the process of executing a table, you wili need to select and follow one of the number formats offered by the software. >• For the way to handle a total line in a column offigures,see fl629d. b. If a column of table text consists entirely of "clock" times (as in a program or schedule): (1) Align the figures in "on the hour" expressions at the right. 11 12 1 8 12

a.m. noon p.m. p.m. midnight

(2) Align the figures in "hour and minute" expressions on the colon. (Add two zeros to exact times to maintain a uniform appearance.) 8:15 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 12:00 noon 1:45 p.m. 12:00 midnight

Section 16 • Tables

527

HI 629 (3) When the items in a column each consist of a starting and an ending time, either align all the items at the left or align them on the en dash within the items. (See also the example in c below and the illustration on page 545.) 8:30-9:30

8:30-9:30

OR:

10:30-11:30

10:30-11:30

12:30-1:30

12:30-1:30 2:30-3:30

2:30-3:30 4:45-6:00

4:45-6:00

When you use the table feature and you want to align clock times at the right or on the colon or the en dash, the hours 1 to 9 must be made equal in width with the hours 10 to 12. Since each figure occupies 2 spaces, type 2 spaces before the single-digit hours to make them the same width as the double-digit hours. In the "24-hour" system of expressing clock time (in which midnight is 0000 and 11:59 p.m. is 2359), the alignment of clock times poses no problem since all times are expressed in four digits (with no colons and no need to refer to a.m. or p.m.). NOTE:

0830-0930 1030-1130 1230-1330 1430-1530 1645-1800

1 6 2 8 Items Consisting of Figures and Words

If a column consists of both figures and words (as in the second column below), align the items at the left. Note, however, that a column consisting only of words aligns at the left (as in the first column below) and a column consisting only of whole numbers aligns at the right (as in the third column below). >

Average Serving

Calorie Count

2 strips 4oz leup Medium size

97 300 44 30

Type of Food

Bacon Beef, roast Broccoli * Tomato, raw '

*

J

1 6 2 9 Amounts of Money

a. In a column containing dollar amounts, insert a dollar sign only before the first amount at the head of the column and before the total amount. $ 45.50 2406.05 783.25

$

165 3,450 98,932

$ 423.75 584.45 1228.00

$3234.80

$102,547

$2236.20

Continued on page 528

528

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

fll629 b. The dollar signs at the head and foot of the column should align in the first space to the left of the longest amount in the column. If the item at the head of the column is shorter than the one at the foot, aligning the dollar signs can be troublesome. Choose one of the following approaches to deal with the problem:

(1) Avoid the problem altogether by incorporating the dollar sign in the column head—for example ($000,000 Omitted). Then there is no need for dollar sign alongside the figures below. (2) Insert the first dollar sign by hand. (This approach is not acceptable in documents that have to meet professional standards.) (3) Type the dollar sign in the space before the first number. After the column is finished, insert spaces between the first dollar sign and the first digit to align the dollar signs (2 spaces for each digit, 1 space for each comma). c Do not insert commas to set off thousands in four-digit numbers unless they appear in the same column with larger numbers. (See the examples in 111627a and S[1629a.) Moreover, if all the amounts in a column are whole dollar amounts, omit the decimal point and zeros (as in the second example in 1[1629a). However, if any amount in a column includes cents, use a decimal point and zeros with all whole dollar amounts in the same column (as in the third example in f 162 9a). NOTE: If you want your software program to perform some calculations in the process of executing a table, you will need to select and follow one of the number formats presented by the software. d. If the table text ends with a total line, a horizontal rule should separate the body of the table from the total line. (1) If the table displays the full default grid or only horizontal rules that set off key sections of the table, the necessary separation will be automatically provided. To give the total amount greater emphasis in a single-spaced table (as in the illustration below), adjust the spacing so that there is 1 blank line above and below the total line.

2006 SALES REVENUES

Region

2006B

2006A

Percent of Difference

Eastern Midwestern Southern Western

$ 300,000 450,000 260,000 240,000

$ 345,108 467,380 291,849 241,005

15.0 3.9 12.2 0.4

Totals

$1,250,000

$1,345,342

7.6

Section 16 • Tables

529

HI 630 (2) If the table has been executed in an open style (without horizontal and vertical rules), you must insert a horizontal rule that is as wide as the longest entry in the column (including the dollar sign at the left). Before typing the last amount before the total, choose the underline appearance option. You may have to insert spaces before the last amount above the total so that the horizontal line will be as wide as the longest entry (2 spaces for the dollar sign and each digit, 1 space for each comma). $1115.59 l x 803.611 1027.64 528-66 $3475.50 T

$ 529,310 , 1,114,3101 1.227.620 |2* $2,871,240

$21,348.75

i2x

2,294.35 688.50

J2x $24,331.60* NOTE: In a

single-spaced table, type the total amount on the line directly below the underline (as in the first example above). To give the total amount greater emphasis, type it on the second line below the underline (as in the second example above). In a double-spaced table, type the amount on the second line below the underline (as in the third example above). e. If a total line is needed, type the word Total or Tbtals in the first column, depending on the number of totals to be shown in this row. Use an initial cap only or (for emphasis) all-caps. Start the word at the left margin of the column or indent it 0.5 inch. 1 6 3 0 Percentages

a. If all the figures in a column represent percentages, type a percent sign (%) directly after each figure unless the column heading clearly indicates that these are percentages. b. Percentages involving decimals should align on the decimal point. If necessary, add zeros after the decimal part of the number so that each figure will align at the right. If any percentage is less than 1 percent, add one zero to the left of the decimal point. Increase

Percent of Increase

Increase (%)

55.48% 0.80% 2.09% 13.00% 24.35% 66.67% 81.90% 0.25%

11.63 4.00 24.60 0.40 71.08 9.25 0.08 12.50

24 37 120 8 55 69 103 41

530

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

fll631 1 6 3 1 Special Treatment of Figures in Tables

a. Columns of long figures can be reduced in width by omitting the digits representing thousands, millions, or billions and indicating this omission in parentheses. For example: On Thousands]

OR:

[000 Omitted]

On Millions)

(000,000 Omitted)

On Billions)

[000,000,000 Omitted)

NOTE:

The word forms on the left are easier to grasp.

b. If the parenthetical comment applies to all columns of figures in the table, insert it as a subtitle to the table. However, if the comment applies only to one column of figures, insert the parenthetical comment in the column head. NOTE: Sometimes because of space limitations a comment such as (OOO Omitte is reduced to (000). The latter form is permissible if you are sure your reader will understand it. c. If the parenthetical comment applies to columns of doUar amounts, this fact can also be noted within parentheses, and the doliar sign can then be omitted from the columns of figures. C$000 Omitted)

OR:

On Thousands of Dollars)

OR:

[$000)

d. When omitting thousands, millions, or billions from a wide column of figures, you may use rounding or a shortened decimal (or both) to reflect the portion of the number that is being omitted. Complete Version

Sales Revenues

Shortened Versions

Sales Revenues ($000 Omitted)

$ 5,878,044 29,023,994 14.229.683 $49,131,721

Sales Revenues (In Millions)

Revenues ($000,000)

$ 5.9 29.0 14.2 $49.1

6 29 14 49

5,878 29,024 14.230 49,132

e. A negative figure in a column may be designated by enclosing thefigurein parentheses or by inserting a minus sign (represented by a hyphen or preferably by an en dash) directly to the left of the negative figure. $1642.38 -82.41 $1559.97

28.2% -14.5% 6.1%

Sales in 2006 Sales in 2005 Gain/(loss)

$264,238 262.305 $ (1,933)

When you use the table feature, you may not be able to easily achieve the alignment shown above for a negative figure in parentheses.

NOTE:

Section 16 • Tables

531

til 633 1 6 3 2 Leaders a. If the items in the first column vary greatly in length, you can use leaders (rows of periods) to lead the eye across to the adjacent item in the next column. Every line of leaders should have at least three periods.

Table 3. NATIONAL INCOME BY SELECTED INDUSTRIES (In Billions of Dollars) 1980

1990

2001

61.4 126.6

89.0 230.5

111.1 438.9

279.5 321.8 532.1 341.0

738.5 682.6 879.0 969.5

1571.1 1062.1 1132.2 1972.0

Agriculture, forestry, and Construction..... Finance, insurance, and real estate Government enterprises „.„*„„..„»

b. To insert a row of leaders within a column, set a right leader tab as close to the right edge of the column as possible. After typing the text, use a hard tab to insert the leaders; then tab to the next column. BOTE: In view of the extra steps involved in inserting leaders, you mayfindit more practical to retain the grid provided by the table feature. The horizontal rules that separate rows in the body of the table are sufficient to lead the eye across each row from one column to the next c. The leader feature in Microsoft Word offers the choice of solid periods, solid hyphens, or solid underscores. Other programs may allow you to specify the character to be used and the space to be left between characters. 1 6 3 3 Accounting for Omitted Items When there is no entry to be typed in a given row, you can simply leave a blank at that point. However, if doing so may raise a question in the mind of your reader, consider these alternatives: a. Type the abbreviation NA (meaning "not available" or "not applicable") centered on the column width. (See the third example at the top of page 532.) b. Type a row of periods or hyphens. Use as few as three (centered on the column width), or type the row to the full width of the column. (See the first two examples at the top of page 532.) Continued on page 532

•£.J,L>VT

LJ,UV"T

^.J,UVT

16,345

16,345 -— 38,442

16,345 NA 38,442

38,442

>- Seepage 523 for another illustration. NOTE: If any one of the columns in a table contains omitted items, you will not be able to use a formula to perform calculations.

Table Notes 1 6 3 4 a. If a table requires any explanatory notes or an identification of the source from which the table text was derived, place such material at the foot of the table. (Do not treat it as part of a sequence of notes related to the main text.) b. A horizontal rule should separate the body of the table from the table notes. (1) If the table displays the full default grid or only the horizontal rules that set off key sections of the table, the separation will be automatically provided. BusinessWeek 50* BW Info Tech 100*

563.1 289.9

3.8% 1.5%

Source: BusinessWeek, May 19, 2003, p. 137. *March 19,1999 = 1000. ^February 7,2000 = 1000.

(2) If the table has been executed in an open style (without horizontal and vertical rules), leave 1 blank line below the last line of the table text and type a 1-inch line of underscores. BusinessWeek 50* BW Info Tech 100t

563.1 289.9

3.8% 1.5%

Source: BusinessWeek, May 19,2003, p. 137. *March 19,1999 = 1000. ^February 7,2000 = 1000.

c. To give the table notes greater emphasis in a single-spaced table, insert 1 blank l i n o aVimna a n d Viplrrar p a r l l n n t p fa«5 i n f h p i l l l l s t T f l t i n r m

flhnvpl

Section 16 • Tables

533

HI 637

1635

1636

Ordinarily, use the standard indention of 0.5 inch, but reduce the indention to 0.25 inch for a more attractive look (as in the second illustration in H 1634b). Also adjust the length of the notes so that the turnovers align with the left edge of the first column and do not extend beyond the right edge of the last column. If the table has been derived from another source, indicate this fact as follows: a. Type the word Source with an initial cap or in all-caps, followed by a colon, 1 or 2 spaces, and the identifying data. (See HSI1508-1544 for models to follow in presenting the identifying data.) b. A source note should precede any other table note. (See the illustrations in 111634b.) a. If you use abbreviations or symbols that the reader may not understand, explain them in a note at the bottom of the table. This explanation should follow the source note (if any) and precede any other table note. If more than one abbreviation or symbol needs decoding, the explanation can be handled as a series of separate notes (each preceded by a superscript symbol or letter), or it may be done all in one note. (For an illustration, see page 524.) b. Except for source notes (like the one illustrated in H 1634b) and a single note explaining symbols and abbreviations, every table note should begin with a superscript symbol or letter that keys the note to the appropriate word or figure in the table text (or title or subtitle) above. Type the corresponding symbol or letter immediately after the appropriate word or figure above, without any intervening space. (See d, note, below.) c. Use the following sequence of symbols: * t t § fi (See also 1I1502f.) d. Use superscript lowercase letters ( a , b , c, etc.) in place of symbols when there are more than five footnotes for a given table. HOTE: Avoid the use of superscript figures to identify table notes. They could be confusing if used in conjunction with figures in the table text. Moreover, if superscript figures are already used for notes pertaining to the main text, it is wise to use symbols or letters so as to distinguish notes that pertain to a specific table. e. In assigning symbols or letters in sequence, go in order by row (horizontally), not by column (vertically).

Dealing With Long Tables 1637 To keep a table from extending beyond the page on which it starts, consider these techniques: a. Put the table number (if any) on the same line as the table title rather than on the second line above. (See also 111620b.) b. Use single spacing for the table text. (See also K1625.) c. Shorten the wording of the table title, subtitle, column heads, and items in the table text to reduce turnover lines. Use abbreviations and symbols toward this end. (See also fll621c.) If necessary, provide a brief explanation in the table notes of any abbreviations and symbols that your reader may not immediately understand. (See also 51636.) Continued on page 534

534

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1638 d. When the table text entails a long item that is out of proportion to all other items (or is to be entered in several places in the table text), try to convert the item into a table note, keyed by a symbol or letter appropriately placed in the table above. e. If a table is narrow and long, you can save space by reformatting the table as shown below. Note that the table text is divided into two parts placed side by side and divided by a double vertical rule. The column heads are repeated over each part. Table A-20 DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE: 1992-2001

Year

High

Low

Year

High

Low

1992

3413.21

3136.58

1997

8259.31

6391.69

1993

3794.33

3241.95

1998

9374.27

7539.07

1994

3978.36

3593.35

1999

11497.12

9120.67

1995

5216.47

3832.08

2000

11722.98

9796.03

1996

6560.91

5032.94

2001

11337.92

8235.84

f. Select a smaller size of the font you are using for the other tables.

1 6 3 8 If a table requires more than one page, follow this procedure: a. At the bottom of the page where the table breaks, type a continuation line in parentheses—for example, (Continued on page 14)—unless it is quite obvious th the table continues on the next page. Merge the cells in the last row at the bottom of the page; then, using right alignment, type the continuation line. Table 14 TWENTIETH-CENTURY INVENTIONS

Invention

Date

Nation

Airship, rigid dirigible Washer, electric

1900 1901

Germany United States

Pen, ballpoint Teflon Airplane jet engine

1938 1938 1939

Hungary United States Germany (Continued on page 14)

Section 16 • Tables

535

HI 6 3 9 b. At the top of the next page, before continuing with the table text, insert the table number, title, and column heads by marking those rows as header rows. If your software will permit it, insert Continued in parentheses after the table number (if one is provided) or after the table title. ;

Table 14 (Continued)

'

\

TWENTIETH-CENTURY INVENTIONS

;

Invention

Date

Nation

« :

England CAT scan 1973 France Microcomputer 1973 Disc player, compact Japan, Netherlands 1979 y, Hearty artificial Jl6 a«ts4j^ J M982 < *4 ^ ^ w t e ^ ^ t e t e s ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

If your software will not permit you to make insertions in the header rows, merge the cells in the first row beneath the column heads; then insert a continuation line in parentheses—for example, (Continued from page 14)—and align it at the left margin of the table text. i

!

Table 14 !

*

TWENTIETH-CENTURY INVENTIONS Invention

Date

(Continued from page 14) CAT scan 1973 Microcomputer 1973 > Disc player, compact 1979 faspjfeaii artifipialj^ja,^^ ^^iSBljmtm

i •

j

Nation

England France Japan, Netherlands i >^United S t a t e s ^ i ^ ^

c. Ordinarily, all table notes should appear only on the page on which the table ends. However, if certain notes will help the reader interpret the data in the table (for example, notes explaining certain abbreviations or symbols), repeat these notes on each page on which the table appears. (A source note would appear only on the page where the table ends.) a. Do not start a table at the bottom of one page and continue it on the top of the next page if the entire table will fit on one page (either by itself or with regular text). In such a case start the table at the top of the next page and insert a crossreference in the text. (See 1U615.) b. Many word processing programs have a feature called keep lines together, which prevents a page break from occurring within a block of text. If you use this feature to keep a table from breaking at the bottom of a page, the table as a whole

536

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

111640 will appear at the top of the next page. However, the space previously occupied by the first part of the table will remain empty; the text that follows the table will not come forward to fill up this vacant space. If you want to avoid this result, do not use keep lines together. Use the following approach instead: (1) Let the table break naturally and continue typing the rest of the document. (2) When the document is completed in all other respects, select and cut the table; the text following the table will flow forward. Insert a hard page break at the bottom of the page from which the table was removed, and paste the whole table at the top of the following page. Dealing With Wide Tables 1640 To keep a wide table from extending beyond the margins established for the page, consider the following techniques: a. Reduce the width of the columns by using the autofit feature. b. Use abbreviations and symbols to hold down the length of lines in the column heads and the column text. c. If only a few entries are disproportionately wide or are repeated in the table and make it difficult to fit the table in the space available, consider converting these items to table footnotes. (See also 1U637d.) d. Select a smaller font size in order to make the table fit within the space available.

1 6 4 1 Turning the Table Sideways a. Whenever possible, the page orientation of a table should be the same as that of the regular text. However, when other alternatives do not work or cannot be used, turn the table so that it prints in landscape (across the 11-inch dimension) on a page by itself. In such a case, the left margin of the table will fall toward the bottom of the page and the right margin toward the top. NOTE: Landscape printing refers to printing the text on the 11-inch dimension of standard page. Portrait printing refers to the customary practice of printing the text on the SVz-inch dimension of a standard page. b. In planning the layout of a turned table, be sure that the overall dimensions of the table will fit within the established margins for the regular pages in the given document. If no margins have been established, leave a minimum of 1 inch on all sides of the turned table. NOTE: If a turned table is to be part of a bound report, leave a minimum top margin of 1.5 inches. This top margin wili represent the left margin when the turned table is bound into the report. (See also fll404b.)

Converting Tables Into Charts and Graphs 1642 Data presented in a table is easier to grasp and work with than data presented in running text. By the same token, a chart or a graph can often present data more effectively than a table, especially when you are trying to emphasize patterns of growth or want to contrast different levels of performance or achievement. Most word processing programs provide a chart or graph feature that offers you a variety of formats to choose from. To create a chart or graph, first select the format

Section 16 • Tables

537

HI 642 you want; then insert the appropriate data in a datasheet (which looks like a spreadsheet). With some programs you can simply import the data from an existing table or some other source without having to reenter it in the datasheet. The following illustrations will show you some of the results you can achieve. a. The following bar chart reflects the data presented in the table on page 509.

b. The following graph reflects the data presented in the first table on page 534.

Dow Jones Industrial Average 12000 11000 • / 10000 9000 8000 7000 M 6000 \ 5000 : 4000 V 3000 ., ..fe-W . ... .. ufeA.. ^ ..^u. -For an explanation of the spacing notations used in the illustrations in Section 17 {for example, |2x), see fll302d. A Memo Format For the format of a memo done on plain paper (as shown here) or on letterhead stationery, see 111 3 74. For the format of a continuation heading (when the memo requires more than one page), see 11410c. B Numbered List. If you use the numbered list feature of your word processing program, each item will begin at the left margin, turnovers will be indented to align with the first word in the line above, and no space will be left between items. (See 1[1345d for an illustration of a single-spaced list created by the numbered list feature.) To make the list easier to read, insert 1 blank line after each item in the list, as in the illustration above. (For further details, see H1345d.) C End Punctuation. The enumerated items in an agenda typically require no end punctuation. However, if any item involves the use of a complete sentence (as in the fifth item in this illustration), place a period at the end of every item. For details on the use or omission of periods with items in a list, see 11107.

544

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

Agenda—Formal Style

UNDERLOCKANDKEYEINC. , „

|2x Agenda

| 2 j (

Regular Meeting of Directors , _ Wednesday, September 27,2006 10 a.m. |2x Boardroom, Fifth Floor

I 2 or 3x

B E

1. Call to order , .

_

11 or 2x 2. Approval of minutes

D

3. Report on August operations—G. A. Herzenberg 4. Report on corporate financial matters—A. J. McGill A

5. Report on corporate development matters—L. Soanes

A

6. Review of international operations—W. Burgos 7. Discussion of Real Estate Committee report 8. Overview of the performance of major competitors—T. Foy 9. New business C

E

10. Adjournment

A Margins. This agenda has a number of very short items. If it were done using default side margins, it would have an unbalanced look, with a relatively small left margin and a very large right margin. Therefore, this agenda has been centered horizontally to achieve a balanced appearance. B Numbered List. If you use the numbered list feature of your word processing program, each item will begin at the left margin and no space will be left between items. Ordinarily, when the items in a list contain no turnovers, single spacing is quite acceptable. However, in a document like an agenda, where each item will be the subject of discussion, the use of 1 blank line between items makes the list easier to read and work with. (For an illustration of a single-spaced list created by the numbered list feature, see 1U345d.) C When a numbered list contains 10 or more items, the numbered list feature of your word processing program will align the numbers at the left. (See the illustration in ^[1345d, note.) However, you can choose to align the numbers at the right (as in the illustration above). D End Punctuation. Note that no periods are needed at the end of the items in this illustration. (See also 1(107.) E Formal Items. In a formal agenda it is customary to include such items as Call to order Approval of minutes, New business, and Adjournment (or similar types of expressions).

Section 17 • Other Business Documents

545

Agenda—Program for a Conference or Seminar

SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS SEMINAR Saddle Brook Marriott

_

-

July 18-19,2007 . „

I 2 or 3x B

Wednesday, July 18

_

8:00-9:00

Registration and Continental Breakfast , —

9:00-9:40

Software Applications: A State-of-the-Art Overview Speaker: Joyce Stocker-Olsen

Salons A and B

9:50-10:30

Word Processing and Communications Applications

Salons A and B

Speakers: Louis Serrano and Roy Pfaltz

Lobby

E

10:30-10:50

Coffee Break

Lobby

10:50-11:30

Desktop Publishing and Graphics Applications Speakers: Sandra Scroggins and Ed Fox Spreadsheet and Database Management Applications

Salons A and B

11:40-12:20

Speaker Esther W. Benoit 12:30-1:45

Lunch

3:45-3:15

Concurrent Sessions

D

Salons A and B E Ballroom

Session 1: Creating Web Pages Speaker Irwin Manoogian

Red Oak Suite

A Headings. Include the location and date(s) of the conference or seminar in the main heading unless the program is part of a larger document that features this information prominently in some other way. B If the program is scheduled to last more than one day, insert an appropriate side heading above each day's listing of events. C Columnar Format. To create this three-column format, use the table feature. D For the alignment of "clock" times in a column, see 111627b. E Speaker Identification. The speakers listed on the program may be further identified by title, organization, and place of residence. Use commas to separate these elements of identification and, if you wish, use parentheses to enclose these elements as a whole. For example: Roy Pfaltz, software consultant, Newton, Massachusetts

Esther W. Benoit [vice president, Programmatic Associates, Los Altos, California)

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

Minutes—Informal (Memo) Style

A

MEMO TO:

Marketing Managers Committee

_

f 2X FROM:

Paula Washington

_

|2x DATE:

July 21, 2005 . _ f 2X Minutes of the Marketing Managers Committee Meeting of July 20,2005 .

B

SUBJECT:

C

Present:

Dorothy Innie (presiding) Georgia AJbers Ruth Fagan, Katherine Garcia-Lorca, Sid Koechlin, Charles Mandel, Tim Pavlick . _

Absent:

Fay Li

Guest:

BillCarr

I 2 or 3x |2x

f 2x I 2 or 3x D

1•

,

Sales through June for each product line. Each product line is behind budget for the first six months of the year. Bill Carr of the Finance Department reported that the company as a whole is running 112 percent behind budget and 6 3 percent behind last year's sales for the first six months.

+2x

F 2

Year-end sales forecast vs. budget for each product line. Ruth Fagan and Sid KfiSrf^jjSjmBmBgrted thainn ywfcu'.iaf recent reports from thefi|)d, sales will

The next meeting of the Marketing Managers Committee will be held on August 24 in the large conference room (as usual). _ |^X Paula Washington . _

|2x

nb

,f 2x «

Distribution , _

|2x 0 Innie G Albers R Fagan K Garcia-Lorca S Koechlin F Li C Mandel T Pavlick

Section 17 • Other Business Documents

547

A Memo Format. For the format of a memo on plain paper (as shown on page 546) or on letterhead stationery, see 111374. For the format of a continuation heading (when the memo requires more than one page), see 111410c. B Subject Line. For better appearance, the entry following Subject has been broken into two lines of roughly equal length. (See 1[1343e.) C Attendance Data. This block of copy indicates who was present at the meeting (the person who presided is listed first), who was absent, and who attended as a guest. D Content Considerations. List each topic in the order in which it was discussed at the meeting. (Compare these minutes with the agenda shown on page 543.) E Treat each topic as a boldface run-in head, followed by a period and the comments that relate to that topic (as illustrated on page 546). As an alternative, treat each topic as a boldface side head, with no period following. The related comments will then appear as a separate paragraph starting on the second line below. For example: 1. Sales through June for each product line Each product line is behind budget for the first six months of the year. Bill Carr of the Finance Department... F When the items in a numbered list consist of paragraphs with two or more lines, leave a blank line between items for better readability and a more open look. (See 1I1345d.) G Give the date and location of the next meeting in a concluding paragraph, starting at the left margin.

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

Minutes—Formal Style

A

UNDERLOCK AND KEYE INC. . „

|2x Minutes , _ „ Regular Meeting of Directors , — September 27,2006 .

I 2 or 3x B D

A regular meeting of the Board of Directors of Underlock and Keye Inc. was called to order at 4 Riverfront Plaza, Louisville, Kentucky, at 10 a.m. pursuant to the notice sent to all directors in accordance with the bylaws. , —

E

The following directors were present, constituting all the directors: Jared G. Allison II, Kenneth L. Calderone, Deborah Dean Daniels, Gary Guyot, Henry Koyama, Anton Mika, Helen Roberts, Walter F. Tarshis, Samuel A. Tuleja, and D. J. Wikowski.

•E

Also present by invitation were William Burgos, Thomas Foy, Gregory A. Herzenberg, Angela J. McGill, and Lester Soaries. Jared G. Allison II, Chairman, presided and David K. Rust, Assistant Secretary, recorded the proceedings of the meeting.

F

The minutes of the last meeting were approved. Mr. Allison introduced Gregory A. Herzenberg, Executive Vice President of Operations, who reported on August operations.

IP /™'"W*»»*

F

Henry Koyama reviewed the recommendations of the Real Estate Committee on the matter of building a new facility or renovating the existing facility to accommodate the Corporation's information processing needs over the next ten years.

Minutes

B

2

September 27,2006

After further discussion, upon motion duly made and seconded, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted: , —

C

RESOLVED, that the Corporation is hereby authorized to undertake istructian^andrehabilitatio»activitieswith respect to rerjovatingthe^

G

The next meeting of the Board will be held on November 28 at 10 a.m.

H

I

There being no further business before the meeting, it was, on motion duly made and seconded, adjourned at 1:05 p.m. .

4x Assistant Secretary

I

Section 17 • Other Business Documents

549

A Headings. Use all-caps for the name of the company on the first line. Use caps and lowercase for the other lines. For the date line, use the date on which the meeting was held (not the date on which the minutes were prepared). Use boldface for the name of the company and, if desired, for all the elements in the heading. B Format Considerations. Use default side margins. Indent the first line of each paragraph 0.5 inch. C Treat resolutions as extracts, indented as a block 0.5 inch from each side margin. Type RESOLVED in all-caps, followed by a comma and that (as illustrated). As an alternative, type RESOLVED followed by a colon and That. D Content Considerations. Use the opening paragraph to indicate the name of the company, the time and the place where the meeting was "called to order" (the first item on the agenda shown on page 544), and whether it was a regular or special meeting. E Use the next paragraphs to indicate which directors were present (all were in this illustration), which were absent, which company officers and invited guests were present, who presided, and who recorded the proceedings and prepared the minutes. F The body of the minutes should note in each paragraph what business was transacted and what actions were taken. G Use the next-to-last paragraph to indicate the date and time of the next meeting. H Use the final paragraph to indicate the time of adjournment. I Capitalization Style. Minutes done in a formal style use a formal style of capitalization. Note that short forms such as Corporation and Board are capitalized. J Also note that in formal minutes such titles as Chairman, Assistant Secretary, and Executive Vice President of Operations are capitalized when used after a person's name. (See 11313d.)

550

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

Itinerary

ITINERARY

f 2x For Wallace F. Galloway

f2x

April 3-5,2007

I 2 or 3x Tuesday, April 3

|2X

600am

B

Limo to airport Town Taxi (585-555-0140)

7 00 am.

Depart Rochester, US Airways Flight 401

8 15am

Arrive Westchester

j2x

Limo to meeting Arthur's Limo (203-555-5347) Driver will meet you at baggage carousel Destination Burnham & Frye Inc 225 High Ridge Road Stamford, CT 203-555-1216 9 00a.m 2 30pm

Meet with Ed Burnham and Norbert Pell They will make lunch arrangements

F

2 30pm

Limo to NYC Call Arthur's Limo (203-555-5347) if 2 30 pickup time has to be changed

G

Hotel Marriott Marquis 1535 Broadway 212-398-1900 Conf No 8941HWXQ, late arrival guaranteed 6 30pm

Dinner with Dons and Jack Cunneen meet at restaurant (Palio, 151 West 51st Street, 212-245-4850)

2 or 3x Wednesday, April 4 9 00 a.m -4 00 p m

Board meeting in headquarters building, 49th floor Sam Hurley will drive you to the airport

5 25 pm.

Depart Newark, Continental Flight 1809

_J^40pm

Arrive Washington, Reagan Airport

A Headings. If the itinerary is to cover more than one day, insert an appropriate side heading above each day's scheduled list of activities. B Columnar Format To create this two-column format, use the table feature. C For the alignment of "clock" times in a column, see 11627b. D Spacing. Leave 1 blank line between entries. Single-space any turnovers. E Content Considerations. Provide the names of airports only when there is more than one airport serving the city (in this case, Washington, D.C.). F Try to provide the first names (rather than simply titles or initials) for all the individuals whom the traveler is scheduled to meet. G Provide phone numbers for all transportation services, hotels, and restaurants in case the plans have to be rescheduled or canceled.

Section 17 • Other Business Documents

551

Fax Cover Sheet

A Format Considerations. If you are using software to create a template for a fax cover sheet that only you will use, insert any information that will not change (such as your name and fax number) as a part of the template. However, if you are creating a form to be used by a number of people, provide blank fill-in lines for this variable information. B Fill-In Lines. If the entries on the fax cover sheet are likely to be typed in, use consistent spacing between fill-in lines and try to arrange the fill-in lines so that all entries can start at a common point. Confidentiality Statement. If you are faxing something that is confidential (and this may often be an unwise thing to do), add an appropriate message to the cover sheet. CONFIDENTIAL The contents of this fax transmission are confidential. If this transmission has been directed to the wrong office, please destroy the contents of this fax immediately and notify [sender's name] at [phone number].

To further ensure the confidentiality of the transmission, call the appropriate person in the receiving office and (1) confirm the fax number to be used and (2) confirm that the person will be standing right by the receiving equipment while the fax is being transmitted.

552

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

News Release

News Release

BURNHAM&FRYEINC. 225 High Ridge Road Stamford. CT 06905

B

Contact NofbertPett Phone: 203.555.1294 Fax.

203 555.1299

E-mail: [emailprotected] ,

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

C

I 2 or 3x D

BURNHAM & FRYE ACQUIRES BRITISH TECHNOLOGY COMPANY I _

|2x Purchase Strengthens Burnham ft Frye's Lifetime Learning Initiatives ,

I 2 or 3x E

Stamford, Connecticut, May 29,2006: Burnham & Frye today completed its acquisition of Halsted Multimedia Solutions Ltd. of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. Halsted's multimedia management and employee training courses and its state-of-theart technology will expand Burnham & Frye's capabilities in delivering interactive training programs for professionals over the Internet corporate intranets, and other multimedia

_ platforms.

Halsted's product line includes 18 multimedia programs in CD-ROM format on topics ranging from customer service to teamwork and marketing All offer arichmix of video, audio, graphics, and text and they also feature interactive exercises and easy navigation.

F

###

Section 17 • Other Business Documents

553

A Heading. The heading should indicate the name and address of the organization sponsoring the news release. B It should also show the name, phone numbers, and e-mail address of the person to contact in case more information is needed. C The heading should also indicate when the information contained in the news release may be distributed to the public. In many cases the phrase For immediate release is sufficient. If the information is to be kept confidential until a specific time and date, the heading should carry a notation like this: For release 9 a.m. EST, May 7,2007 D Headline. The text of the news release should begin with a descriptive title and, if desired, a subtitle. E Content Considerations. The first paragraph should begin with a bold run-in head that indicates the city and state of origin and the date on which this material is to be released. This run-in head is usually followed by a colon or a dash (typical newspaper practice) rather than a period. f At the end of the text, leave 1 blank line and type one of the following notations, centered: three spaced pound signs (# # #) or the phrase -30-. These notations, derived from longstanding newspaper practice, signify "the end."

554

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

A1708

Resumes

Preparing a Resume 1 7 0 8 When you prepare a resume, keep the following things in mind: a. The purpose of a resume is not to get you a job but to get you a. job interview. b. The purpose of a resume is not to tell a prospective employer about your longterm goals and aspirations but to indicate what you can do for the employer w the experience you have acquired and the skills you have developed. c. Do not describe your past jobs in terms of duties and responsibilities. Emphasize things you have achieved, capabilities you have acquired, decision-making skills you have put to good use, activities you have initiated, and sales and profits that have increased (and expenses that have decreased) because of your efforts. d. Describe your achievements and skills in a way that indicates they are readily applicable to other types of jobs and other fields. e. Do not overstate your achievements by claiming to have accomplished certain things single-handedly when it will be clear to the prospective employer that your achievement had to be part of a team effort. In the attempt to come across as a self-starter, don't jeopardize your reputation for honesty. f. While you want your resume to stand out from all the others that are submitted at the same time, think of how an employer will view your resume. If you're applying for a job in advertising, design, or some other creativefield,an original format or even an off-the-wall approach may spark the interest you crave. But if you're after a job in management, finance, or marketing—where an image of maturity and dependability is important—you'll gain more ground by emphasizing how you can help the employer rather than by taking a far-out approach. g. Weigh the advantages of preparing a custom-tailored resume for each situation (in which you organize and focus your strengths in light of a specific employer's needs) over the savings in time and money that come from preparing a single resume designed to fit a variety of job opportunities and a range of employers' needs. When you use a computer, preparing custom-tailored resumes is easy. h. Keep the resume as short as possible (no more than two pages). Some employers may ask for a one-page resume. (See pages 562-563.) i. Choose a format that yields a clean, uncluttered look. (See pages 556-567.) j . Do not mention how much you earned in previous jobs or how much you expect to earn in the future. k. Do not refer to your age, your marital status, your height and weight, your hobbies, or other personal details unless they enhance your suitability for the job. L Do not supply reasons for having left previous jobs or for gaps in your employment history. However, do prepare yourself for dealing with these issues if they come up in the interview. m. Do not give references on the resume. It is not even necessary to state that references are available upon request. Be prepared, however, to supply names, addresses, and phone numbers at the interview.

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1)1709 n. Use good-quality paper (of at least 20-pound weight and preferably 24), and consider having your resume executed and reproduced professionally if you cannot create a crisp-looking document with the equipment you have at your disposal. o. Be sure to write resume with two acute accents, especially if you are applying for a job that calls for good language skills and careful attention to detail. Otherwise, a prospective employer might conclude that (1) your spelling is not first-rate or (2) you are sloppy about small details or (3) you simply can't be bothered to take the extra step required in situations like this. (See also 11718a.)

Choosing a Standard Format 1 7 0 9 There is a wide range of formats you can choose from. Indeed, in a number of books dealing exclusively with the topic of resumes, you will find as many as a hundred models showing all kinds of variations in layout and approach. In addition, some word processing programs provide at least one resume template and suggestions concerning the contents of each section of the document. IMPORTANT NOTE: If the employer you have in mind does not provide specific format guidelines, you will find many helpful sites on the Internet. One in particular is called JobStar Central . This Web site provides a number of sample resumes as well as a list of printed materials and other Web sites that offer valuable advice on how to format a resume that is right for you. Another valuable Web site is called Monster . This site will not only help you create a resume; it will let you post your resume on the Internet, do a job search, and manage your career. When you are ready to start looking for a job, you may find the following Web sites helpful: , , and . The illustrations on pages 556-561 show three different ways to format a standard resume for Alison L. Bumbry, who majored in marketing in college, has had a number of secretarial and administrative positions in the marketing field, and is now attempting to move up to a managerial job in the same field. The first two models illustrate the chronological approach, in which a person's employment history is sequenced by date, starting with the most current job and working backward. This is the approach most widely used. In the first model (on pages 556-557) note that the dates for each job are highlighted in the left column; the corresponding job title, the name and location of the employer, and comments about the job are grouped together at the right. Also note that all the information about job experience typically comes before the information about education. If you are just out of school and have little job experience to cite, put the educational information first. (See the illustration on page 562.) The second model (on pages 558-559) also lists the jobs in reverse chronological order, but it highlights the job titles (rather than the dates) in the left column. This approach is especially effective when your employment history shows steady upward progress in a chosen field and you are applying for the next logical position in your career path. Text continues on page 564

556

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

Resume—Chronological Style (Emphasizing Dates) ALISON L. BUMBRY —I ffi

A

•'*-*-'

B

fl

Apartment 145 395WestCen,erc

°l|egeStre*'

Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387

Phone: 937-555-7944 Fax: 937-555-8341 E-mail: [emailprotected]

A marketing management position in which marketing and administrative experience plus strong writing and computer skills can be used to maximize sales and profitability of one or more product lines.

OBJECTIVE:

EXPERIENCE: July 2001-Present

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR FOR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, Zimmer & Boyle Inc., Dayton, Ohio

E

F

• • •

February 1999June 2001

G

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO SALES MANAGER Zimmer & Boyle Inc., Dayton, Ohio •

• •

May 1997January 1999

Created and managed a database to control budgeted expenses for advertising and promotion. Participated in designing and implementing market research studies to determine potential size of market for new product lines. Coordinated focus group sessions to determine customer attitudes toward our product lines and those of competitors. Initiated desktop publishing program to create space ads, catalogs, and mailing pieces. Saved the company over $50,000 in the first year of operation.

D

Analyzed field sales reports and wrote summaries highlighting problems requiring immediate action and those suggesting need for changes in product design, order fulfillment procedures, and customer service. Resolved customer complaints by taking direct action whenever possible or by routing the complaint to the appropriate person. Followed up to ensure complaint was properly handled. Supervised a secretary who handled all correspondence and clerical tasks.

SECRETARY TO MARKETING MANAGER Crouch and Cowar Incorporated, Toledo, Ohio • • • •

Developed detailed marketing plans, working from rough outlines provided by marketing manager. Created and managed a segmented database of names of customers and qualified prospects for direct marketing campaigns. Wrote copy for mail campaigns and catalogs. Established media contacts to obtain free publicity for new products and special offers.

A Heading. The heading should give all the key data an employer needs to get in touch with you. One possible arrangement is to present the data in two blocks: one aligned at the left margin, the other at the right. B Objective. Use your "objective" statement to indicate the type of job you're looking for, the strengths you can bring to the job, and what you think you can accomplish for the employer's benefit. C Experience. In this format the dates for each job are featured intheleft column. D At the right, each job history begins with the job title (in all-caps), followed by the employer's name and location (in caps and lowercase) onthefollowing line. E The specific achievements in each job history are presented in a series of bulleted entries. F Note that many entries begin with vigorous verbs (such as created, initiated, resolved, supervised) to create the image of a dynamic, take-charge kind of person.

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ALISON L. BUMBRY

September 1995April 1997

ASSISTANT TO DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS The Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio • • •

H

EDUCATION:

Wrote news releases for new exhibits and special events. Wrote, designed, and laid out fund-raising brochures. Established and maintained effective media contacts with regional newspapers and TV and radio stations.

B.S. in marketing, 199S; minor in English Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona « •

Wrote feature articles for The Arizona Sundial during sophomore and junior years. Created (with two partners) an on-campus birthday celebration service. Managed the service during junior and senior years. Tested various direct marketing techniques to solicit orders from parents of students.

I

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

Courses in copywriting, telemarketing techniques, niche marketing, and computer graphics, Wnght State University, Dayton, Ohio, 2001-2003.

J

COMPUTER SKILLS:

Microsoft Office XP Pro, Microsoft Word 2002, Corel WordPerfect Office 2002, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 11, Adobe PageMaker 7.0, Adobe Illustrator 10.0, Adobe Photoshop 7.0, Microsoft PowerPoint 2002, QuarkXPress 5.01, Peachtree Accounting 2002 9.0, Microsoft Money 2003.

K

Wrote, designed, and laid out annual fund-raising brochures (since COMMUNITY 2001) for the Dayton Homeless Shelter Coalition, using desktop SERVICE: graphics software. ^ ^ ^ ^ publishing publishing and and computer compi

G Note also that to maintain credibility, the writer uses such terms as participated in and created (with two partners) to acknowledge the contribution of others whenever appropriate. H Education. Provide information on college and any postgraduate degrees in that order. Provide information about your high school education only if that is the highest level so far attained. If you are currently enrolled in a degree program, note this fact along with an estimated date of completion. For example: Pursuing a two-year program in business administration at Glendale Community College; will receive an A.A. degree in June 2007. I Continuing Education. Note any job-related courses you have taken. If you are changing careers or fields, note any other continuing education activity that shows you are a person committed to learning new things. J Special Skills. Note any special skills that could be job-related; for example, mastery of software programs, experience with certain equipment or machinery, mastery of spoken or written foreign languages. K Community Service. Note any activity that is job-related or that shows concern about the needs of others. Optional Sections. Also provide job-related information under such labels as these: Professional Affiliations (memberships). Professional Activities (speeches and published articles and books). Military Service, and Special Interests.

558

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

Resume—Chronological Style (Emphasizing Job Titles)

ALISON L. BUMBRY —( -y» Apartment 145 5 4 / J 3 9 5 W e s t C e n t e r College Street "*.J~r Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387

OBJECTIVE:

Phone: 937-555-7944 Fax: 937-555-8341 E-mail: [emailprotected]

A marketing management position in which marketing and administrative experience plus strong writing and computer skills can be used to maximize sales and profitability of one or more product lines.

EXPERIENCE: A

Administrative Coordinator for Director of Marketing

ZIMMER & BOYLE INC., Dayton, Ohio, July 2001-Present C

Administrative Assistant to Sales Manager

B

Created and managed a database to control budgeted expenses for advertising and promotion. Participated in designing and implementing market research studies to determine the potential size of market for new product lines. Coordinated focus group sessions to determine customer attitudes toward our product lines and those of competitors. Initiated desktop publishing program to create space ads, catalogs, and mailing pieces; saved the company over $50,000 in the first year of operation. ZIMMER & BOYLE INC., Dayton, Ohio, February 1999-Iune 2001 Analyzed field sales reports and wrote summaries highlighting problems requiring immediate action and those suggesting a need for changes in product design, order fulfillment procedures, and customer service. Resolved customer complaints by taking direct action whenever possible or by routing the complaint to the appropriate person; followed up to ensure the complaint was properly handled. Supervised a secretary who handled all correspondence and clerical tasks.

Secretary to Marketing Manager

CROUCH AND COWAR INCORPORATED, Toledo, Ohio, May 1997-January 1999 Developed detailed marketing plans, working from rough outlines provided by the marketing manager. Created and managed a segmented database of names of customers and qualified prospects for direct marketing campaigns. Wrote copy for mail campaigns and catalogs. Established media contacts to obtain free publicity for new products and special offers.

A Experience. In this format the job titles (rather than the dates) are featured in the left column. B At the right the name and location of the organization plus the employment dates are given on one or two lines. C Arranging the specific achievements for each job in one paragraph is a common format, but it is not as readable as the bulleted format used in the resumes on pages 556-557 and pages 560-561.

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Page 2

ALISON L. BUMBRY

Assistant to Director of Public Relations

THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART, Toledo, Ohio, September 1995-Apnl 1997 Wrote news releases for new exhibits and special events. Wrote, designed, and laid out fund-raising brochures. Established and maintained effective media contacts with regional newspapers and TV and radio stations

EDUCATION:

B.S. in marketing, 1995; minor in English Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona Wrote feature articles for The Arizona Sundial dunng sophomore and junior years. Created (with two partners) an on-campus birthday celebration service. Managed the service during junior and senior years Tested various direct marketing techniques to solicit orders from parents of students.

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

Courses in copywnting, telemarketing techniques, niche marketing, and computer graphics, Wnght State University, Dayton, Ohio, 2001-2003.

COMPUTER SKILLS:

Microsoft Office XP Pro, Microsoft Word 2002, Corel WordPerfect Office 2002, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 11, Adobe PageMaker 7 0, Adobe Illustrator 10 0, Adobe Photoshop 7.0, QuarkXPress S 0 1 , Microsoft PowerPoint 2002, Peachtree Accounting 2002 9 0, Microsoft Money 2003.

COMMUNITY SERVICE:

Wrote, designed, and laid out annual fund-raising brochures (since 2001) for the Dayton Homeless Shelter Coalition, using desktop publishing and computer graphics software.

559

560

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

Resume—Functional Style

ALISON L. BUMBRY —-* •• For a model of a scannable resume, seepages 566-567.

Formatting a Scannable Resume 1 7 1 0 Scannable resumes represent a significant innovation in the job-seeking process. They serve to match the best-qualified applicants with job openings that currently exist or that may soon be opening. Scannable resumes permit organizations to sift through large numbers of resumes by computer in order to identify a smaller (and much more manageable) number of suitable candidates for a particular job. In effect, the computer does the first round of screening. Then human beings enter the process of evaluating qualified individuals for a specific opening. A scannable resume is a hard-copy document designed to be scanned by an optica character reader (OCR) into a computerized database, where a computer will initialiy screen individual resumes for keywords that also show up in the description posted for a particular job opening. The more links between the keywords in a scannable resume and those in the job description, the morelikelythatresume (and the individual who wrote it) will be selected for further evaluation by real people. a. In planning a scannable resume, carefully read the ads and the postings for the kind of job you want. Try to incorporate in your resume as many keywords from those job descriptions as you honestly can. Also make heavy use of industry jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations, as well as current industry buzzwords, even if they do not actualiy appear in the ads and the postings, since they are likely to be the kinds of keywords that the computer has been programmed to focus on. To increase the total number of keywords in your resume, use synonyms whenever possible to avoid repeating the same keywords. b. It is important that a scannable resume pose no difficulties for the OCRs currently in use. The very techniques and devices that serve to draw the attention of a human reader may in many cases interfere with the ability of certain OCRs to accurately transfer the contents of the resume into the computerized database. Paragraphs 1711-1713 offer a number of guidelines to help you avoid such problems when you are formatting a scannable resume.

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H1713 1711

a. Do not use boldface, italics, underlining, script, bullets, logos, shading, horizontal or vertical lines, or any other graphic devices. If desired, asterisks may be used to introduce individual items in a list. b. Do not arrange material in columns. Try to begin everything at the left margin, and do not justify the right margin (see 1I1344g). c. To achieve the sharpest possible image for the sake of accurate scanning, use a laser printer, black ink, and good-quality paper (of 20- or 24-pound weight). d. Do not fold or crease the resume. If possible, insert the resume in a plastic sleeve to keep it clean and wrinkle-free. e. Try to limit the resume to one page. If more than one page is required, use a paper clip (not a staple) to keep the pages together. Moreover, use a continuation heading (as illustrated on page 567).

1712

As you can tell from ^1711 and from the illustrations on pages 566-567, the appearance of a scannable resume tends to be quite bland—intentionally so because it has been designed with the needs of the OCR and not those of a human reader in mind. For that reason, consider submitting your resume in two ways: (a) in a scannable format for the initial round of screening and (b) in a more visually attractive format (as illustrated on pages 556-563) for the benefit of the human readers who will subsequently evaluate you in light of the openings they have available. The illustrations on pages 566-567 show how a functional-style resume for Alison Bumbry (see pages 560-561) might be reworked as a scannable resume.

1713

In organizing the sections of a scannable resume, keep these guidelines in mind: a. Begin with a centered heading block that provides all the key data a prospective employer needs to get in touch with you. HOTE: If you are concerned about the possibility of identity theft, you may want to provide only your name and your personal e-mail address in the heading of a resume you plan to post online. In any case, never provide your social security number or your date of birth. b. Divide the rest of your resume into sections identified by side headings like these: Objective, Skills, Employment History, Education, Continuing Education. Also consider optional headings such as Community Service. (See the illustrations and annotations on pages 566-567 for additional details.) c Under the heading Objective, aim for a statement that matches as closely as possible the job description for the position you want. If a job description is not currently available for a specific opening, draw on your knowledge of the industry to describe your objective in language that uses attention-getting keywords. d. You may list all your significant skills under the single heading Skills, or you may create a number of headings that group your skills appropriately—for example. Marketing Skills, Administrative Skills, Writing Skills, and Computer Skills (as is done in the illustration on page 566). No matter how you decide to label this Text continues on page 568

566

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

Scannable Resume

ALISON L. BUMBRY Apartment 145 395 West Center College Street Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387 Phone: 937-555-7944 Fax: 937-555-8341 E-mail: [emailprotected] B

OBJECTIVE A position in marketing management in which marketing experience and administrative expertise plus writing skills and computer skills can be used to promote sales growth and exceed profit goals for one or more product lines.

B

MARKETING SKILLS

C

Design and implementation of market research studies. Assessment of potential market size for new product lines. Coordination of focus group sessions. Assessment of customer attitudes toward product lines. Analysis of field sales reports. Pinpointing of problems for immediate action. Pinpointing of need for changes in product design, order fulfillment procedures, and customer service. Development of detailed marketing plans based on inputfrommarketing manager.

B

ADMINISTRATIVE SKILLS

C

Control of advertising and promotion expense budgets. Resolution of customer complaints. Contacts with newspapers, TV stations, and radio stations for free publicity. Supervision of secretary.

B

WRITING SKILLS

C

Preparation of copy for mail campaigns, catalogs, and fund-raising brochures. Summaries of field sales reports.

B

COMPUTER SKILLS

C

Start-up of in-house desktop publishing program, with first-year savings of $50,000. Design and layout of space ads, catalogs, mailing pieces, and fund-raising brochures. Creation and management of database for control of advertising and promotion expense ^udgets^Cj-eationand management e£segmented database of customer1! and qualified

A Heading. On separate single-spaced lines centered in a block, provide your name, address, and phone number, plus a fax number and an e-mail address if these are available. Use all-caps only for your name. Do not use boldface, italics, or any graphic device to highlight the information in this heading block. B Side Headings. Identify each section of a scannable resume with an all-cap side heading. Leave 1 blank line above and below each heading. Do not use boldface, italics, or any graphic device to highlight these sideheads. C Skills. Note how the copy in these sections (drawn from the functional-style resume on pages 560-561) shifts the wording away from action verbs to keyword nouns. Also note that the copy under each side heading is organized as one paragraph consisting of phrases, each ending with a period. This arrangement, which takes less space, is not as readable as listing these items on separate lines, but remember that a scannable resume is designed to be read by an OCR and not by a human pair of eyes.

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Page 2

H

ALISON L. BUMBRY

B

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

D

* Administrative coordinator for director of marketing, Zunmer and Boyle Ine., Dayton, Ohio, July 2001-Present. * Administrative assistant to sales manager, Ziramer and Boyle Inc., Dayton, Ohio, February 1999-June 2001. * Secretary to marketing manager, Crouch and Cowar Incorporated, Toledo, Ohio, May 1997-January 1999. » Assistant to director of public relations, the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio, September 1995-April 1997,

B

EDUCATION

E

B.S. in marketing, 1995, minor in English, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. Writer offeaturearticles for The Arizona Sundial during sophomore and junior years. Cofounder and manager of on-campus birthday service, Testing of various direct marketing techniques to solicit orders.

B

CONTINUING EDUCATION

F

Courses in copywriting, telemarketing techniques, niche marketing, and computer graphics, Wnght State University, Dayton, Ohio, 2001-2003.

B

COMMUNITY SERVICE

G

Writing, design, and layout of annual fund-raising brochures for the Dayton Homeless Shelter Coalition.

D Employment History. Note that the jobs are listed in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent job. You may use an asterisk to introduce each job listing (as in the illustration above), but do not use bullets or any other graphic device for this purpose. Because the duties of each job have already been summarized in the Skills sections in the illustration on page 566, there is no reason to repeat them here. E Education. List your educational experience in reverse order, starting with the most recent college or graduate program for which you have received (or expect to receive) a degree. List your secondary education only if you cannot cite enrollment in or completion of a college degree program. F Continuing Education. Under this heading cite courses you have taken or are now taking but not as part of a formal degree program. G Optional Sections. Use such headings as Community Service, Professional Affiliations, Professional Activities (including honors and awards), Military Service, and Special Interests to cover any activities that involve job-related skills or that show your involvement in addressing the needs of others. H Continuation Heading. Provide a heading that gives your name and the page number. I Elimination of Graphic Elements. Because some OCRs cannot properly scan ampersands, note that the ampersand in Zimmer & Boyle has been replaced by and. Moreover, because some OCRs cannot cope with italics or underlining, the title of the university newspaper—The Arizona Sundial—appears without any special display.

568

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

111714

section, the material you provide here should also be filled with attention-getting keywords. Indeed, some authorities recommend labeling this section of the resume Keyword Profile or Keyword Summary, and some recommend placing t section at the end of the resume instead of at the beginning. In the illustration on page 566, the material that appears under the various Skills headings has been derived from the functional-style resume for Alison Bumbry on pages 560-561.

NOTE:

e. For the sections headed Employment History, Education, Continuing Educa and optional sections such as Community Service, see the iliustration and the anno tations on page 567 for details on how to format materials under these headings.

Other Employment Documents As part of the job-seeking process you will need to write three types of letters: letters of application, follow-up letters after an interview, and (hopefully) a letter of acceptance. Specific guidelines are provided in M1715-1717, but a few general guidelines (111714) apply to ali employment communications. General Guidelines 1714 a. Keep your letters short—less than one full page if possible. b. Resist the temptation to copy sample letters word for word. Draw on these samples for ideas, but create your own letters—letters that communicate the distinctive flavor of your personality. c Edit and proofread your letters carefully. Simple typographical errors (not to mention more serious errors in grammar, style, and usage) will create a negative impression that damages your job-seeking campaign. d. Always try to address your letters to a specific person, using that person's full name and title. If necessary, call the organization to obtain this information. The model letters on pages 570, 571, and 573 are all written by Alison Bumbry, the fictitious person whose job qualifications are set forth in the resumes shown on pages 556-561 and 566-567. In these letters, Ms. Bumbry is trying to move up to a marketing management position. NOTE:

Application Letters 1715 Letters you write to apply for a job wili vary to some extent, depending on whether you are (a) foliowing up on an ad, (b) taking the initiative to find out whether any openings exist for a person with your skills and experience, or (c) foliowing up on the suggestion of a mutual friend or acquaintance to explore job opportunities with a specific person within an organization. Yet ali application letters have the same three objectives: to indicate what you have to offer the organization, to transmit your resume, and to obtain an interview. Consider the foliowing guidelines and the illustration on page 570 when you write an application letter.

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U1716 a. Before you draft your letter, try to get as much information as you can about the organization you have in mind. For example, what products or services does it offer? What special strategy or philosophy governs the way the organization operates? Such information can help you focus your letter more effectively and will let the recipient of the letter know that you have taken the initiative to learn something about the organization. NOTE: If

you are responding to a blind ad (one that provides no organizational name and only a box number address), you will not be able to undertake this research. However, the ad will spell out the qualifications desired, something not usually available when you are simply exploring the possibility of job openings. b. Begin your letter by indicating whether you are responding to an ad, following up on the suggestion of a mutual friend or acquaintance, or simply exploring what job opportunities currently exist. c. Indicate what you have to offer the organization. If you are responding to an ad that states the qualifications desired, clearly indicate how your skills and experience relate to each of the qualifications listed. If you are simply exploring job openings, do not focus on specific tasks that you have performed in the past. Instead, highlight the things you have accomplished as a result of the way you applied your skills and experience. This approach will make it easier for someone to gauge how well you might fit the job available, even if you have not performed those exact tasks in the past. NOTE: The recipient of your letter will probably be receiving many other application letters at the same time. It is important, therefore, that your letter and your resume make you stand out from the others. In your letter you should aim to achieve—in much shorter form—the same things you are trying to achieve in your resume. (See 1[1708a-d for further details on this point.)

d. The primary short-term objective of this letter is to arrange for an interview. Rather than wait for the recipient of your letter to call you, indicate that you will call on a specific date to determine whether an interview can take place. In stating when you will call, allow enough time for your material to be delivered and looked at. Keep in mind that the recipient may be inundated with other matters or may be traveling and thus may not look at your letter and resume as quickly as you would like. NOTE: Keep a record of when you promised to call so that you follow through on time. Calling a day or two later could suggest that you are not a very good manager of your time.

Follow-Up Letters 1 7 1 6 After an interview, follow up immediately with a letter that covers the following points. (Also see the illustration on page 571.) a. Thank the interviewer for (1) taking the time to see you, (2) giving you better insight into the available job and the organization you would be working for, and (3) considering your qualifications in light of the available job. lext continues on page 572

570

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

Application Letter

A

ALISON L. BUMBRY *—* f~f\ Apartment 145 M I! 3 9 5 W e s t Cen 'er College Street •Si-*-' Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387

Phone: 937-555-7944 Fax: 937-555-8341 E-mail [emailprotected]

March 3,2005

Mr. Oliver Digby Director of Human Resources Hunt and Ketcham Inc. 1228 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115 Dear Mr. Digby: B

You advertised for a marketing manager in the March 2 Plain Dealer. I have used many Hunt and Ketcham texts in my computer courses, so I know that your company publishes books of consistently high quality. As the following comparison shows, my experience and background come close to satisfying all of the requirements stated in your ad.

C

Your Requirements

My Qualifications

College degree

B.S. in marketing plus continuing education courses in marketing and computer software applications

Knowledge of technical publishing market

Over six years' experience in sales and marketing divisions of two educational publishing companies

Field sales experience

Extensive contact with field sales reps and customers, resolving a wide range of Sales support and customer service problems

The enclosed resume will provide additional information about my marketing experience. I would appreciate the chance to meet with you and discuss the ways in which I can help Hunt and Ketcham achieve its marketing objectives and its profit goals. I will call your office on March 14 to determine whether there is a convenient time for you to see me. Sincerely,

Letterhead. The attractive letterhead design that Alison Bumbry has executed on her computer will help make her application letter stand out. It is the same letterhead she used on the first page of her resume. First Paragraph. Alison uses her opening paragraph to indicate how she found out about the job, what she knows about the organization, and how her qualifications stack up against the job requirements stated in the ad. Displayed List of Qualifications. Alison does her best to play down her lack of specific knowledge about the technical publishing market and her lack of field sales experience. In this situation a resume formatted in the functional style (see pages 560-561) will best highlight her strengths in the areas of marketing, administration, writing, and computers. Final Paragraph. Alison takes the initiative in saving she will call to see whether an interview can be arranged. At the same time, she stresses her willingness to focus the interview on how she can help the organization achieve its goals and objectives.

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Follow-Up Letter

ALISON L. BUMBRY Apartment 145 / — sT* • 3 ' f S 395 West Center College Street •f\-J~J Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387

Phone: 937-555-7944 Fax: 937-555-8341 E-mail: [emailprotected]

March 25,2005

Mr. Oliver Digby Director of Human Resources Hunt and Ketcham Inc. 1228 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115 Dear Mr. Digby: A

Thank you for taking the time last Friday to explain why my lack of field sales experience in the technical publishing market prevents me from being considered for the marketing manager's position at Hunt and Ketcham.

B

Thank you, moreover, for arranging an interview that same day with your director of sales. Ms. Cantrell gave me a very detailed picture of a field rep's responsibilities. She also stated that in light of all my prior experience in educational publishing, 1 ought to make the transition to technical publishing very easily. I was encouraged to learn that after a year or two of experience in the field, I would be a strong candidate for any marketing manager's position that might open at that time.

C

Ms. Cantrell has promised to let me know within the next four weeks whether she is in a position to offer me a field rep's job. If she does, I very much look forward to seeing you again. In any event, thank you for all the help you have given me. Sincerely,

Alison L. Bumbry

A First Paragraph. Alison thanks the interviewer for clarifying the demands of the job and pointing out where her qualifications fell short. B Second Paragraph. Alison thanks the interviewer for steering her to another opportunity in the organization and for setting up an interview that same day. (Alison should also send a follow-up letter to the second person who interviewed her.) Note that she reaffirms her hope for a marketing management job in a year or two. C Third Paragraph. Alison ends on a warm note, thanking the first interviewer for all his help.

572

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

1J1717 b. Reinforce the positive impression you tried to make during the interview, and briefly restate why you think you would be an asset to the organization. c Offer additional information about your qualifications if they were not fully discussed during the interview. If you promised during the interview to supply additional information, do so now. d. Address questions that arose during the interview that you were not fully prepared to answer at the time. If you know (or simply sense) that the interviewer had some doubts about your qualifications, use this opportunity to overcome such doubts if you can. NOTE: If the interviewer made it clear at the time that you were not right for the current job opening, send a follow-up letter nonetheless. Offer thanks for having been considered for this job, and express hope that you will be considered for other jobs that may open up in the future. On the other hand, if you decide the job is not right for you, send a follow-up letter in which you thank the interviewer and ask not to be a candidate. Acceptance Letters 1 7 1 7 Of all employment communications, this is the most pleasant letter to write. Use this occasion to: a. Formally accept the job. b. Confirm the key details of your working arrangements (including starting date) that have been previously discussed. If any of these details are not clear, ask the person who hired you to spell them out. c. Express your pleasure in coming to work for the organization and, more specifically, in working for the person who has offered you the job.

A First Paragraph. Alison accepts the job with pleasure, both for its immediate opportunities and for its long-term prospects. B Second Paragraph. Alison uses this paragraph to deal with the technical details involved in starting a new job. C Third Paragraph. Alison expresses her pleasure (perhaps a bit too effusively) at the prospect of working for the person who has offered her the job. D Final Paragraph. Alison shows initiative in offering to undertake advance preparation for the job before she officially starts work.

Section 17 • Other Business Documents

Acceptance Letter

ALISON L. BUMBRY / _ , - Y , Apartment 145 y t ' A t 395 West Center College Street SI.J-J Yellow Spnngs, Ohio 45387

Phone: 937-555-7944 Fax: 937-555-8341 E-mail: [emailprotected]

April 29,2005

Ms. Jennifer Cantrell Director of Sales Hunt and Ketcham Inc. 1228 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115 Dear Jennifer: A

I am very pleased to accept the job of field sales representative, with the state of Ohio as my territory. What especially appeals to me is that this job not only represents an excellent opportunity in itself; it provides a springboard for higher-level marketing jobs with Hunt and Ketcham,

B

The materials that Oliver Digby sent me answered all my questions about compensation arrangements and company policies. All the necessary paperwork has now been completed and returned. As I understand it, you want me to start work on June 6, spending the month in Cleveland for orientation and training. I assume that someone in your department will provide me with information about my accommodations during the month of June.

C

I am genuinely excited about the prospect of working with you and for you. From our conversations I can tell how supportive you are of the people who report to you. When I think of how much I will learn under your supervision, Irealizejust how lucky I am to be joining Hunt and Ketcham.

D

If there is anything you think I should be reading or doing in the next month, please let me know. I would welcome the chance to get a head start on the job before I actually report for work on June 6. Sincerely,

Alison L. Bumbry

573

574

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

H1718

Outlines 1 7 1 8 An outline can be used to plan the content and organization of a document. The outline identifies (a) the topics that are to be discussed and (b) the sequence in which they are to be introduced. In some cases, an outline may consist of a simple list of points to be covered. In other cases an outline may contain several levels of subtopics under each main topic (as in the illustration on page 575).

1 7 1 9 After you have finished drafting a document, you can use an outline to review the document in terms of content and organization. An outline of this kind typically lists the key words or phrases used as headings throughout the document to identify topics and subtopics as they are each introduced. When you use an outline for reviewing purposes, you can more easily answer questions like these: • Have all topics been included? • Have all topics been fully developed? • Does the heading structure—that is, the sequence of heads—provide a balanced representation of all aspects of the discussion, or are some parts of the text loaded with heads while other parts have very few? • Are the heads all worded in a similar way, or are some complete sentences and others simply phrases? 1 7 2 0 The outline feature of your word processing software will permit you to create an outline by scrolling throughthetext and coding (according to level of subordination) every heading in the text. If you later decide to revise the heading structure in the document, you can use the outline feature to generate a new outline to confirm that the document is now better organized. 1 7 2 1 If you want to devise your own format for an outline, consider these guidelines and the illustration on page 575. a. Margins. Use default side and bottom margins. Space down 6 times from the default top margin of 1 inch to create a top margin of about 2 inches; leave a top margin of only 1 inch if doing so will prevent the outline from taking a second page. A one-page outline may also be centered vertically on the page. b. Heading. Type the title in all-caps, and use caps and lowercase for the other lines. Use boldface for the complete heading or, if you prefer, for the title alone. Leave 1 blank line between lines in the heading, and leave 2 blank lines below the last line of the heading. c. Enumerations. The numbers or letters that identify the items at different levels in an outline should all be foUowed by a period and 1 or 2 spaces. For the first four levels, align the numbers or letters on the periods. d. Capitalization. Use all caps for first level items (those preceded by roman numerals). Use caps and lowercase for items at aU lower levels. e. Indentions. When using roman numerals to identify first level items, start the widest numeral (HI or VIII, f r example) at the left margin. Align all the other roman numerals on the pen d. Align the second level of items (those beginning

Section 17 • Other Business Documents

575

1)1721 Standard Outline Format

EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE , , Orientation for Department Staff

|3x I

INTRODUCTION ,

U

EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE , _

|3x A. Equipment t Computer a. Drives • For a detailed discussion of how to construct inside addresses, see 111316-1336; for further information on salutations, see 111338-1341; for details on how to handle addresses on envelopes, see 111368-1369. 1 8 0 1 Individuals

a. Man With Personal Title Mr. . . . (full name) Address

e. Individual—Name Unknown, Gender Known . . . (title of individual) ... (name of organization) Address

Dear Mr. . . . :

b. Woman—Personal Title Preference Known Ms. (OR: Miss OR: M r s . ) . . . (full name) Address

Madam: Dear Madam:

OR:

Sir Dear Sir:

Dear Ms. (OR. Miss OR: M r s . ) . . . : NOTE: Always use the title that a woman prefers.

f. Individual—Name and Gender Unknown . . . (title of individual) ... (name of organization) Address

c. Woman—Personal Title Preference Unknown Ms. . . . (full name) Address OR:

Dear Ms. . , . . : . . . (full name with no title) Address Dear... (first name and surname):

d. Individual—Name Known, Grnder Unknown . . . (full name with no title) Address D e a r . . . (first name or initials plus surname)

Sir or Madam: Dear Sir or Madam: OR:

Madam or Sir Dear Madam or Sir:

g. Two Men Mr. . . . (fullname) Mr. . . . (fullname) Address Gentlemen: Dear Messrs. . . . a n d . . . ; (see fl 1339a] Dear Mr. . . . and Mr. . . . ;

Continued on page 580

580

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

H1802 h. Two Women Ms. . . . (full name) Ms. . . . (full name) Address

1 8 0 2 Couples

a. Married Couple With Same Surname—No Special Titles

Mr. and Mrs. . . . (husband's full name) Address

Dear Mses. [OR: Mss.)... and . . . : Dear Ms. . . . and Ms. OR:

OR:

Mrs. . . . (full name) Mrs. . . . (full name) Address Dear Mesdames... and...: [seefl1339a) Dear Mrs. . . . and Mrs.

. . . (wife's first name) and . . . (husband's first name and surname) (see U1322g) Address

Miss... (full name) Miss . . . (full name) Address

Dear... (wife's first name) and . . . (husband's first name and surname):

Dear Misses... and . . . : Dear Miss . . . and Miss . . . : OR:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. . . . (husband's surname): OR:

OR:

Ms. . . . (full name) Mrs. . . . (full name) Address

Dear... (husband's first name) and . . . (wife's first name)... (husband's surname):

Dear Ms. . . . and Mrs. . . . : OR:

Miss . . . (full name) Ms. . . . (full name) Address Dear Miss... and Ms. . . . :

OR:

b. Married Couple With Same Surname—Husband Has Special Title

Dr. and Mrs. . . . (husband's full name) Address

Mrs. . . . (fullname) Miss... (full name) Address

Dear Mrs. ... and Miss . . . : i. Woman and Man—No Personal Relationship

Dear Dr. and Mrs. . . . (husband's surname):

c. Married Couple With Same Surname—Wife Has Special Title Senator... (wife's full name) Mr. . . . (husband's full name) Address

Ms. [OR: Mrs. OR: Miss)... (full name) Mr. . . . (full name) Address Dear Ms. [OR: Mrs. OR: Miss)... and Mr. . . . : OR:

Mr. . . . (full name) Ms. (OR: Mrs. OR: Miss)... (full name) Address Dear Mr. . . . and Ms. [OR: Mrs. OR: Miss) NOTE: When addressing a widow, choose the form for the inside address and the salutation that the widow uses in her signature line. (See U 1352e for examples of the various styles that a widow has to choose from.)

. . . (husband's first name) and . . . (wife's first name)... (husband's surname) Address

Dear Senator and Mr. . . . (husband's surname):

d. Married Couple With Same Surname—Both Have Special Titles Dr. . . . (wife's full name) Dr. . . . (husband's full name) Address Dear Drs. . . . (husband's surname): OR:

Captain . . . (husband's full name) Professor... (wife's full name) Address Dear Captain and Professor... (husband's surname):

>• For forms of address for teenagers and younger children, see ffl321d-e.

Section 18 • Forms of Address

581

HI 805 e. Married Couple with Different Surnames

OR:

Ms. (OR. M i s s ) . . . [wife's full name) Mr. . . . (husband's full name) Address Dear Ms. (OR. M i s s ) . . . (wife's surname) and Mr. . . . (husband's surname): OR:

Dear Mr. . . . :* OR:

Mr. . . . (husband's full name) Ms. [OR: M i s s ) . . . (wife's full name) Address Dear Mr. . . . (husband's surname) and Ms. (OR: Miss)... (wife's surname):

Mr. and Mrs. . . . (husband's first name and middle initial, plus wife's original surname followed by hyphen and husband's surname) Address Dear Mr. and Mrs. . . . (wife's original surname followed by hyphen and husband's surname):

b. Organization of Women . . . (name of organization) Address Mesdames: (see fl1339a) Ladies:

c. Organization of Men . . . (name of organization) Address Gentlemen:

1 8 0 4 Professionals

a. Lawyers Mr. . . . (fullname)* Attorney at Law Address

g. Unmarried Couple Living Together Ms. (OR: M i s s ) . . . (full name) Mr. . . . (fullname) Address Dear Ms. (OR: M i s s ) . . . and Mr. . . . : OR:

Mr. . . . (fullname) Ms. (OR: M i s s ) . . . (full name) Address Dear Mr. . . . and Ms. (OR: M i s s ) . . . :

1 8 0 3 Organizations

Chief Executive Officer (or other appropriate title) ... {name of organization) Address Sir or Madam: Madam or Sir: Dear Sir or Madam: Dear Madam or Sir:

NOTE: If either spouse has a special title (like those shown in fl1802b-d), use that special title here as well.

f. Married Couple With Hyphenated Surname

Mr. . . . (name of organization head)* President (or other appropriate title) ... (name of organization) Address

OR:

. . . (full name), Esq.+ Address Dear Mr. . . . :*

b. Physicians and Others With Doctor's Degrees Dr. . . . (fullname) Address OR:

. . . (full name), M.D.+ Address Dear Dr. . . . :

a. Organization of Women and Men . . . (name of organization) Address Ladies and Gentlemen: Gentlemen and Ladies: Dear... (name of organization): (see 111340c)

1 8 0 5 Education Officials

a. President of College or University . . . (full name, followed by comma and highest degree) President,... (name of college) Address

•See the note at the top of page 579. 'When an abbreviation such as Esq., M.D., orPh.D.follows a name, do not use a personal title such as Mr., Ms., or Dr. before the name. (See also 511518c, 519c.) Continued on page 582

582

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

til 806 OR:

OR:

Dr. . . . (full name) President,... (name of college) Address

e. Member of Board of Education Mr. . . . (full name)* Member,... (name of city) Board of Education Address

President... (full name) ... (name of college) Address Dear President...: Dear Dr. . . . :

Dear Mr. . . . :*

f. Principal Mr. [OR: Dr.)... (full name)* Principal,... (name of school) Address

b. Dean of College or University . . . (full name, followed by comma and highest degree) Dean, . . . (name of school or division) ... (name of college) Address OR:

Dr. . . . (full name) Dean, . . . (name of school or division) ... (name of college) Address

OR:

Dean . . . (full name) ... (name of school or division) ... (name of college) Address Dear Dean Dear Dr. . . . :

Dear Mr. . . . :* Dear Dr. . . . :

g. Teacher Mr. [OR: Dr.)... (full name)* ... (name of school) Address Dear Mr. . . . : * Dear Dr. . . . :

1 8 0 6 Government Officials

a. President of the United States The President The White House Washington, DC 20500

c. Professor Professor... (full name) Department o f . . . (subject) ... (name of college) Address OR:

OR:

. . . (full name, followed by comma and highest degree) Department of [OR: Professor o f ) . . . (subject) ... (name of college) Address Dr. [OR: Mr.)... (full name)* Department of [OR.- Professor o f ) . . . (subject) ... (name of college) Address Dear Professor...: Dear Dr. [OR: Mr.)... :*

d. Superintendent of Schools Mr. [OR: Dr.)... (full name)* Superintendent o f . . . (name of city) Schools Address Dear Mr. [OR.- Dr.)... :*

•See the note at the top of page 579.

Mr. President:* Dear Mr. President:*

b. Vice President of the United States The Vice President United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 OR:

The Honorable... (full name) Vice President of the United States Washington, DC 20510 Dear Mr. Vice President:*

c. Cabinet Member The Honorable . . . (full name) Secretary o f . . . (department) Washington, DC ZIP Code Dear Mr. Secretary:*

d. United States Senator The Honorable... (full name) United States Senate Washington, DC 20510

Section 18 • Forms of Address

583

til 807 OR:

The Honorable... (full name) United States Senator Local address

k. State Representative or Assembly Member The Honorable... (full name) House of Representatives (OR: The State Assembly) State Capital, State ZIP Code

Dear Senator...:

e. United States Representative The Honorable... (full name) House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 OR.

The Honorable... (full name) Representative in Congress Local address Dear Representative...: Dear Mr. . . . : *

f. Chief Justice of the United States The Chief Justice The Supreme Court of the United States Washington, DC 20543 OR:

The Chief Justice of the United States (see fl313bj Washington, DC 20543

Dear M r . . , . ?

1. Mayor The Honorable... (full name) Mayor o f . . . (city) City, State ZIP Code OR:

The Mayor of the City o f . . . City, State ZIP Code Dear Mr. Mayor* Dear M a y o r . . . :

m. Council Member or Commissioner The Honorable... (full name) Address Dear M r . . . . :*

Dear Chief Justice:

g. Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Justice... Oast name only) The Supreme Court of the United States Washington, DC 20543 Dear Justice...:

h. Judge of Federal, State, or Local Court The Honorable... (full name) Judge of t h e . . . (name of court) Address Dear J u d g e . . . :

i. Governor The Honorable... (full name) Governor o f . . . (state) State Capital, State ZIP Code Dear Governor...)

j.

State Senator The Honorable... (full name) The State Senate State Capital, State ZIP Code Dear Senator...;

•See the note at the top of page 579.

1 8 0 7 Diplomats

a. Secretary-General of the United Nations His Excellency... (full name)* Secretary-General of the United Nations United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017 Excellency: Dear Mr. Secretary-General:* Dear Mr. . . . : *

b. Ambassador to the United States His Excellency.,. (full name? Ambassador o f . . . (country) Address Excellency: Dear Mr. Ambassador*

c. Minister to the United States The Honorable... (full name) Minister o f . . . (department) Address Sir:* Dear Mr. Minister:*

Continued on page 584

584

Part 2 • Techniques and Formats

HI 808 d. American Ambassador The Honorable... (full name) American Ambassador (OR: The Ambassador of the United States of America) Foreign address of U.S. Embassy

1 8 0 9 Roman Catholic Dignitaries

a. Pope His Holiness the Pope OR:

Sir:* Dear Mr. Ambassador:*

His Holiness Pope... (given name) Vatican City 00187 Rome ITALY Your Holiness: Most Holy Father:

1 8 0 8 Members of the Armed Services

b. Cardinal His Eminence... (given name) Cardinal... (surname) Archbishop o f . . . (place) Address

The addresses of both officers and enlisted personnel in the armed services should include title or rank and full name followed by a comma and the initials USA, USN, USAF, USMC, or USCG. Below are some examples with appropriate salutations.

Your Eminence: Dear Cardinal...:

c. Archbishop or Bishop a. Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps Officer

The Most Reverend . . . (full name) Archbishop (OR: Bishop) o f . . . (place) Address

Lieutenant General... (full name), USA (OR: USAF OR: USMC) Address Dear General... :* (NOT. Dear Lieutenant General...:)

Your Excellency: Dear Archbishop (OR: Bishop)...:

d. Monsignor The Reverend Monsignor... (full name) Address

b. Navy or Coast Guard Officer

Reverend Monsignor: Dear Monsignor...:

Rear Admiral... (full name), USN (OR: USCG) Address Dear Admiral... :*

e. Priest The Reverend . . . (full name, followed by comma and initials of order) Address

c. Enlisted Person Sergeant... (full name), USA Address OR:

Reverend Father: Dear Father...: Dear Father:

Seaman . . . (full name), USN Address Dear Sergeant (OR: Seaman)...:

f. Mother Superior The Reverend Mother Superior Address

*See the note at the top of page 579. ^Use the salutation Dear General... whether the officer is a full general or only a lieutenant general, a major general, or a brigadier general. Similarly, use Dear Colonel... for either a full colonel or a lieutenant colonel and Dear Lieutenant... for a first or a second lieutenant. Use Dear Admiral... for a full admiral, a vice admiral, or a rear admiral.

OR:

Reverend Mother... (full name, followed by comma and initials of order) Address Reverend Mother Dear Reverend Mother: Dear Mother...:

Section

• Forms of Address

585

fll812 g. Sister

e. Minister Without Doctor's Degree The Reverend . . . (full name) Address

Sister... (full name, followed by comma and initials of order] Address Dear Sister...: Dear Sister:

h. Brother

Dear Mr. . . . : *

1 8 1 1 Jewish Dignitaries

a. Rabbi With Doctor's Degree

Brother... (full name, followed by comma and initials of order) Address Dear Brother...: Dear Brother:

R a b b i . . . (fullname), D.D. Address OR:

Dr. . . . (full name) Address Dear Rabbi (OR: D r . ] . . . :

1 8 1 0 Protestant Dignitaries

b. Rabbi Without Doctor's Degree Rabbi... (full name) Address

a. Episcopal Bishop The Right Reverend . . . (full name) Bishop o f . . . (place) Address Dear Bishop

b. Episcopal Dean

Dear R a b b i . . . :

1 8 1 2 Muslim Dignitaries

a. Leader of Prayer in a Mosque Imam . . . (full name) Address

The Very Reverend . . . (full name) Dean o f . . . (place) Address Dear Dean . . . :

Dear Imam . . . :

b. Dignitary With Doctor's Degree

c. Methodist Bishop

Dr. . . . (full name) Address

The Reverend . . . (full name) Bishop o f . . . (place) Address OR:

Bishop . . . (full name) Address

Dear D r . . . . :

c. Other Muslim Dignitaries Sheik... (full name) Address

Dear B i s h o p . . . :

d. Minister With Doctor's Degree

Dear S h e i k . . . : OR:

The Reverend Dr. . . . (full name) Address OR:

The Reverend . . . (full name), D.D. Address Dear Dr. . . . :

Professor... (full name) Address Dear Professor...:

OR:

Chaplain . . . (full name) Address Dear Chaplain . . . :

*See the note at the top of page 579.

Part References Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C. Appendix D.

Essays on the Nature of Style Pronunciation Problems Rules for Alphabetic Filing Glossary of Grammatical Terms

588 605 617 636

Essays on the Nature of Style The following six essays deal with certain points of style that are likely to create problems for anyone who works with words. Whether dealing with such topics as numbers, capitalization, or compound adjectives, these essays attempt to achieve four goals: (1) to provide some unifying perspective on the specific rules that apply in each case, (2) to offer some broader observations about the nature of style in general, (3) to discourage the rigid attitude that views the rules of style as dealing with absolute rights and wrongs, and (4) to encourage a flexible application of these rules in order to fit the needs of each particular situation.

Mastering Number Style: One (or 1?) Approach A number of years ago, while making a presentation on the subject of style, I asked the audience to select the preferable form in each of the following pairs of examples: $87,525

OR.

$71 trillion 4:30 p m , January 19

OR. OR.

eighty-seven thousand five hundred and twenty-five dollars $7,100,000,000,000 half after four o'clock, on the nineteenth of January

No one could see any use for the forms in the second column. Those in the first column were far easier to read and simpler to write and were clearly to be preferred in business writing. However, after some discussion, we tended to agree that Tiffany's had had the right idea in an ad that displayed a picture of an elegant diamond necklace along with the legend "Eightyseven thousandfivehundred and twenty-five doUars." Somehow, we felt, if they were going to charge that elegant a price, the least they could do was spell it out. Moreover, we tended to agree that those who wanted to de-emphasize the size of the federal debt might have dismissed it as "only $7.1 trillion," whereas those who wanted to emphasize the enormity of the amount might well have written "The federal debt now stands at $7,100,000,000,000" and thereby have forced upon us a sense of the magnitude of the amount by making us calculate it for ourselves. Finally, we tended to agree that we would much rather be married at "half after four o'clock, on the nineteenth of January" than at "4:30 p.m., January 19."* These, admittedly, are extreme examples of occasions on which an unusual number style could be justified, but they tend to throw light on the more customary style for expressing numbers and on the notion of style in general. At the very least, these examples suggest that style should not be thought of as a rigid set of rules but rather as a set of principles for adjusting one's means of expression to fit a particular set of circumstances. We express our style in clothes through a varied wardrobe that suits the needs not only of everyday situations but of formal and informal occasions as weU. It is the impoverished person who meets •One dissenter indicated that she s mply wanted to g t married and didnt much care how the invitations read.

Appendix A • Essays on the Nature of Style

589

every situation with the same set of clothes. By the same token, it is an impoverished writer who meets all situations with a rigid set of rules. The writer of the Tiffany ad, who chose words instead of figures to express an amount of money, in this instance had some true sense of how to vary style for best effect. Manipulating principles of style for specific effect ought not to be a random, hit-or-miss exercise but should proceed from some coherent notion about style itself. In the case of numbers, an intelligent control of number style proceeds from an awareness of the difference in effect that results from using figures or using words to express numbers. Figures are big (like capital letters); when used in a sentence, they stand out clearly from the surrounding tissue of words. As a result, they are easier to grasp on first reading, and they are easier to locate for subsequent reference. Thus whenever quick comprehension and fast reference are important (and this is true of most business writing), figures are to be preferred to words. But the very characteristics of figures that make them preferable to words can be disadvantageous in certain circumstances. Figures stand out so sharply against a background of words that they achieve a special prominence and obtain a special emphasis. Not all numbers warrant that kind of emphasis, however, and in such cases words are preferable to figures. Keep in mind, too, that figures have the conciseness and the informality of an abbreviation. Thus the more formal the occasion, the more likely one is to spell numbers out (as in the wedding announcement cited on page 588). Given these basic differences between using figures and using words, it is quite clear why figures are preferred in ordinary business letters. These are typically straightforward communications that pass between business firms and their suppliers or their customers, containing frequent references to price quotations, quantities, shipping dates, credit terms, and the like. Frequently, these numbers represent data that has to be extracted from the letter and processed in some way; they may have to be checked against other numbers or included in some computation or simply transferred to another document. The advantage of figures over words in these ordinary cases is so clear that the point does not need to be argued. But there is another kind of business writing in which the writer is not dealing with the workaday transactions of the business. It may be a special promotion campaign with an air of elegance and formality; it may be a carefully constructed letter with special stylistic objectives in mind; or it may be a special report that involves community relations and will have a wider distribution than the normal technical business report. This kind of writing tends to occur more often at the executive level, and it tends to occur in the more creative departments of a business (such as sales promotion, advertising, public relations, and customer relations). In this kind of writing, numbers don't occur very frequently; when they do, they are often expressed in words. As a response to the different needs posed by these two kinds of writing, there are two basic number styles in use today. Both use figures and words but in different proportions. The figure style uses figures for all numbers above 10, whether exact or approximate; the word style spells out all numbers up through 100 and all numbers above 100 that can be expressed in one or two words (such as twenty-five hundred). (Some authorities now state these rules using 9 and 99 in place of 10 and 100.)

590

Part 3 • References

As a practical matter, your immediate job may require you to use only the figure style. However, your next job may call for the use of the word style. And if you are working and going to school at the same time (as more and more people are these days), you may find yourself following one style for office work and another for your academic work. Under these circumstances, if you grasp the basic difference between using words and figures to express numbers, you will be better able to decide how to proceed in specific situations without having to consult a style manual each time. In any case, keep the following ideas in mind: 1. There are no absolute rights and wrongs in number style—only varying sets of stylistic conventions that people follow in one set of circumstances or another. There are, however, effective differences in using words or figures, and you should take these differences into account.

2. Before deciding on which number style to follow for a given piece of writing, first determine the basic objective of the material. If the material is intended to communicate information as simply and as briefly as possible, use thefigurestyle. If the material is of a formal nature or aspires to a certain level of literary elegance, use the word style. 3. Having decided on a basic style, be consistent in context. When related numbers occur to gether in the same context and according to the rules some should go in figures and some shoald go in words, treat these related numbers all the same way. 4. Treat an approximate number exactly the same way you would treat an exact number. If you would write 50 orders, then you should also write about 50 orders. (If the figure 5 looks too emphatic to you when used in an approximation, the chances are that you should be using the word style—and not just for approximate numbers but throughout.) 5. In areas where the style could go either way (for example, the 4th of June vs. the fourth o June or 9 o 'clock vs. nine o 'clock), decide in accordance with your basic style. Thus if y are following the figure style, you will automatically choose the 4th of June and 9 o'clock 6. In expressions involving ages, periods of time, and measurements, use figures whenever these numbers have technical significance or serve as measurements or deserve special emphasis; otherwise, use words. (For example, you receive these benefits at 65, the no will be due in 3 months, the parcel weighs over 2 pounds; but my father will be sixty-f week, that happened three months ago, I hope to lose another two pounds this week

7. Use figures in dates (June 6) and in expressions of money ($6) except for reasons of formality or special effect (as in the wedding announcement or the Tiffany ad). Also use figures with abbreviations and symbols and in percentages, proportions, ratios, and scores. 8. Use words for numbers at the beginning of a sentence, for most ordinals (the third time, the twentieth anniversary), and for fractions standing alone (one-third of our sales). All manuals of style (including this one) include many more than eight rules. They give exceptions and fine points beyond those just summarized. Yet for all practical purposes these eight rules—and the philosophy that underliesthem—wUlcover almost every common situation. Just remember that the conventions of number style were meant to be applied, not as an absolute set of dogmas, but as a flexible set of principles that help to fit the form to the occasion. When manipulated with intelligence and taste, these principles of style can enhance and support your broader purposes in writing. >• For a further discussion of number style, see Section 4, pages 120-144.

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A Fresh Look at Capitalization The rules on capitalization give most people fits. First of all, there are a seemingly endless number of rules to master, second, the authorities themselves dont agree on the rules; and third, the actual practices of writers often dont agree with any of the contradictory recommendations of the authorities. A frequent solution is to pretend that disagreements on capitalization style dont exist; instead, people are given one fixed set of rules to be applied under all circumstances. Yet all too many people never do remember the full complement of rules, and those they do remember they apply mechanically without comprehension. As a result, they never get to see that capitalization can be a powerful instrument of style if it is shrewdly and knowingly used. To understand the basic function of capitalization, you should know that capitalization gives importance, emphasis, and distinction to everything it touches. That's why we capitalize the first word of every sentence—to signify emphatically that a new sentence has begun.* That's why we capitalize proper nouns like Marianne and California and April—-to indicate distinctively that these are the official names of particular people, places, or things. Moreover, when we take a word that normally occurs as a common noun and capitalize it, we are loading into that word the special significance that a proper noun possesses. The fourth of July, for example, is just another day in the year; when it signifies a national holiday, it becomes the Fourth ofJuly. In exactly the same way, the white house that stands at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue becomes the White House when we think of it, not as one of many white houses, but as the residence of the President, who is himself something special compared to the president of a business organization. This process of giving special significance to a common noun and transforming it into a proper noun explains why we capitalize names coined from common nouns—for example, the Windy City, the First Lady, the Sunflower State, the Stars and Stripes, Mother's Day, and the Industrial Revolution. And it also explains why manufacturers who coin trade names try to register them whenever possible. As long as they can get legal protection for these names, they are entitled to capitalize them. The owners of such trade names as Coke, Kleenex, Frisbee, Dacron, Levi's, and Xerox are likely to take legal action against anyone who uses such words genetically. They are determined to protect their rights zealously because they don't want to lose the distinctive forcefulness that a capitalized noun possesses. In this respect they demonstrate an understanding of the function of capitalization that few of us can compete with. Once it becomes clear that capitalization is a process of loading special significance into words, it's easier to understand why capitalization practices vary so widely. Individual writers will assign importance to wordsfromtheir own vantage points. The closer they are to the term in question, the more inclined they will be to capitalize i t Thus it is quite possible that what is important to me (and therefore worthy of capitalization) may not be important to you and thus will not be capitalized in whatever you write.

A number fyearsagoagrou fs ts at Williams Coll ge b cted to capitalizing the first letter of the Erst word f a senten e the grounds that it 'unfairly pn nbze that letter at th expense of the other underprivileged letters that f 11 w

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One could cite any number of examples to prove the point. A retail merchant will take out full-page ads in order to exclaim in print about a Year-End Clearance Sale. The rest of us c respect the merchant's right to capitalize the phrase, but we are under no obligation to share the merchant's enthusiasm for what is, after all, just another year-end clearance sale. In leg agreements, as another example, it's customary to load such terms as buyer and seller with the significance of proper nouns and thus write, "The Buyer agrees to pay the Seller ..."; in all other contexts, however, this kind of emphasis would not be warranted.

Once you understand that it is appropriate to capitalize a given term in some contexts but not necessarily in all contexts, a lot of the agony about capitalization disappears. Instead of trying to decide whether Federal Government or federal government is correct, you should re nize that both forms are valid and, depending on the context and the importance you want to attach to the term, one form will be more appropriate to your purpose than another. If you are a federal employee, you are very likely to write Federal Government under all circum stances, out of respect for the organization that employs you. If you are not a government employee, you are more likely to write federal government under ordinary circumstances. I however, you are writing to someone connected with the federal government or you are writing a report or document in which the federal government is strongly personified, you will probably choose the capitalized form.

By the same token, you need not agonize over the proper way to treat terms like advertising department, finance committee, and board of directors. These are well-established generic as well as the official names of actual units within an organization. Thus you are likely to capitalize these terms if they refer to units within your own organization, because as an insider you would be expected to assign a good deal of importance to such things. But you wouldn't have to capitalize these terms when referring to someone else's organization unless for reasons of courtesy or flattery you wanted to indicate that you considered that organization important. (For example, "I would like to apply for a job as copywriter in your Advertising Department.") Moreover, when writing to outsiders, you should keep in mind whether or not they would assign the same importance you do to units within your organization. In an interoffice memo you would no doubt write, "Celeste Jackson has been appointed to the Board of Directors"; in a news release intended for a general audience, you would more likely write, "Celeste Jackson has been appointed to the board of directors of the Wilmington Corporation."

This switch in form from one context to another will appear surprising only to those who assume that one form is intrinsically right and the other intrinsically wrong. Actually, there are many more familiar instances of this kind of flexibility. We normally write the names of seasons in lowercase (for example, spring), but when the season is meant to be personified, we switch to uppercase (Spring). The words earth, sun, and moon are normally expressed i lowercase, but when these terms are used in the same context with proper names like Mars and Venus, they are also capitalized. Or we write that we are taking courses in history and ar but once these terms become part of the official names of coUege courses, we write History 101 and Art 5C. Once you come to view capitalization as a flexible instrument of style, you should be able to cope more easily with ambiguous or conflicting rules. For example, one of the most troublesome rules concerns whether or not to capitalize titles when they follow a person's name or

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are used in place of the name. According to a number of authorities, only the titles of "high-ranking" officials and dignitaries should be capitalized when they follow or replace a person's name. But how high is high? Where does one draw the line? You can easily become confused at this point because the authorities as well as individual writers have drawn the line at various places.* So it helps to understand that the answer to how high is high will depend on where you stand in relation to the person named. At the international level, a lot of us would be willing to bestow initial caps on the Queen of England, the Pope, the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, and people of similar eminence. At the national level in this country, many of us would agree on honoring with caps the President, the Vice President, Cabinet members (such as the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense), and the heads of federal agencies and bureaus (such as the Director or the Commissioner) but probably not lower-ranking officials in the national government. (However, if you worked in Washington and were closer to those lower-ranking people, you might very well draw the line so as to include at least some of them.) At the state level, we would probably all agree to honor the Governor and even the Lieutenant Governor, but most of us would probably refer to the attorney general of the state in lowercase (unless, of course, we worked for the state government or had dealings with the official in question, in which case we would write the Attorney General). Because most people who write style manuals are removed from the local levels of government, they rarely sanction the use of caps for the titles of local officials; but anyone who works for the local government or on the local newspaper or has direct dealings with these officials will assign to the titles of these officials a good deal more importance than the writers of style manuals typically do. Indeed, if I were writing to the mayor of my town or to someone in the mayor's office, I would refer to the Mayor. But if I discuss this official with you in writing, I would refer to the mayor; in this context it would be bestowing excessive importance on this person to capitalize the title. What about titles of high-ranking officials in your own organization? They certainly are important to you, even if not to the outside world. Such titles are usually capped in formal minutes of a meeting or in formal documents (such as a company charter or a set of bylaws). In ordinary written communications, however, these titles are not—as a matter of taste— usually capitalized, for capitalization would confer an excessive importance on a person who is neither a public official nor a prominent dignitary. But those who insist on paying this gesture of respect and honor to their top executives have the right to do so if they want to. (And in some companies this gesture is demanded.) In the final analysis, the important thing is for you to establish an appropriate capitalization style for a given context—and having established that style, to follow it consistently within that context, even though you might well adopt a different style in another context. Though others may disagree with your specific applications of the rules, no one can fault you if you have brought both sense and sensitivity to your use of capitalization. »- For a further discussion of capitalization style, see Section 3, pages 92-119.

*Some authorities now take the position that no titles should be capped when they follow or replace a person's name—not even such titles as the President, the Queen of England, the Pope, or the Secretary-General of the United Nations. For a further discussion of this matter, see 11313b.

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The Comma Trauma Consider the poor comma, a plodding workhorse in the fields of prose—exceedingly useful but like most workhorses overworked. Because it can do so many things, a number of writers dispense the comma to cure their ailing prose the way doctors dispense aspirin: according to this prescription, you take two at frequent intervals and hope the problem will go away. Other writers, having written, stand back to admire their handiwork as if it were a well-risen cake—and for the final touch they sprinkle commas down upon it like so much confectioners' sugar. And one writer I know, when pushed to desperation, will type several rows of commas at the bottom of her letter and urge you to insert them in the text above wherever you think it appropriate. It's too bad that commas induce a trauma in so many writers. Despite the seemingly endless set of rules that describe their varied powers, commas have only two basic functions: they either separate or set off. Separating requires only one comma; setting off requires two. The separating functions of the comma, for the most part, are easy to spot and not hard to master. A separating comma is used:

1. To separate the two main clauses in a compound sentence when they are joined by and, but, or, or nor. 2. To separate three or more items in a series (Tom, Dick, and Harry)—unless all the item are joined by and or or (Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice). 3. To signify the omission of and between adjectives of equal rank (as in a quiet, unassum ing personality). 4. To separate the digits of numbers into groups of thousands (30,000).

Writers get into trouble here mostly as a result of separating things that should not be separated—for example, a subject and a verb (Bob, Carol, Ted, and Alicepdecided to s movie) or an adjective and a noun (a quiet, unassuming9J>ersonality). Yet this is not whe comma trauma begins to set in. The real crunch comes with the commas that set off. These are the commas that set off words, phrases, or clauses that (1) provide additional but nonessential information or (2) are out of their normal order in the sentence or (3) manage, in one way or another, to disrupt the flow of the sentence from subject to verb to object or complement. What makes it so difficult for people to use these commas correctly is that they have a hard time analyzing the difference between an expression used as an essential element in one context and as a nonessential element in another. Consider the following example. I would venture that most people have been taught to punctuate the sentence exactly as it is given here: It is therefore essential that we audit all a counts at once

To be specific, they have probably been taught that therefore is always nonessential when it occurs within a sentence and that it must therefore always be set off by commas. What they probably have not been taught is that commas that set off (unlike commas that separate) usually signal the way a sentence should sound when spoken aloud. For example, if I were to

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read the foregoing sentence aloud the way it has been punctuated, I would pause slightly at the sign of the first comma and then let my voice drop on the word therefore: IT IS, therefore, ESSENTIAL...

Now if this is the reading that is desired, then the use of commas around therefore is quite correct. Yet I would venture that most people would read the sentence this way: It is THEREFORE essential...

letting the voice rise on therefore to give it the special emphasis it demands. If this is the desired reading, then commas would be altogether wrong in this sentence, for they would induce a "nonessential" inflection in the voice where none is wanted. If people have been mechanically inserting commas around therefore and similar words where commas do not belong, it is because they have not been encouraged to listen to the way the sentences are supposed to sound. Certainly once you become aware of the differences in inflection and phrasing that accompany essential and nonessential elements, it becomes a lot easier for you to distinguish between them and to insert or omit commas accordingly. Given this kind of approach, sentences like the following pair are simple to cope with. Please let me know if I have remembered everything correctly. He said he would meet us at three, if I remember correctly.

Although it would be possible, by means of a structural analysis, to establish why the first if clause is essential and why the second is not, you would do well to be guided by the inflection implied in each sentence. In the first instance, the voice arcs as it bridges the gap between Please let me know and if I have remembered everything correctly. In the second instance, the inflectional arc embraces only the first part of the sentence, He said he would meet us at three; then comes a slight pause followed by the //"clause, which is uttered in a much lower register, almost as if it were an afterthought. As you gain confidence in your ability to detect the inflectional patterns characteristic of essential and nonessential expressions, you should have no difficulty in picking your way through a variety of constructions like these: I must report, nevertheless, that his work is unsatisfactory. I must nevertheless report that his work is unsatisfactory. The location, / must admit, is quite attractive. The location is one / must admit I find attractive. There are, of course, other possible answers to the problem. It is of course your prerogative to change your mind.

This awareness of inflectional patterns is especially helpful when it comes to coping with appositives, a frustrating area in which the use or omission of commas often seems illogical. When the appositive expression is truly nonessential, as in: Ed Brown, the president of Apex, would like to meet you.

the customary pause and the characteristic drop in voice are there. And when the appositive expression is essential, as in phrases like the year 2007 and the term "recommend," you can hear the single inflectional arc that embraces each group of words in one closely knit unit. You can also hear the same continuous arc in the phrase my wife Marie. By all that is logical, the name Marie should be set off by commas because it is not needed to establish which of my wives

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I'm speaking about; I have only one wife. Yet according to today's standards, my wife Marie is considered good form. Although not essential to the meaning, the name Marie is treated as if it were essential because of what style manuals call "a very close relationship with the preceding words." Although it is difficult, if not impossible, to state in concrete terms what constitutes "a very close relationship," you can tell by the sound when it exists. There is a very subtle but very real difference in the phrases my sister Florence and my sister, Florence S When the full name is given, there tends to be a slight pause after sister and the voice tends to drop while uttering the full name. Yet it is not safe to conclude that adding the second name accounts for the difference in the inflection, for when one speaks of the composer John Cage or the author Toni Morrison, one hears the same inflectional pattern as in my wife M or the year 2007. So in the case of appositives, it is wise to be wary of simple generalizations and to listen attentively in each case to the way the expression ought to sound. In stressing, as I have, the significance of inflection and phrasing as a guide to the use of commas, I do not mean to suggest that one can punctuate by sound alone and can safely ignore structure and meaning. What I am suggesting is that in a number of cases, such as those I have cited, an awareness of the sound of sentences can help you grasp relationships that might otherwise be obscure. There are many other problems involving the comma that should be discussed here, but someone else (Ogden Nash, perhaps) will have to take over . . . And now if you'll excuse me comma I must lie down and have my trauma

,

,,,

>- For a further discussion of the rules governing the use of commas, see 11122-175.

The Plight of the Compound Adjective—Or, Where Have All the Hyphens Gone?

The hyphen, it grieves me to report, is in trouble. Indeed, unless concerted action is taken at once, the hyphen is likely to become as extinct as the apostrophe in teachers college. The pro lem can be traced to two dangerous attitudes that are afoot these days. One is revolutionary in tone; its motto: "Compound adjectives, unite! You have nothing to lose but your hyphens." The other attitude reflects the view of the silent majority. These are the people who don't pretend to know how to cope with the "hyphen" mess; they just earnestly wish the whole problem would quickly disappear. It may now be too late to reverse the long-range trend. For the present, however, the hyphen exists—and anyone who expects to work with words at an acceptable level of proficiency needs to come to terms with the noble beast. Here, then, is a last-ditch effort to make sense out of an ever-changing and possibly fast-disappearing (but not-soon-to-be-forgotten) aspect of style.

As a general rule, the English language depends largely on word order to make the relationships between words clear. When word order alone is not sufficient to establish these relationships, we typicaliy resort to punctuation. It is in this context that the hyphen has a real service to offer. The function of the hyphen is to help the reader grasp clusters of words— or even parts of words—as a unit. When a word has to be divided at the end of a line, the hyphen signifies the connection between parts. Whenever two or more words function as a unit

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but cannot (for one reason or another) be written either as a solid word or as separate words, the hyphen clearly links these words and prevents a lapse in comprehension. If hyphens are typically required in compound adjectives, it is because there is something "abnormal" about the word order of such expressions. Other kinds of modifiers, by contrast, do not require hyphens. For example, if I write about "a long, hard winter," I am actually referring to a winter that will be long and hard; so I need a comma—not a hyphen—to establish the fact that long and hard modify winter independently. If I write about "a long opening paragraph," the word order makes it clear that opening modifies paragraph and that long modifies the two words together; so no punctuation is needed to establish the fact that I'm speaking about "an opening paragraph that is long.' However, if I write about "a long-term loan," an entirely different relationship is established between the elements in the modifier. I am not speaking of a loan that is long and term, nor am I referring to a term loan that is long. I am speaking about a loan "that is to run for a long term of years." The words long-term (unlike long, hard or long opening) have an internal relationship all their own; it is only as an integral unit that these two words can modify a noun. Thus a hyphen is inserted to establish this fact clearly. For a better understanding of the internal relationship that exists between the elements in a compound adjective, one has to go back to its origins. A compound adjective is actually a compressed version of an adjective phrase or clause. For example, if I describe a product as carrying "a money-back guarantee," I am actually talking about "a guarantee to give you your money back if you are not satisfied with the product." Or if I refer to "a black-tie affair," I am really speaking about "an affair at which men are expected to wear formal clothes with a black tie." One can easily see from these examples why compound adjectives are so popular, for these expressions are usually a good deal crisper and livelier than the phrases or clauses they represent. These examples give further evidence of why a hyphen is needed. In each case we have zeroed in on a couple of words, we have wrenched them out of context and out of their normal order in a descriptive phrase or clause, and we have inserted them before a noun as if they were an ordinary adjective—a role these two words were never originally designed to play. Deprived of all the other words that would clearly establish the relationship between them, these elements require a hyphen to hold them together. The two factors of compression and dislocation are all the justification one needs to hyphenate a compound adjective. However, there are often additional clues to the need for a hyphen. In the process of becoming a compound adjective, the individual words frequently undergo a change in form: "a contract for two years" becomes "a two-year contract"; "a coworker who has a sharp tongue" becomes "a sharp-tongued coworker." Sometimes the words are put in inverted order: "lands owned by the government" becomes "government-owned lands." Sometimes the elements undergo a change both in form and in word order: "an employee who works hard" becomes "a hardworking employee"; "bonds exempt from taxation" becomes "tax-exempt bonds." The change in form or the inversion in word order is an additional signal that you are in the presence of a compound adjective and ought to hyphenate it. If the compound adjective is so simple to understand in theory, why is it so difficult to handle in practice? A good deal of the problem can be traced to a neat but now-discredited rule: "Hyphenate compound adjectives when they precede the noun but not when they follow the noun." It was indeed a very neat rule but not a very precise one. Let's take it apart and see why.

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It is quite true that compound adjectives should be hyphenated when they occur before a noun—for the most part. There's the catch—"for the most part." The exceptions seem to occur in such a random, hit-and-miss, now-and-then, flip-a-coin, make-it-up-as-you-go-along fashion that one begins to lose respect for the rule. Yet there is a very definite pattern to the exceptions. Keep in mind that the hyphen serves to hold a cluster of words together as a unit. If, through some other means, these words make themselves clearly recognizable as a unit, the hyphen is superfluous and can be omitted. There are at least three such situations when a hyphen is unnecessary: when the compound modifier is a proper name, when it is a wellrecognized foreign expression, and when it is a well-established compound noun serving as a compound adjective. Let's look at some samples.

If I speak of "a Madison Avenue agency," the capital M and A virtually guarantee that the expression will be quickly grasped as a unit. And if I talk about "a bonafidecontract," the reader will recognize this Latin expression as a unit without the help of a hyphen. By the same token, terms like social security, life insurance, and high school are so well establishe compound nouns that when they are used as adjectives, we immediately grasp such expressions as a unit, without the support of any punctuation.

If no hyphen is needed in "social security benefits," one may well ask why a hyphen is required in "short-term benefits." After all, words like short term and long range are adjective-noun c binations that closely resemble social security, life insurance, and high school. Why hyph some and not others? The reason is this: Words like short term, long range, and high level d have any standing as compound nouns in their own right; they do not represent a concept or an institution (as terms like social security and life insurance do). Therefore, these words r quire a hyphen to hold them together when they occur before a noun.

Once you grasp the difference between social security and short-term as compound adjective you can use these two expressions as touchstones in deciding how to handle other adjectivenoun combinations. With a principle like this in hand, you don't have to engage in profound analysis to resolve the "hyphen problem." Consider a random list of examples such as these: a red letter day a civil service test income tax refund long distance calls

a white collar worker a real estate agent word processing software high level decisions

The expressions civil service, income tax, real estate, and word processing all resemble security, since they stand for well-known concepts or institutions; therefore, as compound adjectives they can all be written without hyphens. However, red-letter, long-distance, wh collar, and high-level are much more like short-term and should have a hyphen.

So much for compound adjectives before the noun. When they occur after the noun, according to the traditional rule, they should not be hyphenated. Yet this traditional formulation is somewhat misleading. If we aren't supposed to hyphenate a "compound adjective" when it foUows a noun, it's for the simple reason that the words in question no longer function as a compound adjective—they are playing a normal role in a normal order. It's one thing to use hyphens in the expression "an up-to-date report," for a prepositional phrase doesn't normally belong before a noun. However, if I said "This report is up to date," there would be no more

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justification for hyphenating here than there would be if I said "This report is in good shape." Both expressions—in good shape and up to date—are prepositional phrases playing a normal role in the predicate. However, if the expression still exhibits an abnormal form or inverted word order in the predicate, it is still a compound adjective—and it must still be hyphenated. For example, whether I speak of "tax-exempt items" or say "these items are tax-exempt," the hyphen must be inserted because regardless of where it appears—before or after the noun—the expression is a compressed version of the phrase "exempt from taxation." There are at least four kinds of compound adjectives that must always be hyphenated after as well as before the noun (because of inverted word order or change of form). These compound adjectives consist of the following patterns: noun + adjective (duty-free) noun + participle pnterest-bearing)

adjective + participle (soft-spoken) adjective + noun + ed (old-fashioned)

Once you learn to recognize these four patterns, you can safely assume that any compound adjective that fits one of these patterns must always be hyphenated, no matter where it falls in a sentence.* Compound terms that are derived from computer technology pose a special problem, because a number of terms often appear in current writing in several ways. Consider, for example, the term e-mail, whether it is used as a noun or as an adjective (as in an e-mail message). This term is now rarely seen spelled as E-mail (its original form), it is still most frequently seen as e-mail (with a hyphen), but it is now increasingly appearing as email (without a hyphen). If you are making a style decision with only this one word in mind, you may very well decide to go with email. However, if you are trying to maintain a unified style for all the terms beginning with e-, you will first have to consider how all the words in this category are now commonly spelled. Once you observe that most of them are spelled with a hyphen (for example, e-business, e-commerce, e-tailing), you will be less likely to drop the hyphen in e-mail until you discern a trend to spell all the e- words as solid words. >• For a detailed discussion of the styling problems that arise with compound computer terms, see 1847. It does no good to pretend that compound adjectives are an easy thing to master. They aren't. And for that very reason people who have to cope with these expressions need more guidance than they get from a simple "hyphenate before but not after" kind of rule. In the final analysis, what becomes of the hyphen over the long run is of little consequence. What does matter is that we express ourselves with precision, verve, and grace. If the hyphen can help us toward that end, why not make use of it? >- For a further discussion of the treatment of compound adjectives, see %f813-832.

There is only one worm in this rosy apple: some of the words that fit these patterns are now acceptably spelled as one word. For example: Normal Pattern

Exception

Normal Pattern

Exception

water-repellent time-consuming

waterproof timeworn

half-baked clear-sighted

halfhearted clearheaded

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The Semicolon; and Other Myths In certain circles that I move in, the fastest way I know to start a quarrel is to attack the semicolon. If I knocked my friends' politics or sneered at their religious beliefs, they would simply smile. But attack their views on the semicolon and they reach for a bread knife. Why this particular mark of punctuation should excite such intense passion escapes me. The semicolon has always been a neurotic creature, continually undergoing an identity crisis. After all, it is half comma and half period, and from its name you would think it is half a colon. It is hardly any wonder, then, that a lot of people are half crazy trying to determine who the semicolon really is and what its mission in life is supposed to be. In the course of this brief essay, I am going to explore three myths that have grown up over the years about the semicolon and about some other marks of punctuation. Myth No. 1: If either clause in a compound sentence contains an internal comma, use a semicolon (not a comma) before the coordinating conjunction that connects the clauses. According to this line of reasoning, it is all right to use a comma in a compound sentence like this: The meeting in Salem has been canceled, but all other meetings will go on as scheduled.

However, if I use commas for a lesser purpose within either clause (for example, by inserting Oregon after Salem and setting it off with commas), then the comma before the conjunction must be upgraded to a semicolon. The meeting in Salem, Oregon, has been canceled; but all other meetings will go on as scheduled.

It is harsh, I concede, to dismiss this rule as a myth when it has been taught for years in various classes and various texts. But the fact is that almost no one punctuates that way anymore. The trouble with using a semicolon in such sentences is that it creates a break that is too strong for the occasion. It closes down the action of the sentence at a point where the writer would like it to keep on going. So contemporary writers see nothing wrong with using commas simultaneously to separate clauses and to perform lesser functions within the clauses—unless, of course, total confusion or misreading is likely to result. But in most cases it doesn't. In the following sentence, commas are used both within clauses and between clauses without any loss of clarity and also without any loss of verbal momentum. On March 14, 2007,1 wrote to your credit manager, Mr. Lopez, but I have not yet heard from him.

This simultaneous use of commas within and between clauses may look offensive to anyone accustomed to the traditional rule. The fact remains that we have been using commas for both purposes in complex sentences all along, and it has never occasioned any comment. Although I wrote to your credit manager, Mr. Lopez, on March 14,2007,1 have not yet heard from him.

It should be clearly understood that the use of a semicolon before the conjunction in a compound sentence is not wrong. If you want a strong break at that point, the semicolon can and should be used. But you ought to know that the reason for using it is the special effect it creates—and not the presence of internal commas. For example: I have tried again and again to explain to George why the transaction had to be kept secret from him; but he won't believe me.

*»For a further discussion of the use of a semicolon in a compound sentence, see 1117

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Myth No. 2: Always use a semicolon before an enumeration or an explanation introduced by for example, namely, or that is. In many cases this rule is quite true, but in other cases either a colon or a comma is better suited to the occasion. Let's look at some examples. There are several things you could do to save your business (?) namely, try to get a loan from the bank, find yourself a partner with good business judgment, or pray that your competitor goes out of business before you do.

If you put a semicolon before namely, you will close the action down just when the sentence is starting to get somewhere. Because the first part of the sentence creates an air of anticipation, because it implicitly promises to reveal several ways of saving the business, you need not a mark that closes the action down but one that supports the air of anticipation. Enter the colon. The colon is one of the underrated stars in the firmament of punctuation. It would be more widely used, perhaps, if its sound effects were better understood. The colon is the mark of anticipation. It is a blare of trumpets before the grand entrance; it is the roll of drums before the dive off the 100-foot tower. It marks the end of the buildup and gets you ready for "the real thing." Thus: There are several things you can do to save your business: namely, try to get a loan . . ,

Consider this example, however: Express numbers in figures when they are accompanied by abbreviations; for example, 4 p.m., 8 ft

The first part of this sample sentence expresses a self-contained thought. If the sentence ended right there, the reader would not be left up in the air. The examples that follow are unexpected, unanticipated, added on almost as an afterthought. We're glad to have them, but they arent anything we were counting on. The semicolon here is quite appropriate; it momentarily closes down the action of the sentence after the main point is expressed. In other situations a comma may be the best mark to use before namely, for example, or that is. Consider this sentence as an example: Do not use quotation marks to enclose an indirect quotation, that is, a restatement of a person's exact words.

In this case, a semicolon would be inappropriate before that is because it would close off the action just as we were about to get a definition of a term within the main clause. Moreover, a colon would be inappropriate because it would imply that the sentence up to that point was a buildup for what follows—and that is not true in this case. Here all that is needed is a simple comma to preserve the close relationship between the term indirect quotation and the explanatory expression that follows it. >For a further discussion of the use of a semicolon with for example, namely, or that is, see 11181-183. Myth No. 3: When a polite request is phrased as a question, end it with a period. This is another statement that does not, unfortunately, always hold true. In fact, once a period is used at the end of some requests, they no longer sound very polite. I once posted the following note in my home: "Will you please close the door." My children knew that this was not really a polite request but a firm parental command. When they chose to ignore it, I amended the sign to read, "Will you please close the door!" (I was relying on the exclamation point to carry the full force

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of my exasperation.) That approach failed too, so I tried a new tack in diplomacy, amending the sign once again: "Will you please close the door?" My children now knew they had broken my spirit. They now sensed in the sign a pleading note, a petitioning tone, the begging of a favor. They also knew that now I was asking them a real yes-or-no question (or at least I was creating the illusion of asking). Then, in the paradoxical way that children have, once they knew they had the chance to say no, they began to answer my question with tacit affirmations, tugging the door after them on the way out or kicking it shut behind them on the way in. My problems with my kids are, of course, my own, but learning how to express and punctuate polite requests tends to be a problem for all of us. Consider, for a moment, the wording of those three signs, alike in all respects except for the final mark of punctuation. The version that ends with a period is really a quiet but nonetheless firm demand. There is no element of a question in it at ali. The voice rises in an arc and then flattens out at the end on a note of resolution. In the version that ends with an exclamation point, the voice rises in a higher arc and resounds with greater intensity and force of feeling, but it, too, comes down at the end—this time with something of a bang. In the final version, the one with the question mark, the voice starts on an upward curve and then trails off, still on an upward note. Three different readings of the same words, each with a different impact on the reader—all evoked by three different punctuation marks at the end. Once you become sensitive to the effects produced by these marks of punctuation, handling polite requests becomes quite simple. All you have to do is say the sentence aloud and listen to the sound of your own voice. If you end the sentence with your voice on an upward note, you know that a question mark is the right punctuation to use. If your voice comes down at the end, you know that you need a period. And if you really feel forceful about it, you probably want an exclamation point. If there is any potential danger in so simple a rule, it is this: we sometimes express our requests oraUy as flat assertions ("Will you please do this for me.") when, as a matter of good taste and good manners, we ought to be asking a question ("Will you please do this for me?"). Now it is true that in the normal course of events we all make demands on one another, and though we tack on a "Will you please" for the sake of politeness, these are stiU demands, not questions. As long as your reader is not likely to consider them presumptuous, it is appropriate to punctuate these demands with periods: Will you please sign both copies of the contract and return the original to me. May I suggest that you confirm the departure time for your flight before you leave for the airport

As opposed to these routine demands, there is the kind of polite request that asks the reader for a special favor. Here, if you really want to be polite, you wili punctuate your request as a question so as to give your reader the chance to say no. May I please see you sometime next week? May I please get an advance copy of the confidential report you are doing? Will you please acknowledge all my correspondence for me while I'm away?

In these cases you are asking for things that the reader may be unable or unwilling to grant; therefore, you ought to pose these requests as questions. (If you try reading them as statements, you wili observe how quickly they change into peremptory demands.) Suppose, however, that these requests were addressed to your subordinates. Under those conditions you would have the right to expect your reader to make the time to see you, to supply you

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with an advance copy of the confidential report, and to handle your mail for you; therefore, you would be justified in ending these sentences with periods. But even when you have this authority over your reader, you ought to consider the alternative of asking. The inspired public official who replaced the "Keep Off the Grass" signs with a simple "PLEASE?" understood people and how they like to be talked to. If a question mark will get faster results or establish a nicer tone, why not use it? >• For a further discussion ofpolite requests, see 1103. There are other myths that one could discuss, but these three are sufficient to permit me to make one central point. Mastery over the rules of punctuation depends to a considerable extent on cultivating a sensitivity to the way a sentence moves and the way it sounds. Punctuating by ear has come to be frowned on—and with much justification—for it has come to mean punctuating solely by feeling, by instinct, by intuition, without much regard for (or knowledge of) the structure of the language and the function of punctuation. Yet the solution, it seems to me, is not to abandon the technique of punctuating by ear but to cultivate it, to develop in yourself a disciplined sense of the relationship between the sound and the structure and the mechanics of language. Many authorities on language, if pressed, have to concede that they often consider first whether a thing sounds right or looks right: only then do they utter a pronouncement as to why it is right. If they rely on their ears for this kind of assurance, then why dont you cultivate the same skill?

Re: Abbrevs. Sensitive environmentalists will tell you that emissions from smokestacks and automobile exhaust pipes are not the only forms of pollution that are potentially deadly to human beings. All about us are forces of depersonalization that continually menace the human touches that have previously graced our lives. Most of us have become reconciled to being numerical entities on computer printouts. Those of us who are old enough to remember those elegant telephone exchanges (PLaza 9, ASpinwall 7) have had to reconcile ourselves to their numerical replacements (759, 277). But new forms of pollutants continually appear on the atmospheric scene. We are beginning to choke—some of us—on the fog of initialisms and abbreviations and "memorable" acronyms that are intended to identify worthwhile examples of human endeavor. One gem is HURRAH (fielp Us geach and Rehabilitate America's handicapped), an instance where a dignified cause is demeaned by a fatuous label, a hollow cheer, an irrelevant salute. Perhaps in self defense I ought to found a group called HELP (#elp Eliminate linguistic Pollution). To put matters in perspective, it may help to think of abbreviations as belonging to the same class of objects as instant coffee and TV dinners. They dont take up much space and they're great when you're in a hurry, but they never have the taste of the real thing. Abbreviations are always appropriate in highly expedient documents (such as invoices, purchase orders, low-level interoffice memos, and routine e-mail messages and other correspondence), where the emphasis is on precise communication of data in the briefest possible space without concern for style or elegance of expression. But in other kinds of writing, where some attention is given to the effect to be made on the reader, a more formal style prevails—and under these circumstances only certain kinds of abbreviations are acceptable.

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Some that are always acceptable, even in the most formal contexts, are those that precede or follow personal names (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Jr., Sr., Ph.D., Esq.), those that are part of an o nization's legal name (Inc., Ltd., Co.), those used in expressions of time (a.m., p.m., PST EDT), and a few miscellaneous expressions (such as .B.C. and AD. or C.E. and-B.CE.).

Those venerable Latin abbreviations etc., i.e., e.g., and the like are usually acceptable, but i writing that as