Use an apostrophe in bachelors degree, a masters, etc. The various degrees are all lowercase when spelled out. General references, such as bachelors, masters or doctoral degree, are not capitalized. Spell out degree names instead of using abbreviations. The ap stylebook does not capitalize professor before a name, apparently not considering it a formal title. Academic degrees editorial style guide purchase college. The associated press stylebook at uams the university of arkansas for medical sciences uams has adopted the associated press ap guidelines for grammar, punctuation and writing style. The associated press stylebook ap recommends no capitals when referring to degrees in general terms bachelor s, masters, doctorate, associate degree but always capitalizing specific degrees bachelor of arts, master of science, whether or not they directly precede or follow a name. There is no possessive in bachelor of arts or master of science note the use of upper case. He graduated with a bachelor of arts in journalism he earned a bachelors degree in english he received a master of science degree in chemistry. Do not capitalize specializations or majors within degrees. The lawrence university style guide incorporates both these sources, as well as some guidelines that are specific to lawrence. Ap spells academic departments and programs in lowercase except for words that are proper nouns or adjectives or when the department name is part of the official and formal name preceded by the university or college. Associated press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon.
Please use this guide and check back for updates when writing media and press releases, and copy for stockton university webpages and publications the stockton times, stockton now ezine, the presidents newsletter, etc. The associated press stylebook ap recommends no capitals when referring to degrees in general terms bachelor s, masters, doctorate, associate degree but always capitalizing specific degrees bachelor of arts, master of science. The associated press stylebook ap recommends no capitals when referring to degrees in general terms bachelors, masters, doctorate. Master of science but masters degree bachelor of arts but bachelors degree doctor of nursing in geriatrics. Acceptable on first reference for stories on campus but spell out the name in the story. Writing center quick reference associate press style guide. Editorial style guide university identity university.
Capitalize and spell out formal titles such as chancellor, chairman, etc. The following formal names of specific degrees should always be capitalized in ap style. The rules of grammar require that we do not capitalize common nouns such as school, house, hospital etc. Capitalize the first word of the titleheading and of any subtitlesubheading. The associated press stylebook ap recommends capitalizing the full names of degrees bachelor of arts, master of political science whether or not they are. Capitalize bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, master of science, etc. The online ap stylebook can only be accessed through a paid subscription and is recommended for use by content creators who regularly contribute to saint josephs website or publications. Academic degrees are capitalized only when the full name of the degree is used, such as bachelor of arts or master of science. The noun university is not capitalized when it stands alone. Northeasterns editorial style for marketing and communications writing adheres to the associated press stylebook for spelling, style, and usage matters that arent covered in the associated press stylebook, please consult websters new world college dictionary.
Editorial style university relations and marketing. Rules for capitalizing academic degrees in ap style bka. Do not capitalize directions unless in an address or as a proper name of a region. Writing style guidelines marketing and public relations. See academic degrees for guidelines on when the abbreviations b. In keeping with contemporary usage outlined in the chicago manual of style, capitalize abbreviated degrees without periods and set off with commas when following a name in running text. The forms bachelors degree, bachelors, masters degree and. Key terms and style northeastern university branding. The associated press stylebook, first published in 1977, clarified the news organizations rules on grammar, spelling, punctuation and usage. There are a few things to keep straight when writing bachelors degree in ap style. Yes, if the first part of a hyphenated word is capitalized, capitalize the second part too e. Ap is in agreement with cmos that the field of study be written in lower case except when it contains a.
Entries address questions that may commonly arise when writing about the university, such as building and place names. Fields of study and capitalization do not capitalize fields of study see clemson university style guide correct. Use the possessive s for bachelors degree and masters degree but not with associate degree. The correct standard form for general reference to these degrees is to use the possessive form of bachelor meaning with the apostrophe and s and to drop the caps, as in she has her masters degree or he has a bachelors in music. Would crew chief and team owner be capitalized before a name. Capitalize the initial letter of each word except articles and conjunctions if three letters or less and italicize. Home ap style ap style academic degrees sometimes it is necessary to establish the credentials of a subject in your text. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, master of arts, master of social work, etc. I have an undergraduate degree in english and a graduate degree in biology. She earned a bachelors degree in biomedical engineering.
Use an apostrophe possessive with bachelors degree and masters degree, but not in bachelor of arts or master of science. The ap style as its known in the trade is quite different from the new york times style or chicago manual of style. He was the fourth generation of johnsons to earn a master of arts in journalism. Use an apostrophe in bachelors degree and masters degree.
It is bachelors degree, masters degree, and doctoral degree. Common grammar and style terms college of charleston. The guidelines are based on the associated press ap stylebook, websters new world dictionary, and local usage. The ap therefore strives to keep its writing style easy to read, concise and free of bias. The associated press style is the goto style for journalism and news writing. Abbreviate and capitalize most titles when they are used directly before a. The guidelines are based on the associated press ap stylebook, websters new. Welcome to ask the editor, a forum on writing, style and phrasing issues that go beyond the pages of the ap stylebook. Bachelor of arts is capitalized as an academic degree, as are b. In cases of conflict, the university of tampa style guide supersedes the ap stylebook and ap supersedes websters. Capitalize any proper nouns and certain other types of words.
Do not use an apostrophe with associate degree or doctoral degree. Dont capitalize the subject area unless it is the formal name of the degree. The 2019 edition of the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law includes more than 200 new or revised entries, with chapters covering data journalism, business, fashion, food, religion and sports terms, as well as media law, news values, punctuation, social media, polls and surveys and a new chapter on health and science. Here is a sampling of frequently asked questions, with examples of ap style used.
Use an apostrophe in bachelors degree and masters degree, but theres no apostrophe when referring to an associate degree. In addition, the chicago manual of style is a secondary source for items not referenced in the associated press stylebook. Capitalize and do not use possessive in bachelor of arts or master of science. The nazareth college style guide will be updated periodically. Ap style states that you should use an apostrophe in bachelors degree and. Writing style guide university of central florida brand. After each bullet, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each item. We also have unique key terms and style points that we return to again and again to tell our story. Also note, an associate degree is not a possessive. Colon capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence. Universities have many buildings, courses, organizations, clubs, programs and titles that often are shortened for casual use, but generally spell them on first reference.
When listing a major or degree program, capitalize only the official diploma title, not the program or concentration unless it includes a proper name. Bachelor of arts, bachelor of science a bachelors degree or bachelors is acceptable in any reference. Ap editor david minthorn fields questions of widest interest posed by subscribers to the online ap stylebook. Capitalize city if part of a proper name, an integral. Why is doctorate in psychology not capped, but bachelor of arts is. As a writer following the associated press stylebook, however, i capitalize. Ap style terms for academic degrees gatehouse newsroom. If youre new to news writing or switching from one to another, youll want to keep this ap cheat sheet handy and. Capitalization of academic degrees grammar and punctuation.
As a descriptive term, doctorate in psychology is lowercase. Apply the following guidelines to the titles of books, computer games, movies, operas, plays, poems. The office of communications uses the associated press stylebook as the preferred reference for the colleges printed and online publications. Formal names of degrees are capitalized, per ap style. There is a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science. Editorial style guide strategic communications the. There are clear guidelines for capitalizing academic degrees in ap style.
The department prefers bullets, but punctuate them per ap style. Use an apostrophe in associates degree, bachelors degree, and masters degree. A bachelors degree or bachelors can be used, but not capitalized. When you need to do this, the ap stylebook prefers you to write out the title of a degree in a phrase and to avoid using an abbreviation. However, when giving the degree a name, then it earns an. Possessives are needed for more general degree descriptions e. Acronyms are capitalized to show they are acronyms, not because the terms that form them are necessarily. The aps standard reference for spelling is websters new. People and human groups under general style preferences. Remember, there is no possessive in bachelor of arts or master of science. What you need to know before you write a bio statement. Correct standard form when abbreviating is to capitalize the main component words and use periods. Spiralbound book, updated each spring 2019 ap stylebook. Capitalize all major words nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns in the titleheading, including the second part of hyphenated major words e.
Use an apostrophe in bachelor s degree and masters degree, but theres no apostrophe when referring to an associate degree. There are three main options for capitalizing chapter and section headings within your dissertation. Hilite pinnacle newspaper photojournalism yearbook 2015. A bachelor s degree or bachelor s is acceptable in any reference. Avoid abbreviations and just write the degree into a sentence john jones, who has a doctorate in psychology there is an apostrophe when you say it like, bachelors, masters, but not when you say bachelor of arts or master of science. Did you know that unc asheville follows associated press style online in most instances. A bachelor s degree or bachelor s can be used, but not capitalized. Now in its sixth edition, the stylebook is the standard style. Lowercase most degree names, except those the ap style book specifies to capitalize. There is no particular degree by the name of bachelors degree. Associated press style guide hometown newsmaker guide.
I have two bachelor degrees, one bachelor of arts and one bachelor of science. A baccalaureate is another name for a bachelor s degree. In text, use bachelors degree or bachelors rather than b. The associated press stylebook ap recommends no capitals when referring to degrees in general terms bachelors, masters, doctorate, associate degree but always capitalizing specific degrees bachelor of arts, master of science. The forms bachelor s degree, bachelor s, masters degree and masters are acceptable as general terms. Ap stylebook does not capitalize the terms masters degree or bachelors degree. Insert only one space after the punctuation at the end of a sentence. These editorial guidelines are based on associated press style, which continues to change. To subscribe to the associated press stylebook online, or to find out about purchasing hard copies of. Rules for capitalizing academic degrees in ap style bka content. Weve complied a list of ap style rules and terms to keep in mind for your graduation coverage.
Do not capitalize a word or phrase just because you are going to turn it into an acronym, such as cognitive behavior therapy cbt. The associated press stylebook provides a uniform presentation of the printed word to make copy written anywhere understandable everywhere. Note that bachelors and masters are possessive, as they are equivalent to saying, the experts degree, and, therefore, require an apostrophe. The colleges deviations from ap style are denoted by an asterisk.
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