Academic Disciplines

Do not capitalize names of college studies, fields of study, options, curricula, major areas, major subjects or programs, unless referring to a specific course. (Exception: Capitalize names of languages.) Examples:

• Jill Jones is an English major.
• A professor of geography and earth sciences delivered the lecture.
• I have a history review.
• I’ve signed up for History of Gender Studies with Sally McMillen.

Academic and Administrative Titles

• Capitalize the principal words in a title that appear before an individual’s name. Don’t capitalize a title elsewhere. [Medical Director Chris Roberts, but Chris Roberts, medical director]
• Don’t capitalize titles when used without a name. [The vice president for student affairs is coordinating the project.]

Academic Departments

Capitalize official department names in running text. References using shortened or unofficial names should be lowercase. Examples:

• The Department of Psychology publishes an annual newsletter.
• Michelle Spencer of materials science was promoted to associate professor.
• Faculty members from the biology and math departments are cooperating on this project.

a.m./p.m.

Use the lower case with periods.

Annual

An event cannot be described as annual until it has been held in at least two successive years.

Campus Buildings and Spaces

Alvarez College Union, Knobloch Campus Center Baker Sports Complex Brown Atrium, Alvarez College Union C. Shaw Smith 900 Room, Alvarez College Union Duke Family Performance Hall, Knobloch Campus Center Hance Auditorium, Chambers Building Katherine and Tom Belk Visual Arts Center Lilly Family Gallery, Chambers Building Mariam Cannon-Hayes Amphitheatre Semans Lecture Hall, Belk Visual Arts Center Sprinkle Room, Alvarez College Union Tyler-Tallman Hall, Sloan Music Center

Commas

Do not use serial commas unless necessary for clarity. Example: Sponsored by Alumni Relations, Parent Programs and Admission.

Days/Dates/Months

Do not include the year unless an event overlaps into the next year; always list the day of the week (spelled out) before the date; abbreviate the month when used with a specific date. Examples: The event is Monday, Oct. 7; the exhibit opens in October.

Email and Web Addresses

Do not italicize email or Web addresses. Do not hyphenate email (“email” rather than “e-mail”).

Hyphenation

In general, do not hyphenate words beginning with the prefixes co, non, pre, post or re unless there is a possibility of confusion (co-op, post-master’s) or the root word begins with a capital letter (post-Renaissance, Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program). Do not hyphenate compounds with vice. Example: vice chair, vice president

Italics and Quotation Marks

Italicize names of books, newspapers, magazines, movies, theatre productions, paintings, works of art, works of music. (This rule applies to posters only.)

Job Titles

Capitalize all job titles when used before a name or in lists and programs. (Exception: Do not capitalize such titles in the text when they follow the name.) Examples:

• Jane Smith, president of ABC Corp
• Professor Bob Smith is chair of the Department of Biology

Jr., Sr., III in names

Do not set off with commas. Example: Sammy Davis Jr.; Hank Williams Sr.; Clarence Williams III

Lecture titles

No quotation marks around the formal title. (This rule applies to posters only.)

Logos

All posters require the Davidson College (bar and diamond) logo.

Telephone numbers

The style is hyphens, not periods. Do not use parentheses around the area code. Example: 704-894-2000

Times

Use figures except for noon and midnight. Do not use :00 with a time. Example: 7 p.m. not 7:00 p.m. Do not use a dash in place of “to” in a range of times introduced by “from.” Example: from 5 to 7 p.m., not from 5-7 p.m.

Titles

Do not use courtesy titles (Dr. Joe Smith) to indicate academic degrees.