Numerals vs. Words - Constant Contact



06159500American College of Healthcare Executives Style Manual2017Last Update: 5/10/2017Table of Contents Ctrl+click a section to jump to it in the manual.About the ACHE Style Manual3A4B6C7D9E11F12G13H13I14 HYPERLINK \l "J" J15K16L16M17N19O20P21Q22R23S23T25U26V26W27Z28Special GuidelinesBroadcast Emails30Capitalization Guidelines32Credential Guidelines35Guidelines for Numbers in Text36Salutation Guidelines—General39Salutation Guidelines—Military40Social Media Guidelines43Word Usage44About the ACHE Style ManualACHE has developed a specified style for written communications and publications. It is based primarily on The Associated Press Stylebook, with modifications to suit the purposes of ACHE’s communications.The main section of the ACHE Style Manual is an alphabetical listing of words and phrases commonly used in ACHE documents, communications, marketing collateral and publications. It provides ACHE’s preferred style in spelling, punctuation and abbreviations. Following the alphabetical entries are separate sections of guidelines for broadcast emails, capitalization, credentials, using numbers in text, military titles, salutations, social media and word usage.Turn to this style manual first to determine ACHE’s preferred style. If the item or topic you’re looking for doesn’t appear in this manual, your next search should be in The Associate Press Stylebook (the 2016edition is the most current version) followed by Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (the 11th edition is the most current at this time, or search the online dictionary at m-). When using the dictionary for spellings, if two spellings are given, in general, use the first spelling.If you have any doubts, don’t hesitate to consult one of these sources or contact a writer or an editor in the Division of Communications & Marketing for guidance or clarification.Please note: This style manual does not apply to Health Administration Press books or journals. The Journal of Healthcare Management follows American Psychological Association style, and Frontiers of Health Services Management follows the Chicago Manual of Style. Consult a HAP editor with any style questions related to books and journals. In addition, Division of Member Services, Research, follows a White Paper Style Guide to format and edit the references and data in the “CEO Circle White Paper.” Consult with Research with any questions related to the White Paper Style Guide. A& (ampersand) Avoid unless it is an official part of an organization’s name, appears in the title of a publication, etc.a.m. Note lowercase and periods. for example, 9 a.m., 9:30 a.m.American College of Healthcare Executives Always capitalized, as shown, and always abbreviated as ACHE, never the College or the ACHE.ACHE CareerEDGE? At first mention, then CareerEDGE without ACHE or the registered trademark symbol (?). This replaces CareerEDGE? (see entry). (ACHE Career Resource Center’s interactive and comprehensive tool for planning and managing your career.)ACHE CareerEDGE SE At first mention, then CareerEDGE SE without ACHE. ACHE CareerEDGE SE is a version of CareerEDGE? specially designed to give Student Associates a strong start to their career. ACHE Interview Prep Tool This name replaces InterviewEDGE (see entry), which has been discontinued. (ACHE Career Resource Center’s interview preparation product.)ACHE Past Chairman Officers Always capitalized, as shown. Always bold (see Graphic Standards for at Y:\ACHE-NET\StandardsAcheDotOrg.htm). Also see the my. entry and the URLs entry.ACHe-learning No longer called Distance Learning.ACHe-news Note lowercase ‘e’, hyphen and italics.acronyms Unless otherwise noted in this style manual via specific acronym entries, acronyms should be spelled out on first reference. The acronym should not follow the spelled out first mention in parentheses. Rather, all subsequent references can use the acronym once it has been spelled out on first mention. for example, On first reference, spell out the New England Journal of Medicine. On all subsequent references, use NEJM. The only exception to this rule would be if there is a large amount of text in between the two, like if the New England Journal of Medicine is mentioned in the first paragraph of a Healthcare Executive feature, but isn’t mentioned again until the end of it, or 1,500 words later. In this instance and similar cases, spell it out again in order to prevent confusion.acute care No hyphen required, e.g., acute care facility.adviser, BUT advisoryAfrican-American Acceptable for an American black person of African descent. Also acceptable is black. The terms are not necessarily interchangeable. People from Caribbean nations, for example, generally refer to themselves as Caribbean-American. Follow a person's preference.afterward Not afterwards.ages While AP’s number guidelines dictate spelling out numbers one through nine, this is not the case for ages. Always use figures for ages, even for young children. Add hyphens when the age is used an adjective, such as “the 9-year-old boy.” Other examples: The girl is 5 years old; the law is 8 years old; the 101-year-old hospital. When the context does not require years or years old, the figure is presumed to be years.Use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun.Ala. (Alabama) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (AL) except in a postal address.Alaska Not abbreviated, except in a postal address (use the postal code AK).Alaska Native In Alaska, the indigenous groups include Aleuts, Eskimos and Indians, collectively known as Alaska Natives.alphabetization of dual surnames If hyphenated, alphabetize by the first surname. If it is not hyphenated, alphabetize by the last surname, treating the first surname or maiden name like a middle name. If known, follow the preference of the person named.alphabetization of lists Letter-by-letter up to the first comma, colon or period encountered. Disregard word spaces and articles and conjunctions (a, an, the, and, but, or, for, nor).alphabetization of numbers List in alpha order as if the number were spelled out.America Avoid; use United States or U.S. instead.American Acceptable when modifying a noun. for example, She recently became an American citizen.American Indian American Indian is acceptable for those in the U.S. Where possible, be precise and use the name of the tribe: He is a Navajo commissioner.American Society of Association Executives Spell out on first mention, ASAE OK on subsequent references.Amsterdam City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Annual Membership Meeting Each word is capitalized.Application for the FACHE? Credential Each word is capitalized and the registered trademark symbol must be used behind FACHE.April Do not abbreviate.Ariz. (Arizona) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (AZ) except in a postal address.Ark. (Arkansas) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (AR) except in a postal address.Asian If possible, refer to the person’s country of origin.Atlanta City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Aug. (August) Abbreviate when appears with date (Aug. 22 or Aug. 22, 2013); do not abbreviate when appears with year alone (August 2013).avenue Abbreviate (Ave.) in postal address.BBA, BS (bachelor of arts, bachelor of science) These degrees and other bachelor’s degrees should not follow a person’s name. ACHE style is to omit any degree other than a doctorate-level degree.bachelor’s degree Note lowercase and possessive.backward Not backwards.Baltimore City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Bangkok City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Beijing City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Berlin City name stands alone; country name not necessary.biannual Twice a year.biennial Every two years.black (race) Acceptable for an American black person of African descent. Also acceptable is African-American. The terms are not necessarily interchangeable. People from Caribbean nations, for example, generally refer to themselves as Caribbean-American. Follow a person's preference.board certified in healthcare management Note lowercase.board-certified (as adjective) Note lowercase and hyphenated.Board of Governors Always spell out on first mention, the Board is acceptable on subsequent references. To avoid overusing, substitute ACHE where appropriate.Board of Governors Examination in Healthcare Management OR Board of Governors Exam OR Exambooks, periodicals, reference works and other types of compositions Italicize the title of books, magazines, newspapers, reports, white papers, lectures and speeches. Note that this is a departure from the AP Stylebook. Use quotation marks around parts of the work, such as a chapter title, magazine department or magazine article headline. Boston City name stands alone; state name not necessary.bottom line/bottomline Two words as a noun, one word as a modifier. Note that this is a departure from the AP Stylebook. boulevard Abbreviate (Blvd.) in postal address.Britain Acceptable in all references for Great Britain (consists of England, Scotland and Wales).British Columbia Not abbreviated.Brussels City name stands alone; country name not -suite Always capitalize the ‘C’.Calif. (California) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (CA) except in a postal address.capitalization Please see the Capitalization section at the end of the manual.Career Resource Center An ACHE service provided by the Division of Professional Development.CareerEDGE? Use ACHE CareerEDGE? (see entry) at first mention, then CareerEDGE without ACHE or the registered trademark symbol (?). CareerEDGE SE Use ACHE CareerEDGE SE (see entry) at first mention, then CareerEDGE SE without ACHE. caregiver One word.catalog Not catalogue.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Please spell out as shown on first mention (note ampersand) on first reference. CMS is OK on subsequent references. Plural: CMS’Central time Also Eastern time, Mountain time, Pacific time. Never capitalize time. Never include the words “standard” or “daylight” before “time,” because materials may be reprinted and/or distributed during different times of the year.CEO (chief executive officer) No need to spell out at its first mention.CFO (chief financial officer) No need to spell out at its first mention.Chairman of the ACHE Board of Governors Always capitalized. Never chair, chairperson or chairwoman. Chairman of an ACHE committee or task force, or of another organization’s board or unit Only capitalized if it precedes the person’s name. Never chair, chairperson or chairwoman.Chairman-Elect of the ACHE Board of Governors Always capitalized.Chairman Officers of the ACHE Board of Governors Always capitalized.chapter An ACHE chapter (lowercase) BUT Central Illinois Chapter of ACHE.ChapterLink . . . Where Leaders Connect? Portal for ACHE chapters. Use phrase as shown at every mention.Chicago City name stands alone; state name not necessary.childcareCincinnati City name stands alone; state name not necessary.CIO (chief information officer) No need to spell out at its first mention.cities The following major U.S. cities can stand alone. Do not list its state abbreviation afterward: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Fransisco, Seattle, WashingtonCleveland City name stands alone; state name not necessary.cluster cluster brochure, cluster program, etc., BUT New Orleans Cluster CMO (chief medical officer) No need to spell out at its first mention.CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) See Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services entry O (chief nursing officer) No need to spell out at its first mention.co-sponsor Always hyphenated.co-worker Always hyphenated.Code of Ethics (of ACHE)Colo. (Colorado) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (CO) except in a postal mittee An ACHE committee, BUT the Employee Activity Committeecomposition titles Italicize publications, for example, Healthcare Executive, Consumer Reports. This differs from AP Style. congressional Note lowercase.Congress on Healthcare Leadership Always use full name on first reference, Congress is OK for subsequent references.Conn. (Connecticut) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (CT) except in a postal address.Convocation Ceremony or ConvocationCOO (chief operating officer) No need to spell out at its first mention.Corporate Partners Referred to as Premier Corporate Partners. Exceptions to ACHE’s abbreviation rules will be made for the names of Corporate Partners, for example, Johnson Controls, Inc. (with comma). Consult with the Development or an editor in the Division of Communications & Marketing with any questionscorporate partnerships (plural) Lowercase when referring to general partnerships.Council of Regents meeting Council of Regents is capitalized. However, meeting is not.CPA (certified public accountant)credentialed, credentialing One ‘l’ in both cases.credentials/degrees following a name See degrees/credentials following a name entry.CT (computed tomography) No need to spell out at its first mention.DDallas City name stands alone; state name not necessary.dash (–) Do not insert a space before or after.data A plural noun that typically takes plural verbs and pronouns, but may take singular verbs and pronouns if it referred to as a unit rather than individual items. for example, The data were gathered from the patient’s electronic health record. (individual items) / The data is sound. (a unit)data set Two words.databank One word.database One word.DBA (doctor of business administration)DDS (doctor of dental surgery)Dec. (December) Abbreviate when appears with date (Dec. 22 or Dec. 22, 2013); do not abbreviate when appears with year alone (December 2013)decision maker, decision making Two words when used as a noun, for example, “The CEO is the final decision maker in this matter.”decision-making One word, hyphenated, when used as an adjective, for example, “Excellent decision-making skills are essential to being a successful healthcare leader.”degrees/credentials following a name Degrees/credentials should appear with the person’s complete name at first mention. ACHE does not use periods when abbreviating degrees. ACHE only lists doctoral level degrees and other applicable credentials. List doctoral degrees (if any) immediately following the name, then the credentials follow the degree(s) with FACHE listed first if the person is a Fellow. for example, Thomas C. Dolan, PhD, FACHE, FASAE. See Credential Guidelines for more details. Del. (Delaware) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (DE) except in a postal address.Denver City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Detroit City name stands alone; state name not necessary.District 1, District 2, etc. ACHE governance structure, Districts 1–6.District of Columbia When stands alone, not abbreviated; when used in an address, abbreviate as DC.DO (doctor of osteopathy)DPA (doctor of public administration)DrPH (doctor of public health)DSW (doctor of social work or doctor of social welfare)Dublin City name stands alone; country name not necessary.during Use “during” instead of “over” (“During the past six years, …”).Ee.g. Latin for “for example.” Always followed by a comma.East Coast (region of the United States)Eastern time Also Central time, Mountain time, Pacific time. Never capitalize time. Never include the words “standard” or “daylight” before time, simply because materials may be reprinted and/or distributed during different times of the year.ED (emergency department) No need to spell out at its first mention.EdD (doctor of education)editions of books Spell out number of edition and capitalize, for example, Second Edition.EHR (electronic health record) EHR is the preferred over EMR because its definition includes the ability to exchange information interoperably while EMR does not necessarily have that ability. No need to spell out at its first mention. When Word auto-corrects from “EHR" to “HER”; set auto-correct rule to “stop auto-correcting to her.” eldercare One word.em dash (—) Used to signal a break in thought in text. Do not insert a space before or after.Specific uses to ACHE: used in chapter names and region names within Council of Regents districts.email Not e-mail.EMR (electronic medical record) Avoid; use EHR, unless in a proper title.en dash (–) Slightly shorter than the em dash; used to signify number ranges, for example, pages 16–20. Do not insert a space before or after.ER (emergency room) No need to spell out at its first mention.Ethical Policy Statements (of ACHE)ex- (as a prefix) Avoid; use former instead.Exam Capitalize when referring to the Board of Governors Exam, even when it stands alone.FFace-to-Face Education creditFACHE (Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives) FACHE? at first mention unless following a Fellow’s name as a credential.FACHE? (Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives)Faculty Associate Always capitalized.fax Never facsimile.Feb. (February) Abbreviate when appears with date (Feb. 22 or Feb. 22, 2013); do not abbreviate when appears with year alone (February 2013).Fellow of ACHE, always capitalized. for example, “board certified in healthcare management as an ACHE Fellow.”Fellow application Lowercase “application.”fiscal year Always lower case and indicate when it starts and ends, for example, “Expenses are down $40 million (adjusted for volume) in the second quarter of the fiscal year, which begins Nov. 1 and ends Oct. 31, compared with the same time period last year.” Can use FY followed by the year on all subsequent references, for example, FY 2015. Fla. (Florida) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (FL) except in a postal address.flier Never flyer.forward Not forwards.Foundation of ACHE (Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives)front line Two words when used as a noun, for example, “The front line is adequately staffed for that type of situation.”front-line One word, hyphenated, when used as an adjective, for example, “The front-line team was debriefed on the new inpatient policy.”Frontiers of Health Services Management (a quarterly journal published by ACHE/Health Administration Press)Fund for Innovation in Healthcare Leadership (a Foundation of ACHE philanthropic organization) Fund (note capital ‘F’) OK on subsequent references.fundraiser, fundraising Both one word.GGa. (Georgia) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (GA) except in a postal address.GDP (gross domestic product) No need to spell out on first mention.Geneva City name stands alone; country name not ernor of the ACHE Board of Governors. Always capitalized.HHAP (Health Administration Press)Havana City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Hawaii Not abbreviated, except in a postal address (use the postal code HI).HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Providers and Systems) A nationally standardized survey developed by CMS and AHRQ for measuring how patients perceive the care they receive in hospitals. The survey is intended to inform hospital managers and caregivers, among others, what patients think of their hospital care. No need to spell out on first mention.healthcare Always one word, unless appears as part of a proper name or title that uses the two-word form.Healthcare Executive ACHE member magazine, published bimonthly by the Division of Communications and Marketing.healthcare field Try to avoid healthcare industry.healthcare reform Not health reform.health system Not healthcare system. Appears in bold type, with the first letter of each word capitalized as shown.Helsinki City name stands alone; country name not necessary.HFACHE (Honorary Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives)HHS United States Department of Health and Human Services on first reference, HHS OK on subsequent references. Plural: HHS’Hispanic ACHE prefers Latino/Latina (see entry).home page Not homepage.Hong Kong City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Honolulu City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Honorary Fellow Always capitalized.Houston City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Ii.e. Latin for “that is.” Always followed by a comma.ICU (intensive care unit) No need to spell out at its first mention.Idaho Not abbreviated, except in an address, using the postal code ID.Ill. (Illinois) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (IL) except in a postal address.Immediate Past Chairman of the ACHE Board of Governors. Always capitalized.impact, impacted (verb) Avoid this usage; use affect, affected.Inc. (Incorporated) Not preceded by a comma when following a company name. Only exceptions are Premier Corporate Partners, e.g., Johnson Controls, Inc.Ind. (Indiana) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (IN) except in a postal address.Indianapolis City name stands alone; state name not necessary.In order to: Use “to” rather than “in order to.”International Associate Always capitalized.Internet Always capitalized. The Internet is a decentralized, worldwide network of computers that can communicate with each other. The World Wide Web, like email, is a subset of the Internet. They are not synonymous and should not be used interchangeably.InterviewEDGE This name for the ACHE Interview Prep Tool has been discontinued; use ACHE Interview Prep Tool (see entry) when referring to the ACHE Career Resource Center’s interview preparation product.intranet A private network inside a company or organization, only for internal use. Always lowercase. Iowa Not abbreviated, except in an address, using the postal code IA.IT (information technology) No need to spell out at its first mention.its Does not take an apostrophe unless the word can be replaced with it is. for example, one would not say, “I am applying for admission to it is dentistry program.” JJan. (January) Abbreviate when appears with date (Jan. 22 or Jan. 22, 2013); do not abbreviate when appears with year alone (January 2013).JD (juris doctor)Job and Resume Bank This name has been discontinued; use Job Center (see entry) when referring to an ACHE service provided by the Career Resource Center, Division of Professional Development.Job Center (An ACHE service provided by the Career Resource Center, Division of Professional Development.)The Joint Commission Always capitalize each word, including the.Journal of Healthcare Management (the official journal of ACHE, published by Health Administration Press)Jr. Not preceded by a comma.July Do not abbreviate.June Do not abbreviate.KKan. (Kansas) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (KS) except in a postal address.Ky. (Kentucky) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (KY) except in a postal address.LLa. (Louisiana) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (LA) except in a postal address.Las Vegas City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Latino/Latina ACHE prefers over Hispanic. Preferred term for a person from—or whose ancestors were from—a Spanish-speaking land or culture or from Latin America. Use a more specific identification when possible, such as Cuban, Puerto Rican, Brazilian or Mexican-American. Leader-to-Leader ProgramLeadership Development ProgramLean Capitalize when referring to the efficient production process: Lean, Lean manufacturing, Lean production, etc.LFACHE (Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives)LGBT Acceptable on first reference for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. Should be spelled out in body of the story. In quotations and the formal names of organizations and events, LGBTQ is also acceptable. "Q" can stand for "questioning," "queer" or both.Life Fellow Always capitalized. Abbreviated as LFACHE. Deceased Life Fellows become Fellows (FACHE) upon their death.lists In general, introduce vertical (bulleted or numbered) lists by using a colon. Items in vertical lists should not have ending punctuation unless one or more items contain a complete sentence. Items in any type of list (in-line or vertical) should be parallel in tense and structure; consult with a DoCM editor or writer for any questions related to this rule.Live Chat ACHE is no longer pushing the Live Chat option for contacting customer service. All material referencing Live Chat should be changed to the following language: “For any questions, contact our Customer Service Center at (312) 424-9400 Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Central time or email contact@.”LLC Not preceded by a comma when following a company name, unless that is the preference of one of ACHE’s Premier Corporate Partners, for example, see Inc. entry.LLD (doctor of laws)login One word in noun form, for example, What email address do you use for your login?log in Two words in verb form, for example, I log in to my computer every morning.London City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Los Angeles City name stands alone; state name not necessary.MMadrid City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Maine Not abbreviated, except in an address, using the postal code ME.March Do not abbreviate.margins (ACHE letterhead) Use Word template “ACHE Letterhead Template.”Mass. (Massachusetts) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (MA) except in a postal address.master’s degreeMay Do not abbreviate.MBA, MA (master of business administration degree, master of arts degree) These degrees and other master’s degrees should not follow a person’s name. ACHE style is to omit any degree other than a doctoral level degree.MD (doctor of medicine)Md. (Maryland) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (MD) except in a postal address.meaningful use Lowercase when referring to general meaningful use of EHRsmember Use when referring to the collective body of people who belong to ACHE. Do not use former term, affiliate.Member Capitalize when referring to the category of ACHE membership. for example, “Members and Fellows are invited to attend…” Do not use former term, Affiliate.Member Directory or online Member DirectoryMembers-Only area (of )mentee Not protégé.Mexico City City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Miami City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Mich. (Michigan) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (MI) except in a postal address.Middle East (region of the world)Midwest (region of the United States)Milan City name stands alone; country name not necessary.military titles Please see the Military Titles section at the end of the manual.Milwaukee City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Minn. (Minnesota) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (MN) except in a postal address.Minneapolis City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Miss. (Mississippi) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (MS) except in a postal address.Mo. (Missouri) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (MO) except in a postal address.Mont. (Montana) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (MT) except in a postal address.months When used with complete date, abbreviate the following: Jan. Feb. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Otherwise, spell out.Montreal City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Mountain time Also Central time, Eastern time, Pacific time. Never capitalize time. Never include the words “standard” or “daylight” before time, simply because materials may be reprinted and/or distributed during different times of the year.MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) No need to spell out at its first mention.MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) No need to spell out at its first mention.my. Always bold.myriad Not followed by the word of.Nnames Always use a person’s first and last name the first time they are mentioned. Only use last names on subsequent mentions.National News A quarterly ACHE newsletter containing brief articles chapters may incorporate in their newsletters.N.C. (North Carolina) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (NC) except in a postal address.N.D. (North Dakota) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (ND) except in a postal address.N.H. (New Hampshire) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (NH) except in a postal address.N.J. (New Jersey) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (NJ) except in a postal address.N.M. (New Mexico) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (NM) except in a postal address.N.Y. (New York) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (NY) except in a postal address.Neb. (Nebraska) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (NE) except in a postal address.Nev. (Nevada) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (NV) except in a postal address.New Orleans City name stands alone; state name not necessary.New Delhi City name stands alone; country name not necessary.New York City name stands alone; state name not necessary.nonhealthcare Always one word.nonmember Always one word and lowercase.nonphysician executive Always one word and lowercase.nonprofit Not non-profit. Use what organization in question uses re: nonprofit vs. not-for-profit. If unclear, default to nonprofit.North (region in the United States)Northwest (region in the United States)not-for-profit Differs from nonprofit. Use what organization in question uses re: nonprofit vs. not-for-profit. If unclear, default to nonprofit.Nov. (November) Abbreviate when appears with date (Nov. 22 or Nov. 22, 2013); do not abbreviate when appears with year alone (November 2013).numbers Please see the Guidelines for Usage of Numbers section at the end of the manual.OOct. (October) Abbreviate when appears with date (Oct. 22 or Oct. 22, 2013); do not abbreviate when appears with year alone (October 2013).OD (optometric doctor)Ohio Not abbreviated, except in an address, using the postal code OH.Okla. (Oklahoma) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (OK) except in a postal address.Oklahoma City City name stands alone; state name not necessary.off-site Both as an adjective and adverb.on-site Both as an adjective and adverb.onboarding One word.online One word.online seminar Two words, not hyphenated.OR (operating room) No need to spell out at its first mention.Ore. (Oregon) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (OR) except in a postal address.Pp.m. Note lowercase and periods. for example, 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m.Pa. (Pennsylvania) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (PA) except in a postal address.Pacific time Also Central time, Eastern time, Mountain time. Never capitalize time. Never include the words “standard” or “daylight” before time, simply because materials may be reprinted and/or distributed during different times of the year.Paris City name stands alone; country name not necessary.past, not last: Use past over last in most instances.Past Chairman Officer(s) of ACHE’s Board of Governors. Always capitalized.payer Never payor.PCP Spell out primary care physician on first reference. PCP OK on subsequent references.percent Always spell out percent, even when it appears behind a numeral. Do not use the percent symbol (%).PharmD (doctor of pharmacy)PhD (doctor of philosophy)Philadelphia City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Phoenix City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Pittsburgh City name stands alone; state name not necessary.policy-maker, policy-making Note that this is a departure from the AP Stylebook. Policy Statements (of ACHE)postcard One word.Prague City name stands alone; country name not necessary.prefixes Generally do not take a hyphen when linked to a root word—exceptions:co-editorpost-acutere-covermid-April co-sponsorpost-baccalaureatere-createpre-1914 co-workerpro-democracyre-signPremier Corporate Partners ACHE’s corporate partners are always referred to as Premier Corporate Partners. Exceptions to ACHE’s abbreviation rules will be made for the names of Corporate Partnersfor example, Johnson Controls, Inc. (with comma). Consult with Development or an editor in Communications and Marketing with any questions.preventive Not preventative.primary care physician Spell out on first reference. PCP OK on subsequent references.program An ACHE program BUT the Leader-to-Leader Program. provider: Provider can apply to hospitals, health systems, and physicians and their practices, but use this term sparingly, as some members of our audience associate this word only with physicians.publication titles Italicize publications, for example, Healthcare Executive, Consumer Reports. This differs from AP Style.Puerto Rico Not abbreviated.punctuation Punctuation following bold or italic text is plain. Refer to the Punctuation Guide section of the AP Stylebook for guidance on using punctuation.QQualified Education creditQuebec City City name stands alone; country name not necessary.quotations May not be altered unless the alteration is made evident by use of ellipses…where text is omitted or [brackets] where text is added or replaced.RR.I. (Rhode Island) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (RI) except in a postal address.Reference Manual for the Board of Governors Examination in Healthcare ManagementRegent Always capitalized.Regent-at-Large Always capitalized. Regents-at-Large (plural).Regents Advisory CouncilRegent’s AwardRegents Leadership Conference No apostrophe in Regents.Regent’s Message The portion of a chapter newsletter supplied to the chapter by the Regent.resume Does not take accents.Resume Bank (An ACHE service provided by the Healthcare Executive Career Resource Center, Division of Professional Development)Retired Fellow [FACHE(R)] Always capitalized.revenue Singular form is preferable in most uses.RN (registered nurse)road Abbreviate (Rd.) in postal address.roadblock One word.road map Two words.ROI Return on investment, no need to spell out at its first mention.Rome City name stands alone; country name not necessary.SS.C. (South Carolina) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (SC) except in a postal address.S.D. (South Dakota) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (SD) except in a postal address.Saint Usually abbreviate to St. in names of organizations and cities. See the AP Stylebook for exceptionsSalt Lake City City name stands alone; state name not necessary.salutations Please see the Salutation Guidelines—General section at the end of the manual.San Antonio City name stands alone; state name not necessary.San Diego City name stands alone; state name not necessary.San Francisco City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Sao Paulo City name stands alone; country name not necessary.satellite broadcast Two words.ScD (doctor of science)seasons Seasons—winter, spring, fall and summer—are always lowercase.Seattle City name stands alone; state name not necessary.Self-Study Program, BUT self-study coursesseminar One word.Sept. (September) Abbreviate when appears with date (Sept. 22 or Sept. 22, 2013); do not abbreviate when appears with year alone (September 2013).Shanghai City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Singapore City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Six Sigma Two words, always capitalized.skill set This is the style preferred by AP.socioeconomic One word.South (region in the United States)Southern Hemisphere Two words, always capitalized. Southwest (region in the United States)Sr. (senior) Not preceded by a comma.St. Louis City name stands alone; state name not necessary.staff Takes singular verb. For plural usage, consider changing to staff members.state names Spell out complete state name unless preceded by a city name. See also individual state names.Stockholm City name stands alone; country name not necessary.street Abbreviate (St.) in postal address.Student Associate Always capitalized.Sydney City name stands alone; country name not necessary.TTenn. (Tennessee) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (TN) except in a postal address.Texas Not abbreviated, except in an address, using the postal code TX.times For on the hour times, truncate the :00, for example, 9 a.m. All other times will have the minutes after the hour, for example, 9:15 a.m. Only exception is agenda and calendars in order to give them a consistent look and feel.time frame Two words.timeline One word.Tokyo City name stands alone; country name not necessary.toolkit One word.Toronto City name stands alone; country name not necessary.toward Not towards.trans The shorter form of transgender could be used in a direct quote or enclosed in quotes in an attributed indirect quote, except in the LGBT Newsletter, where trans is acceptable on second reference following transgender. trans man The AP Stylebook recommends using two words, not transman or trans-man. trans woman The AP Stylebook recommends using two words, not transwoman or trans-woman. transgender Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth. If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly. When referring to groups, the AP Stylebook recommends referring to transgender men and women, or people. transgender persons transsexual Use transgender to describe individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth. Triple Aim Always capitalized. UU.S. No need to spell out at its first mention. Acceptable as a noun and adjective. Preferred over America.United States United States and U.S. are both acceptable, regardless of first or subsequent reference. Preferred over America.United States Department of Health and Human Services Spell out on first reference, HHS OK on subsequent references. Plural: HHS’underway One word in all uses.upward Not upwards, BUT upwards of is correct usageURLs For ACHE Web pages, either capitalize the first letter or, if an abbreviation, capitalize all letters following the slash in for Seminarsfor FACHEusername Lowercase and one word, e.g., Please log in with your username and password.Utah Not abbreviated, except in an address, using the postal code UT.VVa. (Virginia) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (VA) except in a postal address.videotape One word.Vienna City name stands alone; country name not necessary.Vt. (Vermont) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (VT) except in a postal address.WW.Va. (West Virginia) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (WV) except in a postal address. No space between two parts.Wash. (Washington) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (WA) except in a postal address.Washington, D.C. Always spelled out. See also District of Columbia entry.Web Short form of World Wide Web. Web is acceptable on first mention. It is a service, or set of standards, that enables the publishing of multimedia documents on the Internet. The Web is not the same as the Internet, but is a subset; other applications, such as email, exist on the Internet. Also, website, webcam, webcast and webmaster. But as a short form and in terms with separate words, the Web, Web page and Web feed.Web page Not webpage.webinar One word and lowercase.webmaster One word and lowercase.website One word and lowercase. well-being One word, hyphenated.West Coast (region of the United States)while: Use “although” in most instances rather than “while.”white (race) Preferred over Caucasian.-wide Close up to preceding root word (no hyphen), for example, organizationwide, communitywide, industrywideWis. (Wisconsin) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (WI) except in a postal address.word usage Please see the Word Usage Guidelines section at the end of the manual.workflow One word.workforce One word.workplace One word.Wyo. (Wyoming) Abbreviate when preceded by a city name; do not use postal code (WY) except in a postal address.ZZIP code ZIP is always capitalzied, while code is lowercase.Zurich City name stands alone; country name not necessary.SPECIAL GUIDELINE SECTIONSBroadcast EmailsCapitalization GuidelinesComma GuidelinesCredential GuidelinesGuidelines for Using Numbers in TextCredential GuidelinesSalutation Guidelines—General Salutation Guidelines—Military TitlesSocial Media GuidelinesWord Usage GuidelinesBroadcast EmailsUse (in bold) for any ACHE web address included in an email.Always include the appropriate boilerplate at the end of any broadcast email, as follows.For general broadcast emails:*****This email was sent from the American College of Healthcare Executives, 1 North Franklin Street, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60606-3529. For promotional emails:ACHE now uses very specific opt-out language for promotional emails. Cluster email example (highlighted items are the variables that change depending on type of promotional email):******If you would prefer not to receive news and information about ACHE Clusters via email, please send a message to contact@ and enter “remove clusters” in the subject line. Please include your full name, mailing address and member ID number (if known).*****This email was sent from the American College of Healthcare Executives, 1 North Franklin Street, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60606-3529.For newsletters:*****If you would prefer not to receive [name of newsletter], please send an email to [appropriate email address]@ and enter “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Please include your full name, mailing address and member ID number (if known).*****This email was sent from the American College of Healthcare Executives, 1 North Franklin Street, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60606-3529. If the email newsletter contains links to the websites of other organizations, also include the following disclaimer:*****Although this newsletter includes links providing direct access to other Internet sites, ACHE has not participated in their development and does not monitor or exert any editorial control over these sites.Capitalization GuidelinesPer AP Style, in general, avoid unnecessary capital letters. No caps unless the word appears at the beginning of a sentence or is a proper noun, proper name or popular name (for example, the South Side of Chicago, the Badlands, the Derby)Review the guidelines that follow for ACHE preferences.If in doubt, leave it lowercase. The editors/writers of DoCM will be happy to provide guidance on specific issues of capitalization.Chapters, Committees, Task Forces, etc.Capitalize the words chapter, committee, task force and so on only if they are part of a proper name:for example, Patrick J. Brilliantes is president of the Great Lakes Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives.Otherwise:for example, ACHE has more than 80 independent chapters.Job/Position TitlesFor ACHE-related titles, please see specific title as listed in the alphabetical section of this manual.Capitalize the title only if it precedes the person’s name:for example, The award was presented by Executive Director Coral T. Andrews, FACHE.Otherwise:for example, The award was presented by Coral T. Andrews, FACHE, executive director.Program TitlesCapitalize the names of specific ACHE events or programs but not general references.Annual Membership MeetingCongress on Healthcare Leadership or CongressConvocation Ceremony or ConvocationCouncil of Regents MeetingLeader-to-Leader ProgramSanta Fe ClusterBUTACHE programsACHE seminarsACHE clustersPublication TitlesCapitalize the principle words, including the first and last word of the title Capitalize any prepositions that are four letters or longer (for example, “from,” “beyond,” “with”)Capitalize the first word following a colon, but not following an em dash (—)Capitalize, and enclose in quotation marks, the titles of ACHE’s Ethical Policy Statements and Policy Statements, for example, “Responsibility for Mentoring”Comma GuidelinesUse commas after prepositional phrases. However, avoid the use of a comma after short phrases (two or three words).Use a comma before “such as” only if it’s part of a restrictive clause:Yes: The Grade 5 class studied ancient cultures,?such as Greece and Rome,?before they studied different forms of government.No: There are many different types of coniferous trees such as pine and spruce.Credential GuidelinesWhen listing credentials behind an individual, always list the doctoral level degree first, if applicable. Doctoral level degrees include DBA, DrPH, JD, OD, MD, PhD and PsyD. Secondly, list other educational attainments below the doctoral level, if applicable. ACHE does not list master’s degrees. An example in this category would be RN.Lastly, list fellowships and other certifications. Always list the FACHE credential first, if applicable (or FACHE(R), LFACHE, HFACHE). Then, list other applicable credentials in alphabetical order:CAECENPCHCCPACPHQFACEPFACPFACPEFASAEFCCPFHFMAFHIMSSNEA-BCfor example: Frank D. Byrne, MD, FACHE, FACP, FACPE, FCCPPlease note that this is not a complete list and additional credentials (with the exception of master’s degrees) will be considered based on the circumstances. Contact an editor or writer in the Division of Communications & Marketing with specific questions on listing credentials.Guidelines for Using Numbers in TextNumerals vs. WordsIn general, spell out numbers zero through nine; use numerals for numbers 10 and up.five patients80-year-old womansix-year-old facility 14 nursing studentsninth century20th centurysixth annual convention82nd CongressNote: Do not use superscript letters (rd, nd, th) with ordinal numbers.56th Congress on Healthcare Leadership, not 56th Congress on Healthcare LeadershipException: Numbers that appear before credits (such as ACHE Face-to-Face Education credits) are expressed as a numeral, even under 10. To express very large figures, use numerals or use numerals with million and billion1,382,250 citizens (for an exact amount)1.4 million citizens (for an approximation)1 millionFractionsthree-quarters of an inchone-half gallonone-third of the attendees11? inches8? gallonsDo not begin a sentence with a numeral. Spell out the number or rewrite the sentence.Sixty-three patients and 18 hospital staff members were treated for injuries suffered as a result of the fire.Many people were treated for injuries suffered as a result of the fire, including 63 patients and 18 hospital staff members. Physical Quantities and PercentagesUse numerals to express dimensions, degrees, distances, weights, percentages and measures of any amount. Spell out the measures in text; do not use symbols, for example, 50 degrees, 25 percent.60 pounds20 or 30 miles6 cubic feetfrom 6 percent to 10 percent0.257 percent2.5 million tonsMoneyUse numerals to express amounts of money. For sums less than one dollar, spell out the word cents.$2.5 million$2 million(not $2.0 million)$50 fine 50 centsNote: Do not spell out dollars ($3 million dollars is redundant and incorrect).Dates and TimesDecadesthe 1990s(not the 1990’s)See also the Decades entry under Numbers and Punctuation later in this sectionRange of yearsfrom 1960 to 1965(not from 1960–1965)between 1960 and 1965(not between 1960 to 1965)the years 2000–20102004 and 2005 (for a two-year period)Note: All numeric ranges take an en dash (–), not a hyphen (-).Time periodsDo not use :00 for on the hour times. Only exception is agenda and calendars in order to give them a consistent look and feel.6 p.m.9:15 a.m.12 a.m. (do not use noon or midnight)12 p.m.Numbers and Punctuation248793087630This mark is intended to represent an apostrophe. When Word auto-corrects to an opening single quote mark, go to Symbol -> More Symbols -> Special Characters and select the single closing quote mark.00This mark is intended to represent an apostrophe. When Word auto-corrects to an opening single quote mark, go to Symbol -> More Symbols -> Special Characters and select the single closing quote mark.Decadesthe 1990sthe 2000s16129002871the mid-1930sthe ’60sNumbers of four or more digits10,000 poundsbut10136 Sunset Blvd.$360,000butlicense plate RC 29155,280 feetbutthe year 2000Telephone numbers(312) 424-2800Salutation Guidelines—General In ACHE communications, salutations should use a colon rather than a comma, e.g. Dear Ms. Bowen:Note: A prefix takes precedence over a suffix in a salutation. For example, if a captain of the Army is also an MD, his or her salutation would be “Dear Captain Smith,” not “Dear Dr. Smith.”Note: Include Mr., Mrs. or Ms. in the salutation of a letter but not in the address block.Prefix/SuffixSalutationBrotherDear Brother JohnSisterDear Sister MaryPriestDear Reverend SmithRabbiDear Rabbi SmithBishopDear Bishop SmithDrPh, DSc, DC, DPM, PsyD, DO, MD, ThD, EdD, PhD, ScD, DBA, DHS, DMD, DSW, DDS, DPA, DVM, DPH, PharmD, DHA, ODDear Dr. Smith RNDear Mr. Smith/Dear Ms. SmithJD Dear Mr. Smith/Dear Ms. SmithJr., Sr., II, III, IV, V, VIDear Mr. SmithPolitical/judicial office titlesPrefix/SuffixExampleSenatorSen. Edward M. KennedySenator KennedyRepresentativeRep. Colleen HanabusaRepresentative HanabusaPresident (of the United States)President Barack H. Obama(President never abbreviated)Justice (of the U.S. Supreme Court)Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.(Justice never abbreviated)Salutation Guidelines—Military TitlesAir ForcePrefixTitleSalutationGenGeneralDear General SmithLt GenLieutenant GeneralDear General SmithMaj GenMajor GeneralDear General SmithBrig GenBrigadier GeneralDear General SmithColColonelDear Colonel SmithLt ColLieutenant ColonelDear Colonel SmithCaptCaptainDear Captain SmithMajMajor Dear Major Smith1st Lt.First LieutenantDear Lieutenant Smith2nd Lt.Second LieutenantDear Lieutenant SmithCMSAFChief Master Sergeant of the Air ForceDear Chief SmithCMSgtChief Master SergeantDear Chief SmithSMSgtSenior Master SergeantDear Sergeant SmithMSgtMaster SergeantDear Sergeant SmithTSgtTechnical SergeantDear Sergeant SmithSSgtStaff SergeantDear Sergeant SmithSrASenior AirmanDear Airman SmithA1CAirman First ClassDear Airman SmithAmnAirmanDear Airman SmithArmyPrefixTitleSalutationGENGeneralDear General SmithMGMajor GeneralDear General SmithLTGLieutenant General Dear General SmithBGBrigadier GeneralDear General SmithCOLColonelDear Colonel SmithLTCLieutenant ColonelDear Colonel SmithMAJMajorDear Major SmithCPTCaptainDear Captain Smith1LTFirst LieutenantDear Lieutenant Smith2LTSecond LieutenantDear Lieutenant SmithCW5Chief Warrant Officer FiveDear Chief SmithCW4Chief Warrant Officer FourDear Chief SmithCW3Chief Warrant Officer ThreeDear Chief SmithCW2Chief Warrant Officer TwoDear Chief SmithWO1Warrant OfficerDear Mr./Ms. SmithSMASergeant Major of the ArmyDear Sergeant Major SmithCSMCommand Sergeant MajorDear Command Sergeant Major SmithSGM Sergeant MajorDear Sergeant Major Smith1SGFirst SergeantDear First Sergeant SmithMSGMaster SergeantDear Master Sergeant SmithSFCSergeant First ClassDear Sergeant SmithSSGStaff Sergeant Dear Sergeant SmithSGTSergeant Dear Sergeant SmithCPLCorporalDear Corporal SmithSPCSpecialistDear Specialist SmithPFCPrivate First ClassDear Private SmithPVTPrivateDear Private SmithNavyPrefixTitleSalutationADMAdmiralDear Admiral SmithVADMVice AdmiralDear Admiral SmithRADMRear AdmiralDear Admiral SmithCAPTCaptainDear Captain SmithCDRCommanderDear Commander SmithLCDRLieutenant CommanderDear Lieutenant Commander SmithLTLieutenantDear Lieutenant SmithLTJGLieutenant Junior GradeDear Lieutenant Junior Grade SmithENSEnsignDear Ensign SmithMCPOMaster Chief Petty OfficerDear Master Chief SmithSCPOSenior Chief Petty OfficerDear Senior Chief SmithCPOChief Petty OfficerDear Chief SmithENSEnsignDear Ensign SmithPO1Petty Officer First ClassDear Petty Officer SmithPO2Petty Officer Second ClassDear Petty Officer SmithPO3Petty Officer Third ClassDear Petty Officer SmithSNSeamanDear Seaman SmithSASeaman ApprenticeDear Seaman Apprentice SmithSRSeaman RecruitDear Seaman Recruit SmithSocial Media GuidelinesAll social media channels that belong to ACHE are one word, without spaces: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. Should you have questions on any of the following specific guidelines, please contact the senior web editor in the Division of Communications and Marketing.FacebookACHE’s Facebook page is no longer Congress-focused.URL: messageFacebook pageFacebook postFacebook wall“like”“liking”TimelineLinkedInACHE’s LinkedIn group is for all ACHE members. URL: ACHE Official Group on LinkedInconnectionsLinkedIn groupLinkedIn profileTwitterACHE’s Twitter account is now ACHEConnect.URL: Congress Hashtag: #ACHE20xx, with xx being equal to the current year, for example, #ACHE2013.direct messagefollowhashtagmentionreplyretweettweetTwitter handleYouTube ACHE’s YouTube channel is available to ACHE members and the public.URL: subscribeYouTube channelWord Usage GuidelinesRedundancy/WordinessWordy/RedundantBetteradvance planplanafford an opportunityallow/permitas of this daytodayas well asandat an early datesoonat the management levelby managementat the present timenowdespite the fact thatalthoughdue to the fact thatbecausefor the purpose offorhave a discussiondiscusshold a meetingmeetin order totoin the area ofapproximately/aboutin the event ofifon a local basislocallystudy in depthstudytake actionacttime differentialdelayuntil such time asuntilwith regard toabout/concerning/regardingSimilar Wordsaffect vs. effectaffect (noun) means emotion (the stress is placed on the first syllable), rarely used as a nounfor exampleThe patient’s lack of affect provided a clue to his mental status.effect (noun) means result. —AP style recommends avoiding affect as a noun; consider using impact, especially if the intent is to convey a strong effect.for exampleThe effect (impact) on the company’s profits was felt throughout Wall Street.affect (verb) means to influencefor exampleThis change will not affect my decision.effect (verb) means to bring aboutfor exampleThe new healthcare executive vowed to effect change at his organization.among vs. between among usually applies to more than two persons or objects.for exampleThe argument was among the six specialists attending the conference.between usually applies to two persons or objects.for exampleThey were forced to choose between two equally difficult courses.biannual vs. biennial biannual means happening twice a yearbiennial means happening once every two yearscompare to vs. compare withcompare to should be used to point out similarities.for exampleShall I compare thee to a summer’s day? compare with should be used to point out differences.for exampleShe compared the U.S. Congress with the British pose vs. comprise compose means form, make up or constitutecomprise means include (AP style and ACHE preferred usage); there is no such usage as comprised of.for exampleBrenda, Jack and Laura compose the group. The group is composed of Brenda, Jack and Laura.The group comprises Brenda, Jack and Laura.assure vs. ensure vs. insure In general:You assure someone of something.You ensure that something will happen. You insure a life or property against damage.farther vs. furtheruse farther to designate physical distance. for exampleIf he had gone one step farther, he would have fallen off the cliff.use further to indicate position in an abstract sense.for exampleIf she had extended her research one step further, she would have solved the problem.less vs. feweruse less when referring to a smaller amount. for exampleYou should use less butter on your food if you want to cut fat from your diet. use fewer when referring to a smaller number.for exampleI read fewer books this year compared to last year.more than vs. overuse more than when referring to an amount. for exampleThe association has more than 20,000 members.use over when referring to an object’s relative position or the termination of an event.for exampleThe light is over my desk.The race is over.nor vs. orIn general, nor should be used only with neither in a negative expression; otherwise, use or.for exampleHe can neither eat nor sleep.He cannot eat or sleep.nouns as verbs In general, avoid using nouns as verbs.for exampleAvoid: The bill impacted the industry.Preferred: The bill affected the industry.that vs. whichUse that to introduce clauses that are essential to the meaning of the sentence; that clauses are not enclosed in commas.for exampleThe previous sentence, describing the use of that, is an example:Use that to introduce clauses that are essential to the meaning of the sentence. (To say “Use that to introduce clauses, which are essential to the meaning of the sentence” indicates that clauses are essential to the meaning of the sentence.)Use which to introduce clauses that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence; these nonessential clauses are enclosed in commas.for exampleThe department’s copier, which is in the closet, is broken. (If there is only one copier, the clause provides helpful information but is not needed to understand the meaning of the sentence.)Noun-Verb Agreement: Singular Verbs vs. Plural VerbUse a plural verb when the noun phrase includes and.Use a plural verb when the noun phrase includes and also.Use a singular verb when the noun phrase includes plus, as well as, with, along with or or.for exampleKirk and Scott and Myrna are here.Lisa, along with Michael and Marlene, is here.John and Jim are attending.Either John or Art is attending.Use a singular verb with a compound subject that is preceded by each or every.for exampleEach tree, shrub and vine needs to be sprayed.Staff takes a singular verb. Use a plural verb with staff members.for exampleStaff is encouraged to attend.Staff members are encouraged to attend. In general, use a singular verb with an indefinite pronoun.for exampleEveryone on the team supports the coach.Each of the furrows has been seeded.exceptionsNone can take either a singular or a plural verb. Use the singular verb when none means no one or not one. A plural verb is commonly used when none suggests more than one thing or person.for exampleNone are coming to the party. (It is presumed that more than one person was invited.)Any, all and some may be singular or plural depending on the noun or pronoun they refer to.for exampleSome of the lemonade has disappeared.Some of the rocks were slippery.Noun-Pronoun and Pronoun-Pronoun AgreementUse a singular pronoun when referring to a singular indefinite pronounfor exampleEveryone should call his or her mother on Mother’s Day.To fix a lack of agreement, choose one of the following approaches:Replace the plural pronoun with he or she (or his or her).Make the antecedent plural.Rewrite the sentence so that the problem of agreement does not arise.for exampleTo fix this error: When someone has been drinking, they are more likely to speed.Preferred solution: When drivers have been drinking, they are more likely to speed.ORSomeone who has been drinking is more likely to speed.Acceptable solution: When someone has been drinking, he or she is more likely to speed.When the nouns/pronouns are connected by or or nor, the verb takes the form of the noun closest to the verb.for exampleA driver’s license or credit card is required.A driver’s license or two credit cards are required.Neither the real estate agent nor her clients were able to find the panies, organizations and other nonperson noun entities take a singular pronounfor exampleThe physicians’ group offered its services on a pro bono basis once per week.(not their services)Resurrection Health System opened a new hospital inpatient facility at its Chicago campus in May.(not their Chicago campus) ................
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