UBC BR AND

EDITORIAL STYLE
GUIDE FOR UBC
COMMUNICATORS
202 1 | ver sion 2.0

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 1

2021 version 2.0
editorial st yle guide for ubc communic ator s

Dear Colleagues,

Communicators have important work to We appreciate your respect and collaboration

do on behalf of UBC. The speed at which in maintaining UBC’s brand guidelines. We hope
communications now move means we must this site and guide are helpful for you. I thank all
be highly effective at expressing the value of you for your dedication to supporting UBC.
we create in the world and delivering on that
promise in all we communicate. The work
of creating a world-renowned UBC brand Rick Hart
depends upon a collective, tireless effort to Associate Vice-President
communicate, engage and deliver exceptional Communications
experiences for all those we come into contact
with each and every day.

Our goal is to ensure that UBC is well known,

highly valued and deeply connected in British
Columbia, Canada and around the world.
Our identity is often the most immediate
representation of our institution, people and
brand to our many audiences. Having a strong
brand guideline system allows us to tell our
collective story with the power of one voice.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators

2021 version 2.0
 Editorial style guide for
UBC communicators
202 1 | ver sion 2.0

contents 1.0 Introduction 1

2.0 University terms 2

2.1 University name 3
2.2 People 5
2.3 Degrees 9
2.4 Faculties, departments, organizations and buildings 12
2.5 Other terms found at UBC 13

3.0 Writing style guide 15

3.1 Acronyms 16
3.2 Ampersands 16
3.3 Apostrophes 16
3.4 Capitalization 17
3.5 Colons and semicolons 19
3.6 Commas and serial commas 19
3.7 Dates and times 20
3.8 Ellipses 22
3.9 Emphasis 22
3.11 Italics 25
3.13 Numbers 26
3.14 Parentheses 28
3.15 Per cent 28
3.16 Periods and places 28
3.17 Possessives 29

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators

2021 version 2.0
3.18 Quotations 29
3.19 Quotation marks 30
3.20 Singular versus plural 30
3.21 Tenses and persons 31
3.22 The web 32

4.0 Spelling guide 33

4.1 Spelling preferences 34
4.2 Canadian and American spelling 35
4.3 Spelling and usage of ambiguous words 36

5.0 Inclusive language: Best practices 37

5.1 Race, ethnicity, nationality and religion 39
5.2 Indigenous peoples 39
5.3 Gender 40
5.4 Gender identity 41
5.5 Sexuality 41
5.6 Ability and disability 42

6.0 Resources 43

Please note that the style guide will be updated as the need arises. Please check the UBC brand site
regularly to ensure that you are following the latest guide.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators

2021 version 2.0
 Introduction

1.0 This editorial style guide offers a resource for In general, any material not covered in this
writers and communicators at UBC. It can be edition can be referenced in The Canadian Press
used for print, online and digital publications by Stylebook and its companion The Canadian
providing a consistent approach to how we write Press Caps and Spelling.
for our many external and internal audiences.
The style guide is meant for general use and
Uncertainty in writing creates uncertainty in the not for specialized writing, such as medical or
reader. Understanding the rules of writing scientific journals or thesis presentations.
allows you to write with more confidence and in Writing in professional communications must
turn, creates confidence and trust in your reader. be accessible to a wide audience and as
such, this guide seeks to make it easier for you
The guide is largely based on principles and
to meaningfully connect with your audience.
technical guides published by the Canadian Press
(CP) — Canada’s national news agency. Other
reference sources include The Canadian Oxford
Dictionary and the Chicago Manual of Style (CM).

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 1

2021 version 2.0
EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE FOR UBC COMMUNICATORS

UNIVERSITY
TERMS

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 2

2021 version 2.0
 2.0 univer sit y terms

2.0 2 .1 univer sit y name

formal name
• The University of British Columbia The formal names of UBC Faculties and their
respective departments and institutes can be
formal name with specific loc ation
found at: www.ubc.ca/our-campuses/vancouver/
• The University of British Columbia Vancouver
directories/faculties-schools.html
campus

• The University of British Columbia Okanagan

use in a story, article or news rele a se
campus
For external audiences, spell out “University of
less formal names British Columbia” in its first reference. In
For internal audiences, or on second reference following references, UBC is acceptable except
for external audiences: in very formal instances. For internal audiences,
• UBC leading with UBC or the university is fine.

• UBC Vancouver
Remember: Never use periods when writing UBC.
• UBC Okanagan
Write it out as UBC, not U.B.C.
and in some abbreviated references for
internal audiences:
• UBCV

• UBCO

• the university (lowercase)

facult y, unit or department level

• UBC Faculty of Education

• UBC education faculty

• education faculty

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 3

2021 version 2.0
2.0 univer sit y terms

use of “univer sit y” use of “c ampus”

In certain circumstances and when referring The word “campus” should not be capitalized,
to UBC as a specific formal/legal entity, the unless used in a headline or title.
stand-alone word “university” may be
In body text, please refer to the campuses as
capitalized but do so sparingly. Capitalizing
“Vancouver campus” or “Okanagan campus”.
“University” puts a distance between ourselves
• UBC Campus Security supports the university
and our students, faculty, alumni and partners.
community to ensure the Okanagan campus is a
Formal/ceremonial usage: safe place to work, study and reside.
• The UBC Ceremonies and Events Office
Please note that there are only two official
coordinates the formal installations of the
campuses; other learning sites, such as
University’s president and chancellor.
UBC Robson Square or the UBC Learning
Regular usage: Exchange, are treated as locations.
• The students met over lunch at the university.

Suggestion: use “UBC” instead of “University”.

• UBC will implement the bylaw in September.

In all other occasions and especially where

“university” is used as an adjective or modifier,
use lowercase:
• university-level

• university-wide

• our university

When referring to the University of British

Columbia in the middle of a sentence, do not
capitalize “the”.
• She attends the University of British Columbia.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 4

2021 version 2.0
2.0 univer sit y terms

2 . 2 people
the ubc communit y names and titles
The UBC community is comprised of students, It’s important to not assume titles or the
faculty, staff and alumni (listed in that order correct spelling of names. If at all unsure or
when grouped). UBC wouldn’t exist without our unfamiliar, check the UBC website or
students. Whether directly or indirectly, almost contact the individual’s department directly
all other members of the UBC community — for the correct spelling and formal titles.
administration, faculty members, staff, alumni
In the first written reference, use the person’s
— are dedicated to serving our students. When
full name and academic title. Subsequent
referring to our community, students come first.
references to the person should be by surname
When appropriate to the message, include or or given name, depending on audience.
reference all or some of the above groups (in
For example, in media relations and eternal-
order). For example:
facing communications to government and the
• Students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to
general public, use surname on second
attend Imagine Day.
reference. If writing for an internal, community-
• Faculty and staff can try a variety of instructor- driven or more informal audience, use given
led classes at no cost during UBC Recreation’s name. The key is to be consistent within the
Free Week. piece and publication.

• Students and alumni are eligible to sign up for • External facing: It’s ideal to combine physical
a UBC email forwarding address. activity with social engagement, says UBC’s
Dr. John Doe. According to Dr. Doe, it’s not just
seniors living in long-term care facilities who
are at risk of social isolation.

• Internal facing: Marcia Buchholz was appointed

UBC’s Vice-President, Human Resources in April
2020. Prior to joining UBC, Marcia held various
senior administrative roles.

Capitalize the proper names of professorships

and chairs. Canada Research Chair positions are
always capitalized:
• Canada Research Chair in Public Opinion,
Elections and Representation

If you need to add the particular tier (there are

two), specify it in brackets:
• Canada Research Chair (Tier 1)

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 5

2021 version 2.0
2.0 univer sit y terms

title c apitaliz ation

Capitalize an academic or formal title when it
Use lowercase for job descriptions and
precedes or follows a person’s name.
“unofficial” or occupational titles preceding
• UBC Professor John Doe
a name:
• arbitrator John Smith • John Doe, UBC Professor

• criminal lawyer Jane Doe Capitalize occupational titles if they are related
to a specific person. If the title is hyphenated,
Avoid the use of courtesy titles such as Mr., Ms.
both parts are capitalized.
and the like.
For example:
Write “doctorate” or “doctoral student” and not
• UBC Events Manager John Doe
“PhD student”.
• Santa J. Ono, President & Vice-Chancellor

Don’t capitalize generic titles of roles. For

example, “He was a communications manager
in the Department of Engineering.” However,
specific roles, such as those advertised in a job
description, are capitalized. For example,
“The Manager, Internal Communications, will
perform a range of functions.”

On second reference, when referring to a

person by their title only, capitalize that title.
For example:
• President Santa J. Ono attended the dinner.
The President made the opening remarks.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 6

2021 version 2.0
2.0 univer sit y terms

title abbreviations the vices of titles

• Professor The titles “Vice-Chancellor” and
Prof. “Vice-President” and titles of similar
Example: Prof. Jane Doe administrative officers are hyphenated
with areas of responsibility.
• Associate Professor
• Vice-President, Development
Assoc. Prof.
Example: Assoc. Prof. John Doe • Vice-President, Finance

• Assistant Professor However, when referring to two similar positions

Asst. Prof. at UBC, use specific campuses in parentheses:
Example: Asst. Prof. Jane Doe • Associate Vice-Provost (UBC Okanagan)

• Professor Emeritus In a sentence, use this:

Prof. Emer.  Professor John Doe, Vice-President, Finance,
Example: Prof. Emer. John Doe was appointed to the Board.

Not this:
 Professor Jane Doe, vice-president Finance, was
Remember to use periods in the abbreviation.
appointed to the board.

When the title precedes the name, or when

it is a stand-alone title referring to an office, it
is capitalized:
• Vice-Provost John Doe is leading a new
international strategy.

• The Office of the Vice-President, Students (VPS)

is responsible for shaping the experience and
learning environment for UBC undergraduate and
graduate students.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 7

2021 version 2.0
2.0 univer sit y terms

doctor al titles
We use the title Dr. in front of the names of any Exceptions
faculty, staff member or postdoctoral scholar Executives: When referring to members of
who has been awarded a doctoral degree from the Executive, confirm with the person how they
the University of British Columbia or other wish to be described in print, guided by the
post-secondary institution. following two options:
• Option 1: Use the title Dr. in front of their
We avoid degree abbreviations, if possible. If
name, and their position behind the name:
degree information is pertinent to the story, we
Dr. Andrew Szeri, Provost and Vice-President,
include a description of the degree in the text:
Academic
• “Dr. Jane Smith, who holds a doctorate
in education...” • Option 2: Use the position in front of the
name: Provost and Vice-President, Academic,
The title Dr. will be used on first reference
Dr. Andrew Szeri
and all additional references in the text.
Doctoral and academic titles are not typically
However, we avoid the repetition of using
used in signatures of members of the Executive.
Dr. in headlines or photo captions for ease
However, they are more frequently used when
of readability.
referring to the person in written text.

Signatories at the end of UBC Broadcast and

Note: If the person wishes to use their UBC title
UBC Bulletin messages do not use professional
rather than the title Dr., we defer to their
or academic titles before names.
preference. Example: “Prof. John Smith, who
teaches in the Faculty of Dentistry...”

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 8

2021 version 2.0
2.0 univer sit y terms

2 .3 ubc degrees
In formal, academic context (e.g., degree lists If uncertain of a degree and its abbreviation,
in graduation programs and campus calendars) always check and depending on the context,
UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan use opt for either the formal (with periods) or
periods in the abbreviations of academic informal abbreviation.
degrees: Bachelor of Arts, B.A.; Doctor
When referencing a person’s specialization,
of Philosophy, Ph.D. and so forth.
lowercase the words “major” and “minor” but
However, in public and internal communications capitalize the subject matter.
UBC favours the more modern, informal • He earned a Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
and accessible trend to eliminate the periods major, History minor
and otherwise unnecessary punctuation as
Visit the Vancouver Academic Calendar for
per The Canadian Press Stylebook: Bachelor of
the complete list of UBC Vancouver faculties,
Arts, BA; Doctor of Philosophy, PhD.
schools and their degrees, postdoctoral
The following pages contain examples for a graduate studies, diploma and certificate
variety of familiar abbreviations for UBC studies and formal abbreviations.
degrees. While not exhaustive, it will provide
Information for UBC Okanagan can be found in
a point of reference when abbreviating
the Okanagan Academic Calendar.
various levels of degrees and titles.

Note that UBC offers dozens of different

courses of study and degree programs.
Within each program, successful graduates
are awarded specific degrees and academic
designations, each with its own proper
abbreviation ranging from the relatively
simple and familiar to the more complex:
e.g., Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Arts
Asia Pacific Policy Studies with Master of
Business Administration (MAAPPS/MBA).

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 9

2021 version 2.0
2.0 univer sit y terms

e x amples of degrees at ubc and their

(informal) abbreviations
• Bachelor of Applied Science • Bachelor of Midwifery
BASc BMw

• Bachelor of Arts • Bachelor of Music

BA BMus

• Bachelor of Business in Real Estate • Bachelor of Science

BBRE BSc

• Bachelor of Commerce • Bachelor of Science in Forestry

BCom BSF

• Bachelor of Computer Science • Bachelor of Science in Nursing

BCS BSN

• Bachelor of Environmental Design • Bachelor of Social Work

BEnD BSW

• Bachelor of Dental Science • Doctor of Dental Science

BDSc DMD

• Bachelor of Education • Doctor of Education

BEd EdD

• Bachelor of Fine Arts • Doctor of Medicine

BFA MD

• Bachelor of Human Kinetics • Doctor of Pharmacy

BHK PharmD

• Bachelor of International Economics • Doctor of Philosophy

BIE PhD

• Bachelor of Kinesiology • Executive Master of Business Administration

BKin EMBA

• Bachelor of Management • Juris Doctor

BMgt JD

• Bachelor of Media Studies • Master of Advanced Studies in Architecture

BMS MASA

• Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science • Master of Applied Science

BMLSc MASc >

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 10

2021 version 2.0
2.0 univer sit y terms

• Master of Architecture • Master of Landscape Architecture

MArch MLA

• Master of Archival Studies • Master of Laws

MAS LLM

• Master of Arts • Master of Laws (Common Law)

MA LLM(CL)

• Master of Arts in Planning • Master of Management

MAP MM

• Master of Business Administration • Master of Music

MBA MMus

• Master of Education • Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner)

MEd MN-NP

• Master of Engineering • Master of Occupational Therapy

MEng MOT

• Master of Engineering Leadership • Master of Physical Therapy

MEL MPT

• Master of Food and Resource Economics • Master of Public Health

MFRE MPH

• Master of Food Science • Master of Science

MFS MSc

• Master of Forestry • Master of Science in Nursing

MF MSN

• Master of Health Administration • Master of Social Work

MHA MSW

• Master of Health Leadership and Policy • Master of Software Systems

MHLP MSS

• Master of Journalism • Master of Urban Design

MJ MUD

• Master of Land and Water Systems

MLWS

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 11

2021 version 2.0
2.0 univer sit y terms

2 . 4 faculties, departments,
organiz ations and buildings
faculties, departments and buildings and venues
organiz ations Refer to buildings and other university venues
Capitalize the name of a Faculty, department or named after people using either the family name
unit. When referring to Faculties as an entity, or the person’s full name, but use one or the
always capitalize, unless you are referring to a other convention consistently within the text.
person or people. Once the formal name is established and
assuming there is no ambiguity, the informal
Example: the Faculty of Arts at UBC.
usage is allowed.
Please share this information in your Faculty,
department or unit. • St. John’s College
St. John’s
Example: She is a faculty member at
the College
the university.
We work closely with students, faculty • the Alma Mater Society Student Nest
and staff. the AMS Student Nest
the Nest
Example: the Department of Applied Chemistry
She worked at the Department of Applied • the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre
Chemistry. the Barber Learning Centre
the Centre

• Graduate and Non-Traditional Students Collegium

the Graduate Collegium
the Collegium

c ampus names
• UBC Vancouver campus
(not UBC Point Grey campus)

• UBC Okanagan campus

Please visit Know My Campus for the formal,

official names of university buildings and venues.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 12

2021 version 2.0
2.0 univer sit y terms

2 .5 other terms found at ubc

the ubc mot to: tuum est ubc he at
In UBC’s first year, Dr. Henry E. Young, then UBC Okanagan Heat is the formal title of the
BC Minister of Education, and Dr. Frank F. varsity athletics program at UBC Okanagan, and
Wesbrook chose our motto: Tuum Est meaning is capitalized. In the first reference use the full
“It is Yours”. title and “the Heat” thereafter.

The spirit of this motto held tremendous board of governor s

promise for the university. It continues to do so • the University of British Columbia Board
for each new generation of students who arrive of Governors
at UBC to pursue their educations. As such,
• the UBC Board of Governors
Tuum Est is always italicized to show emphasis
and respect. • the Board

alumnus, alumna and alumni

We do not shorten, abbreviate, alter or • alumnus
create conjunctions out of our motto. It is never Individual male
“It’s Yours”.
• alumna
Individual female

ubc thunderbirds • alum

UBC Thunderbirds is the formal title of the Non-gender-specific individual (preferred
varsity athletics program at UBC Vancouver, individual term)
and is capitalized. After the first reference,
• alumni
it can be shortened to just Thunderbirds.
Group/plural
Note that Thunderbirds is always plural when in
• alumni UBC
reference to the varsity athletics program.
The official name of the organization is
Use this: lowercased and italicized
 In all, 241 UBC Thunderbirds athletes have
When an alumnus or alumna is mentioned,
competed at the Olympics.
follow his or her name on the first or second
Not this: reference with her or his degree in brackets.
 In all, 241 UBC Thunderbird athletes have
• UBC alumna Rika Wright, born October 9, 1911
competed at the Olympics.
(BA 1933 and Diploma in Social Work 1935)

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 13

2021 version 2.0
2.0 univer sit y terms

gr aduand, gr aduate and gr aduation congregation and convoc ation

• graduand • congregation
a person about to receive an academic degree The term used by UBC Vancouver to refer to
its graduation event
• graduate
a person who has been awarded an • convocation
academic degree The terms used by UBC Okanagan to refer to
its graduation event

Note: UBC Vancouver uses the term “graduand” Congregation and convocation should
while UBC Okanagan does not. Prior to the be uppercased only when part of a specific
UBC Vancouver ceremony, individuals are referred event title.
to as graduands. After the ceremony, they are • Thank you for attending UBC’s Spring
graduates. For ceremonies in which degrees have Congregation 2021 at the Chan Centre.
already been technically awarded, such as virtual
• Download the congregation program.
ceremonies, the word graduate is appropriate for
all circumstances. other ceremonial terms
Do not capitalize ceremonial items such as
the university mace, academic regalia, the grad
The noun graduate should always be lowercase.
class tree and the grad class gift.
• He is a graduate of UBC’s Sauder School
of Business. Class of 2021 is uppercased.
• She is part of the Class of 2021.
• Dozens of graduates crossed the stage.
Ceremonial titles such as the Macebearer and
The noun “graduation” is the catchall to refer to
the Platform Party should be uppercased.
the ceremony at which degrees are conferred.
This should be written lowercase. References to the Chancellor and the President
• UBC’s spring graduation is on June 20. can be uppercased when referring to a specific
named person. They should be lowercased
• UBC’s virtual graduation ceremonies will take
when referencing a general position.
place on June 20.
• The university mace is a symbol of the authority
of the Chancellor. It is displayed on ceremonial
occasions, such as the installation of a president
or chancellor.

The term “installation” is lowercased when used

as a verb and an adjective.
• UBC is installing a new chancellor in November.
Jane Doe’s installation ceremony will take place
on November 20.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 14

2021 version 2.0
EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE FOR UBC COMMUNICATORS

WRITING
STYLE GUIDE
 3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 .0 3 .1 acronyms 3 .3 apostrophes
To ensure your writing is clear and easy to Use an apostrophe in plurals of
understand, avoid using acronyms whenever lowercase letters:
possible. Use only when necessary to clarify • mind your p’s and q’s
multiple references or if the organization/
In general, plurals of capital letters or numbers
department/program etcetera is commonly
do not take an apostrophe:
known by its acronym.
• the ABCs
In general, try to avoid introducing an
• Canada’s CF-18s
unfamiliar acronym if it is used only once or
twice in the copy. Exception: To avoid confusion, use an
apostrophe with plurals of single capital letters
When using an acronym, spell it out in the first
(straight A’s) but not with multiple capital
citation and place the acronym in parentheses
letters (URLs).
immediately or shortly after. For example:
• It was named TRI University Meson Facility plur al use
(TRIUMF) when founded in 1968. Know the correct use of apostrophes to indicate
a plural acronym or decade.
Remember to avoid using periods within
well-known acronyms:
• RCMP; CPR; CBC; GPA Use this:
 URLs and the 1930s

3 . 2 amper sands Not this:

Use only when part of a formal name.  URL’s and the 1930’s
• Tiffany & Co.

• Technology & Science Quarterly If the apostrophe is used, it indicates the

possessive.
Otherwise, spell it out.
• Calvin and Hobbs • Point out the URL’s location in the text document.

• The Globe and Mail

Some UBC unit names use ampersands in their

formal titles. Others do not. If in doubt, contact
the specific unit for the correct punctuation.

In graphs, tables, charts and more visual

mediums such as ads, social media or other
“tight” communications (e.g., headlines) where
space is limited, “space savers” such as the
ampersand are allowed.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 16

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 . 4 c apitaliz ation
In recent years there is a growing trend to move when to c apitalize: at the univer sit y
away from more formal styles heavy in Capitalize the proper names of university
capitalization and punctuation, and toward Faculties, schools, departments, units,
greater informality and inclusiveness involving associations and clubs.
less capitalization and “looser” punctuation.
Do not capitalize the program when referring to
UBC favours the “lowercase style” as it improves
a student studying a particular program/field:
readability and increases the prominence of
• The nursing students studied with the
the words that do warrant capitalization. The
journalism students.
use of lowercase does not reduce the
importance or credibility of a department Only capitalize the proper names of courses, not
or an individual’s position or reputation. the description of them:
• Chemistry 202
Rather than weigh the writing down with
The 200-level chemistry course
unnecessary and excessive capitalization
(which quickly wearies the reader’s eye and Do not capitalize academic subjects.
attention), the adept use of white space, Exception: when the subject is also a
em-dashes, typestyle and typeface can —and proper noun:
will—achieve a more modern, lighter style that • He studies history, biology, physics and law. She
works well across print and digital mediums. studies English, French, Spanish and Latin.

when to c apitalize: gener al rules Capitalize honours, awards and decorations:

Capitalize all proper nouns, government • Governor General’s Award, Order of Canada
and university departments, trade names,
Use lowercase common-noun references when
formal titles when preceding a person’s name,
the reference stands alone:
names of associations, clubs, companies,
• the award, the prize
religions, languages, nations, races, addresses
and places.

Do not capitalize proper nouns that have

entered the popular vernacular such as: brussels
sprouts, french fries, portland cement, manila
paper, scotch whiskey.

Capitalize formal and widely accepted acronyms

such as: AIDS, HIV, NASA, CSIS.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 17

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

when to c apitalize: he adlines when to c apitalize: geogr aphy

and titles Capitalize widely recognized descriptive
Write headlines in sentence case, capitalizing geographic/political regions:
the first word, first word of a subtitle and all • the West Coast, Eastern Europe
proper nouns.
More generalized locations, use lowercase:
• Attend UBC’s virtual Remembrance
• southern Ontario, northern British Columbia
Day ceremony
Capitalize common nouns when they are part of
• Addressing equity, diversity and inclusion at UBC
a complete formal name and use lowercase in
If there is a colon in the headline, capitalize the subsequent informal or partial forms:
first word after the colon. • the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
• Top ways to reduce your carbon footprint: They’re
• the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
not what you might think
Note the difference between a formal entity and
Unless producing print communication, write
its informal counterpart:
for a digital audience. Digital headlines often
• the Government of Canada
stand alone, removed from the story on a social
the Canadian government
media feed or as a search result. Readers are
much more likely to click on a story if they can • the Government of British Columbia
tell at a glance what’s in it for them. In the BC government
conjunction with their subheads, headlines
should answer the questions, “What is this
Note: Do not confuse the formal entity
story about and why should I read it?”
(capitalized), with lowercase physical entity:
Use simple words. Make headlines easy to read the “City of Vancouver” (the abstract,
and understand with a quick scan. represented by the civic government), as
• Update on annual merit program for eligible staff opposed to “the city of Vancouver” (the
physical streets, buildings, people).
• New Indigenous Strategic Plan establishes UBC’s
role in upholding the rights of Indigenous Peoples

• The science of why we forget what we

just learned
Psychology professors explain how memory works

• Saving the honey bee

UBC researchers are looking at ways to improve
bee health

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 18

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 .5 colons and semicolons 3 .6 comma s and serial comma s

colon comma s
Rather than a comma, use a colon to preface a Commas provide the brakes for your writing;
complete direct quotation or a complete, full think of them as polite police officers directing
sentence. The colon also introduces lists, formal traffic in order to keep the speed of your writing
quotations, summations or ideas that complete sane, legible and easy to consume. Read your
an introductory sentence. writing out loud and you will immediately hear
• UBC Imagine Week is full of activities: tours, where to pause (add a comma) or remove one to
workshops, orientations and fun. prevent the copy from lurching, stumbling and
pausing unnecessarily.
Use a comma when introducing a time or place.
Note: Except for headlines, do not capitalize
• In the first 100 years of its history, UBC showed
the first letter of the sentence that follows a colon:
itself to be an entrepreneurial powerhouse.
it’s unnecessary.
• At the end of University Boulevard, you’ll find a
great place to eat sushi at lunch.
A colon signals to the reader that something
important is coming. It brings the writing to a Always use a comma after adverbs such as
halt and introduces a new idea. There must recently, previously, accordingly. If the adverb
be a complete sentence before a colon. ends in an ly and you’re starting a sentence with
However, you can bend this rule a bit for it, use a comma.
headlines. For example: • Recently, it came to light that the owls behind the
• Synapse and memory: Not a simple case Museum of Anthropology were sleeping for most
of neurons of the day.

semicolon
Use a semicolon to link two “buttressing”
statements (clauses) or ideas that are too
closely related to stand on their own yet
shouldn’t be connected by a simple comma.
Avoid the overuse of the semicolon; it can affect
the rhythm of a piece and on the web page,
when there is limited space, it can feel clunky
and tiresome to read.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 19

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 .7 dates and times

serial comma s dates
UBC does not use the serial comma, also called Use the month-day-year format in
the “Oxford” or “Harvard” comma. A serial formal writing:
comma is a comma placed immediately before • The event will be held on June 25, 2022.
the coordinating conjunction (and, or, nor) in a
In instances where numeric date forms are
series of three or more terms.
preferred (e.g., charts with space limitations or
Do not place a comma after a conjunctive in a where storing data is important), use ISO style
simple series of nouns or phrases. with full numbers to represent the year, the
• The UBC Farm sells kale, carrots and cabbage. month and the day. Separate each number with
a hyphen:
• Find the latest news, updates and events from
• 2022-6-25
across UBC.
Do not use ordinal suffixes: st, nd, rd, th.
Add a serial comma only if it is necessary to add
clarity of meaning. Use this:
 July 14, 2022
Clear:
 The awards were presented by the President and Not this:
Vice-Chancellor, and Vice-President.  July 14th, 2022

Rather than: When indicating month and year only, do not use
 The awards were presented by the President and commas or other punctuation.
Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President.
Use this:
 August 2022

Not this:
 August, 2022

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 20

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

times dec ades

Use lowercase and no periods for the When written in numerals, decades have no
abbreviated Latin modifiers ante meridiem and possessive apostrophe before the “s”:
post meridiem or am and pm: • the 1990s (not the 1990’s)
• Classes start at 8 am and will end at 6 pm.
Where the century is clearly understood,
Although wordy, the term “o’clock” is allowed. specific decades may be spelled out or written
• 3 pm or three o’clock in the afternoon in numerals:
• the “Roaring Twenties”
To avoid ambiguity, “noon” and “midnight”
are allowed. • the “Dirty Thirties”

Do not use the 24-hour “military” clock. In this allowed shortened numerical form, an
apostrophe precedes the form:
ac ademic ye ar
• the ‘90s
Indicate the academic year by the initial full
year, backslash, last two digits of the following centuries
“partial” year: When denoting centuries, spell out the first nine
• 2022/23 centuries as words; use digits and superscript
for 10 and above.
months
• the sixth century
Where space restrictions apply, certain months
can be abbreviated: • the 20th century
• Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.
se a sons
Do not abbreviate the following: Seasons are always lowercase:
• March, April, May, June, July • During the fall, we saw an increase in
student activities.

• In the autumn, hardwood trees begin

their “hibernation”.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 21

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 .8 ellipses 3 .9 empha sis

Use three periods (with spaces before and after) Use quotation marks, italics or bold text or
… to indicate a deliberate omission or excised switch fonts when referencing the title
text within the sentence or quotation. of a web page, menu items, buttons and so
forth sparingly.
Avoid beginning or ending a quotation with
• Click UBC Scholarships & Bursaries to find
ellipses, even when the quotation is a fragment.
out more.
When a quotation is included within a larger
In running or body text and unless it’s a
sentence, do not use ellipsis points at the
recognized legal acronym (e.g., NASA, CSIS,
beginning or end of the quoted material, even if
RCMP etcetera) NEVER USE FULL CAPS; UBC
the beginning or end of the original sentence has
does not shout at our audience.
been omitted.
Use exclamation marks sparingly, if at all.
Use this:
 When Henri Matisse said that “creativity takes Sentence structure, pacing, creative language—
courage”, he introduces an idea that writers all of these do far more to engage a reader
often forget in their pursuit of the path with the than leaning on exclamation marks or caps
least resistance. for emphasis.

Not this: In general, refrain from using italics to sway your

 When Henri Matisse said that “… creativity takes reader to a particular point of view. Instead, be
courage”, he introduces an idea that writers creative and inventive and write clearly to
often forget in their pursuit of the path with the engage their hearts through storytelling.
least resistance.
Use this:
 It is a transatlantic learning journey that will
leave its international cartography on their
lives, forever.

Not this:
 It is a transatlantic learning journey that will
leave its international cartography on their
lives, forever.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 22

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 .10 hyphens and da shes

To the reader’s eye, hyphens and dashes make To avoid confusion and for easier reading,
for easier reading. They’re less pretentious, separate double vowels with a hyphen. Thus:
more inviting and active than having to work co-exist and not coexist.
through a thicket of colons, semicolons and
Hyphenate compound adjectives to avoid
ellipses or a jarring stumble of commas.
confusion or ambiguity: first-year student,
two-year program and per-credit basis.
hyphens
The hyphen (-) joins words to create adjectival Do not use a hyphen with words ending in -ly;
modifiers. Hyphens help avoid ambiguity. Use a the -ly suffix is adequate notice that the next
hyphen to join two or more words serving as a word is being modified: fully involved team and
single adjective modifying a noun. utterly banal meeting.
• The multi-million-dollar building houses a five-ton
Where the second part of a hyphenated
sculpture in the foyer.
expression is omitted, drop the hyphen and
Two-word nouns are not hyphenated when by follow it by a space.
themselves but in general, when they become
Use this:
descriptive, hyphenate:
 The 200 and 300-level courses will be taught over
• By itself:
several two to four-hour sessions.
machine diagnostics
Not this:
• Descriptive:
 The 200- and 300-level courses will be taught
machine-diagnostics systems
over several two- to four-hour sessions.
Use hyphens with ex-, self-, all-, post- and
To indicate joint titles, use the hyphen and not
-elect. Some words that begin with co- also take
the backslash. Thus: writer-researcher and not
a hyphen, such as co-respondent, or when a
writer/researcher.
hyphen avoids doubling a vowel, such as
co-operate and co-ordinate.

The hyphen also creates “full” words: co-worker,

co-design and co-development.

Where the last letter of a prefix is the same as the

first letter of the second word, use the hyphen to
improve readability. Thus: anti-intellectual and not
antiintellectual, pre-existing and not preexisting.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 23

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

en-da sh em-da sh
The en-dash or “short” dash (–) is typically used The em-dash or “long” dash (­—) is often used
to indicate numerical sequences, times or dates around modifying clauses—a useful way
and to connect associated years, and adjectival to avoid using brackets or semicolons—or to
phrases holding two-word concepts. set off a subsequent “orphan clause” or a
• Read chapters 15–20. non-essential element that warrants special
emphasis, or to indicate an abrupt change
• the 2015–2016 school year
or a parenthetical thought or ellipsis. Use
• the Vancouver–Toronto flight em-dashes without spaces between words.
• UBC researchers developed solar-powered
To get an en-dash, type “option” + “-” (hyphen)
robotic sailboats—which were quickly dubbed
on a Mac keyboard, or “Ctrl” + “-” (minus key in
“sailbots”—to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
numeric key pad) on a PC keyboard.
When used for emphasis, the em-dash is a
powerful tool. But when overused, it quickly
Note: Do not use a space before or after the
becomes an affront to the reader. Use the “long”
en-dash. Close it up.
dash sparingly—and judiciously—to avoid
lessening its effect.
In running text and when specifying ranges of
To get an em-dash, type “option” + “shift” + “-”
number or dates, do not use dashes. Instead,
(hyphen) on a Mac keyboard, or “Ctrl” + “Alt”
use “between/and” or “from/to”.
+ “-” (minus key in numeric key pad) on a
• They attended classes between 2019 and 2021.
PC keyboard.
Indicate the academic year by using a backslash
rather than an en-dash.
• The professor was hired in the 2021/22
academic year.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 24

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 .11 italics 3 .12 lists

You can italicize the titles of books, magazines, Where the list is short and simple, write it out
songs, musical compositions, movies, computer in sentence form and especially so where the
games and similar art and literary works. introduction and items listed form complete and
• Vogue proper grammatical sentences.

• McLean’s Otherwise, use vertical lists. To avoid long,

dangling, “skinny” lists, short items may be
• The Godfather
arranged in two or more columns.
• The Simpsons
Any list should be introduced by a complete
• Waiting for Godot grammatical sentence followed by a full colon.
All items or elements in the list must be
In the first usage within the text, you can
constructed similarly (e.g., single words, all
italicize unfamiliar foreign words or phrases.
noun forms or phrases, etcetera).
In all subsequent references, then use
regular font. Unless letters or numbers serve a purpose (e.g.,
indicate task order or chronology) they should
If there is an exclamation mark or question mark
be omitted.
that is part of the italicized phrase, put it in italics.
• My favourite movie is Who’s Afraid of If the items are not complete sentences or
Virginia Woolf? are phrases without internal punctuation, begin
each item with a lowercase letter. Do not use
capitals or “ending” punctuation such as periods
Many previously “foreign” words and phrases are
at the end of each item; let them sit “naked”.
now commonplace. As such, don’t italicize or
otherwise highlight them. Stick to the running font use of bullets
in all instances. Examples: de facto, QED, et al, If the bulleted items are complete sentences,
raison d’être, tsunami. use normal and full punctuation.

In a bullet vertical list that completes the

introductory sentence or sentence that begins
with an introductory element and consists of
sentences or phrases with internal punctuation,
semicolons may be used to end the items but
with a period to end the final item and complete
the list. In such a list, each item should begin
with a lowercase letter.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 25

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 .13 number s
numbered vertic al lists Spell out whole numbers zero, one through nine.
Begin with the numeral (in sequence), • Although only five people attended the meeting,
followed by a period. Each item begins with nine proposals were carried.
a capital letter.
Use numerals for 10 and above and when
Where the vertical numbered list completes a referring to ages, when preceding a unit of
sentence begun as the introductory element and measurement, monetary amounts and
where the items consist of phrases or sentences academic courses.
without internal punctuation, do not use periods • the 18-year-old building
or closing punctuation marks after each item.
• the 15-metre jump
Where the vertical numbered list consists of
• Chemistry 101
phrases or sentences with internal punctuation,
semicolons may be used to “isolate” each item, • the $3-million donation
with a period used on the final item to close
Exception: spell out causal expressions.
off the list. As before, each item begins with a
• The face that launched a thousand ships.
lowercase letter.
• A picture is worth a thousand words.

Where a sentence starts with a number, spell it

out (or rework the sentence so it doesn’t begin
with a number).
• Three hundred students crammed into the
professor’s inaugural lecture.

Page numbers, dates, numbers, percentage

numbers, part numbers and chapter numbers
are in numerals.

Numerals with four or more digits should use

commas to separate groups of three digits.
Large numbers can use a mixture of numerals
and spelled out numbers.
• More than 1,200 students attended the lecture.

• The country’s population is 11.6 million.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 26

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

fr actions telephone number s

Spell out simple fractions that are not To be consistent with UBC stationery standards,
mixed numbers. telephone numbers should be separated by
• Only two-thirds of the six groups attended the single spaces instead of hyphens or periods.
11 sessions
during the first quarter
of the year. Do not use parentheses around area codes.
• 604 822 2211
When a fraction is seen as a single quantity,
it is hyphenated. • 1 877 807 8521 (toll free)
• He read three-quarters of the manual.
currenc y and fr actional number s
However, when the individual parts of a When denoting Canadian money, use the
quantity are unclear, spell out the fraction $ symbol.
without the hyphen. • the $250-million grant
• The pizza was cut into four quarters.
If denoting foreign dollar currencies (e.g.,
To avoid readers’ confusion when denoting American, Australian) use the appropriate
fractions, avoid the use of full-size numerals symbol (e.g., US$, A$) and convert to
separated by a backslash and whenever Canadian dollars in brackets.
possible, use fraction characters (or
Informal context: when referring to
superscript/subscript).
denominations smaller than a dollar, it
• Letter-size paper is 8½ inches wide, not
makes sense to write cents.
8 1/2 inches wide.
• They were selling hamburgers for 99 cents.
decimals
Formal context: Fractional amounts of more
If a numeral is less than one, use a zero before
than one dollar are expressed in numerals plus
the decimal point.
decimal point.
• The weight of the substance is 0.55 grams.
• $3.39 for postage

• the $5.7-million donation

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 27

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 .14 parentheses 3 .16 periods and pl aces

Use parentheses to enclose faculty pedigrees, According to The Canadian Press Stylebook,
sections and subsections. geographical/national abbreviations should
receive periods. For example, U.S.A. is the
Use this:
abbreviation for the United States of America
 Section 15(2)(a)(ix)
and B.C. denotes the province of British
Not this: Columbia. So when writing for media, use
 Section 15 2a, ix the periods.

However, modern, everyday usage increasingly

3 .15 per cent does away with the periods and the abbreviations
The American “percent” (one word) is the are simply USA, US, BC and the like. Standard
version used most frequently in media. UBC style omits the periods on BC and USA.
However, the English version is “per cent”
(two words) and as such, is preferable for
Note: In general, avoid abbreviating the name
a Canadian university.
of a country, nation, province and the like where
However, use this: the name is used in a stand-alone context or
 percentage, percentile adjectivally. Write it out.

Not this:
 per centage, per centile Use this:
 the United States elections, the Newfoundland
In text, use numerals and write “per cent” and
oil patch
avoid the % sign.
• More than 65 per cent of alumni responded. Not this:
 the US elections, the Nfld. oil patch
Exception: In graphs, tables, charts and more
visual mediums such as ads, social media or Official names: As with UBC, most business and
other “tight” communications (e.g., headlines) similar entities in B.C. do not use periods in their
where space is limited, the per cent sign and names: BC Ferries, BC Transit, BC Hydro.
other “space savers” such as the ampersand are
allowed. There is no space between the numeral
Do not use periods in certain abbreviations or
and the % symbol.
acronyms. Thus: UBC and not U.B.C.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 28

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 .17 possessives 3 .18 quotations

Singular and plural nouns not ending in “s” take Direct quotes add colour and life to a story.
an apostrophe and “s” to form the possessive. However, the quotations must be exacting, the
• the people’s university “on record” rendition of someone’s spoken
or written words. To ensure you don’t misquote
Plural nouns ending in “s” take an apostrophe
someone, use a recording device (there
alone.
are many good apps on your smartphone for
• the students’ meeting
this purpose).
Where the singular noun ends in a single or
If the grammar is questionable and/or
double “s”, the apostrophe precedes the
the clarity is obscured, it’s allowable to “clean
possessive “s”.
up” the quote but do so judiciously. If in
• the mistress’s denouncement
doubt, paraphrase the content and avoid the
Where the usage is more descriptive than problematic quote.
possessive, omit the “s”.
Unless absolutely necessary or to protect a
• The Board of Governors meeting is being held
vulnerable source, all quotations must be
at the Student Union Building.
attributed. Typically, you would run the piece
by the person quoted to ensure that they
acknowledge the end result.

format ting l arge and small quotes

Quotations of fewer than 100 words should
be inserted into the text and contained by
double apostrophes.

For quotations of 100 plus words from a single

source, set it up in complete paragraphs.

First, break the copy block into suitable

paragraphs for easier reading. Use double
apostrophe marks at the start of each
successive paragraph but keep its “tail” free.

At the end of the final paragraph, close it

off with a double apostrophe mark to delineate
the complete multi-paragraph quotation.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 29

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 .19 quotation mark s

Use double quotation marks to contain a direct,
Note for designers: The Canadian Press
attributable quote.
Stylebook dictates that unless punctuation is
• “We need to use land more efficiently,” Steven
within a full and complete quote, punctuation
Yard said.
marks go outside the quotation marks. Please
Use single quotes to set off a quote within follow these rules for web typography and
a quote. programs such as Word or PowerPoint. However,
• “The boss told me, in her own words, ‘You can slip in programs such as InDesign, Quark or Illustrator,
away early this Friday.’” you may kern the punctuation marks so they are
directly underneath the quotation marks.
In full and complete sentences, punctuation
marks go inside the quotation marks.
Do not place quote marks (single or double)
Use double quotation marks to indicate words
around letter grades and admissions/
or phrases set off for emphasis in text.
regulations terminology.
Double quotation marks act as a “container” for • failed standing and not “failed” standing
the text in question.
• B grade and not ‘B’ grade
In full and complete sentences, punctuation
marks go inside the quotation marks.
3 . 20 singul ar ver sus plur al
In unattributed stand-alone words or short Collective “stand-alone” entities such as a
phrases singled out within a sentence, group, corporation, business, association,
the punctuation marks go outside quotation/ school, university and the like are singular.
apostrophe marks.
Use this:
• At the culmination of “the Great Trek”,
 The union said it will address the issue.
one student said: “The enthusiasm was
really unbelievable.”  StatsCan presented its latest data.

Not this:
 The union said they will address the issue.

 StatsCan presented their latest data.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 30

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 . 21 tenses and per sons

Nothing is more confusing to a reader than fir st per son
when a writer switches in and out of tenses for This point of view uses “I” as the singular and
no apparent reason. “we” as the plural.
• I joined the team on October 20th.
tenses: gener al rules
In storytelling, we generally use past tense. second per son
• Once upon a time, there was a group of students This uses “you” and can be singular or plural,
who decided to trek to Vancouver. just depending on how many people are being
addressed. This tense may be used for a
tenses: rese arch stories
particular narrative purpose such as putting
We frequently discuss research findings at
the reader into a particular experience or
UBC but careful attention should be paid as to
when you’re aiming to connect casually with
whether the research findings are in the past
a particular audience.
or are positioned to be discovered in the future.
• You don’t realize how big the Pep Rally is until
• Past: In 1982, Professor Galady discovered
you’re in it.
a cell that had long-term implications for
cancer research. • What do you do when physical distancing has
thrown a wrench in your social routines?
• Present: According to Professor Galady, the cell
he has discovered has long-term implications for third per son
cancer research. This is our preferred pronoun when writing
at UBC. It demonstrates objectivity and
In general, if you are discussing the potential of
professionalism and avoids any confusion
something, use future tense. If writing about
for the reader as to whether the writer
the past as in findings, data collected, quotes or
is expressing a personal bias or opinion.
events, use past tense.
Third person employs the following pronouns:
per sons
he, she, it, him, her, himself, herself, himself,
How we use personal pronouns dictates our
his, her, hers, its, they, them, themselves, their,
“point of view” in a story. In most cases, we
and theirs.
would use the third person because we are
• Their dedication, talent and commitment to
writing on behalf of UBC and not representing
academic standards was impressive.
our personal point of view (first person). Note
that we write in third person not to be “stiff”
or distant in our writing—but rather to be
professional as befitting to a global university.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 31

2021 version 2.0
3 .0 writing st yle guide

3 . 22 the web
gr ammar and spelling web addresses
If you are using the word “Internet”, capitalize When denoting web addresses in text for
the word when referring to the global system, printed communication pieces, do not include
and use lowercase when referring to an “http://” or “https://” or the backslash at the
internal system. end of the URL.
• We use our new internet-capable devices to
For text that will be displayed online, “http://”
access the Internet.
or “https://“ may be required for the link to
Word Wide Web or the Web are proper names function, and it is recommended that the
and capitalized. Use lowercase for website, notation is left in.
webcast, podcast, webmaster and web page.
Where the URLs or email addresses appear in
e-mail or email? printed text, use a bold font for easier spotting.
The term e-mail is abbreviated from “electronic For web documents, include the full URL or
mail” and technically e-mail is the correct form. hyperlink an appropriate term that makes
However, email is now so commonly known it “live”. Do not waste space by including a
and used that we can now refer to electronic “click here” URL.
mail more simply as email and do away with
In general, unless deliberately meant to inform
the hyphen.
the reader, do not include a website address
However, use this: within the text for printed material.
 e-business, e-transfer, e-banking, e-library,
link s
e-services, e-book etcetera
Be cautious when inserting links in web copy;
Not this: you may run the risk of unintentionally
 ebusiness, etransfer, ebanking, elibrary, promoting websites involving special-interest
eservices, ebook e-tcetera (sic) groups, political entities and/or commercial
products. This could be potentially damaging to
your own site’s reputation and UBC’s credibility.

Always check the source to which you are

linking before publishing in any digital medium.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 32

2021 version 2.0
EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE FOR UBC COMMUNICATORS

SPELLING
GUIDE

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 33

2021 version 2.0
 4 .0 spelling guide

4 .0 4 .1 spelling preferences
Canadian English is based on the Queen’s • colour (not color)
English but with certain exceptions, it borrows
• data (always plural)
from American English.
• defence (not defense) but defensive
If in doubt, follow the rules and principles set
forth in The Canadian Press Stylebook and its • e-business (not ebusiness)
companion Caps and Spelling guide. Or, use the
• email (not e-mail)
Canadian Oxford Dictionary.
• enrol, enrolled, enrolment (not enroll,
Although UBC follows The Canadian Press
enroled, enrollment)
Stylebook in general, UBC has preferred spelling
for certain words and phrases. • ensure (make sure of)

Some UBC preferences include: • focuses, focussed, focussing

• acknowledgement
• fulfill
• advisor
• government (note the lowercase; not the
• analyze (not analyse) Federal Government)

• appendices • governor general, lieutenant governor

• artifacts (not artefacts) • Gray (the surname)

• cancel and cancelled (not cancell • grey (the colour)

and canceled)
• harbour (not harbor, unless denoting an
• centre (place, building) American port by its formal name e.g.,
San Francisco Harbor)
• center (equidistant mid-point)
• honour and honourable (not honor and
• cheque (monetary)
honorable) but honorary (not honourary)
• check (mark, evaluate)
• inquire, inquiry
• co-efficient
• jewellery (not jewelery)
• co-operation
• labour (not labor)
• co-ordination
• manoeuvre
• co-author, co-edit
• mold (to shape, form)
• co-found
• mould (the fungus)
• co-worker

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 34

2021 version 2.0
4 .0 spelling guide

4 . 2 c anadian and americ an spelling

• Native (when referencing First Nations) and There are certain words that are considered
as an adjective (Native cultural artifacts) interchangeable across borders that are, in fact,
not interchangeable.
• organization (not organisation)
centre and center
• program (not programme)
“Centre” denotes a building, mall, place or
• photoshoot (one word) similar structure. “Center” is the equidistant
mid-point.
• realize (not realise)
• The office is near the center of the sports centre.
• sceptical
cheque and check
• signal, signalled, signaller “Cheque” denotes the bank document to
transfer a specific amount of money.
• theatre (not theater, unless in a formal name)
Whereas “check” is a sudden stoppage of
• toward, backward, forward (not towards,
forward motion, an attack on the king in chess,
backwards, forwards)
or the act of evaluating or inspection.
• travel, travelling, traveller (not travell,
pr actice and pr actise
traveling, traveler)
In the many countries in the English-speaking
• wellbeing (noun, not well-being) world (Canada, the UK, Australia, South Africa),
“practice” is the noun and “practise” is the verb.
• The First World War or the Great War,
In the USA, the spelling “practice” is used as
the Second World War (not World War I,
both noun and verb.
World War II)
• The doctor is practising her administrative skills
prior to opening her new practice.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 35

2021 version 2.0
4 .0 spelling guide

4 .3 spelling and usage of

ambiguous words
it’s and its farther and further
“It’s” is the correct spelling for the contraction “Farther” denotes physical distance.
for “it is”; “its” is the possessive singular. • How much farther is it to the bus loop?
• Our mascot? It’s high time that its cage
“Further” denotes metaphorical or
was cleaned.
figurative distance.
e .g ., and i.e ., • How much further along is the
As abbreviations for the Latin terms exempli business relationship?
gratia (“for the sake of example”) and id est
momentarily
(“that is”), the correct usage of e.g.,and i.e., are
Momentarily means “only for a moment”. The
often confused.
word is synonymous with “briefly”, not with
i.e., is a short form of “in other words” and “soon” or “shortly”.
specifics or makes more clear. • When the airline pilot cheerfully announced
• At the UBC gala, gentlemen should dress in that “We’ll be taking off momentarily”, the
formal attire (i.e., white shirt, tie, tuxedo and teacher fainted.
black leather shoes).
impact
e.g., is short form of “for example” and sets up Unless referring to a physical blow, avoid
an abbreviated list. the word “impact” and its derivatives such
• Each month UBC holds a number of as “impactful”, “impacting” and the like.
professional development workshops Instead, use “effect”, “consequence”, “result”
(e.g., Writing Professional Minutes). or similar words.

Never omit the two periods in the abbreviation, effect and affect
and in text usage, a comma must follow: “e.g.,” “Effect” is a noun; “affect” is a verb.
and “i.e.,”. • What sort of an effect did the impact of the giant
meteorite have on the city?

• How does this catastrophe personally affect you?

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 36

2021 version 2.0
EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE FOR UBC COMMUNICATORS

INCLUSIVE
LANGUAGE:
BEST PRACTICES

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 37

2021 version 2.0
 Inclusive language:
Best practices

5 .0 In any text or usage, where it’s necessary Inclusive language best practices are
to reference a person’s race, age, gender, continually evolving. In general, UBC follows
religion, appearance, disability or any The Canadian Press Stylebook guidelines for
other aspect of their identity that may inclusive language. The following guidelines are
be important to them or make them feel not exhaustive; they are simply guidelines to
adversely singled out, take the time help ensure your writing is inclusive. There is
to thoughtfully and carefully find language not always one single, agreed-upon way of
that is inclusive and respectful. Ensure expression. Inclusive language is language that
authenticity, mindfulness, and that respects an individual’s preference and is
the engagement with diverse students, used in a caring way.
faculty, staff, alumni and community
If you have further questions regarding inclusive
partners is meaningful and respectful of
language practices, please contact the UBC
individual preferences.
Equity & Inclusion Office.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 38

2021 version 2.0
 5 .0 inclusive l anguage

5 .0 5 .1 r ace, ethnicit y, nationalit y

and religion
Capitalize the proper names of nationalities, In general, hyphenated descriptions such as
peoples and races. For example: German-Canadian or Jamaican-Canadian should
• Aboriginal be avoided as they may put an inappropriate
emphasis on the person’s ethnic background.
• Amish
However, if the individual prefers to be identified
• Arab by a hyphenated description, and it is relevant to
the piece, it may be used.
• Caucasian
Again, unless it’s critical to the story, avoid any
• First Nations
descriptor of a person’s race, skin colour, religion,
• Inuit ethnicity and identifiable “racial” background.

• Indigenous
5 . 2 indigenous peoples
• Latin
UBC Brand and Marketing has worked with the
• Asian UBC First Nations House of Learning to create
the Indigenous Peoples: Language Guidelines.
Capitalize Black when referring to Black people
or Black culture. Black is not a replacement for Please download and refer to this separate guide
Black-Canadian or African-American. When on brand.ubc.ca.
possible, ask sources how they prefer to be
identified and avoid using Black as a noun. Refer
to race or ethnicity only when it is relevant to a
story. “White” is always written in lowercase.

BIPOC is the preferred term for Black, Indigenous

and People of Colour, but IBPOC is also
acceptable. Use BIPOC except when referencing
the name of groups that prefer the term IBPOC,
such as UBC’s IBPOC Connections program for
faculty and staff.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 39

2021 version 2.0
5 .0 inclusive l anguage

5 .3 gender
Unless it’s truly necessary and germane to the The nonspecific word “they”(them, their) can be
story, avoid language that signals gender. Also, used as an alternative to the use of “he” (him,
especially in such a diverse place as UBC, never his) as a word of indeterminate gender when
assume gender from a person’s first or given referring to generic situations.
name. Always ask people what pronouns you • If your child is thinking about university, they
should use when writing about them. can get started early by coming to summer camps
at UBC.
When writing in general terms, be non-specific
in terms of gender. • A researcher has to be completely committed to
their field of study.
Use these:
 police officer; fire fighter; mail carrier; “They” is also increasingly being used by
flight attendant people whose gender identity does not fall
under the binary of man/woman. In these
Not these:
cases, “they” can be used to refer to a specific
 policeman; fireman; mailman; stewardess
singular subject.
If uncertain, use common sense, keep an eye • Quinn is a Computer Science student. This will be
open for evolving common usages (e.g., their first time participating in a hackathon.
spokesperson). Use the nonspecific “chair”
• Hikaru heard that they had been accepted to the
to refer to the head of a committee.
Arts One program while on a family trip.
Do not use “he” (him, his) as a word of
indeterminate gender. It is important that
we recognize the existence of non-binary
people, so avoid using “her or his” and “he
and she” as an alternative, as this can be
awkward and overlooks non-binary people
who do not use these pronouns. To avoid this,
reword the sentence if possible or use the
gender-neutral “they”.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 40

2021 version 2.0
5 .0 inclusive l anguage

5 . 4 gender identit y 5 .5 se xualit y

In general, the adjective “trans” or “transgender” Avoid language that signals sexuality. If it
is the preferred term to use for people whose must be used, ask the person what terms they
gender identity is different from their assigned use to define themselves and defer to the
sex at birth. For those whose gender identity person’s preference.
matches their assigned sex at birth, the correct
Avoid the blanket use of “gay” or “gays” as a
term is “cisgender”. Always use these terms as
singular or plural noun. Instead, be specific and
adjectives, as in “transgender woman” or
put the person ahead of the label. For example,
“cisgender man”. Only use these adjectives if they
“One person in the group identifies as gay”
are explicitly relevant to the story, and never ask
rather than “There’s a gay man in the group.”
a trans person to identify their previous name or
share other private details about their history.
2SLGBTQIA+ is an acronym for Two-Spirit,
The term “transsexual” has a complex and
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans (transgender), Queer
controversial history. Do not use it unless the
or Questioning, Intersex and Asexual. The plus sign
person has specifically requested that you use it
(+) is added to the end in respect of the infinite
to describe them, and clarify you are using
variety of identities outside of, or not represented
someone’s own language in your copy.
by, this acronym. Different groups use different
• Grace, who identifies as a transsexual
variations of this acronym; some use shorter
woman, returned to school at UBC to upgrade
versions such as LGBTQ. If you’re writing about a
her credentials.
specific group, ask what acronym they use.
It’s important to ask people what pronouns
they use to avoid making assumptions based
For additional resources, please visit the
on name, appearance or voice. Make sure
Equity & Inclusion Office’s Positive Space
the right pronouns are used consistently.
Language glossary.
The pan-Indigenous term “Two-Spirit”
describes non-heterosexual or gender-diverse
Indigenous people. It specifically distinguishes
the experiences of Indigenous people
from non-Indigenous people and is sometimes
written as “2S”as part of an acronym. For
consistency, upper case and hyphenate
Two-Spirit and use it as an adjective, with
the person’s correct pronouns.
• He identifies as a Two-Spirit person.

Traditionally in some communities, Two-Spirit

peoples were considered to be visionaries
and healers.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 41

2021 version 2.0
5 .0 inclusive l anguage

5 .6 abilit y and disabilit y

Put the person ahead of the disability. In most Special thanks to the UBC Equity & Inclusion Office
instances, it’s unnecessary to refer to the for updates to this guide. See their website for
disability. If it’s crucial to the story, never assume; more resources, including an Equity & Inclusion
ask and defer to the person’s preferences. Glossary of Terms.

Avoid defining or depersonalizing people by their

disabilities and avoid turning the descriptors into
overall catch-all dismissive nouns, e.g., “the
blind”, “paraplegics”, “the disabled” and so forth.

The more sensitive “is”, “with” and “has” phrases

help put the person ahead of the disability.
• Joe has vision loss.

Avoid loaded and judgmental terms as “victim”,

“suffer”, “sufferer” and the like. That person with
that certain condition might not see him or
herself as either a victim or a sufferer. Rather than
use others’ value-laden or negative references,
defer to the factual.

Acceptance is growing and norms are slowly

changing but mental illnesses or disabilities can,
to some, carry a social stigma. Rather than using
any terms that either cast the person as a victim
or as a medical case and a specific condition,
use more neutral terms such as “mental health
difficulties” or “mental health conditions”.

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 42

2021 version 2.0
EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE FOR UBC COMMUNICATORS

RESOURCES

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 43

2021 version 2.0
 6.0 resources

6.0 resources writing cour ses

• The Canadian Oxford Dictionary Did you know there are excellent writing courses
available through UBC Extended Learning?
• The Canadian Press: For additional writing
Search the options here.
resources, you can purchase The Canadian
Press Stylebook or pay a small monthly fee and
have online access year-round to the latest
style-guide information.
The Canadian Press Stylebook
The Canadian Press Caps and Spelling

• UBC Brand: For other helpful guides, such

as the Indigenous Peoples: Language Guidelines
or the Social Media Best Practice Guide, visit
this site.
UBC Brand

UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 44

2021 version 2.0
UBC Brand: Editorial Style Guide for UBC Communicators 45
2021 version 2.0