Editorial Style Guide

Our institution's style for writing is based primarily on the Associated Press Stylebook. For additional reference, consult Merriam Webster Dictionary.

When writing for academic publications, follow the appropriate style for your discipline (e.g., American Psychological Association, Modern Language Association).

Always spell out the full name of the unit on first reference. Avoid abbreviations and acronyms as much as possible.

  • Preferred:
    • The School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering houses a number of departments. The school also has advisers to help students on their path to graduation.
  • Acceptable:
    • The School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering (NSME) houses a number of departments. NSME also has advisers to help students on their path to graduation.
  • Not acceptable:
    • NSME houses a number of departments. NSME also has advisers to help students on their path to graduation.

Abbreviate with periods and no spaces in between.

  • Ph.D., Ed.D., M.S.W., B.A., B.S. M.A. M.S.
  • Exception: MBA

Use an apostrophe and lowercase bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, etc., but there is no possessive in Bachelor of Arts or Master of Science.

Also, associate degree has no apostrophe.

Capitalize the official unit name, such as School of Social Sciences and Education, Department of Nursing or Kegley Institute of Ethics.

Lowercase the words “university,” “school,” “department,” “division” or any other unit when used alone in other references. For example:

  • California State University, Bakersfield first held classes in 1970. In 2020, the university celebrated its 50th anniversary.
  • The Department of Nursing has been consistently recognized in national rankings. The department offers a wide array of programs.
  • The School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering houses a number of departments. The school also has advisers to help students on their path to graduation.
  • The Kegley Institute of Ethics offers a wide array of programming. The institute works with the local community.
Academic years should be written 2024-25.
Someone filling in for someone temporarily on leave is "acting." The correct title when someone is filling a position while a permanent replacement is being sought is "interim."

In general, use terms that can apply to any gender. Such language aims to treat people equally and is inclusive of people whose identity is not strictly male or female.

However, for clarification:

  • Alumni references a group of graduates of the university. It is gender neutral.
  • Alum is an informal abbreviation of the singular version of alumni.
  • Alumnus references a single male graduate.
  • Alumna references a single female graduate. Alumnae refers to multiple female graduates.
Do not use the ampersand in place of “and.” This includes spelling out “and” in department, school or unit names. The only exception is if it is in an official company name, such as “AT&T” or “PG&E.”
The Big West Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference whose member institutions participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. CSUB is part of the Big West.
Stands for Black, Indigenous and people of color. Spell out on first reference.

Spell out on first reference. The CSU acronym may be used on second reference. Use systemwide without a hyphen.

Chancellor's Office: Capitalize when referring to the systemwide office as a whole.

Remember, the full name of the university is California State University, Bakersfield. See other campus names here.

Do not capitalize class years, seasons and semesters:

  • The alumni were from the class of 2021.
  • We are looking forward to summer vacation after the spring 2022 semester.

Do not use the Oxford (serial) comma in a list series. For example:

  • The graduates are innovative, hardworking and successful.

Exceptions are made when writing for academic publications. In those cases, follow the appropriate style for your discipline (e.g., American Psychological Association, Modern Language Association).

Comprise means to be made up of, to contain, to include all. It is best used only in active voice followed by a direct object. For example: The CSU system comprises 23 universities. 

Compose means to create or put together. For example: CSUB is composed of four schools.
Courtesy titles before someone’s name such as “Mr.,” “Ms.” or “Mrs.” are not required unless used in a direct quote. “Dr.” should be used in front of an individual’s name if they have a doctoral degree; alternatively, listing their degree after their name is acceptable. (For example, both “Dr. Tiffany Winston” and “Tiffany Winston, Ph.D.” are acceptable.)
Refers to CSUB’s satellite campus in Antelope Valley. CSUB’s main campus is in Bakersfield; the AV campus is approximately 90 miles south of the main campus. Spell out Antelope Valley on first reference.

Avoid using deficit-based language, which focuses on what an individual or community lacks. This positions minoritized individuals as a problem rather than acknowledging that they have faced systemic oppression. Instead, use asset-based language, which highlights the strengths and achievements of an individual or community and acknowledges that they have been institutionally marginalized.

Avoid deficit terms such as “at-risk,” “poor,” “needy” and “troubled.”

When writing about anyone with a disability — whether physical, intellectual or psychological/emotional — adopt "people first" language. This means using words that put the person at the center of a description rather than a label, their status or focusing on what the individual cannot do.

For example, you would refer to a "graduate student who has epilepsy" but not a "graduate student who's an epileptic." As with any other area of sensitivity like this, please ask the individual how they prefer to be referred to and use this language as much as possible. Be sure if you are interviewing someone with a disability, whether visible or not, that they are aware of how much detail and information you will be sharing about their disability.

If the disability is not part of the story and there isn't a need to include it, don't.

CSUB has a Services for Students with Disabilities center.

Lowercase the names of disciplines, majors, courses and undergraduate and graduate programs:

  • astronomy and astrophysics program
  • chemistry
  • courses in education
  • science courses
  • teaching credential classes
  • literature major
  • careers in the social sciences
  • master’s program in biology
  • M.S. program in history

Exceptions: Capitalize proper names within majors and disciplines

  • English literature major
  • Spanish major
Division I is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the NCAA. CSUB is a Division I school. Note that the “one” is written as a Roman numeral (I), not as an Arabic numeral (1).

The DREAM Act — Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors — is congressional legislation that would allow young undocumented immigrants who were brought here as children to remain in the country if they meet certain criteria.

It is similar to but not the same as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Many refer to immigrants who would benefit from either the DREAM Act or DACA as "Dreamers." The term "Dreamers" is acceptable.

CSUB has a Dreamers Resource Center.

Do not call a person illegal or an alien. Undocumented may be used. Do not expose someone as undocumented or a “Dreamer” without their permission, and only include this information if it is pertinent to the story you are trying to tell.

Doctoral is an adjective (doctoral program); doctorate is the degree received.
Refers to a student whose parents did not complete a university degree.
Farther refers to physical distance whereas further refers to extent or degree.

For example: 
CSUB faculty is going further than ever before to educate students.
The student walked farther into campus.










(We must take further steps to ensure that this does not happen again.)
Refers to the state of being without reliable access to food. Not synonymous with “hungry.”

Gender is not synonymous with sex. Gender refers to identity while sex refers to biological characteristics.

In your writing, be as inclusive as possible. Not all people fall under the categories of “male/man” and “female/woman” — as is the case for intersex or nonbinary individuals. Ask how people want to be referenced and respect how they identify.

When writing about groups, use gender neutral language.

  • Correct: All prospective students must bring their ID cards to orientation.
  • Incorrect: All prospective students must bring his or her ID cards to orientation.
Acceptable in all references for grade point average.
Capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns in a headline (also referred to as sentence case).
Two words.

A Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is defined as a federally-recognized institution that has an enrollment of at least 25% Hispanic/Latinx students. CSUB is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution.

HSI may be used as an acronym only after the full name is spelled out on first reference.

A Hispanic-Serving Institution is part of the government’s Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Program. Other MSIs include: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AAPISIs).

Hyphens are used to connect two or more words functioning together as an adjective before a noun, often to avoid ambiguity.

For example:

Correct: CSUB is a degree-granting institution.
Incorrect: CSUB is a degree granting institution. 

DO hyphenate:

  • Full-time and part-time when used as adjectives (He is a full-time employee).
  • Modifying words combined with well when preceding a noun (a well-known author).
  • Words beginning with the prefixes all and self (all-encompassing, self-supporting).
  • Compounds consisting of a number and a unit of measure before the noun (three-mile limit, 100-yard race).
  • Compounds ending with a preposition (like out, up, of) before the noun (check-out time, burned-up reports, unheard-of recommendation).

DO NOT hyphenate:

  • When connecting -ly adverbs to words they modify (slowly rising river).
  • Titles such as vice chancellor and vice president.
  • Words with the prefixes anti, co, multi, non, post, pre, re, semi and sub (except those containing a proper noun).

Capitalize when they precede a person’s name.

  • President Lynnette Zelezny
  • Dr. Lynnette Zelezny, president of California State University, Bakersfield
  • Department Chair Dr. Sarah Lang
  • Dr. Sarah Lang, department chair

Use the term LGBTQ+, as opposed to simply LGBT, as it is more inclusive of gender and sexuality. While LGBT refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, it does not encompass nonbinary individuals, intersex, asexual, demisexual, queer, questioning, pansexual, etc. CSUB has an LGBTQ+ Pride network.

The word "queer" has historically been considered a slur, but many individuals now openly identify as queer. Always ask how people prefer to be referred to.

Words to avoid:

  • Sexual preference (use sexual orientation)
  • Lifestyle
  • Homosexual (preferred: gay or lesbian)
  • Transvestite
  • Transsexual
  • Gay community (preferred: LGBTQ+ community)
  • Hermaphrodite (use intersex)

Minoritized is preferred in most cases.

Minority assumes that a community is a smaller size than the majority group. It also can be viewed by some as “less than.” Minoritized acknowledges that a community has faced systemic oppression in history.

At CSUB, the majority of students identify as Hispanic or Latinx; technically, they are not the minority. However, in the United States, Latinx communities have historically been marginalized; therefore, they are a minoritized group.

Spell out the entire name of each month when using it alone or with a year. If stating a month and a year after it, do not separate them with a comma:

  • September 2006
  • However, Feb. 12, 2015, is correct when the full date is used.

When a month is used with a specific date (e.g. Jan. 6), abbreviate only:

  • Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec.

March, April, May, June and July are not abbreviated.

Do not use “th,” “st,” “nd,” or “rd” in dates, (e.g. June 15th). Write it as June 15.

Not Multiple Subjects Credential.
Acceptable in all references for National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Spell out whole numbers one to nine; use numerals for 10 and over. Spell out all numbers at the beginning of a sentence.
Use the % sign when paired with a number. For example:
  • Over 60% of graduates remain to work in Kern County.
For amounts less than 1%, add a zero before a decimal.
  • Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students make up about 0.4% of the student population.

Use an individual’s preferred pronouns. Do not assume. Examples include:

  • She/her/hers
  • He/him/his
  • They/them/theirs

Use capitalizations. Follow an individual’s preference. Examples include:

  • African American or Black
  • Latino/Latina/Latinx or Hispanic
  • Native American
  • Asian American and Pacific Islanders

Remember that these groups are not monolithic. Many individuals prefer to be specific about their ethnic origins (e.g. Mexican American, Afro-Latino, Middle Eastern, Arab, Indian, Filipino, North African, etc.). When unsure, ask the individual.

Words to avoid:

  • Colored people (you may use “people of color”)
  • Civilized
  • Third-world country
  • Oriental
  • Savage
  • Illegal alien

Use the abbreviation for number in conjunction with a figure to indicate a ranking.

  • The department was ranked No. 1 in the state.
  • The university was ranked No. 25 in the nation.

Rowdy the Roadrunner is CSUB’s mascot. You may call the CSUB community Roadrunners or `Runners for short. The word Roadrunner, when referring to the university mascot, should always be one word and capitalized. The singular usage is correct when describing a particular team. However, the plural usage is correct when describing a group.

  • Correct: Roadrunner baseball
  • Incorrect: Roadrunners baseball
  • Correct: We are the Roadrunners
  • Incorrect: We are the Roadrunner

Note the backtick (left quote) in the term `Runners.

Use a hyphen.
Write telephone numbers with parenthesis and a hyphen, e.g. (661) 654-3036

With the exception of noon and midnight, use figures and lowercase letters. Always use the word “to” to separate times that denote the beginning and end of an event. Do not capitalize a.m. and p.m. (always use periods). In international communications, specify the timezone.

  • The event is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Giving Day, the 24-hour fundraising campaign, will start at midnight this Thursday.

Write URLs in their simplest form. Remove “http”, “https” or “www” unless they are necessary for the URL to be functional. You can test out the URL first.

  • csub.edu
  • csub.edu/future-students
  • give.csub.edu