Capitalization

The CSUDH editorial style guide follows a mostly lowercase approach, also known as down-style, which favors lowercasing when the question of whether to capitalize or not arises, which is the preferred style of the media.

The following guidelines on capitalization apply mainly to running text. Exceptions are when writing lists, outlines, table of contents, programs, etc., where the graphic appearance of a piece is a major consideration. Use your best judgment.

Arranged alphabetically

— A —

abbreviations/acronyms—Most abbreviations/acronyms are in all caps and usually not separated with periods or spaces. Some exceptions where periods are used include abbreviated two-named cities (Los Angeles is L.A.), states (North Dakota is N.D.—see states), nations (United States is U.S.), initials as names (J.K. Rowling), and academic degrees (see abbreviations, academic degrees).

academic degrees—When spelling out a degree, do not capitalize it when used in a generic sense; capitalize only when referring to a specific degree. Examples: CSUDH offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees (generic) in a number of disciplines. She received her bachelor’s degree (generic) in political science and she is working towards a Master of Arts in History (specific), with hopes of one day obtaining her doctorate. Academic degrees are capitalized when following a person’s name. Either the full name of the degree or the abbreviation is acceptable. (Mary Smith, Doctor of Philosophy; Mary Smith, Ph.D.)

assembly—Capitalized when referring to a house of a state legislature (e.g. the California Assembly).
assembly member—Two words; capitalized only when preceding an individual’s name. (Assembly Member John Smith attended the ceremony. But: John Smith, assembly member, attended the ceremony.) Preferred instead of assemblyman and assemblywoman. (See CAPITALIZATION, titles)

awards—Check with the organization issuing the award, grant, fellowship, or scholarship to determine capitalization. Some capitalize the common noun (award, grant, etc.) while others do not. (Examples: Guggenheim Fellowship, but Guggenheim grant; National Merit Scholarship awards; Nobel Prize in physics; Nobel laureate; Nobel Prize winner

— B —

bachelor’s degree—Do not capitalize; use apostrophe s (the term is bachelor’s degree not bachelors degree). The plural is bachelor’s degrees, not bachelors’ degrees.

board of trustees—Capitalize Board of Trustees when referring to the board of the CSU system, and use the official name in the first reference, California State University Board of Trustees.

Note: This rule deviates from the lowercase style but is the preference of the Chancellor’s Office. Lowercase board of trustees when used for other boards or when either word, board or trustee, is used alone, even when referring to the CSU board. (The board met last month. The trustees will be meeting this week. But: The Board of Trustees will vote on fee hikes later this month.) The terms board of trustees and board take singular verbs; trustees takes a plural verb.

— C —

The California State University—The is part of the official name of this system and should be included and capitalized on covers, title pages, contents, headings, official proclamations or resolutions, and the like. However, lowercase the before the California State University or the CSU in all other writings. The word system is often used in conjunction with the CSU but it is not part of the official name and is not capitalized.

capital/capitol—Capital is the seat of government and is lowercased. (The capital of California is Sacramento.) Capitol is a building. Lowercase when it is used to refer to state government buildings. Capitalize when referring to the government building in Washington D.C. (The Capitol of the United States is in Washington D.C. or The U.S. Capitol is a magnificent building.)

centuries— Capitalize only when used as part of the name of a company. Lowercase and spell out if less than 10 (the second century; the 21st century).

Chancellor’s Office—Capitalize when referring to the systemwide office, or the building that houses the administrative offices of the CSU system. Example: The Chancellor’s Office announced plans for a new campus today; or The Board of Trustees meets at the Chancellor’s Office. Lowercase when referring to the physical office of the incumbent chancellor. Example: I went into the chancellor’s office to get his signature.

colleges, academic, or administrative departments, divisions, programs— If the official and complete name is used, it should be capitalized: College of Health and Human Services, College of Education, Department of Anthropology, Division of Kinesiology and
Recreation, Division of University Advancement, Theatre Arts Program, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding Program, Office of Development, Division of Academic Affairs. Lowercase when used informally (hint: often when the words a or the precede the name): the sociology department, the history department, academic affairs, the program in negotiation, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, etc. (see also CAPITALIZATION, majors/minors)

courses—Capitalize specific names of courses: Freshman Composition I, History 101, Africana Studies 200/Intro to Africana Studies, etc. (See also CAPITALIZATION, majors/minors)

— G —
geographic regions—Capitalize only when referring to a specific region: Southern California, the West Coast, the West, the Midwest, the East, the South, the Far East. Do not capitalize compass directions (north, south, east, west).
— H —
home page—Two words, not capitalized.
House of Representatives—Use uppercase when referring to the lower house of Congress, even when shorted to House.
— I —
Internet—Capital I.
— L —
legislature—Lowercase in all uses (the California legislature, the state legislature, the legislature).
— M —
master’s degree—Do not capitalize; use apostrophe s (the term is master’s degree not masters degree). The plural is master’s degrees, not masters’ degrees.
majors/minors—Majors and minors and fields of study, except those containing proper nouns, are not capitalized (e.g. marketing, communications, English, Asian studies, economics, Africana studies, earth science, etc.) (See CAPITALIZATION, courses and capitalization, colleges, academic or administrative departments, divisions, programs)
— P —
place names—Informal names of buildings and places should not be capitalized. Example: Leo F. Cain Library referred to as library, lowercase, in subsequent references; or Student Health Center shortened to health center; or California State University, Dominguez Hills referred to as the university. (See CAPITALIZATION, university)
— S —
seasons and semesters—Do not capitalize spring, summer, winter, fall, or semesters.
senate—Capitalize when referring to the U.S. Senate or the California Senate; lowercase when referring to the state senate.
states—The word state is lowercased (e.g. the state of California), unless part of a proper name. Spell out, do not abbreviate, a state name when it stands alone in a text. In conjunction with a city, abbreviate using the AP Stylebook abbreviations (for California, Calif., not the postal abbreviation, CA). Eight states are not abbreviated: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. Use postal abbreviations for mailing addresses only.
— T —
titles—Capitalize formal titles when they are used immediately before one or more names: Chancellor Timothy White, Deans Matt Smith and Jane Doe, Gov. Jerry Brown, Sen. Kamala Harris, Professor Emeritus Nelson Muntz. But do not capitalize before a name if the precedes the title: The governor, Jerry Brown, visited campus.
Note: Formal titles are usually ones that denote a scope of authority, professional activity, or academic accomplishment, as opposed to an occupation. Formal titles such as dean, professor, or director would be capitalized before a person’s name, but teacher, librarian, or coordinator would not.
Titles used in lieu of a person’s name in running text (The chancellor will be visiting the campus today.) or titles following a name (Thomas Parham, CSUDH president, addressed the students.) should not be capitalized. The latter should be set off by commas. Lowercasing a title does not diminish the rank or credibility of the person or position; for example, it is the universally accepted style that president, queen, and pope are not capitalized when used in lieu of the person’s name in those positions, or when the title follows their name.
As noted at the beginning of this section, in such usages as programs, official lists, addresses, or outlines, it is acceptable to capitalize a title following a person’s name.
— U —
university— Do not capitalize university as a marker of this university,
except when included in the full title, California State University, Dominguez Hills.
It has been more or less customary at CSUDH to capitalize university when referring to this university. However, we strongly recommend that CSUDH writers switch to using a lowercase u, or avoid using the term alone when referring to this campus, for these reasons:
Doing so eliminates any confusion about when and when not to capitalize the word.
Non-university preference (in publishing, the news media, and the nonacademic business world) is to lowercase university, even when it refers to a specific institution.
In almost all cases, context will clearly indicate when university refers to California State University, Dominguez Hills. In cases where there may be ambiguity, writers can easily substitute our university or one of the other acceptable abbreviations or acronyms for the campus.
— W —
web—preference is now to lowercase the shortened word for World
Wide Web
web page—lowercase, two words.
website—One word, do not capitalize.
World Wide Web—Capitalize