A-Z Online Style Guide

For the most part, The Fletcher School website follows punctuation, capitalization and usage guidelines outlined in the Associated Press Stylebook Online, which is available to the entire Fletcher community through the Ginn Library (password required).

Fletcher-specific style guidelines are included in the A-Z guide below.

CAMPUS – Lowercase: located on the Medford campus.


CAMPUSWIDE – One word, no hyphen.


CELLPHONE – One word


CENTURY – lowercase: The first century. Spell out numbers less than ten, use numerals for all others. The 21st century.


CHAIR – Preferred title for the presiding officer of a department or committee. Avoid chairperson.


CHANCELLOR – Lowercase, unless immediately preceding a name.


CLASS – Capitalize when referring to a specific class: the Class of ’07.


CLASS YEARS – Do not use an apostrophe between the letter representing the school and the graduation year: For alumni with multiple degrees, list in chronological order, separated by commas: A10, F12. Use the letter P when indicating that their child is also a Fletcher graduate: A70, F72, F02P. Offset class and year with commas: Vali Nasr, A81, F84, will speak at the event. See the list of letters representing each school within Tufts University.


COMMENCEMENT – Capitalize when referring to the Tufts event. Lowercase general references: Tufts’ main commencement will be held on May 17, 2012. The 78th Annual Fletcher Commencement Exercises were part of a weekend of year-end events.


COMPRISE – Comprise means to contain, to include all, to consist of. It is incorrect to say “is comprised of.”  To eliminate this incorrect phrase replace it with “is composed of.”

Tufts University is comprised of 6 schools  Wrong                       
Tufts University comprises 6 schools  Correct


COURSE TITLES – Capitalize official course titles in running text: The International Law and Organizations course will be offered in the spring.        

When listing a course number with the abbreviation of the division, put a space between the abbreviation, the course number, and the course name: ILO 221  Actors in Global Governance                                                                                                         

COURSE WORK – Two words


COURTESY TITLES – Never use courtesy titles such as Mr., Mrs., Ms., etc. Use Dr. only when the person is a medical doctor and use only on first reference.


CREDIT HOURS – Use numerals to refer to credit hours: She is currently enrolled in a 4 credit hour course.


CUM LAUDE – No italic.


CURRICULUM VITAE – No italic; the plural is curricula vitae. Also referred to as CV; plural CVs.


CYBER – Always lowercase: cybercast, cyberspace, etc.