This style should be used for all Valparaiso University marketing and communications, including but not limited to print materials, web copy, email, presentations, and social media. Any questions regarding Valpo’s style should be directed to the marketing department at brand.manager@valpo.edu. Valparaiso University – On first reference, use the full University name. On second and further references, Valpo is acceptable. Do not use VU, which might prompt confusion among universities with Valpo’s initials. academic degrees — Lowercase if spelled out, such as bachelor of arts or master of science. Do not follow the full name of a degree with the word degree. Use an apostrophe only in the short form, such as bachelor’s degree. Use periods for twoletter degrees, such as B.A., B.S., M.A., J.D., etc. In general, do not use periods for degree abbreviations with three or more capital letters, such as MBA, MFA, or MALS. Examples: She received a master of arts in communication. She received a master’s degree in communication. Provost Eric Johnson ’87, Ph.D. dates – Always use Arabic figures, without st, nd, rd, or th. Use an en dash to show a range of dates. Use the complete four-digit year. Write out full date when character limit allows. Use abbreviations only when character limit does not. Examples: The event was held May 21, 2024, in Valparaiso. The reception will be Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 5 p.m. in the Harre Union. email addresses – Lowercase. Example: brand.manager@valpo.edu numbers – Spell out whole numbers below 10 or at the beginning of a sentence; use figures for 10 and above. For ordinals, spell out first through ninth; starting with 10th, use figures. phone/fax numbers – Use periods instead of dashes. Do not use parentheses around the area code. Example: 219.464.680
Editorial Style Quick Guide
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Updated March 2024