General Style Guide for Writing Official Announcements and Correspondences

Acronyms and Full Names

• Use capital letters for acronyms such as “ADDU” and avoid periods (e.g., “SJ” instead of “J.”).
• Always introduce acronyms with the full name first (e.g., “Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU)”). Use only the acronym in subsequent references.

Use of “University” (Capital “U”)

• Use “University” with a capital “U” when referring specifically to Ateneo de Davao University. This includes direct mentions of the institution in formal and official contexts.
• Treat “University” as a proper noun when it stands alone and is used to represent Ateneo de Davao University.
• Capitalize “University” in titles, headings, and when it is part of the official name of the institution.
• Example:”The University is committed to academic excellence and community engagement.” 

Use of “university” (Lowercase “u”)

• Use “university” with a lowercase “u” when referring to any institution of higher education in a general sense.
• When using “university” as an adjective, such as in “university policies” or “university community,” lowercase the “u” unless it specifically refers to Ateneo de Davao University.
• Example: “Many students choose to study at a university abroad for international experience.”

Date Format

• Follow the format “day, month, year” for consistency (e.g., “27 April 2024”).

Salutations and Titles

• Use formal salutations (e.g., “Dear”) and appropriate honorifics (e.g., “Mr.,” “Dr.,” “Rev.”). Include space between honorifics and names (e.g., “Dr. John Smith”) and avoid periods in honorifics like “SJ.”

Subject Lines and Headlines

• Keep them brief and reflective of the content.

Formatting and Structure

• Organize information using paragraphs and bullet points, starting with the most important details.

Contact Information

• Provide relevant contact details for further inquiries.

Signatures

• Include the name and title of the issuer for credibility.

Use of Italics

• Use italics to emphasize, distinguish titles, foreign words, local words (if writing in English), technical terms, legal references, and scientific names.

Names and Honorifics

• Full Names: Use proper capitalization (e.g., “John Smith”).
• Middle Names/Initials: Include a space between first name and middle initial/name, and use periods after initials.
• Hyphenated Names: Use hyphens without spaces (e.g., “Maria Garcia-Lopez”).
• Common Honorifics: Use appropriate honorifics (e.g., “Mr.,” “Ms.,” “Dr.,” “Rev.,” and “”). Limit the use of “Mrs.” in favor of “Ms.” unless specifically requested.
• Titles and Positions: Capitalize titles and positions (e.g., “President John Doe”).
• Acronyms for Honorifics, Especially PhD: Use PhD to mean Doctor of Philosophy. Avoid using periods in PhD.
• Proper Formatting: Use proper capitalization and spacing for acronyms, such as “PhD.” For example, use “John Doe, PhD.”
• Placement: Place “PhD” after the person’s full name.
• Avoid Repetition: Include “PhD” only in the first mention of a person’s name.
• Multiple Titles: If a person has multiple titles (e.g., “Dr.” and “PhD”), avoid redundancy by using only one title.
• Consistency: Maintain consistency in the use of “PhD” across announcements.
• Context-Dependent: Consider the context when using “PhD” to decide its necessity.

Inclusive Language

• Promote diversity and respect by using gender-neutral language.

Consistency in Terminology

• Maintain consistent terminology across announcements.
• Use the standardized terms “Preschool and Grade School,” “Junior High School,” and “Senior High School” consistently across all communications.
• When referring to higher education units, use consistent terminology such as “Higher Education Units or Schools” instead of “college” to represent the various departments and schools within the university. Reserve the term “college” specifically for undergraduate programs.
• Refer to academic programs by their official names consistently across communications. For example, if referring to a program within the university, use its formal name such as “Bachelor of Science in Business Administration” rather than abbreviations like “BSBA” unless the context and audience are familiar with the acronym.
• Use the official course codes and titles consistently across communications. For example, refer to a mathematics course as “MATH 101 – Introduction to Algebra” rather than a more casual “Algebra class.”

Quotations and Attributions

• Attribute quotes accurately and maintain context.

Clarity and Precision

• Avoid jargon and clearly explain complex concepts.

Review and Proofreading

• Carefully review announcements and correspondences for errors.

Audience Awareness

• Tailor announcements to specific audiences.