Editorial Guidelines


All NIU websites follow the university’s editorial guidelines on spelling, punctuation, degree terminology and other areas. Some guidelines specific to the web are included below. 

For any questions not addressed in the editorial style guide, refer to the AP Stylebook. Online access to the AP Stylebook is free for NIU employees and students through NIU libraries. Note: you will need to log in with your AID/ZID and password to access the resource.

4.1 Capitalization

  • Page navigation labels are written in Title Case.
  • Main headings and H2 should be written in Title Case.
  • In cases where a subheading is a complete sentence, it can be formatted in sentence case (only the first word capitalized).
  • File types must be capitalized (e.g. PDF, DOCX).

Example: Application Fee Waiver – Freshmen Applicants

4.2 Content and Text Formatting

  • Do not center align text or headings.
  • Bold may be used to emphasize particular words and phrases. Do not bold full sentences or use bolded words in place of a heading.
  • Do not use underline (may be confused with a hyperlink).
  • To emphasize words or phrases, italic may be used sparingly, but bold is preferred.
  • Italic and bold should not be combined.
  • ALL CAPS should only be used in an official name already formatted that way or in cases of abbreviation (ex., NASA, NIU). Spell out acronyms on first use.
  • Do not use symbols in words in lieu of letters on webpages, (i.e., Latin@s) as it cannot be read aloud for the visually impaired and is therefore not accessibility compliant.
  • Phone numbers should be linked for ease of use.
  • When referring to campus buildings, link to the interactive map. This does not apply to headings. Example: Our office is located in Lowden Hall.

4.3 Honorifics and Post-nominal Letters

The NIU web standards comply with the editorial guidelines on reserving the Dr. prefix for medical doctors only. An exception may be applied to faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This exception must be requested by the faculty member and will only apply to pages in Cascade. An exception can also be made when Dr. is part of an official name, such as a scholarship or program.

Post-nominal letters, also known as degree abbreviations, may be included after the first occurrence of a person’s name in order to establish credentials. Post-nominal letters should be punctuated in accordance with AP style, with the exception of the College of Health and Human Sciences, which may instead use AMA style.

Examples:

  • Ferris Bueller, B.S.
  • Doogie Howser, MD (CHHS)

Contact Us

For more information about web support and development, contact: 

Holly Nicholson
Still Hall 110
815-753-6692
hnicholson@niu.edu

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