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Editorial Style

Following NC State's editorial style lends your writing a professional sheen and ensures a consistent experience for all of our readers.

Clear, Consistent Writing

Editorial style is a set of rules that tells you what to do when there's more than one "correct" way to write something. Examples include determining which words to capitalize in a headline or when to spell out a number versus using a numeral. Without a clear-cut set of style guidelines, writers often address these situations in inconsistent and contradictory ways, which undermines their credibility.

NC State’s editorial style is based on The Associated Press Stylebook, with exceptions and additions as noted below. When AP style conflicts with NC State's own guidelines, you should follow the latter. To resolve questions of spelling, AP recommends using Merriam-Webster.

You should follow these rules far more often than not. However, situations may arise when bending a rule makes more sense than following it. Clarity and consistency are the most important considerations.

Use the search bar or index to find a specific editorial style reference.

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General Administration

The governing body of the 17-campus University of North Carolina system, of which NC State is a constituent institution. See entry for The University of North Carolina for a list of all 17 campuses.

Governors Scott Courtyard

This courtyard on North Campus — bounded by Kilgore Hall, the Phytotron, Fox Science Teaching Laboratory, David Clark Labs and Nelson Hall — was constructed in 2004. The word “Governors” in the courtyard’s name is plural in honor of North Carolina’s two governors named Scott: W. Kerr Scott (1949-1953) and Robert W. Scott (1969-1973).

graduation year

For alums of NC State, when giving their graduation year with their name, give the last two digits of the year they graduated immediately after their last name. Precede the year with a backward-facing apostrophe (i.e., the apostrophe points toward the left, where the “missing” first two years are).

  • Kevin Howell ’88 became chancellor of NC State in 2025.

You can also give their major with their graduation year. This is usually done by giving their major and year, in that order, in parentheses after their name. Although academic majors are usually lowercase, in this construction they are capitalized.

  • Jane Tuffy (International Studies ’15) will give the commencement address.

In the lower third of a video, you can either give the year alone as in the first example above, or you can give the major and year on a separate line below the name, without parentheses.

  • Jane Tuffy
    International Studies ’15

When an alum has multiple degrees from NC State, give them all as in the first example above, separated by commas.

  • Christina Koch ’99, ’00, ’02 broke the record for the longest continuous spaceflight by a woman.

When an alum has earned a graduate degree, you can use degree abbreviations to indicate which degree the alum earned. To do this, give the degree abbreviation prior to the graduation year. In the example below, alumna Christina Koch earned two bachelor’s degrees (’99 and ’00) and one master’s degree (’02) from NC State.

  • Christina Koch ’99, ’00, M.S. ’02 broke the record for the longest continuous spaceflight by a woman.

Gregg Museum of Art & Design

This museum, a unit of Arts NC State, uses the ampersand in its name.

On first reference, use “Gregg Museum of Art & Design.” On subsequent references, use “Gregg Museum” or “the Gregg.”