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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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headlines and headers

Apply these capitalization guidelines to article headlines, headers within articles, and webpage titles and headers:

  • Capitalize all words in a headline, header or title except articles (a, an, the); prepositions of three or fewer letters (for, of, on, up, etc.); and conjunctions of three or fewer letters (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet, etc.) unless any of those come first or last.
  • Capitalize prepositions of four or more letters (above, after, down, inside, over, with, etc.) and conjunctions of four or more letters (because, while, since, though, etc.)
  • Capitalize both parts of a phrasal verb: “What To Look For in a Mate”; “Turn Off the Lights in Silence.” But: “A Life of Eating Chocolate for Stamina”; “Living With Both Feet off the Ground.” (Note the different uses of “for” and “off,” and thus the different capitalization, in those examples.)
  • Capitalize “to” in infinitives: “What I Want To Be When I Grow Up.”

Holladay Hall

NC State’s first building, Holladay Hall, was originally called the Main Building. The cornerstone was laid in August 1888, and the building was opened Oct. 3, 1889. The building was renamed for the college’s first president, Alexander Quarles Holladay, in 1915. Today Holladay Hall houses the offices of the chancellor and other administrative offices.

Hunt Library

This library on Centennial Campus houses collections relevant to science, technology, engineering, mathematics and textiles. The library’s full name is:

James B. Hunt Jr. Library

References to the governor himself, as opposed to the building named after him, use a comma after “Hunt”:

Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr. addressed the audience.