NSC_Identity_Writing_style-guide - National Safety Council

NSC Writing Style Guide
Numbers
Spell out numbers one through nine. Use numerals for:
• Numbers 10 and up
• Any numbers that show percentages (5%) or ages (age 7)
• Values of millions or billions (6 million)
Spell out numbers whenever they begin a sentence in text.
Ordinal numbers
Spell out first through ninth except when referring to editions of books/publications. Use numerals for 10th and higher. Do
not use superscript type for “-st,” “-nd,” “-rd,” “-th” endings.
Fractions
Write fractions as 1 1/2, not 1½.
Measurements
Spell out measurements: 12 inches instead of 12", but 12-in. x 12-in.
Percentages
*In marketing copy, use the “%” symbol instead of “percent.” When giving a range of percentages, use % with both
numbers and separate with an en-dash (16% – 18%). In editorial copy, when using the word “percent” with a range, place
it only at the end of the range (16 to 18 percent).
Organizational names
*When talking about NSC Chapters, “Chapters” or “Chapter” should always be capitalized. Also capitalize the names of
NSC committees, departments and offices.
Examples:
Contact your local Chapter.
the Board of Trustees, the NSC Sales Office, the Marketing Department, but the committee, the department
Capitalize “training center” and “instructor” when preceded by a modifier connecting them to NSC programs. Example:
DDC Training Centers, DDC Instructor, NSC Instructor, First Aid Instructors, but certified instructors, your training center
Phone numbers
Domestic use parentheses for area codes, with a space after the close parentheses and a hyphen between prefix and
suffix for domestic numbers. Always use the area code.
Example:
(800) 621-7619
Only include +1 before the number and dashes rather than parentheses for communications about international services.
Example:
For additional information about NSC international programs, call +1-630-775-2123.
When referring to the emergency phone number use 911 for editorial purposes. Use 9 -1-1 in directions for training.
Times of day
Use the a.m. and p.m. designations (lowercase with periods separating the letters) after times (4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
CST). Indicate time zone when relevant. Use a space after the time and the a.m. or p.m. (4:00 p.m. CST)
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rev. 04.08.13