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University of Wisconsin–Madison

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The goal of this Editorial Style Guide is to provide a handy reference for points of style specific to UW–Madison: to detail items that university communicators use frequently, including inclusive terminology, and to ensure that UW–Madison titles, locations, departments, and the like are used in a consistent manner.

The list of rules included here is not intended to be a substitute for or re-creation of the rules of usage and spelling found in the preferred references for campus use, which should still be the primary style guides:

  • the Chicago Manual of Style (for non-news communications)
  • the Associated Press Stylebook (for news communications and institutional websites at University Communications, although University Marketing and the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association use the Chicago Manual of Style for all communications)
  • Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary

References to specific sections within the Chicago Manual of Style are expressed in this guide as, e.g., CMS 9.35.

For information about UW–Madison:

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