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University of Wisconsin–Madison

Browse the editorial styleguide A–Z

L&S
College of Letters & Science (not Sciences); use an ampersand with the abbreviation and the proper name
La Follette
in references to Fighting Bob La Follette, 1879; Belle Case La Follette 1879, LLB 1885; their family; or any people or entities that have descended from them, put a space between La and Follette
LaBahn Arena
no space between La and Bahn
Lakeshore Path
initial caps
languages
see foreign
Latin American
no hyphen for noun or adjective usages
Latin scholarly words and phrases
see foreign words and phrases
Latino/a/x, Hispanic, Chicano
Latino is often the preferred noun or adjective for a person from, or whose ancestors were from, a Spanish-speaking land or culture or from Latin America. Latina is the feminine form. Some prefer the recently coined gender-neutral term Latinx, which should be confined to quotations, names of organizations, or descriptions of individuals who request it and should be accompanied by a short explanation. For groups of women, use the plural Latinas; for groups of men or of mixed gender, use the plural Latinos. Hispanic refers to a person from — or whose ancestors were from — a Spanish-speaking land or culture. Latino, Latina, or Latinx are sometimes preferred. Follow the person’s preference. Use a more specific identification when possible, such as Cuban, Puerto Rican, or Mexican American. Chicano is a term that Mexican Americans in the U.S. Southwest sometimes use to describe their heritage. Use only if it is a person’s preference. (Source: AP Stylebook)
Law School
capitalized; the Law School prefers UW Law School (not the UW Law School) or University of Wisconsin Law School (not School of Law)
legal cases
see court cases
legislature
see CMS 8.62
LGBT, LGBTQ
(Adjective) Acceptable in all references for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning and/or queer. In quotations and the formal names of organizations and events, other forms such as LGBTQIA and other variations are also acceptable with the other letters explained. I generally stands for intersex, and A can stand for asexual (a person who doesn’t experience sexual attraction), ally (some activists decry this use of the abbreviation for a person who is not LGBT but who actively supports LGBT communities), or both. Use of LGBT or LGBTQ is best as an adjective and an umbrella term. Don’t use it, for instance, when the group you’re referring to is limited to bisexuals. (Source: AP Stylebook) 
libraries
University of Wisconsin–Madison Libraries, UW–Madison Libraries, the libraries, Memorial Library, College Library
Library Mall
initial caps
lists
use numerals with periods rather than numerals with parentheses; be consistent about capitalizing the first word of a new line or not; use a colon to introduce a list or series: The menu lists three kinds of dessert: pie, cake, and pudding; use a colon after an introductory statement that contains the words as follows or the following; use a colon or period after other statements introducing lists
login, logon, logoff (nouns); log in, log on, log off (verbs)
example: When I log in to my account, my login is tammyfae.
Lowell Center, the
lowercase the in running text; in stacked information (e.g., in invitations), use just Lowell Center (not The Lowell Center)