UCSL_stylesheet01

University of Cincinnati Second Life (UCSL) Project Team **Stylesheet**
//(last modified 09/01/10, Merry Alchemi)//

As our work represents an institution of higher education, it is especially important that we use proper grammar and punctuation. For reference, we have a "Topics in English" site [FORMERLY at []: SHERRY LUNG QUERIED 9/1/10] and the UC Branding Initiative pages at []. You may also want to see the University of Cincinnati Stylebook at [].

As of 12/11/09, we have agreed that all notecards will begin with a header like the following:

University of Cincinnati Second Life (UCSL)

We may add a second line of header text specific to a project or an area, or other heading information, e.g.,

University of Cincinnati Second Life (UCSL) New User Orientation: How Second Life Works

Let's keep it correct - but simple. Let us be as clear as possible. Check subject-verb agreement. Strive to be terse, rather than verbose.

Use one space (not two) after the end of each sentence.

Generally, left align text and titles.

Do not use periods after the letters of an acronym, e.g., UC, 1 am - 4 pm, USA.

When forming the plural of an acronym, use no apostrophe and use a small s, e.g., AVs, PCs.

Omit the period of a sentence contained in another sentence.

Generally, keep periods inside quotation marks. However, when using quotation marks to identify a command, only include within the quotes the actual letters the user must type.


 * Spelling conventions and Other Notes**

UCIT - as changed as of September 2010 from "UCit" e-mail (not email) for singular and plural (i.e., not e-mails); Help Desk (not Helpdesk or HelpDesk, specifically as referring to UCIT's Help Desk); UCnet (to represent the UC network); Second Life (not secondlife or SecondLife); poseball (not pose ball).

Spell out an acronym the first time you use it in a piece of writing. For example: A translator was build into the HUD (Heads Up Display).

Spell out a number whenever it appears at the beginning of a sentence. Unless circumstances contraindicate doing so, if a number is twenty (20) or less, spell it out. If it is greater than twenty, use numeric characters.

The official name of our service is the **University of Cincinnati Second Life Project**.

The official name of our virtual campus is the **University of Cincinnati Virtual Campus in Second Life**.

It is tempting to use the shorthand "UC" because we know what that means, but it is important to spell out University of Cincinnati in Second Life and the University of Cincinnati Virtual Campus in Second Life to distinguish the University of Cincinnati from other "UCs," such as the University of California. Even on notecards, let's spell out University of Cincinnati the first time it is used in text. For example: Here at the University of Cincinnati (UC), we do not permit objects of conveyance admittance to "non-livery" buildings.