Dates
A variety of different styles may be used for formal invitations.
The following style should be used in all other print and electronic
communications.
Abbreviations
Do not abbreviate days of the week.
Do not abbreviate months of the year when they appear by themselves
or with a year, but do abbreviate when they are followed by a
date.
Use: Fall semester begins in August.
Use: Fall semester begins in August 2006.
Use: Fall semester begins Aug. 27.
Use: Fall semester begins Monday, Aug. 27.
Use: Fall semester begins Monday, Aug. 27, 2006.
If only the month and year are used, do not use commas. Do
not use the word "of" between the month and the year.
Use: The meeting was held in December 2005 at the Fetzer
Center.
Do not use: The meeting was held in December, 2005, at
the Fetzer Center.
Do not use: The meeting was held in December of 2005 at
the Fetzer Center.
Appositives and phrases introduced by a comma must always
be closed by a comma (or period at the end of a sentence).
Use: The meeting was held Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the
Fetzer Center.
Note the commas preceding and following Sept. 19.
Use: They were married May 14, 1998, in Chicago.
Note the commas preceding and following 1998.
Be concise and consistent
When to include the year
Include the year only if it is different from the present
year (the year in which the publication or correspondence is
dated) and always if the year is different from the present year.
Avoid the words "last" and "next"
Last has several meanings and its use in reference to time
can be confusing. The phrase "during the last month"
can mean either "during the previous month" or "during
the final month." Previous, past, and final have more specific
meanings and should be used in place of last. Similarly, the
word next also can be confusing and should be avoided.
Make your meaning clear
A week can be defined as a specific seven-day period or as
any seven consecutive days. A month can be defined as a specific
month of the calendar or as any period of 30 consecutive days.
A year can be defined as a specific calendar year or fiscal year
or as any period of 365 consecutive days.
If you write, "During the past year, the University raised
$17.5 million," do you mean during the previous calendar
year, or during the previous fiscal year, or during the 365 days
immediately preceding the date of your writing? In you write
"During 2006," or "During the 2006-07 fiscal year,"
or "During the past 12 months," or "From April
2005 through March 2006," the period covered is more clearly
defined.
Fiscal and academic years
For academic and fiscal years, use 2006-07, not 2006-2007.
The single exception to this rule is at the end of a century,
for example, 1999-2000.
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