Formatting

This section is included as a reminder of issues that tend to cause confusion. It includes ASU exceptions to AP style.
 

• Bold: Use sparingly in copy. 
  • In limited amounts, boldface can help readers quickly scan long format copy for key information.
• Bulleted lists: See Lists.
• Underline: Only use to indicate a link. See Links and URLs below.
• Italics: Do not use. 
  • Italics create readability issues for readers with visual difficulties, dyslexia or migraine disorders.

• Subscript: Avoid using subscript letters. Exception: On second reference, abbreviate carbon dioxide as CO₂.

  • ✅ Do: The research team designed a new method for reducing CO₂ in the atmosphere.

• Superscript: Avoid using superscript letters, such as with numerals and ordinals, because this treatment may not always display correctly. Use the same size type as the numeral:
  • ✅ Do: 21st century, 🚫 Don't: 21^st century.
  • ✅ Do: 10th floor, 🚫 Don't: 10^th floor.
    
    Exception: Trademark symbols are always superscript in text (e.g., Sun Devil^® Athletics, Go Devils™).
    
    Note: Superscript ordinals are the default in Microsoft Word. Learn how to disable this default option.
    
    See Numerals for guidelines when using ordinals.
• See Titles for composition and publication formatting standards.
• See Fonts and typography for body copy styling tips.
   

See Addresses and U.S. states.
 

Email addresses

• In text, all lowercase: jane.smith@asu.edu 
  • Email programs do not distinguish between uppercase and lowercase, so there is no need to confuse the reader with them.
• Avoid splitting email addresses between two lines.
• Do not capitalize or hyphenate the word email. See Word list. 

Email signatures

• Use the standardized ASU email signature in your correspondence, maintaining its professional appearance by not personalizing or altering it. 
• Out of courtesy to your readers, don't add graphics to your signature, as these appear to smartphone users as attachments that must be downloaded. 
• Use ASU's official signature generator.
   

• All expressions of headlines should be in sentence case — the first letter is capitalized, as are all proper names and nouns. Exception: The first word after a colon is always uppercase in headlines:
  • ✅ Do: ASU journalism programs hailed by New York Times
  • ✅ Do: Beta blockers may halt cancer
  • ✅ Do: BT suffers broadband failure: Small businesses are affected the most
• Use figures for all numbers, including those less than 10:
  • ✅ Do: 9 ASU students win competitive scholarship
  • 🚫 Don't: Nine ASU students win competitive scholarship
• Do not use punctuation, even at the end of a sentence, unless needed for clarity.
• If quotation marks are needed, use single quote marks.
  • ✅ Do: Is texting the language of the future? ASU linguists say ‘yes’
• Do not use periods in abbreviations unless needed for clarity.
  • ✅ Do: Wall St protests gain steam
  • ✅ Do: ASU is the most innovative university in the US

See Fonts and typography for headline styling tips.

Whether in copy or a link on a webpage, in a presentation, in a Word or Google document or in print, links and URLs should be ASU Maroon and underlined.

In copy

• All lowercase in text — URLs are not case-sensitive. 
  • ✅ Do: asu.edu, 🚫 Don't: ASU.edu
  • ✅ Do: herbergerinstitute.asu.edu, 🚫 Don't: HerbergerInstitute.asu.edu
  • ✅ Do: asuprintonline.asu.edu, 🚫 Don't: ASUPrintOnline.asu.edu
• Do not include https:// and www
  • ✅ Do: asu.edu
  • 🚫 Don't: https://www.asu.edu
  • 🚫 Don't: www.asu.edu
  • 🚫 Don't: asu.edu/
  • 🚫 Don't: https://asu.edu
    
    Exception: Web addresses in the ASU Academic Catalog must include prefixes.
• If a URL is long or complicated enough to be confusing, consider creating an alias shorter than the full URL.
• If a web address requires two lines, make the split after a symbol.
• If a URL ends a sentence, use a period but do not hyperlink the period.
   

Links

• Do not use the words, “here,” “go” or “click” in links to digital applications. Use descriptive keywords in links, which support a better user experience and benefit SEO.
  • ✅ Do: Learn more about ASU web standards.
  • ✅ Do: The Web Standards 2.0 project prioritized user needs based on qualitative and quantitative behavioral data. 
  • ✅ Do: Read more about President Crow and his vision for the New American University.
  • 🚫 Don't: Go here to learn more.
  • 🚫 Don't: To learn more about web standards, click here.
  • 🚫 Don't: Find more details on this page.
  • 🚫 Don't: Read more on news.asu.edu. (Appropriate for print but not digital use.)

See Search Engine Optimization, User experience design (UX).
 

See Numerals.
 

• Use complete sentences that explain the activity or subject.
• Supply information the picture cannot.
  • ✅ Do: The basketball player’s free-throw shot pictured was for the game’s winning point.
  • 🚫 Don't: ASU basketball player.
     

See Punctuation and symbols.
 

• Do not include the word hashtag or account.
  • ✅ Do: Use #FutureSunDevils, 🚫 Don't: Use hashtag #FutureSunDevils
  • ✅ Do: Follow FutureSunDevils on Twitter, 🚫 Don't: Follow our Twitter account @FutureSunDevils
• Do not include symbols for accounts, they’re not necessary.
  • ✅ Do: Facebook page: FutureSunDevils, 🚫 Don't: Facebook page: /FutureSunDevils
  • ✅ Do: Twitter account: FutureSunDevils, 🚫 Don't: Twitter account: @FutureSunDevils
  • ✅ Do: Instagram account: FutureSunDevils, 🚫 Don't: Instagram account: @FutureSunDevils
     

See Times, days, months, seasons, years.

See Links and URLs above.