Identity Guidelines

Editorial Style Guide

N

non-
In general, don’t use a hyphen if the word is easily understood. Use a hyphen in awkward combinations. See hyphens for more information.

numbers
Spell out one through nine; use numbers for 10 and above.

Use numerals when referring to ages; dollars; credit hours; page, volume or chapter numbers; percentages; dates; addresses; or telephone numbers:

four 3-credit-hour classes
page 4
5 percent
0.66 percent
8-month-old boy

When discussing a range of years, separate this range with an en dash:

the 2006–2007 academic year

Spell out—and hyphenate—fractions:

two-thirds; three-fifths

For round figures greater than 999,999, use million or billion after the initial numeral(s); for more precise numbers, use all numerals:

2 million; $2.8 billion; 234,500,000

Use commas in numbers greater than or equal to 1,000:

2,000; 23,456
the 227,000-square-foot BSE Building

EXCEPT SAT scores:

a combined score of 1250

Spell out all numbers that occur at the start of a sentence or reword the sentence:

Six credit hours were all he needed to complete the major.
He needed just 6 credit hours to complete the major.

EXCEPTION: In a list, it’s OK to start a sentence or phrase with a numeral.

UTSA has expanded its degree programs to include
• 63 bachelor’s degrees
• 43 master’s degrees
• 20 doctoral degrees.

It’s also acceptable to use numerals in the following examples:

table 1, act 2, scene 3
step 4
the 1980s
class of ’95
a 5-4 score
2-year-old child
54-million-year-old discovery
a $3 million gift
100-level courses