Classes and courses
Format:
I am registered for Psychology 101.
I am going to my psychology class.
Rules:
- Use uppercase only when naming a specific course title. Otherwise use lowercase.
Committees and councils
Format:
the senior management council
Saskatchewan Polytechnic board of directors
Rules:
- In general reference these are not capitalized.
Compositions such as reports and guides
Format:
Operating and Capital Plan
Your Future: The Sky's the Limit!
Rules:
- Use uppercase for the first letter of all principal words in the title. Principal words are nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs and the first and last words of the title, as well as prepositions and conjunctions of four letters or more.
- In titles, capitalize the first word following a colon.
Credentials - certificates, diplomas and degrees
See the Accreditation section.
Department, division, office and school names
Format:
Academic and Research Division
Communications and Marketing Department
Communications and marketing
Paula Jones, dean of Business
John is studying psychology and accounting.
School of Health Sciences
Saskatchewan Polytechnic School of Health Sciences
The Saskatchewan Polytechnic Library
The Campus Store
Rules:
- Words are capitalized only when they are part of the formal title. General references use lowercase.
- Divisions, departments, programs and offices are capitalized when used in reference to the role of a specific person
- Disciplines are not capitalized in general references.
- The word "school" should be capitalized as it's an official component of the name.
- When possible, Saskatchewan Polytechnic should precede the school name.
- Library locations are collectively described as singular.
Events
Format:
Saskatchewan Polytechnic Business and Industry Dinners
Media is always welcome at Saskatchewan Polytechnic events such as open houses and business and industry dinners.
Rules:
- If an event has a proper name, capitalize first letters of all principal words.
- If an event is part of a more general reference, then use lowercase.
Government offices or ministries and institutions
Format:
Ministry of Finance
Saskatchewan Learning
Rules:
- Capitalize provincial and federal government bodies when part of the formal name.
Headings, sub-headings for minutes, agendas, lists.
Internet terms
Format:
Internet, World Wide Web
the web
web page
website
online
- Capitalize specific proper names.
- General terms should be lowercase.
Names of organizations (Commercial, government, non-profit)
Format:
Pronto Airlines
National Film Board of Canada
the Arthritis Society
Rules:
- Names of organizations are proper nouns and capitalized.
Program names
Format:
Integrated Resource Management program
Centennial Summer Student Employment Program
Rules:
The word "program" is not capitalized, unless it is part of an official name.
Proper nouns
Format:
Elder
the Banff Centre
the Great Depression
Rules:
- A proper noun identifies a specific person, place or thing and begins with a capital letter.
- All other nouns are common nouns and should begin in lowercase.
Publications such as newspaper
Format:
the Moose Jaw Times Herald
the Diabetes Association
the University of Regina
Rules:
- Lowercase “the” when it precedes names of newspapers, institutions, companies, associations, etc.
Salutations
Format:
Dear Students and Staff
Rules:
- In written salutations, words such as faculty, staff and students are capitalized.
Titles for specific persons
Format:
Mayor Wendy Thompson
President Michael Wong
Dean Nora O’Malley
Kevin Doherty, parks, culture and sport minister
Elaine Howard will serve as acting dean until December.
The finance minister will make an announcement later today.
James Brown, mayor of Saskatoon
Jane Smith, president of Saskatchewan Polytechnic
the vice-president
Arnold Boldt, associate vice-president, Academic and Research Division
Sincerely, Frances Mills, Controller
Rules:
- Capitalize formal titles (those that could be used with the surname alone) that are used as part of proper names and when they directly precede the name of the individual. Note this exception: When a person has a very long title, put the title after the name and set it off with a comma in order to avoid “front-end loading” and too much capitalization.
- A title set off from a name by commas is lowercased.
- Do not capitalize occupations, professions or job titles used in general reference.
- A title or role description by itself or following the name of an individual is not capitalized.
- When the division is included in the title, leave the division capitalized.
- Organizational roles are capitalized if they are part of an address/signature on a letter whether preceding or following the name.