Editorial Style Guidelines

The OSU Institute of Technology editorial style guide follows the majority of conventions outlined by the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook. Exceptions or “house rules” are noted within this guide.

Index

Use of the University Name

For distribution outside the state of Oklahoma, use “Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology” on first reference.

For in-state publications, use “OSU Institute of Technology” on first reference. Use “OSUIT” on subsequent references.


School & Program Names

OSUIT’s primary academic units are known as schools:

  • School of Arts, Sciences & Health
  • School of Creative & Information Technologies
  • School of Engineering & Construction Technologies
  • School of Transportation & Heavy Equipment

OSUIT offers the following academic programs:

School of Arts, Sciences & Health

Associate in Applied Science

  • Applied Technology
  • Culinary Arts
  • Nursing

Associate in Science

  • Allied Health Sciences
  • Business
  • Pre-Education
  • Enterprise Development - Business Administration
  • Enterprise Development - General Studies
  • Pre-Professional Studies

Bachelor of Technology

  • Applied Technical Leadership

School of Creative & Information Technologies

Associate in Applied Science

  • 3D Modeling & Animation
  • Graphic Design Technology
  • Information Technologies

Associate in Science

  • Information Technologies

Bachelor of Technology

  • Information Technologies - Cyber Incident Response
  • Information Technologies - Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics
  • Information Technologies - Network Infrastructure
  • Information Technologies - Software Development

School of Engineering & Construction Technologies

Associate in Applied Science

  • Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Technology
  • Civil Engineering/Surveying Technologies
  • Construction Technology - Construction Management
  • Construction Technology - Electrical Construction
  • Engineering Graphics & Design Drafting Technologies
  • Engineering Technologies - Electrical/Electronics Technologies
  • Engineering Technologies - Instrumentation Technology
  • High Voltage Line Technician
  • Industrial Maintenance Technologies - Natural Gas Compression Technologies
  • Pipeline Integrity Technology
  • Power Plant Technology

Bachelor of Technology

  • Instrumentation Engineering Technology

School of Transportation & Heavy Equipment

Associate in Applied Science

  • CAT® Dealer Prep
  • Ford ASSET
  • General Motors ASEP
  • Komatsu ACT
  • MOPAR® CAP
  • NAEDA Agricultural Equipment Technician
  • Pro-Tech
  • Toyota T-TEN
  • Truck Technician

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Named Buildings

  • Chesapeake Energy Natural Gas Compression Training Center
  • Donald W. Reynolds Technology Center
  • Grady W. Clack Center
  • Noble Center for Advancing Technology
  • Alexander North Hall and Alexander South Hall
  • England Residence Hall
  • Hannigan Residence Hall
  • Miller-Kamm North Hall and Miller-Kamm South Hall
  • O.L. Lackey Residence Hall
  • Grand Old Post Office Student Housing; subsequent references: GOPO Student Housing

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Degrees

OSUIT offers the following academic degrees:

  • Associate in Science (A.S.)
  • Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.)
  • Bachelor of Technology (B.T.)

For media releases, the periods in the abbreviations are required to follow AP Style. In all other instances, periods will not be used.

The word “degree” should not follow the proper name of the degree in long or abbreviated form.

Correct Usage: She has an Associate in Applied Science from OSUIT.

Incorrect Usage: His is graduating this spring with a B.T. degree.

Specific Use:

Use the fully spelled out name of the degree on the first reference. Use the degree abbreviation or the degree and program abbreviation on subsequent references.

Examples: 

Associate in Applied Science in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration; then AAS in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration or AAS in ACR

Bachelor of Technology in Applied Technical Leadership; then BT in Applied Technical Leadership or BT in ATL

General Use:

  • associate degree [note that associate degree is not possessive]
  • bachelor’s degree
  • master’s degree
  • doctoral degree [doctorate is preferred]

Correct Usage: She has a bachelor’s degree in Instrumentation Engineering Technology.

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Date and Times

Use figures for days of the month, omitting nd, rd, st, th.

Place a comma between the month and the year and following the year when the day is mentioned.

Correct Usage: On May 18, 2013, commencement brought together hundreds of people.

Do not place a comma between the month and the year when the day is not mentioned.

Correct Usage: May 2013 commencement brought together hundreds of people.

Even, half, and quarter hours are usually spelled out.

Correct Usage: She left the student union at three o’clock.

When emphasizing the exact time, or are using a.m. or p.m., use figures.

Correct Usage: 7:30 a.m - 4:30 p.m.

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Professional Titles

Capitalize a professional title only when it immediately precedes a person’s name. The title is not capitalized when it follows a name or stands alone.

  • Dr. Kayse Shrum, president of Oklahoma State University
  • OSU President Kayse Shrum
  • President Kayse Shrum
  • the president

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Capitalization, Punctuation & Word Usage

OSU follows The Associated Press style with only a few exceptions listed below. Refer to the AP Stylebook or online resource for additional questions.

Capitalize departments and programs to aid in distinguishing them from the general field or industry.

Correct Usage: Students in Natural Gas Compression develop talents and skills in high-demand in the natural gas compression industry.

Capitalize departments and offices only if they contain a proper noun or if it’s a part of the official name.

Correct Usage: Office of Student Life; the student life office

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Quotation Marks on Titles

AP Style calls for the use of quotation marks for all titles. OSUIT italicizes the titles of books, movies, television shows, the names of paintings, boats, airplanes and other large stand-alone works and uses quotation marks around the titles of smaller works such as poems, song titles, articles or chapters.

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Boilerplates for Publications

About Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology

OSU Institute of Technology is Oklahoma's only university of applied technology, offering accelerated bachelor of technology and associate degree programs that meet global workforce demands. OSUIT is known for its high academic standards, world-class laboratory environments, reciprocal partnerships with business and industry, and top career placement rates in the region. For more information about OSUIT, call 918.293.4680 or 1.800.722.4471, or visit the web at www.osuit.edu.

When accreditation is referenced, the following text should be used:

Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology’s programs of study are approved by the Board of Regents for Oklahoma State University and the A&M Colleges, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the Oklahoma State Accrediting Agency. OSU Institute of Technology is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (30 N. LaSalle St., Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504; 1-800-621-7440; www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org.)

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