Greetings UO communicators,
This month’s newsletter features a mixed bag—from proper punctuation and the appropriate way to address the university’s mascot to frequently misused or misspelled words.
ampersand (&) and plus sign (+)
- Do not use as a replacement for and in reference to UO offices or policies, or in running text: School of Journalism and Communication, School of Computer and Data Sciences.
- There is one exception. Follow the style used in official contexts: School of Architecture & Environment, School of Art + Design.
- May be used in the name of a non-university business: AT&T, Wieden+Kennedy.
- Because the character (&) is used in HTML code, the ampersand can cause issues in digital stories and web page text.
- Use the serial (Oxford) comma: She posted pictures of her parents, the president, and the vice president. See the comma entry in the Chicago Manual of Style index.
- Flier is generally a person who flies.
- Flyer is generally a paper handout.
- The proper name of the mascot for the University of Oregon is the Oregon Duck or the Duck.
- The Duck should never be referred to as “Puddles,” although some media outlets still use this outdated name. For a history, visit “The Oregon Duck: College Football’s Most Lovable Mascot.”
- No comma after Go.
- US, no periods. Use USA only in titles or within quoted material.
- Hyphenate when used as an adjective: the university-wide event.
Frequently misspelled words
- Dads’ Gates
- coursework
- fieldwork
- health care
- internet (not Internet)
- start-up
- student-athlete
- well-being
- work-study
Questions? Email editor Matt Cooper, University Communications.