House Style Guide

The Press follows the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), 18th edition, for text style. Refer to Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (MW), online edition, for guidance about spelling and hyphenation. These guidelines detail common issues or involve important conventions.

Click here to view these instructions as a PDF.

Documentation

Choose a style manual appropriate for your book and use it consistently:

  • Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), 18th edition
  • Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook, 9th edition
  • Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), 7th edition
  • Other styles may be considered; consult your acquisitions editor.

Do not mix documentation styles. We are willing to diverge from styles when an author’s chosen style is consistent, clear, and comprehensible to readers.

For a single-author work, use in-text citations or shortened endnotes and a full reference list or bibliography at the end of the volume. For edited volumes, we prefer the documentation be contained at the end of each chapter, either as in-text citations and reference list; shortened endnotes and bibliography; or long-form notes and no bibliography. For edited volumes, it is the responsibility of the volume editor to ensure that all chapters follow the same designated style.

CMS Notes-Bib System

Use shortened citation form in the notes—even on first mention— accompanied by a full bibliography with all sources listed (as opposed to a select bibliography and full citation form in the notes). Do not use ibid. to repeat a note source. Limit the number of sections in the Bibliography to two: primary sources and secondary sources. Some manuscripts may require additional sections (such as for archival material). Consult your editor.

Example:

  • Shortened citation in endnote: 1. Bennett, Tampa Bay, 38.
  • Repeated source in endnote without ibid.: 2. Bennett, 39.
  • Entry in Bibliography: Bennett, Evan P. Tampa Bay: The Story of an Estuary and Its People. University Press of Florida, 2024.

CMS Author-Date system

Use in-text citations and “References” (or “Works Cited”). The author-date system is preferred for many publications in the sciences and social sciences but may be adapted for any work, sometimes with the limited addition of discursive endnotes.

Example:

  • In-text citation: (Bennett 2024, 38)
  • Entry in References: Bennett, Evan P. 2024. Tampa Bay: The Story of an Estuary and Its People. University Press of Florida.

MLA

In-text citations and “Works Cited,” sometimes with the addition of discursive endnotes.

Example:

  • In-text citation: (Bennett 38)
  • Or with title, as needed: (Bennett, Tampa Bay 38)
  • Entry in Works Cited: Bennett, Evan P. Tampa Bay: The Story of an Estuary and Its People. UP of Florida, 2024.

Note: Books in The Florida James Joyce series should include place of publication in Works Cited entries.

APA

In-text citations and “References,” sometimes with limited use of discursive endnotes. Book titles are given in sentence case in the reference list but in title case in text body.

Example:

  • In-text citation: (Bennett, 2024)
  • Entry in References: Bennett, E. P. (2024). Tampa Bay: The story of an estuary and its people. University Press of Florida.

Online Sources

  • Include DOIs if they are available.
  • Access date should be listed only when a publication date or updated date is not available.
  • For URLs and DOIs, include the protocol https:// or http://. For DOIs, add the protocol https://doi.org if it is not already listed.

Example:

  • Seidemann, Ryan M. Cemetery Protections in Urban Environments: Archaeology, Preservation, and the Law. University of Florida Press, 2025. https://doi.org/10.5744/9781683405108.

Quotations and Translations

  • Changes to capitalization: A capital letter can be used to start a quote with no bracket needed to indicate a change from the original. Likewise, a capital letter in the original can be changed to lowercase to start a quote (CMS 12.18–21). The same applies to changes in capitalization following an ellipsis. (See CMS 12.7 for other permissible changes to quotes.)
  • Ellipses: Ellipses at the beginning and end of a quote are not needed (CMS 12.61). However, note exceptions for poetry and verse (CMS 12.66). Use three dots for ellipses. For the use of brackets in distinguishing added vs. original ellipses, see CMS 12.67.
  • Block quotations: The first paragraph of a block quotation is not indented but subsequent paragraphs in the same quotation are indented. Do not use quotation marks with block quotations.
  • Epigraphs: Epigraphs do not require quotation marks. Include only the author’s name and the title of the work on the epigraph source line. Epigraphs should not have endnotes.
  • Translations: While Chicago style is preferred for treating translations in running text or block quotes, an author’s preferred style is acceptable if it is clear, comprehensible, and consistent. We prefer that translations are styled in the least cumbersome manner possible.

Language Usage

We ask that authors use conscious language—language that is free of bias, stereotype, and stigma and that promotes empathy, inclusivity, and respect. Note your language choices on the Launch Cover Sheet and discuss with your editor. Language choices should be consistent across the book, whether a monograph or edited volume.

Many sources now offer guidance on using conscious language. The “Conscious Style Guide” and “Guidelines on Inclusive Language and Images in Scholarly Communication” by the Coalition for Diversity & Inclusion in Scholarly Communications1 recommends:

  • Using “people-first” language by emphasizing individuals over attributes (e.g., “a person with diabetes” rather than “a diabetic”). Find out what is appropriate and accepted in the group you’re discussing.
  • Being cognizant of the way bias structures communication. Ask what a given perspective assumes as a “default” and who might be excluded.
  • Including identity details only when they are pertinent. Be wary of the tendency to note such details only when referring to identity categories perceived as outside the “default.” If identity details are germane to a discussion, be as specific as possible (e.g., list an individual’s age rather than describing them as “elderly” or list a specific Indigenous group rather than describing them as “Indigenous”).

We ask that authors follow these guidelines:

  • Terms referring to sexual orientation or gender identity and expression are typically lowercased. An author’s preference for terminology will be respected.
  • Pronouns: We agree with CMS that “a person’s stated preference for a specific pronoun should be respected.” We allow use of they, them, he, she, him, or her for singular antecedents. Do not use the more cumbersome he/she, him/her, s/he.
  • Geopolitics: When referring to residents of the United States, use the more specific “US American” rather than “American.” In the context of economics, as alternatives to “first world,” “third world,” and “developing country,” consider using the nation’s specific income designation by the World Bank.
  • Race, Ethnicity, and Indigeneity
    • We prefer to capitalize Black when referring to race/ethnicity. In contrast, white, not generally regarded as an ethnic designation, should be lowercase unless an author has offered a rationale for capitalizing. Brown is also not typically considered an ethnic designation but consider parallel treatment in scenarios such as “Black and Brown people.” An author’s well-grounded preference for lowercasing or capitalizing such terms will be respected.
    • Latino/as is fine as a plural version of Latino/a. Note also that both Latinx and Latine are acceptable terms, with Latinxs and Latines being the proper plural forms.
    • We prefer to capitalize Indigenous and Native when they refer to groups of people.2
    • Racial, sexual, or gendered slurs—or slurs of any nature: It is our preference not to reproduce slurs in their full form. Where they are important to include, we ask they be elided. Depending on context, the use of internal asterisks paired with a final letter may clarify what the original term is.
    • The positionality of the author and the context of the use are relevant factors, but consider that the elision of hate speech, rather than compromising learning, often expands readers’ ability to engage with texts.3 We will respect an author’s carefully considered decision to include the full word.

Style, Usage, and Punctuation

Italics

  • Use italics for words as words rather than quotation marks. Authors can use double quotation marks (not single) to set off specialized terms if done consistently in the book.
  • If you choose, use italics for isolated words or phrases from non-English language. If the word or term is used frequently and will become familiar to the reader, put the word in italics at first usage and roman thereafter. If you do not wish to italicize non-English words, discuss what is appropriate for your field with your editor.
  • Do not italicize non-English proper names or common words, including place names and names of organizations, departments, and buildings. Italics should not be used for non-English words in common use (e.g., oeuvre). If a word is in MW, no italics are needed.

Spelling and Hyphenation

  • Words with prefixes such as non, pro, pre, post, re, anti, inter, co, and in will be spelled solid and not hyphenated, unless doing so results in a misleading or confusing word (e.g., coauthor, but co-op). Please consult the hyphenation guide in CMS or MW.
  • Compound words will be hyphenated according to CMS and MW. Compound adjectives containing an -ly adverb will not be hyphenated (e.g., highly developed area).
  • British spellings and punctuation should be changed to American (except in quotations).
  • If your treatment of a word or phrase differs from MW or standard usage, we encourage the inclusion of an explanatory note to the reader.

Character Styles

  • If your manuscript has accented letters or special characters that are not available on your keyboard or as a Unicode symbol, create a code enclosed in curly brackets ({ }). For example, {bhook}aci might indicate that the typesetter should render the Hausa word ɓaci. Note these special symbols on the Launch Cover Sheet.
  • Limit use of ligatures. Follow CMS regarding when and when not to use ligatures. When using ligatures, use a Unicode symbol rather than combining characters.

Capitalization

  • Lowercase internet and do not hyphenate email. Capitalize COVID-19.
  • Subheadings within a chapter should be capitalized, like this: This Is a Subhead Title

Abbreviations

  • Abbreviations are okay in parentheses (e.g., i.e., etc.) and in notes but not in running text.
  • Use US (all capitals, no periods). Both US and United States are acceptable in noun form and can be used interchangeably. The possessive form is United States’ (CMS 7.20).
  • Use BCE, CE, AD (all capitals, no periods) and a.m., p.m. (lowercase, with periods)
  • Avoid using small caps

Punctuation

  • Use the serial comma in a series of three or more (apples, oranges, and pears).
  • Use double quotation marks rather than single quotation marks.
  • Possessives of words that end in s should be formed by adding ’s (Xerxes’s armies).
  • Slash marks (/) require no space when separating single words (and/or) but do require a space on each side when separating lines of poetry or phrases with more than one word.

Numbers

  • Spell out numbers at the beginning of a sentence, heading, or title.
  • Numbers referring to the same category of things should be treated alike in the same immediate context.
  • Always use numerals for percentages (82 percent) except at the beginning of a sentence.
  • Month/day/year (January 12, 1986) is the preferred style for dates. If an author has consistently used day/month/year format (12 January 1986), that is acceptable.
  1. See “Guidelines on Inclusive Language and Images in Scholarly Communication,” Conscious Style Guide, Radical Copyeditor, and The Diversity Style Guide for more guidance on conscious language practices. ↩︎
  2. More regionally specific resources are available on the Conscious Style Guide website in the “First Nations / Indigenous / Native Peoples” section on the Ethnicity, Race + Nationality page. ↩︎
  3. For more on this topic, please see “Teaching & the N-word: Questions to Consider,” by Koritha Mitchell, March 23, 2018; “The N-Word in the Classroom: Just Say No,” by Koritha Mitchell, C19 Podcast, season 2, episode 6; “Dropping the N-Word in College Classrooms,” by Ruth A. Starkman, Inside Higher Ed, July 24, 2020; and “To Whom It May Concern: An Open Letter on the N-Word and Academic Publishing,” by Terah J. Stewart, July 16, 2021. ↩︎
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