Writing Style Guidelines from A to Z
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
P
PC Avoid using "PC" because it is a loaded term with so many different things. To describe the operating system on a personal computer, specify Mac or Windows. The dictionary has these definitions of PC: past commander, Peace Corps, percent, personal computer, petty cash, picocurie, piece, police constable, politically correct, post commander, post consumption, postal card, Presbyterian church, price current, prince consort, printed circuit, privy council, and professional corporation.
part time, part-time Two words when a noun. Hyphenate when used as a compound modifier. Example: Harrison works part time, and Pena has a full-time job.
percent Use numbers and decimals for percentages. Spell out the word "percent" except in tabular material or at the beginning of a sentence. Example: Twenty percent of her clients provided 80 percent of her revenue.
phone numbers Use parentheses around area codes and a hyphen between the prefix and the extension. Example: (541) 463-3000.
point of view First-person (I, we, us) and second-person (you) are recommended for web pages, advertising and other marketing publications, and items with the writer's byline and in quoted material. Third-person (he, she, it, one, they) is more formal and is used in most academic and journalistic contexts to create an aura of objectivity.
postsecondary One word, no hyphen.
professional technical Two words, no slash, no hyphen.
program names Capitalize formal instructional program names. Example: Selena is enrolled in the Graphic Design program.
punctuation For recommendations and helpful tips on punctuation, see the section called "Punctuation Tips."
