Field Museum stylebook : an editorial and typographical manual for guidance of all members of the staff concerned in the writing, editing, and printing of publications, leaflets, labels, posters, post cards, advertising, and all other printed matter of Field Museum of Natural History

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Field Museum Stylebook

An Editorial and Typographical Manual

FOR THE GUIDANCE OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE STAFF
CONCERNED IN THE WRITING, EDITING, AND PRINTING
OF PUBLICATIONS, LEAFLETS, LABELS, POSTERS,
POST CARDS, ADVERTISING, AND ALL OTHER PRINTED
MATTER OF FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

CHICAGO

ol S '3

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PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BY FIELD MUSEUM PRESS

262479

FOREWORD

This stylebook is designed to provide editorial and
typographical standards whereby uniformity of style may
be obtained for all future publications, leaflets, labels,
posters, post cards, advertising and other printed matter
of Field Museum of Natural History.

The advantages of such uniformity are readily ap¬
parent. A diversity of typographical styles in the work of
different writers on the Staff, or publications of different
Departments of the Museum, obviously should not exist.
The United States Government Printing Office, the
presses of such institutions as the University of Chicago,
and commercial publishers, all have established such
house styles. Works from Field Museum Press should
have the same typographical dignity. In addition to
improving publications and printed matter as a whole,
the establishment of a style for the institution will cut
down labor and expense in the Division of Printing by
eliminating a large amount of editorial corrections and
resetting of type.

In establishing a style it is inevitable that a number
of the rules will seem arbitrary, and will be in conflict
with some of the personal preferences of probably each
member of the Staff. But it is this very diversity of
preferences which makes necessary a style for the insti¬
tution. This has been well illustrated by the manuscripts
of departmental sections of the Annual Report in the
past. One Department would use figures, another would
spell the same numbers out; one Department would spell
a word one way, another Department would use a dif-

ferent spelling — both spellings might be justifiable; one
Department would capitalize a certain word, another
Department would put it in lower case; one Department
would abbreviate a certain word, another would spell it out.
But the published Report must have all such things uniform
throughout.

Special cases, of course, may occasionally justify
deviation from some of the rules herein; and alterations
in these rules may occur from time to time in conformity
with changes in generally accepted good usage.

No attempt has been made to present in this small
manual a complete stylebook; the only things covered here¬
in are those upon which there has been noted a divergence
of usage among members of the Staff. Other authorities
are recommended elsewhere in this book to govern cases
not provided for in these rules.

STEPHEN C. SIMMS, Director

RULES FOR FIELD MUSEUM STYLE

I

UNIFORMITY

The main object of rules is uniformity and consist¬
ency. Different kinds of publications will require different
treatment and, in general matter, different Departments
may to some extent recognize certain conventions of their
own; but so far as possible, uniform methods should
prevail throughout Museum publications. In preparing
manuscript, writers should in all cases consider the
medium of publication, with due regard to established
precedents as to arrangement, sizes of pages, styles of
type, and relative positions of different kinds of matter.

II

COMPLETENESS

Manuscript should not be submitted until it is
complete in every detail. Authors should furnish titles,
headings, special punctuations, legends and captions for
illustrations, and similar matter, taking nothing for
granted with the idea that it will be supplied by an
editor or printer.

It is urged that, whenever possible, manuscripts be
typewritten. All matter for the printers must be written

on one side of the paper only.

For many good reasons it is considered advisable that
original manuscripts be returned to the Division of
Printing with the first corrected proofs, to be kept in the
files of the Division of Printing for a period of two years.

Ill

PARAGRAPHS

Writers of Field Museum publications are asked to
make all paragraphs in their work as short as the subject
and good writing permit.

Whenever a fifteen-line or a thirty-line paragraph can
be broken up into two, three, four, or more paragraphs,
without sacrificing continuity or correctness of construc¬
tion, it should be done. This is better and more modern
style than lengthy paragraphs ; it makes a more attractive
and more legible page, and it saves money and time when
extensive corrections are necessary.

When long paragraphs are used, and a correction
must be made near the beginning, it often means reset¬
ting the entire paragraph, which is expensive.

IV

CAPITALIZATION

1. In general, use capital letters sparingly at all times.
Where proper or scientific names require capitals, they
should of course be used; but wherever there is a choice
between capitalizing a word and using lower case, use
lower case.

2. ALWAYS CAPITALIZE: (a) the word "Museum,”
even when used alone, when it refers to Field Museum;
(b) the words "Department,” "Division,” "Library,” etc.,
when referring to a Department or Division of Field
Museum, even though the full name of Department or
Divison is not given.

DO NOT CAPITALIZE the above words when they
are used referring to another institution, or to departments
and divisions of another institution, unless that institu-

6

tion’s full name, or the full name of the department or
division referred to, is given.

EXAMPLES OF PROPER STYLE:

The Museum ( referring to Field Museum) had 16 expeditions in
the field.

But: While in New York, Curator Smith visited the American
Museum of Natural History. In that museum ( lower case) he found
. . . . etc.

The Department ( referring to a Department of Field Museum)
opened two new halls.

But: In the American Museum, Mr. Smith visited the Depart¬
ment of Geology. In the department ( lower case) he saw .... etc.

3. LIKEWISE, ALWAYS CAPITALIZE the words
President/’ “Trustee,” “Director,” “Staff,” “Curator,”
Associate Curator,” “Assistant Curator,” “Member,”
Life Member,” “Associate Member,” etc., when refer¬
ring to persons connected with Field Museum, whether
the person’s name is given or not.

n

u

DO NOT CAPITALIZE these words when they refer
to an officer or member of the staff of other institutions,
except when used as a title, either before or after a given
proper name.

EXAMPLES OF PROPER STYLE:

The Director reported to the President and the Board of Trustees
that the Curator of the Department had discovered a new type of
gull. ( Capitalized words all refer to persons connected with Field Museum) .

But: The director ( lower case) of the American Museum reported
to his president and trustees ( lower case) that the curator of zoology
(or curator of the department, or curator of the Department of
Zoology) had discovered a new gull.

However: Mr. J. J. Jones, Director ( capital ) of the American
Museum (or Director J. J. Jones) reported to President S. S. Smith
and the board of trustees, that Curator of Zoology R. B. Bond (or
Curator R. B. Bond of the Department of Zoology, or Dr. R. B. Bond,
Curator of the Department of Zoology) had discovered a new gull.

4. DO NOT CAPITALIZE the names of seasons:
“spring,” “summer,” “fall,” “autumn,” “winter.

7 7

7

5. DO NOT CAPITALIZE directional adjectives or
nouns: “north,” “south,” “east,” “west,” “middle west,”
“central states,” “south of Europe,” “northwest,” “south¬
west,” “northwestern,” “the north,” “the southeast,” etc.,
when used by themselves or in such combinations as the
“northeast region,” “the southwestern coast,” “western
Oregon,” “to the south,” etc.

Capitalize in such cases as “South Africa” but not
“southern Africa.”

Capitalize “Lower California,” meaning the peninsula,
but lower case “southern California” meaning the southern
part of the state. Capitalize both words in cases like
“Mississippi River,” “Rocky Mountains,” etc., but lower
case first word in “valley of Mississippi,” “the river Elbe,”
state of Illinois,” “island of Trinidad,” etc.

u

6. When referring by number to halls, cases, etc., in
the Museum, capitalize, as “Case No. 3,” “Hall 38,”
“Room No. 120,” etc.

7. Capitalize the first word after a colon only when
introducing a complete passage or sentence having in¬
dependent meaning, as in summaries and quotations not
closely connected with what precedes.

EXAMPLES:

In conclusion I wish to say: The evidence shows that . . »

As the old proverb has it: “Haste makes waste.”

The first word after a colon is not to be capitalized
when introducing an element that is explanatory or
logically dependent upon the preceding clause:

We have three reasons for our economy: the nation is in debt;
taxes are high; other nations threaten war.

8. The abbreviations “A.M.,” “p.m.,” “b.c.,” and
“A.D.,” should be in small caps.

8

V

SPELLING

Wherever there is a choice of two or more spellings
for the same word, all correct, use the preferred spelling
as given in Webster’s New International Dictionary. Pre¬
ferred spellings of this dictionary have been adopted as
standard against all other dictionaries by the United
States Government and the University of Chicago, and
will be used as standard also by Field Museum.

There are a number of words which are spelled
differently in England and the United States, and some
members of the Staff have shown a preference for the
English spelling. Henceforth Field Museum style will
require the American spelling of these words. Special
attention is called to such words as “center/' “color,"
“labor," “gray," which in England are spelled “centre,"
“colour," “labour," “grey."

A special exception is made in the word “theatre," in
which Field Museum adopts the English spelling instead
of the American, “theater," in order to conform to the
spelling used in the dedication of the James Simpson
Theatre. “Theatre” is the spelling to be used at all times,
whether referring to the James Simpson or other theatres.

VI

NUMBERS

1. In ordinary text-matter, spell out all numbers
from one to ninety-nine inclusive; round numbers also
may often be spelled; above ninety-nine use figures.

2. In numbers from 1,000 up always insert commas at
third digit points, as 1,389; 27,000; 1,000,000; 1,657,892;
5,000.

9

E XCEPTIONS: Never spell out numbers in dates,
case or page numbers, and do not insert commas at third
digit points in such figures. Use: “36 “3700 B.C.”;

“January 3, 1928”; “Case No. 1723”; “Case No. 6”;
“Page 1345”; “Page 23.”

Always use figures, never spell out, after abbreviation
“No.”— as “No. 3,” “No. 67.”

3. NEVER putin suffixes “rd,” “st,” “nd,” “th, ” after
figures used in dates. Write: “June 3, 1928,” not “June
3rd, 1928”; “January 2,” not “January 2nd”; “May 1,”
not “May 1st”; “April 5,” not “April 5th.”

4. In tabulation, figures will be used for all numbers
— none will be spelled out:

EXAMPLE:

Accessions

Anthropology . 12 (Not twelve)

Botany . 1,352

Geology . 100

Zoology . 3

5. Numbers, when unavoidable at the beginning of a
sentence, should always be spelled out; but if avoidable
a number should not open a line, even though spelled.

6. Before percentages use figures, never spell out such
numbers (except at beginning of sentence) : “9 per cent,”
“20 per cent.” Do not use a period after “per cent”
unless at end of sentence. Do not use symbol % in text
matter; it may be used under some circumstances in tab¬
ulation.

7. In enumerating, always use figures, never spell out:

1. Fishes

2. Birds

3. Mammals

8. Use figures, do not spell out, in indicating time of
day: 3 P.M., 4 o’clock, etc.

10

9. In referring to money, always express in figures, do
not spell out. Write: “$2,” “$2,000” (never “two dollars”
or “two thousand dollars” unless at beginning of sentence).

10. SPELL ordinal numbers: “nineteenth,” never
“19th;” “one hundredth time,” not “100th time,” etc.
An exception is made in the names of numbered streets.
Streets from “First” to “Twentieth” should be spelled:
“Seventh Street,” “Eighteenth Street”; figures may be
used above “Twentieth”: “73rd Street,” “181st Street,”
etc.

11. SPELL OUT fractions which occur in the body of
the text, and hyphenate compound words in fractions:
one twenty-fifth; one-third; one thirty- third ; thirty one-
hundredths, but thirty-one hundredths (observe difference
in these last two).

VII

ABBREVIATIONS

4

1. In general, do not use abbreviations in text matter,
but spell out full words. Abbreviations may be used in
tabulation, however, and certain abbreviations should be
used at practically all times.

2. ALWAYS ABBREVIATE “Number” to “No.” in
such expressions as “Case No. 6,” “Room No. 39,” etc.
However, at the beginning of a sentence spell out, as:
“Number 7 was a box of books.”

3. ALWAYS ABBREVIATE THE FOLLOWING:
Mr., Messrs., M., MM., Mme, Mile, Dr., St. (for “Saint,”
but do not use abbreviation “St.” for “Street”), Rev.,
Hon., Esq., Sr., Jr. Always write “St. Louis,” “St. Paul,”
“Sault Ste Marie” (NEVER “Saint Louis,” “Saint Paul,”
“Sault Sainte Marie”).

n

4. NEVER ABBREVIATE THE FOLLOWING:
President, Professor, General, Colonel, Captain, Com¬
mander, Secretary, Ambassador, Senator, Representative,
Congressman, Company (as “Marshall Field and Com¬
pany/' NEVER “Co."), Brothers (as “Arbuckle
Brothers," NEVER “Arbuckle Bros."). Never abbrevi¬
ate names of states or countries, or parts of names of
places as in “Fort Wayne," “Port Arthur," “Mount
Wilson" (NEVER “Ft," “Pt," or “Mt.").

5. NEVER abbreviate proper names, like “George" to
“Geo," “Charles" to “Chas," except in reproducing an
exact signature where the person named is in the habit
of signing that way, and where there is reason for making
the signature rather than the actual name appear in print.

6. NEVER use the symbol &; always spell out “and";
for example: “Marshall Field and Company," NOT “Mar¬
shall Field & Co."

7. ALWAYS spell out the names of months, never
abbreviate them, except where necessary in tabulation.

VIII

PUNCTUATION

1. ALWAYS put comma and period inside quotation
marks:

He lectured on “Abyssinia and the Blue Nile,” before 2,000
persons.

NOT: He lectured on “Abyssinia and the Blue Nile”, before 2,000
persons.

NOT: He lectured on “Abyssinia and the Blue Nile”.

BUT: He lectured on “Abyssinia and the Blue Nile.”

2. Interrogation point may go either inside or outside
quotes, depending on its relation to meaning.

12

3. Ordinarily colon and semi-colon go outside quotes,
unless they actually belong to quoted matter.

4. NEVER use a comma in combination with the
dash; the latter eliminates the necessity of a comma.
Write: “There were three — an American, a European
and an Asiatic” ; not “There were three — , (and not three, — )
an American, a European, and an Asiatic.”

5. Do not use periods in headings, display lines, folios,
etc. But in side heads, when used at beginnings of para¬
graphs and separated from text by a dash, periods may
be used.

6. NEVER use a comma in front of a parenthesis; it
may be used after a parenthesis if the sentence requires it.

IX

MISCELLANEOUS

1. NEVER use the words “over” and “under” in the
sense of “more than” and less “than,” as in the sen¬
tences: “There were over 400”; “Accessions totaled 1,000
under last year”; “Over 5,000 persons attended.” In such
cases always write “more than” or “less than”: “There
were more than 400”; “Accessions totaled 1,000 less than
last year”; “More than 5,000 persons attended.”

2. NEVER write “ex-President,” “ex-Senator,” etc.
Always use “former President,” “former Senator,” etc.

3. DO NOT HYPHENATE such words as “reinstall,”
“rearrange,” and other forms with prefix re, unless
necessary for a distinction of meaning, as: “He recovered
from his illness,” but “He re-covered the chair”; or “The
committee on recreation” but “Re-creation of the pre¬
historic world.”

13

Note also that the modern trend is to drop the hyphen
in all compound words which can be written without it.
Follow Webster on words in which there is a choice of
using or dropping the hyphen. An exception to Webster
is noted in the case of the words “cooperate,” “cooper¬
ation,” etc. In Field Museum style the words “cooperate,”
“cooperation,” etc., will be used without either a hyphen
after the first syllable, or a diaeresis ( “ ) over the second
“o,” despite the fact that Webster prescribes the diaeresis.

4. Distinguish between “farther” and “further,” the
former to mean “more remote in distance or time”; the
latter to mean “in addition,” “moreover.”

5. When omission of unusual foreign accents such as
on the first “a” in Sao Paulo is generally condoned in
English usage, omit them; however, most French and
German, and some Spanish accents, are usually retained
in English; but use “role,” not “role.”

6. Field Museum style dictates the use of the spelling
“archaeological,” but also “paleontological.” This seem¬
ing inconsistency is a recognition of Webster’s preferred
spelling for both of these words, and of the forms most
commonly in use at present, as most writers today retain
the “a” in the former but drop it in the latter. Note also
that ligatures, such as ae, ce, etc., are obsolete in English
words, and are not to be used, except in exact quotations
or in technical names.

7. Participles of certain words like “traveling,” will
not double the “1”; others, like “impelling” will double
the “1”; Webster will be the authority in this matter.

8. “European,” “hotel” and other words beginning
with the “u” sound or aspirate “h” will take the article
“a,” not “an.” Use “a European,” not “an European”;

14

"a hotel/' not "an hotel"; "a euphemism," not "an
euphemism"; etc.

9. The abbreviation "etc." in straight text matter
should be used with discretion in all cases. It may be
used ordinarily in tabulation, however.

10. Names of steamships, titles of published works,
newspapers, works of art, and so forth should be italicized,

11. In zoological, botanical and paleontological matter
italicize scientific names of genera and species, but not of
families and higher groups. Generic names should always
be capitalized; specific names, if zoological, should never
be capitalized. In original descriptions, names of new
genera or species should be followed by the Latin abbrevia¬
tions, "gen. nov." or "sp. nov." in roman.

12. NEVER use the article "the" before the name
"Field Museum of Natural History" or "Field Museum"
when used as a noun. When the name is used in an
adjectival sense, however, as for example, "It is reported
that the Field Museum-Oxford University Joint Expedi¬
tion is resuming operations," the use of "the" is permis¬
sible and desirable.

x

OTHER AUTHORITIES

For points not covered by this styl ebook, the Manual
of Style of the University of Chicago Press may be used
as an authority. In matters of spelling and hyphenation,
with such exceptions as are noted herein, follow Webster’s
New International Dictionary.

15

ADDENDA

(The following pages are for the insertion of addi¬
tional rules which may be made from time to time by
authority of the Director.)

16

(For the insertion of additional rules which may be
made from time to time by authority of the Director.)

17

(For the insertion of additional rules which may be
made from time to time by authority of the Director.)

18

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