Usage of Numbers and Numerals
In general, spell numbers one through nine. Use figures for 10 and above and whenever preceding a unit of measure or referring to ages of people, animals, events, or things. Use figures for dimensions, percentages, ages, distances, computer storage capacities, academic course numbers, decimals, fractions larger than one, and in statistical and sequential forms. Grade levels are an exception—always spell them out.
CORRECT: nine secretaries
CORRECT: 10 buildings
CORRECT: 4 inches
CORRECT: He teaches ninth grade.
CORRECT: She has a daughter, Mia, 2 ½.
Always spell out a number at the beginning of a sentence.
CORRECT: Two thousand six hundred full-time undergraduate students are included in Western New England University’s enrollment of 3,800.
Spell out numerical designations first through ninth and use numerals with appropriate letter suffixed for 10th and above.
CORRECT: The first semester, the second vice president
CORRECT: The 10th sample, our 50th anniversary
Do NOT use “st,” “th,” etc. with dates.
INCORRECT: Submit applications by October 14th.
CORRECT: Submit applications by October 14.
Use numerals for percent expressions and use the % mark.
CORRECT: 85% of freshmen live on campus.
Apostrophes with Numbers
Do not use an apostrophe to form the plural when referring to a decade as a single period of time, but do express the year in numerals.
INCORRECT: the 2020’s, the 80’s
CORRECT: the 2020s, the ’80s
When identifying alumni by their class years, the year is set off by an apostrophe before, no comma after. If alumni have two degrees, the first year is written as described above then place a slash (/) after it and a G (for graduate degree), L (for Law), or PharmD (for Pharmacy), or OTD (for Occupational Therapy) and then an apostrophe and the second year with no space in between.
CORRECT: Noell Rodriguez PharmD’15
CORRECT: Donald Clark ’87 is an alumnus of Western New England.
CORRECT: Keith Saunders ’63/G’66 is a member of the Alumni Association.
Be sure the apostrophe opens to the left. To ensure proper orientation, press the shift and option keys along with the right bracket key.
Graduation Years
Alumni earn graduation years. Do not attribute a graduation year to someone who has not yet graduated or only attended here.
Current students should be referred to as freshman or first-year, sophomore, junior or senior by a class. Example: Class of 2025.
Law students are referred to as L1-L4. PharmD students are referred to as PY1-PY4, and OTD students as OT1-OT3. Graduate students are called “candidates.”
Numbering with %
When referring to AACSB International accreditation, we say that we are “among fewer than 5% of business schools in the world to hold this accreditation.”
Hyphenating Numbers
Spell out fractions in text material. Hyphenate them when they are used as adjectives or adverbs, but not when they are used as nouns.
CORRECT: The book is three-fourths completed.
CORRECT: Nearly one quarter of the students are women.
Telephone numbers are written with a hyphen.
INCORRECT: (413) 781-3111
INCORRECT: 800.456.7656
CORRECT: 413-781-3111
Campus extension numbers, if used, are preceded by the abbreviation Ext. (as in Ext. 1540).
Money
For dollar amounts beyond thousands, use the dollar sign, number, and appropriate word.
INCORRECT: The grant was $14,000,000.
CORRECT: The renovation was $12.8 million.
INCORRECT: The budget was $82,600,000.
CORRECT: The budget was $82.6 million.
Punctuation with Numbers
Use a comma in numerals of 1,000 and above, except for temperatures, dates, and SAT scores.
CORRECT: 2,235; 15,456
CORRECT: The typical freshman SAT score ranges from 1000 to 1400.
CORRECT: The program started in 2008.
Time
Figures are used in designations of time with a.m. or p.m.
INCORRECT: The concert begins at 8 p.m. in the evening.
CORRECT: The concert begins at 8:00 p.m.
CORRECT: The concert begins Friday evening at 8:00.
CORRECT: The concert begins at 8:30 p.m.
CORRECT: The concert begins 8:30 Friday evening.
For 12:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., use noon and midnight.
CORRECT: The session will end at 12:00 noon.
CORRECT: He came to work at 12:00 midnight.
Years, Months, and Days of the Week
Names of the months and days of the week are always spelled out in text. Do not use “on” with dates when its absence would not lead to confusion. To describe sequences or inclusive dates use a hyphen (-) or “to.”
INCORRECT: The program ends on December 15, 2022.
CORRECT: The program ends December 15, 2022.
CORRECT: The program ends Monday, May 1, 2022.
CORRECT: The program ends in December 2023 ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥app. (no comma)
CORRECT: He was on sabbatical during summer 2021. (no comma)
CORRECT: The program ends in December.
INCORRECT: ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥app here May 7 to 9, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
CORRECT: ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥app here May 7-9, 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.
CORRECT: ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥app here May 7-9, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.