Styles for Commonly Used Words and Phrases

• 2D, 3D
• add-on
• after-hours (preceding adjective); after hours (prepositional phrase)
  Example: Our after-hours lab is open after hours.
• antivirus
• auto-route, auto-update
• backup (noun or adjective), back up (verb) 
  Example: Back up your files so that you will have a backup.
• -based (hyphenate words combined with "-based," i.e., cloud-based, text-based)
• birth date
• Bits 'n Bytes:
  • 1GB, 1Gb (no space)
  • GB= Gigabyte (storage)
  • Gb=Gigabit (transfer rate/bandwidth)
    (Same rules apply to MB and Mb)
  • 64-bit; 32-bit
• campuswide, universitywide, statewide
• case-sensitive
• CC (noun), cc (verb), cc’d, cc’ing
• chat room
• check box (noun)
• check mark
• checkout (noun or adjective), check out (verb) 
  Example: You can check out items during checkout time.
• client-side
• co-locate (not colocate or co locate)
• cross-platform
• cybersecurity
• Data Center
• dialog box
• double-click
• drag-and-drop (adjective), drag and drop (verb) 
  Example: The user should drag and drop when in a drag-and-drop environment.
• drop-down (noun or adjective), drop down (verb) 
  Example: The drop-down menu will drop down.
• e.g."for example" (see i.e.)
• effect (noun); affect (verb)
• email (no hyphen)
• end user (noun); end-user (adj)
• FAQ, FAQs
• fax
• file extensions are uppercase: EXE, XLS, PDF, JPG, etc.
• filename
• fine-tune
• first come, first served
• first-person (adjective)
• follow-up (adjective), follow up (verb)
  Example: You should follow up the meeting with a follow-up meeting.
• full-time (adjective), full time (adverb)
  Example: She works full time at a full-time job.
• hands-free
• hands-on (adjective)
• hard drive
• high-end
• high-speed
• high-tech
• homegrown
• home page
• i.e."that is" (see e.g.)
• in-house
• internet (lowercase)
• IT Help Desk
• IT Help Portal (or help.uark.edu)
• IT Services (not UITS or ITS; correct formal name is Information Technology Services)
• layout (noun or adjective), lay out (verb)
  Example: Lay out the web page so that the layout works.
• login (noun or adjective), log in (verb) 
  Example: Use your login to log into your account.
• logout (noun or adjective), log out (verb) 
  Example: When users log out of the system, they will see the logout screen.
• lowercase
• mouseover (noun, adjective), mouse over (verb)
  Example: A mouseover event allows the user to mouse over the text for more information.
• multimedia (not a proper noun)
• MyDocs
• on-site
• off-campus (adjective), off campus (prepositional phrase)
• on-campus (adjective), on campus (prepositional phrase)
  Example: He lives on campus because on-campus housing is cheaper.
• off-topic (adjective), off topic (prepositional phrase)
  Example: The off-topic conversation was off topic.
• on-demand (adjective), on demand (prepositional phrase)
  Example: On-demand learning is available on demand.
• one-on-one
• online
• on-screen (adjective), on screen (prepositional phrase)
  Example: The on-screen help images can be seen on screen.
• open-source (adjective), open source (noun)
  Example: This open-source software uses code that is open source.
• part-time (adjective), part time (adverb)
  Example: She works part time at a part-time job.
• Password Manager (capitalized)
• pickup (noun or adjective), pick up(verb) 
  Example: Pick up your ID during ID pickup.
• plug-in
• pop-up (noun or adjective), pop up (verb) 
  Example: A pop-up window will pop up on your screen.
• postproduction
• print job
• printout
• read-only
• real-time (adjective), real time(noun)
  Example: Their real-time support is in real time.
• requestor
• residence hall (use instead of "dorm")
• right-click, left-click
• rollout (noun or adjective), roll out (verb) 
  Example: We will roll out the new software on the rollout date.
• screenshot
• setup (noun or adjective), set up (verb) 
  Example: Read the setup instructions to learn how to set up the application.
• smartphone
• Social Security number (SSN)
• spam
• spell-check
• stand-alone
• Student Technology Center or Student Tech Center (not STC)
• subdirectory
• Tech Spot labs (can use "computer lab(s)" on second mention)
• text-only (adjective)
• third-person
• time-out (noun or adjective), time out (verb)
  Example: If the time-out limit is too short, your session might time out.
• toolbar
• troubleshooting
• turnaround (noun or adjective), turn around (verb) 
• UARK account/UARK password/UARK username (not ID, userid, credentials, etc.)
• UARK Gmail
• University of Arkansas, university (lowercase when not part of the full name)
• U of A (informal usage only; not UofA, UA or UAF)
• University ID number (never use "ID" in place of "username"; ID refers only to the number assigned to each user printed on their University of Arkansas ID card)
• up-to-date
• uppercase
• user-friendly
• username (lowercase)
• videoconferencing
• voicemail
• walk-ins
• web 
• webcam
• webcast
• webmaster
• website; web page
• Wi-Fi (always capitalized with hyphen)
  • UARK Wi-Fi
  • UARK Guest Wi-Fi
  • UARK Registered
• widespread
• workaround
• workspace
• workstation
• workweek

Product and Brand Names

For correct naming/capitalization/spacing for a particular product, vendor or campus office, refer to their official web presence or app.
Exceptions: UNIX should be written as Unix and LISTSERV should be written as Listserv (per AP style).

• AutoCAD
• Autodesk
• BitLocker
• GlobalProtect
• Intune
• Microsoft Power BI
• Read&Write

Knowledge Base Article and Service Description Styles

• Use the Computer Code style from the Styles dropdown in the TDX editor to type code in an article.
• A specific line of text, code, etc. that should be typed or copied exactly should be on a separate line using a break. A colon should be used after the introductory text. Then press Shift/Enter, and type the text, code, etc. Use the Sample Text style from the Styles dropdown in the TDX editor to type a line of text that the user should type exactly.
• For date and time formatting, use Microsoft's Date and Time Terms.
• Terms for actions:
  • Enter text
  • Press keys
  • Tap on screens
  • Click buttons/links
  • Select menu items/search results
• Refer to the Microsoft Style Guide for further guidance with content styles to use in knowledge articles and service descriptions.

What Not to Do

• Don't use underline; underlined text in an article will appear to be a link and create confusion.
• Don’t use “&” instead of “and” unless the ampersand is part of a product, brand, etc.
• Don’t use abbreviations except in an article after the full term has been used with the abbreviation in parentheses, and don’t use abbreviations as titles. Example: Don't use "BB" in place of "Blackboard" in a title.
• Don't add extraneous words, such as adding "help" to a category name or using "hand" in "left hand corner of the screen" or using "on" in "click on...".
• Don't use redundancies in sentences, such as "10 a.m. this morning".
• Don't use "First" or "Then" to start items in numbered list.
• Don't capitalize words that are not proper nouns, the first word in a sentence, or used in a title.
• Don't use an apostrophe with "s" to show plural.
• "'s" (apostrophe, s) for possessive will always be lowercase.
  Example: The SLA's dates have changed.
• Don’t confuse hyphens and dashes. Hyphens (-) are used in words; dashes (--) are used in sentences.
• Don't duplicate information in an article. Link to product site docs.
• Don't link to commerical sites with ads.