Spell out numbers zero to nine. Use numerals for 10 and above. Exceptions: Use numerals for inches, miles, ages, page numbers, time (i.e., minutes and hours).

General rule for writing mixed numbers: Where many numbers occur in a series, maintain consistency in the immediate numbers (e.g., Recruiters from four states came to the fair: 2 from Michigan, 12 from Iowa, and 3 from Maryland).

If the sentence refers to numbers in different categories, spell out zero to nine, and use numerals for 10 and above (e.g., The schools are now reopening; they include 101 elementary schools, 29 middle schools, nine high schools, and one special school career and technology center.

Write numbers used in combination with million, billion, and trillion as numerals (e.g., 2 million birds, $1 trillion, 300 million people).

Write phone numbers in this format: 000-000-0000.

Spell out zero through nine. Use numerals for 10 and above. Exceptions: age (5-year-old child); decimals (0.75), statistics, credits (a 3-credit course), results of voting (a vote of 10-2), percentages (3 percent), money ($25, $1 million), time (9 a.m.), dates (May 3, 2025), measurements (4 inches), distance (2 miles), proportions (3:1), parts of a book (chapter 2), sports scores (4-2).

Use numerals when the number follows the noun: page 3, room 9, size 8 (dress).

Ignore any article that precedes the word or name (e.g., the, a, Dr.)
Alphabetize personal names by the surname. (e.g., Beard, James, comes before Beard, John) For Spanish names, alphabetize by the first surname. For digital files: To ensure that a folder to always stay at the top of your list, place an underscore (_) before the name of the folder.

Capitalize all words of four letters or more.
Capitalize the word after a colon if the word begins a complete sentence (e.g., Dot Your Eyes and Cross Your Tees: Advice from a Reformed Fashionista).
Use a.m. and p.m. (not A.M. and P.M.)
Use quotation marks when writing a word as a word (e.g., How do you describe the word “happy” in a sentence?)
Lowercase “to” as part of an infinitive (e.g., Try to Run Two Miles Each Morning).
The name of the degree is generic in that anyone with the cash can have one, so lowercase the name of the degree (e.g., She received a master’s in chamber music.).

Lowercase the title of the person but uppercase the department name. For example:
Jordan Smith is the director of student services.
The Department of Student Services requires advance notice of emergency absences. Anyone who works for Student Services should keep their résumé up to date.

Subheads can be styled in either initial caps or sentence case (e.g., This Is Subhead Style or This is subhead style). Just be consistent.

Text in each bulleted item should be grammatically parallel to text in the other bulleted items.

Example:
Incorrect list

• The rules should be changed so that players are not so vulnerable
• Ejection of a player for blindsiding
• Write a letter warning of these suspect practices to the pertinent officials.

Corrected list

• The rules should be changed so that players are not so vulnerable.
• Players should be ejected for blindsiding.
• A letter of warning about these suspect practices should be written.

OR
End each item with a period if it is a complete sentence.

• Change the rules so that players are not so vulnerable.
• Do not eject players for blindsiding.
• Write a letter of warning about the suspect practices.

Purpose: to help readers and prevent misunderstanding. See the stylebook, page 9, for a comprehensive overview of punctuation.

Ampersand: An ampersand is a symbol that means and.

Use with names of organizations and companies (e.g., An H&M store just opened in the mall).

When an ampersand is used, omit the serial comma (e.g., Editorial, Graphics & Publishing Services).

In regular text, limit use to

• terms like R&D and Q&A that are always spelled with ampersand;
• corporate names like AT&T and Simon & Shuster that reflect a company or brand;
• texting and social media posts, and
• in verbatim quotations.

Also, ampersand is used when writing HTML character references.

Note: Leave no space on either side of an ampersand used with an abbreviation (e.g., Texas A&M, R&D).

Use an ampersand in display/promotional art (i.e., posters, banners, flyers, etc.).

Apostrophe: Avoid the apostrophe when making numerals plural (e.g., the early 1900s, her SAT score was in the 1300s).

Use to show possession (e.g., MCPS’s special education teachers, Mr. Smith’s office, the boys and girls’ playground).

Brackets: Use when adding editorial explanations within a direct quote or to  enclose words already in parentheses. “I’ve seen [employees] here as late as 9:30 at night,” he said.
(He opened the fridge [already ajar] to look for the missing hamster.)

Colon: Use after a statement of introduction. Also, use after “as follows” and “the following.”

Capitalize the first word after a colon if it is a proper noun or if it starts a complete sentence.
For example:
He promised this: The city will rebuild the hospital.
But
There are three considerations: expense, time, and feasibility.

Comma: MCPS uses the serial comma (i.e., a comma before “and” in a series of three or more words).

Use a comma to set off words that address someone directly (e.g., Good afternoon, Mr. Jones).

A comma can be used instead of a colon to introduce a short list (e.g., Which fruit do you like best, bananas or pineapples?)

Em dash: Use to denote a change in thought in a sentence (e.g.,
He came to my office—without calling first—and demanded to see me at once.

En dash: Use as an alternative to “through.”
Use with dates, times in text (e.g., Monday–Friday, pages 220–223, 8 a.m.–3 p.m., 2007–2017

Hyphen: Words that otherwise may be misread should be hyphenated. For example, re-creation (creating something again) vs. recreation (activity done for enjoyment).

Consult the Merriam Webster’s dictionary to verify whether a compound word should be hyphenated.

Hyphenation is unnecessary where there can be no ambiguity or confusion (e.g., high school student, public school administration).

Period: Place a period outside the closing parenthesis if the material inside is not a sentence (such as this phrase).

Place a period inside parentheses if the words are a complete sentence. (We always receive our diplomas at the graduation ceremony.)

Never end a sentence with a double period
For example:
I worked for Smith & Co.
NOT I worked for Smith and Co..

Use U.S. (with periods for United States)
as an adjective. (e.g., Many U.S. schools offer a subsidized lunch program.)
Use Washington, D.C. (with periods)
Use no periods with state abbreviations (e.g., Boston, MA, Houston, TX, Rockville, MD)

Use periods with abbreviations that end in a lowercase letter.
p. (page), e.g., i.e., etc., a.k.a, a.m., p.m.,
Ph.D., Ed.D.

Omit periods for initials that stand for a given name.
LBJ, MLK, JFK, JLo, FDR, RFK

Semicolon: Use to separate items in a series when individual parts contain commas (e.g., Rita Jones, principal; Roger Rems, coach; and Pam Belushi, counselor).

Question Mark: When a question introduces a list, should you use a question mark or a colon? Or both?
[Answer] If it is a direct question, the question mark is usually stronger.
Example:
Which fruit would you be most likely to recognize by texture alone?
banana
apple

Bracket vs. Parentheses: Parentheses are more common in writing to set off a thought or extra information.

Brackets set off a parenthesis within a parenthesis (e.g., like this [and this]).
They set off words that the writer inserts to fill in missing information into a quotation by someone else (e.g., “The student’s name is [Thomas] Grady, so sign him up.”)

• Italicize the names of books, magazines, MCPS forms, periodicals, and reports.
• Say: those people who; the type of people that
• An environment in which NOT an environment where
• The state of Maryland
• Myriad techniques NOT a myriad of techniques
• Title IX (use roman numerals)
• Algebra 1 (use regular numerals)
• Noon or 12 noon (NOT 12 p.m.) and midnight (NOT 12 a.m.).
• A comma may be used instead of a colon to introduce a short list (e.g., Which fruit do you like best, bananas, pears, or pineapples?)
• The name of a degree is generic, so lowercase the name of the degree (e.g., she received a master’s in chamber music).