Word and topic list
A
a lot – two words
a.m., p.m. – Except for Twitter/X posts, in which case use “am” and “pm.”
aboveground
agency – Capitalize the word “agency” if it appears in the full name of an organization (for instance, the MPCA), but not in other references.
Arrowhead – Capitalize in referring to northeastern part of Minnesota.
Attorney General’s Office – Capitalize only when referring to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
B
below ground – (Prep and noun)
below-ground – (Adjective)
below grade – (Prep and noun)
below-grade – (Adjective)
between – do not use “btwn”
Black – Capitalize when referring to race.
C
capital – Town or city place of government, capital letters or monetary capital.
capitol – The building where a legislative assembly meets. Should be capitalized when referring specifically to the Minnesota or federal Capitol
Celsius – Capitalize in all instances. Use this term instead of centigrade.
child care
city – Capitalize “city” only when it refers to a city’s government, but not when referring to the place.
cleanup – (Noun, adjective)
Examples:
- we will look at the cleanup
- the cleanup plan
clean up – (Verb)
Example: clean up the site
Composed of / comprised of / constitute / include – Compose means to create or put together. It commonly is used in both the active and passive voices. Comprise means to contain, to include all or embrace. It is best used only in the active voice, followed by a direct object. Constitute, in the sense of form or makeup, may be the best word if neither compose nor comprise seems to fit. Use “include” when what follows is only part of the total.
Examples:
- The zoo is composed of many animals.
- The zoo comprises many animals.
- A collection of animals can constitute a zoo.
- The zoo includes lions and tigers.
communities of color
cost effective – Hyphenated when used as a modifier before a noun
Example: cost-effective solution
council – Capitalized when used as a proper name
county – Capitalized only when used in a proper name or when referring to the government, rather than the place.
Example: Ramsey County
cross section – Hyphenated when used as a modifier before a noun
Example: cross-section view
D
data – Plural form of datum
day care
decision making – hyphenate when used as compound modifier
Example: decision-making skills
department – Capitalize the word “department” if it appears in the full name of an organization (for instance, the Minnesota Department of Transportation), but not in other references.
E
email – one word
F
fact sheet
Fahrenheit – Always capitalized
federal – Lowercase unless part of a title
fiscal year – Spell out on first reference. Use FY in second reference (FY21); Minnesota’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. The 21 in FY21 refers to the calendar year in which the fiscal year began.
floodwaters
G
Greater Minnesota – Refers to parts of the state outside of the Twin Cities metro area. Capitalize in all instances. Do not use the term “Outstate.”
H
health care – two words
Highway - Hwy XX (capitalized and abbreviated when referring to as a proper noun). We are replacing bridges on Hwy 23. But lowercase and spelled out when not referring to a proper noun: Go south on the highway. Avoid TH XX or Trunk Highway XX; these terms don’t mean much to most of our readership. Similarly, don’t use the acronym CSAH for county highways.
I
Indigenous – Capitalize when referring to race
Iron Range
L
landfill – (Noun, verb)
legislative – Lowercase in all uses unless part of a title
Example: Legislative Commission of Minnesota Resource
Legislature – Capitalize when referring to the Minnesota Legislature, even when the state name is dropped
Example: The Legislature passed an amendment to the Clean Water Legacy Act.
login – one word
locations - Hwy 62 between Hwy 77 in Minneapolis and Hwy 55 in Mendota Heights
M
metro area – Lowercase when referring to the Twin Cities metro area. Don’t use Twin Cities Metro Area (TCMA); use Twin Cities metro area and then use metro area on second reference.
Minn. Stat. and Minn. R. – See the Office Procedures Manual style guide for information on referencing and formatting state and federal laws.
Minnesota Department of Transportation – Use MnDOT on first reference in web copy. Don’t use DOT.
Minnesota and MN – Always spell out the state’s name in the body of text.
multi-agency
multimedia
N
nonprofit — not non-profit
O
offsite
online
onsite
P
p.m., a.m.
people of color
percent – Use the % symbol when paired with a numeral, with no space, in most cases. Use figures.
policymaker
program – Capitalize only when part of a title or referencing a specific program.
Example: State Transportation Improvement Program
R
recordkeeping
request for proposals – Plural is requests for proposals
rulemaking
runoff – Rather than run-off
S
St. or Saint – St. is preferred but Saint may be used; be consistent within the document.
session – Capitalize when used in a formal title
Example: 1988 Special Session
smartphone
state names – Don't abbreviate names of states in text. Use postal codes for mailing addresses.
State Register – Italicize when in the body of text.
street names - Dale St.; St. Clair Ave.; Dodd Rd.; Lexington Pkwy.; Kellogg Blvd.
streets with multiple names – (ex.: Snelling Ave./Hwy 51) Use combined name as in example on first reference; use whatever the most common name for all subsequent references.
stormwater
T
through – do not use “thru”
Tribal – uppercase
U
U.S. or United States – Not US, unless you’re referring a federal highway that shares a number with a Minnesota state highway (US Hwy 61 vs. Hwy 61)
underground
underwater – (Adjective, adverb)
under water – (Preposition and noun)
upstream
W
wastewater
webpage
website
workforce