ASPR Writing Style Guidelines[1]
We use the Chicago Manual style of writing as the basis for our written communication at the Association of Staff Physician Recruiters. Chicago Style is a system of grammatical and stylistic rules that help to ensure consistent formatting of communication. The style is governed by the Chicago Manual of Style, which is published regularly each year and updated online. In addition, ASPR has developed some of its own guidelines based on the specific preferences of our members. Following are examples of common ASPR Style rules and their correct usage:
When editing using Googledocs:
Try to use the highlight feature with a comment rather than just deleting material that may be controversial.
Punctuation
Use commas before “and” in a list
Correct: Red, white, and blue
Incorrect: Red, white and blue
Refrain from using commas before a suffix
Correct: Martin Luther King Jr.
Incorrect: Martin Luther King, Jr.
Possessives
Refrain from using ’s when the word ends with s, even if it is a proper name
Correct: Francis’
Incorrect: Francis’s
Use of nouns and pronouns
ASPR/Association should have “its” as a pronoun,recruiters should have “their” as a pronoun.
Formatting
The name of the association should not be in bold, italics, or all capitals
Correct: the Association of Staff Physician Recruiters
Incorrect: the Association of Staff Physician Recruiters
Titles of publications and other works:
Titles of books, movies, CDs and video games are placed in italics. Do not underline or bold titles. Names of newspapers and magazines are not placed in quotations.
Capitalization
Refrain from capitalizing titles following a name
Correct: Barack Obama, president of the United States
Incorrect: Barack Obama, President of the United States
Do capitalize titles when they precede a name
Correct: President Barack Obama
Incorrect: president Barack Obama
Headlines and subheadings
Capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns (added in November 2012).
Organization and Committee names
When the full name is used, capitalize. When the short form is used, don’t capitalize.
Correct: ASPR Board of Directors, Education Committee; but: the board, the directors, the committee chair
Incorrect: Board of directors, Education committee; the Board agreed to merge the marketing and membership committees.
See also: Association of Staff Physician Recruiters specific rules below for further information
Refrain from capitalizing the word ‘earth’ when not referring to the planet
Correct: That guy is down to earth
Incorrect: That guy is down to Earth
Capitalize the award but not the category
Correct: She won the Academy Award for best actress
Incorrect: She won the academy award for Best Actress
Always capitalize Democrat and Republican
Always capitalize CD, DVD, TV, and OK
Always capitalize Corporate Contributor when used together
Capitalize only the first word and proper nouns in headlines and subheads
Times and Dates
Always list time with a.m. or p.m., with a space after the number and without zeros
Correct: 5 p.m.
Incorrect: 5 or 5:00 pm
Always abbreviate the longer months in dates within the body of text
Correct: Sept. 4
Incorrect: September 4
The full month may be used in a headline or subhead as part of a promotional message for an event. Refrain from abbreviating the month when referring to the month as a whole:
Correct: The month of September is especially trying
Incorrect: The month of Sept. is especially trying.
Refrain from using superscript th or rd with dates:
Correct: Sept. 4
Incorrect: Sept. 4th
Refrain from using the year when the date is in the current year:
Correct: Sept. 4
Incorrect: Sept. 4, 2010
Use B.C. and A.D. rather than B.C.E. or C.E.
Numbers
Spell out numbers under 10 and use the numeral for 10 and above
Correct: Four, 11
Incorrect: 4, eleven
However, in a series of numbers, use numerals for all: The average number of candidates interviewed for a position is 24, while the mean number is 20; 2 candidates are typically offered a position, but only 1 accepts.
Numeric Placing: Spell out first through ninth for order in time or location
Correct: First floor
Incorrect: 1st floor
Starting with 10th use figures
Correct: 10th place
Incorrect: Tenth place
Write out numbers that begin a sentence unless the number is very large or complex.
Spell out the word percentage instead of using the symbol
Exception: In an article that makes heavy use of comparative data, use the % symbol.
Hyphenate dimensions that precede a noun
Correct: The six-foot-tall man
He was six feet tall
Incorrect: The six foot tall man
He was six-feet tall
ASPR Annual Conference: The accepted format is ASPR 20XX Annual Conference (using the year of the event, not 19th Annual, except in the case of a major anniversary such as 25th or 50th).
Online Terminology
References to ‘websites’
Correct: website
Incorrect: Website, Web Site, or Web site
Always capitalize ‘Internet’
References to “e-mail”
Correct: e-mail
Incorrect: email or E-mail (unless E-mail begins a sentence)
References to Social Media:
If the author talks about "social media applications" being easier, then it needs to be plural; if talking about the concept, then it's a single concept and is singular. That it includes a generally recognized plural in the name doesn't change that it's a single concept.
People
Mention a person’s first and last name and title on the first reference. On each subsequent reference, use just the last name. Exceptions may be made in soft news or first-person features.
References to patients
Correct: inpatient and outpatient
Incorrect: in-patient or out-patient
Places
Use the two letter postal abbreviation when referencing any state if it is preceded by the city.
Correct: The conference was in Minneapolis, MN.
Incorrect: The doctor flew to MN for a visit.
To abbreviate the United States:
Correct: US
Incorrect: U.S.
Quotes from People
Use “said” rather than “stated” or “commented,” “mentioned,” etc. Use past tense in almost all usage.
Correct: Larson said that Baystate Health created an internal support system. “Often, as many as three individuals may be needed,” he said.
Incorrect: Larson states that Baystate Health created an internal support system. “Often, as many as three individuals may be needed,” he says.
The Association of Staff Physician Recruiters Rules
Organization Name:
Always spell out the Association of Staff Physician Recruiters on first reference. May be referenced as ASPR in second and subsequent references. May also be referred to as the association after the first reference.
President and CEO Reference
Brett Walker, FASPR, president
In external written references include ASPR (Brett Walker, FASPR, ASPR president).
Physician Credentials
Use MD credentials (no periods) for first reference and Dr. after that. Example: Dan Jones, MD, performed the surgery. Dr. Jones says the patient is doing well.
Healthcare
Healthcare is used as one word in all instances.
Advanced Practice
It is our preference to use the term “advanced practice professional” or “advanced practice clinician” rather than “mid-level provider.”
ASPR Annual Conference
The correct term is ASPR Annual Conference. However, only capitalize when referring to a specific conference.
Fellowship Certification Program
Use Fellowship Certification Program on first reference — that is the official name of the program. On second and subsequent reference, program could be used. However, don’t just refer to the Fellowship program or the Certification program.
Fellowship Committee — but use lower case when referring to fellowship exams.
On first reference, refer to the various modules by the formal name (i.e., Physician Recruitment 101 Module); on subsequent reference, a shorter version can be used (101 module). Note that in the short reference, module is lower case.
FASPR, DASPR, AASPR
AASPR and DASPR are designations, while FASPR is a certification.
Names of Committees, Co-Chairs
See above, Capitalization. Also: Journal Committee Co-Chair Lori Norris, FASPR — but Lori Norris co-chairs the committee.
Board of Directors - but directors or board. Not BOD.
Onboarding
No hyphen is necessary.
Use of a Member’s name/credentials/affiliation
Example: Lori Norris, FASPR, Senior Physician Recruiter, Dignity Health, Chandler, AZ.
Needs discussion by committee: In-house physician recruitment professional — or physician recruiter? LP: When used as part of a person’s byline or when we are identifying someone within an article, then I think we use what the person has listed for his/her title in the ASPR database.
Association of Staff Physician Recruiters (ASPR)
ASPR International Headquarters
1000 Westgate Drive, Suite 252
St. Paul, MN 55114 USA
Tel: 800-830-2777 (ASPR) Fax: 651-290-2266
Questions concerning ASPR standards?
Call ASPR Headquarters: 800-830-2777
[1]Miranda Grace:
This is SO helpful!! Thanks for sharing :) Posting to my bulliten board now!
lori.norris.az:
Keep in mind that this is constantly changing with additions...and feel free to post your suggestions. Just initial and leave a note to LP