GSUSA Editorial Style Guide
February 2012

Capitalization
Headlines and titles: 
  • Prepositions of four letters or less (such as “of” and “with”) are lowercase, unless appearing as either the first or last word in a headline or title, in which case they are capitalized. 
  • The first element of hyphenated compounds is always capitalized; the second element is also capitalized except for articles (“the,” “a,” etc.) and prepositions of four letters or less (examples: Self-Renewal, Not-for-Profit). 
  • All trademarked names are capitalized (Girl Scout Daisy).


Capitalize initial letters of: 
  • any title preceding a person’s name (Field Director Mary Jones, Director of National Meetings Mary Smith); titles that do not precede a person’s name are lowercase 
  • formal national volunteer titles (National Board of Directors, National Nominating Committee, National President, Chair of the National Board of Directors, Councils Committee); exception: generic references (National Board member, committee member, committee chair) 
  • names of projects, activities, events, and initiatives names of trademarked games (Trivial Pursuit) 
  • specific department and group titles (Program, Membership & Volunteerism, Executive Team).
    Do not, however, cap the word “department” when it immediately follows a title
  •  book titles and book series (It’s Your World—Change It!) 
  • Note: The first word after a colon is not initial-capped, even if what follows the colon is a complete sentence.


Lowercase initial letters of the following: 
  • council titles* (chief executive officer of Girl Scout Council of Greater New York; the council president) unless a person’s name immediately follows a title, in which case, capitalize (Chief Executive Officer Megan Ferland) 
  • generic, stand-alone references to Girl Scout program, projects, and publications (“the project,” even if it’s referring to the Girl Scout Bronze Award Project) 
  • Girl Scout council (but Girl Scout Council of Greater New York)
  • *Note: When referring to the CEO of a council, “council” precedes “chief executive officer” to distinguish this from the chief executive officer of GSUSA.


Italics and Quotations Marks
Italicize: 
  • book titles (Blue Book of Basic Documents) 
  • magazine names 
  • movie titles 
  • newspapers 
  • plays 
  • television show titles and series titles
  • titles of videos, DVDs, CDs, and cassettes 
  • words in a language other than English (muchas gracias), unless familiar (e.g., pro bono, ex officio)
Use quotation marks for: 
  • book chapters or section names (“Be Healthy, Be Fit” chapter) 
  • song titles 
  • titles of television series episodes (the “Election Night” episode of The West Wing)


Numbers
Spell out numbers one through nine, and use numerals for higher numbers. Exceptions: when used with a unit, for example, 8 percent (not eight percent, not 8%); 4 inches, 2 centimeters; 3 billion people; in a series of three or more numbers, with one or more above nine (8, 9, 18). Use an en dash to mean “to” for continuing numbers (examples: ages 12–14; pgs. 10–12). Numbers that begin a sentence are always spelled out.
Specific rules by category:

  • ages: eight- to nine-year-old girls, six-month-old baby, five-year-old child, five years old, ages 15–18 (use en-dash), ages 16 and older 
  • century: twenty-first century 
  • dates: September 1984; October 1, 1980, (commas before and after the year when the day is included after the month) 
  • fractions: one-half, two and one-half days 
  • money: $150 
  • noun plus number: Chapter 1, Activity 1 (not Chapter #1 or Activity #1) 
  • page numbers: pages 2–6 (use en-dash with date and other number spreads) 
  • phone numbers: in print: 212-852-8000 
  • plurals of numbers used as nouns: Add only an s to numbers being used as nouns, whether numerals or spelled out (the 1940s; fours and fives). 
  • plural acronyms and abbreviations: Do not use apostrophes: IOUs, CODs, YWCAs. 
  • state abbreviations: In running text, spell out names of states and territories. Use ZIP code abbreviations for addresses, in bibliographies, and wherever else abbreviations are appropriate. 
  • temperature: 300 degrees 
  • time: 3:00 a.m.; 24-hour period 
  • weight: 1 1/2- to 2-pound sleeping bag


Punctuation
ampersand (&): Avoid using ampersands in text, unless referring to trademarks or GSUSA departments.
college degree: Do not use periods; separate each degree with a semicolon (e.g., BA; BS; PhD; MA, counseling, University of Maryland)
ellipsis (. . .): Used to indicate missing text, the ellipsis consists of three periods separated by spaces; when ending a sentence, an additional period should be added.
em dash (—), en dash (–), and hyphen (-): Do not use a space before or after dashes and hyphens. 
  • Use an em dash to set off clauses. (Choose a goal—saving money, for example.) An em dash should also be used before names in source lines, such as the author of a quotation. (To make an em dash in Microsoft Word, with NUM LOCK on, hold down CTRL and ALT while pressing the dash key in the number pad.) 
  • Use an en dash for number spreads and in other cases when the meaning is “to” (ages 12–14; 1997–99; 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.); also when making a compound adjective with a proper noun (Girl Scout–related case study). (To make an en dash, hold down CTRL while pressing the dash key in the number pad.) 
  • Use a hyphen only in compound words (one-half, mother-in-law) and in end-of-line word division.
exclamation point: Use sparingly to mark an outcry or following an emphatic comment. (Oh, no! or Woohoo, it’s Friday!)
hyperlink: Pair each link to outside sites with title-like words or phrases that let the reader know where she or he is being led. Avoid link instructions (click here) and instead use “When planning a meeting, check out these meeting tips,” for example.
lists: 
  • Use numbered lists if items are in a sequence.
1. Mix flour, macadamia chips, and baking powder.
2. Add 2 cups of water.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 
  • Use a bulleted list for items that are nonsequential.
Be sure to bring the following: 
  • canteen 
  • hiking boots 
  • matches 
  • poncho
Items within a list should be of parallel grammatical structure. Do not mix sentences and phrases within a list. Use title case and periods for bulleted lists only when the items are grammatically complete sentences, or if ambiguity would result. Either: 
  • Drive on the right side of the road. 
  • Eat only in designated restaurants. 
  • Sleep at official campsites.
or: 
  • driving on the right 
  • eating in designated restaurants 
  • sleeping at official campsites
percent: Should be written out in text; the % symbol should be used only in charts/tables and in scientific/statistical text.
serial comma: Always insert a comma before the conjunction in a series. (Girls from Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan attended the event. Some girls choose English, others prefer science, and still others like art or music.)


Note: For other style issues, reference The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition, and Miriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition. Referencing those exact titles and editions is important, as these books change over time, and different dictionaries actually spell words differently.


Girl Scout Principles and Beliefs
Girl Scout Promise
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.

Girl Scout mission
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Girl Scout motto
Be prepared.


Girl Scout grade levels
Girl Scout Daisy (grades K–1)
Girl Scout Brownie (grades 2–3)
Girl Scout Junior (grades 4–5)
Girl Scout Cadette (grades 6–8)
Girl Scout Senior (grades 9–10)
Girl Scout Ambassador (grades 11–12)


Words and Phrases
5 Flowers, 4 Stories, 3 Cheers for Animals!
A World of Girls
advisor
African American (adjective and noun)
after-school
Agent of Change
AGSES (Association of Girl Scout Executive Staff)
Alaskan Native
aMAZE!
Amazing Daisy
American Indian (not “Native American,” unless it is known to be preferred)
aMUSE
annual council meeting
annual giving (also called “annual appeal,” “annual campaign,” or “mission fund”)
Asian or Pacific Islander
Asian American (as adjective, noun)
Association of Girl Scout Executive Staff (AGSES)
award (no cap; exception are the highest awards)
ex: Journey award
ex: Leader in Action (LiA) award
ex: Monitor, Influence, and Cultivate awards
ex: Girl Scout Bronze Award
ex: Girl Scout Gold Award
back up (verb)
backup (adjective or noun)
Baden-Powell, Sir Robert
badge (no cap)
ex: Brownie Hiker badge (never use “legacy” in actual badge title)
ex: in this badge
ex: a Girl Scout National Proficiency badge
ex: Cookie Business badge
ex: Financial Literacy badge
ex: Girl Scout badges
ex: Legacy badge
ex: Make Your Own badge
ex: Skill-Building badge
best practice
Between Earth and Sky
bird-watch (verb)
bird-watcher (noun)
black or African American
BLISS!
Blue Book of Basic Documents
board development committee
board of directors (see “corporate board of directors”)
board resolution
board task groups (also ad hoc committees)
Breathe!
bridging
Bronze Award (see Girl Scout Bronze Award)
Brownie Friends (reference to the girls from the Brownie stories)
Brownie Quest
Brownie ring
Business Cabinet
businesspeople
bylaws
Camp Andrée Clark, Briarcliff Manor, NY
camp out (verb)
campership
campout (noun)
campsite
candlelight ceremony
capacity building
capital campaign
caregiver
catalog
cause, the (refers to ToGetHerThere)
chair (not “chairperson”)
Chair, National Board of Directors
chair, council board of directors
chamber of commerce
change in jurisdiction
check up (verb)
checklist
checkpoint
checkup (noun)
chief executive officer (CEO) (capped only when it directly precedes a person’s name)
chief financial officer (CFO) (capped only when it directly precedes a person’s name)
chief of external affairs (capped only when it directly precedes a person’s name)
chief operating officer (COO) (capped only when it directly precedes a person’s name)
child-care (adjective)
clean up (verb)
cleanup (adjective or noun)
closing ceremony
college-age (adjective)
color guard
committee chair
committee member
Constitution of Girl Scouts of the United States of America (formal title, preferred when referring to the Girl Scout Constitution)
cookout (noun)
cool down (verb)
cooldown (noun)
cooperative learning
Core Business Strategy
council
council board of directors
Council Enterprise System (CES)
council performance indicator (CPI)
council shop
councils committee
councilwide
court of awards
court of honor
culture of philanthropy
cyberspace
Daisy (Juliette Gordon Low’s nickname)
Daisy Flower Garden
data (plural)
day care (noun and adjective)
decision making (noun)
decision-making (adjective)
delegate-at-large
destinations (always lowercase; always in italics)
Discover, Connect, Take Action
do’s and don’ts
earth (lowercase; cap when referring to the planet in relation to other planets)
ebook
ecatalog (also “virtual catalog”)
ecosystem
Edith Macy Conference Center (EMCC) (does not take the article “the”; includes the John J. Creedon Center)
ELF (Explore, Link Arms, Fly into Action)
email (not e-mail)
emblem
encampment
enewsletter
Executive Team (Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief of External Affairs, and Senior Vice Presidents)
ezine
Facebook page
Facebook site
facebook.com/GirlScoutsUSA
facilitator
fast-food (adjective)
feature phone (older cellphone; not a smartphone)
federal government
firefighter
first aid (noun)
first-aid (adjective)
first-rate
firsthand
flag ceremony
flash flood
flash mob
flight attendant (not “stewardess”)
Flower Friends
ex: Tula the Tulip
ex: Vi the Violet
fly-up ceremony
flyer
folktale
foster care
Founder’s Day (October 31)
freshwater (noun and adjective)
friendship circle
fundraiser
fundraising
GET MOVING!
get-together (noun)
getaways
Girl Scout (always singular as an adjective, e.g., “Girl Scout activities,” with the exception of “Girl Scouts Own”; “Scout” or “Scouts” should never be used independently)
Girl Scout alumna (singular, former female member)
Girl Scout alumnae (plural, former female members)
Girl Scout alumni (plural, former male members or mixed male and female members)
Girl Scout alumnus (singular, former male member)
Girl Scout Ambassadors
Girl Scout birthday (the Girl Scout founding date, March 12, 1912)
Girl Scout brand
Girl Scout Bronze Award (second reference, “Bronze Award”)
Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards
Girl Scout Brownies
Girl Scout Cadettes
Girl Scout Constitution (for informal use; formally, “Constitution of Girl Scouts of the United States of America”)
Girl Scout cookie activities
Girl Scout Cookie Program
Girl Scout cookies
ex: Thin Mint cookies
Girl Scout council
Girl Scout council charter
Girl Scout Daisies
Girl Scout Gold Award (second reference, “Gold Award”)
Girl Scout Gold Award recipient (not “winner”)
Girl Scout grade levels (never “age levels”)
Girl Scout handshake
Girl Scout Journey (see Journey)
Girl Scout Juniors
Girl Scout Law (on second reference, “the Law”)
Girl Scout Leader’s Day (April 22; see also Volunteer Appreciation Week)
Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE)
Girl Scout Merchandise (GSM)
Girl Scout mission
Girl Scout motto
Girl Scout movement
Girl Scout national headquarters
Girl Scout pathways (camp, events, series, travel, troop, and virtual)
Girl Scout policy
Girl Scout processes
girl-led
learning by doing
cooperative learning
Girl Scout program (second reference, “the program”; never use “programs”)
Girl Scout Promise (second reference, “the Promise”)
Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI)
Girl Scout Safety Guidelines
Girl Scout Seniors
Girl Scout servicemark
Girl Scout sign
Girl Scout Silver Award (second reference, “Silver Award”)
Girl Scout trefoil (second reference, “the trefoil”)
Girl Scout volunteer (not “Girl Scout leader”)
Girl Scout Week
Girl Scouting (never use “Scouting” alone)
Girl Scouts Alumnae Association
Girl Scouts Beyond Bars (not “Girl Scouts Behind Bars”)
Girl Scouts of the United States of America
Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) (not “Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.” or “Girl Scouts of America”)
girlscouts.org
Girl Scouts’ 100th anniversary
Girl Scouts’ Own
girl-led
girl/adult partnership (not “adult/girl partnership”)
GIRLtopia
Global Girl Scouting (not “Global Girl,” “Global Girls,” or other variations)
globe-trotter
globe-trotting
gluing
Gold Award (see Girl Scout Gold Award)
GSUSA (not “G.S.U.S.A.”)
hairstyle
hands-on (adjective)
hard-to-reach
hardworking
health care (noun)
health-care (adjective)
high-fat (adjective)
high-performing council
Hispanic (choose either “Hispanic” or “Latina”; do mix usage)
hometown
Honorary President
how-to
how-to’s
inline skating
insignia (complete list found here)
Internet
intranet
investiture
It’s Your Business—Run It! (appears on each Cookie-business badge)
It’s Your Planet—Love It! (Journey series)
Between Earth and Sky
WOW! Wonders of Water
GET MOVING!
Breathe!
Sow What?
Justice
It’s Your Story—Tell It! (Journey series)
5 Flowers, 4 Stories, 3 Cheers for Animals!
A World of Girls
aMUSE
MEdia
MISSION: SISTERHOOD!
BLISS!
It’s Your World—Change It! (Journey series)
Welcome to the Daisy Flower Garden
Brownie Quest
Agent of Change
aMAZE!
GIRLtopia
Your Voice, Your World
John J. Creedon Center (See “Edith Macy Conference Center”)
Journey(s) (always capped in relation to Girl Scouting)
Girl Scout National Leadership Journey
Girl Scout Junior Journey (never Junior Girl Scout Journey)
Girl Scout Brownie Journey (never Brownie Girl Scout Journey)
Girl Scout Daisy Journey (never Daisy Girl Scout Journey)
Girl Scout Cadette Journey (never Cadette Girl Scout Journey)
Girl Scout Senior Journey (never Senior Girl Scout Journey)
Girl Scout Ambassador Journey (never Ambassador Girl Scout Journey)
Leadership Journey
take a Journey
Juliette Gordon Low
Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace (not “Juliette Low Center”; on second reference, “the birthplace”)
Juliette Gordon Low Girl Scout National Center
Juliette Low World Friendship Fund (JLWFF) (on second reference, “the fund,” or “JLWFF”)
Juliettes (discontinued)
Justice
kaper chart
key(s)
the Three Keys
the Three Keys to Leadership
Discover key
Connect key
Take Action key
Lady Baden-Powell
Latina (woman)
Latino (general population) (choose either “Hispanic” or “Latina”; do mix usage)
Leader (discontinued)
Leader magazine (discontinued)
Leader in Action award (for Cadettes)
Leader’s Day (April 22; see also Volunteer Appreciation Week)
Leadership Cabinet
leaf (no cap)
ex: Add It Up Financial Literacy leaf
learning by doing
levelheaded
lifestyle
lifetime member(s)
liveblog
livestream
low-fat (adjective)
mail carrier (not “mailman”)
matchup (noun or adjective)
MEdia
mementos
MISSION: SISTERHOOD!
mottoes
My Promise, My Faith award
nation’s capital (but “Nation’s Capital” when referring to the Girl Scout council)
National Board of Directors (“the board” on second reference)
National Board member
national centers
National CEO
National Chair (also Chair, National Board of Directors; also National President)
national convention
National Council of Girl Scouts of the USA
National Council Session
National Council Session/convention
national headquarters (never “headquarters” alone or “HQ” when referring to the New York office)
national operational volunteer (NOV)
national organization (referring to the Girl Scout organization in the United States)
National President (also “Chair, National Board of Directors”)
National Program Portfolio
nonfat
nonprofit
not-for-profit
Olave House (historic name for what is now known as Pax Lodge)
online
organizational capacity
Our Cabaña (one of the world centers, located in Cuernavaca, Mexico; never “Our Cabana”)
Our Chalet (one of the world centers, located in Adelboden, Switzerland)
out-of-doors
outcomes
overeating
papermaking
paperwork
parks and recreation department
participation patches and pins
Pax Lodge (one of the world centers, located in London, England; historic name: Olave House)
Pearl (our corporate-wide extranet)
Pearl community (even when referencing specific communities, use lowercase “c”: Girl Scout Leadership Institute community)
Pearl portal (even when referencing specific portals, use lowercase “p”: Communications portal)
petal (no cap)
ex: Tula petal
ex: Vi petal
pin (no cap)
pinning ceremony
pipe cleaner
police officer
policyholder
policymaker
policymaking
poster board
precooked
preschool
preteen
problem solving
problem-solver
program-related income
Promise Center
push-up (noun)
quiet sign
rainforest
rainwater
re-create (when used to mean “creating again”)
real-life (adjective)
rededication ceremony
role-play
runoff
s’mores
Safety Activity Checkpoints
salespeople, salesperson
salt water (noun)
saltwater (adjective)
Sangam (one of the world centers, located in Pune, India)
school day
schoolteacher
self-awareness
self-confidence
self-esteem
self-renewal
Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
service learning
service team
service unit
sewage-treatment (adjective)
she or he (not “he or she” when addressing a primarily Girl Scout audience; with an external readership, there may be times when “he or she” is more suitable)
Silver Award (see Girl Scout Silver Award)
Singing Steps (at Edith Macy Conference Center)
single-family home
sister troop
sit-up (noun)
sizable
sleepover (noun)
smartphone
social media (include the blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc.)
Social Security
Sow What?
spin-off (verb)
spinoff (noun)
stakeholder
standard
stargaze
stepparent
strategic learning
strategic planning
Strategy Gap Team
SWAPS (Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere or Shared With A Pal)
T-shirt
tagalong
tagline
Take Action project
teenage
teenager
text campaign (never “mobile campaign”)
text giving (never “mobile giving”)
The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
The Ambassador Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
The Brownie Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
The Cadette Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
The Daisy Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
The Junior Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
The Senior Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
Thinking Day (do not use; see World Thinking Day)
timeframe
timekeeping
timeline
ToGetHerThere
ToGetHerThere.org
trefoil
triennium
troop committee
troop consultant
troop crests
troop organizer
troop sponsor
troop volunteer (not “troop leader”)
Try-Its (discontinued)
tween
tweet
twinning
Twitter
@girlscouts
U.S. (adjective; use “United States” as noun)
U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Weather Survey
undereating
underrepresented (never “minority” or “underserved”)
underwater
underway
uniquely ME! (discontinued)
United States (spell out as noun; use “U.S.” as adjective)
up-to-date
USA Girl Scouts Overseas (USAGSO)
Ex: USA Girl Scouts Overseas—Manila
virtual catalog (also “ecatalog”)
volcanoes
volunteer (not “leader”)
Volunteer Appreciation Week (the week that includes April 22)
Volunteer Essentials
walkway
warm-up (noun or adjective)
water-treatment (adjective)
Wayne-Gordon House
website
webinar
Welcome to the Daisy Flower Garden
well-known (all “well” compounds hyphenated before noun but leave open when the compound follows the noun)
What We Stand For
white or Caucasian
wider opportunity
wider op(s) (lowercase unless a particular event, e.g., “Salmon River Wider Op”
wiki
worker’s (as in “worker’s compensation,” preferred over “workmen’s”)
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)
world centers
World Thinking Day (February 22)
World Trefoil Pin
WOW! Wonders of Water
Year of the Girl (YOTG) (avoid using “the” before, but if it is used, it’s never capped)
Young Women of Distinction (YWOD)
Your Voice, Your World
zip code (all lower or all uppercase; never Zip)
ZIP code (all lower or all uppercase; never Zip)