Always lowercase with periods (not A.M. except in all-caps line). When you have an exact time "on the hour" you can just say 2 p.m.
AAS
Associated of Applied Science Degree. Formerly AD (associate degree). Do not use periods.
academic degrees
Moraine Park uses abbreviations to describe the academic degrees a person holds: B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (Also see bachelor's degree and master's degree.)
ACCUPLACER
ADN
Associate Degree Nursing.
ages
Always use figures. Hyphenate only when the age is used as an adjective before a noun or as a replacement for a noun: The 3-year-old girl. The competition is for 10-year-olds. Examples: John Doe, 6, was found in the park. The child is 4 years old.
aid
(n.) assistance, (v.) to help
aide
(n.) a person who helps
all
Usually hyphenated as a prefix: all-American, all-conference, all-staff, all-star, all-out, all-inclusive.
all-right
Not alright.
alumna
Singular. When referring to a woman who has attended a school. Use alumnae as the plural of “alumna.”
alumni
Plural. To refer to a group of men and women who have attended a college.
alumnus
Singular. When referring to a man who has attended a school. Use alumni as the plural of “alumnus.”
among, between
Use among when referring to more than two people or things. Use between to refer to only two people or things.
ampersand
(&) Avoid unless part of an official name. Use and instead.
annual
Do not use unless it refers to an event that has happened at least two years in a row. Never use the term first annual.
apostrophe
Use an apostrophe before years in dates only if the century is abbreviated. Do not use an apostrophe between the year and the letter s.
i.e., '90s; 1990s not 1990's
Do not use an apostrophe, and use a small s with plural all-capitalized abbreviations.
ADNs, RNs, FTEs
as well as
Avoid overusing as well as in place of and; the phrase as well as has the sense of "too" or "also" rather than simply "and."
associate degree
Do not capitalize academic degrees as general terms of classification.
assure, ensure, insure
Use assure to give confidence or inform positively:
She assured him that the decision was a wise one.
Use ensure to mean guarantee or make certain:
Steps were taken to ensure the document's accuracy.
Use insure for references to the characteristics of insurance:
The policy will insure your home.
