Manuscript Form Essentials

Manuscript Form

  • Manuscript: handwritten/typed draft of a work before publication

Abbreviation Rules

  • Abbreviation: A shortened form of a word or phrase, used to represent the whole.

  • Social titles (before names): Mrs., Mr., Dr.

  • Spell out “doctor” when no name follows

  • Scholastic degrees (after names): B.S., M.D., Ph.D. (set off by commas)

  • Generational titles: Jr., Sr. (with full name)

  • Reverend/Honorable

    → Rev., Hon. only with full name; spell out when preceded by the

  • Time/date:

    • A.M.A.M., P.M.P.M., M.M. (noon), A.D., B.C.

    • No “o’clock” with figures or with A.M.A.M./P.M.P.M.

    • A.D. precedes year; B.C. follows year

  • Organizations: use capital-letter abbreviations; omit periods (e.g., YMCA, FBI)

  • Never substitute & or + for “and”

Number-Writing Rules

  • Spell out numbers of one/two words in non-scientific text (e.g., fifty, twenty-seven)

  • Exceptions: years, page/chapter/unit references

  • In similar contexts, if any related numbers require figures, use figures for all (same category)

  • Do not begin a sentence with figures

  • Ordinals: write out (first, thirty-second)

  • Numbered streets under 100100: preferably written out (Second Avenue)

Word Division at Line End

  • Never divide one-syllable words

  • Divide only between pronounceable syllables (knowl-edge)

  • Do not divide after a single letter

  • Avoid carrying over two-letter syllables

  • Divide after prefixes (pre-cession)

  • Words with double consonant: split between consonants (recom-mend)

  • Exception: when word already ends in double consonant before suffix (thrilling)

  • Hyphenated words: break only at the existing hyphen (self-composed