blood quantum

The phrase “blood quantum” is acceptable in reference to enrollment credentials. “Full-blood,” “half-blood,” “quarter-blood,” “half-breed,” and “mixed-blood” are not.

Board of Directors

Capped in all references to the AISES Board of Directors, including the shortened form: “the Board.” 

brackets 

Use square brackets to set off words within quotations that are an editor’s insertions and not part of the actual quote.

brand names

See trademarks.

bylaw(s)

C

Canadian miscellany

In Canada a number of Native-specific usages differ from U.S. conventions:

• “Reserve” is the preferred term for “reservation.”

• “Aboriginal,” which appears in the Canadian constitution, is the preferred term for Native people.

• “Native” is an accepted, though not necessarily preferred, alternative to “Aboriginal.”

• “Indigenous” is used within Canada much as it is used in the United States.

• “First Nation” is the preferred term for a particular Native group or government, comparable to American tribal nations. Note that “First Nations” does not include the Métis Nation or the Inuit; the inclusive abbreviation for Indigenous Canadians is “FNMI.”

• "Indian” is not a preferred term in Canada; never “American Indian.”

• “Band” is more widely used than “tribe.”

capitalization

Capitalize initial words in a sentence, proper nouns, and official names and titles. Universally identifiable regions should be capped as one word (“Midwest,” “Southwest,” “the South”), but directions of the compass should be lowercase (“continue south two miles”). Generally, do not initial-cap regions of a state or nation (“northern New York,” but “Southern California”). Avoid full caps.

century

The numeration of centuries follows the general rule for numbers: spell out numbers under 10; use numerals for 10 and above (“first century,” “15th century”).

chair/chairman/chairwoman

Use “chair” except when “chairman” and “chairwoman” are actual titles. Avoid “chairperson.”

commas

Insert a comma before the last item in a series (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry).

compliment/complement

A “compliment” is praise; ”complement” implies completion.

complimentary

Free of charge (or expressing a compliment) 

compound modifier

Generally hyphenate before the noun: a 10-year-old girl; a long-term contract; a hard-working student.

compound nouns

Consult the dictionary.

computer science

CS is acceptable on second reference.

Dakota/Lakota/Nakota

A confederacy of different tribal bands with different dialects that make up the Oceti Sakowin (see Seven Council Fires), or Great Sioux Nation. The Sioux

primarily live on reservations in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Montana.

database

dates

Use Arabic figures with no letters (-th, -nd,-rd, -st). Spell out months whenever possible and separate elements of dates with commas — January 29, 2020. In a continuing sentence insert a comma after the final element (month or year). Month abbreviations are Jan., Feb., March, April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. Use the abbreviations only with a numbered day of the month. 

diversity, equity, and inclusion

Diversity, equity, inclusion. DEI is acceptable on second reference.

direct mail

A form of marketing that involves sending a piece of promotional material through the U.S. Postal Service or other courier to a home or business.

disburse/disperse

“Disburse” is to expend money from a fund; “disperse” is to scatter.

dollar(s)/dollar sign

Except in direct quotes, use the dollar sign instead of spelling out the word “dollar(s).”

donor advised fund

E

e.g.

For the Latin exempli gratia (“for example”). Use it sparingly and avoid confusion with “i.e.” (“that is”).

ellipses

Three dots indicate missing words or trailing speech, usually at the end of a sentence. When material is missing directly after a complete sentence, there should be four dots (the first is the period ending the prior sentence).

email

et al.

Abbreviation for the Latin et alia (“and others”). Use it to refer to people (“etc.” is for things). Note there is a period after the abbreviation “al.” and not after the word “et” — use sparingly.

female/woman/women

“Woman” and “women” are preferred nouns. Generally, use ”female” as an adjective and avoid as a noun, especially where the adjective “male” would not be used.

First Nation/First Nations

Fort

Do not abbreviate.

foundation(s)

Spell out and capitalize as part of an official title (“the Ford Foundation”; but “the foundation”).

fractions

Spell out simple fractions using hyphens (“two-thirds”). Use figures for precise amounts larger than one, converting to decimals when practical. For mixed numbers leave a space between the whole number and fraction. See percent.

fundraising/fundraiser/fundraise

G

grantmaking/grantmaker

grassroots

H

Hawaii/Hawaiians

“Native Hawaiians” is appropriate when referring to the Indigenous people of Hawaii.

homeland(s)

One word except in official designations (Department of Hawaiian Home Lands).

i.e.

For the Latin id est, (“that is”). Use sparingly; do not confuse with “e.g.” (“for example”).

inbox

Inc.

Do not set off with commas even when the company does.

Indian

“American Indian,” “Native American,” “Native,” and “Indigenous” are preferred.

Indian Country

Capitalize both words on this legal designation signifying lands under U.S. jurisdiction within the exterior boundaries of reservations and lands considered “dependent Indian communities.” 

“Indian Country”

can be applied to reservations and Alaska Native villages alike, but note that lands held by Alaska Native corporations are not “Indian Country” in the same sense as in the lower 48 states. The term does not apply to Hawaii, U.S. possessions, or any non-U.S. jurisdiction.

Indigenous

Use this term, capitalized, when referring to Native people. It is an adjective, so “Indigenous people(s).” Avoid attempted nouns such as “Indigenes” or “the Indigenous.” When distinguishing between “Indigenous people” and “Indigenous peoples,” follow the rule discussed under Native below.

Indigenous Peoples' Day

Iroquois Confederacy

Also known as the Six Nations, the Iroquois League, or in their own term “Haudenosaunee” (People of

the Longhouse). The alliance consists of the Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida (of New York), and Tuscarora.

internet

italics

Italic type is for highlights and emphasis; avoid entire blocks of text in italics as it is difficult to read.

J

judgment

Jr./Sr.

No preceding comma and no comma follows in a continuing sentence.

L

Listserv

Initial cap is how AP recommends running this full-cap trademark for a software program that maintains email discussion groups.

M

millions and greater

Replace the zeros with the appropriate word (six million, 73 billion)

mission statement of AISES

AISES is a national nonprofit organization focused on substantially increasing the representation of Indigenous peoples of North America and Pacific Islands in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and careers.

Mount

Do not abbreviate.

NAISEF

National American Indian Science and Engineering Fair

NAIVSEF

National American Indian Virtual Science and Engineering Fair

Nation

Capitalize as part of an official name or title; “the Navajo Nation’; “the nation” on subsequent reference.

Native

Capitalize when referring to Native people(s) or their activities: “Native language,” “Native crafts,” “Native lifeways” are correct in reference to the activities of Native people(s) or culture. But in a reference to crafts native to the region, “native crafts,” no capital, even if the crafts native to the region were Native crafts.

Native Hawaiian

“Native Hawaiian” is appropriate when referring to the Indigenous people of Hawaii. “Hawaii native” is anyone born and raised in Hawaii.

nonprofit

One word, no hyphen. Generally avoid the term “not-for-profit” unless required in reporting documents. The international term for nonprofits is “non-governmental organizations (NGOs).”

numbers

Spell out one through nine and use numerals for 10 and above for both cardinal and ordinal numbers. Spell out numbers that begin sentences. When numbers above 20 are spelled out, a hyphen connects the “-ty” ending with the following word: “forty-three,” but “one hundred forty-three.”

O

ongoing

online

parentheses with other punctuation

When an entire sentence is enclosed in parentheses, the closing punctuation mark stays within the closing parenthesis. Question marks, exclamation points, and closing quotation marks precede a closing parenthesis if they belong to the parenthetical material and follow it if they belong to the surrounding sentence. Periods precede closing parentheses only when the entire sentence is parenthetical. Commas, semicolons, and colons do not precede a closing parenthesis.

people/peoples

“Peoples” implies sovereign nationality, whereas “people” implies a more casual association. Use the term “Native peoples” where the distinction should be made, or as a term of respect. In general, “Native peoples” is preferred, but “Native people” can be used where it seems more appropriate, as in referring to a small number of Native people who are engaged in everyday pursuits, like attending a powwow.

percent/percentages

“Percent” is one word, always spelled out; the quantity is never spelled out even when less than 10 (“6 percent”; “60 percent”). Reserve the percent sign (%) for tables, columns, and charts. Quantities less than one should be preceded by a leading zero (“0.81 percent”).

planned giving

Commonly conveyed through a will or trust an arranged as part of an individual’s estate planning, these gifts typically amount to a major future donation in the form of cash, equities, or property. Questions about arranging a planned gift should go to the director of marketing. 

possessive apostrophe after final “s”

For common and proper nouns ending in “s,” use only the possessive apostrophe (“Nora Mapes’ cat,” not “Mapes’s”).

potlatch

The equivalent in Alaska, the Northwest, and parts of Canada of the Plains “giveaway” — a traditional ceremony of recognition and sharing.

PowerPoint

powwow

pre-college

pre-college (not precollege)

publications

Winds of Change magazine — The AISES flagship publication is distributed five times a year: Spring (print and digital), Summer (digital only), Fall (print and digital), Conference Wrap-Up (digital only), and Special College Issue (print and digital). Content includes feature articles on topics of community interest, news of members and the organization, and information to support readers at every stage on their STEM path. The Special College Issue features the Top 200 Colleges for Indigenous Students.

Paths to Opportunities e-newsletters are published monthly in two separate editions, one for professionals and one for students. Each edition includes a feature article, a Q&A with a member or outside expert, links to resources, and classified ads.

R

resource(s)

A stock or supply of money, materials, staff, and other assets that can be drawn on by a person or organization in order to function effectively.

report(s)

Give a spoken or written account of something that one has observed, heard, done, or investigated.

region/regional

AISES chapters are divided into seven regions across the U.S. and Canada, with a student regional representative from each.

resume

No accent marks in noun form.

robotics

Technology behind the construction and operation of robots in automation.

Seven Council Fires

The “Oceti Sakowin” is the correct historical terminology for what is often referred to as the “Great Sioux Nation.” The name comes from the distinct encampments — the Seven Council Fires — of the different bands that gathered every year.

slash

The slash, or virgule, has its uses, but its meaning is unclear when used to separate two terms (does “hot/cold” mean “hot and cold” or “hot or cold”?); the only acceptable use is “and/or,” but even then try to rewrite the sentence to avoid this construction.

social media

Follow all brand guidelines when posting on behalf of AISES.

socially responsible investing/SRI

Lowercase spelled out term. The initialism “SRI” can be used on subsequent reference, but not in reference to socially responsible investors.

Sphero BOLT

An app-enabled robotic toy that AISES uses in grant-funded computer coding training programs.

sponsors

AISES has the support of several levels of sponsors. Before using a sponsor name or logo, check with business and program development to be sure you have the latest information.

start-up

state abbreviations

Spell out state names whether standing alone in text or appearing with a city or town. For datelines in press releases, use abbreviations in the AP Stylebook. A comma and a space come between town and state: Albuquerque, New Mexico. In a continuing sentence, a comma follows the state name.

STEAM

Acronym for “science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.”

STEMM

Acronym for “science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine.”

STEM

Acronym for “science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”

tax-exempt/tax exemption/501(c)(3)/Section 7871

Hyphenate “tax-exempt” when used as an adjective, but not “tax exemption” when used as a noun.

telephone number style

Periods (not dashes or spaces): 888.888.8888

titles

Titles of organizations or organized groups should be capitalized on first reference and subsequent reference if the entire formal title is used again. Subsequent references that are shortened are lowercase (the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council becomes “the council” or “the tribal council”). 

Professional titles of individuals should be capitalized when they appear before the name as part of the name (Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter), but lowercased when they follow the name (Ashton Carter, secretary of defense). Titles may be abbreviated only with the person’s full name. (Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower; General Eisenhower). Titles that appear without the name or in apposition to the name (not set off by a comma) are lowercase (“the beloved queen Elizabeth II”).

Do not capitalize occupational titles (the astronaut John Herrington, the musician Joann Shenandoah, former president and peanut farmer Jimmy Carter).

Terms denoting positions of tribal leadership are capped with or without the individual’s name: Principal Chief; Tribal Governor.

Courtesy titles like “Ms.” and “Mr.” should appear only in correspondence.

titles of publications, creative work

Use double quotation marks around minor titles: unpublished documents and published essays, newsletter articles, newspaper articles, magazine articles, policy position papers, research papers, songs, episodes of TV series. 

Use italics for titles of books, journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, works of art, films, and plays.

Names of court cases are italicized, but official names of specific legislation are not. Titles of standard reference books like dictionaries are always in plain text, as are the Bible, the Koran, the

Book of Mormon, and any other scriptural volume of an established religion. 

tool

Do not overuse as a synonym for “method” or “venue.”

trademarks

Capitalize trademarks but lowercase any precedin articles (a, an, the); treat shortened forms of the name as you would any common noun; replace internal asterisks, etc., with a hyphen; and drop stylized typographic elements (“the Ford Foundation” and “the foundation,” not “The Ford Foundation” or “the Foundation”; “E-Trade”, not “E*Trade”;“Yahoo”, not “Yahoo!”)

tribal leadership

Titles denoting tribal leadership are always capped, with or without a leader’s name (Principal Chief; Governor).

Tribe

Capitalize as part of an official name, but the “Rosebud Sioux Tribe” becomes the “tribe” on subsequent reference.

U

underscoring

In general, do not underscore, with the rare exception of direct mail.

underway

United Nations/United States 

May be abbreviated with periods as nouns and adjectives.

W

web

webpage

website

well-being

-wide

The suffix is closed on words listed that way in Webster’s, but otherwise hyphenated (“nationwide”; “reservation-wide”).

widows/orphans

These terms describe single words or short lines standing alone at the bottom (orphan) or top (widow) of pages or columns in a layout. Avoid them.

Wi-Fi