IU Editorial Style Guide, Letter B

Ballet Theater

The IU Ballet Theater uses the -er spelling of the word theatre.

See also theatre.

bias-free content

In writing, as in life, avoid insensitive terms related to age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, or sexual orientation. If these terms appear in print, they reinforce prejudicial behavior. Mention a person’s age only when it is relevant. Use words such as kid, youngster, lady, teenager, and retiree cautiously. Avoid references to a person’s race or ethnic background unless this information is relevant to your publication.

Use gender-free language when possible. For example, in referring to humanity as a whole, avoid the use of man or mankind. Instead, use human beings, humanity, women and men, people, or individuals. Similarly, replace man-made with artificial, handmade, machine-made, manufactured, constructed, or synthetic, as appropriate.

Try to avoid terms that assume that the male is the standard and the female is an adjunct of that standard. For example, use author for both male and female writers (not authoress for a female writer), and eliminate the use of coed. Sometimes, however, gender-neutral terms are not available; count, for example, is not an accurate substitute for countess. In addition, some word choices may depend on the preference of the person being described.

In referring to people with disabilities, emphasize the person, not the disability, and avoid insensitive terms such as crippled or invalid.

Review photos and artwork to ensure that, when appropriate, both women and men are portrayed. Include people of various ages and ethnicities and people with disabilities in photos and illustrations whenever it is possible and appropriate to do so. Avoid use of photos and artwork that depict women, minorities, older people, or people with disabilities in subordinate or stereotypical roles.

See also chairperson.

Big Ten

Note that Ten is always spelled out in this phrase. The Big Ten athletic conference actually has 14 members:

• University of Illinois
• Indiana University
• University of Iowa
• University of Maryland
• University of Michigan
• Michigan State University
• University of Minnesota
• University of Nebraska
• Northwestern University
• The Ohio State University
• The Pennsylvania State University
• Purdue University
• Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey
• University of Wisconsin

Black, Brown, white

• Black: Capitalize when referring to race, people, culture, communities. African American and Black are not always interchangeable, but African American is acceptable if it’s the preference of the person/people referenced. But remember, per AP style: “Consider carefully when deciding whether to identify people by race. Often, it is an irrelevant factor, and drawing unnecessary attention to someone’s race or ethnicity can be interpreted as bigotry.”
• Brown: Capitalize when referring to race, people, culture, communities. Only use as a description if it is the preference of the person/people referenced, or in a quote; it is better to be specific: Indian, Mexican, Brazilian, etc. Also remember, per AP style: “Consider carefully when deciding whether to identify people by race. Often, it is an irrelevant factor, and drawing unnecessary attention to someone’s race or ethnicity can be interpreted as bigotry.”
• white: Lowercase when referring to race, people, culture, communities. But remember, per AP style: “Consider carefully when deciding whether to identify people by race. Often, it is an irrelevant factor, and drawing unnecessary attention to someone’s race or ethnicity can be interpreted as bigotry.”

See also African American; Latina, Latino, Latine, Latinx.

building names

See addresses.

bursar

Use lowercase in informal usage

bursar’s office, bursar bill, the bursar

Capitalize as part of the official name

Office of the Bursar