Our brand is the face we present to the world. It helps build a recognizable identity and reinforces our reliability and professionalism to patients, their loves ones, and our community at large. The goal of this guide is to ensure consistency in message, tone, and look across our communication materials, which supports our mission, vision, and guiding principles.
Huntsman Cancer Institute's Communications Office oversees brand and logo use. Request brand approval before you publish, print, or produce materials: allc@hci.utah.edu.
Messaging
Editorial Style Guide
This style guide is designed to ensure professionalism, consistency, and readability across all Huntsman Cancer Institute communications. We adhere to the principles of health literacy while maintaining a voice and tone that is reflective of our mission, vision, and principles. University of Utah staff can also reference the U’s Marketing and Communications Respect and Belonging Style Guide. We base these standards on The Chicago Manual of Style, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, and Huntsman Cancer Institute-specific preferences.
Have a style question? Email Hannah.Murdock@hci.utah.edu.
Use the alphabetical guide below or download a PDF version.
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List degrees in order from highest to lowest. When listing MD and PhD, MD should go first.
Degree Type Alternative Format Abbreviation associate’s degree bachelor’s degree bachelor of science degree
or
bachelor of arts degree
BS
or
BA
master’s degree master of science degree
or
master of arts degree
MS
or
MA
doctoral degree
(not doctorate degree)
doctorate PhD doctor of medicine doctoral degree or doctorate
(not doctorate degree)
MD If you must make an abbreviation plural, add "s" but no apostrophe (e.g., BAs, PhDs).
In roster lists and print publications such as the annual report, avoid listing professional certifications or credentials such as CHES, FACS.
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Lowercase when the title is a description (e.g., Don Milligan, executive director of the Cancer Hospital at Huntsman Cancer Institute).
Capitalize only when a formal title precedes a name and acts as part of the name (e.g., President Randall but University of Utah president Randall).
Note that academic titles belong with academic institutions:
- Correct: associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Utah
- Incorrect: associate professor at Huntsman Cancer Institute
Physician and researcher names should include these elements in this order:
- Name and credentials
- Job description at Huntsman Cancer Institute
- Professor rank, followed by department or college at the University of Utah
- Use department name for the School of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, and College of Health.
- For nursing, use “[professor rank] of nursing.”
- For dentistry, use “[professor rank] at the University of Utah School of Dentistry”
Examples:
- Jason Hunt, MD, head and neck surgeon at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of surgery at the University of Utah
- Sheetal Hardikar, MBBS, PhD, MPH, cancer epidemiologist at Huntsman Cancer Institute and assistant professor of population health sciences at the University of Utah
Press releases and non-patient stories:
- Use last name alone on second reference.
- Do not use Dr., Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms.
Patient stories:
- Use Dr. on second reference for medical doctors.
Avoid title/description upper/lowercase mixes:
- Correct: law professor Larry Litigate (a description) or Professor Larry Litigate (a title).
- Incorrect: law Professor Larry Litigate
Put lengthy titles after names not before (e.g., Jane Doe, MD, associate vice president of population health at the University of Utah). For clarity, use semicolons instead of commas to separate names with multiple degrees or lengthy titles.
Abbreviate Sen., Rep., Gov., Lt. Gov. (but not Pres.) before a name (e.g., Rep. Ben McAdams, Sen. John Curtis).
Do not abbreviate the former title of a person since it has become descriptive (e.g., former president Barack Obama).
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Well-known acronyms can be used on first reference (e.g., HIV, URL).
- First reference: Spell out less immediately recognizable acronyms followed by the acronym in parentheses—e.g., ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).
- Second reference: Use the acronym only (e.g., DCIS).
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Lowercase, even when the title that follows is capitalized.
- Correct: acting Dean Boris Kuznetsov
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In text, use 250 South 500 (not 5th) West.
Spell out and capitalize these street names:
- First through Tenth (e.g., Ninth Avenue, not 9th Avenue)
- North (not N.) Temple and South (not S.)
- Campus Drive
Spell out state names except when writing a mailing address that requires the two-letter state abbreviation (e.g., UT).
Check with the U.S. Postal Service or University Print and Mail Services for the latest information about addressing envelopes or packages.
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Lowercase (e.g., the central administration, the Biden administration).
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The age group ranging from 15 to 39 years old. Capitalize only when part of a proper noun (e.g., Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week).
- First reference: adolescent and young adult (AYA)
- Second reference: AYA (plural: AYAs)
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Not "advanced directive."
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Preferred over "advanced practice provider."
- First reference: advanced practice clinician (Note the “d” in “advanced.”)
- Second reference: APC
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Not "advisor."
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Refer to this list of Huntsman Cancer Institute hospital affiliates for official names and locations.
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Use numerals for a specific age (e.g., She is 27 years old).
Spell out decade age ranges (e.g., She is in her twenties).
Use aged, not age, if needed for context (e.g., People aged 55–65).
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Capitalized. May appear with “American Indian” in reference to a specific demographic group in research materials, formatted as follows: American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN); American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs).
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Use “alumni” (formal plural) or “alums” (informal plural) or “alum” (singular).
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Print content: Lowercase, with periods but no spaces.
Web content: Lowercase, with no periods and no spaces.
When writing 12 pm, use “noon”; 12 am, use “midnight,” but not “12 noon” or “12 midnight.” If the time is on the hour, do not include :00 with the hour when using am or pm (e.g., 5 pm. not 5:00 pm).
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Capitalized. May appear with “Alaska Native” in reference to a specific demographic group in research materials, formatted as follows: American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN); American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs).
Note: When mentioning a specific person, the preference is to name the individual’s tribe/nation.
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Use only when it is part of an organization’s formal name (e.g., Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble).
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Include a “1” before a toll-free area code and offset with dashes, not parentheses (e.g., 1-800-555-1234).
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Huntsman Cancer Institute treats patients from the five-state Mountain West, including Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming.
When listing those five states, use in the order listed above.
This area comprises 17% of the continental U.S. landmass, a larger geographic region served than any other Cancer Center in the country.
See catchment area entry.
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- First reference: artificial intelligence (Spell out and lowercase)
- Second reference: AI (capitals and no periods)
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The name of both the art program and the person who leads the program at Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Wellness and Integrative Health Center.
Note the capitalization and hyphenation.
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Use present tense to attribute quotes (e.g., he says, she says).
Exception: Use past tense if the reference is specifically time-related (e.g., “This new research space is essential to our mission,” Cairns said at the event).
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Capitalize (e.g., Lung Cancer Awareness Month, World Ovarian Cancer Day).
If the awareness month, week, or day is tied to a specific organization, refer to the organization’s website for wording and formatting.
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Avoid using battle metaphors (e.g., cancer is a fight, cancer is a war, conquering cancer, defeating cancer, he lost his battle with cancer).
Such language may imply people who die from cancer gave up or didn’t try hard enough.
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Before the Common Era. Not “BC.” Use full capitals without periods. Use “CE” (Common Era), not “AD.”
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Use the full name of Huntsman Cancer Institute buildings on first reference:
First reference Second reference Internal/informal Huntsman Cancer Institute HCI (on second reference) Huntsman Cancer Institute Hospital (Note: Use to refer to the building itself or a hospital-specific job title.) the cancer hospital The Kathryn F. Kirk Center for Comprehensive Cancer Care and Women’s Cancers the Kathryn F. Kirk Center HCI-HN Huntsman Cancer Institute Hospital North Cancer Hospital North HCI-HN Huntsman Cancer Institute Hospital South Cancer Hospital South HCI-HS Jon M. Huntsman Cancer Research Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute Research North or HCI-RN The Primary Children’s and Families’ Cancer Research Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute Research South or HCI-RS The Senator Orrin G. Hatch Proton Therapy Center Proton Therapy Center Note: When part of a building name, “the” should be capitalized only if it appears at the beginning of a sentence.
- Correct: The Primary Children’s and Families’ Cancer Research Center has a gym for our employees.
- Also correct: The gym at the Primary Children’s and Families’ Cancer Research Center is available to all employees.
See also Huntsman Cancer Institute entry.
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Always precede lists with a complete sentence. Start each bullet with the same part of speech for consistency. Use of “the following” is acceptable but rewording is preferable.
Items in the list should have an initial capitalization. Omit punctuation if the list item is not a complete sentence.
Use numbers only when items follow a specific order.
If you need help finding your clinic, follow these steps:
- Go to the information desk on the first floor.
- Ask the desk attendant to call your care coordinator.
- Wait for your care coordinator to greet you and walk you to your appointment.
Otherwise, use bullets.
Our expertise covers all areas of sarcoma care:
- Evaluation
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Long-term follow-up and survivorship
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Capitalize when used in reference to Huntsman Cancer Institute’s National Cancer Institute designation (e.g., Our Cancer Center has more than 200 members).
See also National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center entry.
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- First reference: Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG)
- Second reference: CCSG
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Avoid unnecessary capital letters. Too many capitals detract from the message, slowing and distracting the reader.
For headline capitalization, see headlines entry.
See academic, professional, and government titles entry for capitalization of these terms.
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Huntsman Cancer Institute’s catchment area includes Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming.
Use the term “catchment area” in Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) materials and other content for scientific audiences.
For general audiences, use “area we serve.”
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- First reference: Centers for Disease Control (Note: "Centers" is plural.)
- Second reference: CDC
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Spell out on first reference (e.g., chief executive officer).
Spell out the CEO's full first name in all public-facing materials:
- Correct: Bradley Cairns, PhD, Huntsman Cancer Institute CEO
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Can be used as a noun (e.g., He is the committee chair) or a verb (e.g., She chairs the committee).
See also vice chair/vice president entry.
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Two words, hyphenated when used as a noun or adjective (e.g., The patient check-in desk is left of the lobby).
Two words, no hyphen when used as a verb (e.g., Please check in at the desk).
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One word when used as a noun (e.g., The patient scheduled her checkup).
Two words when used as a verb (e.g., The doctor will check up on the patient).
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Capitalize “Phase” and use numbers (e.g., Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3).
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Capitalize the formal name of University of Utah colleges (e.g., School of Medicine).
Lowercase informal references (e.g., the law school).
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Capitalize first word after a colon in these cases:
- When a colon introduces one or more complete sentences
- When it is a proper noun or is a term that would normally be capitalized
- In headlines and subheads
Lowercase the first word after a colon in these cases:
- When what follows the colon is not a complete sentence
- When introducing a list or series in a sentence
When introducing a list, only use a colon after a complete introductory statement:
- Correct: We provide many inpatient services: acupuncture, massage therapy, and music therapy.
- Incorrect: We provide many inpatient services including: acupuncture, massage therapy, and music therapy.
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Always use a serial comma (also called an Oxford comma).
- Correct: We focus on research, patient care, and education.
- Incorrect: We focus on research, patient care and education.
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- First reference: Community Advisory Board (CAB)
- Second reference: CAB
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Use “COVID” over “coronavirus.”
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Not “CAT scan.”
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A punctuation mark that is longer than a hyphen. Do not add spaces on either side of a dash.
Use an en dash (–) for the following:
- Age ranges (e.g., ages 5–7)
- Times (e.g., 1–2 pm)
Use an em dash (—) for the following:
- A parenthetical thought, similar to a comma, colon, or parenthesis (e.g., Our aim is clear—provide the best care possible for our patients.)
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Plural form of “datum.” Data takes a plural verb (e.g., The data are compiled from U.S. cancer registries).
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One word.
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Dates should follow this order: month (spelled out), day (numeral), year (numeral).
Include a comma after dates (e.g., She was diagnosed on February 12, 2017, and began treatment the next day).
When the date doesn’t include the specific day, omit commas (e.g., She was diagnosed in February 2017 and began treatment that month).
See also years entry.
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Capitalize when used as a formal title before a name (least preferred method) (e.g., Dean Kelly Tappenden).
Lowercase in other uses (e.g., Kelly Tappenden, dean of the college; the dean).
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Italicize the name of Huntsman Cancer Institute’s official podcast. Do not capitalize the word “podcast” since it is not part of the official name (e.g., I listen to the Delivering a Cancer-Free Frontier podcast in my car).
Only use "Delivering a Cancer-Free Frontier™" (note the trademark symbol) as a tagline and not in running text.
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Spell out and capitalize proper names of all Huntsman Cancer Institute departments, programs, and clinics on the first reference.
If referenced more than once, include the acronym in parentheses, and use the acronym for subsequent references—e.g., Huntsman Cancer Institute Acute Care (HAC).
Capitalize the word "Program" when part of the proper name (e.g., Cell Response and Regulation Program).
Check these sites for official names of most departments, clinics, and programs at Huntsman Cancer Institute:
Note: Use Sheila S. and David P. Gardner Bistro on first reference and The Bistro thereafter.
Note: Use Linda B. and Robert B. Wiggins Wellness and Integrative Health Center (may use Wellness and Integrative Health Center on second reference).
Departments and programs not listed on website:
- Gift Shop HCH-4 – Huntsman Cancer Institute Hospital inpatient 4th floor
- HCH-5 – Huntsman Cancer Institute Hospital inpatient 5th floor
- Huntsman Intensive Care Unit (HICU); HICU on subsequent references
- Huntsman Cancer Institute Clinic at Farmington Health Center
- Huntsman Cancer Institute Clinic at South Jordan Health Center
- Huntsman Cancer Institute Clinic at Sugar House Health Center
Frequently referenced internal departments and offices:
- Clinical Trials Office (CTO)
- Communications and Public Affairs
- Community Outreach and Engagement (COE)
- Huntsman Cancer Institute Information Technology (HCI-IT)
- Environmental Services
- Facilities and Operations
- Finance and Purchasing Department
- Research Administration
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Lowercase diseases and syndromes (e.g., hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer).
Exception: Diseases named for someone (e.g., Ewing sarcoma or Lynch syndrome).
Note: “Disease” and “syndrome” are always lowercased.
See also eponymous disease names entry.
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Note the spelling and formatting of these major donors:
- 5 For The Fight
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- dōTERRA International
- The Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Family
- Qualtrics
- The Sigma Chi International Fraternity
- The Spencer and Kristen Kirk Family
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Programs, areas, or rooms with a formal donor name must always include that donor name on first reference.
Commonly used programs are listed below. Verify other named spaces with Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
- Linda B. and Robert B. Wiggins Wellness and Integrative Health Center
- G. Mitchell Morris Cancer Learning Center (CLC)
See also Buildings entry.
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Lowercase generic drug names. Capitalize brand names.
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No hyphen even when used as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., early career faculty).
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Use three periods.
When used in the middle of a sentence, omit spaces on either side (e.g., Huntsman Cancer Institute is transforming cancer research...bringing hope to patients and families worldwide).
When used at the end of the sentence, include a space after the ellipsis: (e.g., Huntsman Cancer Institute is transforming cancer care... We provide comprehensive care to catch cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages).
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Lowercase, no hyphen.
When an email address is used in a sentence, punctuate as usual (If the email address ends the sentence, end with a period).
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Place immediately after the title and follow normal capitalization rules as found in academic, professional, and government titles entry:
- Professor Emeritus Dennis Shrieve
- Dennis Shrieve, professor emeritus of radiation oncology
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Capitalize endowed chair titles as proper names (e.g., Alana Welm, PhD, is the Ralph E. and Willia T. Main Presidential Endowed Chair in Cancer Research).
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Drop the possessive “s” at the end of diseases originally named after their discoverers.
- Correct: Hodgkin lymphoma or Ewing sarcoma
- Incorrect: Hodgkin’s lymphoma or Ewing’s sarcoma
See also disease entry.
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Use this term rather than “senior director” when referring to Huntsman Cancer Institute’s directors. Use “of” rather than “for.” Use “CEO Cabinet” when referring to the collective group of executive directors.
- Correct: Executive Director of Finance
- Incorrect: Senior Director for Finance
For a complete list of executive directors, see the Executive Leadership webpage.
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- First reference: External Advisory Board (EAB)
- Second reference: EAB
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Use farther for physical distance and further for figurative distance.
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- First reference: frequently asked questions
- Second reference: FAQ (plural is FAQs, no apostrophe.)
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Use "fewer" when referring to countable nouns.
- Correct: There are fewer than 10 applicants for the job.
- Incorrect: There are less than 10 applicants for the job.
See less entry. See also over, more than entry.
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Internal building floors are called “floors.”
- Correct: first floor
- Incorrect: 1st floor or floor 1
Exception: Digits are permitted in designed pieces and for directions and wayfinding purposes, including bulleted lists, such as “6th floor.”
Use “level” when referring to lower levels, such as “level A” or “level B,” and for parking structures.
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Hyphenate when used as a noun or adjective (e.g., The surgeon scheduled a follow-up).
No hyphen when used as a verb (e.g., The coordinator will follow up with the patient).
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- First reference: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Second reference: FDA
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Note capitalization and apostrophe after “s.”
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A geographic area with fewer than seven people per square mile.
See also rural entry.
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Acronym for “full-time equivalent.” Use all uppercase.
Note: The term “FTE employee” is not redundant.
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Two words. Hyphenate when used as a modifier.
- Correct: She works full time.
- Also correct: He’s a full-time artist.
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One word, no hyphen.
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Italicize gene names but not protein names.
- Correct: RAS gene
- Also correct: RAS protein
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Not “genetics counselor.”
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Use a comma after a city and state or city and country (e.g., Huntsman Cancer Institute is in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the University of Utah campus and Paris, France, is on my bucket list).
Spell out states except as part of an address.
- Correct: Salt Lake City, Utah
- Incorrect: Salt Lake City, UT
See addresses entry for correct form for U.S. Postal Service.
Lowercase directions (e.g., north, south, northeast, northern, etc.).
- Exception: Capitalize when these words designate regions (e.g., the Northeast, the West Coast, Western states, Mountain West).
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Avoid using unless as part of an official program or department name (e.g., University of Utah Geriatrics Division).
See also senior entry.
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Spell out instead of using symbols in patient/general public materials.
- Correct: beta
- Incorrect: β
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Use double quotation marks in headlines and subheads.
Capitalize first and last words and all other major words (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs). Capitalize prepositions of five letters or more.
- Common mistakes: Not capitalizing forms of the verb "to be," such as "am," "are," "be," and "is"; not capitalizing the pronoun "it."
Useful tool for capitalizing and formatting headlines: titlecaseconverter.com
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Two words.
- Exception: Use one word when it is the proper name of an organization (e.g., Primary Healthcare).
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“Health care provider” and “provider” are acceptable as general terms for anyone who works on a care team. However, for health literacy, specific terms such as “doctor,” “nurse,” or “medical assistant” are preferred.
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Preferred over “hematological.”
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Hyphenated when used as a modifier (e.g., high-risk families).
- Exception: Huntsman Cancer Institute’s High Risk Cancer Clinics
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Capitalize and format holidays as follows:
- Doctors’ Day
- Father’s Day
- Mother’s Day
- Nurses Week
- New Year’s Day
- New Year’s Eve
- Pioneer Day
- Presidents’ Day
- Saint Patrick’s Day
- the Fourth of July (spell out Fourth)
- Valentine’s Day
- Veterans Day (no apostrophe)
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One word.
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- First reference: Huntsman Cancer Institute Huntsman at Home™ (Note: Include trademark symbol.)
- Second reference: Huntsman at Home
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Huntsman Cancer Foundation is the philanthropic partner of Huntsman Cancer Institute. Use Huntsman Cancer Institute Foundation branding for donor-facing materials.
- First reference: Huntsman Cancer Foundation (HCF)
- Second reference: HCF
Do not use “the” before Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
- Exception: Use “the” before the name when it acts as a modifier (e.g., the Huntsman Cancer Foundation website).
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Use the full name “Huntsman Cancer Institute” on each reference.
- Exception: May use “HCI” on second reference in internal communications.
Do not use “the” before Huntsman Cancer Institute.
- Exception: Use “the” before the name when it acts as a modifier (e.g., the Huntsman Cancer Institute website).
See also buildings entry.
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Use hyphens after prefixes in these cases:
- When the second element must be capitalized (e.g., pre-Columbian, non-LDS)
- When compound words must be distinguished from homonyms (e.g., recover vs. re-cover)
- When the second element has more than one word (e.g., non-English-speaking people).
- When the last letter of the prefix and the first letter of the following word are the same (e.g., pre-engineering, anti-intellectual).
“Co-” and “Self-” are commonly hyphenated (e.g., co-director and self-exam).
Use hyphens in compound modifiers to enhance clarity (e.g., well-known author, bluish-green color).
- A common misuse: Hyphens are not used after the adverb “very” and adverbs that end in “-ly” (e.g., very good report, easily remembered rule).
See non-, pre-, and post- entries.
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Use hyperlinks for relevant information rather than generic terms and include a complete call to action.
- Correct: Learn more about cancer research.
- Incorrect: Click here to learn more about cancer research.
Do not include acronyms in hyperlinks.
- Correct: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Include credentials in hyperlinked name. Do not hyperlink any punctuation that follows.
- Correct: Deanna Kepka, PhD, is a Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator.
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No space between two initials before a last name.
- Correct: C.J. Nguyen
- Incorrect: C. J. Nguyen
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Lowercase, even when the title that follows is capitalized.
- Correct: Huntsman Cancer Institute welcomes interim Director John Jones.
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The name of the regional health care provider.
- First reference: Intermountain Health
- Second reference: Intermountain
- Never: IHC or Intermountain Healthcare
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Comprises University of Utah leaders to promote partnership and discussion among more than 30 academic departments that contribute to Huntsman Cancer Institute’s mission.
- First reference: Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Internal Advisory Board
- Second reference: IAB
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Lowercase (e.g., Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator Chelsey Schlechter).
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Avoid using italics excessively for emphasis.
See titles entry for use of italics for titles of works.
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Possessive. Use “its” to signify ownership (e.g., We provide care to catch cancer at its earliest stages).
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Contraction. Use “it’s” as a shortened term for “it is” (e.g., Be sun safe even when it’s snowing).
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Use on the first full reference. Omit on second reference, meta, and summary. Do not use a comma before or after “Jr.” or “Sr.”
- Correct: Jon M. Huntsman Sr. is founder and principal benefactor of Huntsman Cancer Institute.
- Incorrect: Jon M. Huntsman, Sr. is founder and principal benefactor of Huntsman Cancer Institute.
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Capitalize when using the name of a legislative body (e.g., the Utah Legislature or the Utah State Legislature).
Lowercase when used as a general term or on second references (e.g., members of the legislature).
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Use “less” (not “fewer”) for bulk or quantity or noncount nouns such as “water,” “money,” “salt,” etc.
- Correct: I have less than $50.
- Incorrect: I have fewer than $50.
See fewer entry. See also over, more than entry.
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Use “level” when referring to lower levels, such as “level A” or “level B,” and for parking.
See floors entry.
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One word, no hyphen.
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Each is one word.
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Hyphen between "non" and "small." No hyphen in “small cell lung cancer.”
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Capitalize and italicize when referring to Huntsman Cancer Institute Magazine (previously called Helix).
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Use an apostrophe (possessive) when referring to the degree (e.g., master’s program, master’s degree, master’s in communication).
See academic degrees entry.
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Use “MD” after the name on first reference. Do not use “professor” or “Dr.” before the name when also using “MD” after the name.
- Correct: Theresa Werner, MD (first reference) or Dr. Werner (second reference)
- Incorrect: Dr. Theresa Werner, MD or Professor Theresa Werner, MD
See academic, professional, and government titles entry.
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See drug names entry.
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Use instead of “12 am.”
See also noon entry.
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Only use the terms “mission” or “vision” in relation to Huntsman Cancer Institute’s stated mission and vision. Either reword to avoid using those terms or include the specific language of our mission and vision.
- Incorrect: This initiative underscores Huntsman Cancer Institute's mission to address health care for all.
- Correct: This initiative underscores Huntsman Cancer Institute's commitment to address health care for all.
- Also correct: This initiative underscores Huntsman Cancer Institute's mission to understand cancer from its beginnings, to use that knowledge in the creation and improvement of cancer treatments, to relieve the suffering of cancer patients, and to provide education about cancer risk, prevention, and care.
Do not use articles when referring to our guiding principles:
- Incorrect: the patient and community first
- Correct: patient and community first
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- First reference: Mobile Cancer Screening and Education Clinic
- Second reference: mobile clinic
- Avoid: the bus
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For office or cubicle nameplates, do not include fellowships and remove the middle initial, unless specifically requested by the person.
Follow this format: First Last, Degree (s).
Example:
- Avoid: Thomas K. Varghese Jr., MD, MS, MBA, FACS
- Preferred: Thomas Varghese Jr., MD, MS, MBA
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For patient stories, use first name on second reference. Otherwise, use last name on second reference.
In general, do not use middle initials unless it’s to distinguish between two individuals with the same first and last names. If an individual specifies preference for use of a middle initial, use it.
See academic, professional, and government titles entry.
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- First reference: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Second reference: NCI
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- First reference: National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center (Capitalize each word except "designated.")
- Second reference: NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center
See also Cancer Center entry.
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- First reference: National Institutes of Health (NIH) (Note: “Institutes” is plural.)
- Second reference: NIH
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Omit the hyphen in these common Huntsman Cancer Institute “non-” words:
- Nonantigenic
- Noncancerous
- Noninfectious
- Nononcogenic
- Nonviable
- Nonscientific
See hyphens entry.
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Use instead of “12 pm.”
See also midnight entry.
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Spell out Use figures Numbers zero through nine Numbers 10 and above When a number begins a sentence (Rewording is preferred.) Decade age ranges (e.g., She is in her twenties.) Ages (e.g., She is 27 years old.) Millions and billions (followed by denomination—e.g., 2 billion) If more than one number occurs in a sentence and at least one of those numbers is 10 or above (e.g., I bought 4 apples and 11 bananas). Data and measurements Dollars (For values less than one, spells out cents—e.g., 50 cents not $0.50) Percentages (Always use % symbol. For values less than one, use a zero before the decimal point—e.g., 0.5% not .5%) Ratios (e.g., a ratio of 2-to-1; a 2-1 ratio)
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Use plural possessive for shared physical spaces (e.g., nurses’ station). However, no apostrophe for “Nurses Week.”
-
Two words. Hyphenate when used as a modifier.
- Correct: Many University of Utah students live off campus.
- Also correct: Off-campus housing requires a commute to classes.
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Not “okay.” Capitalize both letters.
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A department within the University of Utah School of Medicine. Capitalize both words.
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One word, no hyphen.
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Spell out ordinals first through ninth and use numerals for 10th and above. The letters in ordinal numbers should not appear as superscripts (e.g., 122nd, not 122nd).
See also numbers entry.
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Use “more than” rather than “over” for things that can be counted (e.g., We have more than 4,000 employees).
See less and fewer entries.
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Not “Pap smear.” Capitalize “Pap.”
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Place punctuation mark outside of parenthesis.
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Avoid using the words "partner," "partnership," "partnering," as they can imply formal relationships between entities. Reword when possible.
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Comprises the three interrelated components: PathMaker Scholars, PathMaker Bridge, and PathMaker Connect.
Lowercase “program.” Retain capitalization of "PathMaker" and proper nouns "Scholars," "Bridge," and "Connect."
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Use figures and the percentage symbols (e.g., 1%, 2.5%). Note the use of decimals, not fractions.
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One space, not two, between a period and the beginning of the next sentence.
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Use person-first language to avoid defining someone by the disease or condition they have.
- Correct: person with cancer or people with diabetes
- Avoid: cancer patient or diabetics
Whenever possible, use nouns such as “person” or “individual.”
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Lowercase and include hyphens whether coming before or after a name.
- Correct: physician-in-chief Sachin Apte
- Also correct: Sachin Apte, physician-in-chief
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Used to describe a person with an MD and a PhD. Lowercase and include a hyphen whether coming before or after a name.
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Do not end with an apostrophe "s," even if the noun ends in "s."
- Incorrect: Cairns's role as CEO
- Correct: Cairns' role as CEO
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Omit the hyphen in these common Huntsman Cancer Institute "post-" words:
- Postdoctoral
- Postgraduate
- Postmastectomy
- Postoperative
- Postsecondary
- Posttraumatic
See hyphens entry.
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Use a hyphen in these common Huntsman Cancer Institute "pre-" words:
- Pre-existing
Omit the hyphen in these common Huntsman Cancer Institute "pre-" words:
- Preclinical
- Preeminent
- Preempt
- Premedical
- Premenopausal
- Premorbid
- Preoperative
See hyphens entry.
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Never abbreviate. For capitalization guidance, see academic, professional, and government titles entry.
- First reference: President Taylor Randall or Taylor Randall, University of Utah president
- Second reference: President Randall or the president
Do not capitalize “former,” “interim,” or “acting” before “President.”
See also vice chair/vice president entry.
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Capitalize. May also use "the Office of the President" (note capitalization).
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No longer called “Medical Center.”
- First reference: Primary Children's Hospital
- Second reference: Primary Children’s
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Not “principle.” Lowercase in most cases.
- First reference: principal investigator
- Second reference: May use PI.
-
Never abbreviate as “prof.”
See academic, professional, and government titles entry.
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Only capitalize when used in the full official names of the four CCSG research programs:
- the Nuclear Control of Cell Growth and Differentiation (NC) Program
- the Cell Response and Regulation (CRR) Program
- the Experimental Therapeutics (ET) Program
- the Cancer Control and Population Science (CCPS) Program
Lowercase in all other cases.
See also department, clinic, and program names entry.
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Periods and commas: Always place inside ending quotation mark.
- Correct: He said, “Let’s go.”
- Incorrect: He said, “Let’s go”.
Colons and semicolons: Place outside the ending quotation marks.
- Correct: I read a blog post entitled “Lung Cancer Risk and Prevention”; it was very informative.
- Incorrect: I read a blog post entitled “Lung Cancer Risk and Prevention;” it was very informative.
Question marks: Place outside the ending quotation marks unless the question mark belongs within the quote.
- Correct: Did she say “up” or “down”?
- Also correct: I said, “Do I need to go up or down?”
See titles entry for use of quotation marks for titles of works.
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Acceptable to use on first reference and omit thereafter.
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The group that oversees CCSG Programs. Includes Huntsman Cancer Institute’s CEO, CCSG program leaders, and other executive directors.
- First reference: the Research Leadership Council (RLC)
- Second reference: RLC
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Refer to this list of Huntsman Cancer Institute research studies for the spelling and formatting of specific studies.
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Use accent marks on both e’s.
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A geographic area with fewer than 100 people per square mile.
See also frontier entry.
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In most cases, omit when referring to specific academic divisions and/or departments and simply use “University of Utah” (e.g., the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Utah).
If there is a need to mention the School of Medicine, capitalized as a proper noun.
- First reference: School of Medicine
- Second reference: SOM
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Lowercase (e.g., in fall, during summer).
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Always hyphenate.
See hyphens entry.
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Whenever possible, avoid “senior” or “seniors” in favor of person-first language (e.g., people aged 65 and older).
See also geriatric entry.
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Capitalize shared resource names as proper nouns and the words “Shared Resource” when referring to a specific resource in a sentence (e.g., The Research Informatics Shared Resource specializes in databases).
Always reference as “shared resources,” not “core facilities.”
See Cancer Center Shared Resources webpage for all official names.
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When referring to cancer staging, lowercase and use Arabic numerals, not Roman numerals.
- Correct: stage 0, stage 1, stage 2, etc.
- Incorrect: Stage I, Stage II, etc.
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Lowercase “state.” Usually, just “Utah” is sufficient.
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Always capitalize state names. Use comma after a city and state (e.g., Huntsman Cancer Institute is in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the University of Utah campus).
See geographic locations entry.
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Lowercase, one word, no hyphen.
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Use the terms “survivor” and “previvor” (a person at very high genetic risk) with care, since not every person with cancer identifies with these terms.
See battle metaphors and person-first language entries.
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Note the capital “T” and no hyphen when used a noun (e.g., T cells or CAR T cells).
Hyphenate when used as a modifier (e.g., CAR T-cell therapy).
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Note hyphen and capital “T."
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Each is one word and lowercased.
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Use a dash, not parentheses, to offset the area code in phone numbers (e.g., 801-587-7767).
Include a “1” before toll-free numbers (e.g., 1-800-555-1234).
See toll free entry.
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Not “theragnostics."
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Italicize the titles of full-length, freestanding works:
- Books
- Magazines (including Huntsman Cancer Institute Magazine)
- Movies
- Newspapers
- Plays
- Podcasts (including Delivering a Cancer-Free Frontier)
- Record albums
Use quotation marks for the following titles:
- Blog posts
- Newspaper and magazine articles
- Scholarly articles and papers
- Seminars
- Songs
Use quotation marks and capitalize only the first word of the title for the following:
- Presentations
- Speeches
For agendas and schedules of Huntsman Cancer Institute events, use headline capitalization for the titles of talks, abstracts, papers, sessions, etc.
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Two words, no hyphen.
- Exception: Hyphenate when used as an adjective (e.g., toll-free area code).
See telephone numbers entry.
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Not “towards.”
Don’t add “s” to other directional words, such as “upward,” “downward,” “forward,” and “backward,” as well as “afterward.”
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When translating documents into other languages for patients and the public, street and building names should not be translated (meaning they appear as they do on actual signage), but logistical information should be translated. This is particularly applicable to maps.
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Spell out.
- Exception: Abbreviate when used as a modifier (e.g., the U.S. Constitution).
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Preferred term for demographic groups who receive fewer services than other groups.
-
- First reference: the University of Utah
- Second reference: the university or the U
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- First reference: University of Utah Health
- Second reference: U of U Health
- Never: U Health
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Not Utahan. The names for residents of other states in the area we serve are Idahoans, Montanans, Nevadans, and Wyomingites.
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Use active verbs and avoid passive voice.
- Correct: The researcher studies…
- Avoid: Studies were conducted…
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Never hyphenate or abbreviate.
For rules on capitalization, see academic, professional, and government titles entry.
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The location of the second Huntsman Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Mountain West. It is located in one of the fastest growing areas in the United States. Avoid describing it as an "expansion." Instead, we are enhancing access to more families and bringing cancer care closer to communities.
- First reference: Huntsman Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in Vineyard
- Second reference: Huntsman Cancer Institute in Vineyard or Vineyard location
- Never: Vineyard campus
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Use a defined voice with the following attributes to ensure Huntsman Cancer Institute is instantly recognizable to key audiences:
- Amplifies discovery and innovation
- Is inspirational and aspirational
- Up the volume on our expertise
- Speaks to what matters most to individual patients: their type of cancer
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Abbreviate “versus” as “vs.” (lowercase, with period).
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Wasatch Front (two words, both capitalized) refers to the metropolitan area along the Wasatch Mountains in Utah from approximately Nephi to Brigham City.
Wasatch Range/Mountains (two words, both capitalized) refers to the mountain range that runs 160 miles from the Utah-Idaho border to central Utah.
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Use comma before “DC” (capitals, no periods) and after if in the middle of a sentence.
- Example: She graduated from the Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC, and now works for Huntsman Cancer Institute.
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Lowercase.
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Addresses can be followed by end punctuation. If an address must break between lines, split it directly before a slash or a dot that is part of the address, and do not insert a hyphen. Do not include “www.” or “http://.”
-
One word, lowercased.
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One word, lowercased.
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Not "wellbeing."
- Exception: Use “wellbeing” when it is the official name of a department or clinic (e.g., Sexual Health and Wellbeing Clinic).
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The name of both the writing program and the person who leads the program at Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Wellness and Integrative Health Center.
Note the capitalization and hyphenation.
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Capitalize when used as a noun or adjective (e.g., an X-ray or X-ray machine ).
Lowercase when used as a verb (e.g., The doctor x-rayed my foot).
-
Each is one word, no hyphen.
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Use numerals for the year instead of spelling out. Use the full year (2025, not ’25) in general content. If abbreviating for the sake of space, begin with an apostrophe (note the direction): ’02. Avoid beginning a sentence with a year.
When referring to a decade, no apostrophe is necessary before the “s” at the end since it’s plural, not possessive: (e.g., the 1940s).
See dates entry.
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Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles
Mission
To understand cancer from its beginnings, to use that knowledge in the creation and improvement of cancer treatments, to relieve the suffering of cancer patients, and to provide education about cancer risk, prevention, and care.
Vision
Passionate individuals and teams
delivering a cancer-free frontier
through scientific discovery and human touch
Guiding Principles
Patient and community first
United effort
Excellence in all we do
Talking Points and FAQs
Huntsman Cancer Institute
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Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah is an internationally recognized research center and treatment hospital. In addition to our flagship campus in Salt Lake City, we have a network of regional affiliate hospitals and community clinics, as well as a new location in Vineyard, Utah, slated to open in 2028.
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- We have an unwavering commitment to prevention, care, and the next cure.
- We serve patients with all types of cancer who come from throughout the Mountain West and beyond, including Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming.
- We bring education and prevention messaging to communities throughout the region.
- We pursue pioneering research and clinical trials in a relentless search for treatment improvements and the next cure.
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Cancer doesn’t take a break and neither do we. Each person who walks through our doors becomes our family. That’s why we take the search for the next cure, and their care, personally. Nurses come in on their days off to see patients in treatment. Families will always remember the support we’ve provided to them. Donors give their hard-earned money to support the search for a cure. Researchers dedicate their lives because they know the next breakthrough is possible.
Huntsman Cancer Foundation
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Huntsman Cancer Foundation is a functionally integrated 501(c)3, whose sole purpose is to raise funds to support the mission of Huntsman Cancer Institute.
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Huntsman Cancer Foundation’s singular mission is to guarantee the future of cutting-edge research at Huntsman Cancer Institute. We invite all members of our community, from a single individual to a major corporation, to join in the work of eradicating cancer by generously donating to support pioneering research at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Thanks to the support of the Huntsman family, 100% of donations go toward cancer research, innovative treatments, and effective prevention strategies at Huntsman Cancer Institute.
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Cancer does not discriminate. It can affect anyone at any time. We envision a time when cancer is eradicated altogether, and research is essential in creating that future.
Thanks to research, many forms of cancer are now prevented entirely or diagnosed in their earliest, most treatable stages. Thanks to research, new treatments and interventions exist for advanced cancers. But there is still more work to be done.
By funding efforts to better understand the beginnings of cancer and more effectively treat cancer, our community of donors helps relieve the suffering and improve the quality of life for cancer patients, survivors, and their families.
Media Boilerplate
The following boilerplate language is standardized text approved for use in Huntsman Cancer Institute communications materials, include marketing and public affairs collateral. Reusing standardized language across various materials can ensure consistency in how we describe ourselves as an organization and how others—including news organizations—should refer to us.
See Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles for language on Huntsman Cancer Institute’s priorities.
About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. With a legacy of innovative cancer research, groundbreaking discoveries, and world-class patient care, we are transforming the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed, treated, and survived. Huntsman Cancer Institute focuses on delivering the most advanced cancer healing and prevention through scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology to create pioneering cancer treatments beyond the standard of care today. We have more than 325 open clinical trials and more than 300 research teams studying cancer. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center. Our scientists are world-renowned for understanding how cancer begins and using that knowledge to develop innovative approaches to treat each patient’s unique disease. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.
About University of Utah Health
University of Utah Health is the state’s only academic health care system, providing leading-edge and compassionate care for a referral area that encompasses 10 percent of the US, including Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and much of Nevada. A hub for health sciences research and education in the region, U of U Health has a $492 million research enterprise and trains the majority of Utah’s physicians, and more than 1,670 scientists and 1,460 health care providers each year at its Colleges of Health, Nursing, and Pharmacy and Schools of Dentistry and Medicine. With more than 20,000 employees, the system includes 12 community clinics and five hospitals: University Hospital, Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, University Orthopaedic Center, and the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital. For 15 straight years, U of U Health has ranked in the top-tier of US academic medical centers in the rigorous Vizient Quality and Accountability Study.
Program Accounts
HIAYA
Instagram: @hiayacancer
X: @HIAYAcancer
PathMaker
Instagram: @pathmaker_hci
X: @pathmaker_hci
Wellness and Integrative Health Center
Facebook: HCI Wellness Center
Thyroid and Parathyroid Tumor Program
Instagram: @hci_thyroidparathyroidcare
Guidelines for Institutional Accounts
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Make sure all information is accurate. Link back to the original source whenever possible. Refrain from publishing content that contains slurs, personal insults or attacks, profanity, or obscenity. Avoid any conduct on a social media site that would not be acceptable in Huntsman Cancer Institute workplaces.
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Official social media accounts should provide contact names and email addresses or correct website URLs that point back to Huntsman Cancer Institute web properties.
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Be careful not to reveal confidential information about Huntsman Cancer Institute patients or employees. Always obtain permission from individuals featured on social media posts.
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All social accounts should follow University Information Technology’s (UIT) security best practices. Keep the number of administrative publishers to a minimum and have rules in place for managing login credentials. Don’t share your social media passwords around the workplace or classroom.
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Huntsman Cancer Institute social accounts should provide content that is accessible to as many people as possible. When possible, add text descriptions to images, transcribe audio, and add captions to videos.
Guidelines for Personal Accounts
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Even when you're off-duty and using personal accounts, if you list your workplace in your profile, you're implicitly representing Huntsman Cancer Institute and the University of Utah. Therefore, it's crucial to follow the University of Utah's Ethical Standard and Code of Conduct. All faculty, staff, and student employees must comply with relevant laws, regulations, policies, and professional standards.
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When posting about Huntsman Cancer Institute and/or work-related matters, it is important to be transparent about your affiliation with the institute. Be sure to identify yourself with your name and affiliation to the university when contributing your personal comments and statements on a Huntsman Cancer Institute-managed social media property.
Examples of disclosure methods include having Huntsman Cancer Institute or a link to a bio or “about me” page in your profile, or a statement in the post itself, such as “I work for Huntsman Cancer Institute, and this is my personal opinion.”
Posts that don’t mention work-related topics won’t need to reference your relationship to Huntsman Cancer Institute.
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Always protect the confidential or personal information of Huntsman Cancer Institute patients. Read more about HIPPA guidelines.
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When referencing our workplace, always use “Huntsman Cancer Institute” to avoid confusion with other programs or buildings in Utah with the name “Huntsman.”
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Direct people to their care team or Huntsman Cancer Institute's Cancer Learning Center for guidance.
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When posting content related to Huntsman Cancer Institute, remember that you represent the institute and its brand to anyone who may see your post. For more tips on how to post thoughtfully, see the University of Utah Health’s Social Media Guidelines.
Questions
Huntsman Cancer Institute's Communications Office oversees brand and logo use. Request brand approval before you publish, print, or produce materials using our Project Request Form. If you have any questions, please contact us:
Meredith Vehar, MPA
Director, Communications
allc@hci.utah.edu
Social Media
Social media can be a useful tool for expanding Huntsman Cancer Institute’s reach as a globally recognized and trusted research center and treatment hospital. Social media can help tell the inspiring stories of the people and programs that make Huntsman Cancer Institute a leader in revolutionary cancer care while supporting our mission to provide education about cancer risk, prevention, and care.
Programs, departments, and individual faculty and staff members should evaluate what, if any, social media are appropriate for their communication needs as well how the various social platforms can be used to make information accessible, share groundbreaking research, and build relationships with community members.
Below is a set of guidelines and best practices to optimize social media efforts for and on behalf of Huntsman Cancer Institute as well as for personal use by faculty and staff.