# U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual

U.S. Government Printing Office
Style Manual
An official guide to the form and style of Federal Government printing
2008
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
Keeping America Informed | www.gpo.gov
Production and Distribution Notes
This publication was typeset electronically using Helvetica and Minion Pro typefaces. It was printed using vegetable oil-based ink on recycled paper containing 30% post consumer waste.
The GPO Style Manual will be distributed to libraries in the Federal Depository Library Program. To find a depository library near you, please go to the Federal depository library directory at http://catalog.gpo.gov/fdlpdir/public.jsp.
The electronic text of this publication is available for public use free of charge at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/stylemanual/index.html.
Use of ISBN Prefix
This is the official U.S. Government edition of this publication and is herein identified to certify its authenticity. ISBN 978-0-16-081813-4 is for U.S. Government Printing Office official editions only. The Superintendent of Documents of the U.S. Government Printing Office requests that any reprinted edition be labeled clearly as a copy of the authentic work, and that a new ISBN be assigned.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; DC area (202) 512-1800
Fax: (202) 512-2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402-0001
ISBN 9780160818134 (CD)
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THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE STYLE MANUAL IS PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION AND AUTHORITY OF
THE PUBLIC PRINTER OF THE UNITED STATES
Robert C. Tapella
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE STYLE BOARD
M. Michael Abramson, Chairman
Ex officio Olivier A. Girod, Managing Director, Plant Operations John W. Crawford, Production Manager, Plant Operations Dannie E. Young, Superintendent, Pre-Press Division
JOINT COMMITTEE ON PRINTING
Representative Robert A. Brady, Chairman Senator Dianne Feinstein, Vice Chairman
Previous printings of the GPO Style Manual: 1894, 1898, 1900, 1903, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1912, 1914, 1917, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1945, 1953, 1959, 1962, 1967, 1973, 1984, 2000
EXTRACT FROM THE PUBLIC PRINTING LAW
(TITLE 44, U.S.C.)
§ 1105. Form and style of work for departments
The Public Printer shall determine the form and style in which the printing or binding ordered by a department is executed, and the material and the size of type used, having proper regard to economy, workmanship, and the purposes for which the work is needed.
(Pub. L. 90-620, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1261.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., §216 (Jan. 12, 1895, ch. 23, § 51, 28 Stat. 608).
* ChapterPage
* About This Manual................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................v
* GPO's Online Initiatives................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ix
* 1.Advice to Authors and Editors................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1
* 2.General Instructions................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7
* 3.Capitalization Rules................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
* 4.Capitalization Examples................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................43
* 5.Spelling................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................79
* 6.Compounding Rules................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................95
* 7.Compounding Examples................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................109
* 8.Punctuation................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................193
* 9.Abbreviations and Letter Symbols................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................221
* Standard word abbreviations................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................238
* Standard letter symbols for units of measure................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................247
* Standard Latin abbreviations................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................251
* Information technology acronyms and initialisms................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................255
* 10.Signs and Symbols................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................259
* 11.Italic................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................265
* 12.Numerals................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................269
* 13.Tabular Work................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................281
* 14.Leaderwork................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................299
* 15.Footnotes, Indexes, Contents, and Outlines................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................303
* 16.Datelines, Addresses, and Signatures................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................309
* 17.Useful Tables................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................321
* U.S. Presidents and Vice Presidents................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................321
* Most Populous U.S. Cities by State................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................322
* Principal Foreign Countries................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................325
* Demonyms: Names of Nationalities................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................332
* Currency................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................334
* Metric and U.S. Measures................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................339
* Common Measures and Their Metric Equivalents................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................340
* Measurement Conversion................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................341
* 18.Geologic Terms and Geographic Divisions................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................343
* 19.Congressional Record................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................371
* Congressional Record Index................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................406
* 20.Reports and Hearings................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................417
* Index................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................433
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).
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