Style Guide: Abbreviations

Durham Tech Communication and Style Guide

3. Hyphenation			Printable Version
In general, a pair or a group of words is hyphenated to indicate that the words are taken together as a unit or a single concept. The following notes will explain why there are variations in the way the same words are hyphenated.
	3.1 Clusters of words
	Is it part-time or part time? Either could be right — depending on how those words are used in a particular sentence. Whenever two or more words are used together as a compound adjective and they precede a noun, the cluster of modifiers is hyphenated. Whenever the same cluster functions as some other part of speech, the cluster is NOT hyphenated.
	Examples:	I work part time. It is a 20-credit-hour program. He is a part-time student who also works full time. He works on campus as a clerical assistant. It is tough to find on-campus housing. Our students are enrolled on a first-come, first-served basis.
	Dictionaries show accepted methods of hyphenating commonly used clusters such as round-the-clock, well-known, and long-standing.
	3.2 Compound Nouns
	Consult a reputable print or online dictionary (such as http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary) when in doubt about whether or not to hyphenate compound nouns such as mother-in-law.
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Durham Technical Community College
1637 Lawson Street
Durham, NC 27703
919-536-7200