GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION
Introduction
Ampersands (&)
The following style guide is designed to establish clear standards for consistent and high-quality communications citywide. The guidelines in this document apply to all City communications, with rare exceptions, which must be approved by the Public Information Office. The City follows the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook as its primary style and grammar guide. If you cannot find the information you are looking for in this document, please refer to the AP Stylebook directly. Strunk and White: The Elements of Style should only be followed if the information is not in the AP Stylebook or in this guide. For information not found in those three guides, please refer to Merriam-Webster . Finally, the City has a series of style guidelines which are unique to the City and su- percede all other style rules. These specific guidelines are identified starting on Page 17. Please contact the Public Information Office if you have questions or need further clarification. To access the AP Stylebook online, please contact the Admin- istrative Coordinator for your department for the username and password.
The ampersand can be used in titles or headers only, but should never replace the word “and” in text, unless the word in question is a City of Irvine department name (Public Works & Transportation, or Project Deliv- ery & Sustainability). See Titles , Page 21. The ampersand should be used in official City depart- ment names. City Department, Commission, and Committee Names , Page 20.
Correct Usage
n Join us for a hike at the Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary. (This is how the Irvine Ranch Water District reflects the title of this location Therefore, it is acceptable to use an ampersand as part of the official title in body copy)
Rutan & Tucker, LLP
n
Traffic & Transit Guide
n
Public Works & Transportation
n
n Financial Management & Strategic Planning
n Come Play & Grow with the City of Irvine (as a title or email header). Come play and grow with the City of Irvine by signing up for our classes and programs (as a sentence in body copy).
Again, we encourage you to use the AP Stylebook if you cannot find your style answers here.
Incorrect Usage
The flag is red, white & blue.
n
John, Jane & Joe will attend the event.
n
n Financial Management and Strategic Planning
n Come play & grow with the City of Irvine by sign- ing up for our classes and programs (as a sentence in body copy).
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