RULES OF USAGE
General considerations
Oxford comma
We do not use the Oxford , or serial , comma . Per AP style , writers may opt to place a comma before the conjunction in a complex series for clarity .
Examples : Simple series : They studied neurology , cardiology and pulmonology .
Complex series : The little girl ’ s favorite foods are pickles , peanut butter , and grilled cheese and tomato soup .
Ampersands
Avoid using ampersands , except where absolutely necessary to accommodate space .
We have two exceptions to this rule . Always use ampersands when writing about the Department of Diversity , Health Equity & Inclusion and when referring to U . S . News & World Report .
Stylized text treatments
Body copy should never be bold , italic , underlined or in all caps . The design team will make these style decisions and emphasize text as appropriate .
Bulleted lists
Always capitalize the first letter of the first word of a bullet point . Whenever a complete sentence appears in a bulleted list , add a period at the end . If the bulleted item is not a complete sentence , do not add punctuation to the end . It is best to ensure each item in your list is written consistently so that all items are either punctuated or not .
Examples : Their symptoms included :
• A fever
• Rash
• Severe cough
Before going outside :
• Make sure your child is wearing a jacket .
• Put sunscreen on your child .
• Pack extra water to keep them hydrated .
Rankings and numerals
On social media and in body copy , use “ No .” ahead of a numeral to write a ranking . For example , write “ Children ’ s Hospital Colorado is ranked No . 1 in the state and the region .”
In proof points and ad copy use “#” ahead of the numeral .
Brand Guidelines 2024-08 24