Correspondence Manual 4.09

St a te o f Ma r yla nd
CORRESPONDENCE MANUAL
2003
D ep a r tme n t of Hea l t h a n d M e n ta l H y g i e n e
A l c oh ol a n d D r u g A b u s e A d mi n i s t r a t i on
Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., Governor

Michael S. Steele, Lt. Governor
Nelson J. Sabatini, Secretary, DHMH
Peter F. Luongo, Ph.D., Director, ADAA
Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration
MAIN HEADING
Page 2
State of Maryland
Correspondence Manual
Correspondence
Manual
2003
Prepared by:
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration
55 Wade Ave.
Catonsville MD 21228
(410) 402-8600
www.maryland-adaa.org
The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration (ADAA) is an agency committed to

providing all Maryland citizens access to quality substance abuse prevention and
treatment services.
3
The services and facilities of the Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
(DHMH) are operated on a non-discriminatory basis. This policy prohibits discrimination on the
granting of advantages, privileges and accommodations. The Department, in compliance with the
Americans With Disabilities Act, ensures that qualified individuals with disabilities are given an
opportunity to participate in and benefit from DHMH services, programs, benefits, and employCorrespondence Manual
ment opportunities.
INTRODUCTION
I am returning this otherwise good typing paper to you because someone has printed gibberish all over it and put your name
at the top. Anonymous
I am excited to present the initial ADAA Correspondence Manual. During my tenure at ADAA, I
have encountered various styles of internal and
external correspondence. Seeking to correct this
situation, Dr. Luongo has called for uniform
guidelines.
Because most of ADAAs communications are
conducted by the written word, it is important
that their quality be consistent with our Administrations standard of excellence. Our communications often influence our credibility. For example,
a coworker recently showed me a poorly composed memo she received from another State
agency. Her point: the author has a Ph.D. and
cannot write.
Many of us are not good writers. Some of us are
good writers and poor editors. I often repeat the
same mistakes. When I want to say summary, I
sometimes spell summery and the Pennsylvania native in me automatically puts an h in Allegany
County (like the mountain range Allegheny). We
all make mistakes. Have at least one other person
edit your work.
During the construction of this manual, I asked
many of you for feedback. As a result, the project
grew beyond its original scope. Among the contents, are instructions on choosing formats, the
use of titles, addressing envelopes, and commonly
used acronyms. I will continuously update the
manual so any missing information can be included in the next edition.
Several examples and templates provide visual demonstrations. I have set up a correspondence folder
on the s:/drive. It contains an assortment of resources, including templates for the various types of
correspondence.
The manual offers simple guidelines on ADAA
style. If you need assistance beyond the scope of this
publication, or if you want to improve your writing,
check out the references in Chapter Four.
Remember the basic rules of writing. Keep it simple
and direct. Follow the advice of Mark Twain on
omitting needless words, Substitute damn every
time youre inclined to write very; your editor will
delete it and your writing will be as it should be.
Write in the active voice, whenever possible. Break
up or reword long sentences. Choose the least
wordy of alternative phrases. Parenthetic remarks
(regardless of how applicable) can often be avoided.
The reason for writing should be stated within the
first few sentences. Details should follow. I cannot
stress this enough: spell check, spell check, spell
check.
I am grateful to everyone who helped with this project. Thanks to Cindy Shupe and Dr. Luongo for
supporting this assignment. A million thanks to Joanna Fitzick, Kenneth Obst, Bill Rusinko, and
Siatta Stewart for their extraordinary editing skills.
Carol Ann Michalik
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Choosing a Type of Correspondence.

Stationery..
General Format.
Grammar..
Sample Letter..
Letters and Memos.
Letter Guidelines..
Memorandums..
Sample Memo.
Electronic Mail..
E-mail Guidelines.
Sample E-mail.
Facsimile
Sample Fax
Envelopes and Mail
Envelopes..
Interagency Mail
Labels..
Envelope Guidelines..
Mailing Guidelines..
Photocopies.
Zip Codes..
Sample Envelope..
Postal Abbreviations
Addresses and Titles..
Overview of Titles and Degrees.
The Honorable..
Religious Titles..
Abbreviated Titles.
Title Guidelines.
Doctor.
Spouses..
Madam
Titles of Birth.
Order of Multiple Titles
Companies and Corporations
Elected Officials.
Common Abbreviations
Forms of Addresses..
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24Correspondence Manual
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Elements of Style
Punctuation.
Ampersand..
Apostrophe..
Brackets.
Colon..
Comma..
Dash.
Ellipsis
Exclamation Point
Hyphen..
Italics
Parentheses..
Period.
Question Mark..
Quotation Marks..
Semicolon.
Underlining.
Capitalization..
Proper Nouns.
Derivatives
Sentences..
Compositions.
Acronyms..
Rules of Capitalization..
Grammar...
Plurals.
Numbers
Prefixes..
Suffixes..
Abbreviations..
Addiction Certification Abbreviations.
Acronyms..
State Organizations.
Elements of Style
Formatting Drafts.
References.
Addiction Web Sites..
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CHAPTER 1
Types of
Correspondence
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Choosing a Type of Correspondence
General Format
Use a memorandum for correspondence within

the Administration or for routine correspondence
outside the Administration.
The following guidelines apply to all memos and letters. Examples of the various styles are displayed on
the preceding pages.
Letters must be used for all correspondence addressed to the governor, lieutenant governor,
members of the general assembly, judges, heads of
departments or agencies, mayors, federal officials
and citizens. Letters can also be used for matters
that require a personal tone, such as letters of recommendation, commendation or condolence.
ADAA General Formatting Guidelines

Margins: One inch on all sides. This is
the default in most word-processing software.
E-mail may be used for routine communications

within the Administration. It is also appropriate
to use e-mail outside the Administration in situations where it is an accepted mode of communication. Please refer to the e-mail guidelines on page
14 of this manual.
Spacing: Use single spacing within each

paragraph and double spacing between
paragraphs.
Stationery
Pitch: 12
Use ADAA letterhead bond for the first page of a

letter and white paper or bond for subsequent
pages. Courtesy copies going outside the Administration should follow the same rules as the original. Internal copies should be duplicates of the
original.
External memos need not be on bond but must
contain the Administration letterhead. This can
be achieved by copying the original or by using the
template on the s:/ drive.
To prevent the creation of large files, do not duplicate letterhead in e-mail. Electronic correspondence must contain the agencys mailing address
somewhere in the body of the text. The Administration recommends adding it to the GroupWise
auto signature. For more details, please refer to email guidelines on page 14.
10
Font: Times New Roman
Style: Use block style. All elements are

typed flush left. Do not indent.
Letterhead: DHMH/ADAA letterhead
must be used on all external memos and
letters. Electronic communication must
contain the name, address and phone
number of the Administration.
Grammar
Follow the basic rules of grammar outlined in Chapter Four of this manual. All documents must be
proofread and spell-checked prior to leaving the Administration. For questions beyond the scope of
this publication, there are several excellent resources
listed in the reference section of this publication.
SAMPLE LETTTER
10
Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Governor - Nelson J. Sabatini, Secretary
Peter F. Luongo, Ph.D.

Director
3
December 1, 2002
3
Sunya Smith, Ph.D.
Program Director
Serenity Now Outpatient Treatment
123 Main St.
Baltimore MD 12345
3
2
Dear Dr. Smith:

This letter is composed in block style, Times New Roman, 12 point font. All parts of this
letter are flush left and left justified. The date is typed three lines down from the DHMH
header. There are three spaces between the date and the recipients information and three
more spaces before the salutation.
Left and right margins are one inch. Each paragraph is double-spaced from the previous. The
author's name and title are typed five lines below the complimentary close. Enclosures and
carbon copies are cited below.
Sincerely,
Erik Gonder
Information Services
Enclosure: List the title of the enclosure if it is not mentioned in the text.
11
LETTERS AND MEMORANDUMS

Letters
Letters are more personal than memos and should
be used when a formal tone is required. Letters
should be neat and easy to read. Break long sentences and paragraphs into subsentences and subparagraphs.
Each paragraph should contain at least two sentences. Do not begin a paragraph at the end of a
page unless there is room for two lines. When
continuing a paragraph onto the next page, at
least two lines must carry.
When responding to correspondence by letter, the
first sentence should thank the recipient and the
final paragraph should again thank the recipient.
The senders should also offer to be of assistance
and include a phone number for follow-up.
The reason for writing should be stated clearly in
the first paragraph. When making several points
in the same letter, consider numbering them or
stating each new point at the beginning of a new
paragraph. To avoid burying important points,
keep the writing simple and direct.
Avoid using form letters. If a form letter must be
used, try to personalize it by adding the recipients
name in the salutation.
Remain courteous even when the letter expresses
a complaint or a reprimand. Stress the mutual satisfaction that will be derived from successful resolution of the matter.
Like all Administration correspondence, letters
should follow the general guidelines listed on page
ten, as well as the letter writing guidelines displayed on this page. The proceeding page also contains a sample letter. Templates are available on
the s:/ drive in the correspondence folder.
12
Letter Guidelines
Reference Line: Double space before the
salutation.
Salutation: Two spaces below the address
(or reference line). Use a colon at the
end.
Body Spacing: Begin the letter two lines
below the salutation.
Paragraphs: Must be at least two lines.
Double-space between paragraphs.
Complimentary Close: Flush left, double space after the body of the letter.
Enclosures, Carbon Copies or Blind
Carbon Copies: Flush left, two lines below the signature.
Memorandums
Used for advising, directing or informing, the memo
is the most common form of written communication. External memos follow most of the same
guidelines as letters.
Memos going outside the Administration must be
written on letterhead or contain the letterhead image. It is acceptable to personalize your own internal memo as long as you follow the general guidelines. Templates for both internal and external
memos are available on the s:/ drive. A sample of an
external memo is found on page 13.
SAMPLE MEMO
10
Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Governor - Nelson J. Sabatini, Secretary
Peter F. Luongo, Ph.D.

Director
MEMORANDUM
3
To:
ADAA Staff
From:
Tom Benner
Date:
April 11, 2002
Subject:
Sample Memorandum
3
This is a sample of an external memo template. It is block style, Times New Roman, 12
point font. There are one-inch margins on the left and right side and standard double
spacing between paragraphs.
2
2
There are three spaces between the DHMH header and the word Memorandum. In
addition, there are three spaces between the heading and the body of the memo.
cc: Joanna Fitzick
George Hurd
Sheila Litzky
Janice Thompson
13
ELECTRONIC MAIL
In recent years, electronic mail (e-mail) has gained
acceptance as a routine form of correspondence.
E-mail should follow most of the same rules as
traditional, paper correspondence.
When addressing problems or complaints via email, it is important to follow ADAAs chain of
command procedure. Do not send e-mail directly
to the top, unless it was personally requested.
When composing an e-mail, it is important to
keep in mind that it may be forwarded. It is good
practice to get the permission of the original
sender before forwarding an e-mail. As a courtesy
to the recipient, always complete the subject line.
This should give a brief explanation of the content and should not be more than ten words.
Correspondence received by e-mail may be replied
to via e-mail. It can be used with agencies and organizations with whom ADAA maintains a close
relationship and with whom electronic correspondence is routinely used. E-mail should not be used
to reply to correspondence that came via mail, fax,
or other route unless an electronic reply is requested.
E-mail should clearly indicate that the message is
from ADAA. It must include the senders full
name and position. All outgoing e-mail should be
written in a manner that reflects the professionalism of ADAA. Follow all ADAA rules governing
grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Avoid writing in all capital letters as it is considered rude and is difficult to read. Avoid unique
fonts and bolds as they often do not translate to
other systems.
When replying to an e-mail, it is good practice to
type your response on top of the original letter.
This allows the reader to refer back to the original
message.
14
E-mail Guidelines
Font: Use the GroupWise default or
Times New Roman. Avoid rich text
fonts as they may not translate to other
machines.
Format: Follow ADAA general formatting guidelines. Include the name and
address of the Administration as well as
your title and phone number.
Confidential Information: Avoid sending it via e-mail. If you must, attach the
confidentiality waiver.
Forwarding: Avoid doing so without
permission of the writer.
Transmitting confidential information via the
Internet is discouraged. When it is necessary to
send confidential information, it should be placed
in a ZIP file with password protection.
Do not use the scanned letterhead logo. Doing so
creates a large file that may be difficult to transmit. Instead, type the ADAA name and address
at the end of each e-mail. The Administration
recommends attaching it to the auto signature
line in GroupWise. Directions for doing this are
on the s:/ drive under correspondence.
The following page contains a sample of a professional e-mail. For more information about the
rules governing the use of e-mail please refer to
the Administrations e-mail policy. A copy can be
found in the correspondence folder on the s:/
drive.
SAMPLE E-MAIL
From: Michalik, Carol Ann <cmichalik@dhmh.state.md.us>

Date: 10/22/02
Time: 11:42 am
To: Shupe, Cindy <shupel@dhmh.state.md.us.>
Subject: Proper use of e-mail
Automatically generated by
GroupWise
Dear Ms. Shupe:

Compose e-mail with the same professionalism with which you compose paper correspondence. The Administrations address should be typed at the bottom of the message in lieu of using stationery.
Use simple text in the body of the e-mail. Refrain from using bolds, underlines and special or colored fonts
as they often do not translate to other applications. If tables and special graphics are necessary, they should
be added to the e-mail as attachments. All attachments should be composed in Microsoft Word, Excel, or
PowerPoint because most recipients will have the capacity to open these packages.
Sincerely,
Carol Ann Michalik
Information Services
State of Maryland
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
55 Wade Avenue
(410) 402-8600
cc: Siatta Stewart <sstewart@dhmh.state.md.us>
Vickie Kaneko <kanekov@dhmh.state.md.us>
Steve Weiner<sweiner@dhmh.state.md.us>
Automatically generated by
GroupWise
NOTICE: THIS E-MAIL MESSAGE AND ANY ATTACHMENTS HERETO ("e-mail") contains information that is or may be legally privileged and/or confidential under law and is intended solely for the use of the designated intended recipient(s) and their authorized agents.
IF YOU ARE NOT A DESIGNATED INTENDED RECIPIENT OF THIS E-MAIL (OR AUTHORIZED AGENT THEREOF), your review, retention, storage, copying, distribution, or dissemination of this e-mail in any form -- or your taking any action in reliance thereon -- is
strictly prohibited and may expose you to such criminal penalties and/or civil liability as may be provided by law. IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS E-MAIL IN ERROR, PLEASE IMMEDIATELY (i) return this e-mail to the sender by reply e-mail, and then (ii) delete this email and your reply from your personal computer system e-mailbox/network. Thank you for your cooperation.
15
FACSIMILE
Use the standard ADAA coversheet for all faxes.
Refrain from sending confidential information via
fax, but if you must do so, attach the confidentiality waiver. It can be found on the s:/ drive under
correspondence.
Abstain from sending large documents via fax.
Consider regular mail or e-mail as alternatives. Because a faxed copy often does not translate well,
be sure to write clearly and use dark ink.
It is good practice to keep your receipts. Whenever

possible, call the recipient to confirm that they received the fax. Malfunctioning fax machines may
not print the full document or the transmitted fax
may be unreadable to the recipient. Below is an example of the ADAA professional fax. A copy can be
found on the s:/ drive in the correspondence folder.
MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE

ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE ADMINISTRATION
55 Wade Avenue Catonsville, Maryland 21228
(410) 402-8600
FACSIMILE TRANSMITTAL SHEET
TO:
Maria Mouzon
COMPANY:
ADAA
FAX NUMBER :
(410) 555-1212
PHONE NUMBER:
RE:
Ray Miller
DATE :
1/6/03
TOTAL NO. OF PAGES INCLUDING COVER:
SENDERS PHONE NUMBER:
Training List
URGENT
FROM:
CC:
FOR REVIEW
(410) 555-1212
Deb Verbillis
Bill Morrow
PLEASE COMMENT PLEASE REPLY PLEASE RECYCLE
NOTES/COMMENTS:
Marie:
Please add the following people to the list for Tuesdays employee training:
Renee Howard, Bruce Meade, Deb Rienhimer, Lorraine Sykes, Suzette Tucker, Bruce Rindfuss, Vickie
Lamm, and Mike Morgan.
Thanks,
Ray
16
CHAPTER 2
Envelopes and
Mail
17
ENVELOPES AND LABELS

Envelopes
Envelope Guidelines
U.S. Postal Service guidelines recommend that envelopes be addressed in all capital letters. They
must be typed or have a typed label. They should
not be addressed by hand.
Font: Times New Roman. The Postal

Service recommends all caps.
Use single spacing in block style. If a particular

line is too long, use two lines and indent the remainder. Do not use commas between the city
and the state, and place two spaces between the
state and the zip code.
Spacing: Single-space the address in

block style. If a line is too long, break it
into two lines and indent its continuation on the next line.
When sending a letter to someone within an

agency or program, place their name on the top
line. Include academic or honorary titles (i.e.
M.D., The Honorable) followed by the name of
the program. For example:
No commas: Do not use commas between the city and the state. Use two
spaces between the state and the zip
code.
DONALD HALL MD
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY
OF BALTIMORE COUNTY
555 SOUTH MARYLAND ST
CATONSVILLE MD 21228
Titles: Use the name of the addressee

first followed by the name of the agency,
program etc.
ADAA Mailing Guidelines
Interagency Mail
When sending mail within DHMH, use the pink
inter-office envelopes. If a larger envelope is required, use the yellow inter-office mail envelope.
Be sure to cross off the name of the last recipient.
Reuse envelopes whenever possible.
Labels
ADAA uses two types of labels. For small envelopes, use Avery 5160. For larger items, use Avery
5163. Be sure to center the label on the envelope.
Please refer to the guidelines on the following
page. It is preferable to use labels on stationery
envelopes. Doing this prevents errors on stationery and minimizes cost.
18
All mail is collected and distributed through the

Spring Grove mail service. As a result, there is no
need to affix postage. Packages over 15 pounds
must be broken up into two or more packages.
Photocopies
In order to conserve resources, large jobs should be
sent to the copy center at 201 W. Preston Street. In
order to be delivered, packages must be clearly labeled hand carry.
Zip Codes
To find a zip code, use the United Postal Services
zip code finder. It is located on their Web site. The
address is www.usps.com.
19
21/4
DENISE SMITH
SERENITY NOW TREATMENT CENTER
123 MAIN ST
ANY TOWN MD 12345
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

55 Wade Avenue
Catonsville, Maryland 21228
DHMH
STATE OF MARYLAND
POSTAL ABBREVATIONS
State Abbreviations
ALABAMA
ALASKA
ARIZONA
ARKANSAS
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
CONNECTICUT
DELAWARE
DIST. OF COLUMBIA
FLORIDA
GEORGIA
HAWAII
IDAHO
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
IOWA
KANSAS
KENTUCKY
LOUISIANA
MAINE
MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
MICHIGAN
MINNESOTA
MISSISSIPPI
MISSOURI
MONTANA
NEBRASKA
NEVADA
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEW JERSEY
NEW MEXICO
NEW YORK
NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH DAKOTA
OHIO
OKLAHOMA
OREGON
PENNSYLVANIA
RHODE ISLAND
SOUTH CAROLINA
SOUTH DAKOTA
TENNESSEE
TEXAS
UTAH
VERMONT
VIRGINIA
WASHINGTON
WEST VIRGINIA
WISCONSIN
WYOMING
20
AL
AK
AZ
AR
CA
CO
CT
DE
DC
FL
GA
HI
ID
IL
IN
IA
KS
KY
LA
ME
MD
MA
MI
MN
MS
MO
MT
NE
NV
NH
NJ
NM
NY
NC
ND
OH
OK
OR
PA
RI
SC
SD
TN
TX
UT
VT
VA
WA
WV
WI
WY
Unit Abbreviations
APARTMENT
BASEMENT
BUILDING
DEPARTMENT
FLOOR
FRONT
HANGAR
LOBBY
LOT
LOWER
OFFICE
PENTHOUSE
PIER
REAR
ROOM
SIDE
SLIP
SPACE
STOP
SUITE
TRAILER
UNIT
UPPER
APT
BSMT
BLDG
DEPT
FL
FRNT
HNGR
LBBY
LOT
LOWR
OFC
PH
PIER
REAR
RM
SIDE
SLIP
SPC
STOP
STE
TRLR
UNIT
UPPR
Street Abbreviations
ALLEY
AVENUE
BEND
BOULEVARD
BRIDGE
BYPASS
CAUSEWAY
CIRCLE
CORNER
COURT
DRIVE
EXPRESSWAY
EXTENSION
FORT
HIGHWAY
LANE
PLACE
ROAD
STREET
TERRACE
WAY
ALY
AVE
BND
BLVD
BRG
BYP
CSWY
CIR
COR
CT
DR
EXPY
EXT
FT
HWY
LN
PL
RD
ST
TR
WAY
CHAPTER 3
Addresses and
Titles
21
TITLES AND DEGREES

Overview
When using a title, it is important not to combine it
with another title. For instance, The Honorable
should not be combined with a complimentary title
(Mr., Mrs., etc.). A title does not need a separate
line. If the individuals name is long, the title may
be placed after the name on a separate line. After
leaving a position, the person may still choose to be
addressed by the title. Individual preferences take
precedence over style considerations.
The Honorable
This title is used to address current and former high
officials, federal officials, appointees and elected officials. When used as a title, the is capitalized. If
used in a sentence, the remains lowercase. Consider the following example:
The Honorable Parris Glendening
A speech was given by the Honorable Parris
Glendening.
Title Guidelines
Doctor: Credentials after the name.
Jerry Biggers, M.D.
Multiple Academic Degrees: In order of
most recently received. Karen Yoke, M.D.,
Ph.D.
The Reverend: Religious titles precede
the name. The Reverend Bill Rusinko,
Ph.D.
Spouses: Must be addressed separately.
Dr. Ventura McLee and Mrs. Ellen McLee
Gender Unknown: Use the full name
without a title.
Religious Titles
Religious titles are capitalized and should precede
the name. Use Reverend as opposed to Father to denote clergy of the Catholic faith. Rabbi should precede the name on first reference. When referring to
a nun, use Sister before the name.
Abbreviated Titles
of The Reverend, do not use academic degrees

with complimentary titles (Mr., Ms., etc.) or military
designations. Refrain from including more than two
academic degrees.
Doctor
Use the individuals full name followed by the creMr., Mrs., Ms., and Dr. may be abbreviated before a dentials. It is redundant to place Dr. before the
name. All other titles coming before a name must be name and include the credentials (M.D., Ph.D.,
spelled out. Abbreviate academic degrees, religious or D.O.) after the name. Do not place Mr., Mrs., or
and fraternal orders, fellowships and military service Ms. before the name.
titles after a name.
Type these titles with periods and no spaces between Spouses
them. Type military branches in all capitals with no Spouses of distinguished individuals should be adperiods or spaces between them. With the exception dressed individually. For example: The Honorable Jane
Smith and Mr. John Smith.
22
TITLES AND DEGREES

Because Marylands list of elected officials is continuWhen addressing a female office holder, replace Mr. ously changing, it is not included in this publication.
A complete list of State officials and their addresses
with Ms. or Mrs. When a woman occupies a high
office, such as governor or lieutenant governor, use can be obtained by logging onto the State Web site:
www.gov.state.md.us.
Madam.
Madam
Information on federal officials can be found on the

following sites:
Use Jr., Sr., II, and III after a surname only when
www. senate.gov
the individuals first name or first initial is present.
www. house.gov
Otherwise, exclude them. Titles of birth rank should
www.whitehouse.gov
be abbreviated as shown. While the titles Jr. and Sr.
www.firstgov.com
must be preceded by a comma, II, III (and so forth)
must not have a comma. Consider the following exThe preceding pages offer examples of frequently
amples:
used titles. Some addresses are listed for display purRobert Woods, Jr.
poses only. Always verify the addresses by checking
Everett Wilson IV
the above Web sites.
Titles of Birth Rank
Order of Multiple Titles

When an individual has several titles, they should be
placed in the following order:
Religious orders
Academic degrees (by most recently received)
Honorary degrees (by most recently bestowed)
Companies and Corporations

It is preferred that companies be abbreviated only
as they appear on the firms letterhead or logo. In
the event that brevity is required, acceptable abbreviations are listed in the table on this page.
Elected Officials
When used formally in Administration correspondence, the titles of elected officials must be written
out. For informal purpose, abbreviations may be
used.
Common Abbreviations
And
Brother
Brothers
Company
Corporation
Doctor
Governor
Incorporated
Lieutenant Governor
Limited
Professor
Reverend
Superintendent
United States
&
Bro.
Bros.
Co.
Corp.
M.D., Ph.D.
Gov.
Inc.
Lt. Gov.
Ltd.
Prof.
Rev.
Supt.
U.S.
23
FORMS OF ADDRESS SAMPLES

ADDRESSEE
ADDRESS ON LETTER AND

ENVELOPE
SALUTATION AND
COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE
Governor
The Honorable (full name)

Governor of Maryland
100 State Circle
Dear Mr./Madam Governor:

Respectfully,
Spouse of the Governor
Mr. or Mrs. (full name)
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. (surname):

Sincerely,
Assistant to the Governor or

Cabinet Members

Assistant to the Governor

Sincerely,
Former Governor
Dear Governor (surname):

Sincerely,
Lieutenant Governor

Lieutenant Governor
of Maryland

Sincerely,
Judges
Dear Judge (surname):

Sincerely,
United States Senator

United States Senate
Washington DC 20515
Dear Senator (surname):

Sincerely,
United States Representative

House of Representatives
Washington DC 29515
Dear Congressman/
Congresswoman (surname):
Sincerely,
Maryland Senate

Senate of Maryland
Senate Office Building
Annapolis MD 21401
Dear Senator (surname):

Sincerely,
Maryland Delegate

Maryland House of Delegates
xxx Lowe Office Building
Annapolis MD 21401
Dear Delegate (surname):

Sincerely,
24
FORM OF ADDRESS SAMPLES

ADDRESSEE
ADDRESS ON LETTER AND

ENVELOPE
SALUTATION AND
COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE
Office of a Deceased Elected

Official
Office of the late (elected title, full Dear Sir or Madam:

name)
Sincerely,
Official-elect

Maryland (Senator)-elect
Care of the Maryland Senate
Clergy with Degree
The Reverend (full name, degree) Dear (Dr./Mr./Mrs.) (surname):

(name of church)
Sincerely,
Military Personnel
(full rank, full name)

Abbreviation of service (USMC,
USAF, etc.)
Dear Senator-elect (surname):

Sincerely,
Dear (rank, surname):

Sincerely,
President of a College or University Dr. (full name)

President, (name of institution)
Dear Dr. (surname):

Sincerely,
Physician
(full name), M.D.
Dear Dr. (surname):

Sincerely,
Lawyer
Mr./Mrs./Ms. (full name)

Attorney at Law

Sincerely,
A Woman and Man Residing

Together
Mrs./Ms./Miss. (full name) and

Mr. (full name)
Dear Mrs./Ms./Miss (surname)

and Mr. (surname):
Sincerely,
Two men residing together
Mr. (full name) and Mr. (full

name)
Dear Mr. (surname) and Mr.

(surname):
Sincerely,
A general letter to a company
Company name
Dear Sir or Madam:

Sincerely,
25
26
CHAPTER 4
Elements of Style
27
PUNCTUATION
Ampersand (&)
Brackets [ ]
Use the ampersand only when it is part of a companys name. Do not use it in formal communication as a substitute for and.
Refrain from using brackets. Consider parentheses

instead.
Colon (:)
Apostrophe ()
Review the following table to determine when to use
an apostrophe. For related information, see the section on plurals.
Apostrophe Use
Example
To indicate contractions Ive ( I have)

Plural nouns not ending womens rights
in s (add s)
Plural nouns ending in s churches
(add on the apostrophe) Joneses
Nouns that are plural in Mathematics formulae
form but singular in
United States control
meaning (add only the
apostrophe)
Treat nouns that are the one deers antlers
same singularly and plu- two fishes fins
ral as if they are plurals
Singular nouns not end- girls bike
ing in s (and s)
the ladys hat
Singular nouns ending
in s (use s unless the
next word begins with
an s)
the witnesss testimony

the witness story
Joint possession (use the Robyn Lyles and Dave

possessive after the last Putsches office
word)
Joint possession if both
objects are individually
owned
Maris and Priscillas

books
Omitted letters or num- Rock n roll

bers
The roaring 20s
28
Refer to the following chart for guidelines on using

colons. Capitalize the first word after a colon if it is
a proper noun or the beginning of a complete sentence. Colons go outside quotation marks unless
they are part of the quote.
Colon Use
Example
At the end of a sentence The work group conto introduce lists

sisted of four people:
J. Sue Henry, Fran Bryant, Bonita Ciurca, and
Phyllis Cail.
For emphasis
Tony Santos had one

hobby: eating.
Following a formal salu- Dear Ms. Kingwood:

tation
To separate hours and
minutes
2:45 p.m.
To introduce formal
statements
The question came up

for discussion: What is
our next move?
To introduce dialogue
Lamont: Where were

you yesterday?
Phillip: Out sick.
Comma (,)
Use a comma to separate structural elements of a
sentence into manageable parts. When used with
quotes, commas go outside the quotes. In formal
correspondence, there should be one space following a comma. The following chart lists some of the
instances in which to use a comma. For a complete
list, please refer to the punctuation section of the
Websters New World Dictionary.
PUNCTUATION
Comma Use
Example
To separate items in a
series
Leslie Woolford, Larry

Stevens, and Linda
Oney did the training.
To separate a series of
modifiers of equal rank
Tammy Hobsons idea

is creative, original, and
innovative.
Introducing direct
quotes
Eugenia asked, Is it
done yet?
To separate
introductory clauses
Overrun by budget concerns, the program

folded.
To set off an identifying Herb Baylor, a tall man,

word or phrase or non- had no trouble reaching
the basket.
essential clause
To set off dates, addresses and titles
Before the conjunctions

and, but, or, nor, for
and yet when they combine two clauses of a
compound sentence
December 24, 2002

Baltimore, Maryland
(but no comma between
city and state on an envelope)
Sue Roberson had never
taken such a difficult
class, or had so much
homework.
Dash ()
A dash should be used to signify an abrupt break in
structure or to set off strong parenthetic expressions.
Kim Randolph was upset no, enraged is more accurate
by his actions.
Dashes are stronger than commas, but if overused,
they lose their impact. In word processing software,
a dash is made by typing two hyphens next to each
other. Put a space before and after the dash.
Ellipsis ()
Use an ellipsis to denote the absence of one or more
words. Do not use an ellipsis to indicate a pause in
conversation; instead, use the dash. Leave one space
on both sides of an ellipsis. If the words preceding
an ellipsis comprise a complete sentence, put a period, question mark, or exclamation point at the
end of the sentence followed by the ellipsis.
We hold these truths to be self-evident. All men are created equal. ...
Exclamation Point (!)

Use this mark to denote a high degree of emotion.
The exclamation point should be used only rarely.
For mild emotion, use a comma. In formal writing,
an exclamation point should be followed by one
space.
Hyphen (-)
Hyphens join two words or ideas. Use a hyphen between parts of compound modifiers (two or more
words that express a single concept) preceding a
noun. Do not hyphenate compound modifiers following a noun. Never hyphenate adverbs ending in
ly. Consider the following examples.
The first-quarter report
The report reflects the earning of the first quarter
An easily understood concept
It is acceptable to use a hyphen to divide words at
the end of a line of type. Most word processing software does this automatically. One-syllable words
should never be divided and multi-syllable words
should only be broken between syllables. All numerical compound modifiers between twenty-one
and ninety-nine are hyphenated.
29
PUNCTUATION
Italics (Italics)
Use italics (or slanted type) for the titles of books,
plays, manuscripts, magazines, trains, and ships. Italics can also be used to emphasize word or foreign
phrases. In handwritten text, italics are denoted by
underlining.
Parentheses ( )
Parentheses should be used sparingly to include
nonessential material. Refrain from overusing parentheses. They are jarring to the reader, and the desire
to use them is evidence that the sentence is becoming too confusing. Consider rewriting it in another
way. Parentheses should be used to identify the use
of an acronym or abbreviation on the first reference.
For instance:
(ADAA)
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Parentheses must always be used in pairs. Place a period outside a parentheses if the words inside are
not a complete sentence (such as this fragment).
(This parentheses contain a complete sentence, so
the period is inside the closing parentheses.)
When a phrase is a complete sentence (this is an example) but is dependent on the supporting sentence
for its meaning, do not capitalize the first word or
place a period at the end.
Period (.)
The period is most commonly used to denote the
end of a sentence. Periods may also be used for abbreviations; however, this practice is becoming obsolete. As a general rule, initials should contain a period but abbreviations that are only initials should
not contain periods.
Street, avenue, and boulevard must be abbreviated
30
when part of a numbered address, but should be

written out otherwise. For more information and
examples regarding the use of periods in abbreviations, see the abbreviations section on page 35 of
this manual.
Periods can also be used in place of a question mark
after a polite request or rhetorical question.
Can you please send me a copy.
What would I do without Bill Morrows help.
In formal writing, there should be one space after a
period. Periods always go inside quotation marks.
Question Marks (?)

Use a question mark at the end of a direct question.
In the event that there is a series of questions, use a
question mark at the end of the complete sentence
and separate the phrases with commas.
Did Maury Getz balance the budget, set spending, and
encourage fiscal responsibility?
Do not use a question mark after an indirect question. A question mark can either go inside or outside quotation marks, depending on the meaning. It
supersedes the comma at the end of a direct quote.
When used in formal correspondence, there is a single space after each question mark. Consider the following examples.
Steve Bocian asked how the deficit began.
How did the deficit begin? Janet Shaw inquired.
Who wrote The Power of Money?
Where is it? Candace asked.
Quotation Marks ()
Quotation marks are used to set off direct quotations or to indicate that a word is used in an ironic
or unusual way. They are also used to set off book
chapters, poems, or short stories.
PUNCTUATION
When used in formal correspondence, the period

and comma go inside the quotation marks. All other
marks of punctuation go within the quotes when
they apply only to the quote material and outside
when they apply to the entire sentence.
Semicolon (;)
Use a semicolon to join related independent clauses;
it provides more separation than the comma, but
less than the period. A semicolon can also be used
to separate items in a series that already contain
commas. Consider the following example.
The committee includes Allison Frank, food; Deb Green,

music; and Paulette Clem, games.
In formal correspondence, use one space after a
semicolon. Depending on the nature of the quote,
the semicolon can either go inside or outside the
quotation marks.
Underlining
Refrain from underlining text. The use of italics is
preferred. Please refer to italics on the preceding
page for details concerning proper use.
31
CAPITALIZATION
This section lists the basic rules of capitalization.
For questions beyond the scope of this manual, refer
to Websters Dictionary or The Associated Press Stylebook.
Proper Nouns
Capitalize the proper names of people, places, and
things. Do not capitalize nouns that have general
meaning. Capitalize common nouns used as proper
nouns or when they are an integral part of a person,
place, or thing. Lowercase the common noun parts
of a name in all plural uses. Some common nouns
are capitalized because they refer to a proper noun.
Refer to the Elements of Style section of the manual
for additional details.
Common
Proper
a pretty woman
Michelle Strasnick
interstate highway
the Baltimore Beltway
electric company
General Electric
political party
Democratic Party
the parties
Democratic and Republican parties
a registered voter
a registered Republican
state government (any

state other than Maryland)
State government
(referring to Maryland)
Derivatives of Proper Nouns

Capitalize words that are derived from a proper
noun and still depend on that proper noun for their
meaning. Derivatives that are understood without
the proper noun must be lowercase. See the following examples.
32
Root
Derivative
French
french fries
(the language or culture french toast
of France)
Venetian
(the culture of Venice)
venetian blinds
venetian glass
Paris
plaster of paris
Sentences
Capitalize the first word in all sentences. Also capitalize the first word in a bulleted list. The first letter
in a phrase of poetry may also be capitalized, even
though it is not a complete sentence.
Compositions
Capitalize the principle words in all book and magazine titles as well as plays, musical compositions,
songs, art works, and television and radio programs.
Acronyms
A list of commonly used acronyms is located on
page 36 of this manual. The general rule for acronyms is to spell out the meaning on the first reference followed immediately by the acronym in all
capitals in parenthesis. Use only the acronym on
second reference. For example:
...Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration (ADAA)
In some cases, the acronym is more familiar than
the proper noun and may be used on first reference
(for instance, the substance LSD). Check the Style
Section for more examples of acronyms that are acceptable on first use.
Please refer to the table on the following page for
more examples of capitalization rules.
RULES OF CAPITALIZATION
Capitalize
Example
Proper nouns
Jeffrey Allison, Baltimore City, Maryland
Common nouns used as proper nouns
Wall Street, Federal Express, United Way
Names of organized bodies
Maryland House of Delegates

the Catholic Church
Calendar days, months, seasons and holidays
Tuesday, March, Christmas, Spring
Titles used with names
President Clinton
Peter F. Luongo, Director
Courtesy titles before and after a name
Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., Gov.
Geographic regions or localities
North America
the Middle East
the Western Hemisphere
The first word in a sentence
Today is Odessas birthday.
The first word in a direct quote
Angela Chaffin said, Happy birthday Odessa.
The first word in a bulleted list
The following are not capitalized:

The first word following a semicolon
Words in quotation marks that are
not direct quotes
A fragment in literature or poetry
Two roads diverged in a woods and I-,

I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost
Titles of publications, documents, acts, television and radio programming
Trends and Patterns, Synar Report, House Bill 7
33
GRAMMAR
Plurals
Numbers
For most words, just add s. Consult the following

table for additional guidelines. Keep in mind that
these are basic guidelines and that the English language has many exceptions.
Write out zero through ten and first to tenth. Use

the cardinal number from 11 onward. Eleventh is
spelled out at the beginning of a sentence but is denoted 11th elsewhere. All numbers must be spelled
out if they begin a sentence.
Words ending
in...
Plural Ending
Example
CH, S, SH, SS,

X, Z
ES
bushes, buzzes
IS
ES
theses
Change Y to I
and add ES
armies, cities
exception: donkeys
ES
heroes
Compound
solid words
Add S
handfuls
Numbers that end in more than four zeros should

be written in text unless the context of the publication calls for an exact figure. Consider the following
examples:
There is a $12 million deficit.
The exact budget for this project is $12,201,000.
We spent approximately $1.7 billion on this project.
Prefixes
Compound
The first word
separated words becomes plural
attorneys general
Last names end- ES

ing in ES, S, or
the Davises,
Joneses
Last names end- S

ing in Y
Kennedys
Numbers
1980s or 20s
Single letters
As
Multiple letters
ABCs, IOUs
34
Spell out all fractions (three-fifths). Percent must be

spelled out (60 percent or 1 percent). If the percentage is less than one percent precede it by a zero (0.7
percent).
The general rule is to hyphenate when the word begins with the same vowel. Do not hyphenate when
the word starts with a consonant. Use a hyphen if
the word that follows is capitalized. For example:
pre-election
posttest
pretest
mid-Atlantic
Suffixes
Use two words for verb forms and hyphenate nouns
and adjectives. Consider the following examples.
Verb
Noun/Adjective
follow up
follow-up
trade off
trade-off
GRAMMAR
Abbreviations
Addiction Certification Abbreviations
Abbreviations are acceptable in formal writing. For

abbreviations that are not obvious, always write out
the phrase immediately followed by the abbreviation
in parentheses. Use only the abbreviation on subsequent references. Other than the following list of
exceptions, do not use periods after the letters.
The following list contains the Maryland Addiction

Certifications, their abbreviations, and the basic requirements for each level. For more detailed information on this subject, consult the Maryland Board
of Professional Counselors and Therapists Web site
at www.dhmh.state.md.us/bopc/html/licreg.html.
Exception
Abbreviation
Academic degrees
Ph.D., B.A.
Time designations
a.m., p.m.
For example
e.g.
That is
i.e.
Names except those that

are all initials
C. Wayne Kempske
JFK
Regarding addresses, the rule of thumb is to spell

them out if the address is non-numeric and abbreviate them in an exact numerical address. Please refer
to the chart on this page.
Abbreviations
Street, Avenue and
Boulevard must be abbreviated if part of a
numbered address
Example
Abbreviation
Title
CSC-AD Certified Su-

pervised
Counselor
Alcohol and
Drug
CAC-AD Certified As-

sociate
Counselor
Alcohol and
Drug
Wade Avenue
55 Wade Ave.
Street addresses on en- 55 WADE AVE

velopes should be abbre- 123 MAIN ST
viated with no periods
Abbreviate compass
points when used as
part of a numerical address
999 NW Main St.
Write out the compass

point if the number is
omitted
North West Main Street
CPC-AD Certified
Professional
Counselor
Alcohol and
Drugs
LCPC
Requirements
Licensed
Clinical Professional
Counselor
Associates Degree in
Human Services
15 credits addiction
education
Two years or 2,000
hours treatment experience
Pass examination
Bachelors Degree in Human Services
20 credits of addiction
education
Three years or 2000
hours treatment experience
Pass examination
Masters Degree or
higher in Human Services
25 credits of addiction
education
Three years of treatment
experience
Pass examination
Meet the CPC-AD requirements
60 hours graduate
coursework in various
aspects of treatment
35
ACRONYMS
BGR- Bureau of Governmental Research- This bureau
facilitates the integration of data and scientific
knowledge to improve policy and practice by private
and public sector agencies in the fields of treatment,
social services, public health, and criminal justice.
BSAS- Baltimore Substance Abuse System- This substance abuse prevention and treatment agency is responsible for Baltimore City programs.
CESAR- Center for Substance Abuse Research- This research center conducts policy-relevant research on
specific initiatives to prevent, treat, and control substance abuse, and evaluate prevention and treatment
programs.
CIRMIS- Centralized Intake and Referral Management
Information System- This is the database into which
SAMIS data from Baltimore City funded programs are inputted.
CSAP- Center for Substance Abuse Prevention- This is a
unique, federally funded program designed to disseminate information, increase dialog, and promote
community empowerment to combat alcohol and
other drug problems.
CSAT- Center for Substance Abuse Treatment- This is a
unique federally funded program designed to improve treatment services and make them more available to those in need.
DAC- Maryland Drug and Alcohol Council- This Council was created to coordinate drug and alcohol treatment activities and funding across State agencies.
DHMH- Department of Health and Mental HygieneThis State department is responsible for assuring
that the people of Maryland have appropriate access
to high quality health care at a reasonable cost to individuals, employers, and taxpayers.
36
e-SAMIS- Electronic Substance Abuse Management Information System-This is the electronic version of
SAMIS.
HATS - (formerly HIDTA Automated Tracking System)
now University of Maryland Automated Tracking
System This is a client-server based computer software program designed by and for treatment and
criminal justice agency staff working with clients
who may or may not be involved with multiple agencies.
HIDTA- High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area- The
HIDTA program enhances and coordinates drug
control efforts among local, state, and federal law
enforcement agencies.
NIH- National Institute of Health The principal biomedical research arm of the federal government. It
oversees the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism (NIAA) and the National Institute on Drug
Abuse (NIDA).
QSOA- Quality Service Organizational Agreement- This
is a written agreement between a service organization and a federally assisted provider of alcohol or
substance abuse treatment.
SAMHSA- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration- This federal agency was established
by Congress to strengthen the nations health care
capacity to provide prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services for substance abuse and mental illnesses. It oversees the Office of Applied Studies (OAS).
SAMIS- Substance Abuse Management Information System- This is the client-based system to which all certified alcohol and drug abuse treatment programs are
required to report.
STATE ORGANIZATIONS
ADAA
ATGC
BCCC
BPW
CHR
COMP
DAT
DBED
DBM
DBFP
DEAF
DGS
DHCD
DHMH
DHR
DJJ
DLLR
DMIL
DMSP
DNR
DOP
DPSC
GSA
GWIB
EXEC
IEMS
IRMA
IWIF
JUD
MAIF
MDA
MDE
MDLC
MDOT
MDVC
MEMA
MES
MFCA
MGA
MHEC

Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland
Baltimore City Community College
Board of Public Works
Commission of Human Relations, Maryland
Comptroller of the Treasury
Department of Assessments & Taxation
Department of Business and Economic Development
Department of Budget and Management
Department of Budget & Fiscal Planning
Deaf, Maryland School for the
Department of General Services
Department of Housing and Community Development
Department of Human Resources
Department of Juvenile Justice
Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation
Department of the Military
Department of the Maryland State Police
Department of Natural Resources
Department of Personnel
Department of Public Safety & Correctional Systems
General Services Administration
Governor's Workforce Investment Board
Executive Department
Institute for Emergency Medical Services System, Maryland
Information Resource Management Administration
Injured Workers' Insurance Fund
Judiciary of Maryland
Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund
Maryland Department of Agriculture
Maryland Department of Environment
Maryland Disability Law Center
Maryland Department of Transportation
Maryland Veteran's Commission
Maryland Emergency Management Agency
Maryland Environmental Service
Maryland Food Center Authority
Maryland General Assembly
Maryland Higher Education Commission
37
STATE ORGANIZATIONS
MHHA
MIA
MOP
MPT
MSA
MSDE
MSLA
MSRA
MSU
MTC
MTSR
NWDA
OAG
OAH
OOA
PCPS
PDS
PSC
PSCP
PTAB
SBCA
SBEL
SEC
SIF
SPO
TCW
TREA
UEF
UMS
VHC
WIC
38
Maryland Health & Higher Education Facilities Authority

Maryland Insurance Administration
Maryland Office of Planning
Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission
Maryland State Archives
Maryland State Department of Education
Maryland State Lottery Agency
Maryland State Retirement Agency
Morgan State University
Maryland Tax Court
Maryland Teacher and State Employees Supplemental Retirement Plans
Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority
Office of the Attorney General
Office of Administrative Hearings
Office on Aging
People's Counsel, Office of
Public Defender System
Public Service Commission
Public School Construction Program
Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board
State Board of Contract Appeals, Maryland
State Administrative Board of Election Laws
State Ethics Commission
Subsequent Injury Board
State Prosecutor, Office of
Tri-County Council of Western Maryland, Inc.
Treasurer's Office, Maryland State
Uninsured Employer's Fund Board
University of Maryland System
Veteran's Home Commission
Worker's Compensation Commission
ELEMENTS OF STYLE
Administration Capitalize when referring to the
ADAA. Lowercase elsewhere.
affect/effect As a verb, affect means to influence.

As a noun it means emotion (the patients affect). Effect as a verb means to cause. As a noun it means
result (the effect of a drug).
age Kenneth Obst is a 60-year-old male. Kenneth is

60 years old. Kenneth is in his 60s (no apostrophe).
AIDS Acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

AIDS is acceptable on first reference.
a.m./p.m. Lowercase with periods (11 a.m.).
all right Never use alright.
bylaw Not by-law.
cannot Do not use cant or can not.
Capital/Capitol Capital refers to a seat of power.

Annapolis is the capital of Maryland. Capitol refers to
all state or federal capitol buildings. Capitalize when
used with the State. The Maryland Capitol Building is
in Annapolis.
CD Use compact disc on first reference.
Congress Capitalize when referring to the United

States Congress.
congressional Lowercase unless part of a proper

name.
county Capitalize when part of a proper name

(Howard County) but lowercase when plural (Howard
and Baltimore counties). Lowercase when not part of a
proper name (county health department).
court Capitalize the formal names of all courts.

(The State Superior Court).
courthouse One word. Capitalize when part of a

jurisdiction (Baltimore County Courthouse), otherwise
lowercase (the courthouse). Also courtroom.
cut back/cutback Cut back is a verb (the State cut

back spending). Cutback is a noun and adjective. The
budget deficit will cause a cutback in spending.
data/datum Data is plural (the data are). Datum is

singular (the datum is).
database One word.

cell phone Two words.
39
ELEMENTS OF STYLE
days of the week Capitalize and do not abbreviate
(Thursday, October 24, 2002).
district Do not abbreviate. Capitalize when part of

a proper name (the 31st Legislative District).
District of Columbia Spell out when used alone.

Abbreviate to D.C. when used with Washington.
drugs Use to describe illegal substances. Use medicine or medication when used legitimately.
drug-free Hyphenate.
drunk/drunken Use drunk after a noun. The driver

was drunk. Use drunken before a noun (a drunken
driver).
e-mail Acceptable on first reference for electronic

mail or message. Capitalize at the beginning of a sentence. Words like e-business and e-commerce follow the same rules.
Ecstasy Capitalize when referring to the illegal substance.
-elect Hyphenate and lowercase (Governor-elect Robert

L. Ehrlich, Jr.).
ex As a prefix, ex is not followed by a hyphen when

it means out of (excommunicate). It is usually hyphenated when referring to former (ex-wife, exgovernor). In these instances, it is often better to use
former (former governor).
farther/further Farther is physical distance; further

is time.
fax Use as a substitute for a facsimile or the machine as a noun or a verb. It can be used on first
reference. The plural is faxes.
federal Lowercase unless part of a government

agencys tile (federal funding, federal court, Federal
Reserve).
fewer/less Use fewer for individual items and less

for bulk. Less money, fewer applicants.
former Lowercase before a title (former Governor

Parris Glendening).
government Always lowercase (the State government).
governmental bodies Always capitalize (the Maryland Department of Mental Health and Hygiene).
Greater Baltimore Capitalize when referring to a
geographic area.
40
ELEMENTS OF STYLE
health care Two words.
diethylamide. Avoid the slang acid.
heroin Lowercase; it is no longer a trademark.
marijuana Always lowercase. Avoid the slang word

pot.
holidays Capitalize them.

Medicaid/Medicare Capitalize both.
home page Two words.
House of Delegates Capitalize when referring to the

Maryland law-making body. It is acceptable to use
The House on subsequent references.
memorandum/memorandums Do not use memoranda or memoranda's. Memo and memos are acceptable substitutes.
methadone Lower case.

HTTP Hypertext transfer protocol is lowercase in
Web addresses but otherwise capitalized. The same
is true for hypertext markup language HTML.
nationwide One word, no hyphen.
nighttime One word. Avoid using nite.

Internet Always capitalize but lowercase intranet.
OK, OKd, OKs OKing Do not use okay.
its/its Its is a contraction for it is. Its our decision.
Its is a possessive pronoun. ADAA made its decision.
jury Always lowercase and takes a singular verb.
-like/like As a suffix, hyphenate only if there is a

triple l (shell-like, lifelike). As a prefix, there is generally a hyphen like-minded, but likelihood and likewise
are exceptions.
LSD Acceptable on first reference for lysergic acid
online One word.
oral Use oral as opposed to verbal when referring to

a spoken agreement or statement.
patient Do not use client. Offender is acceptable

when appropriate.
political divisions Use figures and capitalize the first

word following the figures (21st Precinct).
41
ELEMENTS OF STYLE
preventive Use as opposed to preventative.
television and radio stations Use the call letters in

all capitals. NBC affiliate WBAL.
Quaalude is a trade name and must be capitalized.

tobaccos Plural for tobacco.
quasi- As a prefix it is usually hyphenated.
toward He was coming toward us. Do not use towards.
radio stations See television and radio stations.
TV Acceptable on first reference for television.
ratios Use figures and hyphens. 2-to-1 ratio.
R.S.V.P. For the French repondez sil vous plait, it

means please reply.
self As a prefix, it is always followed by a hyphen

(self-interest, self-defense).
URL A Uniform Resource Locator is an Internet

address. In the address http://www.maryland-adaa.
org/samis, http is the method of transfer, marylandadaa is the server, org is the domain, and samis is
the folder. Try to fit the URL on one line. If it does
not fit, break it in two lines without a hyphen.
veto, vetoes, vetoed, vetoing

Social Security Capitalize when referring to the
United States Social Security System.
the Web Capitalize when referring to the World

Wide Web.
State Always capitalize when referring to Maryland.

Web page, Web site Two words.
Statewide Capitalize when referring to Maryland.
webcam, webcast, webmaster Lowercase one word.
telephone numbers Use figures with parentheses
around the area code. Use a comma to separate the
extension from the main number. (410) 4028600,
ext. 8611.
workstation One word.
workweek One word. The same for workday.
42
FORMATTING DRAFTS
Adding a Time and Date Stamp
Tracking Changes
When formatting publications that are expected to

go through multiple revisions, it is important that
the document clearly specify the date of the last revision. The original drafter is also responsible for
placing a time and date stamp on the original document. This information must go on the top right
side of the document header. Once in place, Word
automatically changes the date following a revision.
More information on setting up this feature is in the
box below.
When a document goes through multiple revisions

by several editors, it can be difficult to track the revisions and determine from whom they originated.
As a result, ADAA requires that all edits be done by
using the Track Changes feature in Microsoft
Word.
Constructing a Header with a Time

and Date Stamp.
1. On the main toolbar click View.
2. Select Header and Footer.
3. A toolbar will appear. On that toolbar, click the button for Date and
then click the button for Time.
4. Right justify the text.
5. Click Close on the Header and
Footer Toolbar.
6. The time date stamp is now added.
Any revision to the document will be
reflected in the document header.
Renaming Documents
After revision, a new copy of the document should
be saved with the date attached to the title. This can
be achieved by clicking save as and adding the
date to the end of the document title. Consider the
following examples:
Microsoft
Word
FY03
IT (2).lnk
Microsoft
Word
FY03
IT (2).lnk
Master Plan
Master Plan
(01.10.03)
The use of this feature assures that the intended recipients receive the most up-to-date draft of the material. The Track Changes features assigns a different color to the text of each editor. Any changes
made to the document by that editor will appear in
a color unique to them.
The original author has the ability to either accept
or reject any or all of the changes. Please refer to the
instructional box for information on how to use this
feature.
Using the Tracking Change Feature

1. On the main toolbar click Tools.
2. Click Track Changes.
3. When this feature is enabled, a new
toolbar will appear on your main
toolbar.
4. The Track Changes Toolbar has several buttons. It will allow you to accept or reject changes and add or
delete comments. By clicking on
the scroll-down window, you can
view the original or the final with
or without the edit marks.
5. The feature can be disabled by
clicking on Track Changes a second time.
43
REFERENCES
Goldstein, Norm. The Associated Press Stylebook. Cambridge, Mass.: Perseus, 2002.
Governors Office Correspondence Manual. State of Maryland.
Guth, Hans. The New English Handbook. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing, 1985.
Sabin, William. The Gregg Reference Manual, Eight Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996.
Strunk, William and White, E.B. The Elements of Style. New York: Longman, 2000. Online at:
http://www.bartleby.com/141/.
United States Government Correspondence Manual, 1992. Washington D.C.
Websters Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary. Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1985.
Websters online. www.m-w.com.
44
ADDICTION WEB SITES

Addiction Technology Transfer Centers www.nattc.org
Al-Anon/Alateen www.al-anon.alateen.org
Alcohol Epidemiology Program of U. of Minnesota www.epi.umn.edu/alcohol
Alcohol & Drug Abuse Administration (Maryland) www.maryland-adaa.org
Alcoholics Anonymous www.aa.org
Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research www.alcoholism-cer.com
Alcohol Screening www.alcoholscreening.org
The Alliance Project www.defeataddiction.com
American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry www.aaap.org
American Medical Association (AMA) www.ama-assn.org
American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) www.asam.org
Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems www.bsasinc.org
Booze News www.cspinet.org/booze
Center on Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) www.cesar.umd.edu
Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse www.casacolumbia.org
Centers for Disease Control www.cdc.gov
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America www.cadca.org
Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study www.datos.org
Drug Policy Library www.druglibrary.org
Drug Reform Coordination Network www.drcnet.org
DrugSense www.drugsense.org
Drug Strategies www.drugstrategies.org
Employee Assistance Professionals Association www.eap-association.org
Faces and Voices of Recovery www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org
Getting Them Sober Foundation www.gettingthemsober.com
Governor's Office on Crime Control and Prevention www.goccp.org
Harm Reduction Training Institute www.harmreduction.org
Health Care for the Homeless www.hchmd.org
Health Policy Tracking Services www.hpts.org
Just Facts www.justfacts.org
Join Together www.jointogether.org
Legal Action Center www.lac.org
Drug Policy Alliance www.drugpolicy.org
Maryland Addiction Counselor Certification Board www.maccb.com
Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations www.mdnonprofit.org
Maryland Budget & Tax Policy Institute www.marylandpolicy.org
45
ADDICTION WEB SITES

Maryland Citizens Health Initiative www.healthcareforall.org
Maryland General Assembly http://mlis.state.md.us
MedChi - the Maryland State Medical Society www.medchi.org
Mental Health Association of Maryland www.mhamd.org
Mothers Against Drunk Driving www.madd.org
Narcotics Anonymous www.na.org
National Alliance for the Mentally ill of Maryland http://md.nami.org
National Association for Addiction Professionals www.naadac.org
National Association of State Alcohol & Drug Abuse Directors www.nasadad.org
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol & Drug Information www.health.org
National Commission Against Drunk Driving www.ncadd.com
National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence www.ncadd.org
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism www.niaaa.nih.gov
National Institute on Drug Abuse www.nida.nih.gov
National Treatment Plan "Changing the Conversation" www.natxplan.org
Office of National Drug Control Policy www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov
Oxy Abuse Kills www.oxyabusekills.com
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation www.pire.org
Physician Leadership on National Drug Policy www.caas.brown.edu/plndp
Prescription Anonymous, Inc. (RxA) www.prescriptionanonymous.org
RecoveryWorks www.recoveryworks.org
The Slugger's Path www.sluggerspath.com
Smoke Free Maryland www.smokefreemd.org
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration www.samhsa.gov
Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov
THOMAS (Congressional Website) http://thomas.loc.gov
Underage Drinking Coalitions www.epi.umn.edu/alcohol/coalition
White House www.whitehouse.gov
46
47
Sta te of Mar yland

D epartme nt of H ealth an d M en tal Hygi ene

55 Wade Ave.
Phone: (410) 402-8600
Fax: (410) 402-8602
E-mail: www.maryland-adaa.org
48

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St a te o f Ma r yla nd

Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., Governor

The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration (ADAA) is an agency committed to

Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration

Carol Ann Michalik

Choosing a Type of Correspondence.

Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration

Use a memorandum for correspondence within

ADAA General Formatting Guidelines

E-mail may be used for routine communications

Spacing: Use single spacing within each

Use ADAA letterhead bond for the first page of a

Font: Times New Roman

Style: Use block style. All elements are

Peter F. Luongo, Ph.D.

Dear Dr. Smith:

Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration

LETTERS AND MEMORANDUMS

Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Governor - Nelson J. Sabatini, Secretary

Peter F. Luongo, Ph.D.

April 11, 2002

Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration

From: Michalik, Carol Ann <cmichalik@dhmh.state.md.us>

Dear Ms. Shupe:

Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration

It is good practice to keep your receipts. Whenever

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE

TOTAL NO. OF PAGES INCLUDING COVER:

SENDERS PHONE NUMBER:

PLEASE COMMENT PLEASE REPLY PLEASE RECYCLE

Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration

ENVELOPES AND LABELS

Font: Times New Roman. The Postal

Use single spacing in block style. If a particular

Spacing: Single-space the address in

When sending a letter to someone within an

Titles: Use the name of the addressee

All mail is collected and distributed through the

Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration

Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration

TITLES AND DEGREES

of The Reverend, do not use academic degrees

TITLES AND DEGREES

Information on federal officials can be found on the

Titles of Birth Rank

Order of Multiple Titles

Academic degrees (by most recently received)

Honorary degrees (by most recently bestowed)

Companies and Corporations

Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration

FORMS OF ADDRESS SAMPLES

ADDRESS ON LETTER AND

The Honorable (full name)

Dear Mr./Madam Governor:

Spouse of the Governor

Mr. or Mrs. (full name)

Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. (surname):

Assistant to the Governor or

The Honorable (full name)

Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. (surname):

The Honorable (full name)

Dear Governor (surname):

The Honorable (full name)