CSC Style Guide

Transcription

CSC Style Guide

OCTOBER 2012
Corporate Editorial Styleguide
Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................... 1
Editorial References ............................................................................................. 1
Online References — IT Terminology ............................................................. 1
Online References — Acronyms ..................................................................... 1
CSC Name ................................................................................................. 3
CSC vs. Computer Sciences Corporation ............................................................ 3
In Press Releases ........................................................................................... 3
In Proposals .................................................................................................... 3
In Marketing Material ....................................................................................... 3
Correct Pronoun ................................................................................................... 3
CSC President and CEO ...................................................................................... 3
CSC Business Units and Presidents .................................................................... 3
CSC Products and Services ................................................................................. 3
Words and Phrases for Legal Consideration ........................................................ 4
CSC Boilerplate and Publications ........................................................... 4
CSC Resources and Contacts ................................................................. 6
Abbreviations ............................................................................................ 8
General Rules....................................................................................................... 8
Academic Degrees ............................................................................................... 8
Addresses............................................................................................................. 8
―Continued‖ ........................................................................................................... 8
Countries .............................................................................................................. 9
Courtesy Titles...................................................................................................... 9
Fiscal Year............................................................................................................ 9
Inc. and Co. .......................................................................................................... 9
Initials in Proper Names ....................................................................................... 9
Jr. and Sr. ............................................................................................................. 9
State Names ......................................................................................................... 9
American State Abbreviations — U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and
Associated Press (AP) .................................................................................. 10
Acronyms ................................................................................................ 11
General Rules..................................................................................................... 11
Acronyms Not to Spell Out ................................................................................. 12
When to Spell Out Acronyms.............................................................................. 12
Acronyms in Headings ........................................................................................ 12
Bulleted Lists .......................................................................................... 13
Full-Sentence Style ............................................................................................ 13
Phrase Style ....................................................................................................... 13
Lists in Running Text .......................................................................................... 13
Mixed Style (Time-Limited Editing Only) ............................................................. 13
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Capitalization .......................................................................................... 14
Title Case ........................................................................................................... 14
Examples ...................................................................................................... 14
Other Capitalization Guidelines and Examples................................................... 14
Quick-Reference Guide ................................................................................. 14
Acronyms ...................................................................................................... 15
Acronym Lists................................................................................................ 15
Department Names ....................................................................................... 15
Directions and Regions ................................................................................. 15
―Federal‖ and ―Government‖.......................................................................... 16
Help Desk...................................................................................................... 16
Job Titles ....................................................................................................... 16
Keyboard Items ............................................................................................. 16
Plans and Documents ................................................................................... 17
Exhibits (Including Figures and Tables) ............................................... 17
Format ..................................................................................................... 18
Color Palette ....................................................................................................... 18
Fonts .................................................................................................................. 18
Boldface ........................................................................................................ 18
Italics ............................................................................................................. 18
Underlining .................................................................................................... 19
Latin Abbreviations ............................................................................................. 19
Notes .................................................................................................................. 19
Page Layout Proofing ......................................................................................... 19
Punctuation......................................................................................................... 19
Spacing After Punctuation ............................................................................. 19
Nonbreaking Spaces and Hyphens Within Phrases ...................................... 20
Punctuation Marks That Follow Special Formatting ...................................... 20
Quote Marks and Apostrophes...................................................................... 20
Superscript ......................................................................................................... 20
Number Style........................................................................................... 21
Quick-Reference Guide ...................................................................................... 21
Mixed Number Style ........................................................................................... 21
Highways and Road Numbers ............................................................................ 22
Ages ................................................................................................................... 22
Money ................................................................................................................. 22
Millions and Billions ............................................................................................ 22
Fractions ............................................................................................................. 22
Measurement...................................................................................................... 23
Month, Day, and Year ......................................................................................... 23
Years in Plural Form ..................................................................................... 23
Ordinals .............................................................................................................. 23
Percent ............................................................................................................... 24
Signs and Symbols ............................................................................................. 24
Multiplication Symbol .................................................................................... 24
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Ratios ............................................................................................................ 24
Other Symbols .............................................................................................. 24
Telephone and Fax Numbers ............................................................................. 24
Temperature ....................................................................................................... 24
Time ................................................................................................................... 24
Military Time .................................................................................................. 25
Punctuation ............................................................................................. 25
Apostrophes ....................................................................................................... 25
Colons ................................................................................................................ 25
Commas ............................................................................................................. 25
Serial Commas.............................................................................................. 25
Independent vs. Dependent Clauses ............................................................ 26
Phrases ......................................................................................................... 26
Following e.g., etc., and i.e............................................................................ 26
Dashes ............................................................................................................... 26
Em Dash ....................................................................................................... 26
En Dash ........................................................................................................ 27
Ellipsis Symbols (Ellipses) .................................................................................. 27
Exclamation Marks ............................................................................................. 28
Hyphens ............................................................................................................. 28
Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes .............................................................. 28
Hyphens and Unit Modifiers .......................................................................... 28
Parentheses ....................................................................................................... 30
Period ................................................................................................................. 30
Quotation Marks ................................................................................................. 30
Quotation Marks with Other Punctuation Marks ............................................ 30
Semicolon ........................................................................................................... 32
Semicolon with Two Independent Clauses.................................................... 32
Semicolon in Lists ......................................................................................... 32
Trademarks and Copyrights .................................................................. 32
Guide to Symbols ............................................................................................... 32
When to Use Symbols ........................................................................................ 32
Which Symbol to Use ......................................................................................... 32
Standard Proprietary Statement ......................................................................... 33
Standard Copyright Statement ........................................................................... 33
Using Copyrighted Material from Other Sources ................................................ 33
Using Material from Websites ....................................................................... 34
Other Information on Copyright ..................................................................... 34
Using Other Organizations‘ Logos ................................................................ 34
Appendix 1 — Writing in CSC Brand ..................................................... 36
Appendix 2 — Standard Words and Acronyms List ............................. 37
Appendix 3 — British English vs. American English ........................... 75
Spelling ............................................................................................................... 75
Differences in Meaning ....................................................................................... 77
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Some Other Words and Phrases ........................................................................ 77
CSC — Singular or Plural? ................................................................................. 78
Punctuation......................................................................................................... 78
Period (Full Stop) .......................................................................................... 78
Quotation Marks ............................................................................................ 78
End-of-Line Hyphenation............................................................................... 78
Date Style ........................................................................................................... 78
More Resources ................................................................................................. 78
On the Web ................................................................................................... 78
In Print ........................................................................................................... 79
Appendix 4 — Standard Back Cover for Proposals and Brochures ... 80
Appendix 5 — Standard Proofreading Marks (for Hard Copy) ............ 82
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Introduction
CSC communicators worldwide are faced with the challenge of presenting written material consistent with
the company‘s corporate identity. The CSC Corporate Editorial Styleguide can help you create
communications that are not only in keeping with the corporate identity, but are also more credible and
appealing to readers.
In this guide you will find three main types of guidelines:

All About CSC. CSC preferences for using the company name or referring to departments/services;
list of CSC resources for fact checking

Rules of the Road. Guidance concerning appropriate style, usage, and proper punctuation

Terms and Acronyms. A quick reference for CSC-relevant terms and acronyms that are important to
spell, hyphenate, abbreviate, and capitalize consistently
Industry lingo changes constantly, and this guide will be updated frequently. Please send any suggestions
for revisions or additions to Brigitte Coulton in CSC Creative Services ([email protected]).
Editorial References
This guide is your most comprehensive line of defense against errors and inconsistencies. However, for
certain issues, other references may be necessary. For each proposal, the lead editor generates a words
list with guidance on the treatment of words, acronyms, and general issues specific to that proposal. This
words list, though a supplement to this guide, should be your first reference. If you cannot find the answer
you need in the words list or this guide, you will need to consult other references and coordinate with
other editors. Any issue not covered in this guide should be addressed in the proposal-specific words list
and communicated to the editing team by the lead editor.
Consult references in the following order:
1. Proposal-specific words list
2. CSC Corporate Editorial Styleguide
3. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary — merriam-webster.com
4. AP Stylebook Online (free resources available at apstylebook.com under ―Ask the Editor‖)
Online References — IT Terminology
IT jargon often changes more quickly than either dictionaries or this guide can follow. Try the following
―e-glossaries‖ if you are faced with an unfamiliar IT term:

ComputerUser Dictionary
computeruser.com/resources/dictionary

TechWeb TechEncyclopedia
techweb.com/encyclopedia
Online References — Acronyms
Acronyms are a significant element of IT language, but their definitions are sometimes elusive. In addition
to Web search engines, a particularly useful site for finding acronym meanings is:

acronymfinder.com
If your research reveals multiple spellouts for an acronym, be sure to query the author, rather than simply
guessing at which is correct. Many proposal managers would prefer that editors simply query spellouts
rather than research them. Ask for guidance from the lead editor or coordinator.
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All About CSC
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CSC Name
This section offers guidelines on how to present the company name.
CSC vs. Computer Sciences Corporation
In Press Releases
In the text of press releases, the company is described as CSC (NYSE: CSC).
Keep mention of CSC individual business groups or operating units to a minimum. Refer to these CSC
entities only when necessary. Such references should read as, e.g., ―CSC‘s North American Public
Sector.‖
For more information on preparing press releases, contact CSC‘s Media Relations team, listed at
csc.com/newsroom/contact_us.
In Proposals
Use the company name CSC for the "marketing‖ portion of a proposal, cover letter, and Executive
Summary. The name Computer Sciences Corporation should be used only on the first mention of the
company in legal documents and copyright citations.
In Marketing Material
In the main text/copy for brochures, advertisements, and other marketing material, refer to the company
as CSC.
Correct Pronoun
When referring to CSC, in general, use we and our. The words CSC and our may be used in the same
sentence. In press releases, however, always use it and its or the company’s.
Proposal:
We will bring the talent of our employees to the contract.
Press release:
CSC will bring the talent of its employees to the contract.
CSC President and CEO
Mr. Lawrie‘s name should appear in text as shown in this example:
Mike Lawrie, president and chief executive officer of CSC, will attend the briefing.
CSC Business Units and Presidents
To be sure you are handling the names of CSC business units and business unit presidents correctly,
refer to the current corporate organization chart on the Employee InfoCentre page on C3:

https://c3.csc.com/groups/employee-infocentre?view=overview  CSC Organizations
Another resource for information on senior executives is available at:

csc.com/investor_relations/ds/32534-company_information
CSC Products and Services
For guidance on the correct treatment of CSC product and service names, see the Standard Words and
Acronyms List. For information on when to use trademarks and service marks on CSC products and
services, see the Trademarks and Copyrights section.
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Words and Phrases for Legal Consideration
The following table lists words and phrases that may have legal ramifications for CSC in proposals and
other material. For proposals, refer questions and requests for clarification to the capture manager for the
proposal leadership team to verify. For guidance on use in other material, contact CSC‘s legal department
for verification.
Partner/Partnership
CSC draws a distinction between
CSC/customer and CSC/supplier
relationships vs. true legal
partnerships. Seek counsel
before using the term partner or
partnership when referring to
CSC/customer or CSC/supplier
alliances or arrangements.
Alliance
Guarantee/Commit
You may use the term
alliance.
Use caution with the term
guarantee.
Though commit is less
problematic legally, seek counsel
about use of this term as well.
CSC Boilerplate and Publications
CSC maintains various sets of boilerplate text that can be used in brochures, press releases, and
proposals. We also publish a variety of publications, white papers, and documents that can be excerpted
into other documents or handed as-is to clients.
Access to some of the following resources is limited to authorized personnel. If you need information from
these resources, please contact a Creative Services staff editor. The remainder of the information, as
specified, can be found either on csc.com or in this guide.
Type of Boilerplate
or Publication
―About CSC‖ — for
press releases
―About CSC‖ — for
brochures
Use and Contents
Location/Contact
Place at the end of press releases only —
contains financial information that
changes quarterly
Contact Joel Shadle,
Corporate Media Relations
([email protected])
Use for the back cover of brochures
csc.com/styleguide 
Downloads  Print Material 
Boilerplate
csc.com/investor_relations
Annual Report,
Quarterly Highlights,
Form 10K
csc.com/newsroom  Company
Information  Annual and
Quarterly Reports
Awards
Detailed descriptions of CSC awards from
2003 to the present
csc.com  About Us  Industry
Awards and Analyst Rankings
Biographies
csc.com provides bios for CSC‘s officers
and business unit presidents
csc.com  Investor Relations
 Company Information
Copyright Statement
Place at the bottom of Web pages and on
the back cover of proposals, brochures,
and other printed material
This guide, Standard Copyright
Statement
Corporate Overview
Presentation
Use this presentation as-is or adapt it to
suit your needs
https://c3.csc.com/docs/DOC234821
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Type of Boilerplate
or Publication
CSC World magazine
Use and Contents
Location/Contact
CSC‘s business thought leadership
magazine. Contributors include CSC staff,
academics, journalists, consultants, and
researchers from around the world
csc.com/cscworld
CSC Company Profile
This Web page contains information on
the company‘s services, financial data,
strategic programs, and representative
client engagements
csc.com/about_us/ds/29505company_profile
Headquarters,
worldwide
Addresses and phone numbers for CSC‘s
headquarters for the Americas, Asia,
Australia, and Europe, the Middle East,
and Africa
csc.com/contact_us
Investor Relations
Overview of CSC‘s markets, revenues,
and history
csc.com/investor_relations
Leading Edge Forum
(LEF) reports
LEF reports include research, analysis,
and reporting on the state of the
technology marketplace, today and into
the future
csc.com/lef/ds/22182-reports
Management
Principles
Include in any document
csc.com/about_us/ds/29625our_mission_and_management
_principles
Organization Chart
https://c3.csc.com/groups/emplo
yee-infocentre
Press Kit
For members of the media
csc.com/newsroom/flx/24130press_kit
Standard Proprietary
Statement
Place on the title page of all proprietary
documents and proposals
This guide, Standard Proprietary
Statement
Statistics
Information on CSC‘s current quarterly
earnings and number of employees
csc.com/investor_relations/ds/3
2578-financial_reports
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CSC Resources and Contacts
Contact the following individuals if you have questions about CSC communications or publications.
If You Have a
Question About This
CSC editorial style
Contact This Person
Or Get Info Online
Brigitte Coulton
[email protected]
csc.com/styleguide/ds/24001for_writers_editorial_styleguide
CSC visual style
Bryn Metzdorf
[email protected]
csc.com/styleguide
CSC press releases
Media Relations team:
csc.com/newsroom/contact_us
CSC communications
(internal)
Edda Van Winkle
[email protected]
Chris Grandis
[email protected]
CSC communications
(external)
Emily Cooper
[email protected]
CSC communications
(external), POC for
industry analysts
Michaela Lowe
[email protected]
CSC marketing
materials, proposals,
presentations, and
multimedia
Tom Hennessey
[email protected]
csc.com/creativeservices
Translation services
Brigitte Coulton
[email protected]
csc.com/creativeservices
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Rules of the Road
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Abbreviations
General Rules
In running text, do not use:

Abbreviations (such as mgr., comm.). Use abbreviations only in graphical matter, but avoid if
possible.

Latin abbreviations (such as e.g., i.e., or etc.). Use these terms only in parenthetical expressions,
and include a comma after e.g. and i.e.

Symbols (such as the ratio symbol or ampersand). In general, use symbols in exhibits and tables
only. Exceptions: Use the ampersand (&) if it is part of a proper name or acronym (e.g., Johnson &
Johnson, R&D). See the Signs and Symbols section for details.
Moreover, in running text, do not abbreviate:

Tabular references, such as exhibit, figure, reference, or page (e.g., use ―Please see Exhibit 4-3,‖
rather than ―Please see Exhib. 4-3‖)

Days of the week or names of months

State or country names, except when a state name appears with a city name, in which case you
should use the postal code
Academic Degrees
Use the following abbreviations for academic degrees:
BA, BS, MA, MBA, LLD, PhD, BSc
If a degree must be spelled out — when, for example, you know that an individual received a bachelor‘s
degree, but don‘t know whether it was a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science — use the following
conventions:
bachelor‘s degree, master‘s degree, associate‘s degree, doctorate
Addresses
Spell out words such as street and avenue in running text.
CSC‘s corporate headquarters is located at 3170 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, VA.
Abbreviate these terms in address blocks and in tabular material.
7 Fifth Ave., Ste. 140
New York, NY 10020
100 21st St. SW
Washington, DC 20010
For more information, see the entry on State Names.
“Continued”
The abbreviation for continued is Cont’d, usually set in parentheses. Use it after the title on an exhibit that
carries over more than 1 page.
Exhibit 4-2. Acquisitions and Outsourcing (Cont‘d)
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Countries
Do not abbreviate United States except as an adjective.
The help desk in the United States is open 24x7.
The U.S. Help Desk is open 24x7.
Names of countries other than the United States should not be abbreviated except in space-restricted
formats such as exhibits and tables. For standard country abbreviations, please refer to the ISO 3166
codes at www.iso.org/iso/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/country_names_and_code_elements.htm.
Courtesy Titles
Do not use the courtesy titles Mr. or Ms. the first time a person is referred to in text; use the person‘s first
and last name. On second reference, use a title and the last name.
Jane Smith, PhD, took over as IT director. Dr. Smith will hold this post for 5 years.
Robert Eck will serve as account executive. Mr. Eck is an experienced senior manager.
Fiscal Year
The term fiscal year can be abbreviated in text.
In FY12, CSC saw a 30% increase in bookings over the previous fiscal year.
In FY 2012, CSC saw a 30% increase in bookings over the previous fiscal year.
Inc. and Co.
Use Inc., Co., and Cos. when these terms are part of a company‘s proper name. Do not set Inc. off with
commas.
The agreement with VeriSign Inc. is now in place.
We also hope to sign with Ford Motor Co. and American Donut Cos.
Ford Motor Co.‘s profits are up; American Donut Cos.‘ profits are as well.
Initials in Proper Names
Close up the space between initials in proper names.
H.L. Mencken; John H.Q. Smith
Jr. and Sr.
Place no comma before or after Jr. and Sr.
The memorial for John F. Kennedy Jr. was held in the afternoon
State Names
When using a state name in running text without a city, always spell out the state name.
The contract has key offices in Maryland and Virginia.
In tabular matter, and when cities and states appear in running text, abbreviate the state name using U.S.
Postal Service abbreviations.
CSC‘s Air Traffic Center of Excellence has locations in Egg Harbor, NJ; Rockville, MD; Boston, MA;
and Sunnyvale, CA.
In 2008 CSC‘s corporate headquarters was moved from El Segundo, CA, to Falls Church, VA.
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In press releases, however, use Associated Press abbreviations.
FALLS CHURCH, Va., March 25, 2009 — CSC (NYSE: CSC) today announced that it has been
positioned in the "leaders" quadrants of two Gartner reports.
American State Abbreviations — U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and Associated Press (AP)
State
Alabama
Ala.
AP
USPS
AL
Montana
AP
Mont.
USPS
MT
Alaska
Alaska
AK
Nebraska
Neb.
NE
Arizona
Ariz.
AZ
Nevada
Nev.
NV
Arkansas
Ark.
AR
New Hampshire
N.H.
NH
California
Calif.
CA
New Jersey
N.J.
NJ
Colorado
Colo.
CO
New Mexico
N.M.
NM
Connecticut
Conn.
CT
New York
N.Y.
NY
Delaware
Del.
DE
North Carolina
N.C.
NC
District of Columbia
D.C.
DC
North Dakota
N.D.
ND
Florida
Fla.
FL
Ohio
Ohio
OH
Georgia
Ga.
GA
Oklahoma
Okla.
OK
Hawaii
Hawaii
HI
Oregon
Ore.
OR
Idaho
Idaho
ID
Pennsylvania
Pa.
PA
Illinois
Ill.
IL
Rhode Island
R.I.
RI
Indiana
Ind.
IN
South Carolina
S.C.
SC
Iowa
Iowa
IA
South Dakota
S.D.
SD
Kansas
Kan.
KS
Tennessee
Tenn.
TN
Kentucky
Ky.
KY
Texas
Texas
TX
Louisiana
La.
LA
Utah
Utah
UT
Maine
Maine
ME
Vermont
Vt.
VT
Maryland
Md.
MD
Virginia
Va.
VA
Massachusetts
Mass.
MA
Washington
Wash.
WA
Michigan
Mich.
MI
West Virginia
W.V.
WV
Minnesota
Minn.
MN
Wisconsin
Wis.
WI
Mississippi
Miss.
MS
Wyoming
Wyo.
WY
Missouri
Mo.
MO
State
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Acronyms
General Rules
Spell out each acronym the first time it appears and follow the spellout with the acronym in parentheses.
Each change request (CR) will be entered into the database.
Do not capitalize the phrase itself unless it is a proper noun. The following table outlines general rules for
acronym use. Rules for specific acronyms can be found in the Standard Words and Acronyms List.
General Rules for Acronyms
Subject
Direction
Example
First instance
Provide spellout followed
by acronym in
parentheses
change request (CR)
Spellouts — in text and
proposal acronym lists
Do not capitalize unless
acronym stands for a
proper noun
object-oriented application development
(OOAD) tools
Possessive
Add ’s to the acronym
The SME‘s report
Possessive — acronyms
ending in S
If an acronym ends in S,
add an apostrophe to
make the acronym
possessive
IRS‘ top-level executives
Plural
Make an acronym plural
by adding a lowercase s
to it
If an acronym begins with
a consonant sound, use
a; for a vowel sound, use
an
three program managers (PMs)
Articles
CSC‘s Leading Edge Forum (LEF)
an ID program
an ITIL-aligned process (note that ITIL is
pronounced ―idle‖)
an MS degree
an OPEC country
a USDA-approved drug
Capitalization exceptions
Acronyms are usually all
capital letters — see
examples of exceptions
in right column
DoD (for Department of Defense)
DCeS (for Distributed, Collaborative, and
e-Infrastructure Services)
PrISMS (for Program Information Systems
Mission Service)
SaaS (for Software as a Service or,
sometimes, Storage as a Service)
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Acronyms Not to Spell Out
Some acronyms are so commonly used that they no longer need to be spelled out. Here is a list,
compiled from the Standard Words and Acronyms List in this guide, of acronyms that we do not spell out.
Your proposal-specific words list may include more.
Numbers
2D, 3D, 10BaseT, 24x7
ABC
ABEND, ADMT, ANSI, API, AS/400, ATM, BASIC, BEST/1, BSA, CAGE, CD, CD-ROM,
CFS, CICS, CMOS, COBOL, COLD, CONUS, CORBA, CPU, CSU
DEF
DASD, DAT, DB2, DBMS, DEC, DECNet, DHCP, DLT, DMZ, DNS, DOS, DSL, DSU,
DUNS, DVD, EDI, FAQ, FAR, FDDI, FRAD, FTP, FY
GHI
GB, Gb, GBps, Gbps, GHz, GUI, HSRP, HTML, HTTP, HVAC, IBM, ICMP, ID, IDIQ, IDNX,
IIS, I/O, IP, IPT, IPX, ISDN, ISP, IT
JKL
J2EE, kB, kb, kBps, kbps, kHz, kV, kW, LAN, LDAP, LPAR
MNO
MAE, MAN, MB, mb, MBps, mbps, MHz, MIPS, MP3, MPLS, MVS, NCP, NIPRNet,
OCONUS, OS, OSPF
PQR
PBX, PC, PDA, PDC, PDF, PIP, PKI, POS WAN, PSTN, RAID, RAM, RDBMS, RFI, RFP,
RFQ, RFS, RMON, ROM, RX/6000
STU
SAN, SAP, SAS, SCADA, SCI, SCIF, SCSI, SETA, SIPRNet, SLA, SME, SMS, SMTP,
SNMP, SONET, SOW, SPX, SQL, SSL, STML, T1, TB, TBps, Tb, Tbps, TCP, TCP/IP,
UHF, UNIX, UPS, URL, USB, UX
VWXYZ
VAX, VLAN, VPN, VRU, VSAT, VSE, VTAM, WAN, WAP, WiFi, WLAN, WWW, X.25,
XHTML, XML, ZIP
When to Spell Out Acronyms
The following table gives general guidelines on whether to spell out an acronym, where to spell it out, and
whether to include it in the acronym list. Again, defer to your proposal-specific words list.
Guide to Spelling Out Acronyms
Type of Text
Marcom, brochures, and
presentations
Graphics in proposals
Past Performance and
Resumes sections in
proposals
Body text in large proposals
Body text in small proposals
Provide Acronym Spellout?
Yes, at first use
(No, if you think audience knows the acronyms)
No
(If they are spelled out, leave them, unless they
are on do-not-spell-out list)
No
(If they are spelled out, leave them, unless they
are on do-not-spell-out list)
Yes, at first use in each section
Yes, at first use only
(If page constraints are severe, it may be
necessary not to spell out at all)
Include in
Acronym List?
N/A
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Acronyms in Headings
Generally, acronyms should be avoided in headings. They can, however, be used in a heading in any of
the following circumstances:

The heading corresponds to the document to which CSC is responding, such as an outline or series
of questions provided in the RFP, RFI, or RFQ.

The proposal/document is page limited.

The acronym is common in the proposal/document or in general use.
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Bulleted Lists
If the level of edit calls for it (see the level-of-edit chart and samples in the Standard Operating
Procedures for Editing and Proofreading), ensure that bulleted lists are parallel; in other words, make
each item in the list either a full sentence or a phrase and begin each item with the same part of speech.
Introduce bulleted lists with a colon and capitalize the first word in each item.
Avoid using numbered lists unless you are describing specific steps in a process.
Punctuate bulleted lists as follows.
Full-Sentence Style
Introduce the list with a colon and place a period after each bulleted item.
Outsourcing is based on the following principles:

Each client has unique needs.

The key to success is building long-term, strategic relationships.

The goal is to create a competitive edge.
Phrase Style
Introduce the list with a colon and use no end punctuation for the bulleted items.
In our outsourcing efforts, we:

Recognize each client‘s unique needs

Build long-term, strategic relationships

Help our clients create a competitive edge
Lists in Running Text
Use parentheses to set off numbering of items in running text. Use the same punctuation that would be
used if the numbers and parentheses were not there.
CSC‘s outsourcing services are based on three key principles: (1) each client has unique needs, (2) the
key to success is building a strategic relationship, and (3) the goal is to create a competitive edge.
The key to our success lies in (1) recognizing our clients‘ unique needs and (2) building long-term,
strategic relationships.
Mixed Style (Time-Limited Editing Only)
If a bulleted list has a mix of phrases and sentences, and time limitations or the client‘s requested level of
edit prohibits making them parallel, do not end any item with a period.
Outsourcing is based on the following principles:

Each client has unique needs

The key to success is building long-term, strategic relationships

Creating a competitive edge
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October 2012
Capitalization
Title Case
In headings, document titles, etc., capitalize the following:

Nouns

Verbs and parts of verbs, including linking verbs such as is and are and auxiliaries such as has, have,
had, were, will, and be

Prepositions of five letters or more — about, across, beyond, outside

Conjunctions of five letters or more — after, either, whether

Words that follow a hyphen, if they would be capitalized standing alone

A word following an em dash or colon if the word begins a new sentence; do not capitalize a word
following an em dash or colon if the word begins a phrase within the same sentence
You can also think of these rules in the negative: Capitalize the first and last word in a title, as well as
every word in between, except for:

Articles — a, an, the

Prepositions of fewer than five letters — at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up, from, with

Conjunctions of fewer than five letters — and, as, but, if, or, nor

The word to in an infinitive form
Examples
CSC Is a Top IT Outsourcer with Over 40 Years of History in the Federal Marketplace
Best-of-Breed Solutions and Real-World Expertise
Our People Are Trained to Deliver Results
Transformation from As-Is to To-Be Environment
Solutions for Real Business Problems, Delivered to You, When You Need Them
Web-Based Email for Top Efficiency
CSC Research Services — For CEOs Who Need to Know Now
CSC Catalyst: The Change Management Tool of Choice
Other Capitalization Guidelines and Examples
Quick-Reference Guide
1. Proposal editing: Seek direction on capitalization from the lead editor.
2. If no specific direction is supplied, then use the following guidelines, in combination with this guide‘s
Standard Words and Acronyms List:

Capitalize:

The specific name of a CSC product, service, methodology, service-level metric;
memorandum, deliverable; division, entity, group, board

A job title when it immediately precedes a name
14
October 2012


A noun when it precedes a number or when it is the name of a geographical region; actual
names of documents, plans, or reports should be verified with the proposal team and added
to the words list for the proposal

An acronym definition only when it is a proper noun; U.S. Federal Government or
Government only in a U.S. federal government proposal; ―form‖ only when it precedes a
number (see Acronyms section for more guidance)
Lowercase:

Contract type/term, costing category; business type (esp. an EEOC category); database
name, configuration management (and all its terms), technical architecture, phase, solution,
tool; compass direction
Acronyms
Do not capitalize acronym definitions unless the definition itself is a proper noun.
Our project lead is an expert on object-oriented application development (OOAD) tools.
CSC‘s Leading Edge Forum (LEF) will be held in March.
Acronyms and initialisms themselves are set in all caps, …
NASA
GUI
CD-ROM
… except in certain, special cases.
DoD (for Department of Defense)
PrISMS (for Program Information Systems Mission Service)
DCeS (for Distributed, Collaborative, and e-Infrastructure Services)
Acronym Lists
Do not capitalize acronym definitions in the List of Acronyms unless the term is a proper noun. Do not
capitalize the first word in each acronym (again, unless it is a proper noun and would be capitalized
standing on its own).
Department Names
Capitalize the proper names of departments.
Proper noun:
Human Resources, Consulting, Facilities, Technical Services
Generic use:
facilities personnel, operations staff
Directions and Regions
In general, lowercase north, south, northeast, northern and similar adjectives when they indicate compass
directions. Capitalize them when they designate regions.
Drive east on Route 66.
The changes will begin in the Midwest and move east facility by facility.
The new system will be in place on the East Coast by fall.
CSC is headquartered in the U.S. National Capital Region.
15
October 2012
“Federal” and “Government”
Lowercase both federal and government. In government proposals, however, the proposal manager may
choose to capitalize these terms.
General use:
The federal government needs CSC‘s expertise more than ever.
We serve multiple federal agencies in the U.S. government.
Government proposal:
The Federal Government needs CSC‘s expertise more than ever.
We serve multiple Federal agencies in the U.S. Government.
Help Desk
Capitalize help desk only when it is used as a proper noun; never when used generically.
Proper noun:
The NPS Help Desk is operational 24x7.
Generic use:
We provide help desk services around the world. Help desk staff are on call 24x7.
Job Titles
As a general rule, lowercase all job titles. (This rule does not apply to titles on business cards, lists,
stationery, e-banners, etc.)
Mr. Lawrie is CSC‘s president and chief executive officer.
The presentation will be given by Bill Koff, executive director of the LEF.
Jane Smith will serve as program manager for the western region.
However, uppercase job titles when they immediately precede a name.
President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Lawrie will speak at 2:00 p.m.
Vice President Bill Koff will give the presentation.
We will bring in Program Manager Jane Smith to lead the region starting October 1.
Furthermore, in proposals and technical documentation, you may choose to always capitalize key
positions, such as Vice President, Program Manager, Account Executive, Service Delivery Manager,
Project Manager, Principal Investigator, and Contracting Officer.
And, in proposals, always capitalize job titles in resumes and in graphics.
CSC. Worked as Service Delivery Manager for 14 years.
IBM. Worked as Mail Room Technician for 2 years.
When referring to the President of the United States, always capitalize his title, regardless of whether or
not it appears with his name:
The President held a press conference and discussed his plans for stimulating the global economy.
Keyboard Items
Capitalize the names of keys on the keyboard, and use their full names even if the keyboard uses an
abbreviation.
Press Escape twice to return to the main menu.
The Number Lock key is disabled during installation.
Also capitalize the names of menus and other onscreen features.
the File menu
the Drawing toolbar
the Track Changes window
16
October 2012
Plans and Documents
Capitalize the proper names of actual documents.
Proper noun:
Project Management Plan, Configuration Management Plan, Transition Plan
Generic use:
a user‘s guide, a changeover plan
Exhibits (Including Figures and Tables)
Unless otherwise directed, use the term exhibit for referring to both graphics and tables. If a project
demands, use the term figure for graphics and table for tables, or whatever term(s) the RFP calls for.
Specific styles for exhibits may be dictated by an RFP or by a customer; barring any other guidance, use
the following rules:

Set exhibit titles below the exhibit, in boldface Arial. If action captions are used, set them in italics.

Run the exhibit number, exhibit title, and action caption together on one line, separated by periods.
Exhibit 1-3. CSC’s Successful Transition History. Tens of thousands of experienced
professionals have joined CSC through a combination of acquisitions and outsourcing.

In general, use phrases, not full sentences, for exhibit titles. Place a period after the title only if it is
followed by an action caption, as shown above.
Exhibit 1-3. CSC’s Successful Transition History

Action captions, if used, should be full sentences.
Exhibit 1-4. Outsourcing and Acquisitions. Many of CSC’s top executives
joined the company through outsourcing and acquisition.

Be sure that every exhibit is preceded by a callout in text, either within the flow of a sentence or in
parentheses. Set this first mention of the exhibit in boldface. Subsequent mentions of the same
exhibit should not be boldface. Punctuation immediately following a callout should not be bold (for
further explanation, see Punctuation Marks That Follow Special Formatting).
CSC has a history of successful transitions, as shown in Exhibit 2.1.1-1. In fact, many of our
senior managers joined CSC through acquisitions or outsourcing (see Exhibit 2.1.1-2).

Place exhibits as closely after their corresponding callout as possible, never before. If an exhibit
appears before its callout, make a note to EP to move the exhibit so it appears after its callout.

If an exhibit carries over two pages, include the exhibit title only at the end of the exhibit on the
second page. In addition, if an exhibit carries over several pages, add the term (Cont‘d) to the end of
the exhibit title on each page after the first page it appears.
Exhibit 1-3. CSC’s Successful Transition History (Cont’d)
The following is an example of an exhibit.
PC2007-9999-13-504b 09/01/12
Exhibit 5-1. Perceived Workload by Classification. This
common distribution of work is based on actual classification.
17
Remember to check job
number (9999-13 here)
and exhibit “slug”
number (504b here).
Date should reflect most
recent update to exhibit.
October 2012
Format
For detailed information on CSC‘s brand identity and instructions on how to properly format ads,
websites, brochures, newsletters, proposals, and other documents, please refer to the CSC Styleguide at
csc.com/styleguide. If you need assistance creating any of these materials, contact Tom Hennessey in
Creative Services ([email protected]).
Color Palette
CSC‘s standard color palette can be found at csc.com/styleguide  Brand Elements  Color.
Fonts
CSC‘s standard fonts are Gotham and Arial (sans serif fonts). For proposals, use the font(s) specified in
the RFP. Further guidance on font usage can be found at csc.com/styleguide  Brand Elements 
Typography.
Boldface
Use boldface in the following instances:

For Run-In Heads. This page shows several examples of run-in heads.

For Exhibit Numbers and Exhibit Callouts.
See Exhibit 4-2 for a chart of CSC‘s services.
Do not use boldface:

For Emphasis or to Highlight Key Words. Use italics instead.
Italics
Use italics in the following instances:

For Emphasis or to Highlight Key Words. CSC will provide measurable results on this contract.

With Variables in Mathematical Formulas. Metcalfe‘s Law states that when you connect n things,
you get n-squared potential value.

For Composition Titles. Italicize the titles of books, magazines, newspapers, computer games,
movies, operas, plays, poems, songs, TV shows, lectures, speeches, and works of art. Don‘t italicize
the names of software programs or documents such as reports and plans (see Plans and
Documents).
Magazines: CSC World, FORTUNE
Formal reports: Cloud rEvolution: Laying the Foundation
General documents: Transition Plan, Due Diligence Report, Risk Mitigation Plan
Do not use italics in the following instances:

Non-English Words. Generally, do not italicize foreign words or phrases if they are listed in the
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
CSC spacecraft designers have been developing de facto systems for in situ propellant
production.
However, if a word or phrase is uncommon in general English usage, do italicize it.
The country must be prepared to implement an acquis communautaire regarding MRV.
18
October 2012
Underlining
Use underlining for:

Insertions in Track Changes. In a document that requires changes to be tracked, use Microsoft
Word‘s Track Changes function to underline text insertions. (Do not manually apply underlining. Note
that color of changed text will depend on your Track Changes settings.)
As part of the contract, we will provide Oracle, SAP, PeopleSoft, and CA NSM support.

Website and Email Addresses. These underlines denote hyperlinks, which Microsoft Word should
create automatically. Do not remove or reformat hyperlinks.
Guidance on CSC visual style can be found at csc.com/styleguide.
Latin Abbreviations
Latin abbreviations are often incorrectly used by authors. The correct English translations are:
e.g.
for example
etc.
and so forth
et al.
and others
et seq.
and the following ones
ibid.
in the same place
id
same; something previously mentioned
i.e.
that is
op cit
in the work cited
Notes
The correct format for a note is:
Note: Text wrapped. Text wrapped. Text wrapped. Text wrapped. Text wrapped. Text wrapped. Text
wrapped. Text wrapped. Text wrapped. Text wrapped.
Page Layout Proofing
A widow is a stranded single line at the bottom or top of a page or column; it should be avoided.
An orphan is a single word at the bottom or top of a page or column; it should be avoided.
Ideally, a heading should be followed by at least two lines of text.
In a single paragraph, there should be no more than two lines in a row ending with hyphens.
The Table of Contents should be page numbered starting with i.
Punctuation
Spacing After Punctuation
Set one space, not two, after periods and colons. Set one space on either side of em and en dashes.
19
October 2012
Nonbreaking Spaces and Hyphens Within Phrases
To ensure that certain word combinations and numbers with units of measure do not split at the end of a
line during word wrapping, insert a hard (fixed) space between each word. To insert a hard space, press
Control + Shift + Space. Also, to avoid breaking phrases such as E-PMO and Exhibit 5-3 onto two lines,
insert a hard hyphen by pressing Control + Shift + Hyphen.

Names. Mr. Jones, Mr. Dan Kiley, Dr. Mary Sloane, E.F. Hutton

Proper Nouns with Numbers. Exhibit 2, Form 23, WBS 4.1, CMM Level 5, ISO 9001:2000,
SOW Paragraph 5.6, Building 23

Numbers and Units of Measure. 5 hours, 3 feet, 2 yards, 33 bytes, 23 SLOC
Punctuation Marks That Follow Special Formatting
The punctuation mark that follows a word should not, in general, receive that word‘s formatting.
The account executive, not the program manager, is responsible.
That ruling (Smooth vs. Smith) is applicable to the case.
We will respond from the call center in Fort Worth — not from the one in Dallas.
Do format the punctuation that follows a word in the midst of formatted text.
That ruling (Kit Corp. vs. Kat Corp., 222 F.3d 943, [Fed. Cir. 2000]) is applicable to the case.
Do format the punctuation that follows a word in exhibit titles.
Exhibit 2-3. Key Employees. We have 15 engineers, 12 technicians,
and 24 magicians transferring to the contract.
And also format the punctuation that follows a word in run-in heads.
We have two key positions:

Account Executive. Responsible for all contract deliverables

Program Manager. Responsible for day-to-day activities
Quote Marks and Apostrophes
Replace straight quotes and apostrophes ( ′, ″ ) with smart, or curly, ones ( ‗,‖ ).
Superscript
Superscript should be used only for trademarks, service marks, and registered marks. Do not use
superscript with ordinal numbers.
TM
SM
CAMS II , UN1TY , AdvanceMed®
2nd edition, 14th Airborne Division, 21st century
20
October 2012
Number Style
Quick-Reference Guide
Spell Out Numbers
Zero to Nine
Examples
eight laptops, one-time offer, nine contractors
Use Numerals for Numbers
10 and Over
Examples
49 networks, 2,000 end users, 4 million lines of
code
ordinal numbers first through ninth
ordinal numbers 10th and above
Exceptions
Use numerals for the following:
Exceptions

Spell out numbers 10 and over when they fall
at the beginning of a sentence or bulleted
item — Fifteen companies will join CSC on
the contract.

Spell out numbers below 10 when referring to
decades and centuries — two decades ago,
three centuries before the present
Times and dates — 3:00 p.m., 5:30 a.m.,
3 hours, 1 day, 2 weeks, 3 years
Sums of money — 4 cents, $5.25, $7 million
Ages — 4-year-old boy; he is 6 years old;
7-year contract
Percentages — 1%; mixed fractions — 2½ years;
decimals — 1.3 times; and ratios —
2 to 1
Numbers preceding units of measure —
5-inch border, 8ºC, 4 MB RAM, 5-bit system
Names or parts of books, volumes, and exhibits —
Section 2, Volume 3, Exhibit 4-2, Appendix 3, Cell 5
This table is adapted from The New York Public Library Writers’ Guide to Style and Usage.
The following paragraphs further explain how to treat different types of numbers.
Mixed Number Style
When numbers below 10 and above 10 fall in the same sentence, use the rule that governs each
individual number to determine whether to spell out each one.
We are using six companies, three contractors, and 18 subcontractors.
We want eight additional clients in Europe and 12 in Asia-Pacific.
It took three experts 3 hours to solve the problem using four computers and 4 feet of tape.
The three ships struggled with winds of over 65 knots and temperatures below 8ºF.
However: We provide help desk services 24x7.
In addition, you may use numerals for numbers that would otherwise be spelled out to clarify back-to-back
modifiers:
We will distribute seven 7-page booklets.
21
October 2012
Highways and Road Numbers
As a general rule, highways and road numbers are expressed in numerals.
I-95
County Road 34
U.S. 40
Ages
Always use numerals for references to age:
A 5-year-old company
The contract runs for 6 years; a 6-year contract
She has a son who is 6 years old; a 6-year-old son
He is in his 30s.
Money
Use numerals and the dollar sign ($) with monetary figures in all except casual references:
The conference costs $499.
Dollars are pouring in from overseas.
We expect to save $4.35 million.
We expect to save exactly $4,351,242.
We have a $300 billion budget. (not ―a $300-billion budget‖)
The cost ranges from $12 million to $14 million. (not ―from $12 to $14 million‖)
In publications that will be viewed by an international audience — including websites — be sure to include
the type of currency being used. For standard currency abbreviations, please refer to the ISO 4217 codes
at xe.com/iso4217.phpw.
USD$100 million
CAD$100 million
€100 million
₤100 million
Millions and Billions
Use numerals with million or billion, except in casual uses. Spell out the words million and billion.
The contract is worth $7 billion.
We hope to save our clients tens of millions of dollars.
In exhibits and in presentations, use M or B in place of million or billion, and close up all spaces.
$30M
Fractions
Use a zero before fractions less than one:
0.25%
22
October 2012
In text, spell out fractions when used alone, without a whole number preceding them.
One-third of our business is based in the commercial sector.
We need half-inch-wide tape to seal the gap.
Use numerals to express mixed fractions. Also, use the special characters function in Microsoft Word to
create fractions — ½, rather than 1/2, for example:
Our page count has been increased 2½ times.
Measurement
Use numerals with all units of measure.
3 miles, 5 acres
6 minutes, 4 hours, 3 days, 7 years
1,000 pixels
6 gallons
9 MHz
5 bu
7 mph
15 by 24 feet; a 15-by-24-foot space
Month, Day, and Year
In sentences containing the month, day, and year, place commas before and after the year.
CSC was founded on April 16, 1959, by Roy Nutt and Fletcher Jones.
If only the month and year are mentioned, use no comma.
The agreement went into effect in July 2012 for the first time.
Years in Plural Form
To make a plural form from the number of a decade, add s:
The 1980s saw an upsurge in IT innovation. The ‘90s brought us the Internet.
Use a hyphen with mid, but not with early or late:
mid-1990s
the late ‘70s and early ‘80s
Ordinals
In general, spell out first through ninth.
the first year of the contract (not ―the 1st year of the contract‖)
first in line
Use 1st, 2nd, 3rd, only for specific military, geographic, and political designations.
1st Sgt., 7th Fleet, 3rd Ward
st
nd
rd
Do not use superscript (e.g., 1 , 2 , 3 ).
23
October 2012
Percent
Spell out the word percent or use the symbol (%), but be consistent within the document you are editing.
In proposals and space-limited documents, it is acceptable to use the symbol.
Signs and Symbols
Multiplication Symbol
In cases of simple arithmetic, use the multiplication symbol (not the letter x) in Microsoft Word's standard
symbol set. If, however, the computation involves an algebraic formula with variables, use a raised dot or
an asterisk.
CSC has proposed 2,200 hours (44 hours/week × 50 weeks) per individual.
Ratios
Use numerals to express ratios, proportions, and odds.
CSC is favored over the competition 6 to 1.
In exhibits and tables, use the colon (:) to illustrate these concepts.
6:1 in CSC‘s favor
Other Symbols
In text, spell out phrases such as approximately, more than, and fewer than when they precede a
number.
The contract includes approximately $100 million for server consolidation.
CSC has a presence in more than 70 countries.
In exhibits and tables, use the appropriate symbol, with no space between the symbol and the number.
~$100M for server consolidation
>70 countries
Telephone and Fax Numbers
Set phone and fax numbers as follows:
703.641.2441, Ext. 314
+1.703.641.2441, Ext. 314
Temperature
Do not spell out the degree symbol (°) or the words Fahrenheit or Celsius.
86°F, 25°C, –4°C
Time
Use numerals as in the following examples:
11:30 a.m.
12:00 noon, 12:00 midnight
from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
24x7, 24x7x365
24
October 2012
Day 1, Week 2, Month 3 (see the Standard Words and Acronyms List for cases when ―Day One‖ is
correct)
1 day, 2 weeks, 3 months, 4 years
Military Time
Set as follows:
0830, 1440, 3 Nov 1995
Punctuation
Apostrophes
To make the possessive form of the pronoun it, simply add an s. The contraction it’s is a shortened form
of it is.
It‘s clear that the technology market is aware of its own strength.
To make the possessive form of a plural noun that ends in s, simply add the apostrophe. To make the
possessive form of most singular nouns, add the apostrophe and s.
The system carefully records all the users‘ preferences in one file.
The system carefully records each user‘s preferences in one file.
Colons
In general, use the colon for emphasis or to introduce a list. Set one space after a colon. Capitalize the
first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence.
CSC promises this: reduced expenses and improved service.
CSC promises this: We will reduce expenses and improve service.
Note that a colon can be used only following a complete sentence.
wrong:
Network engineers are facing: the challenge of the Internet, bandwidth limitations,
and changing standards.
right:
Network engineers are facing three challenges: the Internet, bandwidth limitations,
and changing standards.
Also use a colon to introduce bulleted lists:
CSC offers three main service areas:

Systems integration

Consulting

Outsourcing
Commas
Serial Commas
Use a serial comma in communications in technical documentation and proposals.
CSC offers leading-edge technology, knowledgeable staff, and solid government experience.
25
October 2012
Do not use the serial comma in Marcom collateral, press releases, or newspaper or magazine
advertisements.
CSC provides stability, flexibility and experience.
Independent vs. Dependent Clauses
Use a comma to link two independent clauses:
CSC is providing help desk support, and we are consolidating two call centers.
Do not use a comma when an independent clause is followed by a dependent clause.
CSC is providing help desk support and consolidating two call centers.
Phrases
Use a comma when an introductory phrase ends with a verb or preposition:
Soon after, the content of the document was updated.
While studying, the student fell asleep.
Don‘t use a comma after short introductory phrases, especially of time and place.
On December 16 the equipment will be deployed to the regional sites.
After the luncheon we will return to work for the day.
Use a comma between adjectives that modify the same noun, but not when the adjectives are not equal
in weight.
The conference room was reserved for tired, hungry proposal staff.
Don‘t use a comma between adjectives that are not equal in weight.
Only the high-level executive staff convened at 10:00 a.m.
Use a comma if an appositive phrase is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.
One of the inventors, Bradley Miles, is lecturing today.
Don‘t use a comma if the appositive phrase is essential to the meaning of the sentence.
The inventor Bradley Miles is lecturing today.
Following e.g., etc., and i.e.
Always use a comma after e.g., etc., and i.e.
We offer a variety of services (e.g., desktop, distributed, mainframe, and midrange).
Dashes
Em Dash
Shortcut to insert an em dash: Alternate + Control + Number (―Number -‖ refers to the hyphen key on the number pad section to the right of your keyboard)
Use the em dash to indicate a pause in thought or to set off a parenthetical element or an appositive
phrase. Set one space on either side of the em dash.
The focus remains — as it should — on the business itself.
26
October 2012
En Dash
Shortcut to insert an en dash: Control + Number (―Number -‖ refers to the hyphen key on the number pad section to the right of your keyboard)
There are three uses for the en dash. In two out of three cases, set one space on either side of the dash.
1) To indicate a range
Session 1
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Session 2
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Do not use the en dash, however, in combination with the word from; in this case, use the words to:
wrong:
The session will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
right:
The session will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
2) As a minus sign
N–1
cutover – 3 months
Y – (3 x Z)
3) To link multiword phrases to form a modifier (in this case, do not use a space on either side of the
dash)
ISO 9001:2000–compliant systems
United States–North Korea negotiations
computer security–related services
Note that you can also insert these types of dashes, other symbols, and certain special characters by
doing the following:
In Word 2007, click on the Insert tab → Symbol → More Symbols → Special Characters.
In Word 2003, click on the Insert menu → Symbol → Special Characters.
Ellipsis Symbols (Ellipses)
Use the ellipsis symbol (three dots in succession) in Microsoft Word‘s standard symbol set to indicate the
omission of words. Set one space on either side of the ellipsis.
The product manager told us, ―This version … will be available sometime next year.‖
27
October 2012
To show deletion of entire sentences within a quotation, retain the end punctuation of the preceding
sentence, usually the period, and add the three dots.
The GIS president stated that, ―Our professionals are dedicated to providing the highest quality
services to clients across the globe. … We are especially proud of the fact that META recognizes
CSC‘s ability to adapt and update our service offerings to remain on the cutting edge of technology.‖
Exclamation Marks
Exclamation marks are used to show urgency, surprise, enthusiasm, disbelief, or strong emotion. Use
them sparingly, if at all, in business and technical writing.
Hyphens
General rules for hyphenation are provided below; for guidance on how to hyphenate a particular word,
see the Standard Words and Acronyms List. However, if British English treatment is appropriate,
hyphenation will be more common for words that would normally be unhyphenated in American English
(e.g., on-line, co-worker, co-ordinate, re-engineer). See the appendix titled British English vs. American
English for more examples. The following guidance applies to documents for which American English is
appropriate.
Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes
Do not hyphenate after typical prefixes and before typical suffixes:
multiuser
predefined
antivirus
But if the second part of the term is an acronym, number, or proper name, insert a hyphen:
mid-90s
non-Bostonian
pre-CORBA
Also insert a hyphen in doubled prefixes:
sub-subcontractor
And except for the words cooperate, coordinate, and reengineering (CSC style), use a hyphen when a
prefix ends with the same letter with which the following word begins:
anti-intellectual
post-transition
Hyphens and Unit Modifiers1
Attributive Adjectives vs. Predicate Adjectives
Unit modifiers are multiword compounds that modify a noun. Unit modifiers that precede the noun they
modify (attributive adjectives) are generally hyphenated, but unit modifiers that come after the noun they
modify (predicate adjectives) are generally not hyphenated (see the following table).
1
Condensed from The New York Public Library Writer’s Guide to Style and Usage.
28
October 2012
Unit Modifiers
Attributive Adjectives
The easy-to-use GUI is not yet fully implemented.
Predicate Adjectives
The GUI appears easy to use.
CSC is a well-known systems integrator.
CSC‘s systems integration experience is well known.
Unit Modifiers That Are Hyphenated
Combinations of adverbs, adjectives, and nouns are hyphenated as attributive adjectives to allow the
reader to grasp the thought quickly and easily:
long-term contract
fire-resistant material
state-of-the-art technology
Attributive adjectives formed with a verb ending in -ing or -ed:
law-abiding citizen
U.S.-sponsored resolution
Attributive adjectives with words ending in -er or -est:
highest-priced product
best-qualified person
longer-term impact
Attributive adjectives with numbers or letters:
24-hour day
10-year-old child
first-, second-, and third-stage firings
4- to 5-degree angle
Exception: $10 million project (not $10-million project)
In sentences that would be hard to understand without hyphenation:
The back-to-back redundant-wiring solution was implemented last week.
Unit Modifiers That Are Not Hyphenated
Predicate adjectives:
The GUI is easy to use.
We are well known.
Attributive adjectives with very and words ending in -ly:
wholly owned subsidiary
publically owned stock
radically new idea
very respected author
very well known company (but, well-known company)
29
October 2012
Attributive adjectives whose elements go together naturally and are thought of as a unit:
end user needs
life insurance policy
root cause analysis
Web hosting services
Parentheses
If a parenthetical statement is a complete sentence, place the period before the closing parenthesis:
CSC is a great company. (All CSC employees know this.)
If a parenthetical phrase is part of a larger sentence, place the period after the closing parenthesis:
CSC is a great company (as CSC employees know).
Use brackets to enclose parenthetical material that is already within parentheses.
(The results for the control group [n = 8] are also presented in Exhibit 2.)
Period
Set one space after a period.
Quotation Marks
Use a comma to introduce a quotation:
In a statement after being named CSC‘s president and chief executive officer, Mike Lawrie said, ―With
a sharp focus on developing smart, technology-enabled solutions, we will continue to leverage our
deep industry expertise to solve our clients‘ toughest challenges and position them for greater levels
of agility, growth, and innovation.‖
If a quotation occurs within another quotation, set single quotes around the inner quotation.
In general, quotations should start with a capital letter (see preceding example). However, if a quotation is
grammatically ―flowed‖ into a larger sentence, it should not begin with a capital letter.
The contracting officer praised CSC as ―one of the best contractors we‘ve ever worked with.‖
Quotation Marks with Other Punctuation Marks
Place the period or comma inside the closing quotation marks.
A final report, ―Geology of the Lunar Base,‖ was presented at the symposium.
Place the semicolon or colon outside the closing quotation marks.
A final report was presented, entitled ―Geology of the Lunar Base‖; afterwards, a question-andanswer session was held.
Place the question mark or the exclamation point inside the closing quotation marks when the entire
quotation is the question or exclamation; place it after the closing quotation marks when the sentence as
a whole is a question or exclamation.
CSC employees should ask themselves the following question: ―What have I done today to increase
CSC‘s business?‖
What is meant by ―knowledge management‖?
30
October 2012
Semicolon
Semicolon with Two Independent Clauses
You can use a semicolon to link two independent clauses when the second elaborates on the first:
We take homeland security seriously; we formed our Enforcement, Security and Intelligence division
to help the government fight the threat of terrorism.
A comma cannot take the place of a semicolon in this sentence.
Semicolon in Lists
When a list is composed of phrases with internal commas, separate the items with a semicolon:
You can find CSC offices in cities as diverse as Falls Church, VA; London, England; and
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Trademarks and Copyrights
Guide to Symbols
Trademark.* Used for a product considered proprietary but not officially registered with the
appropriate governmental trademark office (for the United States, this is the Patent and
™
Trademark Office [PTO])
Example: BASys™
Service Mark.* Used for a service considered proprietary but not officially registered with the
SM
appropriate government body
SM
Example: Catalyst
Registered Trademark. Used for a product or service that has been registered with the
appropriate government body
®
Example: VANTAGE-ONE®
Copyright. Used at the end of a work to denote original authorship (a proposal or other
document, website, etc.)
©
Example (appears at the end of a work): © 2012 Computer Sciences Corporation
*The distinction between a trademark and a service mark is made only in certain countries, including the
United States. In other countries, including throughout Europe, the symbol ™ is used for both products
and services that are unregistered.
When to Use Symbols
Use service marks and trademarks only for CSC products, not for other companies‘ products.
wrong:
right:
TM
Everyone at CSC uses Kleenex .
Everyone at CSC uses Kleenex.
Use marks for a CSC product only the first time it appears in text, which includes the preface of your
document, if you have one. In addition, do not use marks on covers or title pages or in tables, headers, or
exhibits.
TM
CSC‘s H.E.A.T. is a program designed to analyze the security of computer network systems. In
addition, H.E.A.T. helps companies protect against unauthorized network incursions.
Which Symbol to Use
To find the correct mark for a CSC product or service, first consult the Standard Words and Acronyms
List, then csc.com. If you cannot find the correct mark after consulting these two references, leave
treatment as it is.
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October 2012
Standard Proprietary Statement
RFPs often have specific statements that proposal submissions are required to include. Always defer to
the RFP requirement. If there is no RFP requirement related to a proprietary notice, place one of the
following statements, or a variation thereof, on the title page of proposals and other proprietary
documents.
PROPRIETARY NOTICE
This data, furnished in connection with this proposal, shall not be disclosed outside
[Client] and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed in whole or in part for any purpose
other than to evaluate the proposal; provided, that if a contract is awarded to this offeror
as a result of or in connection with the submission of this data, [Client] shall have the right
to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the contract. This
restriction does not limit [Client]’s right to use information contained in the data if it is
obtained from another source without restriction.
PROPRIETARY NOTICE
This data, furnished in connection with this document, shall not be disclosed outside CSC
and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed in whole or in part. This restriction does
not limit the right to use information contained in the document if it is obtained from
another source without restriction.
Then place this statement in the footer on every page of the proposal or document.
Use or disclosure of [this proposal data/this data] is subject to the restriction on the title
page of this [proposal/document].
Standard Copyright Statement
Place the following statement at the bottom of Web pages and on the back cover of CSC proposals,
brochures, and other printed material. Here and in other legal statements/documents, use the name
Computer Sciences Corporation — but not elsewhere.
© 20XX Computer Sciences Corporation. All rights reserved.
Printed in U.S.A.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means
without written permission from Computer Sciences Corporation.
Ensure that correct
copyright year
is used.
Using Copyrighted Material from Other Sources
Unless images or text are in the public domain, they are protected by copyright. If you use material from
another source in a piece you are writing, be sure to comply with copyright law. You may use brief
excerpts from a published article or book if you provide publication information; but to quote an entire
article, or book chapter, for example, you must first get permission from the publisher.
When using a quote, place the publication information immediately after the quote or as a footnote at the
bottom of the page or the end of the article.
33
October 2012
―While communications companies want to be able to ensure that their customers‘ messages are
shielded from prying eyes, governments increasingly insist on gaining access to electronic messages to
track down criminals or uncover terrorist plots.‖
— ―For Data, Tug Grows over Privacy vs. Security,‖ by Miguel Helft, The New York Times, August 2,
2010.
You can also place the publication information in running text.
In an article in The New York Times, Miguel Helft writes, ―Governments increasingly insist on gaining
access to electronic messages to track down criminals or uncover terrorist plots.‖
According to Gartner, CSC is ―known for its client-focus, flexibility and a corporate culture that ‗does
the right thing for its customers.‘‖
CSC is ―known for its client-focus, flexibility and a corporate culture that ‗does the right thing for its
customers‘‖ (Gartner, 2003).
Using Material from Websites
Although it is easy to download text and images from websites without getting permission, please resist
the urge to do so. Unless the images or text are in the public domain, they are protected by copyright.
Other Information on Copyright
For more information, consult the Associated Press Stylebook.
Using Other Organizations’ Logos
The logos of other companies and organizations are proprietary; they may be used only with permission
from the organization. Creative Services should not insert other organizations‘ logos for visual interest
unless express permission has been granted. If the proposal team, not Creative Services, has added a
logo, it is the duty of the proposal team, not Creative Services, to obtain permission.
34
October 2012
Appendices
35
October 2012
Appendix 1 — Writing in CSC Brand
When writing in the CSC brand, consider the following information about language, tone, and voice:

Always use CSC — not Computer Sciences Corporation (except in narrow legal contexts or
legal documents).

Use we more often than CSC.

Avoid passive voice.

Keep it simple, short, and clear: Express more with less.

Tone should:

–
Be perceptive, expert, clear, and confident (but not cocky or overconfident)
–
Convey the brand attributes: passionate, ingenious, and purposeful
Choice of words should:
–
–

Emphasize the brand pillar ideas, but without overusing the words themselves:

Passionate (responsiveness)

Ingenious (everyday ingenuity)

Purposeful (accelerated performance, mission-critical delivery)
De-emphasize ―collaborative, results-driven, global‖
Focus on execution.
Writing Do’s and Don’ts
Don’t
Do
Write in the first person:
―We believe‖ — not ―CSC believes‖
Use upbeat, powerful language
Emphasize client benefits
Convey energy and rhythm by patterning words
Use casual or unprofessional language
Shout over the client
Promise more than you (we) can deliver
Repeat what‘s already been said
For more information on writing within CSC brand, see csc.com/styleguide/ds/24005for_writers_writing_to_the_brand.
36
October 2012
Appendix 2 — Standard Words and Acronyms List
This alphabetical list includes words frequently misspelled, acronyms, unique IT terms, CSC products and
business areas, and other words that CSC communicators have found problematic in the past.
With a few exceptions, names of other companies and organizations, together with their products and
services, are not included in this list. Consult the specific organization‘s website for proper naming
conventions.
If you have recommendations or additions for this list, please send them to Brigitte Coulton in Creative
Services ([email protected]).
A Note on Acronyms
Acronyms in this list are alphabetized by acronym, not by spellout. To search for an acronym by spellout,
press Control + F and type the phrase or part of the phrase you are searching for in the Find window.
Acronyms we do not spell out are marked with the phrase ―Do not spell out‖ and are listed in the
Acronyms section of this guide.
For other acronym meanings, see acronymfinder.com. Some proposal writers prefer that you query an
acronym if you are unsure of its spellout; seek direction on this matter from the lead editor or coordinator.
& (may be used in graphics, PowerPoint slides,
when space is limited, etc.)
4R Model (Retirement, Reassessment,
Renewal, or Redevelopment Model; CSC‘s)
10BaseT
9/11 (in first reference, use September 11,
2001)
Do not spell out (refers to an Ethernet
standard for LANs)
10-fold (do not spell out 10; always
hyphenated)
A
a.m. (not AM, A.M., or am)
ABEND
10X toolkit
Do not spell out (stands for ―abnormal end of
task‖)
24x7
Also acceptable are 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-aweek (adj.) and 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week (adv.)
2D
Do not spell out (stands for ―twodimensional‖)
3D
Do not spell out (stands for ―threedimensional‖)
3r Evolution™ (CSC product for the insurance
industry)
401(k)
Section of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code;
do not modify the citation, as in 401k, 401 (k),
401[k], etc.
ac (alternating current)
Do not use AC, A.C., or a.c.
academic degrees — BA, BS, MBA, AA, BSc,
LLD, PhD
accommodate
accumulate
ACD (automated call distribution)
ACG Case-Mix system (Johns Hopkins product
marketed and distributed by CSC)
acknowledgment (no ―e‖ after ―ledg‖)
ACL (access control list)
ACORD
CSC is an associate member of ACORD, the
insurance industry‘s nonprofit standards
developer
4GL (fourth-generation language)
ad hoc (never hyphenated)
37
October 2012
Ada (programming language), not ADA
AMS (Account Management System; CSC‘s)
ADE (application delivery executive)
AMS (Asset Management System; CSC entity)
ADM (applications delivery manager)
analog
ADM (applications development and
maintenance)
and/or
Can be overused; usually one or the other
is sufficient
ADMT
Do not spell out (stands for ―Active Directory
Migration Tool‖)
anonymous
ANSI
advisor (not adviser)
Do not spell out (stands for ―American
National Standards Institute‖)
AE (account executive)
Aegis (CSC project developing software for the
U.S. Navy and international clients)
aero- (prefix, generally, write as a closed
compound) aerodynamics, aeronautics
ANSWER (Applications ‘n Support for Widelydiverse EndUser Requirements, a CSC
contract)
antiIn most cases, the prefix anti- forms one
word, no hyphen; follow Webster (not AP):
hyphen is used with proper nouns (antiBolshevik, anti-Darwinism) and with words
beginning with i (anti-inflationary, antiintrusion)
AFAR (Army Federal Acquisition Regulation)
affect
Affect is a verb meaning to influence; effect is
a noun meaning the result (―We do not expect
this news to affect sales immediately; longterm effects, however, are likely.‖)
Moreover, affect as a noun means demeanor,
as in ―a dull affect,‖ and effect as a verb
means to cause to occur, as in ―to effect a
major change.‖ But these uses are rare in
business writing.
agency-wide
air- (prefix, generally, write as a closed
compound) airborne, aircraft, airfield, airplane
antivirus
ANX (Automotive Network eXchange)
AOM (Account Operations Manual)
APAR (Account Performance Appraisal
Review; CSC‘s)
APER (Application Portfolio Effectiveness
Review; a CSC evaluation offering)
API
al Qaeda (Al Qaeda to begin a sentence)
Do not spell out (stands for ―application
programming interface‖)
algorithm
all- (use hyphen, e.g., all-round, all-out)
alphanumeric (no hyphen)
ALS (asset life-cycle services)
Americas, the (North, South, and Central
America)
AMI (Asset Management Initiative; CSC tool)
AMO (Asset Management Option; CSC tool)
AMI and AMO make up Asset Management
System (AMS)
ampere (a, A, amp., e.g., 50 amps)
APMO (Account Project [Program]
Management Office)
appendix, appendices (not appendixes)
Application Value Management
service)
SM
(CSC
ARC (Additional Resource Charge)
ARCB (Application Release Control Board;
CSC‘s)
architect (acceptable as a verb in IT context)
ARD (Acquired Rights Directive)
38
October 2012
AS/400
BA, BS; bachelor of arts, bachelor of science;
a bachelor‘s degree
Do not spell out
ASD (Application Services Division; CSC
business unit)
BAA (Business Area Architecture)
CSC Catalyst subphase
Asia Group (CSC business unit)
back end (n.), back-end (adj.)
Asia-Pacific (acceptable as a noun, as in
―CSC‘s Help Desk operates in Asia-Pacific and
Australia.‖)
back-in (n., adj.), to back in (v.)
as-is, to-be (adj. predicate mod.)
back-office (adj.)
In IT context, as-is describes the current state
or system characteristics before transition
and cutover; to-be describes an upgraded
system. In proposals, As-Is and To-Be may
be capitalized.
ASP (application service provider)
backlog
back-out (n., adj.) (the removal of updates or
changes to an application, system, or
database), to back out (v.)
backup (n., adj.), to back up (v.)
BAFO (best and final offer)
BAL (business area lead)
assure
Use assure to help a person feel more
comfortable with a claim you are making (We
can assure that help desk support will be
provided 24x7). Assure is a transitive verb
that requires an object.
Balanced Scorecard
Management system created to incorporate
internal business factors — such as
employees, customers, suppliers, technology,
and growth and innovation — into the
traditional financial basis for strategic
business decision making (may be used
generically, as balanced scorecard, no caps)
Use ensure to describe making sure of a fact
(We will ensure 24x7 help desk support).
And use insure only to talk about the financial
underwriting of risk (CSC insures worker‘s
compensation through Northwest Mutual).
CSC‘s proprietary Balanced Scorecard
SM
Process (BSCP) is designed to measure
performance levels in outsourcing
engagements to improve service delivery,
achieve business goals, and set new goals
asynchronous (can be shortened to async)
ATM
Do not spell out (stands for ―asynchronous
transfer mode‖)
Baldrige, Malcolm
The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
(note that Baldrige is spelled without the
second d, as is the more common Baldridge)
Australian Group (CSC business unit)
autodiscoverable
BAM (business application management)
AVM (Application Value Management; CSC
service)
bandwidth
B
B2anyone (business interaction with any entity)
B2B (business-to-business);
B2Bi (B2B integration)
B2C (business-to-customer, business-to-client,
or business-to-consumer)
bar code
base case
baseband
baseline
BASIC
Do not spell out (stands for ―Beginner’s AllPurpose Instruction Code‖)
B2G (business-to-government)
BASys
39
TM
(CSC product)
October 2012
BBUE (billed but unearned)
Box of Boxes
High-level depiction of the Catalyst
framework‘s two major phases and the
variety of assets and resources within each:
the life-cycle phase, which defines work to be
done and project planning, and the
management phase, which deals with project
performance and solution delivery
BCP (Business Continuity Plan)
BEA (Business Enterprise Architecture; DoD‘s)
benchmark, benchmarking, benchmark test
benefit (plural n., as in ―CSC will deliver
measurable benefit across your global IT
operations‖)
benefited, benefiting
best of breed (n.), best-of-breed (adj.)
BPA (Blanket Purchase Agreement)
BPI (business process improvement)
BPM (business process management)
best practices (n.), best-practices (adj.)
Best Total Solution
Initial caps if referring to CSC‘s COE
SM
Service-marked term referring to nearly all of
CSC‘s computer consulting services, from
computer systems design, installation, and
maintenance to IT outsourcing
BEST/1
Do not spell out (refers to an IBM capacityplanning tool)
bi- Prefix is not hyphenated, e.g., bidirectional,
biannual
BPO (business process outsourcing)
BPR (business process reengineering)
bps (bits per second)
BRAC (base realignment and closure)
breakdown (n., adj.), break down (v.)
break-fix (use hyphen, not slash) (refers to
maintenance of IT assets)
Broadband
BIA (business impact analysis)
Brochureware
big data
BSA (baseline security assessment)
bisynchronous transmission (may be shortened
to bisync)
BSA
Do not spell out when it stands for ―Business
Software Alliance‖
bit level (n.), bit-level (adj.)
bitmap; bitmapped (adj.)
BSD (business system design)
Black Belt (Six Sigma)
BU (business unit)
BlackBerry, not Blackberry
bucket (n.) (a distinct category)
The organization chart shows the Dublin call
center in the European Group bucket.
For plural, use BlackBerry devices, not
BlackBerries or BlackBerrys
Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS)
Not all plans use ―and‖ in the name, and
some plans use Blue Cross or Blue Shield
but not both
builddown (n.), to build down (v.)
buildout (n.), to build out (v.)
built-in (adj.), to build in or into (v.)
BMP (best manufacturing practice)
burn-in (n.) (a continuous test for defects)
BOM (Bill of Materials)
bus, buses (a computer component, type of
fuse, or passenger vehicle; never busses)
bona fide (adj.), bona fides (n.)
BOS (back-office services or Back Office
Services [CSC offering])
Business Reengineering® (CSC proprietary
term; also Business Process Reengineering)
business unit (use lowercase as generic
reference to CSC business unit)
40
October 2012
buy-in (n.); to buy in or buy into (v.)
CAP (CSC Ambassador Program)
byte mode
CAP (Compliance Assurance Program)
CAPPU (corrective, adaptive, preventive,
perfective, and user support; CSC‘s)
C
C (a programming language designed to
implement the Unix operating system; do not
refer to as C language)
CAPPUD (corrective, adaptive, preventive,
perfective, user support, and development;
CSC management process)
C (for Celsius or centigrade, do not spell out)
CAR (corrective action request)
C3 (Connect, Communicate, Collaborate)
CSC‘s social collaboration site; treated as C
only in the logo
3
CAS (corrective action system)
CASCOM (Combined Army Support Command)
C&A (certification and accreditation)
CASE (computer-aided software engineering)
C2 (command and control)
case study
C3TE&I (command, control, and
communications technology engineering and
integration)
cash flow (n.), cash-flow (adj.)
C4D (Catalyst 4D; CSC‘s)
C4I (command, control, communications,
computers, and intelligence)
C4IEW (command, control, communications,
computers, intelligence, and electronic warfare)
CAT (Corrective Action Team)
catalog (spell as catalogue only at client‘s
specific reference)
CATIA (computer-aided three-dimensional
interactive application)
CBA-IPI (CMM-Based Appraisal for Internal
Process Improvement)
C4ISR (command, control, communications,
computers, intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance)
CBCP (Certified Business Continuity
Professional)
CAB (Change Advisory Board)
CBNRE (chemical, biological, nuclear,
radiological, and explosive)
CAD (computer-aided design)
CAE (computer-aided engineering)
CAGE
Do not spell out (stands for ―Commercial and
Government Entity,‖ usually used in the
phrase ―CAGE code‖)
CBT (computer-based training)
CCB (Change Control Board)
CCB (Configuration Control Board)
CCCB (Configuration Change Control Board)
CCN (change control number)
CALA (Caribbean and Latin America)
CCR (configuration change request)
call-in (n.), to call in (v.)
CCRB (Change Control Review Board)
callout (n.), to call out (v.)
CD
CALS (Continuous Acquisition and Life-Cycle
Support, a CSC contract with DoD)
CAM (computer-aided modeling)
TM
CAMS II
product)
Do not spell out (stands for ―compact disc‖)
CDR (call detail reporting or call detail record)
CDR (Critical Design Review)
(Card and Merchant System; a CSC
canceled, canceling (use double ―l‖ only if
British spelling is appropriate)
CDRL (Contract Data Requirements List)
41
October 2012
CD-ROM
CICS
Do not spell out; stands for ―compact disc —
read-only memory‖)
Also: CD-R (CD-Recordable), CD-RW
(CD-Rewritable)
CECOM (Communications-Electronics
Command)
Do not spell out (stands for ―Customer
Information Control System‖)
CIO (chief information officer)
CIT (Continuous Improvement Team)
CKP (Corporate Knowledge Program)
CSC‘s collaborative knowledge base,
organized into services that facilitate
development, deployment, operations, and
management
cell phone (but smartphone)
CENR (Chemical, Energy & Natural Resources)
One of seven CSC verticals (see vertical
industry groups)
CLAIMS2000
TM
(CSC product)
CenTauri Solutions LLC (a CSC company)
clean room
Center of Excellence (CSC entity)
(Centre of Excellence outside the United
States)
cleanup (n., adj.), to clean up (v.)
centi- (prefix, all one word, e.g., centimeter)
client/server (use slash, not hyphen)
centri- (prefix, all one word, e.g., centrifugal)
client-facing (adj.)
-centric (suffix, generally hyphenate, as in
―CSC‘s customer-centric practices‖)
CLIN (Contract Line Item Number)
CEO (chief executive officer)
closedown (n.), to close down (v.)
CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team;
CSC‘s)
closeout (n.), to close out (v.)
CFE (contractor-furnished equipment)
CLEC (competitive local exchange carrier)
closed-circuit (adj.), closed circuit (n.)
closeup (n.), to close up (v.)
CFO compliance (n.), CFO-compliant (adj.)
cloud (lowercase, as in cloud computing, but
uppercase when part of CSC product or
service, e.g., CSC Trusted Cloud)
Refers to the Chief Financial Officers Act of
1990
CloudExchange (CSC‘s cloud-based mail and
collaboration service)
CFR (Code of Federal Regulations)
CloudLab (CSC‘s cloud-based development
and test service)
CFO (chief financial officer)
CFS
Do not spell out (stands for ―container file
system‖)
CloudProtection (CSC‘s)
CM (change [configuration] management)
Capitalize if referring to CSC‘s Service
Delivery Excellence Program
C-GEN (Converged Global Enterprise Network;
CSC product)
change management
change-out (n.)
chargeback (n., adj.) (a way to reverse a
transaction or cancel a cost), to charge back
(v.)
CMM (Capability Maturity Model; see SEI
CMM)
CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration; do
not use CMMi)
CMOS
Do not spell out (stands for ―complementary
metal oxide semiconductor‖)
Checklist
CI (configuration item)
CMRB (Change Management Review Board)
42
October 2012
CO (contracting officer)
Compatible
co- (prefix; refer to the Merriam-Webster Online
Dictionary for whether to hyphenate or close up
co- words)
Competent
componentize (v.), componentization (n.)
(divide a whole into its component parts)
COA (chart of accounts)
We will identify redundant applications by
componentizing the software portfolio.
COB (close of business)
COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and
Related Technology)
COBOL
comprise (v.), meaning to contain, to include, or
to be made up of, e.g., ―The data center
comprises six mainframes.‖
While comprise is often used in the form is
comprised of, CSC‘s style is to adhere to the
definition above. An easy editorial correction
is to change is comprised of to is composed
of, consists of, or contains.
Do not spell out (stands for ―common
business-oriented language‖)
COD (capacity on demand)
Codex
compute platform (not computer)
COE (Center of Excellence [Centre of
Excellence if located in a British
Commonwealth country])
COE (common operating environment)
Congress (capitalize when referring to U.S.
Congress; otherwise lowercase, as in
―congressional salaries‖)
CONOPS
COF (client order fulfillment)
Usually stands for "concept of operations"
(capitalized when referring to specific
document); occasionally stands for
"contingency operations" (if uncertain, query)
®
COGEN (CSC product)
COGS (cost of goods sold)
COI (conflict of interest)
COLD
consents (n.) (permissions)
Consulting Group (CSC business unit)
Do not spell out (stands for ―computer output
to laser disk‖)
colinear (not collinear or co-linear)
Contract Performance and Quality Assurance
(CSC business unit)
CONUS
colocation (n), colocate (v.)
In IT, the intended term usually is colocation,
which usually refers to housing a company‘s
server(s) off site, often by another company
that may provide additional services. May be
confused with the more general term
collocate, meaning to occur in conjunction or
to arrange in a certain position. Query the
author if the meaning or context is unclear.
Colossus
TM
(CSC product)
combat, combated, combating
Do not spell out (stands for ―continental
United States‖)
Convenience (CSC software for the insurance
industry)
SM
ConversionEdge (CSC service for the
insurance industry)
COO (chief operating officer)
COOP (continuity of operations; not Continuity
of Operations Plan)
copay, copayment (do not hyphenate)
commencement date (the day on which certain
transition, transformation, or migration activities
start)
copy editor, to copy edit
common user interface (n., adj.)
copywriter
company-wide
COR (contracting officer‘s representative)
43
copyright (n., v., and adj.)
October 2012
CORBA
Do not spell out (stands for ―common object
request broker architecture‖)
CR (change request)
CR&DR (Clarification Request and Deficiency
Report)
Corporate Responsibility (uppercase when
referring to CSC program and the Corporate
Responsibility report; lowercase when referring
to the general concept)
Credit Services, CSC Credit Services (CSC
business unit)
cosourcing (n., adj.) (an arrangement between
two vendors providing services as one entity)
cross- (prefix)
CRM (customer relationship management)
Hyphenate when the base word has more
than two syllables; otherwise, treat as one
word, with no hyphen:
cost (plural n., as in ―CSC will create new
efficiencies and reduce IT cost‖)
cost-benefit analysis (use hyphen, not slash)
cost-effective (adj.), cost-effective (pred. adj.)
cost-effectiveness (n.)
crossbar
cross-functional
crossdomain
cross-reference
crossover
cross-multiply
Costpoint (CSC accounting system)
crossplatform
COTR (contracting officer‘s technical
representative)
crosstalk (unwanted
signals in communications)
COTS (commercial off-the-shelf)
Exceptions include the following:
courseware
coworker
CPAF (cost plus award fee; contract term)
CPAR (Customer Performance Assessment
Review; CSC‘s)
Plural is CPARs; may be confused with
CPARS, a CSC evaluation tool (see CPARS
entry)
CPARS (Contractor Performance Assessment
Reporting System)
May be used incorrectly with lowercase ―s‖
and may be confused with CPAR, CSC‘s
Customer Performance Assessment Review
(see CPAR entry)
CPFF (cost plus fixed fee [n.], cost-plus-fixedfee [adj.])
CPI (Consumer Price Index)

Cross used strictly as a noun — as in
cross purposes, cross action (legal term )

When the following word begins with s —
cross-sample, cross-section
CSA (Center for Systems Architecture)
CSAS (CSC Security Alerting Service)
CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Assessment
Team)
CSC (Computer Sciences Corporation; spell
out only in legal documents and copyright
citations)
CSC Ambassadors Program (CAP, usually
refers to a transition activity)
CSCAnswers (CSC‘s employee help desk)
CSC Buy (CSC product/service)
SM
CPI (continuous process improvement)
CSC Catalyst (CSC proprietary methodology)
SM
SM
also Catalyst 2000 , Catalyst 4D
CPM (Critical Path Method)
CSC Connect
CPS (cost plus services [n.], cost-plus-services
[adj.])
CSC Dimensions
CPU
Do not spell out (stands for ―central
processing unit‖)
SM
CSC Learning Place (CSC‘s e-learning
environment for employees)
CSC Portal (Web portal for CSC employees;
also see Knowledge Environment)
44
October 2012
CSC Sources
SM
CSC‘s global knowledge environment,
consisting of collective experience, solutions,
innovations, and best practices organized into
knowledge communities and our knowledge
base, infrastructure, and processes
CSC Trusted Cloud services
CSC World (CSC‘s thought leadership
magazine; set in italics)
csc.com
CSF (critical success factor)
SM
CyberCare (CSC enterprise information risk
management service)
CyberLife Distribution Support, CyberLife
Enterprise System (former Mynd products, now
CSC products)
D
DAA (designated approval authority)
daemon (a computer program that runs in the
background)
DAS (direct attached storage)
DASD
CSM (customer satisfaction monitoring)
Do not spell out (stands for ―direct access
storage device‖)
CSR (customer service representative)
CSS (Customer Support Services)
CSC (Customer Support Center) or other
variations may be used instead of Help Desk
for specific projects or clients
CSU
Do not spell out (stands for ―channel service
unit‖)
dashboard
DAT
Do not spell out (stands for ―digital
audiotape‖)
data
When referring to data as a single unit, use a
singular verb (The data is sound).
CTI (computer telephony integration)
On rare occasions, when referring to
individual items, treat as plural (The data add
up correctly).
CTL (CSC Training Library)
CTO (chief technology officer)
CTQ (critical to quality)
customer intimacy (a strong, in-depth
relationship between a client and provider)
customer intimacy (acceptable industry term for
understanding your customer really well)
cut-in (n., adj.), to cut in (v.)
cutoff (n.), to cut off (v.)
cutout (n.), to cut out (v.)
cutover (n., adj.), to cut over (v.)
When referring to an outsourcing transition,
cutover, also referred to as Day One, is the
point at which CSC assumes responsibility for
the client‘s new operating environment
CY (contract year; sometimes refers to
calendar year)
data center
data mart
data space
data type
data warehouse (n. or v.)
Data Warehouse Applications Lab (CSC
organization)
Data Warehouse Design Guide Initiative (CSC
document)
data warehousing (n.)
databus
DataCentralen (CSC division)
dataset
Day 1, Day 2; Week 1, Week 2, etc., in a series
cyber- (combining form, written as a closed
compound: cyberattack, cyberspace)
Day One refers to transition cutover (there is
no ―Day Two‖), although either Day One or
Day 1 may be used to refer to a contract
45
October 2012
effective date or generically as ―day one.‖
Examples:



All employees will receive permanent ID
badges during the last week before Day
One. (transition)
degradation (a decline in quality)
We will track degradation in the systems
architecture over time.
deinstall
We will monitor performance levels from
Day 1 through Day 90. (contract time
period)
Dekker TRAKKER (program and project
management software)
Attendance exceeded expectations from
day one. (generic)
desktop (n., adj.)
desktop computer
DB (database)
DB (disadvantaged business)
U.S. Small Business Administration
designation
DB2
Do not spell out (stands for ―Database 2‖)
deskside (adj.) (readily available)
DFAR (Defense Federal Acquisition
Regulation)
DFAS (Defense Finance and Accounting
Service)
DFSS (Define for Six Sigma)
DHCP
Do not spell out (stands for ―dynamic host
configuration protocol‖)
DBA (database administrator)
dBASE III+, dBASE IV, etc.
DBMS
Do not spell out (stands for ―database
management system‖)
DHS (Department of Homeland Security)
DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency)
DIACAP (DoD Information Assurance
Certification and Accreditation Process)
dc (direct current)
DCE (distributed computing environment)
DCeS (Distributed, Collaborative, and
e-Infrastructure Services; CSC group)
DDES (Desktop and Distributed Engineering
Services; CSC group)
DDS (Desktop and Distributed Services; CSC
group)
de- (prefix, all one word, e.g., deactivate)
decision making, decision maker (n.)
decision-making (adj.)
decompose (v.) Often used in IT industry in its
lesser-known meaning, ―to separate into
constituent elements or parts‖
defense in depth (n.), defense-in-depth (adj.)
May be capitalized or hyphenated differently
in CSC Defense Group or military usage;
follow client‘s preference
degausser (n.), degauss (v.)
Supersedes DITSCAP
dial-in, dial-out service
Dialog Days, a CSC transition event (see next
entry)
dialogue, except when used in the terms dialog
box and Dialog Days (see previous entry)
dial-up modem
to dial up
DID (Data Item Description)
DISA (Defense Information Systems Agency)
disc (compact)
Discovery (Generally capitalize when referring
to a specific phase of CSC‘s work; lowercase
when used in a generic sense.)
disintermediation
disk (floppy or hard, optical)
diskette
46
October 2012
distributed (adj., n.) Shortened form for
distributed computing services, computer
engineering involving multiple stations, usually
a network; may be used in IT jargon as a noun
(―distributed will be handled by our LAN/WAN
engineers‖) or as a shortened adjective
referring to networking (―distributed operations‖)
DOS
DITSCAP (DoD Information Technology
Security Certification and Accreditation
Process)
double-click
Superseded by DIACAP
DLA (Defense Logistics Agency)
DLMSO (Defense Logistics Management
Standards Organization)
DLT
Do not spell out (stands for ―digital linear
tape‖)
DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve,
and control)
DMZ
Do not spell out (stands for ―demilitarized
zone‖)
DNS
Do not spell out (stands for ―domain name
server‖)
do‘s and don‘ts
Do not spell out (stands for ―disk operating
system‖)
DOT (Department of Transportation)
dot-com, dot-corp
downline
download (n., v., adj.)
downselect (v.), downselection (n.) (pare down
the number of service providers bidding on a
contract)
downsize (v.)
downstream
downtime
DR (disaster recovery)
drill-down (adj.), drill down (v.)
drop-down menu
DRP (Disaster Recovery Plan)
DSDM (Digital System Development
Methodology; CSC‘s)
DSL (Definitive Software Library)
DSL
Do not spell out (stands for ―digital subscriber
line‖)
DoD (Department of Defense)
DoD (U.S. Department of Defense; do not use
DOD)
DoDAF (Department of Defense Architecture
Framework)
DSR (Daily Service Review)
Part of CSC‘s Service Delivery Excellence
Program
DSU
DOE (Department of Energy)
Do not spell out (stands for ―data service
unit‖)
DOEd (Department of Education)
DOJ (Department of Justice)
dual-density (adj.), dual density (pred. adj.)
DOL (Department of Labor)
Due Diligence (never hyphenated)
Domains of Change (element of CSC Catalyst)
Six perspectives from which Catalyst examines
an organization‘s needs and interdependencies
― business process, location, applications,
organization, technology, and data; often
represented graphically as a hexagon
Generally capitalize when referring to a
specific phase of CSC‘s work (―During Due
Diligence we will conduct a wall-to-wall
inventory.‖)
DoS (Department of State; do not use DOS)
Lowercase in a generic sense (―We exercise
due diligence in adhering to the strictest ethical
standards.‖)
47
October 2012
application programs
DUNS
Do not spell out (stands for ―Data Universal
Numbering System)
E911 (Enhanced 911, an FCC technology)
EAC (estimate at completion)
duo (prefix, all one word, e.g., duologue)
EAD (enterprise application design)
DuPont (not Dupont)
eAI or EAI (enterprise application integration)
DUSD (Deputy Under Secretary of Defense)
Generically, refers to integration of different
applications within an organization
DVD
In CSC context, may refer to CSC‘s eAI
Center of Excellence, which offers
precertified eAI technology architectures,
established knowledge management
processes, and mentors to assist in
integration
Do not spell out (stands for ―digital video
disk‖)
Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence
(may be shortened to Eisenhower Award)
Awarded by the U.S. Small Business
Administration to recognize large federal
contractors with the most outstanding small
business subcontracting programs; CSC
received this award in 1999, 2004.
Dynamic Desktop (CSC offering)
Dynamic Sourcing
E
With the exception of email, use e-words as
follows:
E-learning
e-learning
E-Learning
e-Knowledge
e-DoD
E&N (escalation and notification)
e.g. (―for example‖; use only in parenthetical
phrases, and follow with a comma)
e~Wave
east, eastern
(lowercase when indicating compass direction)
e-biz (CSC promotional effort)
e-
SM
earth station
East Coast, Northeast, Far East
(capitalize when designating a region)
SM
to begin a sentence:
mid-sentence:
in a title:
if a proper noun:
if with an acronym:
earn-back (adj.), to earn back (v.)
EBPP (electronic bill presentment and
payment)
EBUB (earned but unbilled)
e-business
e-Business Group (CSC group based in
Waltham, Massachusetts)
e-commerce
ECS (Enterprise Console Services; CSC‘s)
ECS (Enterprise Control System)
EDI
Do not spell out (stands for ―electronic data
interchange‖)
(1997 CSC program)
E2E (end-to-end)
e3 Used in various contexts to describe
methodologies or processes, products and
services, company names, slogans, etc.
Do not use e3 in any part of a proprietary
CSC service or product. CSC e4 was
adopted in April 2003 as CSC‘s proprietary
architectural framework for integrating new
and legacy applications, in some cases also
involving software for integrating business
Editor‘s Choice Award (see entry for
Outsourcing Journal‘s Editor‘s Choice Award)
EDP (electronic data processing)
effect (see entry for affect)
effective date (n.) (the day on which certain
transition, transformation, or migration activities
start or end)
48
October 2012
E-Government initiatives
Usually refers to 23 measures developed by
White House E-Government Task Force to
maximize government productivity, reduce
redundancy, and improve service through
technology
e-government, e-gov Generic term for Webbased services offered by local, state, and
federal government agencies
eHub (CSC application management service)
EI (enterprise integration)
EIRM (enterprise information risk management)
escalate (v.) (take to a higher level of an
organization)
Help desk staff will escalate Level 4 problems
to senior management.
ESI (Enforcement, Security & Intelligence; CSC
division)
E-Sign, the Electronic Signatures in Global and
National Commerce Act, or Digital Signatures
Act
ESM (enterprise systems management)
ETC (estimate to complete)
Ethernet
Eisenhower Award (see Dwight D. Eisenhower
Award for Excellence)
ETL (extract, transform, and load)
electro (prefix, all one word, e.g.,
electromagnetic)
ETP (Enterprise Transformation Plan; CSC
toolkit)
email (not e-mail; see ―e-‖ entry for guidance on
other e- words)
EU (European Union)
EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa)
euro, euros (currency used in European Union
countries)
enable (in IT, often used in its meaning ―to
cause to operate,‖ as in ―software that enables
a keyboard‖)
EUC (end user computing)
Europe, Western Europe, Central Europe
Eastern Europe is no longer considered a
separate political unit (since the dissolution of
the USSR in 1991). Now usually referred to
as Central Europe
end state (n.), end-state (adj.)
end user (n., adj.) Two words; use variations
(e.g., enduser, end-user, End User) only upon
internal client request or to conform with
customer requirements
Eastern Europe may be used in strict
historical sense
endpoint (always one word)
EVM (earned value management)
end-to-end (adj.); end to end (predicate
modifier)
EVMS (earned value management system)
ensure (see entry for assure)
Enter key
enterprise-wide
ex- prefix, use hyphen when using ex- in the
sense of ―former‖: ex-convict, ex-President;
refer to dictionary for other uses
excess (v.) (render unnecessary)
The data center in Germany will be excessed
over the life of the contract.
E-PMO (Enterprise Program Management
Office)
Era of e (CSC marketing campaign for
e-business; no longer used)
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)
ERT (Emergency Response Team)
Exhibit 1-1 (always use initial caps for text
references to specific graphics)
existence
externalization (moving IT elements outside of
an organization, as in ―Externalization of the
technical architecture will begin on July 1‖)
extranet
49
October 2012
F
F&A (finance and accounting)
face off (v.), face-off (n., adj.) generally
acceptable business jargon for face-to-face
(e.g., meeting)
first (second, third, etc. — use numerals for
ordinals 10th and over)
first-call resolution
Resolution of a technical issue or problem on
the first call to a help desk. Usually used in
service level context, e.g., number of
problems resolved on the first call from the
user, time taken to reach resolution, etc.
factory-to-foxhole (adj.), factory to foxhole
(pred. mod.)
failover (n.) (the transfer of operation from a
failed to a working component)
fallback (n. adj.), fall back (v.)
FAQs
Do not spell out (stands for ―frequently asked
questions‖)
FAR
Do not spell out (stands for ―Federal
Acquisition Regulation‖)
firsthand
fiscal year (e.g., FY 2013, FY13)
FY 2013 or FY13 is acceptable in text
Flash (a multimedia product; do not use as
lowercase in this sense)
flightcrew
flowchart (always one word)
fluorescent
TM
Fast Ethernet
Focal Point
fat client, fat server
follow-on (n., adj.)
Fault Evaluator® (CSC product)
follow-the-sun (adj.);
follow the sun (v.)
fax (do not spell out facsimile)
FCAPS (fault, configuration, accounting,
performance, and security)
FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act)
FDDI
Do not spell out (stands for ―fiber distributed
data interface‖)
federal (l.c. except in U.S. government
proposals)
federal court (always lowercase)
feedback (n.)
FFP (firm fixed price [n.], firm-fixed-price [adj.])
fiber optics (n.), fiber-optic (adj.)
(CSC product)
follow-through (n.)
follow-up (n., adj.)
to follow up (v.)
for example (can use e.g.)
Fort (avoid abbreviating designated names of
cities or military installations; may be
abbreviated to ―Ft.‖ if space is limited)
FORTEZZA
FORTRAN (all caps) (full name of software —
Formula Translation — is never used)
Fortune 500, Fortune 1000, Fortune Global 500
(do not italicize ―Fortune‖ in this sense)
file name
FORTUNE magazine (treat as all caps and
italicize in this sense)
file server
FP (fixed price)
fill-in (n.), to fill in (v.)
FP (function point)
Financial Services Group (FSG, CSC business
unit)
FRAD
Do not spell out (stands for ―frame relay
assembler/disassembler‖)
firmware
frame relay
50
October 2012
freeze period (a defined time of inactivity during
a project)
GB, GBps
Do not spell out (stand for ―gigabyte‖ and
―gigabytes per second‖)
front-end (adj.), front end (n.)
front-line (adj.), front line (n.)
FSG (Financial Services Group; CSC group)
GCARS (Global Change Activity Request
System; CSC‘s)
FTE (full-time equivalent)
GEMS (Global Enterprise Management
System; CSC‘s HR database)
FTP
geographic operations, geographies
Do not spell out (stands for ―file transfer
protocol‖)
CSC‘s geographic organizations are Asia
Group, Australian Group, European Group,
and North American Technology
Management Group
FTS2000
fulfill, fulfillment (British fulfil, fulfilment)
full-screen (adj.)
geographies (see previous entry)
George (a CSC product)
full-time (adj.)
to work full time (pred. mod.)
GFE (government-furnished equipment)
full-time accounting; full-time equivalent
GHPAT (Global High-Performance Application
Team; CSC‘s)
Fusion methodology (CSC offering)
GHz
future state (the desired state of affairs toward
which an organization is working)
The future state will center on business
process outsourcing.
FUTUREfirst (CSC product)
FY
Do not spell out (stands for ―fiscal year‖)
G
G2 (Global Growth; CSC‘s)
G2 in text; g2 as a graphic logo only
gain-sharing (adj.)
gap analysis
Gartner
Do not spell out (stands for ―gigahertz‖)
GKMS (Global Knowledge Management
Services; CSC business unit)
giga- (prefix meaning one billion, no hyphen;
see kilo and mega; abbrev. is G)
GigE (Gigabit Ethernet)
GIS (Global Infrastructure Services; CSC
business unit)
GISS (Global Information Security Services;
CSC unit)
GKMS (Global Knowledge Management
Services; CSC unit)
GL (general ledger)
GLB (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act)
IT industry analyst, formerly known as
Gartner Group; delete Group from all current
references
gauge
Gb, Gbps
Also known as the Financial Modernization
Act of 1999
GLIRM (global lead information risk manager)
Global Crossing
Delete references from CSC materials (IT
outsourcing contract with CSC terminated in
early stages by mutual agreement)
Do not spell out (stand for ―gigabit‖ and
―gigabits per second‖)
Global Infrastructure Services (CSC business
unit)
51
October 2012
Global Transformation Solutions Group
(CSC business unit)
Global Web Hosting (CSC service)
GmbH (Gesellschaft mit Beschränkter Haftung,
German term meaning a limited liability
company)
grow (v.) In business jargon, can be used as
transitive verb meaning ―to expand,‖ as in ―grow
the business‖
GSA (General Services Administration)
GSAM (Global Software Asset Management;
CSC group)
GMC (Global Management Center; CSC‘s)
GSS (Global Security Solutions; CSC group)
GNMC (Global Network Management Center;
CSC‘s)
GSSC (Global Security Solutions Center;
CSC‘s)
go/no-go
GTS (Global Transformation Solutions; CSC
group)
go-ahead (n., adj.)
go-between (n.)
go-live (adj.), go live (v.) (put a computer
application into daily use)
guarantee (avoid use; do not confuse with
guaranty, which is used in certain proper
names)
GUI
GOTS (government off-the-shelf)
Do not spell out (stands for ―graphical user
interface‖)
government (lowercase except in U.S.
government documents, and most CSC NPS
proposals)
GPARS (Global Performance Appraisal Review
System; CSC‘s)
GPES (Global Processing and Engineering
Services; CSC group)
GPF (Global Process Framework; CSC‘s)
gradeable, gradeability
grandfather (v.)
GRAS (global remote access service)
gray (British grey)
green (lowercase when it means
environmentally friendly)
Green Belt (Six Sigma)
greenfield (n., adj.) (a project or operation
started from scratch; a startup)
A flexible architecture will support both
established and greenfield operations.
GreenWay (CSC program supporting
environmentally friendly business practices)
GROUNDBREAKER or Project
GROUNDBREAKER
CSC IT outsourcing contract; client should be
identified only as a U.S. intelligence
organization.
H
H.E.A.T. (CSC‘s Hydra Expert Assessment
Technology)
handheld (n., adj.)
handoff (n., adj.) (a transfer of responsibility)
handout (n.)
to hand out (v.)
hands-on (adj.) Always hyphenate
hard copy (n.), hard-copy (adj.) (not hardcopy)
harden (v.), hardened (adj.) Removal of all
nonessential software from hardware or
operating system
HAZMAT (hazardous materials)
HBCU/MI (historically black colleges and
universities/minority institutions)
U.S. Small Business Administration
designations
HDI (Help Desk Institute)
head count
healthcare
Healthcare Group (former CSC business unit,
now merged with CSC‘s Consulting Group)
52
October 2012
help desk (generic); Help Desk (proper noun)
We provide help desk services from our Help
Desk in Colorado.
HelpLink
CSC transition information and assistance
contact
HHS (Department of Health and Human
Services)
hot-swap (adj.), hot swap (n.)
HP (not Hewlett-Packard)
HPSMT (High-Performance Software
Maintenance Team; CSC‘s)
HP-UX
Do not spell out
HR (human resources)
Lowercase in general sense, capitalized as
specific department or function
HIDS (host-based intrusion detection system)
high- (adj.)
high-performance
HRD (Human Resource Development; CSC
unit, distinct from Human Resources)
high-power
HRMS (human resources management system)
high-quality
HSRP
but
Do not spell out (stands for ―hot standby
routing protocol‖)
high quality standards
high service levels
High Performance Computing Center of
Excellence (one of CSC‘s many COEs); title
does not use a hyphen
HTML
Do not spell out (stands for ―hypertext markup
language‖)
HTTP
HIPAA
Generally not spelled out (stands for ―Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act‖)
holdup (n.), to hold up (v.)
home page
homeland security
U.S. Department of Homeland Security,
established as Cabinet-level department on
November 25, 2002; preceded by White
House Office of Homeland Security, created
by presidential order in September 2001
Lowercase in generic sense; may be
capitalized for consistency or upon client
request
Do not spell out (stands for ―hypertext
transfer protocol‖)
HUBZone (historically underutilized business
zone)
HUBZSB (historically underutilized business
zone small business)
HVAC
Do not spell out (stands for ―heating,
ventilation, and air-conditioning‖)
hyper- (prefix, generally written as a closed
compound, as in hyperlink, hypertext)
Hz (hertz)
I
horizontal lines of service
CSC‘s horizontal service organizations
include Global Infrastructure Services,
Consulting Group, and Application Services
Division
hot line (not hotline)
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)
All terms with the phrase ―as a Service‖ are
given the same capitalization treatment
i.e. (literally means ―that is‖; use only in
parenthetical phrases; follow with a comma)
hot site (n.), hot-site (adj.)
hotfix
53
October 2012
I/O
Do not spell out (stands for ―input/output,‖ as
in ―I/O device‖)
IGN (Integrated Global Network) Strategy,
Architecture
Created by CSC through business
collaboration with key global providers of
networking equipment and IP transport to
provide access to the corporate network for
CSC customers and employees and support
planned business growth in e-business and
Net markets. CSC‘s four IGN hosting centers
are:
IA (information assurance)
IA-CMM (Information Assurance Capability
Maturity Model)
IAD (Integrated Applications Development)
iBase (service offered by CSC‘s m-Business
unit)

Newark, Delaware

San Diego, California
IBM

Copenhagen, Denmark

Sydney, Australia
Do not spell out (stands for ―International
Business Machines‖)
IBS (Integrated Business Services; CSC
business unit)
IIS
Do not spell out (stands for ―Internet
information server‖)
ICD (Iterative Custom Development)
ICMP
Do not spell out (stands for ―Internet control
message protocol‖)
IKE (Internet key exchange)
ILM (information life-cycle management)
IMAC (install, move, add, and change)
IMP (Incident Management Plan)
ICMS (install, change, move, and surplus)
IMUX (intelligent multiplexers)
iCSR (integrated Customer Service Request;
CSC process)
inbound (inward bound) (always one word)
ID
Do not spell out (stands for ―identification‖);
do not use ―id‖
IDIQ
Do not spell out (stands for ―Indefinite
Delivery, Indefinite Quantity‖)
incentivize (preferred verb is ―motivate‖; in any
case, don‘t use ―incent‖)
in-depth (adj.), in depth (pred. mod.)
indices (plural of index; do not use indexes)
industry-wide
Infonet
Used in many forms in names of
organizations, IT architectures, processes,
etc., and generically in reference to IT
networks (not INFONET)
IDNX
Do not spell out (stands for ―integrated digital
network exchange‖)
IDS (intrusion detection system)
Previously, an early CSC group that
developed a worldwide timesharing network
for transmitting shared data; sold to a group
of communications companies in 1989
IEEE (Institute of Electrical & Electronics
Engineers)
Information Security Center of Excellence
(CSC entity)
54
October 2012
INFOSEC (InfoSec, infosec, etc.) information
security
Usage varies widely; query author if
reference is unclear
Industry term ― Frequently used in IT
industry both generically and in names of
publications, conferences/events, companies,
corporate, and governmental and military
divisions, units, and committees
CSC contracts ― Since mid-1990s, CSC
contracts and work orders providing DoD
information security services and training
were collectively and descriptively referred to
as INFOSEC. Recent CSC documents tend
to spell out the term without capitalization
IP
Do not spell out (stands for ―Internet
protocol‖)
IPM (integrated product management)
IPMD (Institute for Project Management
Development; CSC‘s)
IPR (In-Progress Review)
IPSec (IP security)
IPT
Do not spell out (stands for ―Internet protocol
telephony‖)
IPX
Do not spell out (stands for ―internetwork
packet exchange‖)
infranet
infuse (v.)
in-house (adj.), in house (pred. mod.)
inoculate
inpatient/outpatient
in-scope (adj.), in scope (pred. adj.)
insource, insourcing
instance
In IT context, a single copy of a running
program; in object technology, one member
of a group
IRM (information risk management)
IRMA (information risk management approach)
IRMP (Information Risk Management Plan)
IRP (Incident Response Plan)
irrelevant
IRS (Internal Revenue Service)
IS (information system)
ISDM (Integrated Service Delivery Model)
ISDN
insure (see entry for assure)
Do not spell out (stands for ―integrated
services digital network‖)
Intelink, Intelink interface
inter- prefix, in most cases, do not use hyphen
(all one word)
(e.g., interlock)
ISO (International Organization for
Standardization
Internet, the Net (always initial-capped), Net
services
ISO 9000, ISO 9001, ISO 9001:2000 (no
space), ISO 14000 (n. or adj., no hyphens)
Spell out only if used by itself
Internet-accessible
ISO 9001–compliant (adj.) (use en-dash)
intimacy (industry term for development of
client relationship, as in, ―the intimacy stage of
the transition‖)
intra- (prefix, all one word, e.g., intrapersonal)
Certification according to criteria of
International Organization for
Standardization (ISO)
ISP
Do not spell out (stands for ―Internet service
provider‖)
intraday
intranet
intro- (prefix, all one word, as in ―introspection‖)
ISPA (Information Systems Process
Assessment; CSC‘s)
55
October 2012
SM
iST (Innovative Service Transformation;
CSC product)
K
kB, kBps
IT
Do not spell out (stands for ―information
technology‖)
Do not spell out (stand for ―kilobyte‖ and
―kilobytes per second‖)
kb
IT&T (information technology and
telecommunications)
iterative (adj.) (repeated until a task is done)
ITIL, ITIL V3 (Information Technology
Infrastructure Library [Version 3])
ITIL is pronounced ―idle‖
Do not spell out (stand for ―kilobit‖ and
―kilobits per second‖)
KE (knowledge engineer)
KET (Knowledge Engineering Team; CSC‘s)
keystroke
ITO (information technology outsourcing)
keyword (one word in IT usage)
ITS (Information Technology Strategy)
kHz
Do not spell out (stands for ―kilohertz‖)
ITSM (IT Service Management; ITIL framework)
kickoff (adj., n.), kick off (v.)
IV&V (independent verification and validation)
kilo (prefix for 1,000; all one word; abbreviation
is k)
IVR (interactive voice response)
KM (knowledge management)
J
Organization of information and knowledge
and access to it to achieve specific results,
particularly gathering content from
documents, reports, other text, and data
sources to derive meaningful results (akin to
data mining).
J2EE
Do not spell out (stands for ―Java 2 Platform
Enterprise Edition‖)
JAD (joint application development)
Described as the 21st century equivalent of
―information management,‖ broader in
meaning and distinguished from wide-ranging
business software solutions
James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial
Security Achievement Award
Java, JavaScript, JavaBeans
JCALS (Joint Computer-Aided Acquisition and
Logistics Support)
U.S. Navy contract
JCALS (Joint Computer-Aided Acquisition and
Logistics Support)
TM
JETS
(CSC product)
JIT (just-in-time)
JROC (Joint Requirements Oversight Council)
JTR (Joint Travel Regulation)
know-how (n.)
knowledge communities, knowledge
environment, Knowledge Solutions Lab (CSC)
knowledgeable
KPA (key process area)
KPI (key performance indicator)
KSL (Knowledge Solutions Laboratory; CSC‘s)
KT (Knowledge Transfer)
CSC methodology; lowercase when
reference is generic
judgment
jump-start (v.)
Ku band (n), Ku-band (adj.)
kV
Do not spell out (stands for ―kilovolt‖)
56
October 2012
kW
life cycle (n.), life-cycle (adj.)
Do not spell out (stands for ―kilowatt‖)
liftoff (n., adj.), lift off (v.)
L
Lightning Approach (CSC offering)
labeling
light-year (n.)
laboratory
lineup (n.)
labor-intensive (adj.)
Linux
LAN
LIRM (lead information risk manager)
Do not spell out (stands for ―local area
network‖)
LISP
listserv or list server
LCA (low-cost alternative)
Usually generic reference to a mailing list
software program that automatically
distributes email to addresses in a continually
updated subscriber database; other generic
term is electronic mailing list
LDAP
Do not spell out (stands for ―lightweight
directory access protocol‖)
lead time (n.)
LISTSERV was original proprietary name for
specific email subscription handling software
leading edge (n.), leading-edge (adj.)
Lean Six Sigma (not Lean6Sigma)
LEC (local exchange carrier)
LMP; also LogMod (Logistics Modernization
Program)
CSC contract with the U.S. Army Materiel
Command; formerly WLMP
LEF (Leading Edge Forum; CSC‘s)
left-click (v.)
login, logout (n., adj.) ; log in, log out (v.)
left-hand (adj.), left hand (n.)
(use the ―left side,‖ not the ―left-hand side‖)
logon, logoff (n., adj.); log on, log off (v.)
LOGSA (Logistics Support Activity)
legacy equipment
Legacy Workbench (CSC offering)
Lessons Learned (usually capitalized)
Process involving meetings, written
comments, or other forms of communication
used by CSC to capture positive aspects and
identify areas needing improvement in
completed projects or work segments
Level 3 (as in ―SEI Level 3‖)
U.S. Army contract
LOGWORLD (General Services Administration
worldwide supply scheduled contract)
long distance (adj., pred. adj.)
long-term (adj.), long term (pred. adj.)
lookup (n., adj.), to look up (v.)
LoS (line[s] of service)
leveling, leveled
Lotus Notes, Lotus Domino, Lotus 1-2-3, Lotus
cc:Mail (see www.lotus.com for treatment of
other Lotus products)
LEVEL IV™ (CSC product)
low end (n.), low-end (adj.)
leverage (v.) (use, draw upon, exploit)
lowercase (n., adj., v.)
Level 1, 2, 3 (Help Desk escalation levels)
CSC will leverage 27 years of applications
outsourcing experience to plan a smooth
transition.
LPAR
Do not spell out (stands for ―logical
partitioning‖)
liaison
LRQA (Lloyds Register Quality Assurance)
57
October 2012
M
Mb, mbps
Do not spell out (stand for ―megabit‖ and
―megabits per second‖)
m- (stands for mobile, as in m-business,
m-commerce, or m-technology)
MACD (move, add, change, and delete)
m-Business (CSC business unit) ―m‖ is always
lower-case; referred to as ―CSC‘s m-Business
unit,‖ not ―m-Business business unit‖
MAE
m-commerce (mobile telephony services)
MAC (move, add, and change)
Do not spell out (stands for ―metropolitan
area Ethernet‖)
mailbox
MCS (Managed Computing Services;
CSC group)
mail-in (n.); to mail in (v.)
m-Discovery (service offered through CSC‘s
m-Business unit)
mainframe
MDS (Managed Desktop Services; CSC group)
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (note
spelling of Baldrige)
media (plural n.)
MAN
Do not spell out (stands for ―metropolitan
area network‖)
manageable
managed care (n., adj.; no hyphen even if used
as a modifier)
mega- (prefix for one million, no hyphen,
abbreviation is M; see giga)
megapixel
Mentor-Protégé Program (DoD program to
motivate and encourage large, stable
businesses to team with small businesses,
often also considered disadvantaged under
several designated eligibility categories)
man-hour or manpower (n., adj.) Do not use
unless required by RFP or client; preferred
terms are labor, staffing, labor-hours, or staffhours
menu-driven (adj.)
markdown (n.)
METAspectrum
market share
MHz
metadata
metadirectory
marketplace
markup (n.)
MASL (minimum acceptable service level)
Do not spell out (stands for ―megahertz‖)
micro- (prefix, all one word), e.g.,
microcomputer
material (n., adj.)
Middle East (n.), Middle Eastern (adj.)
(not Mid-East)
materiel (n., used when referring to U.S. military
supplies, tools; materiel as opposed to
personnel)
middleware (software that connects two
otherwise separate applications)
matrix in (v.) (add a business unit to an
organizational structure that embodies a matrix)
midrange (a computer used at the core of small
networks)
matrix, matrices
millisecond (msec, ms)
MB, MBps
mind-set (n., adj.)
Do not spell out (stand for ―megabyte‖ and
―megabytes per second‖)
mini (prefix, in general, no hyphen)
minicomputer
minuscule (not miniscule)
58
October 2012
MIPS
MVS
Do not spell out (stands for ―million
instructions per second‖)
MIPS (millions of instructions per second; all
caps, do not spell out)
MIS (management information system)
MNS (Managed Network Services; CSC group)
Do not spell out (stands for ―multiple virtual
storage‖)
myWorkStyle
N
NAS (network attached storage)
NASA
MOA (Memorandum of Agreement)
modeling (British modelling)
MoM (manager of managers)
Month 1, Month 2
MOU (Memorandum of Understanding)
mouseover (v.)
movable (not moveable)
Do not spell out
NASA PrISMS (NASA Program Information
Systems Mission Services)
Nation (as in ―the Nation,‖ meaning ―the United
States‖), otherwise, lowercase nation
nationwide (do not hyphenate)
NCP
Do not spell out (stands for ―network control
protocol‖)
MP3
Do not spell out (stands for ―MPEG Audio
Layer 3‖)
mph (miles per hour)
MPLS
Do not spell out (stands for ―multiprotocol
label switching‖)
mPower (CSC product)
MPSR (Monthly Project Status Report)
MRP (manufacturing resource planning)
MSA (Master Services Agreement)
SM
NDC (Newark Data Center; CSC‘s)
near real time (n.), near-real-time (adj.)
nearshore (adj.) (outsourcing in a neighboring,
instead of overseas, country)
NES (Network Engineering Services; CSC
group)
Net market(s)
NetCM (CSC custom tool)
NetEISS (CSC custom tool)
MS-DOS (always with hyphen)
Networks and Telecommunication Integrated
Solutions (CSC business unit)
MSS (Managed Security Services; CSC group)
networkwide (do not hyphenate)
MTBF (mean time between failures)
Newark, DE (location of CSC‘s Global
Management Center — not Newark, NJ)
MTTR (mean time to repair [restore])
multi- (all one word, e.g., multilingual, multiyear)
multiplexer (n.); to multiplex (v.)
Device that combines several messages or
signals into one for simultaneous
transmission over a single channel; to
multiplex (v.)
NeXT (computers)
next generation (n.), next-generation (adj.)
NIAP (National Information Assurance
Partnership)
NIDS (network intrusion detection system)
NIPRNet
Multi-Provider Governance (CSC AMS
processes only)
Do not spell out (formerly stood for ―Nonclassified Internet Protocol Router Network‖;
now refers to ―Unclassified but Sensitive
Internet Protocol Router Network‖)
59
October 2012
NIST (National Institute of Standards and
Technology)
NMC (Network Management Center)
no one
OBS (organizational breakdown structure)
occurrence
OCI (organizational conflict of interest)
OCM (organizational change management)
NOC (Network Operations Center)
OCM (Organizational Change Mobilization)
non- (prefix, usually all one word; follow the
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)
OCONUS
noncommissioned
Do not spell out (stands for ―outside the
continental United States‖; military term)
none
Usually means no single one. When used in
this sense, it always takes singular verbs and
pronouns: None of the plates was broken
during the move. Use a plural verb only if the
sense is no two or no two amount: None of
the consultants agree on the approach.
northeast, northwest (referring to the compass
direction)
OCR (open change request)
ODC (other direct cost)
ODIN (Outsourcing Desktop Initiative for NASA)
OEM (original equipment manufacturer)
off-, onFor a word with prefix off- or on-, follow the
Merriam Webster Online Dictionary; however,
the following terms should always be one
the Northeast, the Northwest Territories
(referring to a region)
Northrop Grumman Corporation (do not use
Northrop or NG)



Northrop Grumman Information Technology
(Northrop Grumman IT) (formerly Logicon)
NOS (network operating system)


NPS (North American Public Sector)
offline, online
offload, onload
offshore, onshore (offshore meaning
outside the country, abroad)
offsite, onsite
onboard
NRC (Nonrecurring Charge)
OJT (on-the-job training)
NSA (National Security Agency)
OMX (objectives matrix)
In most cases, referred to as ―a U.S.
intelligence organization,‖ unless use of
actual title has been specifically approved.
Query author about whether this required
approval has been obtained
on- words (see entry for off-, on-)
one- (use hyphen, e.g., one-way)
one-way send, one-way receive (n.); one-waysend, one-way-receive (adj.)
Also, one-way receive-only, two-way
transmit/receive, or two-way (send and
receive)
Nunn-Perry Award
Recognition by the U.S. Department of
Defense for companies promoting
opportunities for small disadvantaged
businesses
only
Be sure that only immediately precedes the
word it modifies (―We will replace only the
computers with the virus‖ — not ―We will only
replace the computers with the virus.‖)
O
O&M (operations and maintenance)
OAR (Operational Acceptance Review)
on-time (attributive adj., e.g., ―on-time delivery‖
object-oriented (adj.), object oriented (predicate
adj.)
on time (predicate adj., ―delivery that is on time‖
60
OOB (out of band [n.]; out-of-band [adj.])
October 2012
OOB (out-of-the-box)
OOP (object-oriented programming)
OPS (System Operations)
Orals, oral presentation (may be capitalized to
clarify meaning)
During the proposal or solicitation response
process, an offeror‘s meeting with the
potential client to explain the solution, often
including a PowerPoint presentation, before
delivery of a written proposal
ORD (Operational Requirements Document)
Pareto (or Pareto‘s) Principle (or rule, or law),
aka the 80-20 rule; also Pareto chart
part-time job; to work part time
Pascal (not an acronym) programming
language
pass-through (n., adj.)
payload
payor
PBD (Package-Based Development)
PBX
ORR (Operational Readiness Review)
Do not spell out (stands for ―private branch
exchange‖)
OS
Do not spell out (stands for ―operating
system‖)
PC
Do not spell out (stands for ―personal
computer‖)
OSD (Office of the Secretary of Defense)
PC-AT, PC-XT (hyphen, not slash)
OSPF
Do not spell out (stands for ―open shortest
path first‖)
P-CMM (People Capability Maturity Model)
PDA
outsource, outsourcing
Do not spell out (stands for ―personal digital
assistant‖)
Outsourcing Journal Editor‘s Choice Awards
PDC
out-task, out-tasking
Do not spell out (stands for ―personal digital
cellular‖)
P
P&L (profit and loss)
PDD (Presidential Decision Directive)
P&Q (process and quality)
PDD (Project Definition Document)
p.m. (not pm, PM, or P.M.)
PDF
P2V (physical-to-virtual; adj.)
Do not spell out (stands for ―Portable
Document Format‖)
3
P (proactive, predictive, and preventive)
PABBLO (Policy Administration by Business
Line Offering)
PDP (Package Design and Prototyping)
PACCASSO (Property and Casualty Claims
Administration Support System)
PDR (Preliminary Design Review)
CSC insurance industry client/server software
systems
PDU (professional development unit)
Do not spell out in mechanical use [power
distribution unit] or IT use [protocol data unit])
PACE (CSC product)
PACOM (Pacific Command)
parallel
peering point
PEO (Program Executive Office)
61
October 2012
percent
Use the word percent or the symbol %, but be
consistent within a document
PERFORMA (Project Enhanced Reporting for
Online Metrics & Automation; a CSC tool)
Perl (a programming language; not PERL)
personnel
PES (Package Evaluation and Selection)
PharmIQ
SM
(CSC product)
POINT IN® (CSC programs for insurance
industry)
policy making, policy maker
POP (point of presence)
port (n.), port (v., to modify a program so it will
run on a different computer)
portal
CSC Portal
POS (point of sale)
postPrefix, usually all one word, e.g., postlaunch;
refer to list in the Merriam-Webster Online
Dictionary under post-
Phase 1
phase-in (n., adj.)
PIC (primary interexchange carrier)
post-award, pre-award
ping (v. or n.)
PowerPoint
Pioneer (CSC‘s business development system),
Pioneer Toolkit, Pioneer Lite
powerup (n., adj.), to power up
PIP
Do not spell out (stands for ―private Internet
protocol‖)
PQM (process and quality management)
PQMS (process and quality management
system)
PRA (Pilot Readiness Assessment)
PKI
Do not spell out (stands for ―public key
infrastructure‖)
plug-and-play (adj.) (usable without
configuration)
Plug and Play (proper noun referring to a
standard developed by Intel)
PRB (Production Review Board)
preFollow Merriam-Webster; as a prefix,
generally combines with no hyphen even with
words beginning with ―e,‖ e.g., ―preempt‖
PM (program manager)
pre-award, post-award
PMI (Project Management Institute)
precede
PMKS (Project Management Knowledge
System)
preventive (not preventative)
principal
PMO (Program [less often Project]
Management Office)
principal is an adjective meaning ―chief‖ (the
principal architect)
PMP (Project Management Plan)
principle is a noun meaning a fundamental
law or doctrine (CSC‘s management
principles)
PMP (Project Management Professional)
A certification administered by the Project
Management Institute
POA&M (Plan of Action and Milestones)
PRISM (PRototype Improved Software
Methodology)
―PRototype" is correct
POC (point of contact)
point-and-click (adj.)
62
October 2012
PrISMS
Program Information Systems Mission
Services (see NASA PrISMS)
PrISMS (Program Information Systems Mission
Services; NASA contract)
privilege
quasi- (often hyphenated as a prefix to a noun,
adjective, or adverb, e.g., quasi-instruction)
questionnaire
queue
R
R&D (research and development)
pro- (prefix; usually all one word; consult the
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary for
exceptions)
RACF (resource access control facility)
problem solving (n.), problem-solving (adj.)
RAID
RAD (Rapid Application Development; CSC‘s)
proceed
Do not spell out (stands for ―redundant array
of independent disks‖)
Procter & Gamble (not Proctor)
Productivity Toolkit (CSC offering, often paired
with the Catalyst methodology)
RAM
Do not spell out (stands for ―random access
memory‖)
provisioner (n.) (a service provider)
PSD (Package System Design)
pseudo (all one word, e.g., pseudonym)
PSTN
Do not spell out (stands for ―public switched
telephone network‖)
ramp up (v.), ramp-up (n., adj.)
RAPID (remote asset preparation and image
deployment)
RAS (remote access service)
rationalize (v.) (improve by redesigning)
RBAC (role-based access control)
RBM (Release-Based Maintenance)
pulldown
push-button (adj.)
PWS (Performance Work Statement)
RCA (root cause analysis)
Q
QA (quality assurance)
RDBMS
QADB (QA database)
Do not spell out (stands for ―relational
database management system‖)
QAP (Quality Assurance Plan)
QC (quality control)
QM (quality management)
QMS (quality management system)
QoS (quality of service)
QSM (quality of service meeting)
quality (v.) (perform an evaluation of quality)
CSC will quality the module 1 month after
implementation.
quarrel
RDC (Results-Driven Computing™; CSC
trademarked term)
RDD (requirements-driven development)
re- prefix; use hyphen if the word that follows
begins with an e, e.g., re-elect. For several
other words, the meaning will govern whether
or not to use a hyphen: e.g., recover (regain),
re-cover (cover again).
Exception: reengineer (CSC standard)
reachback (n., adj.)
read-only (adj.)
read-only memory (ROM)
63
October 2012
real time (n.), real-time (adj.)
RFQ
Do not spell out (stands for ―request for
quotation‖)
recede
receive
RFS
recordkeeping
solution‖)
reengineer, reengineering CSC corporate style,
part of CSC‘s business process reengineering;
do not hyphenate
right-click (v.)
refresh (n., as in ―technology refresh‖; or v., as
in ―we will refresh the technology‖)
right-hand (adj.), right hand (n.)
the ―right side,‖ not the ―right-hand side‖
requester
requestor (legal)
right-size (v.), right-sized (adj.), right-sizing (n.)
ResearchNetwork (CSC‘s)
Research Services
CSC subscription-based service for senior
executives at companies throughout the
world
Risk Governance Protected Enterprise
RISKMASTER®
RMA (reliability, maintainability, and availability)
RMON
Do not spell out (stands for ―remote
monitoring‖)
resistance
TM
Re-Sourcing
(a CSC product), re-sourcing
respectively
Use only to mean ―in the order given‖ (The
ACTIVE and OFF buttons are in the upper
and lower corners, respectively).
Results Driven Transformation
roadmap
ROI (return on investment)
ROIC (return on investment capital)
rollback (n., adj.), roll back (v.)
rollout (n., adj.), roll out (v.)
ROM
resume (not résumé)
retained IT (n.) (the client‘s IT professionals
who are hired by CSC in connection with an
outsourcing project)
The retained IT include system engineers
from the Australia office.
reusability (the ability of a program to be used
in new and different applications)
rework (n.) (effort expended to correct a
deficiency)
RFI
information‖)
Do not spell out (stands for ―read-only
memory‖)
ROM (rough order of magnitude)
RONA (return on net assets)
root cause (as in ―root cause analysis‖)
round-the-clock (adj., adv.)
RPO (recovery point objective)
RPS (Repetitive Payment System; CSC
product)
RRC (reduced resource credit)
RS+ (Rapid Sourcing Plus; CSC methodology)
RFID (radio frequency identification)
RSO (recovery scope objective)
RFP
RTO (recovery time objective)
proposal‖)
TM
run time (n.), run-time (adj.)
run-in (n., adj.)
64
October 2012
runoff (n.)
SCIF
Do not spell out (stands for ―sensitive
compartmented information facility‖)
run-on (adj.)
RWM (remote work management)
SCM (supply chain management)
RX/6000
SCM (service capacity management)
Do not spell out
S
SaaS (Software as a Service, or Storage as a
Service)
All terms with the phrase ―as a Service‖ are
given similar capitalization treatment (see
IaaS)
Sametime, Sametime Everyplace (Lotus
products enabling remote, mobile collaboration
through e-meetings, webcasts, instant
messaging, etc.)
SAN
Do not spell out (stands for ―storage area
network‖)
SAP
Do not spell out (company name);
pronounced S-A-P, thus ―an SAP project‖
scope-creep (n., unplanned increase in
anticipated and/or contracted scope, level, or
amount of work)
scorecard
SCR (system change request)
screenshot
SCSI
Do not spell out (stands for ―small computer
system interface‖)
SD&D (Service Definition and Deployment;
CSC organization)
SDB (small disadvantaged business)
SDE (service delivery executive)
SDEP (Service Delivery Excellence Program;
CSC‘s)
SM
SAR (System Architecture)
SAS
Do not spell out (stands for ―serial attached
SCSI‖)
SAS
Do not spell out for ―Statement on Auditing
Standards,‖ often seen as ―SAS 70‖
SDL (Solution Demonstration Lab )
SDLC (system development life cycle)
SDM (service delivery manager)
SDSA (Service Delivery Support Architecture)
SDVOSB (service-disabled veteran-owned
small business)
SEAS (Systems, Engineering, and Analysis
Support; CSC‘s)
SAS 70 (an auditing standard)
SEAS Center (a now-defunct CSC center)
SB (small business)
seat (n., adj.) (workstation)
SCADA
Secret clearance (not secret clearance)
Do not spell out (stands for ―supervisory
control and data acquisition‖)
scalable, scalability
SCAMPI (Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for
Process Improvement)
Section 1
SecurID (or RSA SecurID; can include
reference to a SecurID token)
SecuritySight™
SEI (Software Engineering Institute)
SCI
Do not spell out (stands for ―sensitive
compartmented information‖)
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October 2012
SEI CMM (Software Engineering Institute
Capability Maturity Model)
The SEI, a DoD-funded research and
development center at Carnegie Mellon
University, established and maintains
Capability Maturity Models (CMMs) as
industry standards for assessment and
improvement; CMMs are further defined at
Levels 1 through 5 of process maturity. In
addition to SEI CMM levels, CSC most often
refers to specific CMMs, including:

SA-CMM (Software Acquisition CMM)

SE-CMM (Systems Engineering CMM)

SSE-CMM (Systems Security
Engineering CMM)

SW-CMM (Software CMM)
(Note that specific CMMs take a hyphen.)
shutdown (n.)
shut-down (adj.)
to shut down (v.)
SICS/nt
TM
(CSC product)
signaling
sign-off (n., adj.), to sign off (v.)
sign-on (n., adj.), to sign on (v.)
silo (n.), siloed (adj.) (an organizational unit,
business process, or information system that
stands alone)
Integrating all 14 siloed business processes
will reduce costs and improve efficiency.
SIPRNet
Do not spell out (stands for ―Secure Internet
Protocol Router Network‖)
self- (prefix; use hyphen, e.g., self-made)
SIRCC (Security Incident Response Control
Center; CSC‘s)
self-heal (v., n.) (fix a problem independently)
SIT (Systems Integration and Test)
self-help (n., adj.) (assistance that is directly
available to the user)
site plan (n.)
SEM (Strategic Enterprise Management)
site-specific (adj.)
SAP module; lowercase if generic
semi- (prefix; all one word, e.g., semiautomatic)
Six Sigma (a quality management system)
(never 6Sigma)
send-off (n.), send off (v.)
sizable (not sizeable)
separate
skill set
sergeant
skillful
service level(s), service level agreement (never
hyphenated, even as adj.)
SLA
Service Oriented Infrastructure
SLC (service level credit)
SETA
Do not spell out when it stands for ―Systems
Engineering and Technical Assistance (DoD
contract vehicle)
setback (n.)
setup (adj., n.), to set up (v.)
Setup SecuritySight
Do not spell out (stands for ―service level
agreement‖)
SM
TM
Risk Management Tool
shelf life
slideware (n.) (software that has yet to be fully
developed and tested)
smartphone (but cell phone)
SMARTS InCharge (a product of Network
System Architects Inc.; not to be confused with
EMC‘s ―EMC Smarts Family‖ of products)
SME
Do not spell out (stands for ―subject matter
expert‖)
shortname (CSC employee online designation)
shrink-wrap (n., v.), shrink-wrapped (adj.)
SMS (short message service)
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October 2012
SMS
Do not spell out (stands for ―Systems
Management Server‖ [a Microsoft product])
SMTP
Do not spell out (stands for ―simple mail
transfer protocol‖)
SPOC (single point of contact [n.]; single-pointof-contact [adj.])
spokesperson (avoid gender-related terms such
as spokesman or spokeswoman)
SPX
Do not spell out (stands for ―sequenced
packet exchange‖)
SNMP
Do not spell out (stands for ―simple network
management protocol‖)
SQL
Do not spell out (stands for ―structured query
language‖); pronounced ―sequel,‖ thus ―a
SQL server‖
SOA (service-oriented architecture)
SOAsure
SOC (Security Operations Center)
square foot (n.), square-foot (adj.), square
footage (n.)
May be abbreviated as sf, as in ―40,000 sf of
raised floor‖
SOE (standard operating environment)
soft copy (n.), soft-copy (adj.) Not used as one
word (softcopy)
Hyphenate as adjective with a specific
number, as in ―40,000-square-foot raised
floor‖ or ―40,000-sf raised floor‖
Software Factory (CSC‘s)
Solution Demonstration Lab
SM
(CSC entity)
Don‘t spell out Laboratory; okay to use
acronym SDL after first use
SONET
Do not spell out (stands for ―synchronous
optical network‖)
SOO (statement of objectives)
Sources (may be used as subsequent
SM
reference to CSC Sources ; see separate
entry)
SR (service request)
SRM (storage resource management)
SRM (supplier relationship management)
SRT (Service Restoration Team)
Part of CSC‘s SDEP
SSDM (SEAS System Development
Methodology; CSC‘s)
SSE-CMM (Systems Security Engineering
Capability Maturity Model)
sourcing (query whether it should be changed
to ―outsourcing‖; refers to activities related to
procuring a product or service)
SSL
SOW
ST&E (security test and evaluation)
Do not spell out (stands for ―Statement of
Work‖)
Do not spell out (stands for ―secure socket
layer‖)
staff, staffing
avoid manpower, manhours, etc.; in addition
to staffing, acceptable alternatives include
labor, labor-hours, FTEs
SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act)
spam (n., v., adj.) (unsolicited commercial
email)
speed to business results (n.)
speed-to-business results (adj.) (CSC
marketing concept; refers to rapid results
experienced by CSC clients)
STAMIS (Standard Army Management
Information System)
standalone (adj., one word), to stand alone (v.)
standby (n., adj.), to stand by (v.)
speed to market (n.), speed-to-market (adj.)
stand-in (n.), stand in (v.)
spinoff (n.), spin off (v.)
start time (n.), no hyphen
67
October 2012
startup (n., adj.), start up (v.)
surveillance
stateful inspection
SWG (Security Working Group; CSC‘s)
state-of-the-art (adj.)
state of the art (n.)
switchover (n.), to switch over (v.)
states
systems programmers (note that ―systems‖ is
plural)
Follow these examples on how to deal with
U.S. states:

The site is in the state of Connecticut.

CSC will use state funds to complete the
project.

The new call center will be built in New
York state.

The CSC Help Desk in Denver, CO, is
operational.
status (both singular and plural)
Stealth (CSC software)
STEALTH 3000 (CSC software for the
fashion industry)
synchronization
systemwide (do not hyphenate)
T
T&M (Time and Materials)
T1
Do not spell out (refers to a type of phone
line)
Table 1-1 (always use initial cap for specific
table reference)
take-back (n.) (a reclamation)
Taking Control of Your Future
CSC workshop offered during outsourcing or
acquisition transition for employees
transferring to CSC
STML
Do not spell out (stands for ―spoken text
markup language‖)
stovepipe
TAP (Technical Accreditation Program; CSC‘s)
TB, TBps
Do not spell out (stand for ―terabyte‖ and
―terabytes per second‖)
Strategic Business Development (a CSC
business unit)
stratify (develop different levels or categories,
as in ―Stratifying the IT group will make the
entire organization more responsive‖)
Tb, Tbps
Do not spell out (stand for ―terabit‖ and
―terabits per second‖)
streaming media
TCE (Training Center of Excellence; CSC‘s)
sub- (prefix; all one word, but sub-subdirectory)
TCO (total cost of ownership)
succeed
TCP
Do not spell out (stands for ―transmission
control protocol‖)
SUP (System Support)
supercomputer
TCP/IP
supermini computer
Technical Excellence Award (CSC internal
recognition)
supersede
Technology Management Group
supply chain (materials, information, and
finances as they move from supplier to
manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to
consumer)
CSC business unit, now called North
American Technology Management Group
Sure*Start
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October 2012
telco (n. or adj.)
Telephone company; generally does not refer
to provider of additional communications,
such as Internet services, email, cable, etc.
TIG (Today in GIS)
Online knowledge community of a CSC
business unit
time frame
tele- (prefix; generally use as closed
compound: telecommute, teleconference,
telework)
time sheet
telephony
time to launch (n.), time-to-launch (adj.)
TEM (Telecom Expense Management)
time to market (n.) (how long it takes to bring a
product or service into the marketplace), timeto-market (adj.)
CSC system; do not use TEMS as acronym
tera- (prefix; one trillion)
terrestrial
TES (time entry system)
test bed
time stamp
timecard
timekeeper
timeline
time-out (n.), to time out (v.)
test case
In IT sense, refers to computer operation
exceeding predetermined time for executing a
function
that vs. which
In linguistic terminology, that is restrictive and
which is not. Use that to winnow an item from
the crowd; use which, with a comma, to
include all items in the crowd.
time-sharing (n.)
The firewalls that let some messages through
will be repaired. (Only some firewalls are
failing.)
timetable
The firewalls, which let some messages
through, will be repaired. (All the firewalls are
failing.)
time-shared (adj.)
to time-share (v.)
TIR (technical infrastructure repository)
Titles
GIS President John Smith will lead the effort.
(initial caps immediately before name)
John Smith is president of GIS. (lowercase
title after name)
thin client (a low-cost computing device linked
to a server)
third-party (adj.), third party (n.)
TMG (Technology Management Group)
throughput (n.)
Preceded by ―North American‖; CSC group
throwaway (n.)
throw-away (adj.)
to throw away (v.)
TO (task order)
TI (technical infrastructure)
to-be (adj.; see entry for as-is, to-be)
TIA (technical infrastructure acquisition)
token ring
TID (technical infrastructure design)
toll-free number
tie-in (n., adj.), to tie in (v.)
toolset, toolkit, toolbox, but tool suite
Tier 1, 2, 3 (Help Desk escalation levels)
ToR (term[s] of reference)
tier one, if generic (n., ―tier one of the network
structure‖; adj., ―a tier-one service provider‖)
to include in general, change to including
touch labor (n.), touch-labor (adj.) (hands-on
work)
69
October 2012
implemented: processes,
methodologies, and systems form
new operating environment)
touchpoint (the point at which a user interacts
with a system, or a customer with a company)
touch-screen
Capitalize Transition as part of a proper noun
or specific activity, title, deliverable, etc. For
example:
touch-tone phone
toward

tower (may be used to mean an area of
expertise or capability)
Town Hall, Town Halls, Town Hall Meetings
(events CSC conducts for transitioning
employees)
TPAR (Transactional Performance Assessment
Review)
TQM (Total Quality Management)

traceability
Traceroute
Computer command that follows route
between Internet addresses (actual command
is written tracert)
A transition for a specific client, e.g., in a
proposal or project communications and
deliverables

The XYZ Company Transition will be
completed in three months.

Our Transition will be seamless to
the client.

The Transition will begin in March.
Plans, reports, activities, staff teams, and
other specific events, documents, and
processes included in transition, with or
without the client name, such as:

XYZ Transition Plan, the Transition
Plan
trade name

Transition Manager, Transition Team
trade-off (n., adj.), trade off (v.)

Transition Kickoff Meeting, XYZ
Town Hall Meetings

Transition Workbench
tradeshow
TRAKKER (also Dekker TRAKKER)
TRANSCOM (Transportation Command)
Lowercase transition when it is used
generically. For example:
transferred, transferring

CSC has a history of low-risk transitions.
Transition, transition

Thousands of staff members have joined
CSC as a result of outsourcing
transitions.

A global client plans to transition some
operations to offshore locations.

Specific activities within CSC‘s
documented transition process are
discussed below.
In IT outsourcing, refers to the process of
transferring operations, equipment, and
inscope employees from a client organization
to the outsourcing provider. CSC‘s transition
process consists of specific phases and
stages, all of which take initial caps:


Transition Phase

People Stage (HR processes,
employee transfer)
trend (n. or v.)

Stabilization Stage (operations
transfer)

Relationship Stage (alignment with
client, management and governance
established)
troubleshooting (n.)
troubleshooter (n.)
to troubleshoot (v.)
TS (Top Secret; a type of security clearance, as
in Top Secret clearance)
Transformation Phase
turnaround (n., adj.), turn around (v.)

turnkey (adj.) (complete and ready to operate)
Technical Transition Stage (solutions
70
October 2012
turnover
UPS
Do not spell out (stands for ―uninterruptible
power supply‖)
type
The word type is generally not needed (The
system uses an Ethernet network [not an
Ethernet-type network])
U
U.S. Air Force
upstream
uptime
up-to-date (adj.), up to date (pred. adj.)
URL
U.S. Army Materiel Command (not Material)
UAT (user acceptance test)
Do not spell out (stands for ―uniform resource
locator‖)
UHF
Pronounced U-R-L; thus, ―a URL‖
Do not spell out (stands for ―ultra high
frequency‖)
USB
Do not spell out (stands for ―universal serial
bus‖)
ultra (prefix; all one word)
ULTRIX
user- (hyphenation depends on form)
In compound adjective, generally
hyphenated, as in user-friendly, user-defined
un- (prefix; generally all one word, e.g.,
unaware; follow the Merriam-Webster Online
Dictionary)
Noun, standing alone or part of a compound
noun, not hyphenated, e.g., end user, user
compliance
UN1TY (CSC customer service center [centre]
that manages mission-critical business
applications for UK customers)
user ID
unclassified
user interface (n. and adj., not hyphenated)
Under Secretary of Defense (U.S.)
UX
Do not spell out (stands for ―ultra extended‖)
underestimate
Uniform Information Services
uninterruptible
V
United Kingdom (n.), UK (adj. — no space or
periods)
value chain (the linked business processes that
allow an enterprise to create, sell, and profit
from a product or service)
United States (n.), U.S. (adj. — no space in
acronym)
value-add (n.); value-added (adj.), to add value
(v.)
UNIX
VAMP (Vulnerability Alert Management
Program)
Do not spell out (a trademark held by an
organization that defines Unix standards)
VANTAGE-ONE® (CSC product)
Unix (Unix operating system)
VAP (Vulnerability Assessment Program)
upcoming
VAPP (Vulnerability Assessment Program Plan)
up-front (adj.), up front (adv.)
VAR (value-added reseller)
uplink (n.)
VAX
Do not spell out (stands for ―virtual address
extension‖)
upload (v.)
uppercase (adj.), upper case (n.)
71
October 2012
vertical industry groups
CSC‘s industry verticals are Chemical,
Energy & Natural Resources (CENR);
Financial Services; Public Sector; Healthcare
(or Health Services); Technology &
Consumer; and Manufacturing
video- (generally, use as a closed compound:
videodisc, videotape, videoconference; but
video adapter, video port)
visibility into (n.) (the ability to examine and
understand something)
Your CIO will gain visibility into IT costs across
global operations.
VLAN
Do not spell out (stands for ―virtual local area
network‖)
VMware
voicemail (n., adj.)
VoIP (voice over IP)
VOSB (veteran-owned small business)
VP (vice president)
W
walk-through (n.)
WAN
Do not spell out (stands for ―wide area
network‖)
WAP
Do not spell out (stands for ―wireless
application protocol‖)
wardialing (an automated process used by
hackers to classify telephone numbers)
wardriving (locating an accessible wireless
network by using a vehicle)
warfighter (a military person or organization)
warranty
warwalking (locating an accessible wireless
network while walking around)
Washington, D.C.
WBS (work breakdown structure)
Web, the Web, the World Wide Web
also: Web browser, Web page, etc.
VPN
Do not spell out (stands for ―virtual private
network‖)
VRU
Do not spell out (stands for ―voice response
unit‖)
vs. (abbreviation for versus)
VSAT
Do not spell out (stands for ―very small
aperture terminal‖)
VSE
Do not spell out (stands for ―Virtual Storage
Extended‖)
VTAM
Do not spell out (stands for ―virtual
telecommunications access method‖)
VTC (video teleconferencing)
VTC (virtual tape controller)
VV&T (verification, validation, and test)
In text, do not underline or italicize website
URLs.
webcam
webcast
Web-enabled (adj.), Web-enablement (n.)
Web feed
Web hosting (n. or adj.)
webinar
webmaster (lowercase to conform to style for
position titles)
website
Week 1, Week 2
weird
west, western (lowercase when indicating
compass direction)
West Coast, Midwest (capitalize when
indicating regions)
WFM (workflow management)
WfMC (Workflow Management Coalition)
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October 2012
white paper (an informational document)
worldwide (do not hyphenate)
whiteboard
WORM device (write-once, read-many device)
-wide (suffix)
WOSB (woman-owned small business)
Hyphenate when the base word has more
than two syllables; otherwise, treat as one
worldwide
company-wide
nationwide
enterprise-wide
systemwide
government-wide
WiFi
Do not spell out (stands for ―wireless fidelity‖)
wild card (n.)
WIP (work in progress)
U.S. Small Business Administration term.
Note that entities other than the U.S.
government, including state and local
governments and corporations, may use
different terminology, such as ―women owned
business.‖ In most cases, we follow the style
the client uses.
wrap up (v.), wrap-up (n., adj.)
wraparound (n., adj.)
to wrap around (v.)
write up (v.), write-up (n.)
write-only
withholding (adj., n.)
WSM (World Sourcing Manager ; CSC‘s)
wizard (a program that leads the user through
the steps required to complete a task)
WWW
TM
Do not spell out (stands for ―World Wide
Web‖)
WLMP
Name outdated (stood for ―Army Wholesale
Logistics Modernization Program‖), now LMP
(Logistics Modernization Program); see entry
for LMP
X
X (e.g., X Windows, X Terminal)
X.25
word processor
work order
Do not spell out
X/AD (Accelerated Application Development)
work plan
workaround (n., adj.); to work around (v.)
XAP (Accelerated Application Prototyping)
workbench
workbook
XBA (Accelerated Business Area Architecture)
workday
workflow
XBD (Accelerated Business Process Design)
workforce
workgroup
XHTML
workload
workplace
Do not spell out (a hybrid of HTML and XML)
XML
workstation (one word)
Do not spell out (stands for ―extensible
markup language‖)
workstream
workweek
XTC (Accelerated Timebox Completion)
world-class (adj.)
XtendedOffice
73
SM
(CSC suite)
October 2012
Y
yard-long (adj.)
yardstick
Year 2, Year 3 … (years of a contract)
Year 2000, Y2K
year-end (adj.), year end (n.)
yearlong (adj.)
year-round (adj.)
Yellow Pad (capitalized when referring to
briefing meeting, and may be numbered, as
Yellow Pad 1, Yellow Pad 2; if used in generic
sense, no capitalization)
Z
zero hour (n.), zero-hour (adj.)
ZIP code
zip drive
74
October 2012
Appendix 3 — British English vs. American English
CSC is a multinational company, and we recognize that standard American (U.S.) English usage will not
always be appropriate, for example, in divisions in the UK, Europe, Australia, or parts of Asia.
Nevertheless, this styleguide can offer some general guidance, and non-U.S. divisions should feel free to
customize these style recommendations to their needs.
Here is a list of some major differences between British English and American English, as well as further
resources to help you better understand both variants of the language.
Spelling
To begin with, when writing or editing a document intended for a British audience, set the language in
Microsoft Word to UK English. However, do not rely completely on Spell Check to catch non-British
English spelling.

Press Control + A to select the entire document.

Under Tools, select Language → Set Language → English (UK) (In Word 2007, the Language
selection is located under the Review tab)

If you are working with an existing document, run Spell Check. If you insert text from other documents
written in U.S. English, remember to run Spell Check again on that new section.
75
October 2012
U.S.
UK
U.S.
UK
airplane
aging
aluminum
among
analyze
customized
catalog
center
check
aeroplane
ageing
aluminium
amongst
analyse
bespoke
catalogue
centre
cheque
(as in a bank cheque)
colour
co-operate*
co-ordinate*
counselling
co-worker*
defence
emphasise
endeavour
enrol
expiry
favour
favourable
fortnight
fulfil
grey
honour
instil
judgement
labour
maths
modeling
online
organize
organization
organizational
personalized
preempt
program
modelling
on-line*
organise
organisation
organisational
personalised
pre-empt*
programme
(but a computer program –
so, don‘t do global change)
recognise
re-engineering*
re-examine*
re-structure*
refocussed
reorganise
secondment (temporary duty)
set-up (noun)*
set up (verb)
sizeable
specialise
stabilisation
summarise
system-wide*
towards
travelling
utilise, utilisation
whilst
color
cooperate
coordinate
counseling
coworker
defense
emphasize
endeavor
enroll
expiration
favor
favorable
two weeks
fulfill
gray
honor
instill
judgment
labor
math
recognize
reengineering
reexamine
restructure
refocused
reorganize
setup (noun)
set up (verb)
sizable
specialize
stabilization
summarize
systemwide
toward
traveling
utilize, utilization
while
*In general, more hyphens are used in British English writing to separate prefixes and suffixes from the
base word. This list includes some examples.
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October 2012
Differences in Meaning
As you are writing, be aware that some words have different meanings in British English than in
American English. For example:
Term
Meaning in American English
Meaning in British English
to table
to remove from discussion until
some future point
to put forward for discussion
billion
a thousand million
increasingly has the same meaning as in the
United States, but otherwise (and especially
in Continental Europe) a million million (1012)
momentarily
in a short time
smart
predominant connotation is
intelligent
for a short time
predominant connotation is well dressed, but
can also mean street wise
In the same vein, some meanings are represented by different words in British English and American
English.
Word in American English
Word in British English
ATM (automated teller machine)
cashpoint
custom made
bespoke (referring to either software or clothing)
mutual fund
unit trust
resume
curriculum vitae (CV)
retirement fund
superannuation
sales tax
value added tax (VAT)
first floor (of a building)
ground floor (of a building)
second floor (of a building)
first floor (of a building)
social security number
national insurance number
vacation
holiday (British English does not distinguish between public
holidays and the ―vacation‖ days an individual takes off of work,
although British English does use the term ―annual leave‖ for
vacation)
Some Other Words and Phrases
Also Will/Will Also
American English
CSC also will honor five additional employees at the event.
British English
CSC will also honor five additional employees at the event.
Toward/Towards
American English
CSC will work toward a solution.
British English
CSC will work towards a solution.
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October 2012
Likely
American English
The agency‘s needs will likely exceed initial predictions.
British English
The agency‘s needs are likely to exceed initial predictions.
CSC — Singular or Plural?
Despite a popular misconception in the United States, CSC and other company names are not treated as
plural nouns in British English. In other words:
wrong:
CSC offer consulting and systems integrations services worldwide.
right:
CSC offers consulting and systems integrations services worldwide.
Punctuation
Period (Full Stop)
For both British English and American English, place a period (full stop) after Mr. and Dr., e.g., and i.e.
Mr. Lawrie
Dr. Wah
CSC began new projects in several areas (e.g., cybersecurity and cloud computing).
Quotation Marks
For British English, use double quote marks to set off quotations; use single quote marks for everything
else.
In addition, the period (full stop) should be placed outside the quote marks for British English.
The CIO said, ―Through our contract with CSC, we are better aligning the organisation with the needs
of the business‖.
In the meeting, we will address the topic of ‗beeper pay‘.
End-of-Line Hyphenation
British end-of-line hyphenation differs significantly from American; the former is according to etymology,
the latter according to sound. Keep an eye out for this in cases where end-of-line hyphenation matters.
Date Style
American English
Month, day, and year, with a comma after the day
For example: January 31, 2011 or June 7 in text; 01/31/11 or 6/7 in graphics
British English
Day, month, and year with no comma after the month
For example: 31 January 2011 or 7 June in text; 31/1/11 or 7/6 in graphics
More Resources
On the Web
 British vs. American English. http://esl.about.com/od/toeflieltscambridge/a/dif_ambrit.htm

The Times, London, Online Styleguide.
timesonline.co.uk/tol/tools_and_services/specials/style_guide
78
October 2012
In Print
 British English A to Zed, Norman W. Schur, Richard Ehrlich, and Eugene H. Ehrlich (Checkmark
Books, 2007)
When the wording and tone of a document must be absolutely culturally correct, you should run the
document through a professional translator. For translation assistance, contact Brigitte Coulton in
Creative Services at [email protected].
79
October 2012
Appendix 4 — Standard Back Cover for Proposals and Brochures
80
October 2012
Business Unit Name
Business Unit Address
City, State, Zip
+0.000.000.000
This address is hard-keyed; proof carefully.
World CSC Headquarters
The Americas
3170 Fairview Park Drive
Falls Church, Virginia 22042
United States
+1.703.876.1000
Asia
20 Anson Road #11-01
Twenty Anson
Singapore 079912
Republic of Singapore
+65.6221.9095
Australia
Level 6/Tower B
26 Talavera Road
Macquarie Park, NSW 2113
Sydney, Australia
+61(0)2.9034.3000
Europe, Middle East, Africa
Royal Pavilion
Wellesley Road
Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 1PZ
United Kingdom
+44(0)1252.534000
About CSC
The mission of CSC is to be a global leader in providing technology-enabled business solutions
and services.
With the broadest range of capabilities, CSC offers clients the solutions they need to manage
complexity, focus on core businesses, collaborate with partners and clients and improve
operations.
CSC makes a special point of understanding its clients and provides experts with real-world
experience to work with them. CSC leads with an informed point of view while still offering
client choice.
For more than 50 years, clients in industries and governments worldwide have trusted CSC
with their business process and information systems outsourcing, systems integration and
consulting needs.
The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ―CSC.‖
© 20XX Computer Sciences Corporation. All rights reserved.
Printed in USA XXXX-XX XX/20XX
81
Ensure that correct
CSC boilerplate year,
copyright year,
job number, and
date are used.
October 2012
Appendix 5 — Standard Proofreading Marks (for Hard Copy)
82
October 2012
World CSC Headquarters
The Americas
3170 Fairview Park Drive
Falls Church, Virginia 22042
United States
+1.703.876.1000
Asia
20 Anson Road #11-01
Twenty Anson
Singapore 079912
Republic of Singapore
+65.6221.9095
Australia
Level 6/Tower B
26 Talavera Road
Macquarie Park, NSW 2113
Sydney, Australia
+61(0)2.9034.3000
Europe, Middle East, Africa
Royal Pavilion
Wellesley Road
Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 1PZ
United Kingdom
+44(0)1252.534000
About CSC
The mission of CSC is to be a global leader in providing technology-enabled business solutions
and services.
With the broadest range of capabilities, CSC offers clients the solutions they need to manage
complexity, focus on core businesses, collaborate with partners and clients and improve
operations.
CSC makes a special point of understanding its clients and provides experts with real-world
experience to work with them. CSC leads with an informed point of view while still offering
client choice.
For more than 50 years, clients in industries and governments worldwide have trusted CSC
with their business process and information systems outsourcing, systems integration and
consulting needs.
The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ―CSC.‖
© 2012 Computer Sciences Corporation. All rights reserved.

CSC Style Guide

Transcription

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