N

National Organization for Women
Not National Organization of Women, as is often written.

non-
See hyphens.

nondiscrimination statements
The University has a responsibility to clearly communicate its commitment to equal opportunity in education and employment and to making its programs and services accessible to those with disabilities. Use these statements as appropriate:

Major publications, such as catalogs and long recruitment pieces, collegiate bulletins, employee handbooks and application forms:

Samford University complies with applicable laws prohibiting discrimination, including Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Executive Order 11246, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1972/3, the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran status in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or services.

Inquiries and concerns regarding this policy may be directed to the vice president of business affairs and general counsel, Office of Business Affairs, 314 Samford Hall, Birmingham, AL 35229, (205) 726-2811. This notice is available in alternative formats upon request.

Most other publications, including recruitment publications specific to departments and divisions:

Samford University is an Equal Opportunity Institution and does not discriminate in its educational and employment policies on the basis of race, color, sex, age, disability, or national or ethnic origin.

For posters, advertising and publications in which space is severely limited:

Samford University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Employer.

For University, departmental or divisional events and activities, someone in the sponsoring department or division should be made responsible for handling requests for disability accommodations, and the access statement below should appear in registration materials, invitations, fliers, etc.:

To request disability accommodations, please contact {name, department, address, phone number, E-mail}.

nondissertation

nonprofit

nonsexist language
Make your writing as inclusive and nonsexist as possible when representing Samford University or its programs or services. Here are three ways to make your language nonsexist:

1. Use plural nouns and pronouns. If you choose this option, be sure to change verbs and other nouns and pronouns as needed.
2. Use the second person (you and your).
3. Use he or she, him or her, his or her, etc. (This is the least-favored option. Try either of the first two options if at all possible.)

Following are some examples of sexist and nonsexist language.

Sexist: Each student must choose his major during the second semester.
Nonsexist: Students must choose their majors during the second semester.
Nonsexist: You must choose your major during the second semester.
Nonsexist: Each student must choose his or her major during the second semester.

nonthesis

noon
Avoid the redundant 12 noon.

numbers
In straight text, spell out numbers zero through nine. Use numerals for numbers 10 and above.

To indicate a range, consider using numerals and the en dash rather than from . . . to construction.

Millions, billions, trillions, etc., are expressed as follows:

one million
two million
12 billion
$40 trillion

Spell out any number, no matter how large, that begins a sentence. The only exception: calendar years. Consider rewriting the sentence, especially if the number is very large.

Clumsy: One thousand nine hundred twenty-four years ago, a Viking ship sank in that harbor.
Better: A Viking ship sank in that harbor 1,924 years ago.

When spelling out large numbers, consult the examples below for correct punctuation:

thirty-seven
one hundred thirty-seven
two thousand one hundred thirty-seven
thirty-seven hundred

For ages, use numerals according to Samford University style, unless it is unavoidable that the age begin a sentence or headline. Use hyphens as shown in examples.

a four-year-old boy
a three-month-old baby
children 0–5 years of age
A five-year-old won the pie-eating contest.
The building is four years old.
a man in his 20s
a 30-year-old woman
a boy in his teens
a teenage girl
a teenager
a 75-year tradition

For percentages, always use numerals unless the number begins a sentence. Use percent instead of %, except in places where space is limited.

She took a 5 percent pay cut.
Seven percent raises were offered that year.

For credit hours, use numerals: UCCA 101 is a 4-credit-hour course.

Use numerals for SAT, ACT and similar test scores. Use Arabic numerals in constructions such as SAT-1. Do not add commas to SAT or other scores that reach into the thousands:

His SAT score was 1100.
Her GRE composite score was 2070.

Express most common fractions in words, except in the case of quantities consisting of whole numbers and fractions: 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper.

Express ordinals—first, second, 11th—in numerals or words, as appropriate. To create the ordinal for a number ending in 1, use st. For a number ending in 2, use nd; 3, rd; 4, th; 5, th; 6, th; 7, th; 8, th; 9, th; and 0, th. No space is needed between the numeral and the ordinal letters, and no period is needed after the ordinal letters: 25th, 32nd, 74th, 81st, 100th.

Use numerals for grade point averages, and always include the decimal point and carry to at least the 10th place: 2.0. If several averages are cited in a table, carry all of them to the same place: 3.01, 2.18, 4.00, 1.80. The abbreviation GPA may follow the numbers if they are not described in the rest of the sentence: Sam earned a 3.98 GPA. Mary's GPA was 3.89. His high-school grade point average was 3.1.

Use numerals in tables and charts. In tables and charts that include a total at the bottom, align the decimal points in each column. In other tables and charts, decimal alignment is preferred, but it is acceptable to align all figures along the left or right margin, particularly if the numbers used are a mixture of percentages, straight figures and/or fractions.

See also centuries/decades; credit hours; years.