Foundations

Words are powerful and leave a lasting impression. Each time you write about NOLS, you have an opportunity to share a piece of what has made this organization a leader since 1965. You engage and educate your readers. You embolden people to step forward.

To write for and on behalf of NOLS, it’s vital to understand our brand—our purpose and personality. All NOLS communications are part of the brand. Every email sent, every video posted, every word written in a grant proposal represents NOLS. As a NOLS communicator, you are helping share NOLS’ story with the world. Thank you!

Goals

Engage

Expose

Educate

Embolden

Principles

We speak with people, not at them.

Write with a deep empathy for those on the receiving end. Tailor messages to your audience (the present, past, and future chaos navigators). Avoid jargon unless you know your audience well (such as if you’re addressing graduates of a specific course in a specific year) and they will appreciate it. Use human, friendly language that invites people in and leads them forward.

In most every interaction, focus on the reader/audience, not “we,” “NOLS,” or “us.” Write in the second person a great deal of the time. Put the reader forefront in the communication, into the action. Involve the reader directly in the content.

Pack light and efficiently.

Just like when heading into the backcountry, you want to make sure that every word counts. Consider the medium you’re writing for and keep it a little shorter than average.

Voice & Tone

Guidelines

Strong, but warm.

Great, charismatic leaders throughout history have balanced both strength and warmth. Their beliefs and actions are tough and steely, but they balance that with kindness and vulnerability.

Wild, but not zany.

The wild in NOLS gives us an edge. You can write with a wink or be provocative at times. But this wild is not punk or harsh, it’s exciting and engaging. And to steal from George Orwell: “never use the passive where you can use the active.”

Bold, but grounded.

The voice of NOLS speaks with confidence, not only in its conviction but also because of a grounding in expertise and outcomes.


Writing Samples

Call to Action

Simple Greeting

Online Profile

Course Catalog Content

Course Descriptions

Prospective Student Interaction

Positive Interactions

Express genuine happiness and a deep empathy for the person, and assume the process was challenging and required grit. Be encouraging and supportive.

Neutral Interactions

Focus on specifics, and do what you can to transform the interaction into a positive one. State facts and build confidence.

Negative Interactions

Be kind. Be clear about the problem and what went wrong. Provide a way forward and go a step beyond what other organizations might do—every interaction is an opportunity to participate in good expedition behavior (EB) and creating a positive learning environment (PLE). In this case, since NOLS is taking responsibility for a fault, the focus of the writing can be on us.

Grammar & Mechanics

General

Use consistent verb tenses.

Try to combine short paragraphs and split up very long ones. If writing web copy, always use short paragraphs. Occasional one-sentence paragraphs are okay in both web and print copy.

It is okay to occasionally begin sentences with “And” or “But.” Use your discretion depending on the audience and context (i.e., formal or informal).

Abbreviations

Define acronyms on first mention in each chapter in parentheses.

Don't use the word the before NOLS. Don't use periods between the letters. NOLS.

Acronyms are read as words and are rarely preceded by a, an, or the (“member nations of NATO”), except when used adjectivally (“a NATO initiative”). Initialisms, on the other hand, are read as a series of letters and are often preceded by an article (“member nations of the EU”).

Spell out United States when used as a noun on the first reference; abbreviate as U.S. when used as an adjective.

Spell out i.e. (that is) and e.g. (for example) in text, but use their abbreviations (followed by a comma) in parentheses. 

Periods are omitted from most abbreviations. This includes most titles (e.g., PhD). Exceptions include U.S. and time and date designations.

Use periods and insert a space between initials.

If possible, avoid use of etc. Use and so on or some other variation. But etc. is okay in tables and lists.

Capitalization

Department Titles 

All NOLS departments are capitalized when used as a proper noun (usually identified by the use of “NOLS” in front of the department name), but the word department or office, if included, is never capitalized, as it is not part of the official name of any particular department. For example: NOLS Admission and Marketing or the NOLS Admission and Marketing department. NOT: NOLS Admission and Marketing Department nor the NOLS Alumni Office.

Confine capitalization to department titles used as proper nouns, and lowercase department titles when used as a common noun. 

Directions and Regions

In general, lowercase north, south, northeast, northern, etc., when they indicate compass direction; capitalize these words when they designate regions (AP, p. 87).

Fields of Study and Degree Titles

Use lowercase letters when referring to general degrees, majors, and minors.

When referring to a specific major or degree program use caps for the official diploma title only, not the program itself (unless the field of study is a proper noun, like English, Spanish, etc.)

Honor Roll Standards

When listing donors in an honor roll (e.g., in the State of the School Report), follow these guidelines:

Job/position titles 

Civil, military, religious, and professional titles are capitalized when they immediately precede a personal name and are thus used as part of the name.

Leadership Skills

In general, NOLS leadership skills (the 7 listed in our 4-7-1 model) are not treated as proper nouns in writing and are not capitalized. 

Lowercase Rules 

Titles are normally lowercase when following a name or used in place of a name. 

Also, when the title precedes the name but the name is set off by commas because it is extra information nonessential to the understanding of the sentence, the title is lowercase. 

NOLS Board of Trustees and NOLS Advisory Council

Capitalize Board, Trustees, Advisory Council, and Council when referring to NOLS. When referring to other organizations, only capitalize in the first reference. (Follow the rules outlined above for chair and trustee as position titles.)

Plants and Animals 

In general, unless the name is a proper noun, don’t capitalize it. This goes for both plants and animals. 

When the name contains a proper noun (name of a location, person, etc.), use capitals for that word. This does not mean capitalizing all of the words in a name, only the proper noun.

Publications

For newspapers and magazines, follow capitalization and punctuation preferences of the newspaper or magazine itself

Titles of Works

For titles of works, headings, legends, and headlines, capitalize all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Articles, prepositions (including about, through, under, over, etc.), and coordinate conjunctions are usually considered unimportant and are not capped. Always capitalize first and last words. 

Titles used in Apposition

When a title is used in apposition before a personal name, not as part of the name but as a descriptive adjective, and often with the, it is lowercase.


Names

People

Provide a person’s first and last name upon first appearance within the text. Although first or last name thereafter is acceptable, NOLS has adopted the style of using the first name thereafter in many publications.

States

Use full state names whenever possible. When space limits this, use the following proper abbreviations. NEVER use postal code abbreviations in writing (except for those listed below).

Alaska

Ala.

Ariz.

Ark.

Calif.

Colo.

Conn.

Del.

Fla.

Ga.

Hawaii

Idaho

Ill.

Ind.

Iowa

Kan.

Ky.

La.

Maine

Mass.

Md.

Mich.

Minn.

Miss.

Mo.

Mont.

Neb.

Nev.

N.H.

N.J.

N. Mex.

N.Y.

N.C.

N. Dak.

Ohio

Okla.

Ore.

Pa.

R.I.

S.C.

S. Dak.

Tenn.

Texas

Utah

Vt.

Va.

Wash.

W.Va.

Wis.

Wyo.

Numbers

General

Spell out whole single digits (i.e., one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine); use numerals thereafter.


Exceptions:

Always use numerals when giving a person’s age.

Spell out any number beginning a sentence.

Spell out round numbers (hundreds, thousands, hundred thousands, and millions).

When there are multiple numbers in a sentence, use numerals instead of having some as words and some as numerals (excluding a number if it begins a sentence), except when necessary for clarification:



For distances, lengths, volumes, areas, and so on, follow general rules above. However, occasionally contexts allow for exceptions. Number style can vary from one type of book to another, such as a guidebook, textbook, or cookbook. Consistency is best.


Use figures in tables.


Ordinal numbers: Follow the general rules for ordinal numbers—first, second, 22nd (not 2d), third, 4th–10th, 20th, and so on. The letters in ordinal numbers should not appear as superscripts. Fix the autocorrect function in your word processing software so it does not automatically convert them to superscripts.


Spell out simple fractions in running text, but leave whole numbers plus fractions as numerals.



Use a comma in four-digit numbers, except for years and page numbers.



Write out both elements in a number, year, or page span. Use en dash for page spans (hold down the option key when hitting the hyphen).



Use numerals for percentages (unless at beginning of a sentence).



It is OK to use the % when referencing percents in all situations, unless using the word percent provides clarity.

Preferred phone number style is parentheses then a hyphen.


Dates

Use U.S. date style as opposed to European style, including on press releases.



Do not use ordinal numbers for dates.



When a month is used with a specific date, abbreviate only January (Jan.), February (Feb.), August (Aug.), September (Sept.), October (Oct.), November (Nov.), and December (Dec.). Spell out March, April, May, June, and July.

Spell out and lowercase centuries.



Do not use an apostrophe when expressing decades or temperatures.



Hyphenate mid-1990s (or mid-’90s).

Do not insert a comma between month and year when not including a date.



Try to use “the” and “of” with season and year, but it’s OK to use just month and year. Both uses are flexible based on context.

Money

Use figures and a currency sign (e.g., $) when referring to money. For amounts of $1 million or more, spell out the words million, billion, trillion, etc. Also spell out the word cents. 


For isolated references, use general number rules and consistency rules, with symbols and numerals for quantities above 99. Also, we have specified using dollar sign and zero for cent amounts when they need to be expressed numerically.


Seasons

Do not capitalize seasons. Spring, summer, fall, and winter should always be lowercase unless they are part of a proper name, e.g. the Winter Olympics, Fall Semester in the Rockies, etc.

Time

Do not use the 24-hour system unless a military or European context requires.



When specific times are emphasized, always use numerals with a.m. and p.m.; use time zone abbreviations when needed.



Include zeroes for even hours (e.g., 5:00 p.m.).

Punctuation

Apostrophe

Use an apostrophe and an additional s to indicate possessives of singular nouns that already end in s (unless the next word begins with an s). (AP p.364)



However, do not use the additional s for plural words or singular proper names ending in s.



Colon

A colon introduces an element or a series of elements illustrating or amplifying what has preceded the colon. Use colons carefully. Be sure you are capitalizing after a colon when necessary and are consistent in choosing the best punctuation for readability.


Between independent clauses it functions much like a semicolon, though more strongly emphasizing sequence. 



Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence.



A colon is not always needed before a series or list. It is normally used after as follows, the following, or similar expressions; however, it is not used after namely, for example, such as, including, or similar expressions. Nor is it used before a series introduced by a verb or a preposition.



Comma 

The comma indicates the smallest break in sentence structure. It denotes a slight pause. Effective use of the comma involves good judgment, with ease of reading the end in view.


Use commas to separate elements in a simple series. 



It’s especially important to put a comma before the concluding conjunction in a series if an integral element of the series also requires a conjunction: 



Use a comma before the concluding conjunction in a complex series of phrases: 



For complex series (series within series), use semicolons to set off the main elements:


Essential and nonessential clauses

Also known as restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses, both provide additional information about a word or phrase in the sentence. The difference between them is that the essential clause cannot be eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence—it so restricts the meaning of the word or phrase that its absence would lead to a substantially different interpretation of what the author meant. The nonessential clause, however, can be eliminated without altering the basic meaning of the sentence—it does not restrict the meaning.


An essential clause must not be set off from the rest of a sentence by commas: 



(This sentence is saying that only one class of writers, those who do not read the style guide, should not criticize their editors. If the who…guide clause were deleted, the meaning would change substantially.)


A nonessential clause must be set off by commas: 


(This sentence is saying that all writers should not criticize their editors. If the who…guide clause were deleted, the meaning would not be changed.)

Essential and nonessential phrases

Also known as restrictive and nonrestrictive phrases and similar in function as essential and nonessential clauses. An essential phrase is a word or group of words critical to the reader’s understanding of what the author had in mind. A nonessential phrase provides more information about something; although the information may be helpful to the reader’s comprehension, the reader would not be misled if the information were not there.


An essential phrase must not be set off from the rest of a sentence by commas: 


(No comma, because many movies have won awards, and without the name of the movie the reader would not know which movie was meant.) 



(Because they have more than one daughter, the inclusion of Julie’s name is critical if the reader is to know which daughter is meant.)


A nonessential phrase is set off by commas: 



(Only one movie won the award. The name is informative, but even without the name no other movie could be meant.) 



(Julie has only one husband. If the phrase read and her husband David, it would suggest that she had more than one husband.)

Do not confuse punctuation rules for nonessential clauses with the correct punctuation when a nonessential word is used as a descriptive adjective:



(husband is a descriptive adjective in this case. Julie still only has one husband.) Compare this to Julie and her husband, David, went shopping, which requires commas since David (Julie’s only husband) is a nonessential phrase in this case.


Introductory clauses, phrases, and words

A comma is used to separate an introductory clause or phrase from the main clause; however, the comma may be omitted after short introductory phrases (generally three words or less, sometimes four words long) if no ambiguity would result.



Do not use a comma preceding Jr. or Sr. (unless person named is particularly opposed to this).



However, do use a comma between a person’s name and title.



A state following city, country following city, and year in full date are set off with commas.



Ellipses 

Ellipses indicate the omission of a word, phrase, line, paragraph, or more from a quoted passage, and is shown with three periods with spaces before and after (…) (keystroke: option ;) Example: “I like … campfires.”


Ellipses are normally not used (1) before the first word of a quotation, even if the beginning of the original sentence has been omitted; or (2) after the last word of a quotation, even if the end of the original sentence has been omitted.


Em Dashes

em dash — (keystroke: option shift hyphen) 


An em dash or a pair of em dashes sets off an amplifying or explanatory element. Commas, parentheses, or a colon may perform a similar function. There is no space before or after an em dash.



No sentence should contain more than two em dashes; if more than two elements need to be set off, use parentheses. 


Em dashes are difficult to translate into HTML. Avoid the use of em dashes in web copy, or replace with commas, two hyphens (--), or parentheses.


En Dashes

en dash – (keystroke: option hyphen) 


The principal use of the en dash is to connect numbers and, less often, words. In this use it signifies up to and including (or through). Never use an en dash if the words from or between precede the first element of the pair There is no space before or after an en dash.



Use en dash for compound adjectives (including abbreviations) with one open element.



If you choose to use a dash before an author or speaker’s name when referencing a pull quote, use an en dash (not a hyphen or em dash). In this instance, there is a space after the en dash.


Foot and Inch Marks

For feet or inches, use a prime symbol if you are not writing out “feet” “inches” or abbreviating with “ft.” “in.” (′) (″)


Hyphens

hyphen - (keystroke: hyphen)


Use hyphens in compound words, to separate numbers that are not inclusive (e.g., telephone numbers, ISBNs), to separate letters when a word is spelled out, and in reference to American Sign Language.


The first place to look for answers is the dictionary. 


Words that might be misread, such as re-creation and co-op, should be hyphenated. But where no ambiguity could result, hyphenation is not mandatory.


Compounds formed by an adverb ending in ly plus an adjective or participle (such as largely irrelevant or smartly dressed) are not hyphenated either before or after the noun.


Compound modifiers before a noun are usually hyphenated (e.g., open-mouthed look or full-length dress). But if they are after a noun, they do not need a hyphen.



When the second part of a hyphenated expression is omitted, the hyphen is retained, followed by a word space.



but


Omission of the second part of a solid compound follows the same pattern


but



Period

A period marks the end of a declarative or imperative sentence. 


Use a single space after a period at the end of a sentence. (FYI: Microsoft Word’s spell/grammar check can be set to this preference.)


Periods always go inside quotation marks, (AP p.372).



When an entire independent sentence is enclosed in parentheses or brackets, the period belongs inside the closing parenthesis or bracket. When matter in parentheses or brackets, even a grammatically complete sentence, is included within another sentence, the period belongs outside



Quotes

Always start a new paragraph for a quote, unless it is incomplete and part of your own sentence.


Double quotes are used to set off words or phrases in the text. Single quotes set off quoted matter within a quotation.


If your quote ends with a period, comma, exclamation point, or question mark, set this punctuation inside the closing quotation mark. But if the quote doesn’t end with this punctuation, set the punctuation outside the close quotation mark.



To introduce a quote, use a comma or a colon (unless you are introducing the quote with that, whether, or a similar conjunction.



Semicolon

The semicolon, stronger than a comma but weaker than a period, can assume either role, though its function is usually closer to that of a period. Its most common use is between two independent clauses not joined by a conjunction to signal a close connection between the clauses. It is also used before transitional words such as however, thus, hence, indeed, accordingly, besides, therefore, that is, for example, and namely. 


Text Formatting

Bulleted and Numbered Lists

A vertical list is best introduced by a complete grammatical sentence, followed by a colon. Items carry no closing punctuation unless they consist of complete sentences. If the items are numbered, a period follows the numeral. Whether using bullets or numbers, each item in the vertical list begins with a capital letter.


Hyperlinks

When it is necessary to break a URL or an e-mail address at the end of a printed line, the break should be made between elements: after a colon, a slash, a double slash, or the symbol @, but before a period, a hyphen, or any other punctuation or symbols. A hyphen should never be added to a URL to denote a line break, nor should a hyphen that is part of a URL appear at the end of a line. If a particularly long element in the URL must be broken to avoid a seriously loose line, it should be broken between syllables.


Microsoft Word automatically adds hyperlinks to URLs in documents, but they should be removed for printed copies.


Italics

Avoid excessive use of italics for emphasis.


If italicized terms—names of newspapers, titles of books, and the like—are used in plural or possessive, do not italicize the apostrophe or the s.



Non-English words and phrases and proper nouns (including Latin words and abbreviations) should not be italicized (e.g., a priori, de facto, Venezia, in vitro, and so on). 

Italicize words and phrases when a word or term is not used functionally but is referred to as the word or term itself. Use quotation marks for meanings of words.



Italicize the titles of books, magazines, newspapers, journals, plays, music albums, and very long poems. Use quotation marks around titles of essays, articles, songs, and short poems included in larger works. Titles of movies, podcasts, television, and radio programs are italicized, but a single episode in a series is enclosed in quotation marks. Titles of operas, oratorios, tone poems, and musical albums are italicized.



Web Addresses

Do not use http:// or https:// with a Web address unless the link will not work without it. 


For links to the NOLS website, include www.



Exception: exclude “www” when the URL appears in the context of a call-to-action in a print piece.



There are often short URLs for NOLS sites. Ask the Creative Department if it’s possible to create a shorter link, if an existing link is cumbersome in text.


Naming

Organization Name

NOLS is the National Outdoor Leadership School. For most interactions, the acronym NOLS should be used as the name of the organization. Exceptions to this are if clarification is necessary to avoid confusion or if it is the first time a person will be encountering NOLS.


Pillars

NOLS Expeditions

NOLS Custom Education

NOLS Risk Services

NOLS Wilderness Medicine

Locations

Instructors

Everyone who teaches for NOLS is NOLS Faculty or a NOLS Instructor.

Writing About People

General

Follow the Platinum Rule

The Platinum Rule—to treat others as they wish to be treated—is paramount when writing about people other than yourself. Always ask the person/people you are writing about for clarifications and preferences. Do NOT make assumptions. Remember: have good PLE and EB when writing for and on behalf of NOLS.

Stick to Your Topic

Only describe people in ways that are essential to the point of the communication. Do not mention age, clothing, height, weight, hair color, disabilities, socio-economic status, parenting status, or any physical or personal information that isn’t directly relevant to the topic of the communication. For example: If you are writing an article for The Leader about adaptive gear that was used on a course to make accommodations for someone with a physical disability, then it is okay to mention that person’s disability (assuming you have their permission to do so). If you are writing an article for The Leader about students’ opinions of rations on snow courses, and one of the individuals interviewed for the article has a physical disability, do NOT mention the student’s disability.

Lead with the Person

This means to name and honor the person’s humanity before you mention other qualities about the person. “Jane Doe, River and Rock ‘17, graduated this week from the University of Wyoming.” “John Doe has muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair.” 

Specific Topics

The following are specific topics that may arise when writing about people other than yourself. This list is not exhaustive, so refer to the Platinum Rule whenever in doubt. In many cases, links are provided for you to learn more about an entry.

Age

People should rarely be described by their age. Avoid using age as a noun or adjective, such as “the 18 year old enrolled in a semester course” or “the 18-year-old students ate lunch in the Noble cafeteria.” Instead, use phrases such as “the course is open to students age 18-22” or “for ages 18-22.” Do not use the word “aged,” unless you are writing about cheese or wine.

African American

Avoid the phrase “African American” to describe a person unless the person has expressed a desire to be referred to in this manner. Not all people who have brown skin identify as African American. Ask the person for their preference, which may be “Black” or “person of color” or it may be “African American”—you won’t know until you ask. And only reference a person’s race if it is integral to the communication.

Androgyny, Gender Identity, and Pronouns

A person may self-identify as a non-binary, genderqueer, or a gender-fluid person, so ask if they prefer to be described as "androgynous," "genderqueer," “gender fluid,” “gender nonconforming,” “male,” “female,” "non binary," “gender expansive,” or another term of identification. One's gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth. Also, ask which pronouns the person would prefer for you to use in your communication (he/she/they/ze/sie/hir/co/ey). You will likely need to use pronouns in your communication, but if the person's gender is irrelevant to the content of your communication, don't mention it beyond the person’s preferred pronouns. Singular use of “they,” “them,” and “their” is OK.

Learn more

Asian

Don’t ever refer to a person as Oriental. If race is relevant to what you’re writing, use what the person prefers. This might be Asian, Asian American, Southeast Asian, East Asian, or a reference to a specific country of origin, such as Vietnamese. 

Blind

Only use the adjective “blind” to describe a person who is unable to see. Use “low vision” to describe a person with limited vision. Do not use the word to casually reference a “blind corner” or “being blind” to something.

Boy/Boys

Only use boy/boys in reference to self-identifying males 18 or younger. For self-identifying males age 18 and up, use “men.” For self-identifying men of all ages, “male” is appropriate. “Adolescent young people” may also be appropriate. Do not address an individual as “boy” as a substitution for his name.

Caucasian

Do not use “caucasian” to describe white people.

Learn more

Chair vs. Chairman/Chairwoman/Chairperson

Do not use Chairman, even if the position is held by a self-identifying man. Instead, use Chair.

Disability

Don’t refer to a person’s disability unless it’s relevant to what you’re writing. If you need to mention it, ask whether your subject prefers person-first language (“they have a disability”) or identity-first language (“they are disabled”). When writing about a person with disabilities, don’t use the words “suffer,” “victim,” or “handicapped.” Instead, use "person who has ..." "person who is ..." "person with ..." "physical disability" and "uses a wheelchair." “Handicapped parking” is OK.

Learn more

Dual Heritage or Nationality

Don't use hyphens when referring to someone with dual heritage or nationality. For example, use "Asian American" instead of "Asian-American." Only mention the person’s heritage or nationality if it is relevant to the topic of the communication.

Eskimo

Many people find the word to be derogatory. The preferred terms for people of the Arctic are “Inuit” (pl. n., meaning people) and “Inuk” (sing. n., meaning person).

Learn more

Explorer and Exploration

These words incorrectly imply that a person on a course will be visiting lands not previously visited by humans. When, in fact, all NOLS courses take place on lands and in waters that have been visited by humans for thousands of years. “Adventurer” and “expedition” are preferred alternatives. “Explore” is OK as a verb, but be careful of its use and don’t use it to imply going where no one has gone before.

Girl/Girls

Only use girl/girls in reference to self-identifying females 18 or younger. For self-identifying females age 18 and up, use “women.” For self-identifying women of all age ranges, “female” is appropriate. “Adolescent young people” may also be appropriate. Do not address an individual as “girl” as a substitution for her name.

Guys

Don’t call a group of people “guys,” as it is gendered language. Use “everyone” as an alternative.

Gyp/Gypped

Don’t use this negative racial stereotype of the Romani people. Instead say “to cheat” or “rip off.”

Learn more

Hearing

Use “deaf” or “Deaf” as an adjective to describe a person with significant hearing loss. You can also use “hard of hearing.” Don’t use it in an idiomatic phrase to express that someone is “deaf to your argument.” Use a lowercase d when referring to a hearing-loss condition or to a deaf person who prefers lowercase. Use a capitalized D for those who identify as members of the Deaf community or when they capitalize Deaf when describing themselves.

Homosexuality

Don’t use “homosexual” and “homosexuality.” Instead be as accurate as possible with your language. See the entry on LGBTQ+ for more information.

Indigenous People

Each indigenous population has preferences for how they wish to be addressed. When appropriate, identify groups by their specific group or nation name, e.g., the Osage Nation, the Dakota people (the group name they identify with). In the United States, note that “Native American” may not be the preferred term—so always ask. When referencing a group of non-indigenous people, do not use the word “tribe.” Be aware that some nations and native groups also avoid using the word "tribe" when describing themselves, as well. Groups generally prefer to be called “people” or “nation.” Avoid using “half-” or “part-” to describe any indigenous person.

Lame

Avoid disability-related idioms like “lame” and “falling on deaf ears.”

LGBTQ+

An acronym for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and...” When it is relelvant to the communication, use “gay,” “lesbian,” or the specific LGBTQ+ identifier an individual prefers. Only use specific LGBTQ+ identifiers as adjectives, not as nouns. Don’t ever use “lifestyle” or “sexual preference” when writing about sexuality or gender identity. 

Learn more

Low-Income and Low-Wealth Individuals and Groups

Be respectful of individuals and groups of people who have low-income and low-wealth. Don’t use “the poor,” “disadvantaged,” “at risk,” “less fortunate,” or “vagrant,” and don’t reference people with an insensitive euphemism, such as “urban” or “inner city.” Above all, don’t depict people living in poverty as helpless. And don’t position NOLS as a savior for students living in poverty. Use phrases such as “low-income families/residents/neighborhoods” “people who live in under resourced communities” “people experiencing material poverty” “food insecurity” “underserved,” “underrepresented,” and “facing challenges due to poverty.”

Manforce

Don’t use “manforce.” Instead use “workforce,” “personnel,” “workers,” or “human resources.”

Marriage Status

Legal marriage is only one form of a committed relationship, and marital status is sometimes not a reliable indicator of cohabitation (e.g., married couples may be separated), sexual activity, or sexuality. If an individual references their partner, do not assume marital status or gender. Always ask for personal preference and only reference the partner if it is relevant to the communication. Avoid “same-sex marriage,” instead write “marriage” if it applies. Do not address a couple as Mr. and Mrs. John Doe; instead state Jane and John Doe (without use of titles or erasing a name). Use “spouse” and “partner” unless the person has expressed a different preference.

Master and Slave

Avoid using these words casually and don’t use them as nouns. Do not write about being a slave to one’s job. Rewrite these concepts using words such as “primary/secondary,” “leader/follower,” “improve,” “works a great deal,” etc. Mastering a skill (verb phrase) is OK as long as it is used in context with a skill and someone with that skill is never referred to as a master (noun).

Mental, Cognitive, Emotional, and Psychological Conditions

Never assume that someone has a medical, mental, psychological, emotional, or cognitive condition. Don’t casually mention ADD, ADHD, or OCD as these are medical diagnoses. Also, don’t describe a person as “mentally ill.” If a reference to a person’s mental or cognitive condition is warranted, use the same rules as writing about people with physical disabilities and emphasize the person first. “Neurodivergent” is OK.

Military/Veterans

Be respectful of a person’s military title and their branch of service. Ask for clarification and preference if there is any confusion. And be respectful when writing about military actions that involved loss of human life, especially those of the past 250 years.

Minority

Avoid “minority” and “minorities” as stand-alone words. If you need to use them, do so with an appropriate and respectable adjective, such as “visible minority.”

People of Color

“People of Color” can be used as a collective term for non-white people; this is preferable to saying “minorities” and is used as an inclusive and unifying frame across different non-white racial groups to address racial inequities. It is not always appropriate to use this phrase, however, so ask for preference. For affinity courses, use “People of Color,” but do not make assumptions about shared experiences, as groups are made up of unique individuals. People of Color and POC are capitalized.

Transgender and Gender Transition

Transgender is an adjective that is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being a transgender male or transgender female does not imply any specific sexuality. Therefore, transgender people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc. Don’t write "transgendered" or “transsexual.” Avoid using transgender as a noun. If someone has changed their name, only use their current name.

The process by which some people strive to more closely align their internal knowledge of gender with its outward appearance is referred to as gender transition. Some people socially transition, whereby they might begin dressing, using names and pronouns, and/or be socially recognized as another gender. Others undergo physical transitions in which they modify their bodies through medical interventions. Don’t inquire as to if someone has undergone or will undergo a physical transition, unless necessary in a clinical setting (such as for medical review purposes, e.g., hormone injections in the field).

Tribe

Don't use the word “tribe” to describe a group of non-indigenous people. When speaking about a group of native people, it is OK to use it if it is part of the official group's name (e.g., the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma). Always ask indigenous people for their preferences regarding use, as many prefer nation or people instead of tribe.

Women and Men

Assume that groups of self-identifying women and men are complex and unique. Don’t attempt to reduce them to stereotypes or specific aspects and qualities of who they are. Be wary of language that suggests an innateness of characteristics (don’t write about women being nurturing or “boys will be boys”). Also be aware that using language that is motivated by trying to make others “fit in” can leave folks feeling excluded. Preface gender with “self-identifying” women/men on first reference to promote inclusivity.

Additional Reading

Writing Captions

General

A caption is the explanatory material that appears outside an illustration or photograph. A caption may consist of a word or two, an incomplete or a complete sentence, several sentences, or a combination. No punctuation is needed after a caption consisting solely of an incomplete sentence. 


All of the following are examples of acceptable captions:



NOLS guidelines to remember when writing captions:


Writing References

General

Any standard, complete, and consistent note and bibliographic form is acceptable. Because we’ll mostly see notes and bibliography in articles from outside writers (e.g., for the Staff Newsletter or WRMC Proceedings), simply edit for complete and consistent information, as well as consistent form throughout a single document. 


Query the author for missing or questionable titles, publishers, dates, and places of publication.


Note entries appear in numerical order as they appear in the text. Bibliographic entries are listed in alphabetical order by last name, first name.


For in-text references, a comma is used between the author’s name and date of publication: (Smith, 1987)

Examples APA Style

Book Examples

Author. (Year of Publication). Title not all capitalized. Place of Publication: Publisher.

Louv, R. (2005). Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Book.

Strunk, W. & E. B. White. (2000). The elements of style. (4th ed.) Needham Heights, MS: Allyn & Bacon.


Periodical Examples

Author. (Year of Publication). Article title. Journal or Magazine Title, Vol(#):page#s.

Entrikin, N. (1976). Contemporary humanism in geography. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 66(4):615-632.

Schoultz, B. (February 2006). National Outdoor Character School? NOLS Staff Newsletter.


Web Examples

Website name. URL.

or Title. (Date of Publication). Website name. URL.

or Author. (Date of Publication). Title. Website name. URL.

National Outdoor Leadership School. http://www.nols.edu.

Wyoming public radio interviews NOLS. (February 19, 2007). National Outdoor Leadership School. http://nols.blogs.com/nols_news/2007/02/index.html.

Schepps, J. (2006). WMI at 2006 Primal Quest. National Outdoor Leadership School. http://www.nols.edu/alumni/leader/06fall/wmi_primal_quest.shtml.


Word List

Standardized Spellings

This is a working list of preferred spellings in NOLS communications.

If you do not see a specific word here, use the first spelling in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

A

acknowledgment (no e between the g and m)

awe-inspiring

Alaska Native

Alumni and Development Director: no longer used; see Development and Alumni Director

B

backcountry

biodiesel

Base Camp campaign

Branch, no longer used in reference to our campuses; see locations

Branch director: no longer used. See program director

C

campus: capitalize with the NOLS Wyss Wilderness Medicine Campus, see locations

cancel, canceled, canceling, cancellation

coursemates

cutting-edge (adjective)

course names: see Usage of Common Words and Phrases page

Class III (roman numerals w/ uppercase “c”) for whitewater

class 5 (arabic numerals w/ lowercase) for terrain

D

decision-making when adj.

decision making when noun

Drascombe Longboat

dry suit 

Development and Alumni Director (formerly Alumni and Development Director)

E

email

Executive Team (formerly Executive Director Team)

F

field-based and field courses are both acceptable as references

first aid (not first-aid)

Frontcountry

Frank Church-River of No Return

fly fish, fly-fishing when adj. (e.g., fly-fishing rod, I went fly fishing)

Field Instructor Skills (formerly Field Instructor Qualifications and Performance Expectations). Capitalized when referring to the NOLS qualifications for an instructor

H

Himalaya, accurate for singular and plural uses, noun and adjective forms

horsepacking

I

Iko Wapi

in-town when adj.

In town when prepositional phrase (I’m an in-town employee; I work in town) Never use intown.

internet

International Base Camp Initiative

Independent Student Group Travel: Daily travel independent of instructors, but you all meet at the same campsite at night. "Once you gain proficiency and demonstrate competence to your instructors, you may travel in student-led groups without instructors for up to a day at a time—we call this independent student group travel."

M

multi-pitch

midshipmen (see capitalization section for when to capitalize titles)

Master’s (not Masters) degree

N

nonprofit

No Deje Rastro

NOLS Bus

NOLS Wilderness Medicine (not Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS/WMI)

NOLS Custom Education

NOLS Expeditions

NOLS Risk Services

NOLS Expedition Faculty Summit (not Faculty Summit)

O

OK

Over or up, not older, in reference to course age requirements

P

Petzoldt

Program Director (formerly branch director)

packraft/packrafting

President (formerly executive director)

R

re-ration

resumé

resupply

rockfall

S

schoolwide

self-awareness

sea kayaking

Southeast Alaska

splitboarding 

strategic plan (lowercase)

swiftwater/flatwater when adj.

swift water/flat water when noun

Student Expedition: The multi-day expedition that concludes some courses "Your course may culminate in a multi-day student-led expedition. Usually, for the Student Expeditions you will travel in a group of four to six students independently of instructors for two to six days (depending on location)."

T

tree line 

timberline 

top roping

top-rope climbing

(on) top rope

traveled, when used as an adjective

travelled, when used as a verb (less common in the U.S.)

U

ultralight

V

veterans benefits (no apostrophe)

W

website

Web

Whitewater

wilderness (lowercase except in the case of formally designated Wilderness areas)

Wyss Wilderness Medicine Campus on first reference, then NOLS Wyss Campus (not WWMC)

Words to use Carefully

About vs. Approximately

Use about instead of approximately, unless you are writing a scientific/technical piece.

Aid vs. Aide

Use aid when you mean “to assist or help.” Use aide when you are referring to an instructor who is attending a NOLS course in order to move into a new specialty.

Alumni, Alumna, Alumnus, and Graduate(s)

Alumnus/alumna, and graduate are interchangeable in the singular when talking about anyone who has completed a NOLS course (WFA, expedition, alumni trip, etc.). Alumni is plural for alumnus (male) and alumna (female) and is the name of the NOLS department. Graduates also can be used as a plural reference. Alum is only appropriate in casual communications, such as emails. Don’t use alum in printed materials.

Asian

Don’t ever refer to a person as Oriental. If race is relevant to what you’re writing, use what the person prefers. This might be Asian, Asian American, Southeast Asian, East Asian, or a reference to a specific country of origin, such as Vietnamese. 

Blind

Only use the adjective “blind” to describe a person who is unable to see. Use “low vision” to describe a person with limited vision. Do not use the word to casually reference a “blind corner” or “being blind” to something.

Boy/Boys

Only use boy/boys in reference to self-identifying males 18 or younger. For self-identifying males age 18 and up, use “men.” For self-identifying men of all ages, “male” is appropriate. “Adolescent young people” may also be appropriate. Do not address an individual as “boy” as a substitution for his name.

Chair vs. Chairman/Chairwoman/Chairperson

Use Chair when referring to the Chair of the Board of Trustees. Do not use Chairman, Chairwoman, or Chairperson.

Close

Close proximity is redundant. Use close or proximity.

Common vs. Mutual

Common is shared by two or more people, whereas mutual is reciprocal or directly exchanged by two people. Don’t confuse the two.

Connote vs. Denote

Connote means to convey an additional meaning or nuance, whereas denote is to specify the literal meaning of something.

Course Names

Wilderness medicine course is acceptable for courses taught by NOLS Wilderness Medicine. Expedition should be lowercase (e.g., an expedition course) when used in a general sense and not referencing NOLS Expeditions directly.

For internal reporting, NOLS courses are broken into two categories: classroom and field-based (field and field-based are interchangeable). For external uses, be more specific in course type (e.g., field course, wilderness medicine course, Semester in Baja, Wilderness First Responder).

Deaf

Use “deaf” or “Deaf” as an adjective to describe a person with significant hearing loss. You can also use “hard of hearing.” Don’t use it in an idiomatic phrase to express that someone is “deaf to your argument.” Use a lowercase d when referring to a hearing-loss condition or to a deaf person who prefers lowercase. Use a capitalized D for those who identify as members of the Deaf community or when they capitalize Deaf when describing themselves.

Disability

Don’t refer to a person’s disability unless it’s relevant to what you’re writing. If you need to mention it, ask whether your subject prefers person-first language (“they have a disability”) or identity-first language (“they are disabled”). When writing about a person with disabilities, don’t use the words “suffer,” “victim,” or “handicapped.” Instead, use "person who has ..." "person who is ..." "person with ..." "physical disability" and "uses a wheelchair." “Handicapped parking” is OK.

Learn more

Ensure, Insure, and Assured

Use ensure when you mean making sure something will or won’t happen. Insure is reserved for underwriting financial risk. Assured means making sure people’s concerns are addressed.

Farther vs. Further

Use farther when referring to a physical distance (e.g, “we drove farther north”) and further when referring to degree (e.g. “let’s examine this further”). A helpful reminder: both farther and distance are spelled with an a.

Flammable vs. Inflammable

Use flammable instead of inflammable (which means the same thing but is not standard).

Flounder vs. Founder

To flounder is to struggle awkwardly, as though walking through deep mud. To founder (verb) is to sink or fall to the ground. A founder (noun) is someone who has established something. NOLS’ founders are Paul Petzoldt and Tap Tapley. NOLS was founded in 1965.

Forgo vs Forego

Use forgo (not forego) if you mean “to do without.” To forego means to go before, as in foregone conclusion. To forgo means to abstain from, as in: He decided to forgo his senior year of eligibility.

Girl/Girls

Only use girl/girls in reference to self-identifying females 18 or younger. For self-identifying females age 18 and up, use “women.” For self-identifying women of all age ranges, “female” is appropriate. “Adolescent young people” may also be appropriate. Do not address an individual as “girl” as a substitution for her name.

Hung vs. Hanged

Use hung for the past tense of hang. Hanged is only used when referring to suspending a person by the neck.

i.e. vs. e.g.

i.e. is used as an abbreviation for the Latin phrase id est and commonly translates to “that is,” “namely,” or “in other words.” And e.g. means exempli gratia and commonly translates “for example.” Do not italicize either. Use a comma after the second period. 

Learn more

Its vs. It’s

Its is a possessive form of “it” as in “the beast bared its claws.” It’s is a contraction of “it is” as in “it’s a pretty big beast!”

Lead vs. Led

Lead is the present tense of the verb: ”It was her day to lead the course.” Led is the past tense of the verb: “She led the course yesterday.”

LGBTQ+

An acronym for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and...” When it is relelvant to the communication, use “gay,” “lesbian,” or the specific LGBTQ+ identifier an individual prefers. Only use specific LGBTQ+ identifiers as adjectives, not as nouns. Don’t ever use “lifestyle” or “sexual preference” when writing about sexuality or gender identity. 

Learn more

Low-Income and Low-Wealth

Be respectful of individuals and groups of people who have low-income and low-wealth. Don’t use “the poor,” “disadvantaged,” “at risk,” “less fortunate,” or “vagrant,” and don’t reference people with an insensitive euphemism, such as “urban” or “inner city.” Above all, don’t depict people living in poverty as helpless. And don’t position NOLS as a savior for students living in poverty. Use phrases such as “low-income families/residents/neighborhoods” “people who live in under resourced communities” “people experiencing material poverty” “food insecurity” “underserved,” “underrepresented,” and “facing challenges due to poverty.”

May vs. Might

Use may to refer to something that is possible, factual, or could be factual (e.g., “I may have forgotten to dig a cathole when I pooped.”) Use might when referring to something hypothetical, uncertain, or contrary (e.g., “My sacred socks might have gotten wet if I hadn’t lined my sleeping bag stuff sack with a garbage bag.”)

NOLS Faculty, NOLS Instructors, and NOLS Staff

All instructional employees of NOLS are included in the terms “NOLS faculty” and “NOLS instructors,” which are interchangeable. Subsets are as follows:

The same principles apply to NOLS staff; all staff members are NOLS staff and, more specifically, titled based on the location or department in which they work. Use specificity whenever possible to avoid confusion (e.g., NOLS Rocky Mountain staff, NOLS Creative Department staff).

Notable vs. Noteworthy

Notable means “readily noticed,” as in “my instructor has a notable sense of humor.” Noteworthy means “remarkable,” as in “my instructor has a noteworthy tolerance for uncertainty.”

Onto vs. On To

Onto implies movement, as in “the climber high-stepped onto the ledge.” On to is used when on is an adverb and to is a preposition, as in “the climber held on to the tiny hold.” One trick is to mentally say “up” before on (the climber stepped up on the ledge); if the sentence still makes sense, then onto is probably the right choice, since on by itself doesn’t imply motion.

Orient

Use orient when you mean getting one’s bearings, not orientate. Do not use orient when referencing anyone or anything related to East Asia. 

Over and Under vs. More Than and Less Than

If possible, use more than or less than instead of over or under when referencing numbers, as in: “More than 500 people attended the NOLS event.” It is grammatically correct to use over and under, but until 2014 the AP Styleguide said not to, and so it makes some editors still cringe when they see it. 

Partake In vs. Partake Of

To partake in is to participate in (e.g., “the new student refused to partake in discussions.”) To partake of means either to get a part of or have a quality (e.g., “the new student partook of the meal.”)

People of Color

“People of Color” can be used as a collective term for non-white people; this is preferable to saying “minorities” and is used as an inclusive and unifying frame across different non-white racial groups to address racial inequities. It is not always appropriate to use this phrase, however, so ask for preference. For affinity courses, use “People of Color,” but do not make assumptions about shared experiences, as groups are made up of unique individuals. People of Color and POC are capitalized.

People vs. Persons

People refers to any sized group, big or small. Avoid using persons.

Personally

Personally is a tricky word. Here are two rules: (1) use personally only when the actor does something that otherwise would be done through an agent (e.g., “the President personally signed the invitation” not “the President personally shook hands with everyone”); (2) Don’t combine personally with I (e.g., “personally, I think . . .”) unless you hold a different point of view than your actions demonstrate (e.g., “I had to attend that board meeting, but personally, I think meetings are a waste of time.”)

Persuade vs. Convince

Persuade is used to refer to actions (e.g., “I persuaded him to cross the river”) and convince is used to refer to beliefs (e.g., “I convinced him I was competent.”) 

Preventive vs. Preventative

Use preventive, not preventative (e.g., “We took preventive measures.”)

Purposely v. Purposefully

You do something purposely when you do it intentionally, when you do something on purpose. You do something purposefully when you have a goal in mind, when your actions or demeanor are resolute. Something done purposely is not necessarily purposeful.

Question Whether vs. Question of Whether and Question As To Whether

Use question whether in sentences such as, “the question whether to descend was hard to answer.” Avoid question of whether or question as to whether.

Reason vs. Reason That

Use reason. Avoid reason that. 

Since

Since generally refers to time (e.g., “since last winter, I haven’t worn a down jacket.”) Avoid since when referring to causation; use because instead (e.g., “because I was short, it was hard to reach the first hold.”)

Such As vs. Like

Use such as when giving examples, and use like when meaning “similar to.”

Staff and Faculty

Whether the nouns staff or faculty use a singular or plural verb depends on whether the noun is referring to the group as a unit or to its members as individuals. When preceded by “the,” staff is treated as singular, (e.g., “the staff is holding its weekly meeting”). Without “the,” staff can be treated as plural (e.g., “NOLS staff are driven by the school’s mission”). Don’t treat staff or faculty as both singular and plural in the same sentence (e.g., “the staff is gathering for their picture” is wrong).

That vs. Which

That is used to narrow a class or identify a particular item being talked about (e.g., “a backpack that has fewer pockets sometimes helps you pack lighter.”) Which is used nonrestrictively—not to narrow a class or identify a particular item, but to add something about an item already identified (e.g., “the overstuffed pack, which was blue, looked like a junk show on the student’s back”). A helpful hint: Which is almost always used after a comma.

They/Their

They/their can be used as a gender-neutral singular pronoun. Using they is a more inclusive term that helps writers avoid pigeonholing the gender of the person they’re writing about, and does not inadvertently label those who do not identify with the he/she gender binary. Using “he or she” is still commonly accepted, but only if it is approved by the person being discussed. See the Writing about People section for more information.

Toward vs. Towards

The preferred form in American English is toward. Prepositions are rarely plural, as you would not write ons or befores. Avoid towards.

Transgender

Transgender is an adjective that is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being a transgender male or transgender female does not imply any specific sexuality. Therefore, transgender people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc. Don’t write "transgendered" or “transsexual.” Avoid using transgender as a noun. If someone has changed their name, only use their current name.

Tribe

Don't use the word “tribe” to describe a group of non-indigenous people. When speaking about a group of native people, it is OK to use it if it is part of the official group's name (e.g., the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma). Always ask indigenous people for their preferences regarding use, as many prefer nation or people instead of tribe.

While

While generally refers to time (e.g., “while I was sleeping, it started raining.) Avoid using while as a substitute for although or whereas (e.g., “while I believed we should go left, the others decided to go right” should be “although I believed we should go left, the others decided to go right”).

Whom and Whomever vs. Who and Whoever

Whom is an objective pronoun that usually appears as the object of a verb or preposition. (e.g., “I learned nothing about the man whom I saw,” and “The woman to whom I owe my happiness is my lovely wife.”) 

A helpful hint: Use whom/whomever only when you can substitute him or her and the sentence continues to make sense. “I gave the chair to whomever,” works when you mentally substitute “I gave the chair to him.” Use who/whoever when the him/her mental substitution doesn’t work: “Him gave me this card?” doesn’t work, so the sentence would be “Who gave me this card?”

Learn more

Wild and Wilderness

These words are fine to use in NOLS’ communications, however be wary of how and when you use them. Do not use them to imply an area of untouched land. All NOLS courses take place on lands and in waters that have been visited by humans for thousands of years. Also, be careful when using the words when writing about people of color and affinity courses, so as not to imply a racist stereotype.

Women and Men

Preface gender with “self-identifying” women/men on first reference to promote inclusivity. Be aware that using language that is motivated by trying to make others “fit in” can leave folks feeling excluded.

Words to Avoid

African American

Avoid the phrase “African American” to describe a person unless the person has expressed a desire to be referred to in this manner. Not all people who have brown skin identify as African American. Ask the person for their preference, which may be “Black” or “person of color” or it may be “African American”—you won’t know until you ask. And only reference a person’s race if it is integral to the communication.

And/Or

Avoid and/or. You can often replace it with and or or with no loss in meaning.

Caucasian

Do not use “caucasian” to describe white people.

Learn more

Conquer and Colonial/Imperial Adventurism Language

Don’t use conquer or words like it (most commonly found in rock climbing and mountaineering use cases) that invoke notions of colonialism and imperialism (the direct and indirect exploitation and usurpation of native people, usually coupled with the use of excessive force).

Eskimo

Many people find the word to be derogatory. The preferred terms for people of the Arctic are “Inuit” (pl. n., meaning people) and “Inuk” (sing. n., meaning person).

Learn more

Explorer and Exploration

These words incorrectly imply that a person on a course will be visiting lands not previously visited by humans. When, in fact, all NOLS courses take place on lands and in waters that have been visited by humans for thousands of years. “Adventurer” and “expedition” are preferred alternatives. “Explore” is OK as a verb, but be careful of its use and don’t use it to imply going where no one has gone before.

Grandfathered in

Don’t use of this phrase.

Learn more

Guys

Don’t call a group of people “guys,” as it is gendered language. Use “everyone” as an alternative.

Gyp/Gypped

Don’t use this negative racial stereotype of the Romani people. Instead say “to cheat” or “rip off.”

Learn more

Homosexuality

Don’t use “homosexual” and “homosexuality.” Instead be as accurate as possible with your language. See the entry on LGBTQ+ in Writing About People for more information.

In Order To vs. In Order For

Avoid in order to and in order for. Oftentimes these can be reduced to a simple to or for.

In Regards To

Avoid in regards to. Instead, use about, regarding, or concerning. “Regarding the email you sent last week…”

Lame

Avoid disability-related idioms like “lame” and “falling on deaf ears.”

Manforce

Don’t use “manforce.” Instead use “workforce,” “personnel,” “workers,” or “human resources.”

Master and Slave

Avoid using these words casually and don’t use them as nouns. Do not write about being a slave to one’s job. Rewrite these concepts using words such as “primary/secondary,” “leader/follower,” “improve,” “works a great deal,” etc. Mastering a skill (verb phrase) is OK as long as it is used in context with a skill and someone with that skill is never referred to as a master (noun).

Minority

Avoid “minority” and “minorities” as stand-alone words. If you need to use them, do so with an appropriate and respectable adjective, such as “visible minority.”

Overly

Don’t use overly. Use unduly or just use over- as a prefix to the word you are describing. So, “I am overly tired” should be “I am over-tired,” or better yet, “I am extremely tired.”

Prior To

Avoid prior to. Instead, use before or until.

Pristine

Avoid pristine to imply an area of untouched wilderness. All NOLS courses take place on lands and in waters that have been visited by humans for thousands of years.

In The Process Of

Avoid in the process of. You can almost always delete this phrase without affecting the meaning.

Urban and Inner-city

Unless you are writing a highly technical document related to urban planning or metropolitan populations where the word has been precisely defined in the text, avoid using “urban.” Don’t use “inner-city.” Instead, use words like “frontcountry” or “metropolitan” or “city” or another word that is more encompassing of human populated areas that doesn’t have implied racial overtones.

Internal Jargon

These abbreviations are for INTERNAL USE ONLY. The purpose of this listing is to help new employees identify what in the world we’re all casually discussing. If you see/hear three letters in a row and don’t see their meaning identified here, it’s likely someone is referring to a course code. A list of course codes can be found in the course list spreadsheet.

A

AO: Admissions Officer

C

CD: Course Description

CL: Course Leader

CSR: Customer Service Representative

D

DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

E

EB: Expedition Behavior

EL: Equipment List

EOD: End of Day

ESS: Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability

F

FAC: Financial Aid Coordinator

FY: Fiscal Year (not the same as calendar year)

H

Hay-bros: Hashbrowns

HR: Human Resources

HWFR: Hybrid WFR-R

I

I: Instructor

IC: Instructor Course

ITC: Instructor Training Course

IS: Information Services

L

LNC: Leadership Navigation Challenge

LNT: Leave No Trace

M

MR: Marketing Rep

N

NIA: NOLS Instructor Association

O

OE: Outdoor Educator

OOO: Out of Office

P

PAS: Patient Assessment System

PL: Patrol Leader

PLE: Positive Learning Environment

PSup: Program Supervisor

R

RB: NOLS River Base

RM: Could imply NOLS Rocky Mountain or Risk Management (which is also RS)

RS: Risk Services

RST: The course code for Wilderness Safety Training Courses (see WST)

S

SOAP Note: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan Note

SOP: Standard Operating Procedure

SOS: State of the School Report

Staffing: Field Staffing (not HR)

T

TL: Travel and Logistics Document

TLA: Three Letter Acronym

TVB: NOLS Teton Valley

W

WAFA: Wilderness Advanced First Aid

WFA: Wilderness First Aid (courses often held at REI, pronounced “woof-ah”)

WMI: Wilderness Medicine Institute (we don’t use this any longer, but may encounter it)

WFR: Wilderness First Responder (pronounced “woof-er”)

WEMT: Wilderness EMT, Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician

WFR-R: Wilderness First Responder Recertification

WME: Wilderness Medicine Expedition

WRMC: Wilderness Risk Management Conference

WST: Could imply Wilderness Safety Training (courses held at REI) or Winter Backountry Touring - Adult course in TVB

WUMP: Wilderness Upgrade for Medical Professionals

Y

YTD: Year to Date

Outward-facing Jargon

A

Adult: An expedition course for people 23+

Adventure: An expedition course for teens 14-15

Affinity: An expedition course for people who identify with an affinity (LGBTQ+, POC, women’s)