National Geographic MS Science| Style Guide

National Geographic Middle School Science ©2027, National Edition

Style Guidelines For Writers and Editors
[DO NOT DELETE THIS LINE]
MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION | GRAMMAR, MECHANICS, AND STYLE...................................................................................2
STYLE REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................................................................2
MANUSCRIPT FORMATTING............................................................................................................................................................. 2
CROSS-REFERENCING......................................................................................................................................................................2
TABLES........................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
MATERIALS LISTS (LABS)..................................................................................................................................................................3
CAPTIONS.................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
ONE WORD OR TWO?.................................................................................................................................................................... 4
TO CAPITALIZE OR NOT TO CAPITALIZE?..............................................................................................................................................4
MISCELLANEA............................................................................................................................................................................... 5
ILLUSTRATION GUIDELINES...............................................................................................................................................................7

SOURCES AND CREDITS: MAPS, GRAPHS, INFOGRAPHICS, DATA..........................................................................................9

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National Geographic MS Science| Style Guide

Manuscript Preparation | Grammar, Mechanics,

and Style
STYLE REFERENCES
1. #1 reference is the Writing Guidelines
2. #2 reference is the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS).
3. For most spellings, consult Merriam-Webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com/

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CROSS-REFERENCING
A. Every figure and most tables must have a reference to it somewhere in the main text. The reference
is usually made at the end of a sentence. Examples:
 “decomposers and detritivores can transform a fallen tree into wood particles and, finally, into
simple inorganic molecules that producers absorb as nutrients (Figure 3-9).”
 “See Figure 3-6 for a definition of each level.”
 “(See the red arrows and boxes in Figure 3-16.)”
B. Since this is a digital-first program, do not refer students to specific page numbers. Similarly, do not
specify direction on page (ex: to the right). Instead, refer them to the section, figure/table, or
chapter, whichever is appropriate.

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TABLES
A. All tables should be numbered and have a title that conveys the table’s purpose.

a. Titles should be title case and numbered separately from figures. Example:
“Table 1 Classification of Living Things”

B. Tables may have captions if the title is not sufficient. Tables with relatively straightforward contents
don't need captions (lists of advantages and disadvantages, etc.).

C. Decimals in tables should align by the decimal point, with the value containing the largest number of
numerals centered. Left-align columns of words.

a. If numbers in a table don’t have decimals (e.g., because they are exact values, such as when
counting objects), they should be aligned as though there is a decimal point.

D. Column headers: Sentence case; bottom aligned; horizontal alignment should generally match the
alignment of the column contents. NO nested column headers in digital.

E. Cell contents: Lowercase in most cases

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F. Source line: Include below the table if required

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MATERIALS LISTS (LABS)

A. Give the material first, followed by its dimensions or other specifications set off with a comma.
B. Make list alphabetical
C. If the dimensions are essential to the material itself (such as for beakers a 250-mL beaker v. 500-mL
beaker), give the size/mass/volume first as a compound modifier.
D. Provide the quantity in parentheses if there is more than one. Some examples:

 10-mL graduated cylinder

 13 × 100 mm test tubes (2) with stoppers
 2-holed rubber stoppers (3)
 24-well plate
 250-mL beaker
 distilled water, 200 mL
 eyedropper or thin-stem pipet
 glucose indicator strips (2)

E. Exceptions to the above can be made for clarity and readability.

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CAPTIONS

Figure captions should be complete sentences. Keep them brief (1–3 sentences). See page type
descriptions for length requirements.

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ONE WORD OR TWO?

Noun form Adjective (if different)
fresh water freshwater
groundwater
rainforest
rainwater
runoff
seafloor
salt water saltwater
time line

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TO CAPITALIZE OR NOT TO CAPITALIZE?

All references to parts or features of the program should be capitalized. Use quotation marks around
titles. Examples: the Case Study, Unit 6, Chapter 4, Section 4.2, Step 4, Tying It All Together, Chapter
Test, Lesson Review; ‘the Explorer Video, “Ecosystem Dynamics with—”’
Words used in EQUATIONS generally are not capitalized.
Words used as LABELS should be lowercase.

Exclusions and Exceptions

Earth Lowercase to mean soil, ground; earthen
Equator, the equatorial
Explorer Lowercase in the general sense; uppercase to
mean a National Geographic Explorer
internet
moon
sun

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MISCELLANEA

ACRONYMS/INITIALISMS Spell out the first use in a lesson with the acronym or initialism placed in
parentheses. Subsequent uses can be just the acronym. E.g.: World Health Organization (WHO);
Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Exceptions: NASA, B.C.E., C.E.

CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS Common chemical compounds such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane
(CH4) should be spelled out the first time they are used in each lesson and their formula given in
parentheses. Other compounds should be spelled out more frequently.

Dr. Prefer to omit—but if needed, use with a name the first time it appears in an article or feature, and
the first time it appears in a captioned figure in that article or feature. From then on, use only the
last name.

Earth no “the” unless referring to “the Earth system”

GRAPHS Titles are required and should be title case. The title is part of the art, not placed separately
above the graph. Number graphs as figures and include a caption with the figure number.
Example: For a graph with the title “Population of Detroit, MI (1820–2020)” in the art, the
caption line says “Figure 4-10 The city’s population increased over its first 150 years, but has
been decreasing since 1950.”

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Labels: Axis labels should be title case; other labels lowercase

Source line: Include below the graph

INTERNET Use “internet” (lowercase), not “web,” but use “website,” not “webpage” or “internet site.”

“online” is one word, no hyphen

“app” is lowercase

LIKE VS. SUCH AS NGL style is to use [comma], such as and not like when referring to an example of
something explained earlier in the sentence. For example, “Organic molecules, such as carbon
dioxide, contain carbon atoms.”

LISTS Periods should align in numbered lists so the “1” in “10” will be to the left of the single-digit
numbers.

Bullets: If the items in the list are independent phrases that complete as separate sentences, use
a period at the end of each phrase. Example:

But if the items in the bulleted list are examples, such that they might be separated by commas
or semicolons if the sentence were written out, do not use punctuation at the ends. Example:

MAGNIFICATION Example: “40⨉”; Microscopic images at specific scales should be labeled as such,
with a scale bar and label on the image. For example, the label “10 μm” is given below a
horizontal bar representing exactly that length at that scale—same concept as a map scale.

In labs involving microscope usage, instructions should specify only the objective lens
magnification to be used, NOT the total magnification.

CORRECT: “Use the low-power (4⨉) objective lens.”

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“Use the 4⨉ and 10⨉ objective lenses to view the sample.”

INCORRECT: “View the sample at 40⨉ and 100⨉ magnifications.”

“Use the low-power objective (40⨉ magnification).”

METRIC vs. IMPERIAL See UNITS below.

mL not ml; likewise, L not l

Mount Do not abbreviate with place-names in text or legends: “Mount Everest” not “Mt. Everest”;
“Mount St. Helens,” etc.

NUMBERS Write out numbers one through nine. Use numerals for 10 and up, unless starting a
sentence, or unless it’s a percentage or quantity/measure like 4 cm, etc. There are many
exceptions to this rule; consult the references listed at the top of this guide.

DECIMALS: Use a leading zero for decimal values less than one: 0.012 not .012.

THOUSANDS: For numbers less than 10,000, do not use a comma after the thousands place:
1000, not 1, 000.

SIGNIFICANT DIGITS: Report all calculated values using the number of digits indicated by the
conventional rules for significant digits. In cases where students are required to report both
intermediate and final calculated values, give the sample data for final values in the TE without
intermediate rounding.

LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: Add a space between degree symbol and direction for latitude/longitude:
10o north, 33o W

TEMPERATURE: Add space between temperature measure and degree symbol: 10 oC

ORDINALS: No superscripts: 19th not 19th

PERCENTS: Spell out “percent” (%) unless in a table or graph

page not p.

Ph.D. not PhD; See “Dr.”

RANGES Always use an en dash, not a hyphen.

DATES: Ranges should be stated in words: “Between 300 and 200 million years ago” not “300–
200 million years ago”; “from 1990 to 2010” not “from 1990–2010.” Exceptions: Titles

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UNITS Use SI. Abbreviate common unit measures. If abbreviating an imperial unit, use a period: e.g.,
in., mi. (Do not use periods with SI abbreviations.) See mL.

METRIC vs. IMPERIAL: In general, use only metric. If imperial is needed, add it in parentheses
after metric units.

UN not U.N.

U.S. not US; always spell out “United States” unless used as an adjective

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Crediting Sources: Images, Maps, Graphs,

Infographics, and Tables
Every map, and any quantitative table, graph, chart, or infographic that contains information not
considered common textbook knowledge, requires a source line.
A “source line” in this context is like a simple footnote that shows students and teachers where the
information came from. Therefore, any new thing that you spec that fits the above criteria requires a
source line. The purpose of a source line is academic; it is NOT a copyright credit.
The writer/editor is responsible for providing a source line that will appear in the program next to the
graphic.
 The source line must be in your manuscript with the spec.
 All other credits (i.e., copyright credits) go to the back of the book and are not your responsibility.
 Keep hyperlinks and other info separate, which will go to the fact-checkers.

Mini Style Guide for Source Lines

1. For all National Geographic maps, the approved source line is:
Used with permission from National Geographic
2. Examples from Environmental Science for other data-driven visuals:
Sources: The World Bank, United Nations, and Population Reference Bureau
Source: World Wide Fund for Nature’s Living Planet Report 2012
Source: Anna Savage
Source: R.H. MacArthur, "Population Ecology of Some Warblers in Northeastern Coniferous
Forests," Ecology 36:533–536, 1958.
Source: Cengage