Scientific Style and Format Update: Capitalize Racial and Ethnic Group Designations

Abstract

As editors and publishers, most of us understand that preparing and publishing an updated edition of a book is a multi-year undertaking. In the case of style manuals and other reference titles, 7 to 10 years is a typical interval between editions. Even in the most mundane times, an awful lot can change in the better part of a decade. And as we know all too well, the current climate can hardly be described as mundane. To date, CSE’s practice with respect to Scientific Style and Format has been not to introduce changes to its rules and recommendations between editions. When the 8th edition was published in 2014, however, an online edition was introduced. The Introduction to the 8th edition noted that “The Scientific Style and Format 8th Edition Subcommittee worked to ensure the continued integrity of the CSE style and to provide a progressively up-to-date resource for our valued users, which will be adjusted as needed on the website.” And so we find ourselves 6 years later, with a call to be—and, fortunately, a platform that allows us to be—”progressively up-to-date.” In light of recent events and in keeping with announcements and changes made in a number of other style manuals, including the Chicago Manual of Style, the AMA Manual of Style, APA Style, and the AP Stylebook, an Editor’s Note will be incorporated into the online version of Scientific Style and Format 8th Edition (SSF8) advising that editors should capitalize designations based on color or local usage, including […]