# "Microsoft Word" - where would the trademark symbol go?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 30, 2002, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512 "2002-07-30T12:26:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Murasaki312a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murasaki312a)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2002, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512/1 "2002-07-30T12:26:02Z")
I have seen the trademark symbol after the word “Microsoft” and after “Word”. I am writing something about using technology in the classroom to be turned in to the professor - First, is it necessary to include the symbol? Second, where does it go?
Deb
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### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2002, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512/2 "2002-07-30T13:10:46Z")
According to Chicago style, no, you do not need to include the trademark bug.
However, if your style guide requires it, according to the official Microsoft trademark list that you can download [here](http://www.microsoft.com/trademarks/docs/mstmark.rtf), the correct styling is **Microsoft[sup]®[/sup] Word**.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2002, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512/3 "2002-07-30T17:05:49Z")
Trademark law does not compel anyone to use the trademark or the registered symbol.
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### Author:  [@Murasaki312a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murasaki312a)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2002, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512/4 "2002-07-30T18:20:43Z")
Thanks guys. I couldn’t find anything in the APA style guide, so I figured I might not need it.
Deb
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### Author:  [@Tommygun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommygun)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2002, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512/5 "2002-07-30T19:57:42Z")
As a former English major and budding trademark attorney, it would be horrible from two perspective to put the ® next to any word if you are just writing a paper. Very, very gauche.
1. From a writing perspective, it is irrelevant whether or not a certain term is trademarked and produces really awkward looking sentences to do so, e.g.
I went to Sears® to buy Levis® with my Visa®.
1. From a trademark law perspective, it’s just not how trademarks work. Trademarks are used indicators of source on goods (or services) in order to prevent consumer confusion. When you write Microsoft in a paper, you are not using MICROSOFT as a trademark, you are using it as a word. It’s complicated but that’s why it’s intellectual property. 🙂
Very interesting to learn that WORD was not a registered TM. I would have laid money that it was, but it’s not.
For all the trademark fun you could ever want: [www.uspto.gov](http://www.uspto.gov)
As an aside, the “TM” after things means nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Happy writing,
TOM
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### Author:  [@Tommygun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommygun)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2002, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512/6 "2002-07-30T19:57:59Z")
I live for these kinda questions!
As a former English major and budding trademark attorney, it would be horrible from two perspective to put the ® next to any word if you are just writing a paper. Very, very gauche.
1. From a writing perspective, it is irrelevant whether or not a certain term is trademarked and produces really awkward looking sentences to do so, e.g.
I went to Sears® to buy Levis® with my Visa®.
1. From a trademark law perspective, it’s just not how trademarks work. Trademarks are used indicators of source on goods (or services) in order to prevent consumer confusion. When you write Microsoft in a paper, you are not using MICROSOFT as a trademark, you are using it as a word. It’s complicated but that’s why it’s intellectual property. 🙂
Very interesting to learn that WORD was not a registered TM. I would have laid money that it was, but it’s not.
For all the trademark fun you could ever want: [www.uspto.gov](http://www.uspto.gov)
As an aside, the “TM” after things means nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Happy writing,
TOM
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### Author:  [@Murasaki312a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murasaki312a)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2002, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512/7 "2002-07-30T21:52:27Z")
Gee, I kinda feel “gauche” now for even thinking of it…🙂
Seriously though, thanks for the information. I saw an article while searching the net about how Microsoft has trademarked the TM symbol…weird. Know anything about that?
Deb
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### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2002, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512/8 "2002-07-30T23:45:18Z")
Sounds like a UL. I mean really.
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### Author:  [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2002, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512/9 "2002-07-31T00:03:09Z")
Why is it that in the front of technical manuals you often see something like “Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp, DB2 is registered trademark of IBM, …” when the manual is about a product by someone other than Microsoft or IBM. (I’m just paraphrasing.)
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### Author:  [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2002, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512/10 "2002-07-31T01:51:27Z")
Probably because the manual might make comparisons or comments about another product (e.g. Microsoft) that are not endorsed/supported or otherwise agreed upon from Microsoft. They want to be clear that they are just talking about it, not trying to “sell” an idea or their product because of it.
Something like that. Just a WAG, though.
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### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2002, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-where-would-the-trademark-symbol-go/121512/11 "2002-07-31T05:17:08Z")
They are also making it known that they are honoring the trademark by putting that statement in AND by treating the trademark properly within the text (capitalizing it, using it as an adjective). Makes it harder for the trademark owner to sue the publisher for trademark infringement.