The Missouri S&T Style Guide is derived from a more comprehensive editorial and writing style guide under development by the Communications staff of Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T). These guidelines should meet the needs of most communications and marketing professionals on campus. But if you’d like a copy of the entire style guide when it becomes available, please email the Missouri S&T Communications office at comm@mst.edu. This style guide will also available online at standards.mst.edu.

The following guidelines are intended to help campus writers and editors maintain a consistent voice for all written materials that go out under the university’s name. The guidelines are based on the Associated Press Stylebook, the standard stylebook used by journalists worldwide, with additional support from Webster’s New World College Dictionary and Wired Style: Principles of English Usage in the Digital Age.

In addition to referring to these style guidelines, you should also keep a copy of the AP Stylebook and Webster’s New World College Dictionary handy. Those responsible for electronic communications may also want to purchase a copy of Wired Style: Principles of English Usage in the Digital Age.

Bending the AP rules

Text that is written for most external audiences – for example, news releases and articles for departmental newsletters – should closely follow Associated Press (AP) style. But because Missouri S&T publishes many types of publications for a variety of audiences, some of the “rules” of this style guide may be bent or broken if the occasion warrants.

For example, the general rule of down-styling – using lowercase except when the uppercase is clearly called for – is the preferred style. For academic papers or more formal writing, however, copy writers should follow more appropriate reference works, such as the Modern Language Association or American Psychological Association styles.

In addition, copy for formal and ceremonial events – such as programs, invitations, program notes and the like – often require greater use of capitalization and less abbreviation.

Advertisements and promotional materials may also require more frequent use of capitalization. A rule of thumb to go by is to consider the audience. The more formal the occasion, the more likely you are to require a more formal style of writing.

As a general rule, however, when in doubt, lowercase nouns. Academics love to capitalize titles, departments, degree programs and more. But when writing for external audiences, keep the capitalization to a minimum. In general, capitalize proper nouns and lowercase everything else.

So, instead of writing:

Dr. Sam Jones, a Professor of Chemistry, received an Honorary Degree at Saturday’s Commencement Ceremonies.

Try this:

Dr. Sam Jones, a professor of chemistry, received an honorary degree at Saturday’s commencement ceremonies.