Many offices and departments on campus produce their own memos, letters, invitations, booklets and fliers that meet the individual objectives of their unit. But every communication tool at UF needs to have one thing in common, no matter where it originates: They can be effective only if they reflect consistency and clarity in their messages. University-wide consistency in writing style builds the credibility of our publications, demonstrates our commitment to high-quality and enhances our stakeholders’ understanding of The University of Findlay.
Guidelines. Not rules.
The guide is intended to be a foundation upon which to base your writing decisions. It will help you improve the clarity and consistency of communications coming out of your office or department. The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook is the University's primary style guide because much of our writing is intended for external readers — prospective students, donors, business leaders, news reporters, and the general public. For issues not addressed here, consult the AP Stylebook.
- DO NOT apply these guidelines to technical or academic writing. Other sources can help you with this specialized kind of writing.
- DO use this style guide to help you when you’re writing anything (and everything) intended for the campus audience or for the public.
Whatever style you follow, make sure your preferred writing standards are consistent in all of your communications.
Please follow the links below for writing style guidelines on the listed topics.
This style guide will adapt and evolve as we move forward, sometimes based on observations from people like you. If you have some suggestions or even pet peeves of your own about writing standards, share them with us at [email protected].