Writing tip: Time, date, place
If you woke me up out of a sound sleep and asked me for a firm rule of writing, chances are I would mumble “Time, Date, Place.” It’s just engrained in people who trained in AP style. It’s done this …

If you woke me up out of a sound sleep and asked me for a firm rule of writing, chances are I would mumble “Time, Date, Place.” It’s just engrained in people who trained in AP style. It’s done this …
4. An interesting thing to try when determining if your publication is right for its intended audience: Describe your university in three words. Describe your audience (alumni, high school students you want to recruit, donors, etc.) in three words. Describe …
6. Your school is an “idea factory.” Other industries produce products or sell services; universities create knowledge. That is such a cool thing! We are the place where ideas are born. Play that up in publications. Talk about your school’s …
The office of publications (mostly) follows AP style for all pieces we produce. So when the AP announces changes, we take note. The most recent declarations: • email (not e-mail) However, continue to use a hyphen with other terms: e-book, …
I have seen our shuttle system’s name written as BearLine, Bearline, Bear Line and Bair Lyne (OK, maybe not that last one). I asked Stacey, publications director, and Don, communications director, to assist me with choosing the University’s official style …
Give your work power: Simplify. Take out every word you can. The longer the paragraphs or sentences, the less likely they are to convey an exact message. That doesn’t mean dumb it down; it means make it concise and clear. …
The Office of Publications has added an entry on the Board of Governors to the style guide. Here it is: Missouri State University is under the general control and management of a nine-member Board of Governors, representing each of Missouri’s …
I often see acronym errors in University text. Acronyms make text look like “alphabet soup”: They are words created when the first letters of a series of words are put together (i.e., COAL for College of Arts and Letters). Here …
Why are some things 10, some ten? Here’s the rule: Spell out numbers from zero to nine. Use figures for numbers 10 or higher, including ordinal numbers. The exception to the rule (dang, there is always an exception to muddy …
Use an ampersand (&) only when it part of a registered, formal name or logo (i.e., Smith & Smith Law Firm) or in a list when space is at a premium (though this usage is discouraged). Do not use to …