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Brand Updates

Associated Press style updates: Capitalization of Black and Indigenous

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There is an important change to AP style with regard to the capitalization of Black and Indigenous.

From now on, capitalize Black in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense. This conveys an essential and shared sense of history, identity and community among people who identify as Black, including those in the African diaspora and within Africa. The lowercase black refers to a color, not a person.

Also, capitalize Indigenous in reference to original inhabitants of a place.

These two changes align with long-standing capitalization of other racial and ethnic identifiers, such as Latino, Asian American and Native American.

The updates become part of the AP Stylebook’s race-related coverage guidance, which begins:

“Avoid broad generalizations and labels; race and ethnicity are one part of a person’s identity. Identifying people by race and reporting on actions that have to do with race often go beyond simple style questions, challenging journalists to think broadly about racial issues before having to make decisions on specific situations and stories.

“In all coverage — not just race-related coverage — strive to accurately represent the world, or a particular community, and its diversity through the people you quote and depict in all formats. Omissions and lack of inclusion can render people invisible and cause anguish.”

Missouri State has a limited membership to the online AP Stylebook. More information on each of these entries is available in the online guide. If you create content for the university, contact Andrea Mostyn to request access.

Associated Press style updates: Coronavirus

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The Associated Press is maintaining a coronavirus topical guide that includes many rulings on spelling and common usage. The university is following this guide when writing and editing.

Missouri State has a limited membership to the online AP Stylebook. More information on each of these entries is available in the online guide. If you create content for the university, contact Andrea Mostyn to request access.

Updates and additions

coronaviruses (revised)

A family of viruses, some of which cause disease in people and animals, named for crownlike spikes on their surfaces.

The viruses can cause the common cold or more severe diseases such as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) and COVID-19, the latter of which first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China.

Referring to simply the coronavirus is acceptable on first reference in stories about COVID-19. While the phrasing incorrectly implies there is only one coronavirus, it is clear in this context. Also acceptable on first reference: the new coronavirus or the new virus for the virus; COVID-19 for the disease caused by the virus.

Passages and stories focusing on the science of the disease require sharper distinctions.

COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019, is caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2. When referring specifically to the virus, the COVID-19 virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are acceptable.

But, because COVID-19 is the name of the disease, not the virus, it is not accurate to write a new virus called COVID-19. Also incorrect are usages such as COVID-19 spreads through the air; scientists are investigating how long COVID-19 may remain on surfaces; she worries about catching COVID-19. In each of those, it should be the coronavirus, not COVID-19.

Do not shorten to COVID, even in headlines, unless part of a quotation or proper name.

In stories, do not refer simply to coronavirus without the article the. Not: She is concerned about coronavirus. Omitting the is acceptable in headlines and in uses such as: He said coronavirus concerns are increasing.

Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, breathing trouble, sore throat, muscle pain, and loss of taste or smell. Most people develop only mild symptoms. But some people, usually those with other medical complications, develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia.

SARS is acceptable on first reference for the disease first identified in Asia in 2003. Spell out severe acute respiratory syndrome later in the story.

MERS is acceptable on first reference for the disease first identified in 2012. Spell out Middle East respiratory syndrome later in the story.

COVID-19

All capitalized; stands for coronavirus disease 2019.

cancel, canceled, canceling, cancellation

CARES Act

Avoid using this term unless in a direct quotation in reference to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Instead, use phrasing such as the coronavirus relief bill, the coronavirus aid bill, the coronavirus rescue package, etc., for the U.S. government’s $2.2 trillion package to help businesses, workers and the health care system. Do not refer to it as a stimulus or a stimulus package, etc.

contact tracing (new)

The practice of tracking down and monitoring people who have been in close proximity to someone who is infected. Do not enclose in quotation marks. Include a hyphen for clarity when used as a modifier: The state’s contact-tracing efforts. Consider rephrasing to avoid the term or for variety: The state’s efforts to identify people who have had close contact with the nursing home worker.

contagion (new)

Avoid this term. Usually better to use words like disease or illness, or more specific words like virus.

distance learning (n., adj.)

No hyphen. Examples: Schools are turning to distance learning. He is taking a distance learning class.

epidemic, pandemic

An epidemic is the rapid spread of disease in a certain population or region; a pandemic is an epidemic that has spread worldwide. Follow declarations of public health officials when writing. On March 11, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Do not write global pandemic, which is redundant.

hand-washing

Use a hyphen.

health care

Don’t use a hyphen.

nonessential

Do not use a hyphen.

patient

Only use if someone is being or has been treated by a medical professional. The vast majority of people with the virus are not hospitalized, and some may not seek care, so avoid using patients to refer to all people with the virus.

personal protective equipment

Don’t use PPE. If necessary to use PPE in a direct quotation, spell it out and explain the term.

shelter in place (v.), shelter-in-place (adj.)

Examples: The governor urged residents to shelter in place. Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order.

stay at home (v.), stay-at-home (adj.)

shutdown (n.), shut down (v.)

social distancing, socially distancing

No quote marks, no hyphen: Examples: The CDC is urging social distancing. The parents are taking social distancing precautions. They’ve been socially distancing themselves.

telecommute, telecommuting, telecommuter

teleconference, teleconferencing

telemedicine

travel, traveled, traveling, traveler

videoconference, videoconferencing; video chat

virus’s

The singular possessive form of virus. Not virus’.

Writing guidelines: More AP style updates

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Why should you try to keep up with the Associated Press (AP) style updates? When we all use the same style of writing and punctuation, we not only increase consistency, but we improve readability and look more professional.

Recently, the AP style guide was updated with many new entries. Below, we are sharing the ones that are most pertinent to the university audience.

News, science and health

News stories should be geared toward the general public. If you’re going to share it, it needs to be accessible by general readers, written for the layperson and contain no jargon. Good litmus test? Ask yourself “whether it would be talked about at the dinner table.”

Share science stories if they are “relevant or interesting to general readers.”

Try harder with headlines

This does not only apply to news organizations. It applies to the headings on your website and headlines for your blog content.

“Headlines are key to any story. A vivid, accurate and fair headline can entice people to dig in for more. A bland, vague or otherwise faulty headline can push readers away. Often, a headline and photo are all that many readers see of a story. Their entire knowledge of the piece may be based on those elements.”

Your headline should stand alone and reveal key content. Think of each line of content, including your headline, having one job to do: Make readers want to read more.

Other points:

  • Headline should match the tone of the story – a decline in your area? Don’t make a punny headline.
  • Attribute as needed.
  • Build in keywords that you think people use when searching for your topic.
  • Sentence cap your headline, meaning only capitalize the first word and proper nouns. Exception: The first word after a colon is always uppercase in headlines.
  • Avoid abbreviations and alphabet soup.
  • And “use numerals. Don’t spell out numbers in casual uses or formal names.”

Suicide

“Avoid using the phrase committed suicide.” Instead, if this tragedy occurs, use an alternate like “killed himself, took her own life or died by suicide.”

The verb commit can bring the connotation of a criminal act.

“Do not refer to an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Refer instead to an attempted suicide.”

Disabled, handicapped

The book has revised this entry as well. “Do not describe an individual as disabled or handicapped unless it is clearly pertinent to a story. If a description must be used, try to be specific about the type of disability or symptoms. An ad featuring actor Michael J. Fox swaying noticeably from the effects of Parkinson’s disease drew nationwide attention.

“Avoid descriptions that connote pity, such as afflicted with or suffers from multiple sclerosis. Rather, has multiple sclerosis.”

Resources

For more tips on writing on brand at Missouri State, visit the Editorial Style Guide or contact us at universitycommunications@missouristate.edu with specific questions.

Associated Press style updates

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Missouri State University follows the Associated Press Stylebook for guidance on writing for print or electronic publication. AP Style recently added several new entries and updated some sections.

Missouri State has a limited membership to the online AP Stylebook. More information on each of these entries is available in the online guide. If you create content for the university, contact Andrea Mostyn to request access.

A local style guide with exceptions and entries specific to the university is available on the Brand website.

Updates and additions

percent

Use the % sign when paired with a numeral, with no space, in most: Average hourly pay rose 3.1% from a year ago. For amounts less than 1%, precede the decimal with a zero: The cost of living rose 0.6%

In casual uses, use words rather than figures and numbers: She said he has a zero percent chance of winning.

Constructions with the % sign take a singular verb when standing alone or when a singular word follows an of construction: The teacher said 60% was a failing grade. He said 50% of the membership was there.

It takes a plural verb when a plural word follows an of construction: He said 50% of the members were there.

Use decimals, not fractions, in percentages: Her mortgage rate is 4.5%.

For a range, 12% to 15%, 12%-15% and between 12% and 15% are all acceptable.

data

The word typically takes singular verbs and pronouns when writing for general audiences and in data journalism contexts: The data is sound. In scientific and academic writing, plural verbs and pronouns are preferred.

asexual

Describes people who don’t experience sexual attraction, though they may feel other types of attraction, such as romantic or aesthetic. Not synonymous with and does not assume celibacy.

bisexual

Describes people attracted to more than one gender. Some people prefer pansexual, which describes people attracted to others regardless of their gender.

Associated Press style guide updates

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Missouri State University follows the Associated Press Stylebook for guidance on writing for print or electronic publication. AP Style recently added several new entries and updated some sections.

Missouri State has a limited membership to the online AP Stylebook. More information on each of these entries is available in the online guide. If you create content for the university, contact Andrea Mostyn to request access.

A local style guide with exceptions and entries specific to the university is available on the Brand website.

Updates and additions

hyphen (-)

Use hyphens to avoid ambiguity or to form a single idea.

If the number of hyphens can confuse readers, rephrase: It’s a guide about how to use hyphens wisely, not it’s a how-to-use-hyphens-wisely guide.

Use a hyphen in modifiers of three or more words: a know-it-all attitude, black-and-white photography.

No hyphen is needed to link a two-word phrase that includes the adverb very and all adverbs ending in -ly: a very good time, an easily remembered rule.

Many phrases that are hyphenated before a noun are not hyphenated when they are after a noun: She is a well-known judge. She works full time.

Do not use a hyphen to designate dual heritage: African American, Italian American, Mexican American.

pre- or re-

Do not hyphenate double-e combinations with pre- or re-. Examples: preeclampsia,  preeminent, preempt, preestablished, preexisting, reelect, reemerge, reemphasize, reemploy and reenact.

grade, grader

No hyphen in most cases: a fourth grade student, first grader, she is in the fifth grade. Hyphenate if needed to avoid confusion, such when combined with another number: He was the sixth fourth-grade student to win the prize; she is the 10th third-grader to join.

quasi possessives

Follow the rules above in composing the possessive form of words that occur in such phrases as a day’s pay, two weeks’ vacation, three months’ work. The apostrophe is used with a measurement followed by a noun (a quantity of whatever the noun is). The examples could be rephrased as a day of pay, two weeks of vacation, three months of work.

No apostrophe when the quantity precedes an adjective: six months pregnant, three weeks overdue, 11 years old.