"Style" is the custom or plan followed in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typographic arrangement and display of printed materials. The Publications Committee, working in conjunction with the Integrated Marketing Committee and the Office of Marketing and Communication at Gustavus Adolphus College, has developed style guidelines to achieve a more consistent image in brochures, news releases, advertisements, and other materials intended for public dissemination. They have been set down or referenced here for personnel in the communications and advancement areas who are charged with producing such materials; to achieve consistency in communication, the Publications Committee strongly encourages other offices and departments at the College to follow them as well.
The "Gustavus style" is based on two "rulebooks"—the Associated Press Stylebook (first published in 1977 and revised regularly since then) and Webster's New World College Dictionary—with clarifications and exceptions noted below. For spelling and usage not covered by these two books, Webster's Third New International Dictionary (unabridged) is the next source. The Chicago Manual of Style (15th ed.) is an authoritative source for situations not covered by the references noted above, as well as special topics.
Initially, the application of rules of style may raise as many questions as it answers. However, the ultimate purposes of using a consistent style are ease of reading and clarity of communication, and these purposes are critical for a college as it tells its stories and promotes its mission to outside audiences.
Style is a dynamic process. Usage and applications of words and phrases may change with commonly accepted language. We will endeavor to review and revise this document periodically to reflect such changes. We want to be conversational in our communication efforts, yet proper in our use of the language.
Topics that include exceptions or beg some clarification are listed below, with links to specific applications.
Copyright ©1998-2009 Gustavus Adolphus College. All rights reserved.
Last modified: August 19, 2009, by Steve Waldhauser, director of editorial services
Send comments to: Steve Waldhauser (waldo@gustavus.edu)
