University of Minnesota

Style Guide

TL;DR

TL;DR stands for “too long; didn’t read.” The Content Style Guide goes into depth on many subjects. It may be more information than you need. Here are the most important things to know.

Principles

Good content is:

  • Clear
  • Useful
  • Friendly
  • Appropriate

Voice and Tone

Center for Practice Transformation’s values include: recovery-oriented, collaborative, empirically grounded, and innovative. The brand voice should embody these values. Our tone is calm, direct, and professional. The tone has slight variations depending on the context and audience.

Grammar and Mechanics

  • Some people will read every word you write. Others will just scan. Help everyone by grouping related ideas together and using descriptive headers and subheaders.
  • Focus your message, and create a hierarchy of information. Lead with the main point or the most important content.
  • Use active voice and positive language.
  • Use short words and sentences.
  • Avoid unnecessary modifiers.
  • Use specific examples.
  • Avoid vague language.
  • Be consistent. Adhere to the copy patterns and style points outlined in this guide.

Web Elements

  • Organize your page around one topic.
  • Use clear, descriptive terms that relate to the topic in titles and headings.
  • Give every image descriptive alt text.
  • Buttons should always contain actions. The language should be clear and concise. Capitalize every word, including articles.
  • Use sentence case for checkboxes and radio buttons.
  • Use title case for drop-down menu names and sentence case for menu items.
  • Use title case for form titles and sentence case for form fields. Only request information that we need and intend to use. Don’t ask for irrelevant personal information, like gender.
  • Use title case for navigation.
  • Use title case for headings and subheadings.
  • Organize headings and subheadings in a hierarchy, with heading first, followed by subheadings in order.
  • Include the most relevant keywords in your headings and subheadings.
  • Provide a link whenever you’re referring to a website, relevant content, and trusted external resources.
  • Don’t say things like “Click here!” or “Click for more information” or “Read this.” Instead, link relevant keywords.
  • Use lists to present steps, groups, or sets of info. Set up your list with a brief introduction. Number lists when the order of information is important.

Writing for Accessibility

  • Create a hierarchy, with the most important information first.
  • Place similar topics in the same paragraph, and clearly separate different topics with headings.
  • Use plain language. Write short sentences and familiar words.
  • Links should provide information on the associated action or destination. Avoid saying “click here.”
  • Avoid using images when descriptive text will do.
  • Avoid directional instructions or language that requires the reader to see the layout or design of the page.
  • Label inputs on forms with clear names and use appropriate tags. Think carefully about what fields are necessary, and especially which ones you mark as required.

Writing for Translation

  • Use active voice.
  • Avoid double negatives.
  • Use contractions with caution.
  • Avoid using synonyms for the same word in a single piece of writing.
  • Write briefly, but don’t sacrifice clarity for brevity. You may need to repeat or add words to make the meaning of your sentences clear to a translator.
  • Avoid slang, idioms, and cliches.
  • Avoid unnecessary abbreviations.