The National Stuttering Association (NSA) Editorial Style Guide
Version 1.0, February 2011
Welcome to the NSA Editorial Style Guide!
This document contains guidelines, tips and other information you need to produce written content for the National Stuttering Association.
As most NSA content is produced for the web and other electronic media, The Yahoo! Internet Style Guide is our primary outside source for editorial guidance. If Yahoo! does not cover your specific query, TheAssociated Press Stylebook and Webster's New World College Dictionary, in that order, should be your secondary sources.
The following pages of the NSA Editorial Style Guide contain information that is specific to the National Stuttering Association. That is:
1. Material that is not covered by any of the outside sources above.
2. Material that has been changed to suit the NSA's needs.
3. Material that is covered by the above guides but demands special emphasis.
4. Some general tips on editing the NSA website page.
Please take care to follow these rules when producing NSA content. By using a consistent style and approach to spelling, grammar and usage, we'll make sure that all NSA communications are clear, concise and professional.
Style guides are living documents, so we are open to suggestions, questions, additions or comments on the guidelines you see here. Please forward any feedback to Sarah J. D'Agostino at sdowgiallo@yahool.com.
Overall Tone and Voice
To counter the often difficult realities of stuttering, NSA communications are designed to be bright, enthusiastic and empowering.
Think and write positively, even when dealing with subject matter than may be anything but. Wherever possible, speak directly to your audience, not at them, and give them what they need to make positive changes in their own lives and in the lives of others.
The NSA should be presented as the cohesive driving force behind all of this. While it is acceptable to refer to it in the third person, don't overdo it. Don't be afraid to mix up the message and emphasis with some first-person. We are the largest self-help organization....Our mission is to bring hope....Contact us....and so on. Doing so also adds a much needed personal voice to the proceedings.
To accomplish these goals, our communications are more informal in style and voice, especially since we often deal with children. People are referred to by first name, exclamation points are accepted, and other style conventions are relaxed or eliminated altogether.
This leads to a style that is not quite what you'd expect in professional corporate communications, but one that perfectly embodies our goals and our members.
Glossary of Common Terms
Acronyms
Spell out on first reference and follow with the acronym in parentheses. Use the acronym on all subsequent references. DO NOT use an acronym without first introducing it.
For information on speech-language pathologists (SLPs), turn to the NSA website. There, you can find an SLP in your area.
Capital Letters
Do not use all capital letters in copy. It comes across as screaming, especially on the web. If you need to emphasize or call special attention to something, use boldface.
Commas
The serial or oxford comma--the comma before "and" in a series--is acceptable.
The NSA conference was full of food, fun, and friendships.
Composition Titles
Set in title case and follow Yahoo! style to determine which titles need quotation marks and which ones don't.
Courtesy Titles
Since NSA's tone is more casual, article subjects and sources are do not require Mr., Ms., Mrs. or other courtesy titles. Use the full name on first reference, and the first name on all subsequent reference.
One exception to this is if your subject or source is a doctor, where it is probably necessary to keep the title to establish his or her expertise. In those cases, use Dr. with the full name on first reference, and Dr. and last name only on all subsequent references.
E-mail
An exception to Yahoo! style, use e-mail with a hyphen in all references.
Why don't you send the NSA an e-mail?
Exclamation Points
Given NSA's more casual, family-oriented tone, exclamation points are acceptable in limited use to denote excitement in quotations. If you must use an exclamation point, do so sparingly and follow Yahoo! style. DO NOT use for normal copy and DO NOT use more than one.
Family Voices
NSA's newsletter for kids, teens, parents and families. Always capitalize. Use normal font, no quotations.
Italics
Avoid the use of italics in print or on the web; italic fonts don't always display properly, and even if they do, they make for poor readability.
Letting Go
NSA's main member newsletter. Always capitalize. Use normal font, no quotation marks.
NSA
Acronym for the National Stuttering Association. No need to spell out on first reference. Can be used interchangeably with full organization name as dictated by the copy.
Numbers
Write out numbers one through nine, and use figures for 10 and above. Exceptions can be made for headlines, especially in cases where space is an issue or you need to be more eye-catching.
She had stuttered for over 10 years, but had been an NSA member for only two.
Speech-language pathologist
Use on first reference, or as needed in copy. SLP or SLPs acceptable on all subsequent references.
Underlining
Do not use, especially on the web, where it will be confused with a hyperlink.
URLs and E-mail Address
In print, it is acceptable to write out web and e-mail addresses--known as "naked" URLs. DO NOT do so for the web, however; readers don't need to know the actual address, since they can simply click links and follow them.
The NSA website is a great source of information about stuttering.
www.WeStutter.org
The official website address of the NSA. Acceptable to write out in print, but never use a naked URL digitally. NSA website can also be used in all references. NEVER include the http:// with this or any other website.
The NSA's website, www.WeStutter.org, has more information.
National Stuttering Association 119 W. 40th Street
14th Floor New York, NY10018
Website editing:
Creating new pages: Be sure to include keywords: Stutter StutteringStuttering HelpStuttering Groupsstuttering informationnational stuttering association nsa stuttering help Kids who stutter Adults who stutter Teens who stutter Stuttering Treatment Treatments for Stuttering Speech Language Pathologists SLP cure for stuttering Stammering Cluttering Speech Problems
Any links on the website that take user to a page outside of the NSA website should “open to a new window”.
Do not give full name or contact information of people under the age of 18 without parent permission. (on the NSA website, newsletters or articles contained within)
