TRU Style Guide
This style guide provides consistency and clarity for TRU communicators and communications. Just as the world changes, so, too, does language. This guide will evolve as well.
TRU's first and foremost style is Canadian Press (CP) style. CP is the most used and most frequently updated resource in Canada for language style. It is predominantly a lowercase style. This goes against some institutional tendencies toward a lot of capitalization, but it better serves readers, as lowercase is easier to read.
Canadian Press Stylebook, Canadian Press Caps and Spelling.
For words not referenced by CP, use the Canadian Oxford Dictionary.
For Indigenous language, the Elements of Indigenous Style is the only reference book of its kind in Canada. TRU’s style guide draws from that book as well as consultations with Indigenous people from the community. For Indigenous references, the Elements of Indigenous Style overrides CP style. Please visit the Indigenous language section of this TRU style guide.
Elements of Indigenous Style by Gregory Younging.
For academic citations, use the MLA Handbook.
All TRU communicators are encouraged to access or purchase the CP Caps and Spelling, CP Stylebook, Canadian Oxford Dictionary and Elements of Indigenous Style for easy reference.
Using the guide
This guide has five sections that will give you general instruction on style. If you don’t find what you’re looking for here, please consult the references above. If you still don’t find answers, please contact Strategic Communications, communications@tru.ca.
- Nuts and bolts — Here you’ll find all the basics, from abbreviations to capitalization to punctuation.
- University language and terminology — Find the proper names of buildings and classrooms, teaching titles, degrees, etc.
- Indigenous language and use — TRU’s First House is Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, and as such, we use the Tk’emlúps dialect/spelling when using Secwépemc words. Here you’ll find the most common words and their spelling.
- Inclusive language — Language has impact. When writing, we have to be cognizant of what we say and whether it is inclusive and sensitive to all.
- Word list/quick references/common problems — A quick reference for commonly misspelled or misused words.
Voice, tone and style
Along with style, tone and voice are part of TRU’s brand. Voice is our personality; tone is our sentiment. The TRU personality is based on our values and attitudes, with distinctive characteristics we use to describe ourselves. Voice, tone and style, along with the visual elements of our brand, express that personality.
Our voice is our personality: purposeful, empowering, collaborative, open and visionary. Our tone reflects our values and attitudes, adjusting to connect with our different audiences.
We are professional and consistent in what we write by following the same TRU style (from capitalization to inclusive language) across all media/content that we create. By using these style guidelines, and on-brand photography, colours and typography, you’re telling our story consistently.
These guidelines are here for you to use when writing content for various audiences in all formats:
- descriptions of programs or services (web, sell sheets, etc.)
- advertisements and sponsored content
- posters, flyers, event listings and CCTV slides
- news releases and news stories
- social media posts
- emails and internal communications
- presentations and reports
Note:
We use full names on first reference, and then last names if it’s more formal, ie a news release or newsroom story. For less formal uses, we use first names after the first reference, such as in social media or internal communications.
Contact us
Got a style question? Want to add something to the style guide? Send an email to communications@tru.ca.
