NSC_Identity_Writing_style-guide - National Safety Council

NSC Writing Style Guide
URLs / Web addresses
The NSC website URL should be written as nsc.org (not www.nsc.org). Do not use “www.” when writing Web addresses.
Use “http://” only if “www.” is not part of the Web address. Capitalize Web but not website, which is one word.
Put a period after a website address if it appears at the end of a sentence. If possible, reconstruct the sentence so that it
does not end in a URL.
In marketing copy, put NSC URLs in boldface to make them stand out and generally use lower case. Do not split one URL
on multiple lines unless there is no alternative.
Copyright
Our copyright signature should be included in any printed or PDF piece, webpage, advertising or PPT presentation to
protect our content: © 2013 National Safety Council. Please contact Publications for more information.
Word usage
#1
In marketing copy, use #1, not number 1 or No. 1. In editorial copy, write out number 1.
accept/except
Accept means to receive. Except means to exclude.
accident
At NSC, we avoid using the word “accident” for any reason. To some people the word accident implies you cannot prevent
the incident; in fact we know that all unintentional injuries can be prevented. (Suicides and homicides are the only are
unpreventable or intentional injuries and deaths.) Please refer to preventable injuries and deaths as incidents, or, in the
case of motor vehicles, collisions (when vehicles collide with each other) or crashes (when they hit other objects such as
a tree or building.)
affect/effect
Affect is the more common verb; effect, the more common noun. Affect, as a verb, means to influence or to have an
effect on. (The recession will affect company profitability.) Affect, as a noun, is occasionally used in psychology to
describe an emotion, but is best avoided for our purposes. Effect, as a verb, means to cause. (He will effect many
changes in the company.) Effect, as a noun, is a result. (The effect was overwhelming.)
AFL-CIO
Use “the AFL-CIO.”
a lot
Never write as one word. Try to avoid in favor of terms such as “often” or “many.”
allot/allotted/allotting
Allot is a verb that means to divide or distribute by share or portion.
all right
Never spelled “alright.” (The conference was all right, though I had hoped it would be spectacular.) Hyphenate only if used
colloquially as a compound modifier. (He is an all-right presenter.)
rev. 04.08.13
44