Publications Standards Manual - glendale community college

Brand 

& 

Standards 

Publications 

Manual

Message from the President 

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” ~Aristotle 

This Brand & Standards Publications Manual reinforces Glendale Community 

College’s professional standing within the Valley and beyond. Each use of our 

logo speaks volumes about GCC. 

For more than 47 years, Glendale Community College has worked to establish 

a reputation of academic excellence, innovation, integrity and service to the 

community. In the process of constructing our bricks and mortar buildings, we 

have nurtured a learning environment embraced by students, faculty and staff as 

well as corporations, government leaders and our neighbors. 

As the second, longest-established college in the Maricopa County Community 

College District, GCC has 40,000-plus students attending campus locations 

throughout northwest Phoenix. In our role as a major spoke in the MCCCD 

educational wheel and national community college network, we offer a wealth 

of expertise and diversity. 

In this role of leadership, it is vital that we create and implement a comprehensive identity. Each time we use the GCC logo, we are 

given an opportunity to grow our reputation and standout among institutions of higher learning. 

We have created this set of standards so that GCC communications are consistent. Our Brand & Standards Manual serves as a 

definitive resource for anyone who creates written documents for the college. Incorporating historical, philosophical and best 

graphics practices, our branding elements reveal and reinforce the college’s long-standing story of success. 

Each of us has ownership in the GCC brand and a responsibility to present it in a professional manner. For more than four decades, 

we’ve fought to build a strong reputation. Join with me in communicating that achievement through our brand standards. 

Dr. Irene Kovala 

President 

GCC Publications Standards Manual - Last Updated July 2013 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Message from the President...............................................................................................................................................................................2 

GCC Logo History................................................................................................................................................................................................4 

Current Logos.....................................................................................................................................................................................................5 

Official Seal 

GCC Logo 

GCC North Logo 

Gaucho Logo......................................................................................................................................................................................................6 

Unacceptable Logo Uses....................................................................................................................................................................................7 

Logo Placement & Graphic Elements..................................................................................................................................................................8 

Fonts ........................................................................................................................................................................................................9 

Colors ........................................................................................................................................................................................................9 

Email Standards...............................................................................................................................................................................................10 

Business Stationary..........................................................................................................................................................................................11 

Guidelines for Social Media..............................................................................................................................................................................12 

Web Design Standards.....................................................................................................................................................................................14 

Writing Effective Web Content.........................................................................................................................................................................16 

Commonly Misspelled Words...........................................................................................................................................................................18 

Accessibility.....................................................................................................................................................................................................19 

Media & Public Information Policy...................................................................................................................................................................20 

Grammar & Spelling.........................................................................................................................................................................................21 

Abbreviations 

Punctuation 

Domain Names 

Cultural Sensitivity 

Titles 

Event Listings 

Which Word is it 

Marketing, Design & Writing............................................................................................................................................................................28 

PowerPoint Presentations................................................................................................................................................................................30 

Overview 

The following style guide will help us achieve a consistent style and terminology in all Glendale Community College publications including web, 

newsletters, brochures, etc. The style guide tells you how to handle grammatical and usage situations, brand guidelines, presentation overview and 

media representation. The Glendale Community College Brand & Standards Publications Manual is based on the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel 

Manual; other manuals - such as legal - will have different rules and should be followed accordingly. 

MARKETING CONTACT 

College Advancement Services 

Administration Building, Room 134 

Phone: 623.845.3809 

Email: college.advancement@gccaz.edu • www.gccaz.edu/cas 

Copyright 

If copyrighting your project, center copyright info at the bottom of each page. Copyrights are 6-point type, using this format: Copyright date, Glendale 

Community College, All Rights Reserved. 


GCC LOGO HISTORY 

The Glendale Community College logo is an abstract design incorporating images closely associated with 

the history and mission of GCC: a palm tree, the architectural columns of the buildings, an open book, and 

the surrounding service area. 

The palm tree has been associated with the college since the campus was opened in 1965. Rows of palm 

trees lined the property prior to the first ground breaking and remain a part of today’s landscape design. 

One stately, symbolic palm tree appears in the center of GCC’s official college logo and seal. 

The base of the design reflects the architectural columns of the original buildings. The architect designed 

the columns to look like rows of palm trees when lit at night. 

The upper portion of the design represents the pages of an open book, representing GCC’s commitment to 

teaching and learning. 

Together these images are set in a circle to represent GCC- reaching and branching out to meet the needs 

of its surrounding service area. 

LOGO PARTS 

Bug: The “symbol” contained in the logo; in this case, the palm tree 

Logo: The “art” portion of the image; in this case, the GCC acronym with the palm 

Logotype: The text treatment of the institution’s name 

GCC OFFICIAL SEAL 

Glendale Community College’s official college seal is used on official or formal documents, such as 

commencement programs, transcripts, diplomas and certificates. The different elements include: 

• The year 1965 is for the year of the college’s inception. 

• MCCCD depicting the Maricopa Community College District. 

• The name Glendale Community College. 

• The palm tree signifying the tree lined campus at GCC. 

The seal may only be used by the President’s Office and the Admissions and Records Office. 


GCC LOGO 

The primary identity consists of a symbol of a palm tree encompassed 

by the acronym “GCC” with logotype consisting of the words “Glendale 

Community College” positioned either horizontally or vertically. 

It should appear in all capital letters in Gothpjm font. GLENDALE 

COMMUNITY COLLEGE can appear in a stack formation or in one level of 

text. The illustrations below show two options for displaying the logo in 

conjunction with the logo type. 

When creating a publication with another institution, business, or 

organization, include GCC’s logo and logo type on the printed materials. 

The GCC logo can be used to promote GCC classes, services, and other 

official college business. GCC clubs should get joint approval from the 

College Life and College Advancement Services offices if they wish to use 

the GCC logo and logo type on printed materials. The GCC logo can NOT 

be used on GCC club clothing. 

NOTE: 

1. Use only first-generation, camera-ready art or approved computergenerated 

art. 

2. Do not use the college logo taken from the internet or scanned from 

another document. 

3. Do not use the college logo in any way that will compromise the 

integrity of the college’s identity. 

The Glendale Community College logo must appear on every document 

and promotional item. 

Logo Variations for GCC main 

Logo Variations for GCC North 

2-color 

b/w 

reverse 

logotype, stacked 

logotype, horizontal 

2-color 

b/w 

logotype, horizontal 

GCC does not have a registered tagline. The college’s brand & vision 

statement is: “GCC fosters student success.” 

The official 21st Century Maricopa tagline is: “The college of you.” 

logo bug variations 

logo, vertical 

These logos are for identifying purposes only. Please DO NOT USE these logos for any print jobs you may have. To obtain logos for print, visit www.gccaz.edu/CAS/logos. 


GAUCHO HISTORY & LOGO USE 

GCC’s mascot is the “Glendale Gaucho”, fashioned after the South American cowboy of Argentina. 

The original Glendale Gaucho (left) was designed by Dick Dugan, a former GCC student. The current 

logo on the following page was designed by Randy Sasaki. Kris Horstman, one of the first students at 

GCC, was asked to come up with some ideas for a mascot. Hortman recommended Gaucho and Gecko 

to the student council who voted for the Gaucho because they were “hardworking, leathered cowboys 

from a climate similar to ours, resourceful and almost legendary heroes in their country. “ The Gaucho 

mascot debuted at the Show Low Leadership Conference. 

The clothing and accessories that real gauchos wear and carry on the vast ranches where they live and 

work in Argentina each have a purpose. Faculty member Ken Bus traveled to Argentina to acquire an 

authentic gaucho ensemble. 

The first item that every gaucho has to have is a hat. Smaller than a cowboy hat, the gaucho sombrero is usually black and is sometimes worn with 

the brim turned up against the windy conditions on the prairies or pampas, as they are known in Argentina. To ward off the chill, gauchos wear a 

woolen poncho woven into beautiful patterns that designate their origin. By happy chance, there is an area of southern Argentina known as Salte 

where the preferred poncho colors are red and black—the same as GCC’s official school colors. 

The baggy pants that tuck into the gaucho’s black boots are known as bombacha. A large leather belt 

(rebenque) with a silver buckle (centro de rastra) and a red and black waistband (facon) complete the outfit. 

Most gauchos also wear a plain white shirt, sometimes with a bandana or scarf tied around their neck. 

And then there are the accessories. Like their American cowboy counterparts, gauchos spend a lot of time on 

horseback, so they almost always carry a “quirt,” which is a short riding crop (tirador de carpincho) tucked into 

their belt. They also have a fancy handled knife (faja) and a set of bolas (boleadoras)—the unique threestranded 

leather straps with a stone weight at each end. The bolas serve the gaucho in the same way that 

the lariat is used by a cowboy. They twirl it around their head to create momentum and then release it 

while aiming at the legs of a running animal. The weights cause the leather straps to wrap around the 

legs of the animal (usually a cow or an ostrich) so that it can be brought down and branded. 

The Glendale Gaucho mascot makes special appearances at football games and other campus events. 

The purpose is to personify the school spirit and give the college a visual image similar to the “Red Raider” at 

Texas Tech University. When the costume is not in use, there is a plan to store it in a display case, perhaps in the Student Union. 

The only thing we need now is a horse! Vivan Los Gauchos! 

Gaucho logo 

Use the Gauchos symbol for athletic department communications or other materials with a less formal purpose. Athletic Department and Marketing 

Dept. work in cooperation. 

These logos are for identifying purposes only. To obtain logos for print, visit www.gccaz.edu/CAS/logos. 


UNACCEPTABLE USAGE 

Add or substitute 

other colors. 

Alter or redraw logo. 

Rotate or use any part of the logo at an 

angle. 

Do not use tints or watermarks of the logo. 

Use outdated logos. 

Stretch or change proportions. 

Use a size too small to read. 

Rearrange elements of the logo. 

Add or Remove Elements. 

Logo must be used in its entirety. 

Use patterns either 

behind or within the logo 

Outline any part of the logo. 

Substitute other fonts. 

Glendale Community College 

NOTE: Never take a logo from the website for use on a printed piece. The resolution is not high enough. 


LOGO PLACEMENT & GRAPHIC ELEMENTS 

PLACEMENT 

The logo should be placed at “identifier” points: top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right. When used in conjunction with another ID (i.e. a GCC 

Club’s name) the GCC logo should appear on top. When used with the MCCCD logo, either align the two logos equally or place GCC at the top “identifier” 

point and MCCCD logo at the bottom right or left points. 

If space allows, the GCC logo should be accompanied by the words “A Maricopa Community College” OR the MCCD logo. The names of all 10 colleges of 

the MCCD organization should also appear as seen below: 

Chandler-Gilbert | Estrella Mountain | Gateway | Glendale | Mesa | Paradise Valley | Phoenix | Rio Salado | Scottsdale | South Mountain 

All advertising or promotion of GCC programs should be coordinated with the Director of Marketing in the CAS office. College Advancement 

Services reserves the right to recall any pieces not meeting these standards. For deviations from these standards, contact College Advancement for approval 

BEFORE you take your piece to be printed. 

APPROVED GRAPHIC BRAND ELEMENTS 

Curved upper left 

border/bracket 

Shaped box with opposite 

curved corners 

Curved “column” for upper 

left border/bracket 

ACCREDITED (HLC): Must appear on any academic program as this statement: 

GCC is a Maricopa Community College, EEO/AA institution, accredited by The Higher Learning Commission a member of the 

North Central Association • www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org • 312.263.0456 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT and ADA COMPLIANCE 

Include the Equal Employment Opportunity statement on every publication distributed externally. 

Official statement (short): Glendale Community College is an EEO/AA institution. 

Include this statement on all event emails and publications: NOTE: Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign 

language interpreter: contact Mary Jane Nichols, Supervisor of Interpreter Services at mary.jane.nichols@gccaz.edu or by phone 623.845.3083. Requests 

should be made well in advance to allow time to arrange the accommodation. 

MCCCD vertical logo 

MCCD guidelines 

• All college materials should include the Maricopa logo (vertical or horizontal treatment). Do not place the MCCCD logo 

within close proximity to another logo as this will detract from the visual appeal of the publication. 

• Do not separate, distort, or use parts of the logo (GCC logo standards apply also to the MCCCD logo) 

• The official color for the MCCCD logo is PMS Reflex Blue. (C-100, M - 72, Y - 0, K - 6) 

• If an application does not allow color, the identity may appear entirely in black. 

• For more information about using the MCCCD identity, please see the MCCCD Graphic Identity Guide at www.maricopa. 

edu/marketing/styleguide.pdf. Identity files may be downloaded at www.maricopa.edu/marketing/logos.php. 

• The official 21st Century Maricopa tagline is: “The college of you.” 

MCCCD horizontal logo 

MCCCD logo without bug 


FONTS & COLOR 

FONTS 

Fonts used within GCC publications should be consistent across all departments in order to present a unified and easily recognizable piece of work. 

Size: 10 or 12 pt, color: black, justification: left. Standard body fonts are Myriad, Minion Pro, Helvetica, Arial - in that order. 

Gothpjm may only be used for the GCC logo. It is not to be used for headlines, subheadings, or body copy. Gothpjm was created especially for GCC by 

Philip J. Molos, GCC faculty member. It is to be used for the logotype “GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE” only. This font should not be used for body 

copy. 

OTHER FONTS 

Specialty fonts or typefaces may be used occasionally in small amounts for emphasis. Approved departmental logos containing other fonts may be 

used, but are not encouraged. 

COLORS 

The college’s PRIMARY COLOR PALLETTE is red, gray and black. If you use two-color printing (meaning black and one color), select red and black (or a 

opacity of black). Never use an opacity/tint of red, as it appears pink. The SECONDARY (accent) color is gold and teal. 

70,67,64,74 17,97,100,4 

70,67,64,74 17,97,100,4 

34,31,32 198,44,40 

Pantone 419c 

Pantone 7620c 

34,31,32 198,44,40 

Pantone 419c 

Pantone 7620c 

30,39,72,4 82,49,31,7 

30,39,72,4 82,49,31,7 

178,146,93 

Pantone 

178,146,93 

7562c 

Pantone 7562c 

34,31,32 

Pantone 

34,31,32 

7698c 

Pantone 7698c 

GCC’s MARKETING BRAND VS. CORPORATE BRAND 

The corporate brand is the more formal visual representation of a company. In GCC’s case the corporate brand is the 

formal logo, a “strict” left handed rounded corner, strict color guidelines and font choices. The marketing brand, 

also known as the “attitude” of the company is used to create the “feeling” and attitude of the organization. 

For example, if you were to receive a contract from Disney Corp. for services, you would very quickly see the Disney 

corporate brand: solid blue, Disney font, corporate and legal trademarks and logos. Now, when you see Disney 

marketing materials, the attitude is: castle, sparkles, Tinkerbell and multiple colors. 

PROMOTIONAL ITEMS 

College Advancement Services orders promotional items including clothing, mugs, pens, T-shirts, pins, calendars, bookmarks, bumper stickers, etc. 

Any department outside of CAS ordering their own promotional items will need to have the artwork approved by CAS prior to ordering. 


EMAIL STANDARDS 

Mind your manners! Think of the basic rules you learned growing up, like saying please and thank you. Begin each email with a greeting. No 

matter how pressed for time you are, a simple greeting such as “Hi,” “Hello,” or “Dear X” is good etiquette. 

Keep the subject line relevant and short. Ensure your subject line accurately reflects the contents and nature of your email. If an email thread 

changes its topic, change the subject line too. 

Be concise. When someone opens your email they should be able to know within 10 seconds or less what your message is about. Email responses 

of “Sure, sounds great...” are not useful. Many topics will require reediting the original text to answer all questions separately. 

Reply to emails in a timely fashion. If you know in advance that you can’t give an email the attention it deserves at the moment, give the sender 

a quick heads-up that you have received their email but haven’t had time to review it yet. 

Privacy policies: Remember that your work email, both the address and all correspondence, is the property of the city. Anything you’ve ever sent or 

received - even if you’ve deleted it - could potentially be retrieved from the system by a database administrator at any time. 

Watch your tone. Merriam-Webster defines tone as an “accent or inflection expressive of a mood or emotion.” Don’t include “brb,” “lol,” or “btw.” It 

is very difficult to express tone in writing. You want to come across as respectful, friendly and approachable. 

Be professional. This means, stay away from abbreviations, jargon and “emoticons.“ Don’t use a cute or suggestive background, quote of the day, 

or different fonts for signatures, etc. If you add an email signature statement it should be work related (i.e. “My summer hours are...”). Refrain from 

political or religious statements. 

Standard for email signature 

First and last names, degrees (if applicable) 

Title 

Department 

Glendale Community College 

6000 W. Olive Ave. • Glendale, AZ 85302 

Phone: 623.845.xxxx • Fax: 623.845.xxxx 

www.gccaz.edu/department 

Use correct spelling and proper grammar. Use a dictionary or a spell checker — whichever works better for you. You can write in a 

conversational tone (contractions are okay), but use the rules of grammar. 

Wait to fill in the “TO” email address: Don’t fill in the ‘TO’ email address until completely sure you have thoroughly proofed your email and it is 

exactly the way you want it. This will keep you from accidentally sending an email prematurely. 

Do not misuse “reply all.” Be careful when replying to an entire mailing list. It’s rare that the entire mailing list needs to see your reply. Only 

use Reply All when you are confident “all” are interested in your response. A list of names in the “To:” field does not indicate their interest in your 

commentary or reply. You do not use Reply All to e-tattle, scold, correct or send nasty comments back to the sender because you may not appreciate 

their actions. By acting in this manner you are no better than the person you feel the need to berate in front of their contacts. Show some decorum 

and only email the sender when you are not happy with either the content of their email or their actions. 

DON’T TYPE IN ALL CAPS. Lowercase letters are easier to read. So, STOP SHOUTING! 

Know your audience. Don’t send useless information to everyone on the distribution list. Don’t send copies of your email to others unless you 

have a specific purpose in mind. If you are sending confidential information by email (never a good idea), clearly mark it as such. And avoid sending 

blanket emails which are received by people who are not involved in your topic or don’t need the information. 

CCing and BCCing. How to make your boss(es) respect you in one easy step: take his/her name from the distribution list and cc him/her instead. 

It tells the other recipients that the top management knows what’s going on and is choosing to share the information with others along with the 

sender. Follow your chain of command in emails. 

Additional Policies: Maricopa Governance, Online Policy Manual: 4.3 Electronic Communications 


BUSINESS STATIONARY 

Letterhead, business cards & envelopes are ordered by department secretaries or assistants via the OfficeMax website portal through the Human 

Resources Department website. Do not design your own. 

All external correspondence should be printed on GCC’s official letterhead (corporate brand). The preferred letter format is block style with flush-left 

and ragged-right margins. Use full justification - right and left- if you prefer that format. Paragraph indentions and the modified block style are 

optional. Limit fonts to size and styles on page 9. 

Headaches in 

the work place 

Presented by Dan Johnson Wellness 

Council of Arizona 

Tuesday, 

November 2, 2004 

HT1 Teleconference Room 

12–1 p.m. 

What you should know and what you can do 

to prevent and treat headaches. Identify your 

headache, chose natural prevention 

approaches and find out about the most used 

over the counter remedies. Two pages of 

known food triggers included. 

Louise Keogh 

Fitness & Wellness Coordinator 

6000 W. Olive Ave. 

Glendale, AZ 85302 

To register contact Mandi Hoppa 

Phone: 623.845.3017 

E-mail: mandi.hoppa@gcmail.maricopa.edu 

GCC is a Maricopa Community College, EEO/AA institution, 

accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, 

and a member of the North Central Association. 

www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org • 312.263.0456 

Available template example for fliers, ads, etc 


Guidelines for Establishing a Social Media Site 

The purpose of social media sites for GCC is to expand GCC’s online presence to provide timely, accurate and relevant information to students, parents, 

faculty and the community. 

Before establishing a college social media site please consider: 

• Who is the audience to be reached 

• Is this the appropriate communication vehicle for this audience 

• Is there enough consistent content to post on a regular basis, 2-3 times weekly 

• Which faculty or staff members will serve as the site administrators 

• What is the strategy for developing a fan base 

• Who will be responsible for archiving all pages and messages 

• Where will the archives be held 

Official College Social Media Site Information 

• Posts should relate directly to GCC’s students, employees and community members. 

• A Facebook page can be set up as an organizational page (i.e. fan page, not a friend page). 

• Designate page administrators. 

• Establishment of a fan base is a priority. 

• Note: It is against FB/Twitter policy to collect mass “friends.” Facebook will shut down your account. 

• Individuals in posted photos must sign approved District release forms. Release forms should be kept on file. Forms can be accessed at 

• www.gccaz.edu/cas 

• When appropriate, tag individuals in photos to maximize posting. 

• Objectionable or copyrighted content should not be posted. 

• Objectionable fan comments should be removed promptly and recorded. 

• The inappropriate material must be recorded and archived. If deemed prudent, let the poster know that his/her posting has been removed and 

for which reason. 

• Monitor site regularly (a minimum of 3 times a week, ideally 3x/day). 

• Respond promptly to inquiries. 

• Separate college fan pages must “fan”/”like”/”follow” GCC’s main Facebook profile, My Space, Twitter, Foursquare, etc. 

• All pages, communications, comments and direct messages must be archived on server routinely. 

Posting Tips 

• Keep it social – do not engage in political, religious and/or controversial topics. 

• Be genuine. 

• Provide useful timely information. 

• Post and tweet often. 

• Contribute to the conversation beyond promotions. 

• Monitor and participate in cross promoting other GCC sites. 

Logo 

GCC’s logo must be present and meet college standards. Logos can be found at www.gccaz.edu/cas/logos/. 

Copyright 

Content on the sites are subject to copyright laws. Any reproductions, adaptations or communications without written permission of the copyright 

owner may not be posted. 

Terms of Use 

By posting content, users agree to comply with the terms and conditions of Facebook and GCC’s social media policy. In particular, the user represents, 

warrants and agrees that no content submitted, posted, transmitted or shared by the user will infringe upon the rights of any third party, including 

but not limited to copyright, trademark, privacy; or contain defamatory, discriminatory or otherwise unlawful material. 


Glendale Community College reserves the right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content and remove or ban fans at its absolute 

discretion for any reason whatsoever. 

Outside Advertisement 

GCC does not promote outside events unless it is in partnership with or sponsored by GCC in some capacity. 

User-generated Content and Disclaimer 

Glendale Community College accepts no responsibility or liability for any data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, images, video, messages, or 

and other content or materials whatsoever generated by users publicly posted on this page. 

Disclaimer for Content on Linked Sites 

Glendale Community College accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for the content or material of any target site linked from this page. 

Objectionable Content 

• Any data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, images, video messages or any other materials whatsoever (“Content”) generated by users 

(“the Users”) publicly posted on GCC social media sited. Objectionable content includes the following: 

• Copyrighted material 

• Threatening language 

• Nudity, pornography 

• Fake, imposter profile 

• Racist or hate speech 

• Cyber harassment or cyber bullying 

• Unwanted contact 

Removal Process 

• When a fan posts a copyrighted or objectionable comment it should be removed. Every effort should be made to notify the fan with an 

explanation as to why the post was removed. 

• The incident should be logged for reference. 

• If violations should continue to occur, consideration should be made to block the fan from the page. 

Posting Information on GCC’s Official College Site: 

Campus related content, images, photos and videos are welcomed. Please contact Tressa Jumps, Director of Marketing, Public Relations and Web at 

tressa.jumps@gccaz.edu. 


WEB PAGE STANDARDS 

When creating a web page that will be a part of the www.gccaz.edu website, it is important to keep your page uniform within Glendale Community 

College brand standards as outlined below. 

Colors 

The primary colors on our web page are the GCC school colors as well as white and shades of grey. See page 9 for exact color mix and secondary 

palette. 

FONTS 

GCC website fonts (typefaces) are predetermined and cannot be changed. 

Use header tags and the WYSIWYG editor to add bold, italics and other font styles. 

Font Style Tags include: 

Normal: Body text 

H3: Headlines 

H4: Sub-headlines 

Menus 

All pages have standard left-hand menus. Each department will have 5 to 7 menu buttons. If you need to add another menu link and page to your 

navigation, contact college.advancement@gccaz.edu 

Header and Footer 

Header and footer content are globally assigned to all pages and cannot be customized. Future alterations will appear on all pages. 

Main Content / Body of Page 

Keep our brand in the back of your mind and write content that is relevant to the USER or audience. Remember that most internet users will not 

scroll down your page. So keep content short and to the point. 

Body Layout 

Department pages include a top of page static banner image and static images along the right hand side of their page (‘static’ means images that do 

not move, rotate or have other motion effects). Web content editors will learn how to add static images to their pages during Drupal training. 

Images of People 

If you use any people (staff, students or strangers), you must have them sign a Model Release Form, and the form must be filed with the College 

Advancement Services office. 

ADA Compatibility 

To comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we must include an alt tag with every image (photos, graphics, logos, etc). An alt tag is 

simply a brief description of an image that a screen-reader uses to let a visually-impaired person know what is on the page. You will learn how to 

add alt tags in the Drupal training class. 

Test, Test and Test Again! 

Click all links, navigate to different pages, use your forward and back buttons and make sure everything works and is where it should be. 

If you can, test your content and user-interaction. Show the webpage to someone who could represent your target audience (maybe a student or 

someone who knows nothing about the information on your page) and ask them to use your site. Can they easily find information How long do 

they stay on your page Do they get bored quickly Is your page visually appealing 

And You’re Done... For Now 

Update your pages to keep them current and relevant. Up-to-date information increases the accuracy of search engine results, and builds the trust 

of your online audience. So, keep your content current. 


Writing Effective Web Content 

Brevity-The Soul of the Website 

People read website differently than a printed page. Nearly 80% of us scan webpages, trying to quickly determine what’s relevant and reading only 

20% of the text on a page. 

Write your page content—then cut it in half! Users won’t scroll through a mass of text. Cut, cut, cut until your message is distilled to its essence. 

Use concise and very short paragraphs that communicate a single idea. 

• Aim for 300 words per page. 

• Write meaningful page titles and sub-headings that make information easy to find. 

• Don’t waste space welcoming readers to your page. There is no need and it will be ignored. 

• White space makes pages more readable. 

Clear and Concise Communication 

Write content that is easy to read and understand. This is not the place to show off your extensive vocabulary. The average US citizen reads at an 8th 

grade level. Avoid big, scholarly words or technical jargon. Don’t use acronyms or “insider” language. 

Poor spelling and grammar brands the college as “unprofessional.” Out-of-date information degrades the trust of the user and creates a poor user 

experience. 

Studies show that 79% of all users scan webpages for links and images, and read 25-50% slower when reading from a computer screen (that’s 

why they scan). Break up large block of text with headings, subheads, and bulleted or numbered lists. Divide complex topics into coherent “chunks” 

organized by topic. 

Important Information First 

Use the journalist’s tool of the “inverted pyramid” and write the most important or most newsworthy information first. Use the active voice and write 

dynamic (but short) sentences. Write as little as possible, but as much as necessary. 

Subheadings Help 

Subheadings help clarify the subject of various page sections and help readers skim the page for information. 

Creating Emphasis 

Be selective about what to emphasize. Too many elements compete for the reader’s attention. If you use proper headings, short paragraphs and 

bulleted lists you should not need much else. 

Highlight key words in bold – but be careful. Too much bold makes text harder to read. 

Do not underline text. It will be mistaken for a broken link. 

Don’t use ALL CAPS. It feels like YOU ARE SHOUTING AT ME. 

Avoid abundant exclamation points. 

Use italics sparingly. They can be hard to read. 


Writing Effective Web Content 

Bulleted Lists 

Bulleted lists can make your writing easier to read, but lose their effectiveness if used too frequently. 

Introduce a vertical list with a complete grammatical sentence followed by a colon. Bullet items should be similar in sentence structure (nouns, verbs, 

complete sentences), followed by a semi-colon, and ended with a period. 

To succeed at GCC you will need to: 

• Obtain your MEID; 

• Complete a SIF; 

• Meet with an advisor; 

• Select classes; 

• Register for CPD150. 

You will not be able to change the color or size of the bullet points in Drupal. 

Use Hypertext Links 

Hypertext links can supplement concepts and provide additional information. But don’t send your reader on an aimless tour of your webpages! Make 

your links contextual and don’t use click here. Instead, use part of the actual sentence as the link, up to as many as eight words in length. The See 

Also box on the right side of the screen is designed for links to other departments or tangentially related content. 

Identify file formats in lowercase and parentheses, preceded by a period. 

• The image (.gif) is available for download. 

• Commencement 2011 press release (.pdf) 

Images 

The Associated Press (AP), the global standard of news imagery, has a rule: An eyeball in every photo. 

Faces are interesting. Buildings are not. Use photos of people interacting whenever possible. 

We very much want to update the photos on our website with current images of staff, students and locations. Please contact college.advancement@ 

gccaz.edu to schedule a photo shoot. 

Accent images (photos of department-specific functions, staff and students) have a special container on the right side of the page. 

Images must be at least 72 dpi in resolution and at least 280x200 (contact the web team if you’re not sure whether your images fit the standard). 

Smaller images or low-resolution images will not be approved for publication. 

Make sure you have accurate copyright permissions to use any picture. Just because it is on the internet does not mean it is free to use. When in doubt, 

please contact the web team. 


Commonly Misused or Misspelled Words 

advisor 

African-American (adj.) 

African American (n.) 

alums (to replace alumni/ae) 

alumni (adj.) 

catalog 

coauthor 

codirector 

course work (two words) 

decision making (n.) 

decision-making (adj.) 

email 

extracurricular 

filmmaking 

first-come, first-served 

first-year (adj.) 

full-time (adj.) 

fundraising 

GCC Main campus 

GCC North campus 

grade point average (no hyphens) GPA 

intercampus 

interdisciplinary 

interlibrary 

Internet 

log in, log out (verb) 

login (noun) 

long-range (adj.) 

long-term (adj.) 

multidisciplinary 

nonprofit 

ongoing 

online 

part-time 

postsecondary 

present-day 

RSVP or r.s.v.p. (not R.S.V.P.) 

theatre (as in theatre arts program 

and Performing Arts Theatre) 

U.S. (adj., ie., U.S. government) United States (n.) 

webpage 

website (not Web site) 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 

Good SEO relies on good content. Identify the key words about your page. What do you want a viewer to know after visiting your page Those words 

become, not surprisingly, “key words” and should be prominent in the page URL, title, heading, image file names and image alt tags. 

But don’t go overboard. Google recognizes keyword stuffing and, because it creates a negative user experience, can harm your page’s rank. 

Images Can Improve SEO 

Images tell your visual story AND improve your SEO, as long as you take the time to make 

them work for you. 

1. Use Google-friendly image formats. 

Google can only index images that are saved as .bmp, .gif, .jpeg, .png, .webp, and .svg. 

(Notice that .pdf’s are not in this list!) 

2. Name the file with keywords that describe the image. 

Sure, you can upload this file named “IMG122269.jpg” but it won’t earn you any SEO 

goodwill. Google uses filenames to index images. When the filename includes a 

keyword that’s used on the page, you get double the SEO return on investment. So try 

“art_students_draw_with_pencil.jpg” instead. 

3. Provide context for the image within body content. 

Use the words from the alt text in the body of your page. On a page about art classes, 

you might write, “In various fine arts classes, students draw with pencil, ink and watercolors.” Now your body content is relevant to the image on 

the page. 

4. Make the alt text relevant. 

Image alt text helps the search engines—and people with visual disabilities—understand what an image looks like. To help improve SEO and 

the experience people with disabilities have with your page, be descriptive in the alt text field ... without keyword stuffing. Here’s a bad, better, 

best example. 

Bad: alt=”” 

Better: alt=”art students” 

Best : alt=”Art students draw with pencil” 

Avoid: alt= “students gcc art pencil sketch draw artists drawing fine arts” 


Web Content Accessibility 

Accessibility 

An accessible webpage means people with disabilities can easily absorb the page’s content. Visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive and 

neurological disabilities can all affect access to a website. 

Gccaz.edu was designed with accessibility in mind from the start. Doing so improves efficiency, increases the user experience, demonstrates social 

inclusion and reduces legal liability. Learn more about accessible design standards and guidelines. 

All images must have a descriptive “alt tag” so that screen readers can describe image. When you upload an image you’ll see the alt tag field where 

you can enter that descriptive text. 


MEDIA POLICY & INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION 

MEDIA POLICY 

To provide the Media with accurate and timely information on college programs, services, activities and personnel, please observe the following: 

No employee should release information to the media without first contacting College Advancement; Someone is on call 24 hours a day 

to handle media. 

GCC’s public relations department serves as the college’s Public Information Officer (PIO). The PIO assists the news media in obtaining timely 

information concerning the GCC; facilitates media access to college faculty, staff, students and facilities; and assists college officials and staff in dealing 

effectively with the news media. The PIO has the responsibility for coordinating all media inquiries and responses for GCC, including coordinating the 

efforts of departmental public information/marketing staffs. 

In cases of emergency, the college’s PIO is the official PIO for the college and is responsible for the clearance and dissemination of any and all 

information to the news media. 

Employees must notify their supervisor, department director and College Advancement by phone when contacted by the media. Together, they 

will determine the best person to be interviewed and craft a response strategy. 

Employees are not obligated to talk to or be interviewed by reporters. Employees should refer all reporters requesting interviews or 

additional information to the college PIO. 

It is the responsibility of the college departments to notify the PR department on all incidents, accidents or events that might negatively 

affect the college. The PIO should be contacted immediately on all accidents, events or any other type of incident which could reasonably be expected 

to prompt a media inquiry or require a media response. These include incidents that may negatively affect college services, impact students, staff or 

faculty or potentially damage the reputation/image of the college. This notification should be made as soon as the affected department/person learns 

of the incident or within the first hour of occurrence so the PIO can effectively manage the preparation and release of information in a coordinated 

fashion. 

Disciplinary action taken against employees should NEVER be discussed with the media other than to confirm that an employee has been 

terminated, suspended (with or without pay) or received a written or verbal reprimand. However, public records law does apply. 

College Advancement must approve all news releases before they are distributed to the media or the public. News releases written by 

departments must be e-mailed to the College Advancement department before being sent to the media. 

All public records requests received from the media must be referred to the District legal department. 

DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATIONAL OR PROMOTIONAL ITEMS 

Distribute a copy of all pubublications to the switchboard operator, Admissions & Records office, Campus Safety, Student Life and College Advancement 

Services. By doing so, employees in these service areas will be aware of the information you are disseminating and can respond intelligently to 

questions from the public. 

GAUCHO PLUS 

This is the official employee newsletter produced by College Advancement Services. Contact college.advancement@gccaz.edu for instructions on how 

to subscribe to Gaucho Plus. 


Grammar & PUNCTUATION 

General Guidelines 

• Use the active voice instead of passive. Passive: The lights were left on. Active: You left the lights on. 

• Write one key idea per paragraph. 

Abbreviations 

• Spell out acronyms the first time they are used, and include the abbreviation in parenthesis after the term. The Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) is 

located in central Arizona. 

• In general, use company abbreviations (example: GCC) in internal documents only. 

• Abbreviate units of measurement, except for the following: tons, miles, years, seconds, months 

• Pound or pounds is still abbreviated lb. NEVER lbs. 

• For time, use a.m., p.m. or noon. 

Apostrophes 

• Do not use an apostrophe to form the plural of numbers (1800s). 

• Use apostrophes when omitting numerals in a year (‘76) . 

• Do not use apostrophe when referring to an associate degree, but DO use an apostrophe for master’s and bachelor’s degrees. 

Campus Buildings 

• Names of campus buildings are spelled out and capitalized, including the word building. Example: the Language Arts Building. 

• The correct use, if needed at all, is collegewide. 

Capitalization 

• Do not capitalize academic departments unless they contain a proper noun: the history department; the English department. 

• Capitalize days of the week and months of the year. Do NOT capitalize seasons. (Saturday, January, summer, fall) 

• Capitalize geographic areas such as Pacific Ocean, California, Pacific Northwest. Do NOT capitalize directions. They traveled northwest on their 

migration. 

• Do not capitalize the “c” in city of Glendale. Only capitalize the word city when it is part of the official name. (New York City, Bullhead City) 

• Capitalize all brand names (Kleenex, Velcro, Xerox, Pergo) 

• Capitalize an individual’s title when the title precedes their name (President John Doe), but not after (John Doe is the president). Capitalize 

the department name of all national government agencies, departments and offices (i.e. the Treasury Department). Do NOT capitalize local 

government offices and departments. 

• Do not capitalize the first letter after a colon if the colon is followed by a list of items, people, etc.; DO capitalize the first letter after a colon if the 

colin is followed by a complete sentence. 

• The word ‘internet’ is not capitalized. The word ‘Web’ is a proper noun and is always capitalized. 

Colons 

• Use a colon to introduce a list or supporting statements. Go to the store for: milk, sugar, and butter. Also use a colon between independent clauses 

when the second clause is an example or amplification of first. He promised this: The company will not go under. 

• Use a colon to separate hours from minutes. Do not use colon when it is the top of the hour. 11 a.m., 1 p.m., noon, 11:30 a.m. 

Commas 

• Use commas in numerals of 1,000 or greater. A comma falls after every three numerals from the right side. Example: 1,000 and 500,000 

• Do not use a comma after the second to last object in a sentence or list. Nose, ear and throat doctor (Note: this is per Associated Press Stylebook 

and Libel Manual; other manuals - such as legal - will have different rules). 

• Use a comma between two separate, but related thoughts. Example: She made a copy of the notes, and she distributed them. 

Contractions 

A contraction is a shortened version of a word. When writing, always double-check your spelling by expanding the word(s) to their original length to 

make sure it makes sense. Don’t confuse your with you’re (you are). 



Cultural sensitivity 

• Avoid all sexual stereotyping and sexist language. Use he or she or make the usage plural: they. Many words now have neutral alternatives: 

firefighter, police officer, chair, or chairperson. Use these rather than assuming a particular gender. Don’t create words such as s/he, and use 

skillful writing to avoid putting two words together with slashes: he/she. 

• Disabilities are handled according to the preference of the individual or group, when appropriate. In writing about disabilities, stress the person, 

not the disability: persons with disabilities rather than the disabled. 

• Ethnic designations generally follow the preference of the group being referred to. As a general rule, identify ethnic groups by recognized 

ethnic designations. African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latina, Latino and Hispanic, are acceptable identifiers. It also is appropriate to 

use national-origin designators such as Polish American, Cuban American, Irish American, Japanese American, etc. Don’t hyphenate these 

designations, even when using them as adjectives. Avoid American Indian or Eskimo as an identifier. Use the identifier preferred by the group. If 

in doubt, use Native American. The generic terms black and white aren’t capitalized, but if you capitalize one to conform to a particular group’s 

preference, capitalize both. 

Domain names 

• Do NOT include http:// in print. Begin with www. 

Hyphenation 

• Always use a hyphen between words joined together to modify other words. Example: six-gallon jug 

• Ages: Always use numerals. Example: He is a 5-year-old boy. He is 5 years old. 

• Do not use a hyphen before the suffix like unless the word ends in a L. Example: leaflike, shell-like 

• Do not hyphenate inter, re, bi, semi, anti, pre, sub or non, except when necessary to avoid awkwardness. 

• The word email is not hyphenated. 

Layout 

• Do not allow widows (a single word of the end of a paragraph on a line by itself). 

• Justify only the left margin, not both. Do not center unless it’s a formal invitation. 

Numbers 

• Spell out numbers between zero and nine, unless they are in a table, describe a geographic location, or are units of measurement. Use numerals 

for numbers 10 and higher. When they occur in the same sentence, give numerals for both. Jane has 12 apples. Bob only has two apples. John has 

2 bushels of 12 apples. 

• Do NOT begin a sentence with a numeral. Always spell the number out at the beginning of a sentence. 

• Always use numerals for units of measure. 7.5m (25 ft.) Do NOT write out the number then also put it in parenthesis. 

Possessives 

• Don’t use GCC as a possessive. Example: The GCC media center NOT GCC’s media center. 

• Its’ is NOT a word! Use the appropriate: it’s or its. It’s means it is. 

Periods 

• Periods follow all sentences, numerals, letters, and standard (but not metric) abbreviations of measurement. Example: 5m (16 ft.) 

• A period is followed by only ONE space. When did that rule change With the invention of computers! 

Quotation marks 

• Put quotation marks outside of periods and commas, but inside colons and semicolons. “Sarah didn’t tell me about her appointment.” 

• Quotation marks go inside of the punctuation when the quote is not part of the passage. Did you just say, “Dinner is ready” 

• Use quotes around titles of books, movies, plays, etc. 

Semicolons 

• In general, use semicolons to separate two complete thoughts, but are related. The package was due last week; it arrived today. A good tip is to 

use a semicolon when you can omit a conjunction such as but, or, yet, so, for, and or nor. 



Spelling 

• Never rely solely on spell check for accuracy. When in doubt, look it up. 

Symbols 

• In general, you should always spell out degrees and percent in a formal document. If not spelling it out, do not leave a space between the 

numeral and the symbol. 

Titles 

• Use Dr. before a person’s name is space is limited. Otherwise, list the persons name with Ph.D. following. 

• The plural of Dr., as in the case of a husband and wife team, is Drs. 

• Do not use Dr. before a name of someone who has an honorary degree. 

• Basic guidelines are: position titles are lowercase when not used with an individual’s name. The president issued a statement. When the title 

immediately precedes a persons name, it is capitalized. President Washington. The president, Irene Kovala, has arrived at the banquet. Unless 

denoting status, or used as a description, it is lowercase: astronaut John Glenn, actor John Wayne, department chair Jane Smith, instructor John 

Smith, Pope Benedict. 

• It is acceptable to abbreviate military titles. 

Common Mistakes 

• Afterward, NOT afterwards. Afterwards is not a word. 

• All together, not altogether (slang) 

• All right, not alright 

• A lot, never alot 

• Amok, not amuck. 

• Anyway, NOT anyways. 

• Backward, not backwards. 

• Everyday (mundane) or every day (meaning every single day) 

• Everyone (meaning a general group of people) or every one (meaning each individual item) 

Ex. Everyone wants to be happy. Every one of the clues was worthless. 

*This same reasoning applies to anyone/any one, anybody/any body. 

• Half the time, not half of the time. 

• Her and I, me and her When you write the sentence, cover up either the name or the pronoun and the sentence should sound correct. Example: 

Pam and I went to the store. The sentence, Pam went to the store sounds correct, and so does: I went to the store. 

• Hopefully - Means to be in a hopeful, wishful manner. He stood on the dock waiting hopefully for her. It does not mean: let us hope, it is hoped, or 

we hope. Do not use it as: Hopefully we will finish our work. Instead use: We hope to finish our work. 

• It’s or its, not its’. It’s means: it is. Its is the possessive form of the pronoun. The church has its own library. 

• Regardless, not irregardless. Irregardless is not a word. 

• Seldom or hardly ever, not almost never. 

• Should have, not should of. Could have, not could of. Must have, not must of. May have, not may of. 

• Smartphone, cellphone; not smart phone and cell phone. 

• Toward, NOT towards. 


WHICH WORD IS IT 

a or an - Use a when the next word begin with a consonant; use an when the next word begins with a vowel. Exception to the rule: when the 

consonant makes a vowel sound. An herbal garden is a good place to plant chives.) 

AA, AAS, AGS - Spell out these acronyms for associate of arts degree, associate of applied science degree and associate of general studies when 

possible. Do not use periods or spaces between letters. Use the acronym when preceded by persons name, such as John Smith, AA. 

accept or except - Accept means to receive. Except means to exclude. 

adopt or approve, enact, pass - Amendments, ordinances, resolutions and rules are adopted or approved. Bills are passed. Laws are enacted. 

adverse or averse - Adverse means unfavorable: He predicted adverse weather. Averse means reluctant opposed: She is averse to change. 

advisor or adviser - Though AP Style uses adviser, the preferred standard for GCC is advisor. 

affect or effect - Affect means to influence (try using the word “influence” in your sentence and see if it makes sense). Effect, used as a verb, means to 

cause, but used as a noun means result. 

aid or aide - Aid is assistance. An aide is a person who serves as an assistant. 

allude or refer - Allude is to speak of something without actually mentioning it. Refer is to mention it directly. 

all time or all-time - An all-time high, but the greatest runner of all time. 

altar or alter - Altar is a table-like platform used in a church. Alter is to change. 

among or between - Among introduces more than two items. Between introduces only two items. The two girls share a secret between them. The 

men divided the money among them. 

another or additional - Another is not a synonym for additional. Another refers to an element that duplicates a previously stated quantity. Ten 

students took the test; another 10 refused. (Wrong: Ten students took the test; 20 others refused.) 

anticipate or expect - Anticipate means to expect and prepare for something; expect does not include preparation. 

assume or presume - Assume means to take something as truth without evidence. Presume means to make something true for a specific reason. 

awhile or a while - Use a while after a preposition. I slept for a while. Use awhile in other most other cases. 

bad or badly - Bad should not be used as an adverb. He was badly wounded, means he was seriously injured. He was wounded badly implies that his 

attacker had bad aim! 

because or since - Because should be used in a cause-effect situation. He went because he was told. Since denotes time. He has been busy since this 

morning. 

character or reputation - Character refers to moral qualities. Reputation refers to the way a person is regarded by others. 

collide or collision - Two objects must be in motion before they collide. A car cannot collide with a pole because the pole is not in motion. 

complementary or complimentary - Complementary denotes likeness or similarities. The husband and wife have complementary careers. 

Complimentary means free. 



continual or continuous - Continual means steady repetition with small breaks between the repetitions. Continuous means uninterrupted, steady, 

unbroken. Example: My car breaks down continually. A clock runs continuously. 

convince or persuade - You may be convinced of something or someone. You must be persuaded to do something. 

council or counsel - Council is a deliberative body with members. Counsel is to advise. 

currently or presently - Currently means to exist at the present time. Presently means it is just about to happen, before long, or without delay. 

cynic or skeptic - A skeptic is a doubter. A cynic is a disbeliever. 

differ from or differ with - Differ from means to be unlike. Differ with means to disagree. 

discreet or discrete - Discreet means to be subtle or prudent. She was not very discreet. Discrete means to be detached or separate. There are four 

discrete sounds. 

disinterested or uninterested - Disinterested means that someone is impartial. Uninterested means someone has no interest at all in the subject. 

dive, dived, or dove - Never dove for past tense. 

done, finished, through - Done technically refers to food. Finished means to be completed. Through is an action. (These three are often used 

interchangeably, and have long been considered proper, though they are slang). 

dyeing or dying - Dyeing means to change colors. Dying refers to death. 

each other or one another - Two people look at each other. More than two people look at one another. 

either or both - Use either when there is not a choice. She said to use either door. Use both when there is a choice or an option is not being offered. 

There were lions on both sides of the door. Either...or, neither...nor - Use the two together. Do not use neither with or. 

emigrate or immigrate - One who leaves a country emigrates form it. One who comes into a country immigrates. Same reasoning for emigrant/ 

immigrant. 

eminent or imminent - Eminent means distinguished or outstanding. Imminent means about to happen. 

engine or motor - An engine develops its own power: a jet engine. A motor derives power from an outside source: an electric motor. 

ensure, assure, or insure - Ensure is to guarantee. Steps were taken to ensure accuracy. Insure refers to insurance. The policy insures his life. Assure 

means to give something confidence or to be positive. I assure you I am right. 

entitled or titled - Entitled means to have the right to do something or have something. She was entitled to her promotion. Titled is in reference to a 

label. The book was titled “War and Peace. “ 

fewer or less - Use fewer when referring to individual items you can count. There were fewer people at the service than last week. Use less when 

referring to bulk (something you can’t physically count like air or sand). This pile has less dirt. In grocery stores, when the sign reads “10 items or less,” 

it is grammatically incorrect. 

figuratively or literally - Figuratively is not exact. He figuratively bled them dry. Literally means exact. He literally took all of their money. 

flair or flare - Flair is obvious talent. Flare is to blaze suddenly, bright light, or burst of anger. 



flaunt or flout - Flaunt is to make a defiant display. Flout is to show contempt for. 

flier or flyer - Flier is the preferred spelling for a bulletin or pamphlet. Flyer is the proper name for some trains and buses. 

flounder or founder - Flounder is to move about clumsily or jerkily. To founder is to bog down, become disabled, or sink. 

forego or forgo - To forego means to go before. Forgo means to abstain from. 

further or farther - Further refers to longer time or depth. She will look further into the matter. Farther refers to physical distance. He can run farther 

than she can. 

good or well - Good means something is as it should be or is better than average. She is a good person. Good should not be used as I do not feel good, 

which means your sense of touch is bad. Well, when used as an adverb, should be used to mean healthy. I don’t feel well. Well can also be used to mean 

satisfactory and skillful. She writes really well. 

imply or Infer - Writers or speakers imply something with their words. Listeners or readers infer meaning from those words. 

in or into - In means a location. She was in the room. Into indicates motion. He walked into the room. 

incredible or incredulous - Incredible means unbelievable. Incredulous means skeptical. 

indiscreet or indiscrete - See discrete or discrete 

instinct or intuition - Instinct is a natural reaction or impulse to do something. Intuition is knowledge or impulse to do something based on 

personal experience. 

lay or lie - Lay is an action word. Please lay the book on the table. Lie is to recline on a horizontal plane. He lies on the beach all day. Lie also means to 

make something untrue. Thou shall not lie. 

lectern, podium, pulpit - A speaker stands behind a lectern, on a podium, or in a pulpit. 

lighted or lit - Something is lighted, not lit. Do not use it as past tense. 

like or as - Like should be used to compare. He treats her like a queen. As should be used in conjunction with a clause. She is as graceful as a butterfly. 

may or can - May expresses permission. May I come with you Can expresses ability. Can you reach that book 

principal or principle - Principal means someone or something in first rank, authority, or importance. Principle means the fundamental truth, law, 

or doctrine. 

prophecy or prophesy - Prophecy is a noun. Prophesy is a verb. 

refute or rebut - Refute means to successfully win an argument. Rebut means to argue to the contrary or debate. 

reign or rein - Reign is to rule. Rein is the leather strap controlling a horse. 

should or would - Use should to express an obligation. We should clean the house. Use would in past tense forms or in customary actions. We would 

go to the beach each year. He would come to understand the issue. 



stationary or stationery - To stand still is to be stationary. Writing paper is stationery. 

than or then - Than is used to contrast objects. I want to walk rather than run. Then is used in a time sequence. He walked into the room then turned 

toward me. 

there, their, they’re - There is a place. Their is a pronoun. They’re means they are. 

to or too - To is used as a direction or in comparison. She walked to the bank to get some money. Too is used when describing excessiveness or meaning 

in addition. She had her cake and ate it too. 

unique or unusual - Unique means rare or uncommon, without an equal. Unusual means different from the norm. 

use or utilize - Use is to employ objects for the purposes they were designed for. Utilize is to employ objects for unintended purposes. We intend to 

utilize the scrap metal created by this new process. A drill press uses a drill bit to make holes. 

which or that - Which follows a comma and introduces a phrase that provides additional information but is not essential to the meaning of the 

sentence. Her apartment had two windows, which looked onto the parking lot. That introduces a phrase that is essential to the meaning (and in most 

cases, people tend to overuse the word and it can actually be removed without the sentence changing). Her apartment had two windows that looked 

onto the parking lot. 

who or whom - Use who when it can be replaced by he. Who asked for the ice cream (Can you answer this with: He asked for ice cream Yes, you 

can; so who is the proper word. Use whom when the word can be replaced by him. To whom should I give this ice cream (Can you answer this with: I 

should give the ice cream to him Yes, you can; so whom is correct.) 

whose or who’s - Who’s means who is. Whose is the possessive. I don’t know whose book this is. 


Marketing, Design & writing 

Proofing Your Writing 

1. Minimize distractions and interruptions. It’s easy to lose your place and skip over text when you’re interrupted or distracted. Turn off your phone, 

close your door and your email, or better yet, lock yourself in a quiet room. 

2. Don’t be the only proofreader of your own writing. You’re too close to it; you can’t see mistakes others see. 

3. Force yourself to slow down and concentrate. Focus on each word and character -- letters, punctuation, special characters, spaces. Do not 

read for meaning! Why Because you’ll see what you expect to see, especially in your own writing. What’s the best way to do that Break large 

amounts of text into small bits. 

4. Don’t try to find every mistake in one pass. Read through the material several times, looking for different problems each time, such as: typos and 

misspellings, confusing words (e.g., “to” for “too” and “your” for “you’re”), inconsistencies (e.g. if you use e-mail in one paragraph and email in 

another paragraph), formatting problems (weird margins, different tabs, font changes), factual errors (downright bad info), missing words. 

5. If you’ve been reading it on your computer screen, print out the pages for one final read-through. It’s easier to catch some errors on paper and 

others on screen. 

6. Read backward! Reading backward can help you focus on the words and not get distracted by meaning. 

7. Read out loud. This is better when you have already locked yourself in a quiet room! 

8. Proof any text in all caps separately and carefully. Typos are much more difficult to see in all caps. 

9. Proof the headline, title, and table of contents text separately. Ironically, the most prominent text is often the most easily overlooked. 

Editing Symbols 


Marketing, Design & writing 

Writing Hints and Tips 

Start with a hook. What’s a hook A headline. Something that grabs the reader right away. Too many times we fall into the trap of reporting the facts, 

nothing but the facts. Boring! Create effective, striking fliers/advertisements/ announcements by starting with a hook – a headline that makes readers 

want to keep on reading. 

Here are a few of the basic rules of writing grabber hooks and headlines: 

Know your target. Your hook must answer the question “What’s in it for me” By giving your number one benefit first (i.e. free food, free lessons, 

good time, etc.)! 

• Who are my potential guests/participants/ customers Write/design to match people’s feelings and emotions, not their head. 

• What writing style and graphics will best engage them Are they young, old, women, men This is important because what appeals to a 16 year 

old girl will not appeal to a 50 year old man. 

• What action do I want them to take This is where your action words come into to play: take, run, move, jump, call, join, etc. Use “you” language. 

• How can I make my message compelling After writing it, really read it over for excitement. Are you compelled to do this activity Is your passion 

evident in your writing 

• What image do I want to project Is GCC appropriately represented 

Write for TONE. Your hook sets the tone for the rest of your announcement. Don’t start off flashy then end dull. Spice up your facts! When writing 

in tone, if you decide to write in a themed-style, you do not need to place quotes around your clever text (Example: This weekend, recharge your 

batteries at the Indianapolis Raceway!). 

Use powerful, active (not passive) words. Make your message compelling and direct, urging readers to act. Give specific information. Avoid vague 

words like very, somewhat, and many. Delete unnecessary words. Remember: short, simple words are more powerful than long, nondescript words. 

Write for scannability. After the hook in the opening line, if participants choose to read the rest of the message, they will do so quickly, looking for 

the most important components. Use dashes or bullets to express lists of ideas or section headings. Do NOT require readers to pour over long blocks of 

text. 

Think before you write. Know exactly what you want to say before you say it - otherwise you may ramble. Remember: No more than one key idea 

per paragraph; Readability studies recommend sentences of fewer than 20 words and paragraphs of two to three sentences. 

Create visual appeal. (See Design section for more tips). Leave liberal amounts of white (empty) space - it’s just as important as text! White space 

is easy on the eye and draws attention to your message. Too much to look at and you’ll lose the reader. ALL CAPS ARE HARDER TO READ THAN a 

combination of Upper and Lower Case. 


Design and presentations 

• On average, people take three seconds to look at an ad (if it doesn’t grab them they won’t read it) 

• Typical eye flow on a page: Middle to upper left to upper right to lower left to lower right (see illustration to right). 

NOTE: Marketing has provided FREE design templates for you on the College Advancement department website. 

Proximity 

• Avoid too many elements of the page. White space isn’t always white - it’s just space with relief for your eyes! 

• Make sure your headline or most prominent item is clear and distinguishable from other text or elements. 

Alignment/Justification 

• Make sure your text is lined up with another object on the page. 

• Avoid centering all of your text unless you want it to look formal. Otherwise, left justify your text. Right justify is rarely used unless in captions 

next to a photo. 

Type/Fonts 

• Too many fonts on a page is annoying. Tone it down with a main type and then a headliner font. 

• Use a 10 pt type minimum for informational text. Your informational font should be san serif. 

• Omit times, dates, specific names and phone numbers, and prices from general info brochures as not to out-date your information quickly. 

• Use readable fonts. While curly fonts may be fun to use, but they are hard to read in mass quantity. 

• San serif vs. serif: This text (Myriad) is san serif; it does not have “serifs” on the end of each letter like Adobe Caslon Pro a serif font which 

tends to look formal. 

• Make your headlining font match the mood of the event. If you’re advertising a western theme program, don’t use Edwardian font! 

• ALL CAPS vs. Upper and lower case: Usually, an all-cap headline isn’t going to get read. Make sure only important information is in all caps (and 

even then, only ONE word should be in all-caps). 

• Font management: Fonts have copyright rules too! Make sure the college has paid for the font! 

• Reverse type (colored box with white text) can make a dull font much richer. 

• Stacking T vertically is also typically difficult to read 

E 

X 

T 

Colors 

• Design using colors that match the mood of the event. Blue, green, and purple are cool colors. Red, orange, and yellow are warm colors. Warm 

colors create a warm, sunny feeling. The use of cool colors produces a cold, icy feeling. 

• Do not overwhelm your reader with too much color! 

Bars, rulers, and borders 

• Borders can be overwhelming or they can enhance a message. Typically, a single bar border can be tasteful and even lend a formal look, but a 

photo border can distract from your message. Easy to use Flier templates (Microsoft Word documents) can be downloaded at www.gccaz.edu/ 

cas/13151.htm 

CREATing PowerPoint Slides 

• General rule: Six lines per slide, six words per line -- do not put too much info on a slide (and do not include your entire speech) 

• Font size: 24 pt type at the smallest. Use subtle amounts of color. 

• Remember: 1 in 4 men are color blind so do not refer strictly to color charts. Use three colors maximum per slide. 

• Do not talk to the screen, talk to your audience. 

• Do not leave the room dark for too long; audiences tend to get sleepy. 

• Change your method of presentation every 20 minutes to refocus the audience’s attention. 

• Use bullets and arrows to break up points. 

• Use dark colors to be seen from a distance. 

• If you need to make a note during your presentation to follow up to a question, stop talking while writing. 


6000 W. Olive | Glendale, AZ 85302-3090 | Phone 623.845.3391 | Fax 623-845.3991 | www.gccaz.edu

Publications Standards Manual - glendale community college

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