Editorial Guide

Editorial Guide

The Clark School follows Associated Press (AP) style in addition to University of Maryland standards.

• University of Maryland Editorial Style Guide
• University of Maryland Editorial Style Guide

AP References

• Associated Press Stylebook
• Associated Press Style at the Purdue Online Writing Lab

Basic Style Guidelines

Acronyms: Always spell out on first reference in a news story, even commonly or frequently used acronyms such as:

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• National Academy of Engineers (NAE)
• The Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE)

Titles are only capitalized when they precede the name: Examples:

• CALCE Director Michael Pecht will give the lecture.
• Michael Pecht, director of CALCE, will give the lecture.

Majors and references to departments that are not the full name are not capitalized. Examples:

• John Smith, an electrical engineering major, won the top prize.
• Jane Davis, professor or mechanical engineering, will teach the class.

When referring to the official name of a department, capitalize it. Example:

• Jane Davis will join the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the fall.

Publication titles are italicized. Example:

• In the recent U.S. News and World Report rankings…

Tips

When referring to the school, please try to use “Clark School” instead of using the general terms “University of Maryland” or “engineering.” Examples:

• Engineering student John Smith won the prize.
• Clark School student John Smith won the prize.

When writing a news story that you are submitting for the Clark School homepage, remember to write it in more general terms. It’s okay to leave in department affiliations, but please spell these out on first reference.

News Engine Guidelines for Stories

• Headlines should be no more than 6 (ideal) to 10 (if including words such as "a," "the," or "and") words
• Subhead or "Blurb" should be 12 words or less, and be in sentence case. This is where to include 'extra' information not covered in the headline:

Examples: Radermacher and Hwang Awarded New Patent Mechanical Engineering professors awarded patent for advancements in air conditioning technology. Story body (no minimum length) Images (optional): Small (80x120 pixels with a 1-pixel border) Large (155x233 or 233x155 pixels) Caption (if using large photo) Pull-quote (optional) Social Media—does the story involve a student group or organization that has a social media presence? If so, be sure to include that in the story.

Boilerplate

The Clark School's boilerplate should be used for press releases and publications requiring a brief overview description of the Clark School.

ABOUT THE A. JAMES CLARK SCHOOL of ENGINEERING

The University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering is a premier program, ranked among the top 20 in the world. Located just a few miles from Washington, D.C., the Clark School is at the center of a constellation of high-tech companies and federal laboratories, offering students and faculty access to unique professional opportunities.

Our broad spectrum of academic programs, including the world’s only accredited undergraduate fire protection engineering program, is complemented by a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, early hands-on educational experiences, and participation in national and international competitions.

The Clark School is leading research advancements in aerospace, bioengineering, robotics, nanotechnology, disaster resilience, energy and sustainability, and cybersecurity. From the Universal Product Code to satellite radio, SMS text messaging to the implantable insulin pump, our students, faculty, and alumni are engineering life-changing innovations for millions.