Our municipality employs a large number of people who write many different types of documents for many different audiences. Given our team’s diverse base of workspace experience, it’s easy to see how each of us might use language a bit differently. There's nothing wrong with that. Everyone has a valid base of experience.
The City of Roseville has created the Writer’s Style Guide to help provide consistency in our employees' written content. The manner in which we present ourselves is critical to our visibility as experts in our respective fields. This style guide outlines the City's established standards for written content. How we use the English language is just as important as the words we select.
Most major institutions engage an established style guide to define their voice - universities, hospitals, large corporations, and now, ourselves.
The central goal is to provide consistency in our documents across all departments. We address many aspects of the use of language in our communications, including words, numbers, dates, and punctuation. This guide helps to define the “voice” of the City of Roseville.
Do you ever ask yourself these questions?
- Do you capitalize all words in a headline?
- How do you list the date and address for an event?
- Is “internet” capitalized? Is it a proper noun or a common noun?
These are everyday questions. We may not always have the answers, but our readers, our customers, do notice when there are inconsistencies in all forms of media and documentation.
Look for the Writer's Style Guide on the Communications Team's Resource Page.
These are not absolute rules cut in stone, but more, guidelines for your writing. Think of these as tools placed upon an open table top for your use. These materials are provided to help you express your ideas in a collectively consistent manner. This document may not address every situation. When in doubt, please consider this information, the context of your project, and then use your best judgment.
This is a resource for all writers who create content for the City. Please explore the Style guide to gain a better insight into the standards we have established.
This is a living, breathing document. These standards will change, alongside the use of the English language. Being relevant to our consumers is critical to working in the marketplace. If you have any questions, additions, or modifications, please share them with the Public Affairs and Communications Department.