NSU Brand Book 2015

The Nova Southeastern University Brand | 17 THE NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY BRAND / FOUNDATION Get to the point: Cut needless words and unnecessary information from a statement. Your job is to make content understandable, so simplify wherever you can. Short words, short sentences, and short paragraphs make copy easier to read and comprehend. Avoid using overinflated words to try to make your writing sound impressive. Use their simpler counterparts to make your writing clear and easy to understand. See page 39 of the NSU Style Manual for a similar list of words. Instead of Use Accordingly So Adequate Enough Adjacent to Next to Advantageous Helpful Alleviate Lessen, reduce, ease Anticipate Expect A number of Some As a means of To Ascertain Find out, learn Attempt Try By means of By, with Close proximity Near Cognizant Aware Commence Begin, start Commensurate Equal Consequently So Consolidate Combine Convene Meet Disseminate Issue, send Endeavor Try Erroneous Wrong Expeditious Fast Facilitate Ease, help Frequently Often Impact Affect Implement Carry out TONE OF VOICE / CLEAR In accordance with By, following, per Inception Start In lieu of Instead In order to To In the event of If In the near future Soon Irregardless Regardless Leverage Use Necessitate Call for Nevertheless Even so Nonetheless Even so Notwithstanding In spite of, still Obtain Get Optimize Perfect Pertaining to About Prescribed Required Proficiencies Skills Proximity Near Regarding About Subsequently After or later Therefore So Utilize Use Instead of Use Use strong, interesting headlines, titles, and calls to action whenever possible. Don’t think of headlines as labels, but as hooks to catch your readers’ attention. Examples of Interesting Titles Before Exceptional Programs and Faculty. After Small Classes. Big Ideas. Before Premier Location. After 77°F and Sunny. Before State-of-the-Art Facilities. After Built to house the most advanced facilities. TONE OF VOICE / CONFIDENT As a university, NSU must come across as intelligent but not overly intellectual. In order to appeal to a broad group of audiences, write your copy at a 5th to 7th grade level. (The New Yorker magazine is written at a 5th grade level; The New York Times is at a 6th grade level; The Economist is at an 8th grade level.) Microsoft Word allows you to check the readability of your copy. Note that the complex names of some majors and their areas of study will cause readability scores to go up in grade level. TONE OF VOICE / SMART TONE OF VOICE / APPROACHABLE Write in a conversational style as opposed to stiff and overly formal. Consider using contractions and common expressions, but avoid jargon and clichés. Examples of Approachable Writing: Letter to Potential Undergrad Before I am pleased you have included Nova Southeastern University in your search for a university that will meet your educational, professional, and personal needs. Located in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Florida, NSU has not only met, but also exceeded, the expectations of students since its founding. Our excellent faculty, dedicated staff, and outstanding students take great pride in their membership in the NSU community. Why do we feel so strongly about Nova Southeastern University? I’ll offer you a few reasons: After With so many universities vying for your attention, you’re probably feeling pretty popular about now. It’s great for the ego, but how do you know who really has your back? Who will be there for you, as a member of our alumni years from now? Maybe we’re biased, but we have some convincing reasons why you should spend the next four years at Nova Southeastern University: Use the active voice, which means the subject of the sentence does the action of the verb. By avoiding the passive voice, your writing becomes more interesting. Everyone likes to read about people doing things, rather than things done by people. Examples of Active Voice Before The award will be received by one student every year. After One student will receive the award every year. TONE OF VOICE / PROACTIVE Examples of “Clear” words