Writing Style Guide

This resource is intended for all Travis County staff and provides guidelines and best practices for generating written content. It covers tone, grammar, punctuation, formatting, and more.

Explore sections on active voice, plain language, and other key writing elements to enhance communication clarity and impact for all Travis County residents.

This guide is based on elements from the Associated Press Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style.

Acronyms

Acronyms, while beneficial for audiences familiar with the subject matter, can pose challenges for first-time readers and may carry different meanings in diverse contexts. For instance, “ADU” in the City of San Francisco can refer to “Accessory Dwelling Unit” for the Planning Department or “Addictive Diseases Unit” for the Department of Public Health.

To enhance clarity, spell out the acronym and use the the acronym in parentheses upon the first mention on a page, omitting periods. Afterward, use the acronym only throughout the rest of the content. For example:

• The County’s Office of Transportation & Natural Resources (TNR) will publish a study on the region’s carbon emissions by this summer. That study will be available for download on the TNR landing page on the Travis County website.

• The County’s Public Information Office (PIO) will host a press conference on Wednesday at 3 pm in the lobby of the Commissioner’s Court building. Members of the press, please email the PIO if you plan on attending.

Where the acronym is better known than the full term, do not write out the term. Some examples include:

• ATM

• COVID

• IRS

• PDF

• PIN

• RSVP

• URL

• USA

• USPS

Ampersand (&, and)

Use “and” rather than “&” unless the “&” is part of a proper name, like Treasurer & Tax Collector.

Bullets

Never use dashes.

Bulleted lists improve the readability and discoverability of content, but only if the bullet points are short and deliver value.

There are different formats for bulleted lists and you should consider which structure would best represent your content online.

Formal content

Bulleted lists in formal content, such as studies and advisories, should be structured in a way that matches the formality.

In these examples, bulleted lists should start with an introductory stem sentence that ends in a colon, like this:

• Your bulleted items should then end with a period.

• Never use semicolons to end punctuation of a bulleted item.

Informal content

Informal or otherwise low-impact content, such as text on flyers, may not require the same punctuation standards. Periods at the end of a bulleted item may not be required if the item is either only one word or a short phrase that feels like an inventory or shopping list. Study the example below.

The charity is in need of:

• Boxed cereals

• Canned food

• Feminine hygiene products

• Small toiletries

• Socks and undergarments

Capitalization

Capitalize when words are a crucial part of a proper name. For example, Travis County, Harris County, or Tarrant County.

Capitalize the full names of county governmental units. For example, the Travis County Family Violence Task Force, the Travis County Environmental Resilience Program, and the Travis County Commissioners Court.

Use lowercase for the word “county” when distinguishing an agency from state or federal counterparts. For example, the Texas Health and Human Services Department versus the county’s Health and Human Services Department; the Department of Social Services versus the county Department of Social Services. Use lowercase for 'board,' 'department,' etc. wherever those terms stand alone.

Titles

In general, limit capitalization to formal titles directly preceding an individual's name. For example:

• County Judge Andy Brown issued a statement Friday.

Lowercase and spell out titles when not used with an individual's name. For example:

• The county treasurer signed off on the financial report presented to county staff.

Be mindful that some titles are actually occupational descriptions, in which case they should not be capitalized. For example:

• Commissioners issued a proclamation honoring journalist and commentator Dan Rather.

The determination on whether a title is formal or occupational depends on the practice of the governmental or private organization that confers it. If there is doubt about the status of a title and/or the practice of the organization cannot be determined, use sentence construction that sets the name or title apart using commas.

Abbreviated titles

The following formal titles are capitalized and abbreviated as shown when used before a name both inside and outside quotations: Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Rep., Sen. and certain military ranks.

All other formal titles must be spelled out in all uses.

Past and future titles

Capitalize a formal title that an individual formerly held, is about to hold, or holds temporarily before the person's name. Do not capitalize the qualifying word. For example:

• After Tuesday’s meeting, former County Judge Sarah Eckhardt received a standing ovation.

• District Attorney-elect Jose Garza will be sworn in next month.

Long titles

Separate a long title from a name with a construction that requires a comma. For example:

• Omar Robinson, the deputy co-chair, spoke.

• The deputy co-chair of the energy commission, Omar Robinson, spoke.

Unique titles

If a title applies only to one person in an organization, insert the word 'the' in a construction that uses commas:

• Adam Goldstein, the deputy vice president, spoke.

Don’t capitalize titles if they follow a name or stand alone, such as the judge and the commissioner.

Commas

Travis County staff should always use the Oxford comma, also known as the serial comma, when writing. The Oxford comma is used before the conjunction ("and" or "or") in a list of three or more items.

It serves to clarify the separation between the last two items in the list. For example:

• Residents are urged to contact the Travis County commissioners from precincts one, two, and three.

The Oxford comma is placed right after the word "two."

Contractions

Shortening two words into one can provide a more informal and friendly tone to your writing. However, negative contractions, like “don’t” and “shouldn’t,” can be occasionally misread, especially in instructional contexts. For that reason, staff should avoid using contractions in service or instructional content. In these instances, keep the words separate, as shown below:

• Clerks are not allowed to provide assistance on your case.

Dashes and hyphens

Travis County staff should avoid using "em dashes" or hyphens in text.

Hyphens are allowed in zip codes. If dashes are necessary, use a hyphen (-) without spaces on either side to connect words into a single phrase. Remove the hyphen when the phrase can be spelled as one word.

Avoid using a hyphen to indicate a span or range; instead, spell out the range. For example:

• Monday to Friday instead of Monday-Friday.

When writing phone numbers, use parentheses for the area code and dashes for the remaining digits. For instance:

• (512) 555-5555 instead of 512-555-5555.

Dates

When writing dates, Travis County staff should spell out the month in full and use numerals for both the day and year. Years must be written as four numbers, such as 1989 and 2013.

When presenting written dates, staff should use cardinal numbers instead of ordinal numbers. A cardinal number denotes the specific day of the month, while an ordinal number indicates the position of that day within the month. For instance:

• December 13, 1989, not December 13th, 1989.

When space is limited, use only the first three letters of the month. To improve content discoverability on the Travis County website, avoid using numbers as dates. For example:

• Feb. 11, 2024 not 02/11/2024.

Gender

For Travis County staff engaged in community outreach, avoid requesting information on gender unless it is absolutely necessary. Compelling constituents to conform to categories that may not align with their gender identity can cause unnecessary stress.

If there is a genuine need for this information, clearly communicate why it is required and how the data will be used. Surveys or questionnaires designed as censuses may warrant asking for gender. In such cases, consider expanding response choices to include:

What is your gender?

• Male

• Female

• Trans male

• Trans female

• Non-binary

• Other ________

• Decline to answer

This format empowers constituents to choose from a wider pool of options or whether they wish to disclose their gender at all. This promotes more accurate data collection that reflects the diverse nature of Travis County residents.

It is, it's, its

In written communication, it is crucial to distinguish between the frequently confused terms "it is," "its," and "it's." Understanding the nuances among these forms is essential for maintaining clarity and precision in your writing. Study the examples below.

It is

This is a contraction combining the pronoun "it" with the verb "is." It is used to express the state, condition, or characteristic of a subject. For example:

• It is raining outside.

Its

This a possessive pronoun indicating ownership or association. It is used when referring to something belonging to or associated with an inanimate object or animal. For example:

The dog wagged its tail.

It's

This is a contraction merging the pronoun "it" with the verb "is" or "has." It is used to represent "it is" or "it has." Examples:

• It's a beautiful day.

• It's been a long journey.

Its'

This has no meaning. Do not use.

Links

A hyperlink, often referred to as a link, is a clickable element that connects to another document, webpage, or resource, facilitating seamless navigation between different online locations. Links play a vital role in guiding users to either external websites or internal webpages within the Travis County website. To ensure consistency and enhance user experience, adhere to the following guidelines:

• When linking to internal webpages within Travis County's website, set the hyperlink to open in a new tab.

• When linking to external websites, set the hyperlink to open in a new window.

Only hyperlinks should be both bolded and underlined.

Bolded and underlined text, typically automatically formatted into a blue or purple font, indicates to the reader that they may have the option to activate a hyperlink action. Text that is bolded and underlined without being hyperlinked impacts the usability of content and confuses readers.

Context

Never publish a URL as a link. Plain URLs negatively impact readability and accessibility standards. All hyperlinks must be presented as words or phrases providing context for the linked content. Avoid using generic phrases like "click here." Instead, utilize descriptive and meaningful text accurately representing the link’s destination. Study the examples below.

Note: Some hyperlinks presented in the examples above aren’t real. The blue and underlined text are only there to demonstrate proper contextual use of hyperlinks.

Numbers

Consistency and precision in presenting numbers are critical for effective communication. Travis County staff should consider the formats below when text uses numbers. Standards may change in various contexts. Please follow the guidelines below when incorporating numbers in your writing.

General numerical representation

Spell out whole numbers from one to nine. Use numerals for numbers 10 and above. For example:

• Commissioner Ann Howard submitted three reports and cast 15 votes.

Beginning sentences with numbers

Spell out a number at the beginning of a sentence, regardless of its value. For example:

• Forty-seven constituents attended the meeting.

Common fractions and decimals

Spell out common fractions and use hyphens between the words. Use numerals for decimals. For example:

• Two-thirds of the budget was allocated, but the project requires half a million dollars.

• Travis County roads only account for 0.07 percent of the total traffic incidents in Texas in the last month.

Ages, percentages, and monetary values

Use numerals for ages, percentages, and monetary values. For example:

• The Task Force celebrated its 30th anniversary.

• The approval rate is 25%.

• The budget is $10.99 million.

Dates and times

Use numerals for dates and times. Write times with "am" and "pm" in lowercase and without periods. Use a comma before the year in a complete date. For example:

• The meeting is scheduled for June 15, 2023, at 2:00 pm.

Measurements and units

Use numerals for measurements and units. For example:

• Parks staff recorded a new high temperature at the sports complex stadium of 104°F.

• Parks staff need cement blocks that measure 12 inches by 8 inches for their gardening project.

Consistency within the same sentence

When numbers appear within the same sentence, maintain consistency. Use numerals for all numbers to maintain uniformity. For example:

• There are 10 reports on the agenda and 15 votes to be counted.

Punctuation

Punctuation is an important element in written communication, shaping the structure and clarity of our messages. Familiarize yourself with the following rules to enhance the effectiveness of your writing and maintain a polished and professional tone.

Apostrophes

The method of indicating possession depends on the type of word being used.

For singular common nouns ending in "s" (e.g., witness, bus, octopus), staff should include an apostrophe followed by an additional "s" to indicate possession: The witness's testimony did not match his earlier statement.

However, when a singular proper noun ends in "s," only an apostrophe is needed: Deputy Thomas' deposition was unsealed in court.

The same rule applies to all plural nouns (common and proper) ending in "s": We'll borrow the Joneses' car for the weekend. Have you seen the kittens' toys?

Remember to add an extra "s" after the possessive apostrophe for singular common nouns ending in "s." In all other cases, including plural common nouns and singular proper nouns, only use the apostrophe after the final "s."

Parentheses

The overuse of parentheses often indicates that a sentence is becoming convoluted. Whenever possible, try to rephrase the sentence. If incidental information is necessary, commas or two dashes are often more effective alternatives. Use these alternatives whenever feasible.

However, there are instances when parentheses are the most appropriate means of including essential background or reference information. When using parentheses, follow these guidelines:

• Place a period outside the closing parenthesis if the material inside is not a complete sentence (such as this fragment). (An independent parenthetical sentence, like this one, takes a period before the closing parenthesis.)

• When a phrase placed in parentheses (like this one) could qualify as a complete sentence but depends on the surrounding material, do not capitalize the first word or end with a period.

• Do not use parentheses to denote a political figure's party affiliation and jurisdiction. Instead, set them off with commas.

Time

To ensure clarity and consistency, follow the guidelines below to represent time.

Time Format

Use a 12-hour clock format and indicate am or pm in lowercase letters without periods. For example, 2:00 pm. Only include minutes if necessary. If minutes are included, use this format for all times in the section.

Special Cases

Write out "noon" or "midnight" instead of using numerical representation. E.g., The commission will stop accepting applications on Friday at noon.

Time Range

Use "am" for times from 12:00 am (midnight) to 11:59 am. Use "pm" for times from 12:00 pm (noon) to 11:59 pm.

Hours of Operation

When specifying hours of operation, include both the start and end times, along with the am or pm designation.

• Example: Monday, 7:30 am to 5:00 pm.

• Example: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Tone

Maintaining an appropriate tone in writing is critical for effective communication, particularly in the context of government organizations. The tone should reflect the values and standards of our organization while adhering to principles such as active voice and plain language. Consider the guidelines below when crafting your content.

Active Voice

Travis County staff should always strive to write in active voice. Active voice makes the subject of the sentence perform the action, resulting in clearer and more direct communication. For example:

• The department implemented the new policy to enhance public service efficiency.

Passive Voice

While active voice is preferred, there may be situations where passive voice is more appropriate or necessary. However, use passive voice sparingly and only when it enhances clarity or emphasizes the receiver of the action.

• The public input process began last March to gather feedback on the proposed development.

Plain Language

Plain language is a writing style that emphasizes clarity, simplicity, and accessibility to a wide range of readers. While staff may be highly familiarized with specific subject matter, we must not assume the general public is. Information must be made accessible and easy to understand for all audiences. Consider the best practices below.

Use everyday language and avoid jargon, technical terms, and convoluted sentence structures that may complicate understanding.

Break down complex concepts into simpler terms and use examples or analogies to enhance comprehension, for example:

• The new policy will be effective starting next month. It means that residents can register their vehicles online.

Tone Consistency

Maintain a consistent tone throughout your writing to establish a cohesive and professional voice, especially when communicating government policies and information.

Consider the intended audience and purpose of the content to ensure the tone aligns with their expectations and needs.

Be mindful of the desired tone, whether it is informative, persuasive, formal, or conversational, and adapt your writing style accordingly.