When I wrote my thesis, my advisOr made me change all my references of advisEr to the “-or” spelling. Today, that would require just a few clicks on the computer, but in the dark ages when I wrote it, it required the re-typing of 120 pages. I was not happy.
It’s situations such as these that the Associated Press Stylebook is designed to prevent. The Stylebook sets the standard for how journalists of all types reference, punctuate, or spell thousands of items. Are juveniles and minors interchangeable terms? Should you show the faces of incarcerated people? Does editor in chief require the use of hyphens? Do you call a ship a “she” or an “it”? Are morning times written with AM, A.M., a.m., or am? Is it the Gulf of Mexico or the Gulf of America?*
Initially, the idea of a consistent method of reporting sounds simple, but the more you get involved in the nuances, the more tricky it becomes. It reminds me of the Dunning-Krueger curve (see dot #2975), where those with less experience have more enthusiasm, and the experts struggle because they wrestle with the hard questions.
Every organization should have a style guide to create consistency across its publications and posts. It may only have a few entries, but communicating the standards upfront can save time and editing later, and enhance professionalism. Is beth triplett capitalized? Consult leadership dots’ Styleguide to know for sure!
P.S. Happy 13th Anniversary, leadership dots! Whoever thought I would still be writing 13 years later?
(Answers: No, No, No, it, a.m., Gulf of America (it extends beyond the U.S. borders, so no one person has the authority to change the name. Mount McKinley to Denali, yes, because all within U.S. borders.)
