Communication Style Guide

Itā€™s important that LWTech maintains robust brand equity. Brand association, brand loyalty, strong imagery, brand awareness and identity, and clear public perception are integral to creating a sustainable and memorable brand.

If you have any questions about anything covered in the Brand Guidelines, please contact Leslie Shattuck, Executive Director/Executive Communications Officer, Marketing and Communications.

AP Style

LWTech follows the AP (Associated Press) Stylebook for most of its content. However, exceptions are made in some instances. Refer to the guide below for additional communication style guide rules when writing content, in addition to the official AP Stylebook.

Capitalization

Use lowercase for civil and professional titles unless they immediately precede the name.

Lake Washington Institute of Technologyā€™s president is Dr. Amy Morrison.

Illustration Design Instructor Karen Holum

Lake Washington Institute of Technology President Amy Morrison

Jacquelynn Goldsmith is faculty of Sewing at Lake Washington Institute of Technology.

(Exception: always capitalize President when referring to the President of the United States.)

Academic Degrees

If mention of degrees is necessary to establish someoneā€™s credentials, the preferred form is to avoid an abbreviation and use instead a phrase such as: John Jones, who has a doctorate in psychology.

Use an apostrophe in bachelorā€™s degree, a masterā€™s, etc., but there is no possessive in Bachelor of Arts or Master of Science. The plural form: bachelorā€™s degrees; masterā€™s degrees; doctoral degrees.

Also: an associate degree (no possessive).

Lake Washington Institute of Technology offers associate and applied bachelorā€™s degrees.

Use lowercase in ā€œbaccalaureateā€ degree, a synonym for bachelorā€™s degree.

In 2000, John Smith earned a bachelorā€™s degree in psychology. The following year, his wife also pursued a Bachelor of Psychology degree.

Use such abbreviations as B.A., B.A.S., M.A., LL.D. and Ph.D. only when the need to identify many individuals by degree on first reference would make the preferred form cumbersome. Use these abbreviations only after a full nameā€”never after just a last name.

When used after a name, commas set off an academic abbreviation:

John Snow, Ph.D., spoke.

Do not precede a name with a courtesy title for an academic degree and follow it with the abbreviation for the degree in the same reference.

Dr. John Smith or John Smith, Ph.D.
NOT
Dr. John Smith, Ph.D.

List only the highest degree a person has received:

Chris Jones, Ph.D.
NOT Chris Jones, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.

Spelling

Advisor/Adviser

Both are correct. However LWTech uses advisorNOT adviser. 

Website

One word, lowercase w: website.

Note that ā€œWorld Wide Webā€ is always capitalized. As is ā€œthe Webā€, ā€œWeb pageā€, and ā€œWeb feed.ā€ However, ā€œwebmaster,ā€ ā€œwebcamā€ and ā€œwebcastā€ are not capitalized.

Email

No hyphen: email. Acceptable in all references for electronic mail. Use a hyphen with other e- terms: e-book, e-business, e-commerce.

Online

One word in all cases for the computer connection term: online

Alumnus/Alumna/Alumni/Alumnae

Alumnus refers to a male graduate or former student (but is often used in referring to either male or female); the plural is alumni. An alumna refers to a female graduate for former student; plural is alumnae. Traditionally, the masculine plural alumni has been used for groups composed of both sexes and is still widely so used.

Invites/Invite

The board (singular noun) invites (verb for a singular noun) you to stay.

We (plural noun) invite (verb for plural noun) you to stay.

Faculty/Instructor/Professor

All instructional staff that instruct courses are referred to as Faculty collectively. Each individual teacher has an official title of Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Senior Adjunct Professor, or Adjunct Professor; when including a title, only these should be used.

Instructor should not be used in any official marketing materials in print or digital.

Catalog/Catalogue

Both are correct, but LWTech uses catalog.

The following provided text should be used as the standard boilerplate where applicable in marketing/public materials. If you are not sure about how and when the boilerplate text should be used, please contact C&M

General About LWTech Language

About Lake Washington Institute of Technology

Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) was founded in 1949, and is the only public institute of technology in the state of Washington. LWTech offers 12 bachelor's degrees, 42 associate degrees, and 70 professional certificates in 41 areas of study, including STEM-focused programs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

 

The following provided text should be used as the standard boilerplate where applicable in marketing/public materials. If you are not sure about how and when the boilerplate text should be used, please contact MarcCom

Non-Discrimination Statements

Overview

  • Non-discrimination statements are required when publications include the college logo/college name and are picked up or viewed by the public.
  • A non-discrimination statement is not required on internal documents, such as an add/drop forms. However, application forms do need a non-discrimination statement.
  • Need for consistency: To stay in compliance with federal law, Washington State Board of Community and Technical Collegeā€™s (SBCTC) audit coordinator emphasizes the importance of a consistent policy regarding use of the non-discrimination statements based on publication size.
  • The official non-discrimination statement and the preferred abbreviated statement should be used 99 percent of the time in LWTech publications.
  • For questions whether the abbreviated statements are advisable, contact Leslie Shattuck at x8236.

Official Non-Discrimination Statement

Lake Washington Institute of Technology Non-Discrimination Notice

Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) values equality of opportunity, human dignity, racial, cultural and ethnic diversity both as an educational institution and as an employer. The college provides equal opportunity in education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, creed, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, disability, genetic information, or veteran status. The college complies with applicable laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment in employment, educational programs and admissions, including Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Amendments of 2008, Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act and the state law against discrimination, chapter 49.60 RCW.

LWTech is an open enrollment college open to all persons 18 years or older or those with a High School diploma or equivalent. LWTech offers over 100 degree and certificate options in programs leading to direct employment and provides English language courses to ensure those with limited English language skills will be able to participate.

This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities; requests may be made via LWTech.edu/reporting; TTD 711; or by email at student.services@lwtech.edu.

Inquiries regarding compliance procedures and complaints may be directed to the college's Affirmative Action Officer:

Meena Park
Vice President, Human Resources
Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX and Title II Coordinator
11605 132nd AVE NE
Kirkland, WA 98034

(425) 739-8212
Washington Relay (TRS) 711
 

As can be seen, the above statement contains important elements of the full statement but may be more practical for some publications, including: 

  • Smaller brochures and flyers
  • Main recruitment pieces, information cards, program cards
  • Large display ads in newspapers and magazines

The above statement must be included in these types of publications: 

  • Class schedules
  • Catalog
  • Larger brochures
  • Posters promoting academic programs*
  • Student/staff handbooks
  • College website
  • Disability Support Services materials
  • College application forms

*Exception: Posters providing campus information for services (tutoring/advising/ rooms/times, etc.) do not require the non-discrimination statement. Posters for musical/theatrical performances are also not required to include the non-discrimination statement. However, if accommodations are available to the audience, it is helpful to print contact information for those services.

Preferred Abbreviated Statement

Notice of Non-Discrimination

Lake Washington Institute of Technology values equality of opportunity, human dignity, racial, cultural and ethnic diversity both as an educational institution and as an employer. The college provides equal opportunity in education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, creed, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, disability, genetic information, or veteran status. The college complies with applicable laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment in employment, educational programs and admissions. Inquiries regarding compliance procedures and complaints may be directed to the collegeā€™s Affirmative Action Officer, Meena Park, Vice President, Human Resources, Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX and Title II Coordinator, 11605 132nd AVE NE, meena.park@lwtech.edu, (425) 739-8212 or 711 (Washington Relay). This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities; requests may be made via LWTech.edu/reporting; TTD 711; or by email at student.services@lwtech.edu. LWTech.edu/eo

Limited Use Abbreviated Statement

Lake Washington Institute of Technology is an equal opportunity institution. The college provides equal opportunity in education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, creed, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, disability, genetic information, or veteran status. This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities; requests may be made via LWTech.edu/reporting; TTD 711; or by email at student.services@lwtech.edu. LWTech.edu/eo

The above statement may only be used in publications that are too small for even the preferred abbreviated statement, such as:

  • Small display or classified ads in newspapers and magazines
  • Small postcards
  • Other items with very limited space

The following provided text should be used as the standard boilerplate where applicable in marketing/public materials. If you are not sure about how and when the boilerplate text should be used, please contact MarcCom

Clery Statement

Jeanne Clery Statement: Notice of Availability of Annual Security and Fire Safety Report:

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act of 1998, and as a part of the Collegeā€™s commitment to safety and security on campus, Lake Washington Institute of Technology(LWTech) reports the mandated information about current campus policies concerning safety and security issues, the required statistics, and other related information for the past three (3) calendar years. LWTechā€™s Annual Safety Report (ASR) is available online at LWTech.edu/clery.

To obtain a paper copy of the report, please visit the LWTech Safety Department located in the East Building at 11605 132nd Avenue NE Kirkland, WA 98034.

Land Acknowledgment

We acknowledge that the LWTech campus is on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, past and present, and we honor with gratitude the land itself, and the Coast Salish, Stillaguamish, Snoqualmie, Muckleshoot and Duwamish tribes.ā€‹ We acknowledge these tribes by showing respect, and take an intentional step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous peopleā€™s history and culture, and toward inviting and honoring the truth.