The start of the new semester is always an exciting time. Many people start off the year with resolutions and promises to be better. It is as great of a time as any to join The Post (or to subscribe to our daily newsletter or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram).
In the newsroom, we frequently talk about ways to improve. We talk about our coverage and how it can be better. We talk about digital innovation and how to improve. We make plans to be better, and the start of a new calendar year is a great time to put some changes in place.
To kick off the new year, our copy team made updates to our style guide. Typically, we follow The Associated Press Stylebook and reference major publications when we need additional insight. We strive for consistency so there is no confusion for our readers. For example, we capitalize semesters, such as Fall Semester and Spring Semester, but we do not capitalize breaks, such as winter break and spring break.
In our updated style guide, we established a rule for when “OHIO” or “the University” is used in a university news release or email interview. In the past, we have left the style as written, but now we are going to stay consistent with our style. Instead, we will use Ohio University, OU or the university, as we usually do, for the sake of clarity and consistency.
Additionally, we won’t be inserting “OU” into any words, such as hOUme or HallOUween. We want every article to make sense to anyone who picks up the paper or visits our website. As The Post continues to make changes and evolve during the semester, I will let readers know about any changes.
Aside from some style updates, we have fest season, Post Alumni Weekend, special issues and more to look forward to.
As always, we want to hear from our readers about what we can do better as a news organization. Tell us what you like and dislike. Also, give suggestions. We want as much feedback as possible.
Elizabeth Backo is a senior studying journalism and the editor-in-chief of The Post. What do you want to see from The Post this semester? Tell her at eb823313@ohio.edu or send her a tweet at @liz_backo.
