Welcome: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:25, 27 February 2024

Welcome!

The Publications, Graphics, and Web Design Office has updated the Planning Department’s Way With Words style guide into a dynamic, collaborative tool for all staff.

We invite users to contribute suggestions or questions about it.

The update aims to ensure Planning Department documents and other materials are consistent, accessible, and clear, emphasizing plain language to facilitate public engagement with the Prince George’s County planning process.

While Way With Words includes specific rules for grammar, usage, and construction, we recognize the nuanced nature of quality writing. When in doubt about a rule's applicability, consider if it enhances clarity and conciseness for your audience.

Note: Rules not found in Way With Words guidelines default to the Chicago Manual of Style, but Way With Words rules take precedence when contradictions arise.

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 == Welcome! ==
-The Publications, Graphics, and Web Design Office updated the Planning Department’s '''''Way With Words''''' style guide to make it a living document and collaborative effort among all Planning Department staff who use it.
+The Publications, Graphics, and Web Design Office has updated the Planning Department’s '''''Way With Words''''' style guide into a dynamic, collaborative tool for all staff.
-We welcome all users to make suggestions to or ask questions about '''''Way With Words'''''.
+We invite users to contribute suggestions or questions about it.
-The goal of the updated style guide is not only to maintain consistency across Planning Department communications, but also to ensure that we are making our public-facing documents as accessible to the public as possible. This means that we prioritize plain language writing that is clear and concise as necessary so that the public receives the information that it needs to participate fully in the Prince George’s County planning process.
+The update aims to ensure Planning Department documents and other materials are consistent, accessible, and clear, emphasizing plain language to facilitate public engagement with the Prince George’s County planning process.
+While '''''Way With Words''''' includes specific rules for grammar, usage, and construction, we recognize the nuanced nature of quality writing. When in doubt about a rule's applicability, consider if it enhances clarity and conciseness for your audience.
+'''Note:''' Rules not found in '''''Way With Words''''' guidelines default to the '''''Chicago Manual of Style''''', but '''''Way With Words''''' rules take precedence when contradictions arise.
-We want you to follow the '''''Way With Words''''' rules on grammar, word usage, and sentence construction. However, quality writing is both an art and a science. If you question the usefulness of a particular rule, ask yourself whether following the rules will make our message more clear and concise for your intended audience and go with that.
-'''Reminder:''' If you are looking for a rule that does not exist in '''''Way With Words''''', we default to the '''''Chicago Manual of Style'''.'' For '''''Way With Words''''' rules that contradict the '''''Chicago Manual of Style'', ''Way With Words''''' takes precedence.
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