Style Guide for Articles

  • Length. 700 – 1400 words is ideal.
  • Lede. The lede, or introduction to the story, should be a single sentence of 35 to 45 words that summarizes the main points of the story from start to finish.
  • Opinions. Keep your opinions out of news stories. You can write editorials that will be categorized as such. In the case of editorials, consider closing with a call to action of some kind. In some cases, the Liberty Lens will “Magnify It”, with an editor’s call to action.
  • Articles should not be written in the first person.
  • Active voice. Articles should be written in the active voice, not the passive voice.
  • Brevity, Paragraphs. Paragraphs should be short (2 – 3 sentences).
  • Brevity, Sentences. Sentences should be kept relatively short, and whenever possible use the subject-verb-object formula. Backward constructions are harder to read.
  • Dramatizing. Avoid unnecessary or overly dramatic words. Let the story speak for itself.
  • Simplicity. Use simpler words, when possible, over more complex words.
  • Avoid editorial adverbs. (Curiously, thankfully, etc.) Use more neutral language.
  • Avoid asking questions to readers. You can do an interview to ask for a statement or obtain an answer. If that isn’t possible – you can “report” the trouble caused by the lack of answers to troubling questions. This is a characterization of “investigative journalism” and “breaking” or developing stories.
  • Avoid use of parenthesis. An additional sentence can work effectively at achieving the same idea.
  • Tone: Use a professional tone that is appropriate for a news publication. Avoid slang, colloquialisms, and jargon that may not be widely understood.
    Example: Instead of saying “awesome,” use a more neutral term such as “impressive.
  • Grammar and spelling: Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Use a spell checker and proofread your work before submitting it. Avoid starting sentences with conjunctions or ending them with prepositions.
    Example: Proofread your article carefully to ensure that you have not made any spelling or grammar mistakes.
  • Attribution: Always give credit to your sources by citing them properly in your articles.
    Example: According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, 72% of Americans use social media.
  • Headlines: Write clear and concise headlines that accurately reflect the content of the article.
    Example: “Local School Board Approves New Curriculum Standards” is a clear and accurate headline.
  • Style: Use the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook as a guide for style and formatting.
  • Capitalization: Follow the AP Stylebook guidelines for capitalization, which generally follow sentence case (i.e., only capitalize the first word of a sentence and proper nouns).
    Example: “The president gave a speech on Tuesday” is correct capitalization according to AP style.
  • Abbreviations: Use common abbreviations only if they are widely understood. Avoid using obscure abbreviations that may confuse readers.
    Example: It is acceptable to use “U.S.” as an abbreviation for “United States,” but avoid using abbreviations that readers may not understand, such as “SMH” for “shaking my head.”
  • Numbers: Use numerals for all numbers, except for numbers beginning a sentence, and spell out numbers from one to nine.
    Example: “There were 10 people at the event” is correct usage.
  • Acronyms: Spell out acronyms on first reference, and use the acronym in parentheses immediately following. For example, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
    Example: “The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced plans to launch a new space mission.”
  • Quotes: Use quotation marks to indicate direct quotes and paraphrases. Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes.
    Example: “The president said, ‘We will not rest until justice is served,'” is correct use of quotation marks.
  • Bias: Avoid expressing personal opinions or bias in news articles. Present facts objectively and without editorializing.
    Example: Instead of saying “The new policy is a disaster,” say “The new policy has had negative consequences.”
  • Attribution of opinion: When quoting an opinion, attribute it to the source by name or title.
    Example: According to Senator John Smith, “This bill is a step in the right direction.”
  • Inverted pyramid: Follow the inverted pyramid style of writing news articles, with the most important information presented first.
    Example: In the first paragraph of a news article about a local fire, include the details of the fire and any injuries or fatalities.
  • No “masquerading”: It is important that The Liberty Lens maintain consistency with the types of content presented. News, opinions, and advertising (marketing / promotion / soliciting) are three distinct and separate forms of content. News and opinion can be presented as articles. Advertising should be presented as ads on the site.
  • Length: Keep articles short and to the point. Online readers have short attention spans, so articles should be no longer than necessary to convey the necessary information.
    Example: A 300-word article is generally sufficient for most news stories.
  • Headline capitalization: Capitalize the first letter of all major words in headlines, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
    Example: “Experts Weigh In on New Climate Change Report” is a correctly capitalized headline.
  • Byline: Include a byline with the author’s name and the publication date at the beginning or end of the article.
    Example: By John Doe, March 17, 2023