Editorial
Style guide
In general, we follow Associated Press (AP) style. There are, however, some instances in which AP style is not followed. This guide contains our style guidelines for most issues you are likely to encounter. For questions of style, please begin with this guide. Send any questions not answered here to proofing@gastro.org.
This style guide will allow AGA to present one consistent format to the public. The goal is to have a set of clear simple rules to produce uniform communications from every department of the association.
These rules apply to all written communications from AGA.
Brand voice
Brand voice platform: our communications are insightful, trustworthy and clear
- AGA content has a unique point of view and offers information important to our constituents.
- We are knowledgeable experts who share high-quality information, which makes AGA worthy of our constituents’ trust. However, we aren’t overly formal and know that wit can draw in our audience.
- Our constituents look to AGA to be clear and decisive. We are direct, speaking directly to constituents using “you, yours.”
- We know that succinct communication is more consumable than long format.
- We lead the GI community. There’s no difference between AGA the organization and AGA members. Using “us, we, our” bring us closer to our constituents.
- We are driven by our mission to empower clinicians and researchers to improve digestive health. We connect this mission and our vision of a world free of digestive disease with our everyday work whenever possible.
AGA communications commandments to support the brand voice platform
Brevity and clarity make your message digestible.
1. Put the audience first. It shouldn’t be about what you want to say. Focus on what they want to hear. Irrelevant content undermines trust.
2. Keep it short. Put the bottom-line up front, lead with the most important content, show AGA value. Add details later or in a separate place. Keep your sentences short and to the point. Try cutting words like great, some, many, quite, only, even, that, really, and actually (to name a few) and see if your sentence still makes sense.
3. Use visual cues. Rely on subheads, bullets, infographics, video slates and photos to help the audience understand content.
4. Make the call to action clear and prominent.
5. Use the active, not the passive voice. Clear copy is written in the active voice, which produces a more confident and direct tone. Passive sentences feel impersonal and indirect.
- Passive: If there are any questions, I can be reached at the number below.
- Active: If you have any questions, call me at the number below.
“Define what your brand stands for, its core values and tone of voice, and then communicate consistently in those terms.”
— Simon Mainwaring
