bucks new university brand guidelines 2016

Brand Guidelines2017

2 2017 campaign

2017 campaign 3

The strong slogan and eye-catching rainbow design makes the concept easily recognisable, and ensures that it keeps its integrity when used in both print and digital formats.

Our campaign‘Bright futures’ is the focus of our student recruitment plan for 2017.

BRIGHT FUTURES

2017 campaign

4 2017 campaign

Printed materialsStudent-facing printed materials reflect the new creative approach.

2017 campaign 5

Printed materialsLiving in High WycombeStudent lifestyle isn’t just eat, sleep, learn, repeatWe make sure you’ll always have

something to do, from grabbing a bite

to eat at the Beats Cafe to partying

the night away at the Venue. Join one

of our many societies where you can

either expand on a current hobby or

start a new one.

Bucks Students’ Union

High Wycombe is home to our main

Students’ Union building. Inside, you

can fi nd our helpful union sta and

our well-stocked shop. Our cafes give

the perfect atmosphere for when you

need a bit of down time. It’s a great

place to hang out with your course

mates, day or night.

The Union supports you during your

time at University. Our student leaders

are the people to talk to if you have

any issues. They also know how to

put on a great event. You might

even become one during the

election campaign.

We’ve got three halls of residence Living in university halls is a great and

safe way to start your time with us.

Our Halls give you the chance to meet

new people – some of them will be

friends for life.

If living in halls isn’t for you, there are

plenty of private rentals that you can

rent with your friends.

Brook Street

Our halls at Brook Street are only fi ve

minutes walk away from the campus.

The rooms have their own desk and

wash-basin with shared bathrooms

and kitchens in each fl at.

Hughenden

Our Hughenden complex has over

400 ensuite rooms with a kitchen in

each fl at. The halls are a

15 minute walk away from

the campus.

Windsor House

Stay in the heart of High Wycombe

in Windsor House, only fi ve minutes

away from the campus. Each room

has an ensuite bathroom with a

kitchen in each fl at. You can choose

to stay in a studio fl at with its

own kitchenette.

10

6 2017 campaign

UCAS fairs

2017 campaign 7

UCAS fairs Application postcard

8 2017 campaign

Web and social media

2017 campaign 9

Advertising

10 General brand

HeadingsBebas Neue is preferred for headings.

Museo Slab 700 can also be used for headings.

SubheadingsMuseo Slab 700 is preferred for subheadings.

Body textMuseo Sans 300 is preferred for main body text.

Helvetica Neue regular can also be used for body text.

Other fontsThirsty Soft Regular or Thirsty Soft Medium is used sparingly.

For corporate documents (letters, body text of reports, minutes, presentations and general correspondence), users should use Arial.

Bebas neueABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567891 @£$%&?

Museo Slab 700

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

1234567890 @£$%&?

Museo Sans 300

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

1234567890 @£$%&?

Helvetica Neue Regular

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 @£$%&?

Thirsty Soft Regular

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 @£$%&?

Thirsty Soft MediumABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 @£$%&?

FontsThese are chosen to be retro and contemporary.

General brand

General brand 11

‘Polaroid-style’ images must have a drop shadow and white border.

Guidelines for photography:

• ‘hero’ photos that sum up Bucks New University

• avoid use of stock shots

• reportage style

• natural shots

• normal students/people

• avoid cliches.

ImagerySquared photos fit in well with current trends, particularly in social media.

12 General brand

Graphic elementsUsed in literature and digital channels.

BA(Hons)

Icons for course pages

Lines

Social Media Icons

Online Buttons

Example icons for info-graphic pages - please create and add more that are relevent. This is to just show the style of the graphics

Joining words for info-graphics - use creatively Banners and Badges for info-graphic pages

FIND OUT MORE

FIND OUT MORE

BA(Hons)


Lines

Social Media Icons

Online Buttons



FIND OUT MORE

FIND OUT MORE

BA(Hons)


Lines

Social Media Icons

Online Buttons



FIND OUT MORE

FIND OUT MORE

BA(Hons)


Lines

Social Media Icons

Online Buttons



FIND OUT MORE

FIND OUT MORE

BA(Hons)


Lines

Social Media Icons

Online Buttons



FIND OUT MORE

FIND OUT MORE

Icons

Social Media

Simple shapes

BA(Hons)

General brand 13

Colour paletteThis palette is in addition to the regular Bucks logo colours.

C0 M78 Y36 K0

Pantone 709c

R241 G96 B120

Hex #f16078

C45 M4 Y4 K0

Pantone 2905c

R132 G203 B231

Hex #84cbe7

C67 M73 Y4 K0

Pantone 7669c

R109 G92 B162

Hex #6d5ca2

C61 M0 Y100 K0

Pantone 360c

R111 G190 B68

Hex #6fbe44

C80 M73 Y40 K27

Pantone 5265c

R64 G68 B96

Hex #404460

C22 M19 Y23 K8

Pantone Warm Grey 3c

R185 G181 B175

Hex #6965af

14 General brand

For the purposes of marketing, signage and decoration, the roundel will sometimes be used separately from, or without, the logotype.

This is only to be done with the express permission of the Brand and Design Manager.

Our logoThis is the preferred version of our logo which should be used unless there is a particular reason to use one of the options shown opposite.

Downloads are available at bucks.ac.uk/branding.

General brand 15

Exclusion zoneAt all sizes there should ideally be an exclusion zone determined by the height of the ‘s’ from bucks.

Scaling of logoThe minimum size for print reproduction should be 40mm in width (not including the exclusion zone). Some exceptions may apply, for example when used in sub-branding or signage. For online applications the logo should appear no less than 145 pixels wide where possible (including the exclusion zone).

40mm

145 pixels inc. exclusion area

Other formsYou may need to reproduce the logo in mono. This is perfectly acceptable when no other option is available. In certain circumstances, it may also be acceptable in order to achieve creative effect. Here is our preferred mono logo and two options for solid applications (black or white).

16 General brand

Please do not reorder the elements of the logo.

Please do not upset the logo by asking it to do anything that might besmirch or corrupt it! In certain circumstances the roundel may be used on its own but only with the permission of the Brand and Design Manager.

Please avoid adding text or other elements within the centre of the roundel except under certain circumstances, (for example when it is used as a graphic device).

The following are examples of incorrect use of the logo. Please note, this is not an exhaustive list.

Incorrect use of our logoRules have a purpose. Not every environment is appropriate for our logo.

General brand 17

Do not reverse the logo out of light colours or complex images.

Never re-type the text in another font. Do not adjust the distance between elements.

Do not reorder the colours within the roundel.

Do not alter the values of the tones.

Do not use the colour logo on a dark background.

Do not use the colour roundel with a mono logotype.

18 General brand

Our logo coloursOur colours are confident, because we are here to create confidence in the students who trust us with their futures.

C0 M0 Y0 K50

Cool Grey 8C

R153 G153 B153

Hex #666666

C100 M0 Y0 K0

Process Cyan

R0 G153 B255

Hex #0099FF

C80 M100 Y0 K10

Process 268C

R102 G0 B102

Hex #663399

C0 M0 Y0 K70

Cool Grey 10C

R102 G102 B102

Hex #333333

C14 M91 Y81 K3

Pantone 485C

R255 G0 B0

Hex #CC333

General brand 19

General usage

Faculty of Design, Media & Management

Faculty of Society & Health

PresentationsPowerpoint templates

20 General brand

Business cards

Please use printed originals wherever possible in preference to photocopies.

Please note that all incidents of our web address should not have the prefix ‘www.’ – bucks.ac.uk is correct.

StationeryGeneric use


NameProfessional awardsJob Title

fi [email protected]: +44 (0) 0000 000 000

Buckinghamshire New UniversityHigh Wycombe Campus Queen Alexandra RoadHigh WycombeBuckinghamshireHP11 2JZ

Tel: +44 (0) 1494 000 000 ext 0000bucks.ac.uk

General brand 21

Letterhead

Compliments slip

Buckinghamshire New UniversityHigh Wycombe Campus Queen Alexandra RoadHigh WycombeBuckinghamshire HP11 2JZ

Telephone: +44 (0) 1494 522 141Facsimile: +44 (0) 1494 524 392Twitter: @bucksnewuniFacebook: bucks.ac.uk/facebookbucks.ac.uk

Marketing & Student Recruitment

Direct tel: 0330 123 2023Direct fax: 01494 605 023

Email: [email protected]

Marketing & Student Recruitment

Direct tel: 0330 123 2023Direct fax: 01494 605 023

Email: [email protected]: [email protected]



With compliments

Department Name

Job TitleHead of DepartmentDirect tel: 01494 000 000Direct fax: 01494 000 000Email: � [email protected]

With compliments

Department Name

Job TitleHead of DepartmentDirect tel: 01494 000 000Direct fax: 01494 000 000Email: � [email protected]: � [email protected]

22 General brand

StationeryFaculty of Design, Media & Management

Business cards


NameProfessional awardsJob Title





General brand 23

Letterhead

Compliments slip




Dean:NameDirect tel: 01494 000 000Direct fax: 01494 000 000Email: � [email protected]


Dean:NameDirect tel: 01494 000 000Direct fax: 01494 000 000Email: � [email protected]: � [email protected]



With compliments



With compliments



24 General brand

StationeryFaculty of Society & Health

Business cards


NameProfessional AwardsJob Title






Buckinghamshire New UniversityUxbridge Campus106 Oxford RoadUxbridgeMiddlesexUB8 1NA


General brand 25

Letterhead

Compliments slip







Buckinghamshire New UniversityUxbridge Campus106 Oxford RoadUxbridgeMiddlesex UB8 1NA


With compliments



With compliments



26 General brand

StationerySenior Management Team

Business cards


NameProfessional AwardsJob Title

fi [email protected]


Tel: +44 (0) 1494 605 113 x 0000Fax: +44 (0) 1494 000 000Mobile: +44 (0) 0000 000 000

bucks.ac.uk

General brand 27

Letterhead

Compliments slip

Telephone: +44 (0)1494 522 141Facsimile: +44 (0)1494 524 392Twitter: @bucksnewuniFacebook: bucks.ac.uk/facebookbucks.ac.uk


Vice-Chancellor’s Offi ce

Job title:NameDirect tel: 01494 000 000Direct fax: 01494 000 000

Email: � [email protected]

Vice-Chancellor’s Offi ceVice-Chancellor’s Offi ce


Email: � [email protected] Email: � [email protected]

Telephone: +44 (0)1494 522 141Telephone: +44 (0)1494 522 141Facsimile: +44 (0)1494 524 392Twitter: @bucksnewuniFacebook: bucks.ac.uk/facebookbucks.ac.uk


With compliments



Vice-Chancellor’s Offi ce


Email: � [email protected]

With compliments

Telephone: +44 (0) 1494 522 141Telephone: +44 (0) 1494 522 141Telephone: +44 (0) 1494 522 141Telephone: +44 (0) 1494 522 141Facsimile: +44 (0) 1494 524 392Twitter: @bucksnewuniFacebook: bucks.ac.uk/facebookbucks.ac.uk

Buckinghamshire New UniversityHigh Wycombe Campus Queen Alexandra RoadHigh WycombeBuckinghamshire HP11 2JZBuckinghamshire HP11 2JZBuckinghamshire HP11 2JZBuckinghamshire HP11 2JZ

Vice-Chancellor’s Offi ceVice-Chancellor’s Offi ce


Email: � [email protected] Email: � [email protected]

28 General brand

Open day banners

General brand 29

General usage banners850mm

20

00

mm

20

mm

30 General brand

bucks.ac.uk

bucks.ac.uk

Vehicle livery should be positioned and sized as closely as possible to the examples shown.

Vehicle liveryHow our brand is represented in other ways is as important as our advertising.

General brand 31

bucks.ac.uk

bucks.ac.uk

32 General brand

The University coat of arms is a mark of endorsement and should never be used as a logo or icon. Nor should any element be abstracted from it for any purpose.

It is specifically used in materials such as degree parchments, intervarsity clothing and at ceremonial and public events.

The coat of arms should never appear with the University name attached to it. This is to ensure that it is not mistaken for our logo.

To obtain a copy, and to discuss terms of usage, please contact the Brand and Design Manager.

The coat of armsOur coat of arms is an official endorsement, not our main brand logo.

General brand 33

Full colour

Single colour

Line only

min size 35mm

min size 35mm

min size 30mm

34 House style

accommodation

advice (noun), to advise (verb)

adviser (not advisor)

affect (make a difference to)

ageing (not aging)

A-level

all right (your answers are all right)

alright (are you alright?)

alumni (plural)

alumnus/alumna (singular)

alumnae (plural female)

amend, amendment

among, not amongst

analyse

AS-level

audio-visual

autumn, spring, summer, winter

Abbreviationsext, fax, tel

AccentsOnly use accents on foreign words, and don’t do so if the word has been anglicised, eg cafe, fiance.

Exceptions

Précis, exposé (to distinguish from expose)

To insert accents in Word documents go to the Insert menu and choose Symbol.

Acronyms and abbreviationsPeppering your documents with capitals and abbreviations can be confusing to your readers. Don’t assume everyone knows what the initials stand for – unless the organisation concerned is commonly referred to in its abbreviated form, for example BBC, RAC.

Write out the full name the first time you use it, followed by the shortened version in brackets. After that, just use the abbreviation. If you only use the term once, then you don’t need to add the abbreviation in brackets unless it is a useful piece of information.

Note: When using initials, plurals do not take an apostrophe and the ‘s’ is lower case, eg LAs.

A

House style

House style 35

AddressesWhen writing addresses, avoid unnecessary punctuation. The address should not contain:

• full stops at the end of addresses

• a comma between the number and the street name

• abbreviated forms of Road, Street or Avenue

• a comma between the town/county and postcode.

The postcode should appear after the town or city on the next line. Both Buckinghamshire and Bucks are acceptable. Occasional variations may be permitted in order to comply with computer systems already in use.

Example

Marketing & Student Recruitment Buckinghamshire New University Queen Alexandra Road High Wycombe Bucks HP11 2JZ

American EnglishBeware American usage of words and spelling, for instance, capitalizing (rather than the English capitalising), or gum (glue), trunk (boot of a car), color, favorite, theater etc. You can change the default language settings in Word to UK English.

AmpersandThe ampersand (&) is only used in our faculty, school and directorate titles. It should not be used in normal sentences.

Examples

Faculty of Design, Media & Management. Welcome to the School of Health & Social Sciences, which is located in the Faculty of Society & Health.

ApostrophesApostrophes have a variety of uses:

• omissive - when you’re contracting two words, eg: don’t, shouldn’t, couldn’t

• when you are describing a period of time, eg: two years’ experience, four months’ work, 48 hours’ training

• possessive - when something belongs to somebody/thing, eg: Judith’s book, the University’s mission, the world’s resources

• words and names ending in s also take a singular s eg: James’s, Bucks’s

• plural nouns take a singular apostrophe, eg: children’s games, old folk’s home.

Don’t use an apostrophe to form a plural with numbers and letters:

• 1990s not 1990’s

• three As at A-level

• CDs (not CD’s)

Don’t use an apostrophe in the contraction its (belonging to it) eg: Its CD drive is broken.

AudienceThink about who you are writing for. Most of our writing style guidelines will apply to the majority of audiences, but you may need to change the tone for different audiences and in different circumstances, for instance if you are writing a formal letter or academic paper.

AwardsA-level FDSc PGCE

BA (Hons) GCSE PGDip

BEng (Hons) MA PhD

BSc (Hons) MPhil

FDA PGCert

36 House style

BA (Hons)

bachelor’s degree

benefit, benefited, benefiting

BEng (Hons)

BSc (Hons)

Bucks Students’ Union

budgeted

Buckinghamshire New UniversityThe full name should be used on formal documents, such as certificates, contracts, transcripts, letters and governing body materials. We use the shorter form Bucks New University as an alternative in some circumstances, for instance in marketing materials.

‘Bucks’ is used as the abbreviated form of our name provided there is no likelihood of confusion with the county name.

BNU is not an acceptable abbreviation of the University name; we use bucks.ac.uk as our web address, and use bucks in our email addresses.

Use the full name in the first instance, followed by a shorter form.

Bullet points (See also lists, presentations and numbering of paragraphs)

Where the list consists of single words or brief phrases that relate to the previous sentence all initial letters should be lower case.

Punctuate as follows:

Example

The open day programme includes:

• tours of the University

• visits to halls of residence

• talks on finance

• visits to academic departments.

B

House style 37

Where the list consists of short sentences or phrases related to the previous sentence initial letters should be lower case. Punctuate as follows:

Example

The course was designed to:

• introduce students to basic concepts;

• familiarise students with the terminology;

• provide basic relevant statistics.

Where the list consists of longer, complete sentences, punctuate as for normal sentences:

Bullet points can help to break up text and make it easier to read and digest.

Solid round bullet points should be used. If you need to use secondary bullet points, you should use open round bullet points.

When using bullet points in presentations, remember:

• the bullet point should be a short summary of a key point, not an entire sentence;

• bullet points should follow a consistent style;

• as a guideline, slides should not have more than six bullet points and each bullet should be no more than six words;

• bullet points alone can be boring – add pictures, diagrams, audio clips or videos.

38 House style

cafe

capitalise, capitalising

CD-ROM

childcare

competence, competences (National Vocational Qualifications; functional skills)

competency, competencies (behavioural trait; functional and behavioural

skills combined)

complement (that which completes or fills up)

compliment (expression of admiration)

computer-aided design

continuous (without interruption)

continual (happening frequently)

cooperate, cooperation, cooperative

coordinate, coordinator

council (an administrative or advisory body)

counsel (advise/guidance)

coursework

CampusesSince September 2009, we have had two distinct campuses:

High Wycombe Campus is a short walk from the bus and train stations in High Wycombe on Queen Alexandra Road.

Our Uxbridge Campus is close to the Metropolitan and Piccadilly tube line to central London.

CapitalsKeep your use of capitals to a minimum. Capital letters interrupt the flow of the eye across the page. Think about why you use them. Would you leave your House in the morning to go to your Job? No. So why should a student leave their Hall of Residence to meet a Tutor? You don’t need to capitalise when referring to something in general.

Example

The University’s academic structure is now built around two faculties, which are sub-divided into schools.

Subject disciplines should not be capitalised, but course titles should:

BSc (Hons) Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training

The programme includes lectures in history of art, computing and geography.

But, if you are using official titles, use capitals.

Don’t use capital letters in headings, except at the beginning and for proper nouns.

C

House style 39

Capitalising historical periods and eventsCapitalise names of widely recognised epochs in anthropology, archaeology, geology and history, for example the Bronze Age, the Dark Ages, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Victorian era, the Enlightenment, the Third Reich.

Also capitalise periods named after specific dynasties or people, for example the Tudors, Elizabethan. Use lower case for medieval, baroque.

Art movements: Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Cubism, Dadaism, Gothic, Impressionism, Pop Art, Rococo, Surrealism, Arts and Crafts movement etc.

War: First World War, Second World War; Crimean/Boer/Vietnam/Gulf War; Hundred Years War.

Capitalising job titles (See ‘job titles’)

Capitalising proper nounsNames of people, places, countries and organisations should take capital letters.

CommasIt is acceptable to put a comma before and, particularly in longer sentences or lists.

Examples

John Smith, High Wycombe, Missenden Abbey

CopyrightCreative work such as books, poems, pictures, drawings, music, and films, may be protected by copyright. If you are uncertain about whether you are able to use a piece of writing, diagram or picture, you should seek the express permission of the originator. If you don’t have permission, then you shouldn’t use that piece of work.

CourseA course is a programme of study.

Course titlesWrite BSc (Hons) or BA (Hons).

Capitalise course titles, but don’t capitalise academic terminology.

40 House style

dependant (noun)

dependent (adjective)

disc (computers)

dissertation

dotcom

Dr

driving licence

DashThe en-dash – is longer than a hyphen, and has a different function. It is used without spaces when there is a distinction in meaning between two words. It is also used to replace ‘to’ in numerical phrases, such as students aged 18–60 or pages 2–12. Either enter two dashes as you type or press num lock then Alt + 0150.

You can use en-dashes in the same way that you’d use brackets to indicate parenthesis. When you use them in this way, leave a space either side of each dash.

Dates (see also ‘Time’)Use numerals for numbers above ten. Use English date formations, ie day, month, year.

• 1 January 2017

• 1920s, 1930s (not 1920’s, 1930’s)

• The 19th century

• The first century

Degree classificationsDegree classifications are:

First, 2:1, 2:2 or 3rd. Never use 1st.

Use a capital when referring to a First, but a lower case initial letter for first-class degree. Never use first degree, as this can be confused with an undergraduate degree. On degree certificates, and in references, the classification should be written in full, eg Second Class Honours (Lower Division).

Examples

She was awarded a First in Computing He was awarded a 2:1 in Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training. She was awarded a first-class honours degree in Audio and Music Production.

D

House style 41

DirectoratesThe correct usage of Directorate is at the end, for example Marketing & Student Recruitment Directorate..

Directorate names may be abbreviated if they are long and provided they have been mentioned in full in the first instance, for example M&SR.

DisabilityAvoid outdated terms that stereotype or stigmatise. If you need to refer to disability, try to structure sentences in a positive way.

Examples

John Smith, who has muscular dystrophy, is a first year student...(not suffers from, or is a victim of) John Smith, who is a wheelchair user, studies...(not wheelchair bound, in a wheelchair) John Smith, who has a hearing impairment... (not is deaf) Refer to disabled people (not the disabled) and somebody who is visually impaired (not blind).

For further guidance, consult the Disability Service on 01494 605 049 or email [email protected].

Dyslexia and accessibilityWhen preparing support material for students with accessibility issues (for example dyslexia) here are some points that you should bear in mind:

• text should be left aligned

• use Arial at 12 point or greater, wherever possible

• keep a clear uncluttered layout

• ensure words are not split between lines

• avoid large blocks of capital letters

• avoid italics

• avoid underlining words

• keep the use of punctuation such as commas, semi-colons and full stops to a minimum

• try to avoid placing text over a busy image or texture

• ensure good contrast between the text and background

• maintain adequate spacing.

Don’t forget to ask whether participants have special requirements (physical or dietary) when you are organising a meeting or event.

42 House style

earth, the

east

e-commerce

effect (a result/bring about a result)

eg

e-learning

email

end-of-year

euro, euros

ext

egThe abbreviation eg comes from the Latin exempli gratia, and indicates that one or more examples follow. Use a comma before eg. Don’t use a full stop afterwards. Like ie, ergo and et al, eg is rarely used outside formal academic writing. In marketing copy, eg can often be replaced by for example, or such as.

Do not confuse eg with ie. You do not need to include full stops in eg.

Example

We offer part-time courses in a wide range of subjects, such as upholstery and Adobe Photoshop.

EllipsesIf you are using an ellipsis in mid sentence to signify an omission, there should be spaces before and after the ellipses.

Example

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rebecca Bunting, said: “I’m delighted that … students have joined us this year.”

etcTry to avoid adding etc to the end of sentences. Rather than etc, try using including.

Example

This course looks at the key issues facing the music industry today, including intellectual property, the digital revolution and changing business models.

E

House style 43

EthnicityPlease make sure that written text is inclusive of all races and creeds.

Exam papersThere are standard templates for cover sheets which can be edited and adapted by school for both exams and time constrained assessments (TCAs). Material should be in plain English with clear, unambiguous and precise instructions.

Keep formatting to a minimum. The exams team provide a proofreading service and read every exam paper in advance, so that they can advise invigilators of the exam requirements.

Exclamation marksThe exclamation mark is used after true exclamations, which express surprise, fear, or some other emotion, eg: What a magnificent dissertation!

Occasionally an exclamation mark may be enclosed in parentheses to indicate irony:

Example

After a long and careful (!) search the student found his library book.

Exclamation marks should always be used with restraint, and you should never use more than one together.

44 House style

Facebook

fax

FDA

FDSc

fiance

focus, focused, focuses, focusing

forum, forums

formula, formulas

foundation degree

freephone

full stop

full-time

GCSE

goings-on

graduand (one who is about to receive a degree)

graduate (one who has been awarded a degree)

FacultyThe University has two faculties. Faculty only has a capital F when it is part of the faculty’s title.

Example

The Faculty of Design, Media & Management is located on our High Wycombe Campus. The academic staff in the faculty are based at our High Wycombe Campus.

Fewer (see also less)The basic rule of thumb is if you can count it, use fewer. Fewer means not as many, whereas less means not as much. However, use less if you are referring to a period of time.

Examples

A shower uses less water than a bath, so you should take fewer baths. She will be finishing her course in less than six weeks. There are fewer people taking part this year.

F - G

House style 45

FontsEvery newspaper and magazine uses a limited number of typefaces (fonts) in a restricted number of sizes and styles. Here at Bucks our marketing materials will always follow the Brand Guidelines.

Additional font styles may be used occasionally for specific purposes, at the discretion of the Marketing & Student Recruitment Directorate. For letters, documents such as reports, minutes, faxes and memos, spreadsheets and presentations, use Arial as the default font.

For more information please go to bucks.ac.uk/branding.

Full stops (full points)Leave a single space after a full stop.

GenderUse non-discriminatory language and write in a non-gender specific manner.

Avoid terms which imply gender stereotyping in work, eg cleaning lady, best man for the job. Use Chair, not Chairman, Chairwoman or Chairperson.

GeographyCapitalise defined geographical areas, such as, the North, Black Country, East Anglia, Lake District, Midlands, Peak District or West Country. Areas referred to by compass points are written in lower case, for example, north, south-east, south-west.

46 House style

headteacher (not headmaster or headmistress)

health care, health care professionals

higher education

honorary award

honorary doctorate

honorary fellow

honours (lower case unless part of a specific degree)

Headers and footers in documentsIn most document templates the headers and footers are set up already.

In multi-page documents you should:

• Include the University name in the header.

• Where relevant include the faculty, school or directorate name in the footer.

• Use page numbering. It is useful to the reader if you select page 1 of 2, which is available through the header/footer autotext.

• At the end of the document include the authors (generally job titles only), the date created, drafting history, and file location.

HeadingsHeadings should be in bold, never underlined. Underlined headings look like hyperlinks to web pages.

High WycombeHigh Wycombe should be used in preference to Wycombe.

H

House style 47

Honours/HonsIf it is part of a degree title, honours should be written, in the abbreviated form eg BSc (Hons) Games Development.

Include a space between the subject title and Hons.

Honours should be written in the lower case if referred to within a general sentence.

Example

John Smith left Bucks New University with an honours degree in Social Work.

Hyphenation (see also dash)The hyphen (-) looks like a short dash, but the hyphen and the dash are very different; whereas the hyphen unites, the dash separates.

Certain words and phrases tend to evolve from separation to linkage. The trend in English is for frequently used word combinations to grow together from two words to one, sometimes passing through a hyphenated stage, for example from electronic mail through e-mail to email.

The following principles are useful to know:

Two or more adjectives before a noun that act as one idea (one-thought adjectives) are connected with a hyphen.

Example

This is a low-budget film.

Use a hyphen in expressions where words have become linked by usage to express one idea.

Example

mother-in-law, top-notch, fine-tune, X-ray.

When written as words, fractions and cardinal numbers consisting of two words are hyphenated.

Example

one-fourth, two-thirds.

Hyphenate words prefixed by ex-, self-, or all-, and some words prefixed by cross-.

Example

ex-wife, self-evident, all-inclusive, cross-reference.

48 House style

ie

install

instalment

International Baccalaureate

inter-cultural

internet

inter-relationship

ie (see also eg)The abbreviation ‘ie’ comes from the Latin ‘id est’ meaning that is. As with eg, no full stop is necessary. Use a comma before ie but try to avoid using it if possible. Do not use ie when you should use eg.

InitialsDo not add punctuation to the initials of names, such as JK Rowling, WH Smith.

‘ise’Use ‘ise’ rather than ‘ize’ at the end of a word (except capsize and size).

ItalicsThe following are generally italicised: titles of books, periodicals, TV programmes, films, plays, operas, song titles, names of ships and aircraft. Also italicise foreign (including Latin) phrases not yet naturalised and scientific names of plants and animals.

Do not use italics to add emphasis. Do not italicise titles of chapters, articles, or sections, which take single quotes.

It’s and itsBe careful to check your punctuation. It’s means it is. Its means belonging to it.

Example

The University is located in the centre of High Wycombe; its main campus is a short walk from the railway station, but it’s also easy to catch a bus.

I - J

House style 49

IT termsCommonly used IT terms include:

• CD-ROM, CD-ROMs, CDs (no apostrophes)

• CD-ROM (read only), CD-RW (read and write), CD-I (interactive)

• cyberspace

• email (no hyphen) but e-commerce

• hard disk, but compact disc or optical disc (disc = round!)

• internet (lower case initial letter)

• PCs, Macs

• software program.

Jargon (see also acronyms)If you’re writing for an external audience avoid jargon, acronyms and hyperbole.

For an internal audience terms specific to the higher education sector, such as REF or HEFCE, are hard to avoid, but should be written in full in the first instance.

Job titlesUse the title in full at the beginning of your document.

Example

The Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Buckinghamshire New University, Professor Rebecca Bunting, said …

The use of capital letters for job titles is largely a matter of convention – there are no hard and fast rules. However, professional editorial practice suggests that unnecessary capitalisation should be avoided – it makes the text look dated and makes it more difficult to read.

Where company or brand names appear in logos in capital letters or lower case, they should be typeset to match, for example easyJet, innocent, British Airways.

In general:

• Jobs: all lower case: copywriter, graphic designer, editor of The Times

• Titles: use upper case when the job becomes a title: Queen Elizabeth, President Obama, Professor Jones and for impersonal titles such as the Queen or the Lord Chancellor.

Justification Marketing materials will normally be left aligned.

50 House style

liaison

licence (noun), to license (verb)

lifelong

LinkedIn

long-standing

MA (Master of Arts – an MA, not a MA)

marketplace

master’s degree(s)

medieval

MPhil (Master of Philosophy)

MSc (Master of Sciences)

multicultural

multidisciplinary

multimedia

multinational

multiprofessional

Latin pluralsSome Latin plurals are so common that we don’t realise they are plurals, for example alumni and data.

However, many plural forms look pedantic and put the reader off, for example:

• fora – use forums

• formulae – use formulas

• syllabi – use syllabuses.

Less (see also fewer)The basic rule of thumb is if you can’t count it, use less.

Levels (see also years)Avoid referring to levels in marketing materials unless directly relevant to the content of the course.

Refer to the first year, second year or third year, but be careful if you are referring to part-time courses. In internal or formal documents where it is necessary to refer to levels in a general sense use lower case.

When referring to specific levels use an upper case L and the relevant number, for example Level 4. However, remember that levels do not necessarily equate to years of courses. For example, the first year of a postgraduate programme will be at Level 7.

Examples

Students at these levels will be expected to complete an extended project. There are now 50 students studying the course at Level 4.

L - M

House style 51

Lists (see also bullet points)Punctuate short lists with commas, and larger lists or phrases with semi-colons.

Preface the list with a colon. Put lists of names or courses in alphabetical order, in order to avoid implying a hierarchy, unless there is a particular reason for choosing a different order.

Example

The recipe uses an interesting variety of ingredients: flour, sugar, lemons, star anise and rum.

MeasurementsUse standard abbreviations (km, lb, etc) but whenever possible use litre, mile and million in full to avoid confusion.

There is no need to add a full stop after a unit of measurement. There are no plurals and there is no gap between the numeral and the unit of measurement.

Examples

£10–20, 5–6K 1 mile, 1 metre, 1m, 2m, 3m £1 million, £1M, £2M, £3M £20,000–30,000 not £20–30,000 (unless you mean £20 to £30,000)

ModulesModule titles should be written out in full and take upper case initial letters. When writing a list of modules, divide with semi-colons.

52 House style

national curriculum

no-one

north, north-west

O-levels

official (relating to an authority or having the approval of an authority)

officious (asserting authority)

online

organise, organising

Numbers• Thousands: 1,000, 10,000 and 1,000,000.

• Spell out numbers one to ten. Use numerals for numbers over ten, and where attached to a percentage sign, a unit or sum of money.

• Also apply this to cardinal numbers eg fifth century, 12th century.

• Never use numerals at the beginning of a sentence; rearrange the order of words so that the number is not at the beginning, but ensuring that the sentence still makes sense.

• Fractions: three-quarters, one-third, two-and-a-half.

• Do not mix decimals and fractions.

• Elide as much as possible, eg 4–8, 115–116.

Examples

5%, 8cm, £3, $4, €6.

To access a euro sign, PC users should press AltGr + 4 on the main keypad, and Mac users should press alt + 2 on the main keypad.

Numbering of paragraphsYou should only need to number paragraphs in formal documents, such as reports, regulations, policy documents and minutes. Paragraphs should be numbered 1, 2, 3 and so on.

Roman numerals should not be used. Avoid subsections if possible, but if you must use them, number them 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and so on. If these sections need dividing use letters.

Example

1 This is an example of a paragraph.

1.1 This is an example of a subsection.

1.2 This is the next subsection.

a This is a subsection division.

b This is the next subsection division.

N - O

House style 53

part-time

per cent, percentage

PGCert, PGCE, PGDip, PhD

postcode

postdoctoral

postgraduate

post-qualifying, post-qualification

postmodern

postwar, prewar

practice (noun), practise (verb)

pre-qualifying, pre-qualification

pre-registration

prescribe (issue a prescription or recommend with authority)

principal (first in importance)

principle (rule)

proactive

Professor

program (computers)

programme (of study)

proscribe (condemn or forbid)

Pro Vice-Chancellor

PercentageWrite per cent out in full in general text. Use % in tables.

Example

52 per cent of the student population is female and 48 per cent male, although there is wide variation between courses.

Point size The standard size for internal use is 10 point. Documents should be produced in larger print sizes or alternative formats if requested.

Presentations (see also bullet points)Presentation master templates can be downloaded at bucks.ac.uk/branding.

ProgrammeA programme can be a brochure, prospectus or syllabus: a course is a programme of study. Capitalise programme only when it is part of a full course title. A program is a piece of software.

P

54 House style

semi-colon

south, south-west

state-of-the-art

stationary (not moving)

stationery (writing materials)

Students’ Union

syllabus, syllabuses

Quotation marksCheck that quotation marks are curly not straight when they are printed. Use double speech marks for reported speech.

Example

The Dean of the Faculty of Society & Health said: “We welcome all new students.”

Quotes within quotesTry to avoid quotes within quotes. However, when used, use double quote marks for the outer quote and single quote marks for the inner.

Example

The Vice-Chancellor quoted Oscar Wilde in her speech: “I don’t believe that ‘nothing that is worth knowing can be taught’”.

If the quote is a full sentence, put the closing punctuation inside the quote marks:

Example

“We are delighted that you will be joining Bucks next year.”

If the quote is a full sentence that falls at the end of another full sentence, introduce it with a colon:

Example

She stated: “I’m delighted that you will be joining Bucks next year”.

If the quote isn’t a full sentence put the punctuation outside the quote marks:

Q - S

House style 55

Example

She tells us that student numbers are ‘up this year’.

SaintFor names of towns, churches etc abbreviate to St, eg St Andrew’s Church, High Wycombe.

SchoolTitles of academic schools should begin with a capital S.

Do not use a capital S when talking about schools more generally.

Sentence constructionConstruct sentences so that they say what you mean.

Example

Not: Walking onto campus, a duck flew into me. (This suggests that the duck was walking onto campus.) But: A duck flew into me as I was walking

onto campus.

56 House style

target

targeted

targeting

tel

Twitter

Telephone numbersDo not include hyphens and include a space between the area codes, the main number and the third digit of the main number, eg +44 (0) 1494 522 141.

Treat mobile phone numbers as having four-figure area codes: +44 (0) 7769 123 456.

Use international numbers on stationery and adverts in publications that may be seen overseas, eg +44 (0) 1494 522 141.

Use tel, ext and fax in abbreviated form, without a full stop. Make sure you check all telephone numbers before a document is published by dialling them.

Templates A range of document templates are available on our website at bucks.ac.uk/branding.

Time (see also dates)To express an academic year, or range of years, use the following format:

• 2017–18, or 2017–2018, using an en-dash

• Do not use 2017-18 or 2017/18

• Use am and pm, not the 24-hour clock. Use full stops not colons as separators.

• 3pm not 3.00pm, 9.30am not 09:30, 11.30pm not 23:30 (no space before the am/pm), noon (not 12 noon), midnight (not 12 midnight)

T - U

House style 57

Titles (see also job titles)Refer to a person using their first name and family name and any title. Only use Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms in correspondence and avoid using initials.

Example

Professor Rebecca Bunting, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive

Titles, newspapers and magazines (see also italics)Do not capitalise ‘the’ unless it is part of the title.

Examples

the Daily Telegraph, the Mail on Sunday, the Financial Times The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, The Economist.

UnderliningDon’t underline unnecessarily. Headings should not be underlined because readers may think they are hyperlinks. Use bold for emphasis.

United KingdomThe United Kingdom consists of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and is synonymous with Britain. Great Britain refers only to the mainland. Beware of using England when you mean Britain, or vice versa.

UniversityWe refer to the University as:

• Buckinghamshire New University (our formal name, used in contracts and on certificates, for example)

• Bucks New University (used informally and in internal and external marketing materials for example)

• Bucks (be aware of possible confusion with the county)

• BNU is not an acceptable abbreviation of the University name.

Capitalise titles, eg Buckinghamshire New University, but use lower case for general use, for example: There are two universities in Buckinghamshire.

Always capitalise when talking about Bucks New University, eg the University’s football team.

Do not confuse the University’s (belonging to the University) with universities (more than one university).

Upper caseAvoid putting words in upper case - it appears as if you are shouting at your readers and interrupts the flow of words.

USUse US as the abbreviation for the United States, not USA. There is no need to spell out the words even at first mention. America is also acceptable (but don’t use America where ambiguity could occur with Canada or Latin America).

58 House style

Vice-Chancellor (or VC)

vocational A-level

website

wellbeing

west

who’s (a contraction of who is or who

has)

whose (whose book is this?)

Wi-Fi

workplace

work-placement year

world class

worldwide

worthwhile

you’re (you are)

your (is this your book?)

Web addressesOnly precede web addresses with ‘http://’ if the address doesn’t start with ‘www’.

To remove hyperlink underscores in printed publications, right click on your mouse.

Remove the ‘www’ before a web address and if an address comes at the end of a sentence it’s fine to use a full stop.

Example

Find out more about the University’s faculties by visiting bucks.ac.uk.

All web addresses should be checked before a document is published. When linking from one web page to another make sure the hyperlink makes sense to the reader; don’t just say ‘click here’.

Work-based learningCapitalise only when referring to a specific course.

Example

Foundation degrees combine work-based learning and work-related learning with traditional academic teaching, such as our FDA Policing.

Years (see also levels)Wherever possible, use years in place of levels; readers may not understand the levels.

Example

In the final year the modules for both courses are the same. The four-year mode includes a work placement undertaken in the third year.

V - W - Y

For further information and advice please contact:

Brand and Design Manager Marketing & Student Recruitment Buckinghamshire New University High Wycombe Campus Queen Alexandra Road High Wycombe Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ

Telephone: 01494 522 141 Facsimile: 01494 605 023 Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @bucksnewuni Facebook: bucks.ac.uk/facebook Linkedin: bucks.ac.uk/linkedin

We will consider any requests for accessible formats that may be required. Please send your request to: [email protected].

This publication was produced by Buckinghamshire New University in March 2017, and is accurate at the time of going to press.

We reserve the right to amend information within this guide without prior notice.

© Buckinghamshire New University 2017

ContactBreaches of our corporate identity undermine our brand, so please read these guidelines carefully and consult the Brand and Design Manager if you have any queries.


Contact 59

bucks new university brand guidelines 2016

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