Writing Overview

Brand Voice

Our brand voice builds on our personality, further personifying UCF so we sound authentic and feel familiar to our audiences. 

Reflecting our distinct perspective and attitude, our voice comes through in our writing style, the words we choose and even the structure of our sentences. Filtering all content through this brand voice lens helps make our writing interesting, engaging and recognizable. 

To illustrate our brand voice traits, we show a scale: It’s important to strike the right balance to ensure our voice doesn’t veer off-brand. 

General Standards and Style

On the practical side of writing for UCF, we have some standards and style elements to help ensure consistency across all communications. With such a high volume of content created across the university to serve our various audiences and goals, even the seemingly small details add up.

Important Overall Notes

Prioritize active voice and strong verbs, especially in headlines, but also in subheads or deks — and of course, throughout the piece. We don’t describe progress or success as something that happens. We speak as those who make it happen.

• Remember: Don’t force dare into everything. Embrace the sentiment instead.

Focus on the future and outcomes instead of only mentioning recent or present-day research, initiatives or happenings. We’re forward-thinking, so highlight the “why” and even the “what could be”: potential impacts, implications or other applications for the topic. Sometimes nodding to our origin story is appropriate, but it shouldn’t be the whole story or main takeaway.

Be succinct and avoid overwriting. There can be value in building up to make an impactful point. But there’s also power in punchy, bold, definitive writing. Try to avoid stating the obvious, repeating yourself or adding fluff.

Use common language and break down any barriers, especially in research and scientific writing for a broad audience. Be mindful of insider terminology and industry jargon. In marketing pieces with a longer shelf life, avoid using trendy language or making timely references to things like pop culture or world events.

Strategize to avoid messaging overload. Jamming in too many angles or points can cause confusion and make content much longer, which may lose our audience altogether. Keep the piece focused. We shouldn’t try to say everything everywhere to everyone.

Context Notes

Try not to simply say we’re innovative, but convey how we’re innovating or what is innovative about our approach or solution. It may be more appropriate to use another word or description instead. 

Quantify or specify when possible. It’s much more powerful to include actual numbers for funding secured, people involved, rankings earned, percentage of growth, etc. If the figure itself doesn’t provide much context, frame it in a way that signals why it’s impressive. 

• Example: Someone could interpret a $1 million partnership as a small investment. But if we say we’re “the company’s only university partner,” or “one of just five recipients nationwide,” the figure gains importance. 
• Example: Saying we have one of the best graduate programs sounds subjective and empty. But if we say we “rank among the top 10% in the world,” or “we’re No. 3 in the nation,” the claim gains legitimacy. 

Consider the context for faculty titles. If a faculty member holds multiple positions, typically use the highest level of distinction and include other roles if relevant to your content — being careful to avoid a long, cumbersome sentence with multiple titles. Write out full formal titles on first reference, then consider other ways to refer to the person to add description and avoid repetition. Particularly in marketing materials where length and space are limited — or if the audience may not grasp the significance of the formal title — consider alternate phrasing, as appropriate.

• Example: Instead of (or as a subsequent reference to) “Agere Chair Professor of Computer Science,” consider something more generally noteworthy, like “virtual reality pioneer.”
• Example: Instead of (or as a subsequent reference to) “AdventHealth Endowed Chair in Healthcare Simulation,” consider something more descriptive, like “healthcare simulation inventor.”
• Example: Instead of (or as a subsequent reference to) “associate professor of physics,” consider something more precise, like “planetary scientist.”

Grammar and Punctuation Notes

Use incomplete sentences where appropriate for emphasis and to make the content feel dynamic. This is especially effective for a list of phrases instead of one long, cumbersome sentence. 

Use em dashes — with a space on either side like this — where appropriate for emphasis, building onto a point or noting an aside. Be careful not to overuse the em dash in back-to-back sentences or paragraphs, or when a comma would work.  

Do not use semicolons in marketing or communications writing. Unless needed for clarity, like separating a detailed list with multiple conjunctions, semicolons come across as formal and stuffy. 

Do not use Oxford commas unless needed for clarity, like when items in a list include internal conjunctions. Oxford commas often make the reader pause unnecessarily, hindering the flow and pace of the sentence. 

Do not use ampersands, even in headlines, unless part of an external company or organization name. Spell out “and” in the names of colleges, departments, initiatives, degrees, etc. 

Do not overuse exclamation points — and don’t use them at all with text in all caps. If content is intended to convey excitement, the writing itself — or even the context or environment — should do that without overcompensating through exclamation points. 

• Example: The energy of “WELCOME TO KNIGHT NATION” is apparent on a large banner on campus during game day. 
• Example: The gravitas of “You’ve earned this moment, grads.” is apparent on digital graphics playing during commencement. 

How to Get Great Quotes

• Ask what makes the approach or solution different or unexpected, what’s possible next or why this moment matters.  

• Go beyond what someone did and ask what they believe or what excites them most about the topic. 

• Explore challenges or misconceptions to uncover resilience, determination or creative thinking. 

• Help people communicate the significance of their work or experience by asking how it impacts students, society, industry, their future or the future as a whole. 

• Encourage them to speak to the caliber of people on their team, the talent of the students they work with or how industry depends on our partnership. 

• Ask them to mention “UCF” in their response.