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CMU Style Guide — News Content

This style guide — aligned with the CMU Brand Writing Guidelines and our use of AP style — pertains to news stories that will be featured on the following University Communications & Marketing-owned websites and newsletters:

*Note: news/stories are interchangeable vernacular.

This guide will help communicators across campus tell the stories of the impact their students, faculty and staff are making locally and globally with consistency in style, tone and messaging.

UCM welcomes the opportunity to collaborate. Please engage with our Content, Internal Communications, Research Communications, Social Media and/or Media Relations team(s) at the start of the storytelling process for the best opportunity to leverage university-level, UCM-owned platforms and services.

Please contact Jean Hayes, director of content strategy, (jeanhaye@andrew.cmu.edu) with questions about storytelling or any of these guidelines.

Identifying the Story

Things to consider at the start of the building process for your story:
  • Does it fit into one or more of the university’s strategic framework priorities?
    • Human-Centered Future of Education and Work
    • Expanding the Frontiers of Research and Creativity
    • A Vibrant and Engaged Global Community
    • Institutional Agility and Resilience
  • If it’s a story about CMU research, does it fit into the Research and/or Work That Matters guidelines?
  • What’s the human hook? Why would a reader care about this? How does it make an impact on them, their friends or their family?
  • What’s the real-world impact? How will this research, student, or faculty member make the world a better place?
  • What’s the headline and opening sentence? How will you grab the reader’s attention?
  • What’s missing to tell this story well (data, quotes, visuals)? Are there visual assets that can help the reader better understand your content? Review the UCM Storytelling Checklist for a list of visual options available from the UCM team.
  • What’s the plan to leverage the message? (platforms, earned media, etc.) On what platforms will your story be shared and what formats/assets will be needed for each? Review the UCM Storytelling Checklist for a list of visual options available from the UCM team.

Identifying the Audience and Channel

Not every piece of information needs a story written. Something may be more appropriate for another approach such as social media or a media pitch. Knowing who your audience is will be critical for how and where you tell your story.

  • Who do you want to read your story?
  • What are the best channels to reach them?
    • Web
      • Some content may be more appropriate for a school/college site versus the news page.
    • Media pitch
      • Some stories may not be appropriate for university-level media outreach.
    • Social Media
      • Some stories may not be appropriate to post on university social media channels.
    • The Piper

Identifying the Visuals

When developing your story, think about the visual components from the start. Please refer to UCM’s Guidelines for News Images.

The UCM team is here to help you create stories and visuals that demonstrate the impact that CMU students, faculty and research are having here in Pittsburgh and around the world. What type of imagery would enhance the reader's experience? Please reach out to April Kaull (akaull@andrew.cmu.edu) to discuss ways to enhance your content.

Portraits for individuals quoted in stories and a feature image are required elements.

Below are some general guidelines to help you create content for the four websites mentioned above:

General News Story Guidelines

cmu.edu/news

CMU News is where selected content from across campus is published. Content is a mix of research, student/faculty/staff achievements and university initiative features aligned with the university’s strategic framework. Below are criteria that the UCM team uses to determine if a story is appropriate for the news website:

Primary purpose:
  • Elevate CMU’s reputation through stories highlighting the university’s people, research and significant announcements.
  • Demonstrate the depth, breadth and innovation across topics and schools/colleges.

Key criteria for news stories:

  • Newsworthiness: Timely, relevant, tied to current/recent events.
  • Clarity and brevity: Can be summarized in a headline and brief summary.
  • Broad audience fit: Understandable by alumni, parents, prospective students, media.

Content for cmu.edu/news should be aligned with the university’s strategic framework and meet most of the following:

  1. University-level Significance
    1. The topic is distinctive to CMU or represents clear institutional strengths or research priorities.
    2. It reflects CMU’s unique strength in combining disciplines and demonstrates CMU’s brand.
  2. Editorial and Visual Viability
    1. Demonstrates a compelling narrative hook, clarity of message and audience appeal. It should also include the subject’s potential impact/relevance/importance. Don’t bury the lede!
    2. Could be adapted to multiple formats (an article, a media pitch, a social post).
    3. Can be elevated through high-quality visuals where the story is “seeable,” including short-form video, environmental portraits, data visualizations, illustrations or animations (See Guidelines for News Images).
  3. Newsworthiness
    1. The story describes a new discovery, method, tool, publication or partnership with meaningful institutional relevance. We generally do not feature event coverage, academic book publications or routine partnership announcements unless they involve a notable milestone, well-known external partner (e.g., federal agency or globally recognized company) or clear strategic significance to the university. Alumni stories are considered in specific circumstances.
  4. Accessible Language
    1. The story can be explained clearly to a reasonably informed layperson (alumni, peer researchers, media).
    2. The story avoids jargon and overly technical language.
  5. Strategic and Reputational Value
    1. The story supports CMU’s institutional reputation and visibility.
What generally doesn’t belong on the news page:
  • Announcements for staff appointments below a vice president.
  • Announcements for faculty appointments below a dean.
  • Announcements for faculty book publications.
  • General alumni stories.

Research Story Guidelines

Because research is central to CMU’s mission, UCM offers additional guidance for shaping and placing research stories across our storytelling platforms, including CMU News, Research & Creativity and Work That Matters.

The Piper

Please review the Internal Communications Guidelines, including those for event calendar submissions.

CMU Homepage

cmu.edu

Primary purpose:

  • Serve as the online “front door” to the university.
  • Highlight selected news stories that support CMU strategic marketing and communications priorities.
  • Inform visitors of important facts about the university, including upcoming events.

Key criteria:

  • Intellectual rigor or originality.
  • Strategic alignment with current events, major themes, initiatives or research priorities.

Download CMU Style Guide — News Content PDF