There are many communication standards out there. We have Chicago and the Associated Press (AP). Every agency and department in the US government has a different standard, not to mention the multitude of organizations in the private sector. And, each of these standards seems to have a different set of goals, unfortunately not always focused on clarity, efficiency, and functionality.

We offer these guidelines as a suggested common standard. Where we align with other standards like Chicago, AP, and the Government Printing Office, we will try to cite this alignment and explain why we feel it is superior to alternatives.