AVOID THE USE OF SLANG, OBSCURE TECHNICAL TERMS AND COMMONPLACE EXPRESSIONS AND UNAUTHORIZED ABBREVIATIONS IN NEWS STORIES. WHEN YOU LET YOUR FANCY FOR SYNCOPATED ENGLISH PLAY PUT IT IN QUOTATION MARKS, OR RESERVE IT FOR AVOWEDLY HUMOROUS FLIGHTS.
- Don't clip words, as "plane" for "monoplane," "biplane," &.; or "phone" for “telephone," or "auto" for "automobile."
- Don't say "fire breaks out."
- Don't use "gang" or "gangster."
- Don't use "hurdle" as a verb in "hurdle and ride."
- Don't use "newspaper story" for "article" or "account."
- Don't use "near riot."
- Don't use "pants," "vest" or "full dress suit."
- Don't say a place was "raided"; use "raid" as a noun.
- Don't use "rush" as an adjective; no “rush orders,” &.
- Don't use "suicide" as a verb.
- Don't say "plain clothes men."
- Don't use "Zoo" for "New York Zoological Park" or the "Central Park Menagerie."
REDUNDANCY CONSISTS OF THE USE OF WORDS WHICH ARE NOT NECESSARY TO THE SENSE.
- Don't use "consensus of opinion" for "consensus."
- Don't use "painfully cut" or similar expressions, as though persons were "agreeably cut."
- Don't say "completely destroyed."
- Don't use "sword duel" or "pistol duel."
- Don't use "dance music" or "promenade music."
- Don't use "thrilling" as an unnecessary adjective in the context of a story as describing a situation desired to be expressed by a reporter. Let the public decide if the story is thrilling or not.
- Don't sprinkle "yesterdays" throughout your story.
PRECISION CONSISTS OF THE CHOICE FROM COGNATE OR SIMILAR WORDS OF THE WORD WHICH BEST EXPRESSES THE IDEA TO BE CONVEYED. BE ACCURATE.
- Don't use "casket" for "coffin."
- Don't use "car" or "machine" for "automobile." Car does not mean automobile, and where automobile is meant the word automobile should be used.
- Don't use "claim" for "assert." A man claims a hat; he asserts that the hat is his.
- Don't use "engineer" for "engine driver."
- "Hunting dogs" must be avoided; use "hounds." In an objectionable case the dogs were English setters. Use the "g" in Pekingese.
- Say "hunting" when referring to the chase of game on horseback, and “shooting” when the sportsman is afoot.
- Don’t say “a number”; get something more definite.
- Don’t use “partially” when you mean “partly.”
- Don’t use “proposition” when you mean “proposal.”
- Don’t say “suit was brought,” say “action was begun.”
PROPRIETY REQUIRES THAT WORDS OR PHRASES SHALL CONVEY THE EXACT AND PROPER MEANING OF THE WRITER.
- Don’t use “as to" for "about," "concerning" or "regarding.”
- Don’t use "came" for "went" or "gone."
- Don't use "collide" write "in collision."
- Don't say "the Court said," when you mean the Judge or Justice.
- Don't say "created" when you mean "caused."
- Don't use "diplomat"; use "diplomatist."
- Do not use this style of the "was given" form of expression and its variations: "Admiral Dewey was given a horse" and "Colonel Smith was presented with a sword." The horse was given to Admiral Dewey and the sword was presented to Colonel Smith.
- Don't say "had his leg broken" or "had his pocket picked." The victims do not cause these things to be done.
- Don't say Mr. Smith has "departed for Europe." "Departed" is used in "departed this life."
- Don't say "disorderly house" when you mean "disreputable." A house cannot be disorderly. Do not print the numbers of such houses.
- Don't use "during" for "in." "During" means throughout the continuance of.
- Don't say "groom" when you mean "bridegroom."
- Don't use "epidemic" for "epizootic" in referring to a malady widespread among animals.
- Don't say "executive" session when you mean "secret" session.
- Don't use "on" for "in" a street. The Metropolitan Opera House is "in" Broadway, not "on" Broadway.
- Don't use "it" in reference to a baby or an animal.
- Don't use "inaugurate" for "begun."
- Don't say "liable" when you mean "likely."
- Don't refer to the "Mayor's Cabinet." Only the President of the United States has a Cabinet.
- Don't use "minister" except for diplomatists.
- Don't use "Officer O'Flaherty"; say "Policeman O'Flaherty."
- Don't use "over" in the sense of "more than."
- Don't use "pair" for "couple."
- Don't use "past" in the sense of "last"; for instance, an event that is past occurred last week or within the last few days, not in the past week or past few days.
- Don't use "people" for "persons." Refer to "the people of the United States," but say "persons who saw the accident."
- Don't use the word "party" for "person" except in reports of legal affairs.
- Don't say "railway coaches"; say "cars." A coach is another kind of vehicle.
- Don't call "rails" tracks.
- Don't say "remains," say "body."
- Don't use "secure" for "get," "obtain" or "procure."
- Don't use "shortly" when you mean "soon" or "lengthy” for "long."
- Don't say "scenes are enacted"; scenes are witnessed.
- Do not use "plan" except in connection with drawn architectural or engineering plans. Do not use it as a verb. "Planned" or "planning" are taboo.
- Don’t say “suspect” or “suspicious person” for "suspected person.”
- Don’t say “a wedding occurred.” Explosions occur; weddings take place.
