What are the key narrative requirements?
- Clear, concise language that best represents the university overall is key. To achieve this, it is best to plan what you want to communicate before you begin writing. Ask yourself:
- How does my message support the university’s brand?
- What does this say about UNT and my college/school/department?
- Write using the UNT voice so that you appropriately represent UNT’s personality. To achieve this, it is best to use language that is:
- Confident — knowledgeable and proud of UNT (its people, places and things)
- Friendly — warm, welcoming and supportive (also personable, collegial)
- Sincere — authentic, open, real, knowledgeable
- Inspiring — imaginative, proud, original
- Always be accurate. Use the UNT Fact Site for approved, vetted facts and brag points.
- Follow the recommendations in UNT’s Styleguide.
- Respect the university’s name.
- Spell out University of North Texas on first reference, which must be in the first or second sentence of your copy.
- Use UNT or "the university" (avoid using University, with uppercase U) on second reference.
- Do not use North Texas when referring to the university. The only approved uses of North Texas are by Mean Green Athletics.
- For college/school level communications:
- University of North Texas and/or UNT must appear before or in conjunction with the college name.
- Use full college name on first reference.
- Avoid acronyms such as COM, CVAD, COB, etc., especially for external audiences.
- For department, program, initiative or center communications:
- University of North Texas and/or UNT must appear before or in conjunction with the department/program/initiative/center name.
- Use full department/program/initiative/center name on first reference.
- Avoid acronyms, especially for external audiences.
- Use additional writing resources, including:
If you have any questions or need guidance on narrative branding, contact UBSC at 940-565-2108.