Purdue University :: University Policies

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About Policies

Writing and Formatting Policies

All new or substantially revised policies must be written using the current policy template (Word).
Follow the guidelines for each section as stated within the template.
Do not rename or add sections to the policy template.

Use simple and specific terminology that can be easily understood by everyone.
Follow the Purdue University Editorial Style Guide (as maintained by Purdue Marketing and Media) for rules regarding punctuation, capitalization, etc.
- The style guide is based on the Chicago Manual of Style.
- Most commonly referenced rule: use serial commas (e.g., “Commas come before the final and, or, and but in a series.”).
Any term defined in the policy should be capitalized each time it is used.
Use the words “must" or “will” rather than "should" in the body of the policy. The later infers that the action is optional, which makes the need for the policy questionable.
Always use an office, department, unit, or job title instead of an individual’s name. Examples:
- “The Office of Ethics and Compliance is responsible for...”
- “Contact the account clerk…”
Contact e-mails should be general department addresses or a Web page that gives further contact information. Individual e-mail addresses should be avoided to prevent the policy from needing updates when personnel changes occur.
Do not underline subheadings or words that need to be stressed in a sentence. Rather, set it in bold if it is a subheading or put it in italics if the word needs to be stressed (e.g., “Do not underline words.”). Underlined words can be mistaken for hyperlinks when the policy is posted online.

The title should be clear, concise, and accurately reflect the policy content.
Avoid the use of acronyms and the words "Purdue," "University," and "policy."
Use a title that is sufficiently different from other policies on this Web site.
In the case of an interim policy, include “Interim Policy — “ before the policy title.

Include the URL (Web address) for any related documents or forms referenced in the policy.
The University Policies Web site is not a repository for policy-related documents. Instead, these items should be available on an appropriate unit-level Web site to which the policy can link.
Notify the UPO any time a URL listed in the policy changes in order to avoid broken links.
Related documents should be version dated to ensure the most current version is being used.