Tense and voice

Reporting pieces are written in the third person and in the past tense unless the present tense gives a meaningful reason. We avoid the first person except in essay forms and in author bios. We avoid the editorial “we” in pieces.

Names and titles

People are named in full on first mention and by surname thereafter. We do not use honorifics (Mr., Mrs., Dr.) except in direct quotation. Professional titles (Captain, Reverend) are used on first mention only and dropped thereafter.

Numbers and dates

Numbers under one hundred are spelled out. Numbers above are expressed in numerals except at the start of a sentence. Dates are written 11 March 1984, not March 11, 1984. We default to the international format because most of our pieces involve multiple countries.

Quotations

Quotations are exact. We do not insert words into a quotation in brackets to repair grammar. If a quotation needs context, we add it outside the quotation marks. We do not paraphrase a quotation and then call it a quotation.

Italics

We italicize the titles of books and films, foreign-language words on first occurrence, and the names of named places aboard ships (the bridge, the wheelhouse) but not the ships themselves.

Sentences

We write short sentences when we can and long sentences when we must. A long sentence that does not earn itself by carrying weight is shortened. A short sentence that asks the reader to do too much is lengthened. We avoid sentence fragments unless the rhythm calls for one.

The exclamation point

We use no exclamation points outside of dialogue, and we are sparing even there. A sentence that needs an exclamation point to do its work has not been edited.

Emoji

We do not use them.