Names & Descriptions
Keep them clear, concise, and meaningful.
Quick Reference for Names & Descriptions
- Guide Names — Announce the topic of your guide clearly and succinctly. Determining the best name for your guide depends on your guide's purpose.
- Descriptions — Complement your guide name by providing further insight into what your guide is about. Try to keep your guide description to 100 characters or less.
Getting There
- Log into LibGuides https://usfca.libapps.com/libguides/.
- Select Content > Guides and click the Edit icon for the guide you want to update.
- Click the name and description fields to edit and save your options.
Guide Names
An effective name announces the topic of the guide clearly and succinctly. Names are crucial to users as they browse and search the library website.
Best Practices for Guide Names
- Focus on the purpose — Determine the best name for your guide by first reviewing the Naming Conventions Guide Type table in conjunction with the Guide Type definitions.
- Be clear and direct — Use plain language without extra words like "Guide to..." or "Research Guide for..."
- Follow title case — Use AP style title case for consistency and readability. Use Capitalize My Title if you're not sure.
- Skip library and institutional branding — Avoid including “Gleeson” or “USF” — branding appears in logos and breadcrumbs. It is ok to use these terms if you are referring to the name of a resource or service, or if their inclusion is necessary to understanding the content of the guide.
|
Guide Type |
Naming Conventions |
|---|---|
| Research Basics |
Names should be straightforward and intuitive for users just getting started with their research. Examples: Citing Sources and Statistics & Data |
| Class Guides |
Include course prefix (uppercase), number (with colon), and title (capitalized). If applicable, add section number and/or professor’s last name. Examples: POLS 110: Change and Conflict and RHET 195-10: Writing About Movements (Smith) |
| Academic Program & Discipline Guides |
Only include the USFCA academic program name or general discipline name. Examples: Rhetoric and Language and Energy Systems Management |
| Topics Guides & Internal Guides |
Names should be straightforward and easy for all users to understand. Examples: Anti-Racism Resources and PubMed Tutorials |
Descriptions
An effective description complements the guide name by providing further insight into what the guide is about. Descriptions help users find guides that will meet their needs.
Best Practices for Descriptions
- Summarize your guide — Descriptions should clearly and concisely summarize the content of your guide.
- Keep descriptions short — The target length of descriptions is 100 characters or less, and not more than 140 characters.
- Skip library and institutional branding — Avoid including “Gleeson” or “USF” — branding appears in logos and breadcrumbs. It is ok to use these terms if you are referring to the name of a resource or service, or if their inclusion is necessary to understanding the content of the guide.
- Examples:
- Research Guides — Curated guides to finding and using library research sources.
- Nursing — Library resources for all Nursing & Health Professions programs.
- Anti-Racism Resources — A selection of materials to empower people to move beyond simply not being overtly racist, and into active anti-racism work.