Typography

WordPress site administrators should never manually change the color, style, size, weight, etc of any text within WordPress. The colors of all text are controlled through the WordPress theme and is done so to ensure consistency across our network of University websites. If the University web team notices misuse of typography on your webpages, the misused typography will be corrected.

One of the main functions of the main website is to serve as a recruitment tool for Marshall University. Opportunity, community, tradition and history, and a spirit of innovation and vision are identified as primary themes through which Marshall University’s strengths can be understood and conveyed. These themes should be integrated directly into the website copy to educate users and further reinforce the brand. The tone should be confident but friendly, direct but reassuring. The copy should also reflect a sense of belonging and include action-oriented language.

Section titles should be worded as calls to action, rather than solely as descriptors. Words like find, get, learn, or discover are used to encourage users to act, while associating dynamism with the overall Marshall University brand experience.

Do not modify typefaces or colors. These choices were made carefully to adapt the established print guidelines for the web.

Do not justify any text. This style creates spaces between words called “rivers of white” which can run down the page and make it difficult for users to read. For best practice, keep all text aligned to the left.

Do not use all caps. We are not screaming at our audience, you should almost never use all caps in your text. There are some elements/components that will be styled as all caps by the WordPress theme, but the text should be entered still in normal case.

Understanding Headers and Proper Page Structure

HTML has six levels of headings, h1-h6. Our WordPress theme handles the h1 tags. Your page should never use Heading 1 / h1 tags The first level heading you should use in your content should be an Heading 3 / h3 tag, which is required to be followed by some kind of content. If that content has any subheadings they should be Heading 4 / h4 tags. Heading tags also should never be links.

Heading tags must be headings for some type of content. If you need to put important information at the top of your page that is a single sentence, that stands alone you should use the alerts shortcode. If the University web team notices improper heading structures on pages we will edit the page to correct it.