SigEp Journal Guidelines

Do's and Dont's
Journal Facts
Key Style Guidelines
Writing Articles
Submitting Photos

Do’s and Don’ts

What’s the best way to get your story idea or chapter news into the Journal? Read and follow these Do’s Don’ts below:

Do:

• E-mail the editor about your story ideas now for the upcoming issue. She will help you refine the story idea and develop the angle that will increase the likelihood of publication. gaylynn.carpenter@sigep.net
• Assign a competent writer to draft your story, particularly if it is an event where attendance would add to the content. If you have an idea and need a writer, contact the editor and explain your story idea. She will determine if a Journal writer can be assigned.
• Most submissions should be in the range of 200-500 words.
• Assign a competent photo buff to take shots of any significant event you hold. You'll need in-focus, high resolution (300kb or better), candid and posed photos of events.
• Identify name, school and graduating year for each member in stories or photos.
• Make the story connect with SigEp readers. Each story we tell should illustrate at least one of the following dimensions that define SigEp. That can take many forms:
  • Sound Mind and Sound Body
  • Balanced Man
  • The Cardinal Principles of Virtue, Diligence or Brotherly Love
  • Leadership in the community, the workplace
  • Being different, breaking through the frat boy stereotype
  • Outstanding academics, volunteerism or inspiration
  • How the SigEp experience shapes a member during college and for years to come
• Assure that one or more newsworthy elements are present:
  • National in scope
  • Best practice
  • High impact
  • Unusual, original, fresh ideas
  • Touching
  • Exciting
  • Exemplary of values and principles
• Rustle up Chapter and Alumni News!
  • Prominent campus leadership positions
  • Major recruitment successes
  • Balanced Man Scholarship banquets
  • Innovative Sound Mind and Sound Body programs (especially Sound Mind)
  • Service learning activities (fund-raising events, unless significant amounts are raised, are very common. Send stories where chapter members or alumni are directly affecting people’s lives.)
  • Unusual member accomplishments or situations where adversity was overcome
  • Identify varsity athletes and those with 3.15 GPAs or higher.
  • Alumni with notable accomplishments or significant volunteer commitments

Don't:

• Let the Journal deadline drive your submission. Send your information as soon as your event or activity happens.
• Use jargon or "inside" talk.
• Use your Chapter designation, like Colorado Alpha. The Journal will always use your school name. Otherwise, readers wouldn’t know which chapter is covered. Chapter designation is only used as a second reference.
• Send in articles that promote an upcoming event, like an anniversary or community service project. The Journal reports what has already happened at the chapter level. It is not the right place to generate attendance to chapter events.
• Send a general update of "what's going on" at your chapter. The Journal doesn't publish these kinds of items. With over 250 chapters, these brief updates, mostly of interest to that chapter, would take up the whole magazine. Focus on specific activities or individuals and how they demonstrate SigEp principles, values or program ideals.
• Send out-of-focus or low resolution photos. The Journal can’t use photos smaller than 300kb.
• Send a story exactly like one you just read in the Journal. We recently published a story about martial arts national champion and got a story idea about another martial arts champion.
• Be concerned if a story doesn’t get published. Limitations include space, redundancy with other stories, newsworthiness compared to other stories, last minute changes and many other factors.