EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
@eapmstyleguide.bsky.social
The only guide dedicated to journalism style and accessibility. From @equalaccesspublicmedia.org.
www.eapmstyleguide.org
www.eapmstyleguide.org
Public service announcement: words have meaning.
The autism community has largely defined autism as a neurodivergent identity. Autism/autistic has meaning.
Austism spectrum disorder is a diagnosis. This has parameters. ASD (F84.0) has meaning.
eapmstyleguide.org/autism-autis...
The autism community has largely defined autism as a neurodivergent identity. Autism/autistic has meaning.
Austism spectrum disorder is a diagnosis. This has parameters. ASD (F84.0) has meaning.
eapmstyleguide.org/autism-autis...
autism, autistic - EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
A disability that affects how people experience the world around them, which can be...
eapmstyleguide.org
November 23, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Public service announcement: words have meaning.
The autism community has largely defined autism as a neurodivergent identity. Autism/autistic has meaning.
Austism spectrum disorder is a diagnosis. This has parameters. ASD (F84.0) has meaning.
eapmstyleguide.org/autism-autis...
The autism community has largely defined autism as a neurodivergent identity. Autism/autistic has meaning.
Austism spectrum disorder is a diagnosis. This has parameters. ASD (F84.0) has meaning.
eapmstyleguide.org/autism-autis...
Reposted by EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
You don't necessarily need to say "image of" in your alt text for users to know it's an image. Screen readers will announce that it's an image. But it can help readers to specify if it's a hand-drawn image, Polaroid, infographic, screenshot, chart, map, diagram, or so on.
November 21, 2025 at 3:01 PM
You don't necessarily need to say "image of" in your alt text for users to know it's an image. Screen readers will announce that it's an image. But it can help readers to specify if it's a hand-drawn image, Polaroid, infographic, screenshot, chart, map, diagram, or so on.
We're still building. Please help us continue our work.
Here's the sad reality. @equalaccesspublicmedia.org just paid this month's freelance bill for @the-word.news. Without a miracle, without an angel donor, without something happening quickly, by the end of the December 15, we're out of money.
www.equalaccesspublicmedia.org/support-us/
www.equalaccesspublicmedia.org/support-us/
Support
Donations to EAPM help build the future of accessible news.
www.equalaccesspublicmedia.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:22 PM
We're still building. Please help us continue our work.
Do you love the Style and Accessibility Guide? Hate it? Haven't used it, but simply love taking surveys? Great! We're looking for you! Take our User Feedback Survey!
eapmstyleguide.org#survey
eapmstyleguide.org#survey
Home - EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
Welcome to EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide. Browse by chapter or search for a term.
eapmstyleguide.org
November 17, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Do you love the Style and Accessibility Guide? Hate it? Haven't used it, but simply love taking surveys? Great! We're looking for you! Take our User Feedback Survey!
eapmstyleguide.org#survey
eapmstyleguide.org#survey
Yes, we love the em-dash as much as the next journalist — and apparently as much as gen AI, so we're told. But did you know that a screen reader doesn't necessary read the em-dash?
em-dash - EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
Use the em-dash between the dateline and the start of the first paragraph, surrounded by...
eapmstyleguide.org
November 9, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Yes, we love the em-dash as much as the next journalist — and apparently as much as gen AI, so we're told. But did you know that a screen reader doesn't necessary read the em-dash?
To be, or not to be? Do you really need it? Oh, yes. You do need to know it.
need, needs - EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
The word need is both a noun and a verb, but it is often misused in its verb form. As a noun, it means...
eapmstyleguide.org
November 8, 2025 at 6:29 PM
To be, or not to be? Do you really need it? Oh, yes. You do need to know it.
Are you a Style and Accessibility Guide patron? Not only do you help fund the Style and Accessibility Guide — and the people who contribute to it! — but you are part of building the only journalism accessibility guide out there.
Support - EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
Become a Guide Patron of the Style and Accessibility Guide.
eapmstyleguide.org
November 6, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Are you a Style and Accessibility Guide patron? Not only do you help fund the Style and Accessibility Guide — and the people who contribute to it! — but you are part of building the only journalism accessibility guide out there.
Reposted by EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
Two years ago this month, we went from idea to reality. Help continue our work by donating $2 in honor of our second birthday.
Support
Donations to EAPM help build the future of accessible news.
equalaccesspublicmedia.org
November 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Two years ago this month, we went from idea to reality. Help continue our work by donating $2 in honor of our second birthday.
Happy day after elections. With so many candidates focusing on affordability, we thought it might be helpful to post two terms:
• minimum wage (eapmstyleguide.org/minimum-wage/)
• living wage (eapmstyleguide.org/living-wage/)
and a song.
• minimum wage (eapmstyleguide.org/minimum-wage/)
• living wage (eapmstyleguide.org/living-wage/)
and a song.
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Happy day after elections. With so many candidates focusing on affordability, we thought it might be helpful to post two terms:
• minimum wage (eapmstyleguide.org/minimum-wage/)
• living wage (eapmstyleguide.org/living-wage/)
and a song.
• minimum wage (eapmstyleguide.org/minimum-wage/)
• living wage (eapmstyleguide.org/living-wage/)
and a song.
Related: Have you ever heard of Protactile? It's an emerging language, developed by people who are deafblind.
November 4, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Related: Have you ever heard of Protactile? It's an emerging language, developed by people who are deafblind.
Reposted by EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
When using Microsoft Word or Google Docs, don't just make text bigger and bolder to make it a heading. That will work for sighted users, but screen reader users will miss that and just hear it as normal paragraph text. Use actual heading styles, like level 1 through 6.
November 2, 2025 at 12:55 AM
When using Microsoft Word or Google Docs, don't just make text bigger and bolder to make it a heading. That will work for sighted users, but screen reader users will miss that and just hear it as normal paragraph text. Use actual heading styles, like level 1 through 6.
Did you get more rest last night? We hope no one wrested the extra hour of sleep away from you.
eapmstyleguide.org/rest/
eapmstyleguide.org/rest/
rest - EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
A noun meaning a state of refreshing ease, period of inactivity after exertion or labor, a refreshing period...
eapmstyleguide.org
November 2, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Did you get more rest last night? We hope no one wrested the extra hour of sleep away from you.
eapmstyleguide.org/rest/
eapmstyleguide.org/rest/
Reposted by EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
When possible, use simple and familiar data visualization techniques. Complex data visualizations can be visually appealing, but they can also be more difficult to understand. If a visualization gets overly complex, consider alternate chart types for the sake of understanding.
October 25, 2025 at 8:02 PM
When possible, use simple and familiar data visualization techniques. Complex data visualizations can be visually appealing, but they can also be more difficult to understand. If a visualization gets overly complex, consider alternate chart types for the sake of understanding.
Reposted by EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
Some people replace the word "season" with "szn" or the word "please" with "plz." Not all sighted users will know what those spellings are supposed to mean, and many screen reader users won't, either. Many screen readers will read "szn" as S-Z-N and "plz" as P-L-Z.
October 25, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Some people replace the word "season" with "szn" or the word "please" with "plz." Not all sighted users will know what those spellings are supposed to mean, and many screen reader users won't, either. Many screen readers will read "szn" as S-Z-N and "plz" as P-L-Z.
We figured, as a new account, it's important to post a controversial opinion.
So here we go. We love the Oxford comma.
(It makes serial lists more accessible.)
So here we go. We love the Oxford comma.
(It makes serial lists more accessible.)
October 24, 2025 at 5:47 PM
We figured, as a new account, it's important to post a controversial opinion.
So here we go. We love the Oxford comma.
(It makes serial lists more accessible.)
So here we go. We love the Oxford comma.
(It makes serial lists more accessible.)
Reposted by EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
People who want to make the web accessible need to understand the many different ways that people with disabilities use the web. This W3C resource offers a good introduction to how disabled people navigate the web, and barriers they commonly encounter.
www.w3.org/WAI/people-u...
www.w3.org/WAI/people-u...
How People with Disabilities Use the Web
Introduces how people with disabilities, including people with age-related impairments, use the Web.
www.w3.org
October 24, 2025 at 2:45 PM
People who want to make the web accessible need to understand the many different ways that people with disabilities use the web. This W3C resource offers a good introduction to how disabled people navigate the web, and barriers they commonly encounter.
www.w3.org/WAI/people-u...
www.w3.org/WAI/people-u...
They tried to make me go to rehab
And I said, "Great, but my HMO only covers outpatient physical therapy once a week for five weeks."
And they said, "No, we meant an inpatient SNF."
And I said, "Wait, these Amy Winehouse lyrics just got really confusing."
And I said, "Great, but my HMO only covers outpatient physical therapy once a week for five weeks."
And they said, "No, we meant an inpatient SNF."
And I said, "Wait, these Amy Winehouse lyrics just got really confusing."
rehab - EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
Short for rehabilitation. A generic term for a program or facility that treats a person with a diagnosed...
eapmstyleguide.org
October 23, 2025 at 1:07 PM
They tried to make me go to rehab
And I said, "Great, but my HMO only covers outpatient physical therapy once a week for five weeks."
And they said, "No, we meant an inpatient SNF."
And I said, "Wait, these Amy Winehouse lyrics just got really confusing."
And I said, "Great, but my HMO only covers outpatient physical therapy once a week for five weeks."
And they said, "No, we meant an inpatient SNF."
And I said, "Wait, these Amy Winehouse lyrics just got really confusing."
Reposted by EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
The same photo could appear on three different pages and require different alt text for each instance. The alt text for an image can vary, depending on the context of the image, its role on the page, and the intended message.
October 22, 2025 at 3:52 PM
The same photo could appear on three different pages and require different alt text for each instance. The alt text for an image can vary, depending on the context of the image, its role on the page, and the intended message.
Are you still using all lowercase letters for multi-word hashtags?
Hang on. We've got just the thing to improve your hashtag accessibility.
eapmstyleguide.org/h...
#BetterHashtagsForAccessibility
#WeLovePascalCase
#andCamelCaseToo
Hang on. We've got just the thing to improve your hashtag accessibility.
eapmstyleguide.org/h...
#BetterHashtagsForAccessibility
#WeLovePascalCase
#andCamelCaseToo
how to write hashtags - EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
For the majority of hashtags, use Pascal case. This convention capitalizes the first letter of...
eapmstyleguide.org
October 22, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Are you still using all lowercase letters for multi-word hashtags?
Hang on. We've got just the thing to improve your hashtag accessibility.
eapmstyleguide.org/h...
#BetterHashtagsForAccessibility
#WeLovePascalCase
#andCamelCaseToo
Hang on. We've got just the thing to improve your hashtag accessibility.
eapmstyleguide.org/h...
#BetterHashtagsForAccessibility
#WeLovePascalCase
#andCamelCaseToo
Reposted by EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
The #NoMouse Challenge is a global effort to raise awareness about accessible web design. Try using your website without a mouse. Use the keyboard instead. Is it possible to access all features and operate all buttons, sliders, and other controls?
nomouse.org
nomouse.org
nomouse.org
October 22, 2025 at 2:50 AM
The #NoMouse Challenge is a global effort to raise awareness about accessible web design. Try using your website without a mouse. Use the keyboard instead. Is it possible to access all features and operate all buttons, sliders, and other controls?
nomouse.org
nomouse.org
This guy on social media ends a lot of posts by thanking people for their "attention to this very important matter" in all capital letters. Screen reader software may read that letter by letter.
What is the best way to emphasize text anyway?
What is the best way to emphasize text anyway?
how to add emphasis - EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
Avoid using italic or bold text to convey emphasis. This will not be read by screen readers. In audio...
eapmstyleguide.org
October 21, 2025 at 7:06 PM
This guy on social media ends a lot of posts by thanking people for their "attention to this very important matter" in all capital letters. Screen reader software may read that letter by letter.
What is the best way to emphasize text anyway?
What is the best way to emphasize text anyway?
Reposted by EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
Screen readers are an assistive technology that interprets the information on a screen and translates it to either synthesized speech or Braille output. This helps blind people, people with low vision, and people with cognitive or learning disabilities.
www.afb.org/blindness-an...
www.afb.org/blindness-an...
www.afb.org
October 21, 2025 at 3:42 AM
Screen readers are an assistive technology that interprets the information on a screen and translates it to either synthesized speech or Braille output. This helps blind people, people with low vision, and people with cognitive or learning disabilities.
www.afb.org/blindness-an...
www.afb.org/blindness-an...
Hi. We're the EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide.
You probably know us best from seeing posts about us by @equalaccesspublicmedia.org.
We thought it was time we had our own account so we could bring you more daily tips on style and accessibility.
You probably know us best from seeing posts about us by @equalaccesspublicmedia.org.
We thought it was time we had our own account so we could bring you more daily tips on style and accessibility.
Home - EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
Welcome to EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide. Browse by chapter or search for a term. Check out The Word magazine, too.
www.eapmstyleguide.org
October 20, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Hi. We're the EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide.
You probably know us best from seeing posts about us by @equalaccesspublicmedia.org.
We thought it was time we had our own account so we could bring you more daily tips on style and accessibility.
You probably know us best from seeing posts about us by @equalaccesspublicmedia.org.
We thought it was time we had our own account so we could bring you more daily tips on style and accessibility.
Reposted by EAPM Style and Accessibility Guide
Vestibular disorders affect people's balance as well as their visual perception of their world around them. Don't make animations, sliders, videos, or rapid movement start automatically, as autoplaying elements could trigger a bad reaction in people who have vestibular disorders.
October 20, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Vestibular disorders affect people's balance as well as their visual perception of their world around them. Don't make animations, sliders, videos, or rapid movement start automatically, as autoplaying elements could trigger a bad reaction in people who have vestibular disorders.