Mekita Rivas, SNR communications associate, publishes a biweekly feature called "Grammar Guru."
Every other week, the Grammar Guru will share writing tips to help make your work as polished as possible. Some of these tips may address common spelling errors, while others will examine the many nuances of the English language.
Grammar Guru Tip #37
Since they sounds alike, "principle" and "principal" are easily confused. One definition for "principle" is "a moral rule or belief that helps you know what is right and wrong and that influences your actions."
As for "principal," think of the person who presides over a school – someone who's first in rank.
Example:
She doesn't borrow money from friends as a principle.
He is the principal investigator on that project.
Pro tip: The "a" in "principal" is the first letter in the alphabet, just like a principal is someone who's first in rank.
Need some grammar guidance? The UNL Style Guide (http://unlcms.unl.edu/ucomm/styleguide/) is a great resource for all university employees. If you have writing questions that the style guide doesn't answer, feel free to email the Grammar Guru at mrivas@unl.edu.