AP Style Notes

AP Style Highlights

  • The AP Stylebook is essential for mastering journalistic writing.

  • This guide aims to convey approximately 90% of the key points necessary for understanding AP style.

AP Stylebook Overview

  • Along with style guidelines, the AP Stylebook also provides grammatical tips.

States

  • Naming States:

    • State names are to be spelled out fully in text, except in specific contexts such as datelines and political identifiers (e.g., "Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.").

    • The AP style does not employ postal abbreviations for states.

    • Example of incorrect usage:

    • Incorrect: "CONCORD, MA - Police arrested…"

    • Correct: "CONCORD, Mass. - Police arrested…"

Cities

  • Identifying Cities:

    • Most cities and towns should be identified by their state names (e.g., "Annapolis, Maryland").

    • Many larger cities do not require a state name, whether in datelines or the body of the article. For more details, refer to the AP Stylebook's section on datelines.

    • Examples of correct and incorrect usage:

    • Incorrect: "New York, N.Y."

    • Incorrect: "New York, NY"

    • Correct: "New York"

Numerals

  • Numerical Representations:

    • Numbers from zero to nine are spelled out, while numerals should be used for 10 and above.

    • Ages: Always represented numerically, e.g., "the 5-year-old boy."

    • Percentages: These are spelled out with a numeral when referenced, e.g., "6 percent."

    • Large Numbers: Use numerals for these figures when stating amounts below 1 million, e.g., "3,750" and "375,000."

    • Monetary Values: All monetary figures should include a dollar sign, regardless of whether quoting someone. Examples include:

    • Correct: "-$46"

    • Correct: "-$4,600"

    • Correct: "-$4.6 million"

    • The cent sign is never used, e.g., correct usage: "46 cents."

Politics

  • Styling Political Figures:

    • For U.S. senators:

    • Incorrect: "US Senator John McCain (R-AZ) is often described as having an independent streak."

    • Correct: "U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is often described as having an independent streak."

    • When referencing the President, include the first name only on first reference (e.g., "President Donald Trump"), and thereafter use the lowercase "president" when no name is used.

  • Titles:

    • Official titles are capitalized when they precede names and lowercased when used after names. Examples:

    • Right: "Secretary of State Rex Tillerson took office shortly after John Kerry stepped down."

    • Right: "Rex Tillerson, secretary of state, took office shortly after John Kerry stepped down."

    • Unofficial titles serve as job descriptions and are always lowercased, regardless of their placement in the sentence. Example:

    • Right: "Romney senior strategist Eric Fehrnstrom had previously worked as a reporter for the Boston Herald."

Our Country

  • Styling the United States:

    • As a Noun: Always spell out "United States" when it functions as a noun. Example:

    • "Energy prices in the United States tend to fluctuate depending on economic activity."

    • As an Adjective: The abbreviation "U.S." is acceptable when using it as an adjective. Example:

    • "The state of the U.S. economy has a major effect on energy prices."

    • Abbreviation Incorrectness: Using "US" without periods is incorrect.

Punctuation

  • General Rules:

    • Commas and periods must always be placed inside quotation marks.

    • Incorrect Example: "The author will read from his new book, "Getting Rich", today at 3 p.m."

    • Correct Example: "The author will read from his new book, "Getting Rich," today at 3 p.m."

    • Context-Based Punctuation:

    • Example 1: "Why is it taking so long to get there?" she asked.

    • Example 2: "Have you ever read 'Moby Dick'?"

    • Double Quotes Usage: AP Style uses double quotes in all instances unless nested. Examples of proper and improper usage:

    • Correct: "He said we must read 'Moby Dick' before the end of the semester."

    • Incorrect: "The sign said 'Exit' in bright red lights."

    • Correct: "The sign said "Exit" in bright red lights."

    • Serial Commas: The use of serial (Oxford) commas is discouraged. Example:

    • Incorrect: "Tom, Dick, and Harry."

    • Correct: "Tom, Dick and Harry."

    • Junior Comma Use: No commas should be used with the abbreviation Jr.

    • Incorrect: "Ken Griffey, Jr., was the greatest player of his era until injuries slowed him down."

    • Incorrect: "Ken Griffey, Jr. was the greatest player of his era until injuries slowed him down."

    • Correct: "Ken Griffey Jr. was the greatest player of his era until injuries slowed him down."

Time

  • Time Formats:

    • Written as "1 p.m." or "10:15 a.m." Avoid alternatives such as "1 o'clock in the afternoon" or "a quarter after 10 in the morning."

    • Midnight and noon are stated simply as "midnight" or "noon" without reference to a numerical form. Example:

    • "The Rotary Club will meet from noon to 1:30 p.m."

  • Month Formatting:

    • When months are used without a date, they should be spelled out. Example:

    • "She is hoping to take two weeks off in August."

    • Months should be abbreviated when used with specific dates. Example:

    • "She plans to begin her vacation on Aug. 13."

    • The year must not be specified unless it refers to past or future events.

Addresses

  • Address Formatting:

    • Street names should be spelled out unless accompanied by specific addresses. Example:

    • "He lives on Whalley Avenue."

    • When specifying an address, some street terms are abbreviated. Example:

    • "He lives at 7 Whalley Ave."

    • Certain street types, such as road, are always spelled out even in abbreviated context, and should be lowercase when referring to more than one. Example:

    • "The intersection of Smith and Jones streets."

    • "The intersection of Smith Street and Jones Road."

Possessives

  • Proper Name Possessives:

    • Some style guides dictate forming possessives by adding 's to proper names ending in "s."

    • Example: "Fred Jones's car is a rusting hulk of metal and random wires."

    • AP style omits the additional 's.

    • Example: "Fred Jones' car is a rusting hulk of metal and random wires."

Titles

  • Publication Naming:

    • The names of newspapers, websites, and magazines should be presented without special punctuation or italicization. Examples include:

    • "The Boston Globe" (capitalize "The" as it is part of the name; always verify)

    • "BuzzFeed"

    • "Entertainment Weekly"

    • "Talking Points Memo"

  • Content Naming:

    • Titles of books, movies, TV shows, albums, songs, video games, etc., should be enclosed in quotation marks. Examples include:

    • "Spotlight"

    • "In Cold Blood"

    • "30 Rock"

    • "Call of Duty: Black Ops"

    • "Highway 61 Revisited"

People

  • Referencing Individuals:

    • Individuals are generally referred to by their last name on second and subsequent references. Examples:

    • "John Smith is Smith"

    • "Mary Jones is Jones"

    • In obituaries, honorifics (Mr, Ms, Mrs) are typically utilized.

    • It is good practice to reintroduce someone by their full name in lengthy articles.

Special Digital Considerations

  • Digital Terminology:

    • The AP has adapted its stance towards digital terms over recent years. Current guidelines include:

    • The term "web" should always be written in lowercase.

    • The term "website" should be written in lowercase.

    • The term "internet" should also be written in lowercase.

Must-Read Stylebook Entries

  • Key entries to review:

    • Abbreviations

    • Capitalization

    • Datelines

    • Essential clauses and nonessential clauses

    • Essential phrases and nonessential phrases

    • Numerals

    • Possessives

    • A Guide to Punctuation

Social Media

  • Twitter:

    • Follow @APStylebook on Twitter for updates and insights.

    • Follow @FakeAPStylebook for humor and parody in relation to AP style.

Credit

  • This presentation is based on the guide to AP Style found in "Writing and Reporting for the Media" (11th edition), authored by Bender, Davenport, Drager, and Fedler.