A primer on ap style t he ap stylebook is the second most important book you will use as a journalist, after a dictionary. Its often used by news organizations, magazines, and web publications, but brands often use it to form the basis of their own style guides, too. Distributed by satellite and the internet to more than 120 nations, ap services daily reach more than one billion people. Ap stylebook rules for datelines, cities that stand alone. Authors were treated badly in the recent e book dispute. Jack gillespie, rowan university, purdue university writing lab and ap stylebook page 2. Both the ap stylebook and the buzzfeed style guide already recommend spelling email without the hyphen. The associated press stylebook and briefing on media law official style guide of the associated press, a notforprofit news agency thats been around since 1846. The manual has come to be widely recognized by writers and editors both within and outside the federal government as an. Never capitalize titles used after the name or titles that stand alone. Use hyphens to separate the type of station from the base call letters.
As news is transmitted in more ways than ever before and in more formats than ever, we remain committed to the highest standards of integrity in all areas of business at ap. With the ap stylebook in hand, you can learn how to write and edit with the clarity and professionalism for which they are famous. After each bullet, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each item. Once you find a topic similar to your question or concern, you can submit an email to our 247 help center from that page this will help us route your request for help to the right person and get you an answer faster. Heres a refresher course what the ap stylebook says for datelines and cities that stand alone in datelines. Sep 20, 2015 at more than 5,000 entries, the 2015 ap stylebook is the biggest edition in its more than six decades of publication. Others are common usage in ap political and historical coverage. However, ap style covers a large amount of less known rules to follow.
Colon capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence. Do not capitalize federal, state, department, division, board. If the word ends with an s put the apostrophe after the s. Oxford university press usa publishes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, childrens books, business books, dictionaries, reference books, journals, text books and more. Both the ap stylebook and the buzzfeed style guide already recommend spelling email without the. If a state s name is standing alone or in conjunction with a city or town in your text, spell out the entire state s name. The associated press stylebook 2015 kindle edition by associated press.
There are quite a few rules in the ap stylebook for state names and ap style state abbreviations. Pr professionals should take note of the style book and its updates since its the style bible for almost all media. Style guide john grimonds online guide is based on the stylebook followed by journalists at the economist magazine. The ap stylebook is a writing style guide used when writing for news media outlets. Ap style also aims to avoid stereotypes and unintentionally offensive language. Ap definitive source an addition to ap stylebook entry. Withthe ap stylebook in hand, you can learn how to write and edit with the clarity and professionalism for which they are famous. All you need to know about titles in ap style gatehouse. This can be particularly tricky with the titles of major works, so heres a few.
Fully revised and updated, this new edition contains more than 3,000 a to z entriesincluding more than 200 new onesdetailing the aps rules on grammar, spelling. The first edition of the book was 203 pages, which has since evolved into a book that is more than 1,000 pages. Supreme court has made frontpage news in the last week, approving marriage for samesex couples and upholding the affordable care act. Jul 10, 2015 the associated press has just released its 2015 edition of its ap stylebook. Mar, 2015 its conceivable that over time, e book may lose its hyphen. The ebook makes it faster and easier to find a relevant style rule. Sometimes its difficult to remember which rules are ap and which rules are remnants from years of college courses. The associated press today released the 2015 edition of the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law, which includes about 300 new or revised entries. One word as an adjective, weeklong an exception to websters new world college dictionary. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the associated press stylebook 2015. Spiralbound book, updated each spring 2019 ap stylebook. Some cities are so widely known that they are capable of standing alone in a dateline, without the name of a state for additional reference. The term is acceptable on first reference, but should be explained later in the story.
Fully revised and updated, this new edition contains more than 3,000 a to z entries including more than 200 new ones detailing the ap s rules on grammar, spelling, punctuation. While none of the changes are as momentous as last years overmore than proclamation, they reflected an increased sensitivity to how. Many words and phrases, including special cases, are listed separately in this book. In this post, we will summarize all of the ap stylebook state abbreviations rules. Professional and honorary titles capitalize brief titles when used before the individuals name. Citizens band operators, since 1983, are not required to be licensed by the federal communications commission. It ranges from the staff of the associated press to editors and writers on member newspapers, to other individuals and groups with special interests in some subjects.
Top 8 free online style guides in english thoughtco. The 11th edition of the paperback version of the guide will be published in 2015. Suicide stories, when written, should not go into detail on methods used. The best ap style cheat sheet every writer needs free. The basics ap style study guide flashcards quizlet. Spell out the names of all states when used alone and in body text. Abbreviate months with six or more letters if they are used with a specific date. Generally, ap does not cover suicides or suicide attempts, unless the person involved is a wellknown figure or the circumstances are particularly unusual or publicly disruptive. The associated press stylebook provides an az guide to issues such as capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation, spelling, numerals and many other questions of language usage.
To subscribe to the associated press stylebook online, or to find out about purchasing hard. You can then choose a category and find your specific question and answer. Although it is sold as a guide for reporters, it has become the leading reference for most forms of publicfacing. Shorthand for the formal title of the health care overhaul that former president barack obama signed into law in 2010. The 2015 ap stylebook makes the distinction between state names in running text body of the story and state names in datelines. The package was sent to smithson, virginia, by mistake. Top 10 ap style guide 2016edits university blog service. Entires that are capitalized without further comment should be capitalized in all uses. Donald trump will take the oath of office as the 45th president of the united states at noon on jan. Associated press stylebook 2015 and briefing on media law.
At more than 5,000 entries, the 2015 ap stylebook is the biggest edition in its more than six decades of publication. The text of this book was adapted from usa history in brief. United effective fall 2017 states history practice exam. Since 1894, the gpo style manual has served as a guide to the style and form of federal government printing and publishing. The associated press stylebook 2015 by associated press. Abbreviations abbreviate junior or senior after a name, but dont use a comma. About the college board the college board is a missiondriven notforprofit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Ap style for states abbreviations march 14, 2015 a. The 2019 edition of the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law includes more than 200 new or revised entries, with chapters covering data journalism, business, fashion, food, religion and sports terms, as well as media law, news values, punctuation, social media, polls and surveys and a new. The 2016 edition of the gpo style manual is the first revision to be issued under gpos new name, u. Apr 17, 2017 when citing a cdc report in apa style, include the full name of the organization as author.
Ap also added an entry on suicides, which says, in part. Its updated throughout the year and valuable onlineonly resources, including ask the editor, topical guides and pronunciation guide, expand on the print books guidance. The associated press stylebook 2015 kindle edition by associated. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The e book makes it faster and easier to find a relevant style rule. Other references consulted in the preparation of the ap stylebook. The first part of the state names entry says they should be spelled out when used in the body of a story, whether standing alone or in conjunction with a city, town, village or military base. Ap stylebook online is a searchable, customizable resource for writers and editors. Washington ap a chicago woman has become the second u.
In that time, ap has endeavored to always be accurate, trustworthy and responsive. A set of standards for a specific organization is often known as house style. The 2019 edition of the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law. White, 1999 oecd style guide, second edition, 2007 the subversive copy editor. Ebooks currently make up two percent of my book sales. What follows are summaries of some of the most common style rules. This style guide is mainly used in most longform publishing. Compare your responses to the 20 questions in the quiz on the ap stylebook 2015 edition with those offered by associated press editors david minthorn, sally jacobsen, and paula froke.
Fully revised and updated, this new edition contains more than 3,000 a to z entries including more than 200 new ones detailing the ap s rules. This columnist, as president of the aces education fund, is a member of the aces board. On second reference, the automobile as sociation or the association is ac ceptable. Advice from chicago, carol fisher saller, 2009 eere communication standards and guidelines.
Best of ap style and grammarpunctuationspelling gps 1. Bureau of international information programs united states department of state. The names of certain states and the united states are abbreviated with periods in some circumstances. Mar 19, 2019 style guide john grimonds online guide is based on the stylebook followed by journalists at the economist magazine. The guardian and observer style guide edited by david marsh and amelia hodsdon, this is the online version of guardian style. Use ap style to abbreviate the names of states in datelines, lists, photo captions, etc. As ap has added entries over the years, the stylebook has grown more useful and comprehensive, but also more daunting. It covers much more than the ap stylebook, which generally covers only common words and their usage. Send contributions to relief fund, box 185, pasadena, ca 91030. The style of the associated press is the gold standard for news writing. States should only be abbreviated when following the name of a city e.
Associated press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. The 2015 eia writing style guide is provided in html on the eia employee intranet. Founded in 1900, the college board was created to expand. The associated press stylebook 2015 kindle edition by. The associated press has just released its 2015 edition of its ap stylebook.
Punctuation use a comma to separate a year used with a date. Ap stylebook, also known by its full name the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law, is an english grammar style and usage guide created by american journalists working for or connected with the associated press to standardize mass communication. Find answers to your questions by selecting a topic below. The associated press compiled a style guide of essential words, phrases and definitions. Most people who are familiar with ap style know the common rules such as which months are abbreviated, how datelines are used and when to spell out numbers. Its mobile optimized so you can use it on your desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet. Other references consulted in the preparation of the ap style book.
History in brief learner english edition published in 2010 by. Founded in 1846, ap today is the largest and most trusted source of independent news and information. A style guide, or style manual, is a set of standards for the writing and design of documents, either for general use or for a specific publication, organization or field. If there is no relevant listing in this book for a particular word or phrase, consult websters new. May 27, 2015 the associated press today released the 2015 edition of the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law, which includes about 300 new or revised entries. In particular we sought and received many member views on a variety of difficult questions so that this book could reflect what members wanted. Now journalists, students, public relations professionals and other writers and editors will have style guidance at the ready at all times. Postal service abbreviations for states unless you are providing a full address including zip code. The domestic list of cities that stand alone is on page 79 of the 2010 ap stylebook, and it is a good idea to mark this page with a sticky note of some sort so it is easy to find and you never list the state, country or territory unnecessarily.
Dont forget these changes to the ap stylebook columbia. From the ap stylebook, here are some ap style terms to know when covering the highest court in the land. Here are a few answers to common style issues, based on the ap stylebook. Datelines on stories should contain a city name, entirely in capital letters, followed in most cases by the name of the state, county, or territory where the city is located. Remember back in college when you had to keep track of all the different ap rules for your student newspaper on top of the chicago manual of style for your academic classes. The associated press stylebook announced some changes last week at the annual conference of the american copy editors society. The report number is included after the title of the report. If a states name is standing alone or in conjunction with a city or town in your text, spell out the entire states name. Ap united states history practice exam from the course and exam description effective fall 2017. The associated press has been breaking news since 1846.
The implementation of a style guide provides uniformity in style and formatting within a document and across multiple documents. Spell out the name of a month when it is used without a specific date. The department prefers bullets, but punctuate them per ap style. Department of energys office of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Ap stylebook adds ebook edition to digital product suite. The ap stylebook, the buzzfeed style guide, the economist style guide, and the chicago manual of style all recommend hyphenating ebook, as well as most other e words such as ereader and ecommerce its conceivable that over time, ebook may lose its hyphen. The 2019 edition of the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law includes more than 200 new or revised entries, with chapters covering data journalism, business, fashion, food, religion and sports terms, as well as media law, news values, punctuation, social media, polls and surveys and a new chapter on health and science. The bill was signed on may 5, 20, two days before the session ended. A style guide for the 2020 elections, based on the ap stylebook and common usage in ap stories. About the college board the college board is a missiondriven not. Never capitalize a title used alone, no matter how important it seems. Mar 14, 2015 ap style for states abbreviations march 14, 2015 a.
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