How to use commas in associated press style pen and the pad. Those states are alaska, hawaii, idaho, iowa, maine, ohio, texas, and utah. The associated press style is the goto style for journalism and news writing. How to write book names, movie names, and song titles in ap style. Currently, most state names are abbreviated in stories. Both cms and ap agree, spell out state names within text. Spell out all generic parts of street names avenue, north, road. Capitalize chapter when used with a numeral in reference to a section of a book or legal code. Abbreviate state names of seven or more letters when used with a city name, with. One of the first things a student in a beginning journalism course learns about is associated press style or ap style for short. 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.
Reference list apa 6th referencing style guide library. Abbreviate all other states as they are listed on our ap style state abbreviations page. On a regional level, additional cities may stand alone should the newspaper staff decide so. For all titles in ap style, there is no underlining or italicizing. If you want to know all about the ap style state abbreviations, you have been a wise soul to click on this article. Most examples here are taken and condensed from these style books. Below are some guidelines on how to work with formal titles in ap style. For example, the reverend bill graham has met with many presidents. Heres an example of how to abbreviate a state in a sentence using ap style. 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. A refreshing ap stylebook refresher on datelines and. Italicized words are still iffy for wire transmission ap stories, so book titles are enclosed in quote marks. Ap stylebook online is a searchable, customizable resource for writers and editors. In this post, we will summarize all of the ap stylebook state.
Do not capitalize federal, state, department, division, board. Ap style state abbreviations for press release dateline follow these associated press guidelines for the u. The ap stylebooks rule regarding book titles, computer game titles, movie titles, opera titles, play titles, poem titles, album and song titles, radio and television program titles, and the titles of lectures, speeches, and works of art states, put quotation marks around the names of all such works except the bible and books that are. Each year a new book is published with the traditional and new rules.
A formal title is different, however, from a simple occupational description. The american psychological association apa publication manual, which is used for writing academic papers, agrees about using the periods. Effective may 1, the ap will spell out state names in the body of. Ap suggests spelling out the names of alaska, hawaii, and all states with five or fewer letters. Al for alabama alaska ak this state is not abbreviated in text ariz. Heres a refresher course what the ap stylebook says for datelines and cities that stand alone in datelines 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. And, here is how to use a city and state in the dateline.
In general, newspaper style guides in the united states in particular, the associated press stylebook ap and the new york times manual of style and usage recommend u. Updated regularly since its initial publication in 1953, the ap stylebook provides fundamental guidelines for spelling, language, punctuation, usage and journalistic style. Get your the smart writers simple ap style cheat sheet guide now. A good way to remember these eight is to always spell out the names of the two states outside the contiguous united states hawaii and alaska and the states inside the contiguous united states with five letters or less. Keep in mind that ap changed the rules for using state abbreviations in the body of a story, and you now spell out the names of all 50 u. Book title or article title in a journal, magazine or newspaper use sentence style. The associated press stylebook ap style recommends lowercasing any roadrelated term in combined names if the term is the same for both names. Ap stylebook rules for datelines, cities that stand alone. Ap mentions to also abbreviate states in datelines, credit lines, and shortform party affiliation dariz. Follow these associated press guidelines for the u. Do not capitalize federal, state, department, division, board, program, section, unit, etc. It wouldnt be ap style without an exception or two. When abbreviating the state names, dont make the mistake of using the postal code abbreviations. Ap is not done rocking the journalism world with style changes.
These resources provide an overview of journalistic writing with explanations of the most important and most often used elements of journalism and the associated press style. Other posts in the series will be linked at the bottom of this post as they are published. Because nothing can ever truly be simple, abbreviated state names will. Ap style is simply a standardized way of writing everything from dates to street addresses to job titles. To subscribe to the associated press stylebook online, or to find out about purchasing hard copies of the book. Ap style does not require the name of a state to accompany the names of the. How to write names of highways, streets, and other roadways. Its updated throughout the year and valuable onlineonly resources, including ask the editor, topical guides and pronunciation guide, expand on the print book s guidance.
The suspect was identified as michael shawn of 1512 n. Both the ap stylebook and the buzzfeed style guide already recommend spelling email without the hyphen. The names of reference books like the ap stylebook, websters new world dictionary, the bible and for that matter, the koran are not italicized or enclosed. Use quotation marks around the titles of books, songs, television shows. The associated press stylebook and briefing on media law official. The ap stylebook, the buzzfeed style guide, the economist style guide, and the chicago manual of style all recommend hyphenating e book, as well as most other e words such as ereader and ecommerce its conceivable that over time, e book may lose its hyphen. This section can be used as a primer and a quick reference, not a replacement to the gpo or ap style books. There are eight states that should never be abbreviated in text or datelines.
All you need to know about titles in ap style gatehouse. I dont know if this will help, but for chapter style, ap says. However, when referring to a city and the state in which it is located, although chicago recommends retaining the spelledout version of the state name san diego, california, ap style calls for abbreviating the state name san diego, calif. Before we begin to enlist the abbreviations, it is mandatory for one to learn and garner information about what ap is, with. Ap style isnt keen on using state abbreviations in titles, so spell them.
That includes newspaper names and magazine references. Abbreviate state names in lists, tabular matter, bibliographies, and mailing addresses. For reference books, newspapers, and magazine names, they should not be placed in quotations. Eat, pray, love, harry potter and the deathly hollows and bossypants why do writers put a comma that separates a title from other in between the quotation marks. 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. Associated press style basics journalists resource. Ap style book titles to kill a mockingbird the magicians nephew of mice and men ap style movie titles saving private ryan trouble with the curve the dark knight rises ap style song titles stairway to heaven hey jude good vibrations. The guidelines help writers present clear and concise information with consistent structure to keep readers focused. The change is being made to be consistent in our style for domestic and international.
Usa publishers give the city in full and the abbreviation for the state. No state name is necessary if its the same as the dateline. The ap stylebook is widely used as a writing and editing reference in newsrooms, classrooms and corporate offices worldwide. For the style and spelling of words not found in ap or gpo, see websters new world college dictionary. The following quick reference is taken from the associated press stylebook. Spell out the names of the 50 states when they stand alone in. Formal titles in ap style should be capitalized when they immediately precede one or more names. Ap stylebook entry on collective nouns says band names take plural verbs.
Any state name may be condensed, however, to fit typographical requirements for tabular material. Ap style is designed to address the challenges of the organizations large size and readership. You should always spell out alaska, hawaii, idaho, iowa, maine, ohio, texas, and utah. Ap style holds that formal titles should be capitalized when they appear directly in front of one or more names. Spiralbound book, updated each spring 2019 ap stylebook. The associated press stylebook, the usage guide for most united states newspapers, counsels the use of abbreviations for most state names, when appended to a city name for example, santa ana, calif. With covid19 absolutely dominating the news cycle and probably factoring into your writing in one way or another, its important to know the style guide rules around it. There are quite a few rules in the ap stylebook for state names and ap style state abbreviations. Film, book, and song titles are capitalized and places in quotations. Alaska, hawaii, idaho, iowa, maine, ohio, texas and utah.
Those are alaska, hawaii, idaho, iowa, maine, ohio, texas and utah. The associated press was founded more than 150 years ago and now has thousands of employees working in more than a hundred countries for a readership that numbers in the millions. The ap style as its known in the trade is quite different. First reference ap style holds that you should use rep. More convenient than the printed book is ap stylebook online, a feebased online resource that also includes an ask the editor feature with extensive archives, a pronunciation guide with phonetic spellings, and topical style guides about news events. Thats an old typewriter convention thats entirely out of date today in media writing.
I like a lot your articles, but please look at this part in do you underline book titles. In those cases, just let them know that youre adhering to the associated press stylebook. The best ap style cheat sheet every writer needs free. 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. If were speaking about regions of the state, should it be south louisiana. The associated press has a stylebook with rules and standards used primarily in journalistic and news writing. The best ap style cheat sheet every writer needs free download.
The following guidance went out on the ap wire wednesday. This resource, revised according to the associated press stylebook 2012, offers examples for the general format of ap style. Typically apa style reference list entries and intext citations. The names of eight states are never abbreviated in datelines or text. Ap style was developed and is maintained by the associated press, the worlds oldest news service. Ap style state abbreviations differ from their corresponding united states postal service abbreviations, provided in parentheses. Spell out and lowercase representative and senator in all other uses.
1473 193 318 59 65 627 226 1128 297 1053 1184 717 1394 950 1053 149 954 1514 1006 1566 1611 215 1514 584 677 1628 1376 734 12 42 1423 53 591 1391 1264 1389 408 288 1255 1331 515