The change is being made to be consistent in our style for domestic and international. The thumb rule for the fundamental ap style state abbreviations is that one has to in no way abbreviate the term if the readers will face the issue in identifying what the actual term is. Youll find the list of acceptable abbreviations under state names in the hardcover and digital version of the ap stylebook. The most common, such as nasa, fbi and cia, can be used on all references. Ap itself along with gi and eu are exceptions to this rule. I really like your map of the ap style for state abbreviations.
In ap style, the names of newspapers and magazines are not italicized or set off in quotation marks. The choice between ebook and ebook could be considered a style choice, but ebook is simply wrong. State abbreviations ap doesnt follow standard zip code abbreviations. 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.
I hate the post offices twoletter state abbreviations. Select the sentence free of errors in ap style for abbreviations in broadcast copy. Thats an old typewriter convention thats entirely out of date today in media writing. Mar, 2015 e books currently make up two percent of my book sales. 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. Associated press style in a nutshell civil air patrol.
The 2017 ap stylebook uses periods most of the time. The pr professionals ap style cheat sheet communique pr. When a phrase lists only a month and a year, do not separate the year with commas. Spell out the names of the two states that are not part of the contiguous united states and of the continental states that are five letters or fewer. The ap stylebook says state abbreviations are used in both datelines and in text. If youd like a more visually appealing way to reference ap style state name abbreviations, save this map weve created with all the names you need. However, there are exceptions for large cities that stand alone in datelines.
For slide presentations of ap style basics, go here. An interactive geography lesson about abbreviations of states. The associated press stylebook states that in contexts other than mailing addresses, the traditional state abbreviations should be used. Ap style requires consistency in spelling, capitalization, punctuation and. Associated press style cheat sheet compiled with assistance from online resources, including scribd, purdue university and towson university abbreviations and acronyms as a general rule, use only commonly recognized abbreviations. It is a known fact that no one can master the ap state abbreviations in. Jul 21, 2016 im a huge fan of abbreviations because they make communication easier and spare me from unnecessary typing. Nasa is planning to launch 5 unmanned probes to jupiter, which is 482,564,600 miles from the sun. Generally, omit periods in acronyms unless the result would spell an unrelated word. Sometimes its difficult to remember which rules are ap and which rules are remnants from years of college courses. Names use a persons full name and title the first time you mention him or her in an article. The ap stylebook is widely used as a writing and editing reference in newsrooms, classrooms and corporate offices worldwide.
Ap style recommends spelling out state names in the body of stories effective may 1, 2014 and using abbreviations in datelines. These are the zip code abbreviations for the eight states that are not abbreviated in datelines or text. As the ap style book writes, names not commonly before the public should not be reduced to acronyms solely to save a few words. I made a failing grade on a united states map when i was a sixthgrader 1964 because i used an informational document from the post office to label the states. But mastering the 500page book, which is updated every year, can be.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Use the following guidelines to produce clean copy, style errorfree writing with unnecessary mistakes. Matcha a japanese style powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves. If were speaking about regions of the state, should it be south louisiana, north. Colon capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence. The 2016 ap stylebook features about 280 new or revised entries, and an 85page backof book index. A refreshing ap stylebook refresher on datelines and. Spiralbound book, updated each spring 2019 ap stylebook. Use no periods with abbreviations that appear in full capitals, whether two letters or more and even if lowercase letters appear within the abbreviation.
For a full list of ap style state abbreviations, see our full page. You can take this quiz as many times as you would like. Ap stylebook rules for height, feet, inches gatehouse. For example, washington state is a university in the state of washington.
The 2016 edition of the gpo style manual is the first revision to be issued under gpos new name, u. Since is acceptable in casual senses when the first event in a sequence leads logically to the second, but wasnt its direct cause. Ap style datelines datelines on stories should contain a city name, entirely in capital letters, followed in most cases by the name of the state. Spell out and lowercase representative and senator in all other uses. Generally ap style omits periods in acronyms, unless doing so would spell an unrelated word. There are quite a few rules in the ap stylebook for state names and ap style state abbreviations. When you introduce the handy table with abbreviations, i think you should list the five states that are short and are not abbreviated in ap style e. Although it is sold as a guide for reporters, it has become the leading reference.
In conjunction with the name of a city, town, village or military base in text. For all other abbreviations, ap uses its own state abbreviations and chicago. Ap style states that when referring to the names of a nation, directions should be lowercased unless they are officially part of the countrys name. The equivalent resource for the older apa 6 style can be found here. Ap definitive source a new look for ap stylebook online. 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. Sep 19, 2012 professional journalists and business communicators in the united states commonly write in associated press ap style. No state name is necessary if its the same as the dateline. Ak alaska, hi hawaii, id idaho, ia iowa, me maine, oh ohio, tx texas, ut utah. For reference books, newspapers, and magazine names, they should not be placed in quotations.
Here are all the ap abbreviations and their usps counterparts. Use because to denote a specific causeeffect relationship. While ap style doesnt explicitly state this, one could reasonably surmise that male purveyors of this powder are matcha men. For external communication we use the associated press stylebook 2017 for all public documents and materials, excluding correspondence from the administrator and deputy administrator. Ap style state abbreviations differ from their corresponding us postal service abbreviations, are in parentheses. Al for alabama alaska ak this state is not abbreviated in text ariz. Here is how each state is abbreviated in ap style with the postal code. Associated press style quick reference guide to subscribe to the associated press stylebook online, or to find out about purchasing hard copies of the book, start here. Select the sentence free of errors in ap style for addresses and abbreviations in print copy. For all titles in ap style, there is no underlining or italicizing. Of course, use state abbreviations in conjunction with the name of a city, town, village or military base in most datelines. Use quotation marks around the titles of books, songs, television shows, computer.
What follows are summaries of some of the most common style rules. Mar 14, 2015 ap style for states abbreviations march 14, 2015 a. Ford announced a recall of sedans and light trucks because of pollution control problems but denied the vehicles were in violation of environmental protection agency standards. Also use state abbreviations in conjunction with the name of a city, county, town, village or military base in. To make newspapers, magazines, journals and reports devoid of linguistic handicaps, the stylebook is a helpful guide.
State abbreviations according to ap style gatehouse newsroom. Using correct ap style for book, movie, and song titles. I remember when i filed one of my first bylines for a newspaper only to get my inbox slammed with emails from my editor in chief. After each bullet, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each item. For words that you cannot find in our ap style list, use the firstlisted abbreviation in websters new world dictionary. For words not in this book use the firstlisted abbreviation in websters new world college dictionary. Before we begin to enlist the abbreviations, it is mandatory for one to learn and garner information about what ap is, with a brief, supplementary note on the history of the same. Follow these associated press guidelines for the u. Writing style guide university communications toolbox. The best ap style cheat sheet every writer needs free download.
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. The associated press has been breaking news since 1846. Professional journalists and business communicators in the united states commonly write in associated press ap style. Associated press ap citation and style guides libguides. Writing style guide appalachian state university uses the associated press stylebook as its editorial guide, which is in keeping with the communications industry. In this post, we will summarize all of the ap stylebook state abbreviations rules.
To subscribe to the associated press stylebook online, or to find out about purchasing hard copies of the book, start here. Datelines appear at the beginning of stories and include the name of the city in all capital letters, usually followed the state or territory in which the city is located. Spell out the names of the 50 states when they stand alone in. Associated press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. Ap stylebook rules for height, feet, inches gatehouse media 20170706. The most important objective of any form of writing is to help human beings recognize what you are attempting to say and give an explanation for. Select the sentence free of errors in ap style for addresses, abbreviations, capitalization and numerals in broadcast copy. Books and magazines often italicize newspaper names as well as book titles and magazine names as part of their inhouse style. This can be particularly tricky with the titles of major works, so heres a few rules to brush up on. If youre new to news writing or switching from one to another, youll want to keep this ap cheat sheet handy and refer to it when in doubt. Oct 30, 2015 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.
Associated press style in a nutshell below are the most important rules you must keep in mind when writing in ap style write the title in normal englishlanguage capitalization. For mailing addresses, ap and chicago both default to the twoletter postal abbreviations. 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. Some state names are not abbreviated because they have six or fewer letters. There is indeed a science and art behind writing a press release. Publishers locations for apa referencing when you write an apastyle reference list, you need to provide the publishing details publishers name and location when writing reference entries for books, reports, brochures, and other separate, non periodical publications. The department prefers bullets, but punctuate them per ap style. Ap style state abbreviations for press release dateline follow these associated press guidelines for the u. Jun 15, 2009 note that if youre only going to use an unfamiliar acronym once, its best just to spell out the original term completely and forgo the abbreviated form.
Of books, computer games, movies, operas, plays, poems, songs. Abbreviate the words street, avenue, boulevard only when there is a street address number. 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. Currently, most state names are abbreviated in stories. Ap stylebook rules for datelines, cities that stand alone. The following list of common uses and the az index include highlights of ap style and provide policies for consistently representing appalachian in your communications. The next references should identify the person only by his or. Note that state abbreviations in ap style are not in allcapital letters, as are postal state abbreviations. Do not capitalize federal, state, department, division, board, program, section, unit. In apa, abbreviations should be limited to instances when a the abbreviation is standard and will not interfere with the readers understanding and b if space and repetition can be greatly. Government printing office style manual 2016 is used for internal communication.
The following quick reference is taken from the associated press stylebook. If a states name is standing alone or in conjunction with a city or town in your text, spell out the entire states name. If you write for other venues, such as the book publishing industry, you will need the chicago style manual, as that is the other style manual used by writers. Brand names, such as ipad, sometimes use camel case an internal capital letter, but in standard english such style is unacceptable for anything other than names. Ap style seems to allow for multiple spacesaving adaptations for headlineslike using numerals in headlines, but spelling out numbers under 10 in the body of the text. However, the chicago manual of style now recommends use of the uppercase twoletter abbreviations, with the traditional forms as an option. Do not format the text in the article only exceptions are. See results from the state abbreviations ap style quiz on sporcle, the best trivia site on the internet. Effective may 1, the ap will spell out state names in the body of stories.
Select the sentence free of errors in ap style for abbreviations for print publications. The following quiz is designed to test your knowledge and understanding of core chapter concepts. Jack gillespie, rowan university, purdue university writing lab and ap stylebook page 1 ap stylebook guidelines the ap style items below represent the journalistic style errors most often found in news stories. For example, the western united states is full of open land. Twelve common mistakes of ap style apr 19, 2011 admin.
Ap style also aims to avoid stereotypes and unintentionally offensive language. In a news story, can you start a sentence with an acronym. Ap style does use periods in most twoletter abbreviations. All you need to know about titles in ap style gatehouse. If you want to know all about the ap style state abbreviations, you have been a wise soul to click on this article. In ap style writing, many different words are abbreviated in an effort to conserve space. Some organizations and government agencies are widely recognized by their initials and can be referred to using their.
This page reflects the latest version of the apa publication manual i. Abbreviations are often desired in tabulations and certain types of technical writings. Which cities dont need a state abbreviation in ap style. Since 1894, the gpo style manual has served as a guide to the style and form of federal government printing and publishing.
The best ap style cheat sheet every writer needs free. 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 ap stylebook and libel manual was written specifically for newspaper journalists. When a month is used with a specific date, abbreviate only jan. When first referencing someones name, use their full name. 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. The ap stylebook 2 print edition, webbased access and style checking software. As you can see, there are many guidelines for writing proper ap style state abbreviations in your text. For all other abbreviations, ap uses its own state abbreviations and chicago prefers postal abbreviations but has its own state abbreviations should that style be more appropriate for your publication. 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.
Use the state abbreviations listed at the end of this section. Associated press ap style is a specific form of writing that is used in magazines, newspapers, certain websites and other journalistic publications. The associated press style journal specifies the news organizational regulations on linguistics of the language. Associated press website faq this faq webpage from the ap is a great source of information on current issues of grammar, style, punctuation, abbreviations, and other style questions. When searching for height in the ap stylebook, it refers readers to the dimensions entry. Also, be sure to use a lowercase state in both of these instances to avoid any confusion. The associated press stylebook provides an az guide to issues such as capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation, spelling, numerals and many other questions of language usage. Use abbreviations for degrees only when you need to include a list of credentials after a name. Mastering the ap style rules for abbreviations bka content. Get your the smart writers simple ap style cheat sheet guide now. The ap style as its known in the trade is quite different from the new york times style or chicago manual of style. Some states are abbreviated, as is the united states with periods u. In that time, ap has endeavored to always be accurate, trustworthy and responsive. If a states name is standing alone or in conjunction.
It wasnt about my prose, reporting, or lede, but that i neglected to abbreviate september. Dressingstuffing apparently no accepted style in the apverse existed until now. On wednesday, professor james currier, who has a doctorate in biology and a masters in economics, will argue that improving automobile fuel efficiency from an average of 17 to 22 miles per gallon would save billions of dollars and protect endangered. If you write in a newspaper environment, you know the ap stylebook is a must.
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