Here is how each state is abbreviated in ap style with the postal code. 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. 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. Ap updates its stylebook to accommodate changes in conventions and usage. It wouldnt be ap style without an exception or two. They are the accepted reference sources for material not covered by the stylebook. Indiana daily student stylebook addendum for spring 2019. Effective may 1, the ap will spell out state names in the body of stories. I definitly recommend this book for any writer who plans on writing in the ap stlye. The ap stylebook says state abbreviations are used in both datelines and in text. Aug 01, 2018 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 associated press style is the goto style for journalism and news writing. You will still use abbreviations in datelines, photo captions, lists, etc.
Of course, use state abbreviations in conjunction with the. The associated press stylebook provides an az guide to issues such as capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation, spelling, numerals and many other questions of language usage. Although it isnt the newest edition, this book is great for the price because it has all the information you need to know. The associated press stylebook download free epub, pdf. Actually, whether to use a or an is determined by how the first sound in the acronym or abbreviation, this sound rule applies to the use of a or an in front of regular words, too. A few universally recognized abbreviations are required in some circumstances. Those are alaska, hawaii, idaho, iowa, maine, ohio, texas and utah. It goes on to say that if an abbreviation or acronym would not otherwise be clear upon its second reference, do not use it. The following guidance went out on the ap wire wednesday. Choose from 100 different sets of ap stylebook flashcards on quizlet.
What follows are summaries of some of the most common style rules. If you want to know all about the ap style state abbreviations, you have been a wise soul to click on this article. Al for alabama alaska ak this state is not abbreviated in text ariz. The associated press has its roots buried in the year 1848. Twelve common mistakes of ap style apr 19, 2011 admin. Ap p endix a bibliography and sources for this manual you may need a pdf reader to view some of the files on this page. The names of eight states are never abbreviated in datelines or text. Ap style state abbreviations differ from their corresponding united states postal service abbreviations, provided in parentheses. State abbreviations according to ap style gatehouse newsroom.
On a regional level, additional cities may stand alone should the newspaper staff decide so. Some others are acceptable depending on the context. The associated press stylebook, a widely used manual of journalistic writing standards, has made a shift in the use of the pronoun they to acknowledge the evolving landscape of. Spiralbound book, updated each spring 2019 ap stylebook.
Aug 15, 2019 ap style isnt keen on using state abbreviations in titles, so spell them out. The ap style as its known in the trade is quite different from the new york times style or chicago manual of style. If a states name is standing alone or in conjunction. Ap style is what the general public is accustomed to seeing because it is the official stylebook of the newspaper industry. The best ap style cheat sheet every writer needs free. Dont abbreviate if there isnt a city name before the state. Use the state abbreviations listed at the end of this section. These arent always the same abbreviations the mail carrier uses. When abbreviating the state names, dont make the mistake of using the postal code abbreviations. Do not capitalize federal, state, department, division, board.
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. The associated press stylebook does not abbreviate texas nor any other state with five or fewer letters. Mar 28, 2017 the associated press stylebook, a widely used manual of journalistic writing standards, has made a shift in the use of the pronoun they to acknowledge the evolving landscape of gender identity. Use abbreviations for degrees only when you need to include a list. In order to uphold the integrity and image of the department, it is essential to use a consistent writing style.
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. Mastering the ap style rules for abbreviations bka content. See datelines for guidelines on when a city name may stand alone in the body of a story. However, the chicago manual of style now recommends use of the uppercase twoletter abbreviations, with the traditional forms as an option. For example, radar if formed from radio detecting and ranging. Mar 14, 2015 ap style for states abbreviations march 14, 2015 a. Jul 21, 2016 i m a huge fan of abbreviations because they make communication easier and spare me from unnecessary typing.
In order to create a playlist on sporcle, you need to verify the email address you used during registration. The ap stylebook will help you master the aps rules on grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, abbreviation, word and numeral usage, and when to use more than instead of over. 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. Stylebook, differs from the modern language association mla and the. Ap style holds that acronyms are formed from the first letters or letters of a series of words. Test your knowledge on this miscellaneous quiz to see how you do and compare your score to others. In this post, we will summarize all of the ap stylebook state abbreviations rules. Use the following guidelines to produce clean copy, style errorfree writing with unnecessary mistakes. The ap stylebook now includes they as a singular, gender.
To subscribe to the associated press stylebook online, or to find out about purchasing hard copies of the. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The associated press stylebook provides an az guide to issues such as capitalization. Ap stylebook type search query into the search bar below. As noted earlier, epa has an online subscription to the ap book on our intranet. Apr 23, 2014 ap is not done rocking the journalism world with style changes. First reference for spelling, style, usage and foreign geographic names. If were speaking about regions of the state, should it be south louisiana, north louisiana. It wasnt about my prose, reporting, or lede, but that i neglected to abbreviate september. When used as an adjective, united states should be abbreviated as u. Heres the full ap stylebook entry on the district of columbia. To make navigating these specialty chapters even easier, the stylebook includes a comprehensive index. 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 stylebook how is associated press. Generally use district of columbia within a story only for official designations, such as local government names, or to avoid confusion with other localities of that name. Ap style recommends spelling out state names in the body of stories effective may 1, 2014 and using abbreviations in datelines. Ap style guide quick reference the difference between academic writing and ap style most, if not all, of the documents created by the department are shared with the public, the education community and the media. Websters new world college dictionary, fourth edition, wiley, hoboken, n. If a states name is standing alone or in conjunction with a city or town in your text, spell out the entire states name.
It was a collective and scrutinized effort of the newspaper authorities. There are quite a few rules in the ap stylebook for state names and ap style state abbreviations. Currently, most state names are abbreviated in stories. In conjunction with the name of a city, town, village or military base in text. Learn ap stylebook with free interactive flashcards. The associated press began to take shape when six new york newspapers decided to gather adequate resources for international tidings. The ap style as its known in the trade is quite different. Ba, bs, bachelor of arts, bachelor of science ma, ms, master of arts, master of science edd, phd, doctor of education, doctor of philosophy mba, master of business administration do not add the word degree after an abbreviation of the degree or. Ap is not done rocking the journalism world with style changes. Ap suggests spelling out the names of alaska, hawaii, and all states with five or fewer letters. In a news story, can you start a sentence with an acronym. The best ap style cheat sheet every writer needs free download.
The associated press stylebook and briefing on media law official style. An abbreviation, lets take gb from above, is not an acronym. Most online publications, especially those designed for branded content in particular, will adopt their own style guides. A few universally recognized abbreviations, such as co. The ap stylebook states to not follow an organizations full name with an abbreviation or acronym in parenthesis or set off by dashes. The associated press stylebook states that in contexts other than mailing addresses, the traditional state abbreviations should be used. There are eight states that should never be abbreviated in text or datelines.
291 192 435 820 654 725 1119 1333 1331 641 552 339 38 957 535 295 844 405 124 977 825 1 1204 1489 927 1048 935 1440 3 116