Ten things you MUST know about
Associated Press Style
The AP Style Manual has thousands of entries. In theory, journalists should know all of them, but let’s face it: no one does. How many times do most of us need to know, say, the correct way to refer to the Spanish national airline (Iberia Airline of Spain, Page 119) or whether the 14,110-foot mountain in Colorado is “Pike’s Peak” or “Pikes Peak” (no apostrophe, page 194)?
But there are a few items that every reporter will face almost every day. These are the basics you really must know to get through in this business. And therefore, they are the basics you must know for this class. These are also items that tend not to change over time, so even a sadly out-of-date AP manual should steer you right on these items.
Names
Use the full first and last name on first reference (middle initials only if the person desires or it is necessary to distinguish between two persons of the same name). Use common nicknames if the person desires (Bob Suzuki rather than Robert Suzuki). Put unusual or uncommon nicknames in quotation marks (For example: James “Whitey” Bulger). Don’t put common nicknames in quotation marks (for example, never say Robert “Bob” Suzuki). On second reference always use the last name only, except in the case of children, who should always be referred to by first name unless dealing with a very serious crime (such as an accused murderer who happens to be 15). Do not use honorifics such as Mr., Mrs., Dr., Judge, or Senator on second reference (and never use Mr. or Mrs. on any reference) unless it is vitally important to distinguish between two persons of the same name. Use terms such as Jr., Sr., or III only on first reference and don’t set them off with commas (for example, Martin Luther King Jr. or William Howard Taft III). Do not assume that a son that shares his father’s name is “Jr.” (George W. Bush is not “George Bush Jr.,” because the father is George H. W. Bush). Also, remember that “Jr.” and “Sr.” apply only to father and son. Relatives who share the same name but who aren’t father and son are referred to as I and II (For Example: former congressman Joseph P. Kennedy II is the grandson of Joseph P. Kennedy, the patriarch of the Kennedy political clan).
Dates
Use today, tomorrow, yesterday or the day of the week, unabbreviated, for events within the current week (do not use this, next, or last with the day of the week). Use the date only for events outside this range. When referring to a specific date, abbreviate the months January, February, August, September, October, November, and December ( Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec.). Spell out all other months and any month used without a specific date (For example: September 2001 or Sept. 11, 2001). For a specific date, use only the number, never a suffix such as –nd or –rd (for example: Sept. 11 is correct. Sept. 11th is not). Don’t include the year in any date that occurs within the current year.
Numbers
In most cases, spell out numbers 0 through 9 and use the numerals for numbers 10 and greater (except when using millions, billions or trillions, when you use the numerals no matter what. For example, 1 billion, 5 billion). Spell out first through ninth (unless it’s part of a geographic or military designation such as 1st Ward or 7th Fleet), but use numerals for 10th and higher. At the start of a sentence, always spell out the number, no matter how large it is. There are many exceptions to the number rules, detailed below and on page 180 of the 2002 edition.
Percentages
This is a common exception to the number rules. When referring to percentages, always use numerals and spell out percent (never use the % symbol). Do say 5 percent; don’t say five percent or 5 %.
Ages
This is another common exception to the numbers rule. Use numerals even for ages younger than 10. When used like an adjective, say X-year-old, including the hyphens. Otherwise, don’t use the hyphens. For example: the 5-year-old boy kicked his sister, who is 9 years old.
Titles
Capitalize only those titles that directly precede a name and suggest a specific office or authority (for example: President Bob Suzuki or Dr. C. Everett Koop). Generic titles, and specific titles used after a name, should be lowercase (for example: pilot John Smith or Bob Suzuki, president of Cal Poly). Very long titles may be shortened or summarized unless they are essential to the story, but the shortened form should not be capitalized (for example, you may use spokesman instead of Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications).
Acronyms
Spell out all organizational names on first reference unless the organization is so well known that the acronym is obvious (for example: FBI, AFL-CIO, CIA, IRS). Don’t assume that just because you know the meaning of an acronym, everyone does (for example, ASI is a common abbreviation at California State Universities for "Associated Students, Inc.", but it does not rank up there with the FBI. Spell it out). Unless the official acronym is very strange or counterintuitive, do not spell it out in parentheses immediately after the first reference. For example, don’t write Associated Students, Inc. (ASI).
Times
This is another common exception to the number rules. Use numerals except for noon and midnight (which are both always lowercase). Use a.m. or p.m. rather than O’clock unless absolutely necessary. For example, say 3 p.m. rather than 3 O’clock this afternoon. By the way, never say 12 noon or 12 midnight – it would be redundant. AP considers midnight part of the day that is ending, not the first minute of the new day (which would therefore be 12:01 a.m.).
Obscenities
Use curse words, obscenities and vulgarities only in quotes and only when absolutely necessary (always check with your editor before including). Be particularly careful to avoid ethnic or racial slurs, although they may be included if essential to the story and with the permission of your editor.
Punctuation basics
Avoid the use of exclamation points, dashes and parentheses. Use ellipsis (…) to indicate material left out of quotes. Use brackets ([ ]) to indicate material substituted or added in a quote. Generally, all punctuation included within a quote goes entirely inside the quotation marks, including the final period or question mark, although there are exceptions to this rule, outlined on page 338.
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