Ap stylebook state abbreviations

The ap style as its known in the trade is quite different from the new york times style or chicago manual of style. Ap mentions to also abbreviate states in datelines, credit lines, and shortform party affiliation dariz. Sep 19, 2012 ap style recommends spelling out state names in the body of stories effective may 1, 2014 and using abbreviations in datelines. The department prefers bullets, but punctuate them per ap style. What follows are summaries of some of the most common style rules.

Chapter sixteen brights, followups, roundups, sidebars and obituaries. This guide provides an overview and guide to the various resources and capabilities of and ap stylebook products. Do not use periods in abbreviations that are in headlines. Plase one comma between the city and the state name, and another comma after the state name, unless ending a sentence or indicating a dateline.

Aug 05, 2015 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. 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. For example, the state of michigan is made up of two peninsulas. Ap style state abbreviations differ from their corresponding united states postal service abbreviations, provided in parentheses. The difference between ap and chicago styles free download as pdf file.

The individual cities, counties, and states within the united states have definite borders. There are eight states that should never be abbreviated in text or datelines. In other words, do not use abbreviations or acronyms that your readers will. 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. If youve used other books on style, it can be a relearning process if you choose to use the ap stylebook. State abbreviations are not the same as the twoletter postal codes. 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. The associated press stylebook provides an az guide to issues such as capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation, spelling, numerals and many other questions of language usage. If youre new to news writing or switching from one to another, youll want to keep this ap cheat sheet handy and.

Ap style also aims to avoid stereotypes and unintentionally offensive language. Ap style does use periods in most twoletter abbreviations. The change is being made to be consistent in our style for domestic and international. Before we begin to enlist the abbreviations, it is mandatory for one to learn and garner information about what ap is, with. The american psychological association apa publication manual, which is used for writing academic papers, agrees about using the periods.

Here is how each state is abbreviated in ap style with the postal code abbreviations in. Some cities dont require a state or country after them. 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. Ap style isnt keen on using state abbreviations in titles, so spell them out. 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.

A quick guide to abbreviations for state names and the difference between associated press and chicago styles. Register to view your products, order status, shipment trackings and manage your account settings. Ap editor david minthorn fields questions of widest interest posed by subscribers to the online ap stylebook. The national pta stylebook highlights some of the most important entries from the ap stylebook, as well as the exceptions we use as part of our brand. 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. 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. Styles are taken from the 2017 ap stylebook and defense imagery style guide, along with established army public affairs style ar 3601. In this post, we will summarize all of the ap stylebook state abbreviations rules. For slide presentations of ap style basics, go here.

However, there are exceptions for large cities that stand alone in datelines. 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. If a states name is standing alone or in conjunction with a city or town in your text, spell out the entire states name. Select the sentence free of errors in ap style for abbreviations for print publications. Addresses writing style guide western michigan university. Apr 23, 2014 the following guidance went out on the ap wire wednesday. However, the chicago manual of style now recommends use of the uppercase twoletter abbr eviations, with the traditional forms as an option. Learn ap stylebook with free interactive flashcards. For all others, include the abbreviated state name andor country name, not abbreviated. There is indeed a science and art behind writing a press release.

Select the sentence free of errors in ap style for addresses, abbreviations, capitalization and numerals in broadcast copy. Of course, use state abbreviations in conjunction with the name of a city, town, village or military base in most datelines. Colon capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence. You will still use abbreviations in datelines, photo. Of course, use state abbreviations in conjunction with the. To subscribe to the associated press stylebook online, or to find out about purchasing hard copies of the. State abbreviations according to ap style gatehouse newsroom. So, i am providing a reference for those who may be interested. We also have relatively firm definitions of our geographic regions, such as the midwest and the northeast.

Ap stylebook rules for datelines, cities that stand alone. Here is a sampling of frequently asked questions, with examples of ap style used in answers. Youll find the list of acceptable abbreviations under state names in the stylebook. The names of eight states are never abbreviated in datelines or text.

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. Although it is sold as a guide for reporters, it has become the leading reference. Spiralbound book, updated each spring 2019 ap stylebook. Alaska, hawaii, idaho, iowa, maine, ohio, texas and utah. 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. Unfortunately, we dont have such fixed boundaries for how to abbreviate united states. 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.

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. Ap style holds that a few universally recognized abbreviations are required in some instances and some other abbreviations are acceptable depending on the context, but in general, as a writer, you should avoid having your writing appear as if its alphabet soup. Ap style state abbreviations for press release dateline follow these associated press guidelines for the u. Ap style, or chicago manual of style for additional rules and guidelines for writing about states and other locations. The associated press stylebook states that in contexts other than mailing addresses, the traditional state abbreviations should be used. 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. Ap itself along with gi and eu are exceptions to this rule. This applies to chicago manual of style and the american psychological association style apa. Note that with the traditional state abbreviations, the first letter is capitalized, subsequent letters are lowercase unless theyre abbreviating a new word, and each abbreviation. Associated press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. A few universally recognized abbreviations are required in some circumstances. See the associated press stylebook for state abbreviations. Ap stylebook quick reference the following resource provides standardized guidance to army public affairs professionals on writing articles and captions, as well as entering metadata associated. May 21, 2009 use all caps, but no periods, in longer abbreviations and acronyms when the individual letters are pronounced.

The associated press stylebook, the usage guide for most united states newspapers, counsels the use of abbreviations for most state names, when appended. Be sure to use the stylebook abbreviations and not the u. There are quite a few rules in the ap stylebook for state names and ap style state abbreviations. Ap style state abbreviations differ from their corresponding us postal service abbreviations, are in parentheses. It wouldnt be ap style without an exception or two. The ap stylebook says state abbreviations are used in both datelines and in text. Use twoletter postal codes ca in tabular matter unless your publisher prefers traditional abbreviations calif. The 2017 ap stylebook uses periods most of the time. Those are alaska, hawaii, idaho, iowa, maine, ohio, texas and utah.

Do not use an apostrophe when there is no apostrophe in bachelor of arts or master of science. Jul 21, 2016 im a huge fan of abbreviations because they make communication easier and spare me from unnecessary typing. Its updated throughout the year and valuable onlineonly resources, including ask the editor, topical guides and pronunciation guide, expand on the print books guidance. Ap style also calls specifically for lowercase abbreviations for a. Welcome to ask the editor, a forum on writing, style and phrasing issues that go beyond the pages of the ap stylebook. Spell out names of states unless preceded by a city or county. To accomplish that, the agency endorses two editorial styles. Ap stylebook type search query into the search bar below. If youre referencing time zones in the united states, no periods are required and the zones can go in all caps. 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. Indiana daily student stylebook addendum for spring 2019. Any state name may be condensed, however, to fit typographical requirements for tabular material. Periods and commas always go inside, rather than outside, any quotation marks. If a state s name is standing alone or in conjunction with a city or town in your text, spell out the entire states name.

However, the chicago manual of style now recommends use of the uppercase twoletter abbreviations, with the traditional forms as an option. In bibliographies, lists, charts where space is at a premium, reference lists, footnotes and endnotes, and in mailing addresses, state names are usually shortened using the postal abbreviation. Here is a sampling of frequently asked questions, with examples of ap style used in. Ap stylebook online is a searchable, customizable resource for writers and editors. To make navigating these specialty chapters even easier, the stylebook includes a comprehensive index. Postal and traditional state abbreviations reference guide. The storm began in indiana and moved west toward peoria, ill. 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. Thank you for your interest in the ap stylebook, the journalists bible. Sba marketing and promotional materials follow the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law, though we do have a few exceptions that are noted in this guide. Use the abbreviations only after a full name and set the. After each bullet, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each item.

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. This page reflects the latest version of the apa publication manual i. The associated pres s stylebook st ates that in contexts other than mailing addresses, the tradit ional state abbrevi ations should be used. 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. 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. Effective may 1, the ap will spell out state names in the body of stories. Choose from 100 different sets of ap stylebook flashcards on quizlet. Generally ap style omits periods in acronyms, unless doing so would spell an unrelated word. You must register and have a current subscription to access ap stylebook. 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.

Postal service abbreviations below for addresses, whether used in. Abbreviations for states and provinces traditional abbreviations for states and provinces begin with a capital letter and end with a period. Mar 14, 2015 below is a list of ap style state abbreviations. Eight states are never abbreviated in datelines or text. Do not capitalize federal, state, department, division, board. Spell out the names of the 50 states when they stand alone in. Abbreviating months and days editing and writing services. Here is a sampling of frequently asked questions, with examples of ap style. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Also use state abbreviations in conjunction with the name of a city, county, town, village or military base in. Jun 21, 2018 thats where the ap stylebook comes in. The best ap style cheat sheet every writer needs free. Use abbreviations for degrees only when you need to include a list. Use only an initial cap and then lowercase for acronyms of more than six letters, unless listed otherwise in this stylebook or websters new world college dictionary.

Some others are acceptable depending on the context. If youre writing a research paper or dashing off a blog post, you can probably ignore all the exceptions and special cases. The equivalent resource for the older apa 6 style can be found here. If you want to know all about the ap style state abbreviations, you have been a wise soul to click on this article. Short for associated press and briefing on media law, the ap stylebook or even shorter, ap style is an english grammar style and usage guide created by american journalists working for or connected with the ap over the last century to standardize mass communications. When punctuating state names, you should place a comma between the city and state, and another comma after the state name, unless the state name is ending. Nasa is planning to launch 5 unmanned probes to jupiter, which is 482,564,600 miles from the sun. These are nprs photo caption guidelines npr training. Follow these associated press guidelines for the u. You must register and have a current subscription to access ap stylebook online. Currently, most state names are abbreviated in stories.

For example, state abbreviations in the ap are threeletter abbreviations versus twoletter abbreviations in greggs, and a number of other substantial differences, such as onecomma placement in a series in ap versus two in greggs. Use the twoletter postal service abbreviations only with full addresses, including zip code. The 2015 ap stylebook makes the distinction between state names in running text body of the story and state names in datelines. The associated press style is the goto style for journalism and news writing. Mastering the ap style rules for abbreviations bka content. For external communication we use the associated press stylebook 2017 for all public documents and materials, excluding correspondence from the administrator and deputy administrator.