AP Style Guidelines

Home >Communication Basics >Citation & Style Guides >AP Style >AP Style Guidelines

Specific AP Style Guidelines

Adhering to AP Style guidelines is important for journalists and media writers to produce clear, consistent, and professional content. Developed by the Associated Press, these guidelines standardize grammar, punctuation, and usage, meant to ensure that information is presented uniformly and in the most understandable way possible. AP Style not only enhances the readability of writing but it also upholds the credibility and reliability of the media and other professional communications. Below you’ll find a list of some of the most common AP Style rules with accompanying examples.

Abbreviations

In AP Style, abbreviations are used for brevity and clarity but should be used sparingly. Common abbreviations include titles, months, and certain well-known organizations. Always spell out less familiar abbreviations on first reference.

Examples:

  • Dr. Smith will see you now.
  • The U.S. government announced new policies.
  • The meeting will take place in Dec.

Acronyms

Acronyms should be spelled out on the first reference, followed by the acronym in parentheses. Subsequent references can use the acronym alone. Acronyms are written without periods.

Examples:

  • “The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the operation. The FBI agents were thorough.”
  • “The United Nations (UN) will hold a conference. UN officials are preparing for the event.”
  • “The World Health Organization (WHO) released a new report. WHO’s findings are significant.”

Addresses

For addresses, use abbreviations for directional cues and street types only with a numbered address. Spell them out when used alone or without a number. Avoid abbreviating states unless used with a full address, including city.

Examples:

  • “He lives at 123 Main St.”
  • “The office is located on Elm Street.”
  • “Send the package to 456 Oak Ave., Springfield.”

Ages

Ages are always written as numerals in AP Style. Hyphenate ages when used as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun.

Examples:

  • The 5-year-old boy was excited.
  • She is 30 years old.
  • The contest is open to 18-year-olds.

Reference Works

Titles of books, movies, songs, and other reference works are placed in quotation marks. This helps differentiate them from other types of works or general terms.

Examples:

  • I just finished reading ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’
  • Her favorite song is ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon.
  • They watched ‘The Godfather’ last night.

Dates

Spell out the names of months when used alone or with a year. Abbreviate months with more than five letters when used with a specific date. Use numerals without ordinal suffixes (e.g., th, st).

Examples:

  • The event is scheduled for Jan. 15.
  • They got married in September 2020.
  • Her birthday is on July 4.

Datelines

Datelines indicate the location from which a story originates. The city name is in all caps, followed by the state or country. This standardizes the presentation of the origin of the news.

Examples:

  • NEW YORK — The mayor announced new policies today.
  • LONDON — The summit concluded with new agreements.
  • LOS ANGELES — The film premiere drew large crowds.

Dimensions

Use numerals for dimensions and spell out units such as inches, feet, and yards. Hyphenate dimensions when used as adjectives before a noun.

Examples:

  • The room is 12 feet by 15 feet.
  • He bought a 9-foot-long table.
  • The picture is 8 inches wide.

Miles

Miles are always written as numerals in AP Style, and the word “miles” is spelled out. This ensures clarity and precision in conveying distances.

Examples:

  • The nearest town is 5 miles away.
  • She ran 10 miles yesterday.
  • The road stretches for 20 miles.

Names

Use full names on the first reference and last names on subsequent references. Avoid courtesy titles like Mr. or Ms., unless necessary for clarity or context.

Examples:

  • Michelle Obama spoke at the event. Obama highlighted several key issues.
  • James Smith was honored. Smith received the award for his contributions.
  • Dr. Jane Goodall is a renowned primatologist. Goodall has dedicated her life to studying chimpanzees.

Numbers

Spell out numbers one through nine and use numerals for 10 and above. Exceptions include ages, dates, dimensions, and percentages, which always use numerals.

Examples:

  • Three dogs ran through the park.
  • She has 15 books on her shelf.
  • There are 20 students in the class.

Punctuation

AP Style uses fewer punctuation marks, notably omitting the Oxford comma (the comma before the conjunction in a list). This keeps writing clean and uncluttered.

Examples:

  • The flag is red, white and blue.
  • He bought apples, oranges and bananas.
  • The report covers economics, health and education.

Cities and States

When mentioning U.S. cities, include the state abbreviation unless the city is well-known. Use AP Style state abbreviations, not postal codes. For international locations, include the country if not well-known.

Examples:

  • She traveled from Miami, Fla., to Austin, Texas.
  • The conference will be held in Boston.
  • He moved to Paris, France.

Times

Use numerals for times, except for noon and midnight. Use lowercase letters and periods for a.m. and p.m. This format ensures clarity and consistency in time representation.

Examples:

  • The meeting starts at 3 p.m.
  • The train leaves at 11:45 a.m.
  • Dinner will be served at 6 p.m.

Titles

Capitalize formal titles when used directly before a name. Lowercase titles when used alone or after a name. This distinguishes the formal usage from the general.

Examples:

  • President Joe Biden addressed the nation.
  • The president will hold a press conference.
  • Mayor Jane Smith announced new initiatives.

*Content on this page was curated and edited by expert humans with the creative assistance of AI.