AP Style Bootcamp
Why should a PR writer care?
Addresses
Dates, Months
Names, Titles
Numbers , Numerals
Datelines
What's AP Style?
A way of writing in a special format
that is used by most newspapers
in the US
Do you want your articles published?
Then use AP Style.
Simple as that.
See p. 184
Capitalize names of all months
Only abbreviate when there's a date, too
Only abbreviate months with six or more letters
See pp. 79-80
City name in ALL CAPS
Major US cities need no state listed
Abbreviate states as described on p. 266
See p. 4
Only abbreviate Ave., Blvd. and St. when with a numbered address
Spell out all others (i.e.: Road)
Use figures for house number
Use periods in P.O. Box
Abbreviate states as described on p. 266
Names
See p. 190
Use first & last name on first reference
Use last name only on second reference
Also see AP Style Book for
Academic titles (p. 3)
Composition titles (p. 67)
Legislative titles (p. 161)
Military titles (pp. 180-182)
Religious titles (p. 244)
Courtesy Titles (Mr., Mrs., etc.)
See p. 74
No courtesy title on first reference
No courtesy title on second reference
Titles (Formal Titles)
See pp. 278-281
Use lowercase unless immediately before name
See pp. 201-203
Spell out one through nine
Use digits for 10 and higher
To start a sentence, spell out a number OR rewrite sentence
Punctuation!
See "A Guide to Punctuation" chapter, pp. 363+
Use standard, American punctuation rules in most cases
Pay special attention to commas (esp. in a series), pp. 366-368
Five Things
Created by Barbara B. Nixon
http://publicrelationsmatters.com
2010 Edition
Social Media
Entire section devoted to social media in 2010 edition
pp 314-319