Ap Style Tip Sheet

Ap Style Tip Sheet

The AP Style Tip Sheet provides essential guidelines for writers and editors adhering to Associated Press style. It covers critical topics such as proper formatting for dates, times, and numbers, as well as rules for capitalization and punctuation. This resource is invaluable for journalists, students, and professionals aiming to produce clear and consistent content. Key sections include specific examples for names, titles, and classes, ensuring accuracy in written communication. Ideal for anyone preparing articles, reports, or academic papers in AP style.

Key Points

  • Explains the rules for capitalizing names, titles, and classes in AP style.
  • Covers formatting guidelines for dates, times, and numbers to ensure clarity.
  • Includes punctuation rules, such as the correct use of apostrophes and quotation marks.
  • Provides specific examples for addressing common writing mistakes in AP style.
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MONTHS/DATES/TIMES
NAMES/TITLES/CLASSES
For all people (adults and students), use full
names on first reference. On second reference,
use only the last name.
Jane Smith, a high school junior, ... later
Smith realized ...
If two people with the same last name are
quoted in a story, use first and last names.
... Jane Smith explained. Jenny Smith also
believes ...
Formal titles are only capitalized when they
appear immediately before a name. Just make
sure it’s a formal title and not merely a job
description (teacher, coach, counselor, etc.). AP
wavers on whether “principal” should be
capitalized before a name. You can decide.
Jenny Smith, auto club president. Under
Mayor Bob Jackson, the town seemed to
thrive, but basketball coach Joe Jones
told another story. Joe Biden is president.
Sophomore, junior, senior and freshman are
lowercase unless at the start of a sentence.
Freshmen is the plural of freshman.
For sophomore Sarah Smith, it was...
Also, use “first-year student” when
possible instead of freshman.
Titles of departments and names of classes are
not capitalized unless they are also a language
or nationality.
math, science, English, Spanish
Abbreviate months with six or more letters if
they are used with a specific date. Spell out
those with five or fewer letters.
Aug. 13, June 6, May 31
Spell out the month when it is used without a
specific date.
In September, the football team ... The
class begins in February 2015.
For days of the month, use only numerals. Do
not use nd, rd or th.
Aug. 2, Sept. 3, April 4.
Do not abbreviate days of the week. You usually
do not need both a day of the week and a date.
Wednesday, Monday
The next game is Oct. 13.
Use numerals, a space, lowercase letters and
periods for a.m. and p.m. Do not use extra zeros
(7:00) on times.
7 p.m., 10 a.m., 1:45 p.m.
1-2 p.m., 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Use noon and midnight rather than 12 a.m. or
12 p.m.
The club will meet at noon.
AP TIP SHEET
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NUMBERS/MONEY
In most usage, spell out numbers under 10. Exceptions beyond dates and times shown
above:
• Addresses: 6 Maple St.
• Ages, even for inanimate objects: Beth, a 15-year-old; the 2-year-old building
• Dollars and cents: $5; 5 cents.
• Measurements (such as dimensions and speed): 6 feet tall, 9-by-12 rug; 7 miles per
hour
• Temperature: 8 degrees
• Millions, billions: 3 million people
• Percentages: 4% (per a recent style change, use the symbol instead of spelling out
percent)
Spell out any number that appears at the beginning of a sentence. The one exception to this
rule is a year, but we encourage you to avoid starting a sentence with a year: 1981 was the
last time the high school won a state title.
Do not spell out monetary amounts or use extra zeros: $6 or $2.30, but NOT $6.00 or six
dollars.
SPORTS
Do not capitalize names of sports, their
competitive level (varsity, junior varsity, etc.) or
specific positions.
varsity basketball; quarterback
When referring to a gender-specific sport, note
the placement of the apostrophe in the
possessive.
girls’ field hockey
Note that “team” and the name of the school
are singular nouns; but the school’s mascot is
generally plural.
Auburn scores three points; the Tigers score
three points
Use numerals for records and scores but not
necessarily points.
The team, now 7-3, won 51-48 after scoring
three points in the final six seconds.
Note unusual style for rankings.
The team was No. 1 (NOT number one); No.
1 Auburn beat No. 6 Georgia; first-place
team
AP TIP SHEET
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PUNCTUATION/ABBREVIATIONS/QUOTES
Apostrophes usually show possession, so usually you
shouldn’t use them to make acronyms and numbers plural.
An exception is with individual letters such as in grading.
Not all cities need a state name with them, but those that
do should NOT get a postal code but rather AP
abbreviations (see Stylebook).
Place quotation marks around almost all composition titles,
but not reference, newspaper or magazine names.
Capitalize the first letter of a full-sentence quote.
When using a sentence fragment as a quotation, do not set
it off with a comma unless the sentence requires one for
proper grammar. Do not capitalize the first letter of a
sentence fragment quote.
When a full-sentence quotation is introduced or followed
by attribution, place a comma between them, unless the
quote is a question.
OTHER AP, WRITING STYLE TOPICS/COMMON MISTAKES
Capitalizing non-proper nouns in headlines – Don’t do it
No “Oxford/Harvard” commas in a series – This is opposite of APA/Academic style
Listing times as 1:00 pm instead of 1 p.m.; Time spans also should be listed 1-3 p.m. and not 1 p.m. to
3 p.m. However, if they span from morning until afternoon, list it as 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Do not use “the,” “and” and “are” in headlines, unless they are part of an official name of an event, entity
or structure.
Don’t wait until the second or third sentence in a quote to identify the speaker. ID them with the first
sentence, even if it is a short one.
Event information should be listed in this order: time, date, place. For example, the game will take
place at 4 p.m. on Feb. 27 at Neville Arena.
Be sure to include a comma after a date or city/state listing in the middle of a sentence. For instance,
“Students will graduate on Saturday, May 9, at Neville Arena.”
Papers, presentations and movies are “titled” and not “entitled.” You may be entitled to believe
otherwise, but you would be wrong.
Do not stack quotes from different speakers on top of each other. Separate them with transition
sentences.
Avoid using “you” and “we” in calls to action for Campus Notices and other submissions to OCM since
you do not specifically know who will be reading them.
AP TIP SHEET
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FAQs of Ap Style Tip Sheet

What are the key capitalization rules in AP style?
In AP style, formal titles are capitalized only when they precede a name, such as 'President Joe Biden.' Common nouns like 'teacher' or 'coach' are not capitalized. Additionally, terms like 'sophomore' and 'junior' are lowercase unless they start a sentence. This ensures consistency and clarity in written communication.
How should dates and times be formatted in AP style?
AP style dictates that months with six or more letters should be abbreviated when used with specific dates, such as 'Aug. 13.' Days of the week are never abbreviated, and times should be written in numerals followed by lowercase letters, like '7 p.m.' This formatting helps maintain a professional and uniform appearance in writing.
What are the guidelines for using numbers in AP style?
In AP style, numbers under 10 are generally spelled out, while numerals are used for 10 and above. Exceptions include ages, dimensions, and percentages, where numerals are preferred regardless of size. For example, '5 years old' and '4%' are correct. This approach aids in readability and comprehension.
What punctuation rules are emphasized in the AP Style Tip Sheet?
The AP Style Tip Sheet emphasizes the correct use of punctuation, particularly apostrophes and quotation marks. Apostrophes should indicate possession and not be used to pluralize acronyms or numbers. Quotation marks are used for most composition titles but not for reference or magazine names, ensuring clarity in written works.

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