AP Style ReviewAP Style Review

Abbreviations Abbreviations and Acronymsand Acronyms

In General…In General… Acronyms are abbreviations that are pronounced Acronyms are abbreviations that are pronounced

as a word, such as as a word, such as NASA, CAD, ASPNASA, CAD, ASP. .

The general trend is away from using periods in The general trend is away from using periods in abbreviations, unless confusion might result. abbreviations, unless confusion might result.

Use abbreviations and acronyms sparingly unless Use abbreviations and acronyms sparingly unless your readership is familiar with them. your readership is familiar with them.

Spell out the abbreviation or acronym on the first Spell out the abbreviation or acronym on the first use (a few exceptions)use (a few exceptions)

In General…In General… Do not use abbreviations or acronyms for Do not use abbreviations or acronyms for

subsequent references if they follow at a great subsequent references if they follow at a great distance from the spelled out version. distance from the spelled out version.

Do not use the ampersand (&) as a replacement Do not use the ampersand (&) as a replacement for for and.and.

Avoid alphabet soup. Rewrite copy that's Avoid alphabet soup. Rewrite copy that's peppered with acronyms. peppered with acronyms.

Do not italicize acronyms or abbreviations even if Do not italicize acronyms or abbreviations even if they are the official title of a printed piece: e.g., they are the official title of a printed piece: e.g., CATECS CATECS (Center for Advanced Training in (Center for Advanced Training in Engineering and Computer Science).Engineering and Computer Science).

ACADEMIC DEGREESACADEMIC DEGREES

NO ABBREVIATIONS NO ABBREVIATIONS When spelling out degrees, use When spelling out degrees, use

lowercase full words lowercase full words • bachelor of sciencebachelor of science• master of business administration master of business administration • bachelor's degree bachelor's degree • master's degree master's degree • doctoratedoctorate

PLURALSPLURALS

Plurals of abbreviations and Plurals of abbreviations and acronyms are formed by adding acronyms are formed by adding

s s alone. alone.

NO apostrophe S = they are not NO apostrophe S = they are not possessive, only pluralized versionpossessive, only pluralized version

STATE ABBREVIATIONSSTATE ABBREVIATIONS

General Rule: The more specific the General Rule: The more specific the location gets, the more abbreviations location gets, the more abbreviations that may occurthat may occur• City, state…may need to abbreviate!City, state…may need to abbreviate!• State names with five letters or less are State names with five letters or less are

never abbreviatednever abbreviated• Hawaii and Alaska are never abbreviatedHawaii and Alaska are never abbreviated• See style book for other state See style book for other state

abbreviationsabbreviations

UNITED STATESUNITED STATES

Abbreviate the United States only Abbreviate the United States only when used as an when used as an adjectiveadjective. . EX: The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is EX: The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is

one government agency that is using one government agency that is using software developed at CU-Boulder.software developed at CU-Boulder.

Spell United States out whenever it is Spell United States out whenever it is used as a used as a nounnoun. . EX: The government of the United States EX: The government of the United States

is one of the nation's largest employers.is one of the nation's largest employers.

DATESDATES

General Rule: The more specific the General Rule: The more specific the date gets, the more abbreviations that date gets, the more abbreviations that may occurmay occur• Exact date…may need to abbreviate!Exact date…may need to abbreviate!• Months with five letters or less are never Months with five letters or less are never

abbreviated (similar to states)abbreviated (similar to states)• See style book for other date and month See style book for other date and month

abbreviationsabbreviations

TITLESTITLES

Military titles…LOOK IT UP!Military titles…LOOK IT UP!

No need to use Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss No need to use Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss (use Dr. only if needed in story)(use Dr. only if needed in story)

See style book for title rules and See style book for title rules and abbreviationsabbreviations

ADDRESSESADDRESSES

General Rule: The more specific the General Rule: The more specific the address gets, the more abbreviations address gets, the more abbreviations that may occurthat may occur• Only thoroughfares that are abbreviated Only thoroughfares that are abbreviated

are Street, Avenue and Boulevard, BUT are Street, Avenue and Boulevard, BUT only when used with a numbered only when used with a numbered addressaddress

• See style book for other address See style book for other address abbreviationsabbreviations

AP Style ReviewAP Style Review

CapitalizationCapitalization

DO Capitalize…DO Capitalize…

Proper Nouns and Names: Proper Nouns and Names: • George WashingtonGeorge Washington• Community College of DenverCommunity College of Denver

Popular Names: Popular Names: • RTD Light RailRTD Light Rail• the Bad Landsthe Bad Lands• the Front Rangethe Front Range

Derivatives: Derivatives: • AmericanAmerican• EnglishEnglish

DO Capitalize…DO Capitalize…

Composition TitlesComposition Titles

Social SecuritySocial Security

U.S. Armed ForcesU.S. Armed Forces• ArmyArmy• NavyNavy• Air Force Air Force • MarinesMarines

DO Capitalize…DO Capitalize…

Political Parties and Philosophies Political Parties and Philosophies

Planets and Heavenly BodiesPlanets and Heavenly Bodies

Religious ReferencesReligious References

Holidays and Holy DaysHolidays and Holy Days

Do NOT Capitalize…Do NOT Capitalize…

classes: classes: • freshman, sophomore, junior, senior freshman, sophomore, junior, senior

academic degrees: academic degrees: • doctorate, doctor's, master's, bachelor's, doctorate, doctor's, master's, bachelor's,

baccalaureate baccalaureate

academic department (exceptions)academic department (exceptions)

Do NOT Capitalize…Do NOT Capitalize…

seasons seasons • spring, summer, fall, winter spring, summer, fall, winter

directions and regionsdirections and regions

government terms, departments, government terms, departments, bodies, court/legal, federalbodies, court/legal, federal

TITLES…TITLES…General RuleGeneral Rule

If a title is so important it comes If a title is so important it comes BEFORE a name, capitalize it. BEFORE a name, capitalize it.

If not and it comes AFTER a person’s If not and it comes AFTER a person’s name, lower case it (and set off by name, lower case it (and set off by commas because that means it can commas because that means it can be left out of the sentence).be left out of the sentence).

See style book for other title rules See style book for other title rules and abbreviationsand abbreviations

AP Style ReviewAP Style Review

NumbersNumbers

In General…In General…

Spell out one to nine. Use numerals Spell out one to nine. Use numerals for 10 and above. EXCEPTIONS:for 10 and above. EXCEPTIONS:• AddressesAddresses• AgesAges• MoneyMoney• TimeTime• PercentagesPercentages• Betting Odds, Scores and RatiosBetting Odds, Scores and Ratios• Measurements/DimensionsMeasurements/Dimensions• TemperaturesTemperatures

In General…In General…

Use a combination of numerals and Use a combination of numerals and words with numbers in the millions words with numbers in the millions and larger. and larger.

Use a comma for numbers with more Use a comma for numbers with more than three digits.than three digits.

Spell out numbers at the beginning of Spell out numbers at the beginning of a sentence or rephrase the sentence a sentence or rephrase the sentence to avoid beginning with a number. to avoid beginning with a number.

Hyphenate fractions when they are Hyphenate fractions when they are spelled out.spelled out.

DATESDATES

The AP preference is for styling dates The AP preference is for styling dates as: month, day, and year, without the as: month, day, and year, without the ordinal letters and a comma only ordinal letters and a comma only between the day and the year. between the day and the year. • New parking permits go on sale New parking permits go on sale

Jan. 6, 2012. Jan. 6, 2012. NOTNOT New parking permits go on sale New parking permits go on sale

January 6th, 2012. January 6th, 2012. NOTNOT New parking permits go on sale New parking permits go on sale

6 January 2012. 6 January 2012.

MONEYMONEY

The $ sign goes BEFORE the amount:The $ sign goes BEFORE the amount:• The book cost $4.The book cost $4.

The word cents is spelled out:The word cents is spelled out:• Can you loan me 25 cents?Can you loan me 25 cents?

Money in the millions and billions Money in the millions and billions • Carry out the amount by two decimal Carry out the amount by two decimal

points: $4.25 millionpoints: $4.25 million• Spell out million, billion, etc.Spell out million, billion, etc.

ORDINAL NUMBERSORDINAL NUMBERS

Spell out ordinal numbers from first to Spell out ordinal numbers from first to ninth:ninth:• She placed fourth out of 525 competitors. She placed fourth out of 525 competitors.

Use numbers and ordinal placement Use numbers and ordinal placement letters for 10letters for 10thth and above: and above:• The 21st century has been fodder for many The 21st century has been fodder for many

imaginative novelists and entrepreneurial imaginative novelists and entrepreneurial visionaries during the latter half of the 20th visionaries during the latter half of the 20th century. century.

TIMETIME

Use numerals Use numerals a.m. and p.m. (lowercase letters, a.m. and p.m. (lowercase letters,

no spaces between periods)no spaces between periods) Use noon and midnight in place of Use noon and midnight in place of

12 p.m. and 12 a.m., respectively, for 12 p.m. and 12 a.m., respectively, for clarity. clarity.

No need to use :00 if the time is on No need to use :00 if the time is on the hourthe hour

YEARS & DECADESYEARS & DECADES

A year is the ONLY number that can A year is the ONLY number that can begin a sentencebegin a sentence

No need for apostrophe in the plural No need for apostrophe in the plural form of a year form of a year (it doesn’t belong to anything…it’s (it doesn’t belong to anything…it’s referring to the 10-year span of a decade = multiple years)referring to the 10-year span of a decade = multiple years)

• the 1880s the 1880s • the 80s the 80s