The Associated Press - The Associated Press Stylebook 2017

The first Associated Press Stylebook was 60 pages, bound together with staples, a basic guide for newswriting. It has evolved into a comprehensive reference manual that fills more than 600 pages and is published in Spanish as well as English across an array of digital platforms, encompassing the collective wisdom of the AP staff and Stylebook readers. Despite drastic changes in the media landscape, one constant remains: The AP Stylebook is a definitive resource for writers.

Todays Stylebook still outlines basic rules on grammar, punctuation, usage and journalistic style, but it also reflects changes in common language, offers guidance on media law, explains APs news values and principles, and helps to navigate the ever-changing world of social media.

A team of top AP editors meets throughout the year to make updates and improvements. Contributions come from the AP staff, APs member news organizations and subscribers, journalism teachers and students, specialists in a host of fields and everyday readers. Indeed, some of the most talked-about changes have come at the suggestion of @APStylebooks Twitter followers.

A work constantly in progress, the Stylebook is updated every year but always with respect for language and commitment to the original goal: to be clear, fair and concise around the globe, no matter what the news is or where it happens.

However you choose to access it in print, online or via an app on your smartphone The Associated Press Stylebook remains an essential tool in newsrooms, classrooms and boardrooms alike, the bible for journalists and anyone who cares about good writing.

Gary Pruitt

President and Chief Executive Officer

In this edition of the AP Stylebook

This edition of the Stylebook contains nearly 200 new and modified entries.

We now allow use of they as a singular pronoun in limited cases. However, we stress that it is usually possible and always preferable to rework a sentence instead.

A new entry covers gender-related issues and terms, including .

We added a detailed entry on , noting that addiction to alcohol and other drugs is considered a disease and cautioning against words like abuse or problem. We also advise to avoid words like alcoholic, addict, user and abuser unless they are in quotations or names of organizations.

A new chapter provides extensive guidance on .

Among the many new or modified entries: discussion of .

We say the word in most cases, including frequent flyer.

The .

We are changing our style to .

Sports changes include a new entry for update that ends the use of Roman numerals in reference to the Super Bowl.

Among a number of updates in the Food chapter: We now call it , not kimchee.

This updated and revised version of Stylebook has been organized like a dictionary. Need the acronym for a government agency? Look under the agencys name. Should you capitalize a word? Check the word itself or the capitalization entry. Whats the format for baseball boxes? See baseball.

Following is a key tap to enlarge:

a- The rules of apply, but in general no hyphen. Some examples:

achromatic

atonal

AAA Formerly the American Automobile Association.

Headquarters is in Heathrow, Florida.

a, an Use the article a before consonant sounds: a historic event, a one-year term (sounds as if it begins with a w), a united stand (sounds like you).

Use the article an before vowel sounds: an energy crisis, an honorable man (the h is silent), an homage (the h is silent), an NBA record (sounds like it begins with the letter e), an 1890s celebration.

AARP Use only the initials for the organization formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons.

abaya Robe-like outer garment worn by Muslim women.

abbreviations and acronyms A few universally recognized abbreviations are required in some circumstances. Some others are acceptable depending on the context. But in general, avoid alphabet soup. Do not use abbreviations or acronyms that the reader would not quickly recognize.

Abbreviations and most acronyms should be avoided in headlines.

Guidance on how to use a particular abbreviation or acronym is provided in entries alphabetized according to the sequence of letters in the word or phrase.

An acronym is a word formed from the first letter or letters of a series of words: laser (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation). An abbreviation is not an acronym.

Some general principles:

BEFORE A NAME : Abbreviate titles when used before a full name: Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Mr., Mrs., Rep., the Rev., Sen. and certain military designations listed in the entry.

For guidelines on how to use titles, see ; and the entries for the most commonly used titles.

AFTER A NAME : Abbreviate junior or senior after an individuals name. Abbreviate company, corporation, incorporated and limited when used after the name of a corporate entity. See entries under these words and .

In some cases, an academic degree may be abbreviated after an individuals name. See .

WITH DATES OR NUMERALS : Use the abbreviations A.D., B.C., a.m., p.m., No., and abbreviate certain months (Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.) when used with the day of the month.

Right: In 450 B.C.; at 9:30 a.m.; in room No. 6; on Sept. 16.

Wrong: Early this a.m. he askedfor the No. of your room. The abbreviations are correct only with figures.

Right: Early this morning he asked for the number of your room.

See and individual entries for these other terms:

IN NUMBERED ADDRESSES : Abbreviate avenue, boulevard and street in numbered addresses: He lives on Pennsylvania Avenue. He lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

See .

STATES : The names of certain states and the United States are abbreviated with periods in some circumstances.

See ; and individual entries.

ACCEPTABLE BUT NOT REQUIRED : Some organizations and government agencies are widely recognized by their initials: CIA, FBI, GOP.

If the entry for such an organization notes that an abbreviation is acceptable in all references or on second reference, that does not mean that its use should be automatic. Let the context determine, for example, whether to use Federal Bureau of Investigation or FBI.

See .

AVOID AWKWARD CONSTRUCTIONS : Do not follow an organizations full name with an abbreviation or acronym in parentheses or set off by dashes. If an abbreviation or acronym would not be clear on second reference without this arrangement, do not use it.

Names not commonly before the public should not be reduced to acronyms solely to save a few words.

SPECIAL CASES : Many abbreviations are desirable in tabulations and certain types of technical writing. See individual entries.