A quick guide to using the AP Stylebook AP Style, what you need to know

AP STYLE No one can remember everything. I look up style every day that I work. Some workplaces have a stylebook of their own. Many use The Associate Press Stylebook. The trick to any stylebook is not to memorize it, but to know when something needs to be looked up.

Most searched AP Styles Numerals Dimensions State names Addresses Titles Weapons Certain terminology

Numerals In this entry, you’ll find rules for anything to do with numbers — and there are a lot of them! Some rules: 1. Spell out whole numbers below 10. Use figures for 10 and above. Example: The eight women had lived in 12 states among themselves. 2. Always use figures for ages. Examples: His cat is 7 years old. The law is 8 years old. The woman, 26, is homeless.

Numerals 3. Use figures and capitalize congressional districts when joined with a figure: the 3rd Congressional District, the 2nd District; but lowercase district whenever it stands alone. 4. Use figures and hyphens for ratios: the ratio was 2-to-1, a ratio of 2-to-1. But the word to should be omitted when the numbers precede the word ratio: 2-1 ratio. And always use the word ratio or phrase such as a 2-1 majority to avoid confusion with actual figures.

Dimensions This falls under numerals but also has its own entry. Use figures to spell out inches, feet, years, etc., to indicate depth, height, length or width. Hyphenate before nouns. Some examples: He is 5 feet 6 inches tall; the 5-foot-6-inch man. The basketball team signed a 7-footer. The car is 17 feet long; the cabinet is 6 feet wide and 5 feet high; the rug is 9 feet by 12 feet; the 9-by-12 rug. The storm left 5 inches of snow.

State names Spell out when the state name does not accompany a town, city, village, county, etc. Abbreviate when it appears with the above. Examples: She was born in California. She was born in San Francisco, Calif. Warning: there are exceptions: Don’t ever abbreviate these eight states: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah

Titles Under Titles, bold text indicates title entries, where you’ll find the rules for: Academic titles, Courtesy titles, Military titles, Composition titles, Legislative titles, Military titles, Religious titles.

Weapons This entry is a one-stop infomart for firearms. Example of what you'll find: It’s 9 mm pistol — the nine is not spelled out and the accepted abbreviation for millimeter is mm with no punctuation. However, there is punctuation in.22-caliber rifle. Note the decimal point and the hyphen.

Addresses Abbreviate Ave., Blvd. and St. only with a numbered address: Example: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. But spell out when it appears without an address number: Example: The president lives on Pennsylvania Avenue.

More on addresses Always spell out Alley, Drive, Road, Terrace: Example: The school was at 20 River Drive. Spell out and capitalize First through Ninth when used in street names: Example: She wanted to walk to Ninth Avenue.

Last word on addresses Use figures with two letters for 10th and above: Example: The bus route runs through West 57th Street. He hates the traffic on Eighth Avenue. Abbreviate directional compass points with numbered addresses: Example: She lives at 421 W. 57th St. Don’t abbreviate when the numbered address is omitted. Example: She lives on West 57th Street.

Certain terminology Abortion Use anti-abortion instead of pro-life and abortion rights instead of pro-abortion or pro- choice. Avoid abortionist. a.m./p.m. Lower case, with periods. Avoid redundancy 10 a.m. in the morning.

More terminology baby boomer Lower case, no hyphen hip-hop Lower case, hyphenated Okay It’s not OK to use okay. It’s OK, OK’d, OK’ing or OKs.

2. Grammar and Punctuation

That or Which? That is an essential (or restrictive) clause Which is a nonessential (or nonrestrictive) clause

“That” is an essential clause. Essential clauses introduce essential information; eliminating what follows would change the meaning of the sentence. Essential clauses don’t get commas. Example: Dogs that bark are annoying. But never: Reporters that don’t read the Stylebook should not criticize their editors.

“Which” is a nonessential clause. Nonessential clauses can be eliminated without changing the meaning of a sentence. Nonessential clauses get commas. Example (using “who”): Reporters, who do not read the Stylebook, should not criticize their editors.

Punctuation with states Place one comma between the city and state name, and another comma after the state name. Example: He was traveling from Nashville, Tenn., to Austin, Texas, en route to his home in Albuquerque, N.M.

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