1. How to write like a journalist
Use the past tense in straight news stories.
Put the most important facts first, the rest in order of importance.

2. How to write like a journalist
Use full names on first reference, then last names ONLY for subsequent references, unless there is a good reason.
Example: Mark Thomas is running for re-election this fall.
Thomas represents the southwest side of town.

3. How to write like a journalist
Don’t put something in quotes unless you’re ABSOLUTELY SURE that it’s a verbatim quote. Do NOT put quotes around paraphrased material.

4. How to write like a journalist
Double- and triple-check EVERY name and EVERY word. That goes for grammar, too. If you have trouble with “who” versus “that”, or “that” versus “which”, LOOK IT UP.

5. How to write like a journalist
Keep your paragraphs short. Don’t mush everything up into two or three paragraphs. Strive for copy that flows quickly and easily from one fact to another.

6. How to write like a journalist
DON’T embellish. When writing from prepared facts (e.g., a press release, a police report, the fact sheets we use in class), don’t add things that you can’t independently verify.
In the real world, seek other sources to confirm your instinct that Person X was wonderful/horrible/an inspiration to everyone/etc.

7. How to write like a journalist
Get your facts straight!
If you are unclear about something, ASK (in a classroom setting, ask your professor; in the real world, ask your sources)!
Never assume ANYTHING. That person might spell his name “Tomme”, not “Tom”.

8. How to write like a journalist
Attribute, attribute, attribute.
Make sure that EVERYTHING in your story comes from a source, and is cited.
Exceptions include things you see yourself (e.g., the weather, the time of day) and things that are accepted facts (e.g., America fought the Germans and the Japanese in World War II).

9. How to write like a journalist
Make absolutely sure that you’re saying what you think you’re saying.
Proofread obsessively before submitting, to avoid dropped or extra words.
If you have trouble with this, have someone else read it before you turn it in.

10. Commas in journalism
Use commas to set off someone's hometown or age -- when it is used in apposition to (alongside) a name.
Maxwell Relegon, 21, arrived.
Maxwell Relegon of Woodville, Fla., arrived.
Use commas to set off the name of a country or a state, if it follows the name of a city.
The Gainesville, Fla., university.

11. Commas in journalism Examples –
Age and home town: Maxwell Relegon, 21, of Woodville, Fla., was the first to arrive. Note: Maxwell Relegon,[comma] 21,[comma] of Woodville,[comma] Fla.,[comma] was the first to arrive. Use commas in the same way without the "of."
Maxwell Relegon, 21, Woodville, Fla., was the first to arrive.

12. Commas in journalism
City, state, country: Relegon's goodwill tour will take him from Athens, Greece, to Athens, Ga., and back to Woodville. Note: Relegon's goodwill tour will take him from Athens,[comma] Greece,[comma] to Athens,[comma] Ga.,[comma] and back to Woodville.

13. Apostrophes
Use an apostrophe for a contraction. Put the apostrophe where the missing letter(s) would be.
Examples: don’t (do not)
won’t (will not)
shouldn’t (should not)
didn’t (did not)
we’d (we would)

14. Apostrophes
Possessives: use apostrophe + s to show singular possession.
Examples: one girl’s shoe
one woman’s hand
one soldier’s gun

15. Apostrophes
In AP style, names and words ending in s do NOT take an extra s. Just add the apostrophe to make a plural noun possessive (and make sure the noun is plural first).
Examples: Mr. Jones’ car
The boys’ clubhouse

16. Apostrophes
DON’T use an apostrophe with possessive pronouns: his, hers, its, theirs, ours, yours, whose.
 Examples:
Correct: This book is hers, not yours.  
Incorrect:Sincerely your's.

17. Apostrophes
DON’T put the apostrophe in the wrong place. For possessives, be sure whether you’re using a singular or plural form.
WRONG: The Bridge Player’s Club meeting is next week.
CORRECT: The Bridge Players’ Club meeting is next week.

18. Apostrophes
Use an apostrophe for it’s ONLY when it is a contraction for it is or it has. Don’t make this very common (and very embarrassing) mistake.
RIGHT: It's a lovely day.
It's fine if you skip the party.
It's been a great dinner.
WRONG: The company announced it’s quarterly profits yesterday.