AP Style Guide Cheat Sheet, Cheat Sheet of Journalism

Download AP Style Guide Cheat Sheet and more Cheat Sheet Journalism in PDF only on Docsity! 1. Punctuation like periods and commas go inside the quotation marks. Quotes within a quote are shown with single quote marks. Use commas to separate words in a series, but not before the “and.” “No truer words about education were spoken than by Nelson Mandela when he said ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,’” explained the principal to the students, teachers and parents. 2. Numbers one through nine should be spelled out. Use figures for 10 and above. > If a number begins a sentence, spell it out. • Forty students joined the program. The room could barely hold 40 students. > Always use figures for ages (She is 5 years old.), percentages (4 percent to 12 percent), time (6 p.m., 9:30 a.m.), street numbers (1 Boot Road) and days of the month (Jan. 1, 2013, NOT 1st). > Money: Use the dollar sign ($3, $30, $30,000). Use exact figures up to $1 million. On figures more than $1 million, use decimals ($3.5 million, $3.85 billion). AP Style Guide Cheat Sheet 3. To Abbreviate or Not to Abbreviate > Addresses: Abbreviate Avenue (Ave.), Boulevard (Blvd.) and Street (St.) only with an exact numbered address. Always spell out Road and Lane. > Organizations on first reference: Spell out the full name on first reference, and abbreviate on second reference. > Never abbreviate: Percents (25 percent), days of the week, weights (25 pounds), degrees (25 degrees). 4. Dates and Times > Months: Abbreviate months with six or more letters if used with a specific date. Spell out the name of months with five or fewer letters (March through July) and whenever a month is used without a specific date. Use the day of the week whenever possible (and never abbreviate it). • Jan. 1, Oct. 10, two days in February and July 4 > Time: Do not use o”clock to indicate time. Spell out noon and midnight, instead of writing 12 a.m. or 12 p.m. • The program begins at 8 a.m. and ends at noon. • Students can tour the school from 6:30 p.m. until 9:15 p.m. AP Style Guide Cheat Sheet