This table includes abbreviations for three independent nations related to the united states. The best ap style cheat sheet every writer needs free. Crash course on ap style writing visual storytelling. The aps standard reference for spelling is websters new. Advanced placement exams missouri state university. Only use twoletter postal codes in full mailing address with zip. For instance, ap says, no state name is necessary if it is the same as the dateline. Heres a refresher course what the ap stylebook says for datelines and cities that stand alone in datelines. Spell out the names of the 50 states when they stand alone in. Do not use periods in abbreviations that are in headlines, unless they are needed for clarity.
There is also a list of old style abbreviations used to refer to us states before the us postal service switched to twoletter state abbreviations. For your reference, weve also included a link to the official government website, the old style state abbreviation and the capital. The associated press stylebook and websters new world online provides a comprehensive guide to associated press usage and accepted style, with chapters on religion, fashion, food, broadcast, business, sports and social media. How to format a press release dateline with ap style newswire.
The associated press stylebook provides a uniform presentation of the printed word to make copy written anywhere understandable everywhere. If they do require a state, it is important to use the correct ap style state abbreviation. If a states name is standing alone or in conjunction with a city or town in your text, spell out the entire states name. Spiralbound book, updated each spring 2019 ap stylebook. Before we begin to enlist the abbreviations, it is mandatory for one to learn and garner information about what ap is, with a brief, supplementary note on the history of the same. Those are alaska, hawaii, idaho, iowa, maine, ohio, texas and utah. Perhaps your house style will say spell them out everywhere. Those states are alaska, hawaii, idaho, iowa, maine, ohio, texas, and utah. Ap style can be both about the long and the short of things, but a good general rule to keep in mind is this. Here is how each state is abbreviated in ap style with the postal code. Except in mailing addresses with a zip code, or with other. Plase one comma between the city and the state name, and another comma after the state name, unless ending a sentence or indicating a dateline. Old style and old fashioned us state abbreviations.
Capitalization avoid unnecessary capital letters avoid alphabet soup tons of abbreviations. So, you may know the fifty states like the back of your hand by now, but do you know what letters are used for their abbreviations. I strongly prefer the spelledout style because it eliminates confusion about the name of the state. Enclose state in commas, even if used as an adjective.
The thumb rule for the fundamental ap style state abbreviations is that one has to in no way abbreviate the term if the readers will face the issue in identifying what the actual term is. Ap style quiz over state abbreviations proprofs quiz. Missouri state will grant credit for college board advanced placement examinations as indicated below. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. There are eight states that should never be abbreviated in text or datelines. For headlines, the new rule says to avoid abbreviating states whenever. If necessary, follow it with the state abbreviation not the u. Ap style state abbreviations for press release dateline follow these associated press guidelines for the u.
The associated press stylebook is the main reference guide for missouri state university communications. The associated press stylebook and briefing on media law official style guide of the associated press, a notforprofit news agency thats been around since 1846. The traditional abbreviations are still commonly used in other ways besides mailing addresses. Follow these associated press guidelines for the u. These abbreviations short names were used in mailing addresses before the introduction of twoletter u. The table below shows the us postal service usps abbreviation for each of the united states, districts, territories, and possessions. Test your knowledge on this miscellaneous quiz to see how you do and compare your score to others. Ap subject minimum score required missouri state course equivalent semester hours remarks. There are quite a few rules in the ap stylebook for state names and ap style state abbreviations. A part of the united states and located in the midwest. Before we begin to enlist the abbreviations, it is mandatory for one to learn and garner information about what ap is, with. For example, they can be used in writing after a city like in miami, fla.
Look beyond the main rule to other portions of the style. In this post, we will summarize all of the ap stylebook state abbreviations rules. Ap stylebook type search query into the search bar below. If you want to know all about the ap style state abbreviations, you have been a wise soul to click on this article. That said, ap does have many abbreviations for things that it has deemed acceptable to use in all references. So, i am providing a reference for those who may be interested. The most important objective of any form of writing is to help human beings recognize what you are attempting to say and give an explanation for.
The associated press stylebook states that in contexts other than mailing addresses, the traditional state abbreviations should be used. Let me know what important rules ive missed, or if you see a mistake. Chicago and ap differ on some traditional abbreviations. Any state name may be condensed, however, to fit typographical requirements for tabular material. The domestic list of cities that stand alone is on page 79 of the 2010 ap stylebook, and it is a good idea to mark this page with a sticky note of some sort so it is easy to find and you never list the state, country or territory unnecessarily. Quiz by elsieviste ap style rulesstate abbreviations quiz. Take this ap style quiz over state abbreviations and see how much you really know about the stars and stripes. Louis, springfield and kansas city but include the state name with kansas city, kansas n once a state dateline is used, cities in the story from the same state do not need to be followed by a state name. To help them out, ive pulled together some of the most essential rules. State abbreviations are all two letters, and these two letters are always capitalized without any periods. Ap stylebook rules for datelines, cities that stand alone.
State abbreviations according to ap style gatehouse newsroom. The following guidelines for grammar and usage are intended to address questions of style that are frequently encountered in university communications. As it is necessary, use new york state to differentiate the state of new york from new york city. Select the sentence free of errors in ap style for abbreviations for print publications. Al for alabama alaska ak this state is not abbreviated in text ariz. Ap itself along with gi and eu are exceptions to this rule. For all other abbreviations, ap uses its own state abbreviations and chicago prefers postal abbreviations but has its own state abbreviations should that style be more.
Generally ap style omits periods in acronyms, unless doing so would spell an unrelated word. In headlines, dont use periods for state abbreviated with two capital letters. Currently, most state names are abbreviated in stories. Effective may 1, the ap will spell out state names in the body of. What follows are summaries of some of the most common style rules. Ap style state abbreviations differ from their corresponding us postal service abbreviations, are in parentheses. Some of them are the same as the twoletter postal abbreviations. If you follow the older practice, be consistent in your use of the traditional abbreviations, and remember that eight states. The ap stylebook is a guide for capitalization, abbreviation, spelling, numerals and usage. Ap style does use periods in most twoletter abbreviations. Use the postalcode abbreviation for states in an address mo instead of mo. Datelines the abbreviation is followed by the city, town, military base, etc.
Most of these examples were taken from the ap stylebook. Can you name the ap style rulesstate abbreviations test your knowledge on this geography quiz to see how you do and compare your score to others. Abbreviations for states and provinces traditional abbreviations for states and provinces begin with a capital letter and end with a period. States should also be abbreviated when used as part of a shortform political affiliation. Its often used by news organizations, magazines, and web publications, but brands often use it to form the basis of their own style guides, too. The names of eight states are never abbreviated in datelines or text. Spell out all state names in sentences when they arent preceded by a city, county or a military base name. Also, be sure to use a lowercase state in both of these instances to avoid any confusion. Ap style guide for state abbreviations makes no sense. However, writing styles for higher education differ from journalism. Use the twoletter postal service abbreviations only with full addresses, including zip code. Ap style recommends spelling out state names in the body of stories effective may 1, 2014 and using abbreviations in datelines.
Alaska, hawaii, idaho, iowa, maine, ohio, texas and utah. There is indeed a science and art behind writing a press release. Ap style also aims to avoid stereotypes and unintentionally offensive language. In this quick guide to state abbreviations, i will cover the differences between ap style and chicago style andjust to prolong your state of confusionwhen to use the common twoletter abbreviations created by the united states postal service if youre writing a research paper or dashing off a blog post, you can probably ignore all the exceptions and special cases and just lean on. Use united states postal service style for addresses, which means abbreviation of directional n. When in doubt, spell the whole thing out unless of course youre talking about numbers, which are their own animal altogether. Columbia missourian stylebook university of missouri. The following guidance went out on the ap wire wednesday.
Editorial style guide brand missouri state university. Ap style guide for state abbreviations makes no sense by matt maldre on august 21, 2006 in design im a newspaper designer that has to adhere to the ap style guide. These official state abbreviations have all been standardized by the united states postal service. However, the chicago manual of style now recommends use of the uppercase twoletter abbreviations, with the traditional forms as an option. The national rifle association announced on monday it will move its state headquarters to the erickson building. Ap style state abbreviations differ from their corresponding united states postal service abbreviations, provided in parentheses. Missouris communities section n the missouri cities of st. Ap state name switch is a good time to address clarity. In 1987, the secretary of commerce switched to the more commonly used twoletter postal code abbreviations. Major differences between academic writing and ap style no reference list or in text citations. Became the 24th state in 1821 august 10th and was formerly the missouri territory people from there are referred to as missourians. The associated press stylebook provides an az guide to issues such as capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation, spelling, numerals and many other questions of language usage.
Some writers and editors still prefer to use the older forms of state abbreviations see traditional abbreviations in the table below, though this is rare. The 2019 edition of the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law includes more than 200 new or revised entries, with chapters covering data journalism, business, fashion, food, religion and sports terms, as well as media law, news values, punctuation, social media, polls and surveys and a new chapter on health and science. Ap suggests spelling out the names of alaska, hawaii, and all states with five or fewer. The associated press stylebook at uams the university of arkansas for medical sciences uams has adopted the associated press ap guidelines for grammar, punctuation and writing style. However, if you are a journalist or business writer who follows the associated press stylebook ap, you will abbreviate the state using the traditional state abbreviations below. Postal and traditional state abbreviations reference guide. It wouldnt be ap style without an exception or two. Ap style rulesstate abbreviations quiz by elsieviste. Ap still is calling for abbreviates in photo captions, datelines and tabular material. Now includes 185,000 definitions from websters new world college dictionary. Ap is not done rocking the journalism world with style changes. In line with this, use state of washington or washington state to differentiate the state from the district of columbia.