The Associated Press Stylebook

by Norm Goldstein

More people write for the Associated Press than for any newspaper in the world, and writers have bought more copies of The AP Stylebook than of any other journalism reference. With this essential guide in hand, any writer can learn to communicate with the clarity and professionalism for which the Associated Press is famous. Fully revised and updated, this edition contains over 5,000 A to Z entries--including more than 50 new ones--laying out the AP's rules on grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, abbreviation, and word and numeral usage. Comprehensive and easy to use, The AP Stylebook provides the facts and references necessary to write accurately about the world correct names of countries and organizations, Internet language and search techniques, language to avoid, common trademarks, and the unique guidelines for business and sports reporting. The final word on media law, The AP Stylebook also includes an invaluable section dedicated to crucial advice on how writers can guard against libel and copyright infringement. The veritable "journalist's bible," this is the one reference that working writers cannot afford to be without.With more than 50 new entries plus updates of more than 100 others, The AP Stylebook includes such features A to Z listing of guides to capitalization, abbreviation, spelling, numerals, and usage* Internet guidelines* Sports guidelines and style* Business guidelines and style* A guide to punctuation* Supreme Court decisions regarding libel law* Summary of First Amendment rules* The right of privacy* Copyright guidelines* Proofreaders' marks

Genres: Reference, Writing, Nonfiction, Journalism, Language, Textbooks, Business

378 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1977

Reviews

[♡ella grey♡︎]

college finals are killing me bruv

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only a seriously obsessed copy editor or someone who had been asked to oversee a revision of his newspaper's stylebook (I plead guilty to the latter) would actually read this book.

Nevertheless, once you've learned to tolerate the taste of the medicine, you can actually start to enjoy it, or at least some of it. And there always the sorts of tidbits that can enlighten or amuse. Many people may know, for instance, that scuba stands for self contained underwater breathing apparatus, or that radar stands for radio detection and ranging, but did you know that quasar is an acronym for quasi-stellar astronomical object? (I guess they just decided to drop that pesky "O")

And in the section on titles, there is this note: "Professor: Never abbreviate. Lowercase before a name. Do not continue the second reference unless part of a quotation." In other words, all you professors, AP does not think you are worthy of being capitalized or continually referred to by your title, tenured or not. So there.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a while there in college, I lived and breathed this book (or an earlier edition, actually). The parts I need the most are now burned into my brain, and I end up consulting it only once or twice a year these days. I actually don't know how you rate a book like the AP Stylebook, and the four stars I give it are for no defensible reason. If you're a reporter for a news organization that adheres to AP style, you either follow the rules and save yourself a lot of anguish, or you become the bane of your editors. Years of revisions have smoothed the book into a relatively user-friendly, easy-to-navigate manual. Beyond that, it is what it is. Don't fight it. You won't win.

[Randal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The most important style guide for newspaper journalists and the worst-organized style guide on the planet.
Written by committee and it reads like it. AP has more stupid rules for the sake of having a rule than all the other style manuals combined. It will not teach you to be a better writer; it will teach you to write like an old-school newspaper hack.

[Susannah Petitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

inspired

[Art · Rating 5 out of 5]

The gold standard of style books.

The Associated Press publishes an updated edition every May. This year’s edition includes a couple hundred changes, updates and revised thinking on style and usage. The new edition replaces my older one of six years ago, which means twelve hundred changes since then.

These six hundred pages reflect the collective wisdom of the AP staff and stylebook readers, writes Gary Pruitt, president, in the foreword. In addition to rules on grammar, punctuation, usage and journalism style, this book also reflects changes in our common language. And that gives this book a running commentary on our culture with each annual update. Every update meets the goal of fair, clear and concise writing.

Among the couple hundred new and modified entries, the book revises its discussions of “marijuana” and “medical marijuana.” This year “bestseller” and “bestselling” lose their hyphens. Meanwhile, “babysit” and “budtender” also become solid words. And “STEM” now becomes acceptable on first reference in articles about science, technology, engineering and math education. A new four-page section discusses race-related coverage.

Also, a new eight-page section on health and science debuts in this edition. Critical thinking means questioning rather than accepting a claim, writes the AP. Ask for evidence. “Anyone can write a recap,” but a journalist helps readers understand the meaning and impact. Writers translate between people who speak the language of science and those who don’t.

That’s a sample of what’s new this year. A hundred ninety other changes live between the pages.

Some people complain that the AP takes too long to reflect changes already in use. “Email” stands as one example, where the AP took forever to finally drop the hyphen. But this year, the stylebook runs ahead of the dictionary with such terms as “budtender” and “STEM” compared to Webster’s New World, which is the AP’s official source.

Last month I bought the new edition directly from the publisher. Bookshops sell it perfect bound. But for the first time since leaving a newsroom I bought the official spiral bound edition, which opens flat on the desk.

My first published writing appeared in the high school newspaper, where I took journalism for three years. From there I wrote news for the college radio station before serving as a writer and photographer in Vietnam. Then I worked twenty-two years as a news writer and editor, stringing for the AP along the way. Writing over the years with a dictionary and the AP stylebook at hand.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars because sometimes I disagree with it, and too many of its rules are still based on the limitations of telegraph technology. Seriously, 1890? I think we've advanced to the point where we can handle brackets and italics.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I miss AMA.... AP is a cold, heartless mistress.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love you.

[MK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stylebooks are a necessity to keep up on the most current and recommended guidelines, and this update provides excellent information for anyone using Associated Press/AP writing guidelines in their classes or careers. It includes an extensive, and newly updated, glossary as well as guidelines that reflect recommendations for using gender-neutral pronouns, an extended gender and sexuality section, COVID-19 specific information, and a new section addressing sexual misconduct. This update also notes that they now recommend against use of the term mistress. The new stylebook makes great strides in addressing issues of sexism, sexual misconduct, current events, and gender and sexuality.

[AcademicEditor · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential reference, updated with up-to-the-minute terminology for things like COVID-19. I like to refer my students to this style guide because so many sources use it and it is fairly straightforward to understand.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Associated Press Stylebook (55th Edition) is a must-have resource for writers. The book outlines rules for punctuation, grammar, and journalistic style. The book guides writers and editors in areas such as social media, newsrooms, classrooms, and is the style guide for journalists.

This edition has more than 200 new and modified entries, some related to technology. Another new entry discusses gender-neutral language. There is even a section on COVID-19.

I like how this new edition is organized like a dictionary, and it's easy to find information. The section on punctuation and using hyphens was informative and helpful.

The AP Stylebook is a helpful reference to keep close when writing or editing. It's easy to use and provides excellent and numerous examples that help solidify the information.

I highly recommend getting a copy of this stylebook.

#TheAssociatedPressStylebook #NetGalley

[skylar lokota · Rating 4 out of 5]

An essential guide for this who need to write professionally! 1 star deduction for the rules of AP style changing every other year lol.

[Mirjam]

It's impossible to overstate how fucking hilarious it is to see the author's name listed as "Press, The Associated."

[lanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is more important to me than the bible (I was a papal candidate in 2009).

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful

[Bennett (Mr. Turpentine) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Narratively bleak

[Jamie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating Look into the Structural Heart of Journalism

As a self-proclaimed word nerd and voracious reader of nonfiction, I totally geeked out glancing through this stylebook by the Associated Press. I am also a freelance editor and independent author, so I found this look into what AP deems important for journalists to know and do to be a fascinating glance at societal issues. Before diving into the general entries, the introduction talks about differences between this and the last edition, including very current 2020 topics in the news, like coronavirus/COVID-19 and gender fluidity and neutrality. Interestingly, both food and fashion neither have their own category in the book anymore. Is that because we're cooking less and fashion is not covered as much in papers because of all that is going on in the world? Or is there some other reason? Inquiring minds would like to know! As someone with an interest in medical and science writing, as an RN who writes, reading AP’s take on that specific topic very interesting; I appreciated their descriptions of different types of studies and what journalists should take away from them. While not in the specific chapter about medicine and science, the general entry on HIPAA surprised me; journalists are only supposed to use the initialism in a direct quote; they should refer to it as *privacy laws*, or *the federal law restricting release of medical information*. Eek, that’s long and awkward! Even *privacy laws* isn't perfect, as it could be confusing for those that know HIPAA, as only a part of it is called a privacy act. Don’t people know what HIPAA is? Or is it just those of us who are in the medical profession who know it in and out? I liked the succinctness of the book compared to some other style books that I’ve worked with. Entries in the general and other sections showed both preferred spelling and pertinent information the journalist should know to brush up their knowledge of both the entry and how to handle it in a paper. The chapter on digital security for journalists got me thinking about that topic in general. If you have an interest in looking behind the scenes at journalistic style, you may find this as much of a fascinating read as I did.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides writers with many guidelines.  In chapters on everything from style (including capitalization, abbreviations, spelling and more), to those on Business, Health and Science, Digital Security,  and Religion among others, guidance and information are given that will help writers with their projects.


In addition to suggestions on grammar, punctuation, usage and more, this title also reflects changes in the language and provides information on the values of the AP. 


This book is published biennially which keeps it current. For example, this edition talks about the use of gender neutral language.  There are also entries on the corona virus. If you are a word person, just browsing through the pages of this title is so interesting and instructive.   It is encyclopedic in its entries.


The book utilizes the knowledge of the staff of the AP.  It is a welcome tool that belongs in both academic and home libraries. 


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

[Julia Reding · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Associated Press Stylebook should be on the self of every non-fiction writer or editor. It is a must for anyone trying to implement a consistent newspaper, newsletter, or even a blog.

As a teacher, this book is an important part of teaching students about fact-checking and nuanced phrasing. This coincides with a writer’s awareness of word choice and audience perception of language.
This book belongs on the classroom bookshelf and in the hands of students. Since is it formatted alphabetically, it has an intuitive functionality. It also will force students and teachers to confront the way that popular culture changes our language. Unfortunately, the power that popular culture has to influence language can be problematic. The one issue with purchasing a copy of this book—especially for an educator with a limited budget— is the sheer number of changes between one edition and the next. The Online Stylebook is updated throughout the year and may be a better resource for teachers and students with access to the internet.

#TheAssociatedPressStylebook #NetGalley

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource even for non-AP staff

Although I am a freelance writer and not bound by any style guide, it is good to be consistent in written works and this is the value I see in the AP Stylebook. Not all of the Stylebook is applicable to me, but the areas I most appreciated were the alphabetical listings, punctuation, health and science, and media law. The content is clearly expressed, along with examples where relevant. In addition, I see value in updated style guides as language changes with time and the style guides are a way of keeping up to date. I’ve read one other style guide, “A World Without "Whom": The Essential Guide to Language in the BuzzFeed Age”. I found the AP Stylebook to be more rigorous but the Buzzfeed style guide more entertaining to read. Both are good options, but for my uses, the AP Stylebook wins because of its sector-specific content.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.

[Michelle M · Rating 5 out of 5]

No matter what medium you're writing for, the AP Stylebook is the gold standard for grammar, punctuation, clarity and style. This latest update provides the same guidelines that journalists at the world's top wire service use daily to ensure that whenever news happens, it's reported accurately and dependably.
From my earliest days in J-school to my first post-grad job at The Associated Press in Chicago and on to Knight-Ridder and The Denver Post, this book was a ready and well-worn reference. I still rely on its guidance to craft consistent, credible work.
You don't work for a major news outlet? No matter, the AP Stylebook will inform you in your email, business communications, social media and blog posts. Nothing will cause a reader to discard your work more quickly than misplaced punctuation, incorrect word usage or even just a grammatical lapse. If credibility matters to you, then this book is a small investment that will pay off every day. #TheAssociatedPressStylebook #NetGalley

[Erin A Epps · Rating 5 out of 5]

As for sitting and actually reading this AP Stylebook, I will admit I did NOT go page-for page. However, I enjoyed the portability of having an electronic copy. It was especially a great help when working on my essay last week for class.

Will I ever read through cover to cover? Most likely not.

Is this reference guide usable and informative? Definitely yes.

Will this help me as a student and blogger? Yes.

Would I recommend purchasing? Yes, even for parents.

Let me explain that last response. This reference guide can help any parent of a high schooler to help their student prep for essay questions on the SATs and college application essays. If mom/dad cannot help the student because they don’t know what is or is not acceptable, this guide becomes a great boon.

I’d like to thank NetGalley for the eARC of this edition and for letting me leave an honest review.

[Terrie Case · Rating 4 out of 5]

This handbook shows how titles, such as chancellor or chief, are written (when capitalization is necessary). It explains what things, such as court proceedings, are and who can attend.

All journalists and authors should have this on hand whenever writing. Whenever the slightest doubt about how something should be written is present, this book should be consulted. When writing and an action affects the writer personally or affect a character, it should be used. An example would be needing to submit a FOIA request or attending an agency hearing.

This is absolutely essential reference book.


I received an ARC from Associated Press though NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very usable as a reference work.
But that doesn't really matter, because writers choose a style guide based on personal aesthetics or the publisher chooses the style guide for them.
To finish a project you'll have to guess or pad this reference with something else (The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage for instance).
I frequently disagree with the aesthetics of The Chicago Manual of Style - but CMOS is clear, actionable, and unambiguous compared to AP.

[Phillip Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used by all kinds of news sources as the standard for writing stories, the AP Stylebook contains information on the proper way to write and use words. The newest version contains revisions and additions that bring the book up to date.

I may not use the AP Stylebook in a traditional setting, but writing is part of what I do. As a graphic designer, I need to write and edit copy, and I like to have it grammatically correct. Being able to reference a trusted source like this is handy. The entries are easy to find and well explained. You can quickly locate what you are looking for and get back to your writing.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Associated Press Stylebook is literally and figuratively an A-Z guide on how to write professionally. I think every writer should have a copy if not to follow to the letter, then at least to see what are the options and avoid some of the worst mistakes!

Actually I could read the book from cover to cover. You could learn a lot as it could be a mini encyclopaedia. I intend to carefully read the entry on numerals!

There is a leaning towards matters of the USA but, at 640 pages, a lot of the info is relevant for you wherever you live.

Thank you Netgalley and Perseus Books/Basic Books for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.

[Ioanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Associated Press has always, with no doubt, been a leader in providing the right styleguides for the right audience. And the new Associated Press Stylebook doesn't disappoint, either. As a professional editor, I found the same level of quality I always expect from Associated Press, while the guide remained easy to use. This is a highly recommended tool for everyone whose job revolves around writing and editing.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great guide for general usage, even if you're not a journalist. Anyone who writes in any capacity ought to read and refer to this guide for clarity on corporate names, abbreviations, and terminology (as and when is appropriate, of course). Personally, a great argument settler for myself and my boyfriend as we are both annoying pedants.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timely!
This stylebook is just what we need now and I love how it incorporates gender neutral language and also talks about COVID-19, there's a whole lot more that reporters and writers could use from this and that makes it such a great reference and guide.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.