AP CHEAT SHEET

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  • Avoid abbreviations

    Example: Use doctorate instead of PhD, and bachelor's degree instead of BA

    (If using abbreviations, DO NOT use periods (BA, BS, MA, MFA, RN)

    Captitalize the Certificate of Achievement and Certificate of Specialization when writing the full proper name

    Example: Public Relations Certificate of Specialization

    Do not capitalize if shortening to 'certificate'

    Example: public relations certificate

  • DO NOT capitalize academic honors Example: cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude

  • Always spell out proper name of organization on first reference

    You may shorten to acronym on second reference and beyond

    Example: Public Relations Student Society of America (on first reference, PRSSA (on following reference)

  • Numbered addresses, always use figures.

    Ave., Blvd., and St. and directional cues: Abbreviate when used with a numbered address.

    Alley, drive and road: Always spell out

    Street name/Directional cue without a numbered address: Capitalize and spell out

    Street name is a number: Spell out First through Ninth and use figures for 10th and higher

    Examples:

    101 N. Grant St.

    Northwestern Avenue

    South Ninth Street

    102 S. 10th St.

    605 Woodside Drive

  • For ages, always use numerals

    If the age is used as an adjective or as a substitute for a noun, hyphenate it

    Don’t use apostrophes when describing an age range.

    Examples:

    A 21-year-old student.

    The student is 21 years old.

    The girl, 8, has a brother, 11.

    The contest is for 18-year-olds.

    He is in his 20s.

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  • Titles of books, songs, television shows, computer games, poems, lectures, speeches and works of art: Use quotation marks around. Do not underline or italicize.

    Examples:

    Author Porter Shreve read from his new book, “When the White House Was Ours.”

    They sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the game.

    Names of magazine, newspapers, the Bible or books that are catalogues of reference materials: Do not use quotations around the

    Examples:

    The Washington Post first reported the story.

    He reads the Bible every morning.

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  • Dates and years: Use numerals

    DO NOT use st, nd, rd, or th

    Capitalize months

    Spell out the month: Unless it is used with a date

    Abbreviate the following months when used with a date: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec.

    Only year and month given: DO NOT use commas

    Date, month and year given: Commas should be used to set off a year

    Use the letter s (no apostrophe) after the numerals for decades/centuries

    Decade with no numerals: Use an apostrophe

    Examples:

    Classes begin Aug. 25.

    Purdue University was founded May 6, 1869.

    The semester begins in January.

    The 1800s.

    The ’90s.

    Capitalize days of the week: DO NOT abbreviate

    Don’t use yesterday: Use day of week

    Use the month and a numeral: When event occurs more than seven days before or after the current date

  • Datelines appear at the beginning of stories and include the name of the city in all capital letters, followed by state

    *The AP Stylebook lists 30 U.S. cities that do not need to be followed by the name of a state

    Examples:

    • DENVER – The Democratic National Convention began...

    • ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Republican National Convention began...

    • YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – President Bush spoke to a group...

  • Height, weight or other dimensions: Use numerals and spell out words such as feet, miles, etc.

    Examples:

    She is 5-foot-3.

    He wrote with a 2-inch pencil.

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  • Use first and last name the first time they are mentioned in a story.

    Only use last names on second reference.

    Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms.: DO NOT use unless they are part of a direct quotation or are needed to differentiate between people who have the same last name

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  • Never begin a sentence with a figure, except for sentences that begin with a year.

    Examples:

    Two hundred freshmen attended.

    Five actors took the stage.

    1776 was an important year.

    Use roman numerals to describe wars and to show sequences for people.

    Examples:

    World War II

    Pope John Paul II

    Elizabeth II

    For ordinal numbers, spell out first through ninth and use figures for 10th and above when describing order in time or location.

    Examples:

    second base

    10th in a row

    Some ordinal numbers, such as those indicating political or geographic order, should use figures in all cases.

    Examples:

    3rd District Court

    9th ward

    Spell out numbers below 10

    Use numerals for numbers 10 and above.

    Example:

    The man had five children and 11 grandchildren.

    Money: use numerals

    Cents: spell the word cents

    Amounts of $1 million or more: spell the words million, billion, trillion etc.

    Examples:

    $26.52

    $100,200

    $8 million

    6 cents

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