Associated Press (AP) Style

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Find editors who can format your writing for journalism and news writing standards as provided in the Associated Press Stylebook, editing copy for magazines and newspapers to AP guidelines in punctuation, quotations, technological terms, for example using EBay Inc instead of eBay Inc when starting a new sentence; dates, days and times, capitalization, acronyms, addresses and academic degrees. Find Associated Press (AP) Style WFH freelancers on January 21, 2025 who work remotely. Read less

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How does Associated Press style differ to Chicago Manual of Style?

The Associated Press Stylebook (AP Style) and the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) are two of the most widely used style guides, but they cater to different needs and audiences, leading to several key differences:

1. Purpose and Audience
AP Style: Primarily used by journalists, news organizations, and in public relations for creating clear, concise news writing. It focuses on brevity and clarity for the general public.
CMS: Designed for academic publishing, book publishing, and other scholarly or literary contexts where a more detailed and formal approach to writing might be preferred.

2. Citations
AP Style: Does not typically use formal citation methods since news articles usually don't require extensive academic referencing. When necessary, sources are often mentioned within the text or at the end of an article in a less formal manner.
CMS: Offers two citation systems:
Notes and Bibliography (NB) system, which uses footnotes or endnotes along with a comprehensive bibliography.
Author-Date system, where brief in-text citations refer to a reference list.

3. Numbers
AP Style: Numbers below 10 are spelled out; 10 and above are numerals. Exceptions include ages, percentages, and specific measurements.
CMS: Numbers from one to one hundred are usually spelled out, along with round numbers and any number beginning a sentence, unless it's awkward.

4. Dates
AP Style: Dates are formatted as "Jan. 1, 2023" (with periods after the month abbreviation and no comma between the month and day).
CMS: Dates are formatted "January 1, 2023" (with the month spelled out and a comma after the day).

5. Punctuation
- Serial Comma (Oxford Comma):
AP Style: Does not use the serial comma in a series of three or more items (e.g., "apples, oranges and bananas").
CMS: Uses the serial comma (e.g., "apples, oranges, and bananas").
- Quotation Marks:
AP Style: Periods and commas go inside quotation marks. Colons and semicolons outside.
CMS: Same as AP for periods and commas, but also includes dashes and question marks inside quotation marks if they're part of the quoted material.

6. Titles
AP Style: Titles of books, movies, songs, etc., are capitalized without italics or quotation marks in news writing.
CMS: Titles of longer works (like books, films) are italicized, while titles of shorter works (articles, chapters) are in quotation marks.

7. Inclusivity and Language
Both styles have guidelines for inclusive language, but CMS tends to provide more detailed explanations and examples, particularly given its academic focus. AP Style updates frequently to reflect current societal norms and language use.

8. Abbreviations
AP Style: Prefers abbreviations to keep text concise (e.g., "U.S." for United States, but only on second reference).
CMS: More conservative with abbreviations, often spelling out terms unless they are very commonly understood or used multiple times.

9. Formatting
AP Style: Focuses on a format that's easy for quick reading, often with less concern for aesthetic or scholarly presentation.
CMS: Provides detailed guidance on manuscript formatting, table and figure preparation, and book layout.

10. State Names
AP Style: Uses abbreviations for states in most contexts except when standing alone.
CMS: Spells out state names in full except in certain bibliographic entries or when space is at a premium.

These differences reflect the distinct needs of journalism versus academic or book publishing. AP Style aims for immediate clarity in a fast-paced news environment, while CMS provides depth and formality for scholarly and literary works.

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