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Last Seven DaysAnswer
Thanks! We'll get it fixed, though maybe not until next week because of vacation.
Question from O 039 Fallon, Illinois on Aug. 12, 2020
We want to add new guidance to our organization's internal style guide regarding race- and gender-related content that is consistent with AP guidance. What's the best way to present essentially the same rules without running afoul of copyright laws?
Answer
The easiest way would be to add your custom entries and custom notes to Stylebook Online, so all your users can see our guidance and yours in one place.
We continue to revise and expand our race and gender guidance, so pointing your team to our entries online means they will get the most up-to-date iteration of that guidance.
Alternatively, if you want to maintain a separate internal style guide, you could link to our entries, such as https://apstylebook.com/ap_stylebook/race-related-coverage
You could note any on which you're choosing a different style.
You could note any on which you're choosing a different style.
Question from Washington, District of Columbia on Aug. 12, 2020
Based on the entry on over-, and without guidance from Webster's, I believe it should be overpolicing. Is that correct? Or does AP prefer over-policing?
Answer
For spelling, we prefer overpolicing based on the guidance you cite. Explain the term if it's not clear from the context.
Question from New York, New York on Aug. 12, 2020
Will you be publishing a style guide for the 2020 presidential election? Your previous election style guides, which are still publicly available and some of our writers are aware of, hyphenated "re-elect" and "re-election," but I believe you dropped the hyphen last year. There might have been other changes.
Answer
Yes, we will have an updated guide. I hope this can be done in the next few weeks.
Question from North Canton, Ohio on Aug. 11, 2020
Which is correct, Q&A's or Q&As?
Answer
Q&A's
Question from Tallahassee, Florida on Aug. 11, 2020
If you are sprinkling sugar, would it be "Sprinkle the sugar on your favorite treats" or "Sprinkle the sugar onto your favorite treats"?
Answer
Either is fine in that usage. I'd use on.
Question from Dallas, Texas on Aug. 11, 2020
What's the correct way to say mp4 file format? Is it MP4? mp4? Other?
Answer
AP style is MP4.
Question from on Aug. 11, 2020
Can you confirm whether or not commonsense is still one word? The last update I saw on this was back in 2015 - but it's not coming up as a Webster's entry.
Answer
One word as an adjective, according to this entry in Webster's New World College Dictionary (showing usage though not as an actual entry):
Webster's New World College Dictionary (5th Edition) (One result)
Webster's New World College Dictionary (5th Edition) (One result)
counterintuitive adj. contrary to an intuitive belief or to commonsense expectations
He uses common sense when creating commonsense expectations.
He uses common sense when creating commonsense expectations.
Question from Versailles, Ohio on Aug. 11, 2020
Is it OK to use dates like this in a bulleted list - Program order period: July 1, 2020 - Dec. 31, 2020. Should the months always be spelled out in the body when in paragraph form?
Answer
The dates are fine. We don't use a space with the hyphen, so it's Program order period: July 1, 2020-Dec. 31, 2020.
Here's the guidance:
Here's the guidance:
months
Capitalize the names of months in all uses. When a month is used with a specific date, abbreviate only Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec. Spell out when using alone, or with a year alone.
When a phrase lists only a month and a year, do not separate the year with commas. When a phrase refers to a month, day and year, set off the year with commas.
EXAMPLES: January 2016 was a cold month. Jan. 2 was the coldest day of the month.His birthday is May 8. Feb. 14, 2013, was the target date. She testified that it was Friday, Dec. 3, when the crash occurred.
Question from on Aug. 11, 2020
Can we say "initiating meeting" or "kick-off meeting". If so, are there any differences between the two?
Thanks for your answer~
Thanks for your answer~
Answer
Either initial meeting or kickoff meeting. They have essentially the same meaning in this use. Kickoff is more dramatic.
Question from Versailles, Ohio on Aug. 11, 2020
Is it still appropriate to use quotation marks around the name of a product promotion? And for the title, do the quotation marks become single? Headline - ABC introduces 'Save Now' 2020 Truck Promotion (capping the entire formal name of the promotion)?
Answer
Yes, that's fine.
Question from Monroe, North Carolina on Aug. 10, 2020
In the following sentence, should the word master not be capitalized? In the local lodge, it is the highest title a Mason can achieve.
He is formerly the master of Masonic Lodge Albemarle 703 A.F. & A.M. and previously served on the Stanly County Planning Board.
He is formerly the master of Masonic Lodge Albemarle 703 A.F. & A.M. and previously served on the Stanly County Planning Board.
Answer
We wouldn't capitalize it standing alone, just as we wouldn't capitalize president or any other title standing alone: Barack Obama is a former president of the United States.
Question from Chadron, Nebraska on Aug. 10, 2020
Have I missed a recent reference to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)? If not, could you please explain how we should use it?
Answer
Equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious injuries and illnesses. Don’t use PPE. If necessary to use PPE in a direct quotation, spell it out later and explain the term.
Question from Houston., Texas on Aug. 10, 2020
Which use of forward or forwarded is correct.
If this email was forward to you, click here.
If this email was forwarded to you, click here.
If this email was forward to you, click here.
If this email was forwarded to you, click here.
Answer
If this email was forwarded to you ...
Answer
We'd delete the comma, and make any other changes that might be necessary for style, grammar, clarity, etc., and then show and explain the changes to the board chair. I wouldn't consider it a long quotation. But again, I'd make sure that the author knows of the changes.
Answer
Same guidance applies for lecture series as for lectures.
Question from Jackson, Wyoming on Aug. 10, 2020
We have an elected body called the Teton County Board of County Commissioners. Would a short form be the County Commission or the county commission?
Answer
Capitalized: the County Commission.
Question from farmington, Maine on Aug. 10, 2020
Would AP cap the Orphan Train movement of the late 1800s/early 1900s? And would those be orphan trains or Orphan Trains?
Answer
We use the lowercase.
Question from Honolulu, Hawaii on Aug. 08, 2020
Our state Department of Health reported a positive COVID case at a "Gentleman's Club." I sought and found guidance herein, simply on the spelling of the term. Is it not time to avoid all uses of this euphemism? A strip club is a strip club is a strip club. It can be modified as a high-end strip club if need be.
Answer
I agree with you.
Question from Charlotte, N.C. on Aug. 08, 2020
Is a person who fails to show up a "no-show," hyphenated?
Answer
Yes, that's right.
Question from Schaumburg, Illinois on Aug. 07, 2020
I looked up an anti-gay slur and any policy on the use of it such as in quotes, and I noticed this question and answer from 2007. Would the answer on this be different today, in 2020?
QUESTION from Dallas, Texas on April 24, 2007
QUESTION from Dallas, Texas on April 24, 2007
ANSWERWe try to avoid these derogatory words, but when newsworthy, ususally in a quote from a source, we would put them in quotation marks.
Answer
Thanks for noting that. I've deleted the 2007 answer. Indeed, we would follow the guidance in this entry:
obscenities, profanities, vulgarities
Do not use them in stories unless they are part of direct quotations and there is a compelling reason for them.
Try to find a way to give the reader a sense of what was said without using the specific word or phrase. For example, an anti-gay or sexist slur.
If a profanity, obscenity or vulgarity must be used, flag the story at the top for editors, being specific about what the issue is:
Eds: Note use of vulgarity “f---” [or “s---”] However, online readers receiving direct feeds of the stories will not see that warning, so consider whether the word in question truly needs to be in the story at all.
When possible, confine the offending language, in quotation marks, to a separate paragraph that can be deleted easily by editors.
In reporting profanity that normally would use the words damn or god, lowercase god and use the following forms: damn, damn it, goddamn it.
If the obscenity involved is particularly offensive but the story requires making clear what the word was, replace the letters of the offensive word with hyphens, using only an initial letter: f---, s---.
In some stories or scripts, it may be better to replace the offensive word with a generic descriptive in parentheses, e.g., (vulgarity) or (obscenity).
When the subject matter of a story may be considered offensive or disturbing, but the story does not contain quoted profanity, obscenities or vulgarities, flag the story at the top:
Eds: Graphic details of the killings could be offensive or disturbing to some readers.
For guidelines on racial or ethnic slurs, see race-related coverage.
Question from San Francisco, California on Aug. 07, 2020
recordkeeping, record-keeping, or record keeping? "Automate record-keeping."
Answer
It's one of the many for which there's not an absolute style. Different editors might have different views. It definitely needs a hyphen when used as an adjective. I would also use the hyphen when used as a noun but others might not.
Question from Washington, District of Columbia on Aug. 07, 2020
Should a verb be repeated in a list joined by a conjunction? For example:
Storing electronics indoors will ensure their integrity, safety, and that their warranties stay intact.
Is it necessary to repeat "ensure" or does the first "ensure" govern the remaining verbs? Any guidance would be appreciated! Couldn't find a specific entry on this. Thank you.
Answer
Reword this way to ensure parallel structure:
Storing electronics indoors ensures their integrity and safety. It also ensures that their warranties stay intact.
Storing electronics indoors ensures their integrity and safety. It also ensures that their warranties stay intact.
Question from on Aug. 07, 2020
If a source's name is misspelled, does that warrant a correction note? It seems that since a spelling is a fact, that's an error worth calling out and not just correcting without notice.
Answer
Yes, the misspelling of a name should be noted.
Question from Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on Aug. 07, 2020
Hi. Would AP hyphenate "swing state" when it modifies something. "Swing state senators" or "Swing-state senators"? "Swing state voters"? "Swing-state voters"?
Answer
Yes, we'd use the hyphen.
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