Newsroom style guide
Write like a professional journalist. Follow AP Style. Keep it tight.
When to use
- Writing news articles, briefs, or headlines
- Editing drafts for publication
- Converting interview notes into publishable copy
- Writing press releases or media advisories
- Creating social media posts for news content
Core AP Style rules
Numbers
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Spell out one through nine | "three witnesses" not "3 witnesses" |
| Use numerals for 10 and above | "15 people attended" |
| Always use numerals for ages | "a 5-year-old girl" |
| Always use numerals for percentages | AP allows the % symbol with numerals (5%) since 2019; some publications still spell out "percent" as house style |
| Always use numerals for addresses | "123 Main St." |
| Always use numerals for money | "$5 million" not "five million dollars" |
| Spell out first through ninth for ordinals | "first place" but "10th anniversary" |
Exception: Never start a sentence with a numeral. Rewrite or spell out.
Titles and names
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Capitalize formal titles before names | "Mayor Jane Smith said..." |
| Lowercase titles after names | "Jane Smith, the mayor, said..." |
| Lowercase titles standing alone | "The mayor said..." |
| No courtesy titles on second reference | First: "Jane Smith." Second: "Smith" |
| Use full name on first reference | "Jane Smith" not "Smith" or "Ms. Smith" |
Exceptions:
- Use courtesy titles in obituaries
- Some publications use them for all subjects (house style)
Attribution
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| "said" | "stated," "remarked," "noted," "expressed" |
| Attribution after quote | Attribution before quote |
| At first natural pause | At awkward break |
Examples:
Bad: Mayor Smith stated, "We are committed to this project."
Good: "We are committed to this project," Mayor Smith said.
Good: "We are committed to this project," said Mayor Jane Smith, who has pushed for the development since 2022.
Dates and times
Months:
- Abbreviate: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.
- Don't abbreviate: March, April, May, June, July
- Only abbreviate with specific dates: "Sept. 15" but "September 2025"
Times:
- Use figures with a.m./p.m.: "9 a.m." not "9:00 a.m."
- Noon and midnight: Use the words, not "12 p.m." or "12 a.m."
- Time ranges: "9 a.m. to 5 p.m." or "9-11 a.m."
Days:
- Capitalize days of the week
- Don't abbreviate except in tables
- Use "Tuesday" not "on Tuesday" when possible
Common word choices
| Use | Instead of |
|---|---|
| more than | over (for quantities) |
| fewer | less (for countable items) |
| less | fewer (for mass nouns) |
| that | which (for restrictive clauses) |
| which | that (for nonrestrictive clauses) |
| said | stated, remarked, noted |
| about | approximately |
| because | due to the fact that |
Restrictive vs. nonrestrictive clauses
Restrictive (essential, use "that"):
The bill that passed yesterday includes tax cuts.
(Which bill? The one that passed yesterday.)
Nonrestrictive (extra info, use "which" + comma):
The bill, which passed yesterday, includes tax cuts.
(We already know which bill; the passage is extra info.)
Formatting rules
Paragraphs
- Keep paragraphs short: 1-3 sentences
- One idea per paragraph
- Break up long quotes into multiple paragraphs
Headlines
- Use sentence case, not title case
- No periods at the end
- Use present tense for past events: "Council approves budget"
- Use infinitive for future events: "Mayor to announce plan"
- No exclamation points in hard news
Quotation marks
- Periods and commas always go inside
- Colons and semicolons always go outside
- Question marks and exclamation points: inside if part of quote, outside if not
Abbreviations
- Spell out on first reference, then abbreviate
- Don't use periods in most abbreviations: FBI, CIA, NATO
- State abbreviations: Use postal codes (NY, CA) only with full addresses; otherwise use AP abbreviations or spell out
Ledes (opening paragraphs)
The inverted pyramid
Most important information first. Answer the key questions:
- Who is involved?
- What happened?
- When did it happen?
- Where did it happen?
- Why did it happen? (if known)
- How did it happen? (if relevant)
Lede length
- Aim for 35 words or fewer
- One sentence is ideal
- Focus on the news, not background
Too long:
The city council, which has been debating the issue for several months and heard from dozens of residents at multiple public meetings, voted Tuesday night to approve a controversial new zoning ordinance that would allow high-rise buildings in the downtown area.
Better:
The city council approved a zoning ordinance Tuesday that allows high-rise buildings downtown, ending months of debate.
Types of ledes
Hard news lede:
A fire killed three people in Northeast Philadelphia early Tuesday.
Feature lede:
The last time Maria Rodriguez saw her mother, she promised to bring her to America.
Question lede (use sparingly):
What happens when a city runs out of money?
Quick reference card
Before you publish
- Names spelled correctly and verified
- Titles correct and styled properly
- Numbers follow AP Style
- Attribution uses "said"
- Dates and times formatted correctly
- Paragraphs are short
- Lede is under 35 words
- No editorializing in news copy
- Sources are credible and named
Red flags
- "Very" or "extremely" in news copy
- Exclamation points
- First-person pronouns (unless first-person piece)
- Unattributed opinions
- Passive voice hiding who did what
- Starting sentences with "There is" or "There are"
Example transformations
Before (informal notes):
Yesterday the Mayor said that he was "very excited" about the new $5,000,000 project that will create over 100 jobs.
After (AP Style):
Mayor John Smith said Tuesday he was "very excited" about the $5 million project, which will create more than 100 jobs.
Before:
The meeting started at 9:00 AM on Monday, October 14th, 2024.
After:
The meeting began at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 14, 2024.
Before:
5 protesters were arrested at the rally.
After:
Five protesters were arrested at the rally.
Before:
Smith stated that he believed the project would be "important."
After:
Smith said he believed the project would be "important."
House style notes
Different publications have their own style guides that override AP Style. Common variations:
- Oxford comma (AP doesn't use it; many publications do, verify with your editor)
- Courtesy titles (AP doesn't use them; NYT does)
- Web style (AP merged "web site" to "website" in 2010; some legacy guides still split it)
Always ask about house style before writing for a new publication.
Based on the Associated Press Stylebook. Check the current AP Stylebook (apstylebook.com) for updates and edge cases.
