AP Stylebook

Hey, I'm new to this journalism thing, and I was told to buy an AP Stylebook. I ordered one online, but I don't see why I would need this. Can someone please tell me what you use the Stylebook for? Thanks.

 

Why wouldn't you need one? To my knowledge no one has yet come out of the womb with perfect knowledge of the stylebook.

 

It's a universal style for newspapers and news organizations, like MLA or other English style guides for research papers. It allows different papers to do things the same way, also it allows all AP wire copy to have the same abbreviations and style. A few examples of things you'll use it for are state abbreviations, which are different than postal ones, dateline cities, and the difference between words such as effect/affect.

 

It is the best resource you will ever have as a journalist.

 

Well, I'm not even a journalist yet, but I was signing up for an internship in my local newspaper, told the guys here about it, and then was told to buy an AP Stylebook.

 

Well, I already bought one, but I don't know how to use it really. That's what I'm asking.

 

Just read it and memorize what's in it.

 

When you get it skim through it. Basically it's like a dictionary. The items are in alphabetical order. If you have a question if a word should be capitalized or not, go to that letter and look for that word. Some topics are specific (April), others are general (months). Most entries are cross referenced, for example if you have a question about if you should spell out October or abbreviate it, and you look under October. Under October it will also say "see 'months.'" There are also separate sections for sports, business and grammar. Those sections are also alphabetical. It's easy to use, but as I said, when you get it skim through it to familiarize yourself with how it works.

 

Study now and you'll ace your exams in the first journalism courses in college.

 

Don't memorize all of it, but key things that you'll use often such as state abbreviations, dateline cities, month abbreviations. Like any other reference book, it's good to memorize certain things, but other things you can easily look up. Just like you probably don't know every word in the dictionary off the top of your head, you probably don't need to know that it's Jamaica Rum not JamaicaN Rum or if it's Canadian Goose not Geese (or whatever that one is).

 

Yeah, I could have been more clear.

 

There is a separate sports guide in it too. RBIs, not RBI. 3-pointers, not three-pointers.