Generalized Stylebook
The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual, a mouthful of a title, is the writing bible of professional journalists. The AP Stylebook belongs on the desk of any writer working for magazines, newspapers, or online services. It should be well-worn, too, unless the writer trusts his or her memory too much. I’m on my third copy since college and cannot imagine writing without it within reach.
There is an official AP Stylebook available online, for a fee. I prefer a printed copy, but there are advantages to an online edition, namely it is always up-to-date. Also, since some of our style preferences differ from the standards, you should know what the “real” rules are. Visit the AP site, or the AP Stylebook site: http://www.ap.org/, http://apstylebook.com/
[A]
[B] [C] [D]
[E] [F] |
Our style guide is not the AP Stylebook; when there are differences, we identify them. The Tameri Guide for Writers focuses on style issues as applied to U.S. journalists. Do not expect this guide to apply to other English-speaking publications, though many rules should be similar. Our online guide to word usage deals with proper word choices for U.S. English, as well. The AP Stylebook contains style and usage entries, as well as a media law reference. Only the most common style issues are addressed on this site, with little explanation.
Entries appear in bold and words or acronyms for which we think people might search are also in bold. Minor style points appear in italicized type. We wish to make it easy to locate words quickly, but some tuning will occur over time.
Newspaper & Magazine Editing
Most daily newspapers and magazines in America print stories and features distributed by the AP. (http://www.ap.org/) As a result, the rules of the AP become the rules for nearly everyone at a major publication. Periodicals use the AP to save money; it is cheaper to use an AP report than to employ thousands of writers.
Smaller newspapers need the AP. Because they receive AP stories, edited to AP standards, small and medium-sized newspapers tend to adhere to more AP style than do larger publications.
The AP Stylebook cannot address every editing issue. According to the AP, the following books should be consulted whenever you have a word usage or grammar question:
- Associated Press Stylebook (http://www.ap.org/, http://apstylebook.com/)
- Webster’s New World College Dictionary
- The Word, by Rene Cappon
- The Chicago Manual of Style
- The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White
The list appears in order of preference. Consult the official AP guidelines before proceeding to other references. The other texts might not agree with the AP or each other, which is why the order of preference matters.
If you work for a larger publication or publisher, the organization might have guidelines that supersede the AP. Remember, The New York Times uses “Mr.” within stories, unlike other newspapers. (Yes, The Times used “Mr. Hitler” throughout World War II.) Follow whatever rules your employer uses.
Do not assume AP style is appropriate for academic writing — it isn’t. Your teachers will complain and panic if you use AP style to supersede Chicago style.
Entry Codes
Entries are marked by codes to indicate general topics. These codes are meant to assist editors scanning for particular entries.
| Code | Category | Code | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| biz | Business | law | Legal Terms |
| geo | Geography | rel | Religion |
| gov | Government | tech | Technology |
[A] [B] [C]
[D] [E] [F] [G]
[H] [I] [J] [K]
[L] [M]
[N] [O] [P]
[Q] [R] [S]
[T] [U] [V]
[W] [X] [Y]
[Z]
Special: [Stand-Alone Cities] [Measurement
Chart]
- A -
ABC [biz] - acceptable for all references to American Broadcasting Cos., which is legally plural.
academic degrees - use bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and doctorate. B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. should be used after a name when necessary, such as identifying a graduate in an alumni publication.
academic departments - use lowercase unless part of the department title is a proper noun.
Example: the university’s English department.
actor / actress - use of actress for women is acceptable at most publications.
A.D. - anno Domini. Precedes the year, unlike B.C., because the phrase is “In the Year of The Lord” 2003. Only use if some dates in an article might be B.C. or A.D. and clarification is required. A.D. is assumed. see B.C.
addresses - use Ave., Blvd., and St. with numbered addresses. Spell out Avenue, Boulevard, and Street when using the name of a street without an address. All other descriptors, spell out: Court, Drive, Road, and others.
123 Main St. is Main Street’s most famous address.
Spell out and capitalize First through Ninth, but use figures and two letters for 10th and above. Abbreviate compass points when giving an address, but spell out when naming a street.
admit / admitted [law] - avoid and use said when possible. Admissions are legally determined by a court.
AFL-CIO - some publications use the acronym on all references, others use the full union name on first reference. American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.
African-American not used by most publications, due to the international nature of media. See black.
ages - only give when important to the story.
allege / alleged [law] - use with care. All crimes are alleged, people are accused.
alumni / alumnus - plural, singular. Both are the Latin masculine form. Alumnae, alumna are the feminine and are out of favor at some publications.
a.m. / p.m. - Chicago Manual allows AM and PM, in small caps, but as of the most recent edition, lowercase AP style is included in the Chicago Manual.
America / American [geo] - use U.S. for government references. The problem with American is “the Americas” refers to North, Central, and South America. Unfortunately, the official name of Mexico is the United States of Mexico (Los Estados Unidos de Mexico), so the U.S. designation is not unique. A handful of Mexican leaders have objected to the United States of America being “los Estados Unidos” in their press. No matter what choice is made, someone will be offended. American is accepted as common — and what else would you call a citizen of the United States of America? Too late to rename the country…
Amtrack - “American travel by track” is the slogan for the National Railroad Passenger Corp. Still, Amtrak is the known name, so use on all references.
anchorman / anchorwoman - we see no reason to avoid the neutral anchor, but do not use anchor in AP style.
AP, The Associated Press - use AP on second reference, capitalize The on first.
April Fools’ Day - possessive group.
Arabic names - transliteration is complex. Pronunciation varies by region, resulting in different English transliterations. al/el = the; ibn/bin = son of; abu = father
arrested [law] - use “arrested on a charge of…” and not “arrested for…” in AP style.
ASCII [tech] - American Standard Code for Information Interchange, use ASCII on all references.
AstroTurf - trademark for artificial grass, first used in the AstroDome.
Atomic Age - began Dec. 2, 1942, at the University of Chicago. Did not start with the bombing of Hiroshima.
ATM - never ATM machine, which is redundant.
aviator - for men and women, but pilot is preferred. Yes, there are feminine forms, but they are not used in AP style.
- B -
badminton - you cannot imagine all the spellings we’ve seen.
Band-Aid - trademark, capitalize.
Baptist churches [rel] - only the local meeting place is a church, unlike the Catholic Church. There are five major Baptist organizations, though none are considered the authority over churches. The Southern Baptist Convention, representing 12 million members; American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A., 1.5 million members; the National Baptist Convention of America; National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Inc.; and Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc.
barbecue - preferred spelling.
B.C. - follows the year, unlike A.D. (Yes, it can get confusing where each goes!) see A.D.
Big Board, the [biz] - allowed for second reference to the New York Stock Exchange, but NYSE is preferred by most publications.
billions - use figures, limiting to two decimal places. Example: 2 billion, 3.75 billion
black - preferred to African-American since publications are now international. AP style assumes international readership. Some newspapers use African-American in local news, but black in international stories.
bologna - the deli meat. Use baloney for foolish talk or hyperbole.
Books on Tape - trademark.
brand-new - compound adjective.
Britain [geo] - acceptable for Great Britain, which is the island. Includes the regions of England, Scotland, and Wales. Do not use in place of the United Kingdom.
Broadway - generally a New York City theater of 300 or more seats. Union contracts define what is Broadway, not a physical street address. Off-Broadway refers to 100–299 seats, and Off-Off-Broadway are those theaters with less than 100 seats. Ninety-nine seats is a cut-off within union contracts for certain wage scales. “Off” is capitalized by the unions, but not by all publications.
Bronze Age - specific period from 3500 to 1000 B.C., when bronze tools were common.
Bros. [biz] - use for Brothers if a company does so within its official name logo. Example: Warner Bros. Studios.
Building - never abbreviate in a proper noun name for a building. Example: The Empire State Building
burglary / larceny / robbery / theft [law] - be precise in journalism. Burglary is entering a building with the intent of theft. Larceny is the wrongful taking of property, often via a deceit. Robbery involves a threat or use of force. Theft is a larceny without a threat or deceit, yet not a burglary.
byte [tech] - computer term for eight bits (binary digits). In the “ancient days” computers had seven-bit bytes. One byte stores one ASCII character, two bytes can store one basic multilingual Unicode character.
- C -
cactus / cactuses - no cacti in AP style.
Caesarean section - capitalize.
Canada goose - not a Canadian goose.
Canuck - derogatory for French Canadian.
carat / caret / karat - carat is a gem weight, caret is a proofreader’s mark (^), and karat is a measure of gold purity.
Caterpillar - trademark for a brand of heavy-construction tractor.
Catholic [rel] - use Roman Catholic Church, then Catholic Church in AP style.
CBS Inc. [biz] - legal name of the former Columbia Broadcasting System.
cellophane - not capitalized, now generic.
Celsius - use in place of centigrade. See measurements
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [gov] - use CDC on second reference.
Central America [geo] - Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
Central Intelligence Agency [gov] - use CIA on all references. Some publications prefer CIA on second reference.
chairman / chairwoman - do not use chairperson.
Channel - capitalize when used with a number. Example: We watch Channel 47.
chat room - two words in AP style when referring to Internet “chat” systems. Commonly chatroom in computer publications.
Chemical Mace - trademark. Mace is acceptable on all references.
Chevy - use Chevrolet unless writing an automotive feature.
chief justice [law/gov] - lowercase. The chief justice of the United States, not the chief justice of the Supreme Court.
China [geo] - use for the People’s Republic of China. Taiwan is officially the Republic of China, but publications prefer Taiwan.
Chinese names - in Chinese names, the family name is first and followed by the given name. Use the family name on second reference. Example: Deng Xiaoping is of the Deng family.
Christian Science [rel] - use Church of Christ, Scientist, for the church name. Christian Science is the faith.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [rel] - notice “Latter-day” capitalization in the official name. Mormon Church is acceptable on second reference at most publications, LDS at others. AP prefers Mormon Church.
cities [geo] - some cities are well-known and do not require state, province, or country identifiers.
| Atlanta | Houston | Philadelphia |
| Baltimore | Indianapolis | Phoenix |
| Boston | Las Vegas | Pittsburgh |
| Chicago | Los Angeles | St. Louis |
| Cincinnati | Miami | Salt Lake City |
| Cleveland | Milwaukee | San Antonio |
| Dallas | Minneapolis | San Diego |
| Denver | New Orleans | San Francisco |
| Detroit | New York (City) | Seattle |
| Honolulu | Oklahoma City | Washington (D.C.) |
Note: Use Hollywood for stories originating in the Los Angeles area that relate to entertainment.
International cities used without a country name:
| Beijing | Monaco |
| Berlin | Montreal |
| Djibouti | Moscow |
| Geneva | Ottawa |
| Gibraltar | Panama City |
| Guatemala City | Paris |
| Havana | Quebec |
| Hong Kong | Rome |
| Jerusalem | San Marino |
| Kuwait | Singapore |
| London | Tokyo |
| Luxembourg | Toronto |
| Macao | Vatican City |
| Mexico City | United Nations |
United Nations refers to the building and events within the U.N.
City Council [gov] - capitalize after a city name. Example: The Houston City Council meets today.
Clorox - trademark.
cloture [law] - to close debate, usually a vote to end discussion of a bill.
Coca-Cola / Coke - trademarks.
c.o.d. - not COD in AP style. We prefer COD in print, but most editors do not.
Cold War - time period from 1948 through 1988.
collectors’ item - plural possessive.
Columbia Broadcasting [biz] - see CBS
comedian - for men and women. Comic is preferred.
Commonwealth, the [geo] - was the British Commonwealth
Co. / Cos. [biz] - use in place of Company at the end of a business name.
company names [biz] - use their popular name, by checking the official Web site, or refer to Standard & Poor’s Register of Corporations. Do not use a comma before Inc. or Ltd. in AP style, even if the official name does so. Book editors prefer the comma before Inc.
Confederate States of America - use the Confederacy.
Congress [gov] - capitalize U.S. Congress. Refers to both House and Senate. Use Congress on second reference.
conservative - define or avoid.
Conservative Judaism [rel] - a branch of Judaism.
Constitution [law] - capitalize U.S. Constitution. Use the Constitution on second reference.
Constitutional amendments [law] - capitalize Amendment when preceded by a number. Examples: First Amendment, 10th Amendment
Consumer Price Index [biz] - capitalize as U.S. Consumer Price Index. Use CPI or the index on second reference.
Corp. [biz] - use in place of Corporation at the end of a business name.
County [gov] - capitalize as part of a specific county. Example: Orange County
coup d’etat - use coup.
CT scan - not CAT scan.
cyberspace [tech] - term popularized by author William Gibson, cyberspace is the virtual community created by computer networks. Cyberspace generally refers to digital replacements for “real” objects and experiences.
- D -
Dark Ages - A.D. 476 through the 10th century.
data [tech/misc] - plural. Example: The data are inconclusive.
database [tech] - one word. dBase is a trademark for a database system.
dates - Chicago style called for European standard dates (6 June 2003) in publications. AP style calls for U.S. notation (June 6, 2003) in printed articles. Most newspapers use U.S. notation online and in print. AP style abbreviates the longer month names. see months
daylight-saving time - not savings time. Not hyphenated in time zones. Eastern Daylight Time
days of the week - in a table, AP style calls for three letters without periods: Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
D-Day - June 6, 1944.
DDT - always use for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, a poison once used as an insecticide.
Deepfreeze - trademark for a brand of home freezers.
Department of Defense [gov] - may use Defense Department but not DOD.
Department of Energy [gov] - use of DOE on second reference is AP style, but the Department of Education has complicated matters. Energy Department is better than DOE, avoiding confusion.
Department of Housing and Urban Development [gov] - use HUD on second reference.
Depression - capitalize for Great Depression.
Dictaphone - trademark.
Disposall - trademark for a sink waste disposer.
district attorney [law] - do not use DA or D.A.
Dixie cup - trademark for disposable paper and plastic cups.
dot-com [tech] - preferred in AP style over dot.com, which implied “dot-dot-com” to some readers. Some newspapers and magazines use dot.com or dotcom. The “.com” is a reference to the commercial domains first registered by companies on the Internet. We dislike all of the dot-com uses, preferring to describe a company precisely.
doughnut - AP style, not donut unless part of a business name.
Down syndrome - not Down's syndrome.
Dr Pepper - trademark does not include a period, do not use Dr. Pepper
duffel - not duffle in AP style.
Dumpster - trademark for a line of trash bins.
- E -
Eastern Europe [geo] - avoid. AP style dropped Eastern Bloc, Soviet Bloc, and Eastern Europe as the Cold War ended.
editor in chief - no hyphens in AP style, but there are hyphens in Chicago style.
Election Day - capitalized.
electrocardiogram - use EKG on second reference.
e-mail [tech] - preferred AP style, though Email and email are preferred by some publications. We prefer e-mail, but assume email will become standard.
Environmental Protection Agency [gov] - use EPA on second reference.
Episcopal Church [rel] - always use for the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. The official name is rather long for publications. The Episcopal Church is a part of the International Anglican Communion.
European Union [geo] - use EU on second reference.
- F -
Fannie Mae [biz] - use for Federal National Mortgage Association. Some publications use Fannie Mae on second reference, but AP style allows for use on first.
fax - preferred to facsimile. Not a verb in AP style, use sent a fax.
FBI [gov] - use for all references to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Federal Aviation Administration [gov] - use FAA on second reference.
Federal Communications Commission [gov] - use FCC on second reference.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. [biz/gov] - use FDIC on second reference.
Federal Emergency Management Agency [gov] - use FEMA on second reference.
Federal Housing Administration [gov] - use FHA on second reference. The Administration used to be Authority but agency names change.
Federal Trade Commission [biz/gov] - use FTC on second reference.
Ferris wheel - Ferris was the inventor, so capitalize.
Fiberglas - trademark, with one s in the name.
first lady - lowercase, not an official title.
flier - do not use flyer for a handbill in AP style.
floppy disk [tech] - use diskette in AP style. Does anyone use these anymore?
f.o.b. [biz] - AP style uses lowercase and periods. The phrase “free on board” means the receiver pays for shipping. Apparently “free” while in transit.
Food and Drug Administration [gov] - use FDA on second reference.
Ford Motor Co. - use Ford on second reference, not FMC.
Formica - trademark for a brand of plastic-resin used on counters and in flooring.
Fourth Estate - English term for the press, a reference to the Three Estates: Clergy, Nobility, the Citizens.
Frigidaire - trademark.
Frisbee - trademark.
- G -
Gallup Poll - trademarked name for the service, capitalize both.
gay - preferred to homosexual in AP style. We prefer homosexual, but that’s rare, now.
General Assembly - capitalize for the U.N. General Assembly.
General Electric Co. [biz] - use GE on second reference.
General Motors Corp. - use GM on second reference.
General Services Administration [gov] - use GSA on second reference.
GOP [gov] - some publications use GOP on second reference to the Republican Party, others use Republican. AP style accepts either.
Gov. [gov] - use for Governor before a name.
grand jury [law] - lowercase.
Great Britain [geo] - use Britain.
gross national product [biz] - use GNP on second reference.
G-string - capitalize G.
- H -
habeas corpus [law] - a legal writ requiring an accused person be presented to the court, ensuring the accused is in custody and receiving legal counsel.
Hague, The - city in the Netherlands, capitalize The.
Halley's comet - lowercase comet.
hangar - airplane storage, not a hanger.
Hanukkah [rel] - AP style for the Jewish holiday.
Harris Poll - trademark of Louis Harris & Associates.
H-bomb - use hydrogen bomb except in quotes.
headquarters - not a verb in AP style, use with headquarters in. For companies, mention the city of the headquarters on second reference. However, we notice headquartered becoming common. Example: The Fresno, Calif., company manufactures raisin trays.
health care - two words.
Hemisphere [geo] - capitalize when specific. Example: Northern Hemisphere
highway names - use numerals, even for named highways. You may use the name or common acronym on second reference. Examples: U.S. Highway 101, U.S. Route 1, California’s state Highway 99.
Smith was driving north on U.S. Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway. The PCH is a California Scenic Route.
Holy See [rel] - headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, in Vatican City.
Holy Week [rel] - capitalize, use for the week before Easter in stories in religion.
home page [tech] - preferred AP style, though homepage is preferred by some publications.
homicide / manslaughter / murder [law] - homicide is a killing, manslaughter is homicide without premeditation, and murder is premeditated homicide. A victim is said to have been killed until there is a legal conviction.
host - not a verb in AP style. We would use it as a noun or verb.
House of Commons [gov] - use Commons or the Commons on second reference.
House of Lords [gov] - use the Lords on second reference.
House of Representatives [gov] - use U.S. House of Representatives on first reference, the House on second reference. Do not use Congress for the House.
HTML [tech] - hypertext markup language, use HTML unless explaining how to create Web pages.
- I -
IBM - use for International Business Machines.
ICBM / ICBMs - use for intercontinental ballistic missile. Never use “ICBM missiles,” which would be redundant.
ice age - lowercase, as there have been several ice ages.
illegal [law] - use to indicate a violation of law or within a sports story. Make sure it is a true legal violation and not a claim of “illegal” during a dispute.
impact - AP style allows in place of effect, though effect is preferred. We dislike impact being used for anything other than a physical crushing action.
impostor - not imposter.
inasmuch as - two words.
Inc. [biz] - use for Incorporated at the end of a business name.
index / indexes - no indices in AP style.
Internal Revenue Service [gov] - use IRS on second reference.
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development [biz] - use World Bank.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters [biz] - use Teamsters union or the Teamsters.
International Court of Justice [law] - judicial organ of the United Nations, based in The Hague. Use world court, lowercase, on second reference.
International Criminal Police Organization [law] - use Interpol. (The name does seem to imply the police are criminals, but that is due to English grammar being odd.)
International Monetary Fund [biz] - use IMF on second reference.
Internet [tech] - capitalize in AP style. Internetwork is no longer used.
intranet [tech] - lowercase. A network within an organization.
IOU [biz] - capitalize, no periods, in AP style.
Irish Republican Army - use IRA on second reference. Do not confuse with the Real IRA, a more violent group dedicated to Irish unification.
Islam [rel] - the faith of followers of Mohammed, considered a prophet and referred to as The Prophet within the faith. The following are AP style Anglicized spellings:
Muslim - follower of the Islamic religion.
Koran - religious text of Islam, a recitation of the poetry of Mohammed. Some newspapers use Qu’ran or Quran. Other Anglicized versions are also used.
Sunni - largest Muslim sect. The fundamental Sunni “sub-sect” are the Wahhabi Muslims, based in Saudi Arabia.
Shiite - a minority Muslim sect, and the only with defined religious leaders, in theory.
caliph - Shiite spiritual leader. There were caliphs in Islam, but Sunni’s only recognized descendents of Mohammed as clerics.
Grand Mufti - Sunni authority on the Koran and Islamic Law.
Sheik - clergyman or nobleman.
Ayatollah - Shiite clergyman.
Hojatoleslam - Shiite standing below Ayatollah.
Mullah - low-level clergy.
Imam - prayer leader at a mosque.
IT [tech] - information technology should be used, unless IT refers to a company department. Business stories may use IT when appropriate.
Ivy League - Originally IV, as in four universities. Now, the Ivy League schools are: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Univ. of Pennsylvania, and Yale.
- J -
jail / prison [law] - jail is short-term local holding, while prison is where a convicted felon is sent.
Java [tech] - capitalize when referring to Sun Microsystems’ programming language.
Jaycees [biz] - members of the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce. Not JCs.
jeep / Jeep - lowercase for the military general purpose vehicle, capitalized for the brand of civilian trucks and off-road vehicles.
Jehovah’s Witnesses [rel] - church managed by three corporation: Watch Tower and tract Society of Pennsylvania; Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc.; and the International Bible Students Association. Members do not engage in political campaigns, pledges of allegiance, nor carry weapons. They believe the Bible is the only true law for mankind.
Jell-O - trademark.
Jew [rel] - for both men and women. Never use Jewess. Jewish is a description of heritage, as much as a religion. Children born to Jewish mothers are considered Jewish, even if they do not practice Judaism. Ethnic Jews are a Semitic people, as are most natives and descendents of the Arabian Peninsula. However, the region is historically marked by tribalism and religious clans.
Jewish congregations [rel] - the Jewish religion is based on the Torah, ancient scriptures tracing the lineage of mankind. Jewish laws can be found in the Biblical Book of Leviticus. Muslim and Jewish religious laws are similar and share some history.
Orthodox - literal adherents to the Judaic Laws. These Jews tend to be traditionalists. In Israel, Orthodox Jews are excused from some military service, but not civil service.
Conservative - the majority of Jews in the world are Conservative, meaning they adhere to most of the laws, but not the older traditions.
Reform - Reform Jews regard scripture as lessons, not necessarily literal and unchanging. Reform Jews are sometimes called “culturally Jewish.” In America, Reform congregations are growing.
John F. Kennedy Space Center use Kennedy Space Center. Located in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Johns Hopkins University - no apostrophes.
Joint Chiefs of Staff [gov] - use Joint Chiefs on second reference.
- K -
K [tech] - unit of computer memory, kilobyte, equal to 1024 bytes. The value 64K is equal to 65,536 bytes. Notice there is no space between the value and K.
Kansas City [geo] - specify Kansas City, Kan., or Kansas City, Mo., on first reference.
kerosene - generic, formerly a trademark.
KGB - acronym for the Soviet Union’s Committee for State Security.
kid / kids - use child and children.
kilohertz [tech] - with a value, use kHz on second reference. Example: 580 kHz.
kiloton - an explosive force equal to 1,000 U.S. tons of TNT.
kindergarten - often misspelled.
Kleenex - trademark. Use facial tissue for the generic.
Kmart - no hyphen and lowercase m.
Knesset [gov] - Israeli parliament.
knot - nautical miles per hour. see measurements
Koran [rel] - AP style. see Islam
Kriss Kringle - not Kris.
Ku Klux Klan - use KKK on second reference.
Kuomintang [gov] - Chinese Nationalist political party. Do not follow with party.
- L -
Labor Party [gov] - not Labour.
Land-Rover - trademark.
lanolin - generic, formerly a trademark.
larceny [law] - stealing via a deceit or fraud. see burglary for details
latex - generic term for an elastic composite.
Laundromat - trademark for a coin-operated laundry.
lay / lie - lay is an action, lie is a state of resting. see Word Usage
leftist / left-wing - avoid and use specific terms instead.
Levi’s - trademark for a brand of jeans.
liberal - define or avoid.
Lt. Gov. [gov] - use for lieutenant governor before a name.
Life Savers - trademark for a brand of candy.
lifestyle - one word in AP style.
light-year - hyphenated in AP style. Lightyear is acceptable in some publications.
linoleum - generic, formerly a trademark.
Linotype - trademark. Old-fashioned hot-lead type was set on Linotype machines. (Famous Linotype fonts are sold for computers.)
Lloyds Bank International Ltd. [biz] - international bank with headquarters in London.
Lloyd’s of London [biz] - insurance underwriters, known as “names,” with headquarters in London.
Lutheran churches [rel] - the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Use of Lutheran Church is acceptable. Clergy are ministers, a pastor is a minister leading a congregation. Use the Rev. before a minister name on first reference.
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center - use Johnson Space Center.
- M -
Mace - trademark for Chemical Mace.
Mach - capitalize for the speed of sound. Mach is 750 mph at sea level, approximately 660 mph at 30,000 feet. Examples: Mach 1, Mach 2
Mafia - use only for the Italian secret society, not as a synonym for organized crime.
Magna Carta - preferred AP style, not Magna Charta.
mailman - use letter carrier.
Majority Leader [gov] - capitalize before the name of a legislator.
–man - a serious problem, since society was (and is) male dominated. It is best to use –person when possible, or be gender-specific. Congresswoman and chairwoman are accepted at some publications, for example, instead of congressperson or chair. The generic references to positions and titles should always be gender-neutral.
mankind - use humanity or people unless quoting. (Technically, both alternatives originate as references to male citizens… modern political correctness wins in this case, since logic dictates all three words are equally sexist.) For a serious discussion, see man
Traditionally, many writers have used man and words derived from it to designate any or all of the human race regardless of sex. In fact, this is the oldest use of the word. In Old English the principal sense of man was “a human,” and the words wer and wyf (or wœpman and wifman) were used to refer to “a male human” and “a female human” respectively.
— American Heritage Dictionary, Copyright © 2000
manslaughter [law] - a homicide without premeditation. see homicide
Marines - use the U.S. Marines or the Marine Corps. Do not use USMC.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day - retain Jr. in all references to the civil rights movement’s leader.
Masonite - trademark.
Mass [rel] - capitalize the religious ceremony name.
MC / emcee - use master of ceremonies unless quoting. Use MC in quotes.
M.D. - use physician or surgeon. Some newspapers allow Dr. before a name on first reference.
measurements - the following weights and measures are for reference use.
| Measure | US/Imperial | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| acre | 43,560 sq ft 4,840 sq yd |
4,047 sq m 0.4047 hectares |
| are | 1,076.4 sq ft | 100 sq m |
| hectare (ha) | 2.471 acres | |
| square centimeters (sq cm) | 0.1550 sq in | |
| square inches (sq in) | 6.452 sq cm | |
| square feet (sq ft) | 929 sq cm | |
| square kilometers (sq km) | 0.3861 sq m | |
| square meters (sq m) | 10.76 sq ft | |
| square miles (sq m) | 2.590 sq km | |
| square yards (sq yd) | 0.8361 sq m | |
| centimeter (cm) | 0.40 in | 0.01 m 10 mm |
| foot (ft) | 1/3 yd | 30.48 cm |
| fathom | 1.829 m | |
| inch (in) | 2.54 cm | |
| kilometer (km) | 0.6213 mi | |
| mile [statute] (mi) | 1.609 km | |
| meter (m) | 1.094 yd | |
| nautical mile | 6076.10 ft | 1.852 km |
| rod (rd) | 5.029 m | |
| yard (yd) | 0.9144 m | |
| Temperatures | ||
| Celsius (C) | F=((9/5)×C)+32 | Freezing = 0 C Boiling = 100 C |
| Fahrenheit (F) | Freezing = 32 F Boiling = 212 F |
C=(5/9)×(F-32) |
| Kelvin | F=((9/5)×(K-273.15))+32 | C=K-273.15 |
| Volumes | ||
| barrel | 31.5 gal Oil: 42 U.S. gal 35 Imperial gal |
|
| cups, U.S. | 0.2366 L | |
| gallon, U.S. (gal) | 128 oz | 3.785 L |
| gallon, Imperial | 1.2 U.S. gal 277.42 cu in |
4.5 L |
| liter (L) | 4.227 cups 1.057 qt 0.2642 gal |
|
| milliliter (ml/mL) | 0.03381 fl oz | |
| ounce, fluid (fl oz) | 1.8 cu in 2 tablespoons 6 teaspoons |
30 ml |
| pints, U.S. | 0.4732 L | |
| quart, dry | 67.20 cu in | |
| quart, fluid | 57.75 cu in | 29.57 ml |
| Weights | ||
| bushel | 4 pecks 32 dry qt |
35.2 L |
| carat | 3 grains | 200 mg |
| grain | 1/7000th lb | |
| gram (g) | 0.03527 oz | |
| kilogram (kg) | 2.205 lb | |
| metric ton | 1.102 tons | 1,000 kg |
| milligram (mg) | .001 g | |
| once (oz) | 28.35 g |
|
| pound (lb) | 0.4536 kg |
|
| stone | 14 lb | 6.35 kg |
| ton, British (long ton) | 2,240 lb | |
| ton, U.S. (short ton) | 2,000 lb | 0.9072 met ton |
Medfly - capitalized in AP style, but we have no idea why, since most dictionaries do not.
Medicaid [gov] - U.S. federal-state program to provide basic health care for the needy and disabled.
Medicare [gov] - name for both the U.S. and Canadian federal health insurance programs. Eligibility for the U.S. system is linked to Social Security.
menswear - one word.
megaton - an explosive force equal to 1 million tons of TNT.
Mercurochrome - trademark for a brand of antiseptic.
merry-go-round - hyphenated.
Mr. / Mrs. / Ms. - only the New York Times uses courtesy titles. AP style uses last names only.
Methodist churches [rel] - the primary denomination is the United Methodist Church. Governed by the General Conference, which meets every four years. Three predominantly black organizations are: African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishops oversee districts. Clergy are ministers and a pastor is a minister who leads a congregation. Use the Rev. or Bishop before a name on first reference. Specify the parent church when relevant.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. - use MGM.
Middle Ages - the period in European or “Western” history A.D. 476 to A.D. 1450.
Middle Atlantic [geo] - the states of New York and New Jersey. Some publications prefer Mid-Atlantic.
Middle East [geo] - preferred to Mideast in AP style. Used for the Arabian Peninsula and northeastern Africa.
middle initials - use on first reference if the individual uses his or her initials. A name should appear as the person commonly uses it.
MiG - the lowercase i means “and” in the name of the Russian aircraft design team Mikoyan and Gurevich.
miles per gallon - use mpg on second reference.
miles per hour - use mph.
military rank - abbreviate when used as a title before a name. Use the following abbreviations, in the appropriate combinations, for rank titles:
| Rank | Abbrev. | Rank | Abbrev. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admiral | Adm. | Lt. Junior Grade | Lt. j.g. |
| Brigadier | Brig. | Major | Maj. |
| Captain | Capt. | Private | Pvt. |
| Colonel | Col. | Pvt. 1st Class | Pfc. |
| Commander | Cmdr. | Sergeant | Sgt. |
| Corporal | Cpl. | Specialist | Spc. |
| General | Gen. | Technical Sgt. | Tech. Sgt. |
| Lieutenant | Lt. |
millions - use figures, limiting to two decimal places. Example: 2 million, 3.75 million
mimeograph - generic, formally a trademark. Use copy.
Mohammed [rel] - see Islam
months - abbreviate Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec. in “full” dates and in datelines. Do not abbreviate months when they stand alone. In tables, use three letters for every month and no periods.
moon - a generic term, use lowercase.
Mormon Church [rel] - allowed in AP style. see Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
moslem - use muslim. see Islam
Mother’s Day - singular possessive.
murder [law] - a premeditated homicide. see homicide
Murphy’s law - capitalize Murphy — a real person.
Muzak - trademark for a continuous music service.
[Entries N-Z]
Our guide to word usage is based on the Associated Press Stylebook, which is the primary style guide for reporters and editors at daily newspapers and many periodicals. The AP is not the Modern Language Association, nor does the AP adhere to the Chicago Manual of Style so many graduate students have struggled to master. Never assume the style of a publication, publisher, or university. Always ask for the name of the current standard to save yourself rewrites or rejection.