3
Style and the stylebook
Adherence to journalistic style — both the rules of writing and usage and the customs of
journalism — is a mark of a professional writer. This chapter should help students understand
that when they enter the world of the mass media, they will have to meet certain expectations
about their work. One of the most basic expectations concerns style.
chief goal of the journalist is accuracy, and many
of the styles and conventions of journalism that
have been developed over the years have been to
promote this goal. The same can be said of these
style rules and conventions as they apply to
clarity and brevity. Instructors should help the
students see the relationship between all of these
concepts as they go through this chapter.
Key terms and concepts
Students should have a good understanding of all of the concepts set forth in the diagram.
Especially important among these are:
Consistency — One of the underlying concepts of adherence to style is consistency. Consistency
in writing helps the reader in establishing what to expect from a writer. It also helps to make a
writer more efficient. Knowledge and consistent use of style can boost the confidence of the
writer.
Links and resources
Associated Press Stylebook. If you are electronically inclined, you can purchase a subscription to
an online version of the Associated Press Stylebook. Users can search the entirety of the print
Guide to AP style. Professor Michael S. Sweeney gives visitors a quick list of commonly used AP
style entries. Additionally, there are suggestions for spelling and punctuation. Visitors may also
Newsroom 101. For aspiring journalists who enjoy (or need) to test their skills on AP style,
grammar or usage, this site has more than 2,000 exercises. Every chapter of the stylebook is
Chapter notes
Local stylebooks. Almost all publications have local stylebooks. These books (or guides —
sometimes they are only a few pages long) deal with questions that will not be answered by the
AP stylebook. For instance, how do you refer to the name of your institution on first reference
(Maplehurst University) and second reference (the University – capitalized)? Do you use “Dr.”
to refer to people with a Ph.D. degree? (The AP stylebook says you should not, but your
publication may want to do that.) Local stylebooks help a publication continue the quest for
Words That Make a Difference. Loving the language is no sin, particularly in these days of
language abuse. Those of us who do love the language need to feed our habits occasionally, and
Words That Make a Difference will certainly do that. This is a fascinating book about words. Robert
Greenman, the author, has collected words that are rich in meaning and passages from the New
York Times that demonstrate their use. Every page or so, Greenman chimes in with his own
commentary about the origins and usage of a particular word. You will open this book, start
flipping through the pages and then find you have spent an hour or so in Greenman’s world of
words. It’s a good journey. Once you get your copy, you’ll probably want to buy another for a
friend of like mind
Other stylebooks. The chapter refers to a number of stylebooks other than the AP stylebook,
which is the chief style manual for journalists. Here are some links to the web sites of some other
major stylebooks:
More than the rules. Style is more than learning the AP style rules (although that is most
important). The concept of style includes the approach the journalist takes toward the job. That is
why the chapter includes short discussions of balance and fairness, the inverted pyramid and the
impersonality of reporting. A good journalist must take on the mean of the “humble servant”
and must be modest both in writing and in demeanor. Unfortunately, we are living in an
immodest age, where people are taught to reveal everything about themselves and to be proud of
their deficiencies. Russell Baker, the retired New York Times columnist, articulates this at the
beginning of his review of a set of books about the journalist and critic A. J. Liebling:
Rereading A.J. Liebling carries me happily back to an age when all good journalists knew they
had plenty to be modest about, and were. From the 1920s through the Eisenhower years
modesty was a clearly defined style in the American press, but it was already fading when
Language sensitivity. Take a look at the section on language sensitivity in this chapter. Are the
concerns expressed in this section valid? Are there concerns about this issue that the author does
not address? Students should be allowed to have a wide-ranging discussion about this issue.
They should try to articulate their feelings about the topic, and they should be able to react—
civilly, of course — to the opinions of others.
Stylebook trivia
Play a trivial pursuit game with the AP stylebook. Divide the class into teams of two or three and
let them look up a series of questions that involve style rules. The point is not necessarily to find
What’s wrong here: They visited the province of Shensi. P/province. (Nothing is wrong with this.)
When is a clause set off by commas? E/essential clauses or Comma in punctuation guide. when it is non-
essential
When do you capitalize majority leader? L/legislative titles: when used before the name
How often does the Department of commerce calculate in GNP? G/gross national product: quarterly
When can you use disabled? H/handicapped: when it is vital to the story: disabled means condition that
interferes with an individual’s ability to do something independently.
What should you use instead of Formosa when referring to the government on the island of that former
name? T/Taiwan
When do you use theft? B/Burglary, larceny, robbery, theft burglary—to enter with intent to break the law
larceny—wrongful taking of property robbery— use of violence in committing larceny; plunder
Is SALT acceptable on first reference to the talks or the treaty as long as it is made immediately clear which
is being referred to? S/Strategic Arms Limitation Talks? yes
When do you abbreviate road? A/addresses, R/road: never abbreviate
When do you capitalize federalist? P/political parties and philosophies: cap when it refers to the actions of
a specific party, Adams was a Federalist; but his philosophy would be basically federalist.
What are two questions that should be answered by information in a survey-based story? P/Polls and
surveys: numbers, when, who paid, sampling error, etc.
What’s wrong with your prostrate gland? P/prostate gland
What is the proper abbreviation for sergeant major in the Marine Corps? M/Military Titles: Sgt. Maj.
How should you capitalize the upper peninsula of Michigan? P/peninsula: Upper Peninsula of Michigan
What is the rule regarding capitalization of the title of the president’s annual address? S/State of the Union
(Capitalize State of the Union Address)
The preferred spelling for the thing used to hit tennis balls? R/ racket (racket)
How does one distinguish between the noun and verb form of “tape recording?” T/ tape recording (verb
form is hyphenated)
How does a reported refer to a magazine in an article? M/magazine name (capitalize, but no quotation
marks …magazine is cap’d only when part of actual name of magazine)
That special spring holiday celebrated with great skill in Mobile and New Orleans? M/ Mardi Gras (Mardi
Gras)
What is the rule regarding reference to a radio station by its call letters? C/ call letters (all caps, use hyphen
to separate call from station type)
When is a parentheses correctly used? Punctuation/ parentheses (around logos, rarely otherwise)
What does I/O mean? When is it used?
Computer terms/ input/output (spell it out in copy)
What is a meltdown?
N/ Nuclear Regulatory Commission (worst possible nuclear accident)
Preferred reference to one who plays the flute?
F/ flutist (flutist is preferred over flautist)
Match the following:
carat writer’s/proofreader’s mark
karat measure of precious stone weight
caret proportion of gold in an alloy
(1,2: 2,3: 3,1) carat, caret, karet
Correct if necessary: The tax applied to a man or woman engaged in the creation of fine art. M/ man,
mankind The tax applied to everyone who creates fine art.
When is it appropriate to use “c” as a sign for cents? (Never.) cents
Exercises
3-3 Using the stylebook
1. He was charged with trafficking in drugs.
2. The Rev. Billy Graham said God was alive and his will would triumph.
3. The flag, which Francis Scott Key saw, has been preserved. Correct
4. lifelike, outfielder, interracial, IOUs (plural)
5. Pianos, nationwide, PTA, Vietnam War
6. The train will arrive at noon on Tuesday.
3-4 Using the stylebook
1. The Department of Defense is about to propose a new missile system.
2. FCC, hitchhiker, $3, 4 million
3. The three most important people in his life are his wife, son and
mother.
4. Part-time, 10-year-old child, 5 p.m., 5,300
9. He had 10 cents left in his pocket.
10. Homemade, well-known, Italian-American, questionnaire
3-5 Using the stylebook
1. The United States is sometimes not the best market for U.S. products.
2. Upward, British Labor Party, Riverside Avenue, cupfuls, eyeing
3. The Republican differed with the Democrat many times during the
debate.
7. After her surgery, she had to wear a pacemaker.
8. “What a hare-brained scheme!” she exclaimed.
9. Pre-empt, speedup (noun), 55 miles per hour, hooky
10. The underworld was responsible for the murder.
3-6 Using the stylebook
1. The first rutabaga eating contest was canceled because of adverse
weather.
2. It’s not all right to drink an excess of beer before going to the
football game.
3. As Einstein said, all knowledge is relative.
4. The state Capitol of Louisiana is located at 3722 Dagwood Rd.
5. The mayor refused to go along with the City Council vote. “I
dissent,” he stated.
6. Madonna certainly has a flair for fashion; she always wears expensive
outfits.
3-7 Using the stylebook
1. The 25-year-old man wept as he left Hattiesburg, Miss.
2. This Nov. 10 will mark our anniversary.
3. Do not park the car on Rodeo Drive. Instead, park it at 12 Davies St.
4. They spent $130 to buy a new set of nose rings.
5. Smoots moved to the North because the people there are so nice.
Correct
11. Smith bet $50 that her brother weighed more than a 1964 Chevy.
12. Guy Reel, the governor of California, set his trailer on fire Sept.
13. A fire began at 3325 McDonald Drive when an oven full of rutabagas
exploded.
14. During the 1970s, everyone wore bell-bottom blue jeans to church.
3-8 Using the stylebook
1. In August 1985, Davies rented a rutabaga stand in Augusta, Ga.
2. Pomerantz tied the beehive to Sen. Gramm’s cowboy hat. (First name is
needed.)
3. About 1,200 Easter rabbits were killed in the explosion at Big Dave’s
Bunny Warehouse, located at 2525 Hackensack Drive.
4. In the 1980s, Davies left the Midwest and moved to the Loire Valley
in France.
5. Smoots brought two cups of coffee to the governor.
6. About 8 percent of the cantaloupes have been stuffed with rutabagbas.
7. Jones bet $40 that his roommate had hidden the sandwich.
8. The three university professors share a house at 613 25th Ave.
3-9 Using the stylebook
1. Estalene Smoots dropped her French class the first day of school.
2. Sadie Hoots won $32 million on “Wheel of Fortune.”
8. Abby gave birth to a nine-pound baby boy.
9. The president invited me to dinner at the White House, but I could
not fit it into my schedule.
10. Sen. Davies said his earnings had increased 10 percent in the 1980s.
11. Barney the dinosaur will be executed on Nov. 2.
12. Twenty-five vagabonds attacked me from behind in front of the hub.
13. Snarkle found a 10-inch bug crawling in her spaghetti. “Great! Now I
won’t need seconds,” she exclaimed.
3-10 Using the stylebook
1. What is the acceptable form of abbreviation for miles per hour? mph
2. What is the difference between civil and criminal cases? Civil cases
involve individuals, businesses or governmental agencies that seek
damages or relief. Criminal cases are brought by the government when
crimes are committed.
3. The eyewitness found himself in an eye-to-eye confrontation.
9. What use of the term “working class” needs a hyphen? When it is used
as an adjective
10. Which term is correct: Christian Science Church or Churches or
Christ Scientist? Both are acceptable.
3-11 Using the stylebook
1. The United States (constitutes, composes, comprises) 50 states.
2. A.D. 33
3. Czar
4. QE II?
3-12 Using the stylebook
1. His solution turned out to be the most equitable of the two.
2. Georgia Secretary of State George Smith testified at the
Congressional hearing.
3. ‘tis, the Gay ‘90s, a South American country, A.D. 1492
4. Write the plurals for the following words: Eskimo,__Eskimos____ ;
chili, _chilies____ ; memorandum, __memorandums_____ ; ski,
___skis_____
5. The ballif opened the court by saying, “Oyez, oyez, oyez!”
6. He spread out his pallet and went to sleep.
3-13 Using the stylebook
1. Write the plurals for the following words: referendum,
__referendums___; court martial, __courts martial____; 1920,
__1920s___; dead end, __dead ends____.
2. Daylight-saving time begins on the last Sunday in April.
3. He made the dean’s list after Dean Smith talked to him.
4. The game that was scheduled for tonight was rained out.
3-14 Using the stylebook
Baseball game
The Bay City Bluebirds rallied from a 3-run deficit last night to
defeat the Carmel Cardinals 6-3 and win the Western Tri-state division
championship.
The Bluebirds are now assured a place in the Tri-state playoffs next
week. Their opponent will be determined tonight in a game between the
Santa Ana Generals and the Redwood Knights.
The Cardinals led the Bluebirds for most of the game, and they had a
3-0 lead in the eighth inning.
3-15 Using the stylebook
Guilty verdict
A jury found a Midville man guilty of second-degree manslaughter after
an hour of deliberations on Tuesday.
Johnny Gene Garber was convicted at the end of a three-day trial
during which his mother testified against him. He was charged in the
death of a 39-year-old brickmason, Gardner Jackson, of 12 9th St. in
Jonesville.
Garber stood sliently as the jury read the verdict. Judge Jonas T.
McMilla, set a sentencing hearing for next Monday at 8 a.m..
3-15 Using the stylebook
City council
The City Council passed an ordinance last night (use day of the week)
requiring people convicted of their second drunk driving charge to serve
a minimum of 30 days in jail and to have their driver’s license
suspended for six months.
The ordinance was passed by a vote of five to three. Councilmember
Clarissa Atwell sponsored the change in the law that will take effect on
Dec. 31.
3-17 Using the stylebook
Power failure
Power was cut off to nearly a third of the residents of Midville last
night (use day of the week) after a violent storm ripped through the
city around 6 p.m.
Police Chief Robert Dye said power was restored to most homes within
about two hours, but “a substantial number of people” had to go without
power for most of the night.