Since 1989 - Fine Speeches, Business Articles, White Papers,Case Studies...

May 2008             THIS MONTH'S TIP           To Follow or not to Follow AP Style        Anything that is submitted to a news publication must conform to AP style - period.  Beyond that, the number one consideration should always be clarity. Number two should be audience.  While the AP Stylebook is written with clarity in mind, some of the entries are not commonly used anymore. A good example is "Web site" which is the way AP style dictates. Common usage is "website."  Another example is state abbreviations. AP style calls for traditional (2-5-letter) abbreviations if the reference does not include the Zip. Even seasoned writers have to keep looking these up. Because of this, most business publications break with AP style and use the two-letter postal abbreviation. If the piece is not for a news publication, use AP style, but opt for common usage, as long as it doesn't compromise clarity. For business writing questions, use the form below. Your e-mail address Your Name Your Question

Smart Write Since 1989 Fine Speeches, Business Articles, White Papers, Case Studies... 630-363-8081  Email: Info@SmartWriteSolutions.com

SMART WRITE Inc.