The document provides guidelines for writing in AP style, including how to format titles, times, dates, places, and addresses. It specifies how to capitalize titles, abbreviate months and states, and when to include street numbers and abbreviate street names in addresses. The document also advises only using acronyms that every reader will understand and know the meaning of.

1. AP STYLE
WRITING FOR MAINSTREAM MEDIA

2. TITLES
Only capitalize full, formal titles before the name
Company Chief Financial Officer Dewayne Smith ate
lunch.
Dewayne Smith, the company’s chief financial officer,
ate lunch.
Exception: When there is only one position of its kind.
Queen Elizabeth was thrilled with William’s son.
The Queen was thrilled with William’s son.

3. TIMES, DATES,
PLACES
Time, date, place is in that order
The meeting will be at 3 p.m. on July 23 in room 207.
Abbreviate months under 6 letters, when the date is used.
The meeting happens in February
The first day of the conference is Feb. 19
The meeting will be April 19
Abbreviate states when the city is used, only in datelines, not in stories
The team will travel to New York City
The team will travel to Appleton, Wisconson
--Appleton, Wis – Citizens of Appleton are happy
Unless the city is listed as standing alone in the dateline
See the “State Names” section of the stylebook

4. ADDRESSES
If you have a street number, you sometimes abbreviate the
name of the right of way
Abbreviate street, avenue, boulevard
Don’t abbreviate others
Remember StAB
Addresses always take numerals
121 E. Main St.
1st Avenue

5. ABBREVIATIONS
Don’t use acronyms unless you are very confident that every
reader will know what it stands for (KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE)