5 ap style changes of note for pr and marketing pros _ articles _ main

7/25/2019 5 AP Style Changes of Note for PR and Marketing Pros _ Articles _ Main

1/6

MENU

5 AP style changes of note for PR and marketing prosThe 2015 edition of AP Stylebook contains several additions and revisions to food, sports, news and social mediaterms.

By Beki Winchel| Posted: January 5, 2016

The 2015 edition of the Associated Press Stylebook contains 300 new or revised terms.

The AP Stylebook isnt strictly a guide for journalists anymore. The newest edition contains this endorsement by Alexa Hoffman, PR

Newswires product manager:

As a former newspaper reporter and editorial manager, I grew accustomed to reaching for the AP Stylebook for all of my editorial

needs. Now that I work hand-in-hand with PR professionals, it remains a great guide to crafting clear messages that resonate with

professional audiences.

Colleen Newvine, AP Stylebooks product manager, says this is the first year the stylebook has had a PR pro endorse the book on its

back cover.

According to David Minthorn, one of the editors, updating the stylebook is a year-round project that takes into account current usages

and an annual survey.

Here are five changes you should know about:

1. News terms.
https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspxhttp://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=5%20AP%20style%20changes%20of%20note%20for%20PR%20and%20marketing%20pros%0D%0A%20http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ragan.com%2FMain%2FArticles%2F50589.aspxhttps://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspx&title=&summary=&source=https://plus.google.com/share?url=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspxhttps://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspx&media=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ragan.com%2FUploads%2FPublic%2FAP_Style_Changes_PR_Marketing.jpg&description=5%20AP%20style%20changes%20of%20note%20for%20PR%20and%20marketing%20proshttp://m.ragan.com/http://-/?-http://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/329759/ap-stylebook-change-blt-is-now-acceptable-on-first-reference/https://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspx&media=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ragan.com%2FUploads%2FPublic%2FAP_Style_Changes_PR_Marketing.jpg&description=5%20AP%20style%20changes%20of%20note%20for%20PR%20and%20marketing%20proshttps://plus.google.com/share?url=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspxhttps://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspx&title=&summary=&source=http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=5%20AP%20style%20changes%20of%20note%20for%20PR%20and%20marketing%20pros%0D%0A%20http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ragan.com%2FMain%2FArticles%2F50589.aspxhttps://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspxhttp://m.ragan.com/Main/Articles.aspx?authorid=998cca74-fe27-4bb7-b0da-484ec0fab011http://m.ragan.com/


2/6

There have been a few changes to terms and phrases used in news reporting that are helpful for PR pros to know.

A new entry has been added regarding suicides and suicide attempts. Overall, AP recommends avoiding detail on the methods used,


3/6

with the following style change:

A new entry covers suicide in news reports - "committed suicide" should be avoided except in direct quotes from authorities.

#APStyleChat

AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) May 27, 2015

Alternate phrases include killed himself, took her own l ife or died by suicide. #APStyleChat


Minthorn told Poynterthe reason for the entry:

Committed in that context suggests possibly an illegal act, but in fact, laws against suicide have been repealed in the US, at least in

certain states, and many other places, Minthorn said, so were going to avoid using that term on our own, although its a term that

authorities widely use and we will use it while quoting authorities.

Its also advised to use Affordable Care Act sparingly, as not all Americans recognize the law by its formal name. AP suggests using

President Barack Obamas health care law or the health care law on first reference, and Obamacarein quotation markson

second reference.

[RELATED:Learn how to improve your writing with these 10 tips.]

2. Food names and phrases.

BLTformerly bacon, lettuce and tomatois now acceptable on first reference.

For PR and marketing pros writing copy for the brewing industry, craft brewery should replace the use of microbrewery.

These terms are far from the only changes in the Stylebooks 2015 edition:
http://www.ragan.com/Main/RaganWhitePaper10WaystoImproveWriting.aspx?utm_campaign=sm_inlnprhttp://www.cjr.org/first_person/dont_forget_these_changes_to_the_ap_stylebook.phphttps://twitter.com/APStylebook/status/603631524412534784https://twitter.com/hashtag/APStyleChat?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/APStylebook/status/603631368468307969https://twitter.com/hashtag/APStyleChat?src=hash


4/6

Avoid the term preheat in cooking and use heat instead: Heat the oven to 350 F. #APStyleChat


Other new food entries: amaretto for almond liqueur, meze for Middle Eastern appetizers, profiterole for a small cream puff.

#APStyleChat

AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) May 27, 20153. Social media lingo.

Favorite is now an acceptable term for the Twitter button users use to express approval for a tweet, and/or to bookmark that tweet,

and any associated links, for later consumption, according to the AP Stylebook.

Favorite can also be used as a verb, as in: I favorite all the tweets from PR Dailys Twitter account.

Though social media professionals have used memes to increase online interaction with their audiences for a while, its now an official

AP style term. A meme is a piece of information, such as a cultural practice or idea, thats shared verbally or transmitted widely, often

in social media.

If youve ever used Rickrolling or LOLCats in your content marketing efforts, rejoice. AP Stylebook has recognized your online

creations.

4. Sports slang and organization names.

AP Stylebook now includes several standardized basketball terms, such as Elite Eight and Final Four, which are now capitalized.

Thats not the only sport with style changes:

Sports updates range over baseball playoffs, basketball's NCAA Tournament, horse racing, soccer tactics and winter sports.

#APStyleChat
https://twitter.com/hashtag/APStyleChat?src=hashhttp://icanhas.cheezburger.com/lolcatshttp://knowyourmeme.com/memes/rickrollhttps://twitter.com/APStylebook/status/603635519164194816https://twitter.com/hashtag/APStyleChat?src=hashhttps://twitter.com/APStylebook/status/603635111343587328https://twitter.com/hashtag/APStyleChat?src=hash


5/6


PR and marketing pros also should be aware that AP is also putting the brakes on sports clichs, according to a new stylebook entry

shared by Columbia Journalism Review:

A team losing a game is not a disaster. Home runs are homers, not dingers, jacks or bombs. A player scored 10 straight

points, not 10 unanswered points. If a football team scores two touchdowns and the opponent doesnt come back, say it never

trailed rather than never looked back. In short, avoid hackneyed words and phrases, redundancies and exaggerations.

5. Index of terms.

Though not a style revision, AP Stylebook has added an 85-page index to its 2015 edition to help users find words more quickly.

With 300 additions or revisions, the index may come in handy.

HOME

INTERNAL

P R

SOCIAL MEDIA

WRITING & EDITING

SPEECHWRITING

AWARDS

EVENTS

T OP
http://web.ragan.com/calendar/http://m.ragan.com/Awards/RaganAwardsPrograms.aspxhttp://m.ragan.com/Speechwriting/sw.aspxhttp://m.ragan.com/WritingEditing/WritingAndEditing.aspxhttp://m.ragan.com/SocialMedia/SocialMedia.aspxhttp://m.ragan.com/PublicRelations/PR.aspxhttp://m.ragan.com/InternalCommunications/Internal.aspxhttp://m.ragan.com/https://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspx&media=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ragan.com%2FUploads%2FPublic%2FAP_Style_Changes_PR_Marketing.jpg&description=5%20AP%20style%20changes%20of%20note%20for%20PR%20and%20marketing%20proshttps://plus.google.com/share?url=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspxhttps://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspx&title=&summary=&source=http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=5%20AP%20style%20changes%20of%20note%20for%20PR%20and%20marketing%20pros%0D%0A%20http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ragan.com%2FMain%2FArticles%2F50589.aspxhttps://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50589.aspxhttp://www.cjr.org/first_person/dont_forget_these_changes_to_the_ap_stylebook.phphttps://twitter.com/APStylebook/status/603630392382480384


6/6

Copyright 2015 Ragan Communications

5 ap style changes of note for pr and marketing pros _ articles _ main

Documents