| name | newsroom-style |
| description | Apply AP Style and common newsroom conventions when writing or editing news articles, briefs, and headlines. Use when drafting publishable copy, editing contributor submissions, or converting informal notes into news-ready language. |
Newsroom style
Applies AP Style and common newsroom conventions to news writing and editing.
When to use
- Drafting news articles, briefs, or headlines
- Editing contributor copy for publication
- Converting raw notes, transcripts, or press releases into news-ready language
- Cleaning up wire copy or rewrites for a local audience
When not to use
- Opinion columns, op-eds, or editorials (different voice rules apply)
- First-person essays or personal narrative
- Personal blog posts or social media drafts
- Marketing or PR copy
- Academic writing
If the piece is not straight news, skip this skill or apply only the parts that fit.
Numbers
- Spell out one through nine; use numerals for 10 and above
- Always use numerals for ages, percentages, and addresses
- Spell out "percent" — do not use the % symbol in body copy
- Dollar amounts: $5 million (not $5,000,000), $2.3 billion
- Ordinal numbers: first through ninth spelled out, 10th and up as numerals
Titles
- Capitalize formal titles before names: Mayor Jane Smith, Sen. John Doe
- Lowercase titles after names or standing alone: Jane Smith, the mayor; the senator said
- Never use courtesy titles (Mr., Ms., Mrs.) on second reference
- Use last name only on second reference
Attribution
- Use "said" for attribution, not "stated," "remarked," "noted," or "explained"
- Place attribution after the quote at the first natural pause
- Attribute every claim that is not common knowledge
Dates and times
- Abbreviate months when used with a date: Jan. 5, Feb. 12, Aug. 3, Sept. 9, Oct. 1, Nov. 15, Dec. 22
- Spell out March, April, May, June, and July
- Spell out months when used alone or with a year only: January 2026
- Use figures for time: 9 a.m., 7:30 p.m., noon, midnight (not 9:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m.)
Common fixes
- "more than" for quantities, not "over" (over refers to spatial relationships)
- "fewer" for countable items, "less" for mass nouns
- "that" for restrictive clauses, "which" for nonrestrictive (with a comma)
- "convince" takes "of" or "that"; "persuade" takes "to"
Format
- Paragraphs run 1 to 3 sentences in news copy
- No exclamation points in hard news
- Headlines use sentence case, not Title Case
- One space after a period, not two
Before and after
Before:
Yesterday Mayor John Smith said that he was "Very excited" about the new $5,000,000 project that will create over 100 jobs.
After:
Mayor John Smith said Tuesday he was "very excited" about the $5 million project, which will create more than 100 jobs.
What changed:
- "Yesterday" replaced with the day of the week (AP avoids "yesterday/today/tomorrow")
- Capitalization fixed inside the quote
- Dollar amount converted to AP format
- "over" changed to "more than"
- "that" changed to "which" because the clause is nonrestrictive
Customization
Add newsroom-specific overrides below this line. Local style guides usually amend AP rather than replace it.
