Copyediting Symbols and AP Style

Tod a y ' s
O b jec tiv e: U s e
COPYEDITING SYMBOLS c opy ed i ting
s y m b ol s t o
r ev i s e a n d ed i t
& AP STYLE
s t ori es . D ef i ne
A P S t y le a n d
pr a c t ice u s i n g
a n A P S t y l ebook
LINK TO EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND
 http://gorillavid.com/958lokcn91q5
`
Today's Objective: Use copyediting symbols to

revise and edit stories. Define AP Style and
practice using an AP Stylebook.
WARM-UP 11/11
Rewrite the following quote to correct spelling, punctuation

and style rules. Hint: There are 6 errors.
Quote:
I hope we make it to play -offs this year. I think our team is
really strong.” principle Tom jones exclaimed.
“I hope we make it to the playoffs this year,” Principal Tom
Jones said. “I think our team is really strong. ”
THE JOB OF A COPY EDITOR
 To watch for mistakes

 To check facts for accuracy
 Check that names are spelled correctly
 Check that numbers are right
 Check for misspelled words or for the wrong word choice
 Check for attribution
 Make sure that stories are easy to read and have good flow
 Check that stories follow AP style
WHY IS COPYEDITING IMPORTANT?
 Even a small mistake can lead a reader to doubt the

accuracy of the newspaper.
COPYEDITING SYMBOLS
AP STYLEBOOK
 Put out by the Associated Press

 Considered “the Bible of the newspaper industry ”
 First Stylebook was produced in 1953 and was a booklet of
60 pages
 1977 – Stylebook underwent a major revision
 “Part dictionary, encyclopedia, textbook”
THINGS THE AP STYLEBOOK TELLS US
 When & how to use punctuation marks

 About sports
 What words to capitalize
 The difference between affect and effect
 Media law (Fair use and Freedom of Information Act)
HOW TO USE AN AP STYLEBOOK
 Organized alphabetically
 Find the category
 Example:
The newspaper is called The Eagle Angle.
The newspaper is called The Eagle Angle.
Which is correct?
COMMON AP STYLE Memorize
these
RULES rules!
ORDINALS (UNDER NUMERALS)
 For time or location:

 Spell out first through ninth
 Starting with 10th, use figures
 Note that the “th” is not a subscript
Exceptions:
 Addresses Example: 7th Street
WHOLE NUMBERS (UNDER NUMERALS)
 Spell out whole numbers below 10

 One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine
 Use figures for 10 and above

 10, 20, 100
 Spell out all numbers at beginning of sentences, but reword if

at all possible to not start sentence with a number
 Follow these rules for percentages also, but ALWAYS spell out
percent. Do not use %.
DATES (UNDER DATES & MONTHS)
 Always use figures, without st, nd, rd or th.
 Always capitalize the names of months.
 When a month is used with a SPECIFIC DATE, abbreviate only Jan., Feb.,
Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec.
 Spell out all months when used alone or with a year alone.
 Examples:
 Today is Monday, Oct. 3.
 This is the month of October.
 When a phrase lists a month, day and year, set of f year with commas.
 On Oct. 3, 2011, we learned about AP style.
TIME
 a.m.
 p.m.
 Avoid redundancies.
 Examples: 8 a.m. in the morning should just read 8 a.m.
THIRD COMMA IN A SERIES
 Do NOT put a comma before a conjunction (and/or) in a

series.
 Example:
 Today we discussed numbers, dates and commas.
Its VS. IT’S
 It’s is a contraction. It means “it is”.

 Examples of correct uses would be:
 It’s raining outside.
 It’s the first Monday of the month.
 It’s almost the end of the period.
 Its is possessive.
 Examples of correct uses include:
 The company lost its assets.
 The team lost its starting quarterback.
TITLES
 Lowercase and spell out titles when they are not used with an
individual’s name.
 The principal decided to reduce the length of lunches.
 Lowercase and spell out titles when they are set off from a name
by commas.
 The principal, Steve Payne, moved back into his former position.
 Capitalize FORMAL titles when they are used before a person’s
name.
 Formal titles generally denote authority, a professional activity
or an academic activity.
 “We need the election,” Superintendent Ken Helvey said.
 Titles that serve as occupational descriptions are NOT formal
titles and should be lowercased.
 The store is run by business teacher Cheryl Lee.
 “I am really excited about the new band hall,” senior John Doe said.
 “It was a great game,” head coach Tom Westerberg said.
ALLEN OR ALLEN HIGH SCHOOL
 This can be tricky, but assume that your readers know

everything you write about is for Allen High, so you don’t write
Allen, Allen High School or AHS in your stories.
 For example, read the following sentence:
 The new AHS band hall is 9,200 square feet.
 You would take out AHS, so the sentence should just read:
 The new band hall is 9,200 square feet.
EXCLAMATION POINTS!
 It’s simple – DON’T USE THEM!

AP STYLE QUIZ
 Go to the AHS homepage.

 Go to Mrs. Wiesner’s website under Faculty Web Sites.
 Click on the “Newspaper Page”
 Click on the link to “AP Style Quiz”
 Record your answers & the category under which you found
the answer on a separate sheet of paper to turn in. Write out
the answer, not the answer choice.
PRACTICE WITH COPYEDITING & AP ST YLE
AP Style Quiz – Group A Copyediting Exercise – Group B

 Go to the AHS  Complete Editing Exercise
homepage. #21, using the appropriate
 Go to Mrs. Wiesner’s copyediting symbols.
website under Faculty  Eliminate any unnecessary
Web Sites. words or sentences.
 Click on the link to  Take out any sentences
“Journalism Quizzes” that aren’t objective.
 Select the AP Style quiz  Look for misspelled words.
with today’s date.  Check for journalistic style
 You will record your – LQTQTQC, new
answers on a separate paragraphs for direct
sheet of paper to turn in. quotes.
EDITING EXERCISE 21
With more than half of the team failing the first six weeks,
the freshman football team will struggle even harder to
improve on its 0-6 record.
“We’re getting better each week, ” Coach Bubba Stevensson
said. “More kids are moving to the front and being leaders.
We hope to be able to score a touchdown next game. ”
With few players on the team, many must play offense and
defense.
“We’re improving,” Stevensson said. “They’ll do all right.”
The team enters the last part of the year without an
experienced quarterback but with standout fullback Jim
Jones.
(Need a direct quote from Jones here.)
The team won’t forfeit any games, though.
“We will be playing with or without players, ” Stevensson
said.

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Tod a y ' s

Today's Objective: Use copyediting symbols to

Rewrite the following quote to correct spelling, punctuation

 To watch for mistakes

 Even a small mistake can lead a reader to doubt the

 Put out by the Associated Press

 When & how to use punctuation marks

 For time or location:

 Spell out whole numbers below 10

 Use figures for 10 and above

 Spell out all numbers at beginning of sentences, but reword if

 Always use figures, without st, nd, rd or th.

 Always capitalize the names of months.

 Do NOT put a comma before a conjunction (and/or) in a

 It’s is a contraction. It means “it is”.

 This can be tricky, but assume that your readers know

 It’s simple – DON’T USE THEM!

 Go to the AHS homepage.

AP Style Quiz – Group A Copyediting Exercise – Group B

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