1. Associated Press (AP) Style
important AP guidelines for you to follow when writing for THE DRUMBEAT:
E-P

2. Email No hyphen when saying, “I wrote an email.”
Hyphenate other e-terms: e- book, e-business, e-commerce

3. Ethnic Groups
African-American or black can be used; just be consistent. Preferred usage for “Caucasian” is “white.”
Native American or American Indian can be used; just be consistent.
Capitalize proper names of nationalities: Arab, Arabic, African, American, Caucasian, Cherokee, Chinese (both singular and plural), Eskimo (plural Eskimos), French Canadian, Japanese (singular and plural), Jew, Jewish, Nordic, Sioux, Swede, etc.

4. Fewer, Less Use fewer for things that you can count.
Use less for things you cannot count.

5. Example: Fewer, Less Are these sentences correct?
I have less quarters than you do.
No (I have one quarter, two quarters…)
I have fewer cash than you do.
No (Cannot say I have one cash, two cash…)

6. Freshman, freshmen
Do not pluralize freshman as an adjective. It’s freshman girls, not freshmen girls.
Use freshmen as a plural noun: The freshmen elected a new president.

7. Fundraising, fundraiser
Do not hyphenate (This rule has changed in recent years)

8. Example: Is this sentence correct?
Please join us at the fundraiser for the Freshmen Class.
No, it should say Freshman.
Note: Capitalize official class names.

9. Girls/boys
Use boys and girls to designate teams. Do NOT use an apostrophe because the team does not belong to the boys or to the girls, but to the school.

10. GPA
Capitalize and abbreviate without periods.

11. Example: Is the following sentence correct?
The girls’ tennis players average a 3.8 GPA.
No. girls

12. Grades
Use A-minus, C-plus, etc. (not A-, C+) when mentioning letter grades in text.
In headlines it’s okay to abbreviate.
Use an apostrophe with plurals of single letters, otherwise A’s will look like the word As.

13. Example: Is this sentence correct? I earned a B-plus in Earth Science.
Yes, this is correct.

14. Headlines Write headlines in present tense.
Also, remove articles (a, an & the) in headlines)

15. Example: Which headline is not written in present tense?
Tennis team makes way to state finals
Teacher reflects on three decades in education
Administrators plan for students’ safety
Senior coordinated two-day garage sale fundraiser

16. His or her Rewrite sentences into the plural form when possible.
Weak: A student can register for his or her classes online.
Better: Students can register for their classes online.

17. Hyphenated Words Use a hyphen for compound adjectives before the noun.
Ex: well-known actor, full-time job
Do not use a hyphen when the compound modifiers occur after the verb.
Ex: The actor works full time.

18. Examples: Hyphenated Words
Is the following sentence correct? He served a 20-year sentence. Yes. It precedes the noun (sentence). *Note: If you said “His sentence lasted 20 years,” it would not require a hyphen.

19. Identification
On first reference, identify a person by title, class or position. Ex: Principal Michael Coury, history teacher Dana Janini, sophomore Sheridon Ward
On second reference, use last name only

20. Internet
Do not capitalize (AP Style changed June 1, 2016)

21. Junior varsity
Capitalize and not do use periods when abbreviated as a modifier.
She’s a member of the JV team.
She is a junior varsity basketball player.

22. It’s, its “It’s” is a contraction that means “it is,” or “it has.”
“Its” shows ownership or possession.
Whenever you must choose one, try inserting the phrase “it is” or “it has.” If one makes sense, use it’s.

23. Example: Is this sentence correct?
The Junior Varsity team experienced it’s first victory against Barberton on Saturday.
No. JV or junior varsity. its

24. Months/dates
Never abbreviate months when they do not immediately precede a date.
Only abbreviate if the month’s name is six letters or longer.

25. Examples: Months/dates
Which of the following sentences is correct?
We married in September 2014.
We were married Aug. 6 last year, but we ended up getting a divorce on Mar. 5.

26. Numerals This entry is a common source of confusion.
Remember the rule of thumb and spell out whole numbers below 10 and use figures for 10 and up.
When referring to someone’s age, always use the numeral.
Dates: April 2, not April 2nd
Dimensions: She is 6 feet tall

27. Numerals continued
Ordinal numbers: Spell out first through ninth. Use figures for 10th and above
Percentages: Use figures and spell out – 5 percent
Spell out numbers at the beginning of a sentence, except for years.
Sports scores: Always use figures. Place a hyphen and no spaces between scores.
Temperatures: 3 degrees
Zeros: Do not use unnecessary zeros. Ex: 10 a.m., not 10:00 a.m.

28. Example: Numerals
Are these sentences correct? It is the 10-year anniversary of the battle. Yes. The six-year-old was reunited with her parents. No. 6-year-old Trick-or-treat will take place on Oct. 31st. No. 31

29. Online
One word, no hyphenation.

30. Example:
Is the following sentence written correctly? Copley will be posting the newspaper online. Yes.

31. Possessives AP says merely add an apostrophe. Ex: Jess’ book
Add ‘s onto objects that don’t end with s already.

32. Examples: Possessives
Are the following sentences written correctly?
Amos’s ice-cream is new in town.
No. Amos’
That was the manager’s book.
Yes.