The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook is a cornerstone for journalists, public relations professionals, and content creators across the United States, providing a consistent style for news writing. Adhering to AP style ensures clarity and uniformity in publications ranging from newspapers to websites. While the complete AP Stylebook is extensive, understanding key areas like state abbreviations is crucial. This guide focuses on AP style state abbreviations, offering a comprehensive overview to enhance your writing accuracy and professionalism.
Understanding AP Style and its Importance
AP style is more than just a set of rules; it’s a guide to clear, concise, and accurate communication. It establishes standards for grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and abbreviations, ensuring consistency across different pieces of writing. For anyone working in media or communications, a solid grasp of AP style is indispensable.
The core principles of AP style are:
- Consistency: Maintaining a uniform style across publications.
- Clarity: Writing in a way that is easily understood by a broad audience.
- Accuracy: Ensuring factual correctness and attention to detail.
- Brevity: Using concise language to convey information effectively.
These principles extend to every aspect of AP style, including the proper use of state abbreviations.
Navigating State Abbreviations in AP Style
One common area of inquiry within AP style is the correct way to abbreviate state names. While postal codes exist (like CA for California), AP style uses a different set of abbreviations, and even dictates when and where abbreviations should be used at all.
When to Abbreviate States in AP Style
According to the AP Stylebook, state abbreviations are primarily used in specific contexts:
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Datelines: When a news story originates from a location outside of the publication’s main area, a dateline at the beginning of the article indicates the source. In datelines, the state name following the city name is abbreviated.
- Example: DENVER – The city council met today…
- Example: ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Severe weather is expected…
-
Photo Captions: Abbreviations are acceptable when identifying states in photo captions to save space and maintain clarity.
-
Lists and Tables: In lists or tables where space is limited, using state abbreviations is practical and encouraged.
-
Short-form Political Affiliation: When indicating a politician’s party and state, abbreviations are used for brevity.
- Example: Sen. John Smith, D-Calif.
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Editor’s Notes and Credit Lines: Similar to captions and lists, abbreviations are acceptable in editor’s notes and credit lines.
States That Are Never Abbreviated
It’s equally important to know which states are never abbreviated in AP style. There are eight states that are always spelled out, regardless of the context:
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Maine
- Ohio
- Texas
- Utah
For these states, always write out the full name, whether in body text, datelines, or any other part of your writing.
AP Style State Abbreviations Table
For all other states, AP style provides specific abbreviations. It’s crucial to use the AP-approved abbreviations rather than postal codes or other variations in the contexts mentioned above. Here’s a comprehensive table of AP state abbreviations:
| State Abbreviations |
|---|
| Ala. (AL) |
| Ariz. (AZ) |
| Ark. (AR) |
| Calif. (CA) |
| Colo. (CO) |
| Conn. (CT) |
| Del. (DE) |
| Fla. (FL) |
| Ga. (GA) |
| Ill. (IL) |
| Ind. (IN) |
| Kan. (KS) |
| Ky. (KY) |
| La. (LA) |
| Md. (MD) |
| Mass. (MA) |
| Mich. (MI) |
| Minn. (MN) |
| Miss. (MS) |
| Mo. (MO) |
| Mont. (MT) |
Note: While the table also includes postal codes in parentheses, remember to use the AP abbreviations (e.g., Ala., Calif., Mass.) in your writing, not the postal codes (AL, CA, MA).
Cities That Stand Alone: No State Needed
In news writing, some major U.S. cities are so well-known that they don’t require the state name to be mentioned when used in datelines. The AP Stylebook lists 30 such cities. Referring to these cities by name alone is sufficient for clarity.
| Cities Not Requiring State Names |
|---|
| Atlanta |
| Baltimore |
| Boston |
| Chicago |
| Cincinnati |
| Cleveland |
| Dallas |
| Denver |
| Detroit |
| Honolulu |
| Houston |
| Indianapolis |
| Las Vegas |
| Los Angeles |
| Miami |
| Milwaukee |
| Minneapolis |
| New Orleans |
| New York |
| Oklahoma City |
| Philadelphia |
For example, a dateline might read “CHICAGO –” or “NEW YORK –” without needing to specify the state. However, for cities not on this list, always include the state (abbreviated when appropriate).
State Names in Body Text
Outside of datelines, photo captions, lists, short-form political affiliations and editor’s notes, state names should generally be spelled out when they appear in the body of your text. This practice enhances readability and provides full context for readers.
- Example: “The conference will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana.”
- Example: “She traveled from California to New York.”
Only in the specific contexts outlined earlier should you use abbreviations for state names within your writing.
Mastering AP Style State Abbreviations for Clear Communication
Accurate use of AP style state abbreviations is a hallmark of professional writing in journalism and related fields. By understanding when to abbreviate, knowing which states to always spell out, and utilizing the correct AP abbreviations, you ensure your writing adheres to industry standards and communicates information clearly and effectively. Always refer to the latest edition of the AP Stylebook for the most up-to-date guidelines and expand your knowledge beyond just state abbreviations to fully master AP style.
