Controversial: Writing With (AP) Style

On first reference, you use a first and last name: Jacob Stevens. But what do you do on a second and subsequent references?

Here is AP Style, under names:

In general, use only last names on second reference.

So if you mention Jacob Stevens in the first reference, it should be just Stevens from that point on.

But what if there is more than one person with the same last name? AP Style has that covered, too. Also under names:

When it is necessary to distinguish between two people who use the same last name, as in married couples or brothers and sisters, use the first and last name.


Also, does punctuation go inside a quote, like this:

"I rule," Omar said.


or outside, like this:

"I rule", Omar said.

It's the former.  Punctuation goes inside a quote. At least for now. In English English, it traditionally does go outside the quote. But in American English it goes inside, although there seems to be an argument in the English profession on whether that should evolve into something closer to the English English model.


As they say, England and America are two nations separated by a common language.

If you see a copy-editing mark that looks like a sideways S, that means you need to reverse your sequence of whatever is within the sideways S. In cases where, for example, you put punctuation outside of a quote, you'll see the sideways S indicating you need to trade the positions of the quotation mark and punctuation mark.

Now, let's talk about titles.

If someone's title precedes their name, then you capitalize: East Lansing Athletic Director Hugh Baker

If someone's title follows their name, then it's lower-case: Hugh Baker, East Lansing athletic director

Also, titles in most cases should not be included after a first reference. You may start out by saying Athletic Director Hugh Baker, but in subsequent references it's just Baker.


If you're referring to an organization by formal title, then it's usually caps: the East Lansing School Board

However, on second reference -- once you've established what group you're referring to -- you can use a generic title in lower-case: the school board

And if you break up the title or rearrange the sequence in an informal way, then drop to lower-case: the school board in East Lansing


Some of you were all over the board in whether to write a number as a digit or a word. Here's the most basic AP guideline, in your style book under numerals: In general "Spell out whole numbers below 10, use figures for 10 and above."

So two should be two, not 2. And 10 should be 10, not ten.

So then, is this correct to start a sentence, under AP Style rules?

Twenty-two . . .

Actually, that IS correct number use. This is under the numerals heading:

Spell out a numeral at the beginning of a sentence. Now, there are situations where you have a number that would be very awkward to spell out. Like with very large numbers, like 48,384. I would suggest not using such a number at the start of a sentence. Or start such a sentence with attribution so the number conflict doesn't matter (e.g., "According to the U.S. Justice Department, 48,384 . . . ).