Grammar and Style● Tense--- news tense is usually past. If using present tense, have a clear rationale why and make

sure it is consistent throughout.● Avoid first person (I, me, my, we, us, our, etc.) unless there is a clear rational for using it. This

should almost never appear in a news story.● Avoid opening with questions and, in general, using rhetorical questions.● Maintain objectivity and avoid editorializing when writing a news story. Let the facts speak for

themselves.● Always spell check and proofread. Remember to look for commonly confused words, AP style

errors and names that may be misspelled.● Avoid redundancies. Once you have stated something, there is no need to repeat it. Stick with

essential information.● Remember commonly confused words such as its/it’s, there/their/they’re, then/than.

Quotes● Use quotes to add color or opinion. Avoid quoting things that simply state fact.● Never stack quotes.● Don’t preface a quote with “When asked” unless it is necessary to put the quote into context. It

is assumed that the person is responding to a question unless you are covering a speech.● Avoid partial quotes and phrase quotes unless there is a reason for using them.● Make sure you are quoting accurately, completely and in context. If there is any question about a

quote, ask for clarification.● Interviews should be conducted in person or by phone except for special exceptions where

there is a clear rationale and editor approval. Using e-mail, text or other devices reduces the spontaneity and limits the reporter’s control over the interview.

● When quoting from a written source instead of a spoken one, clarify this in your attribution (“……,” he said in an e-mail.)

● If you are adding any wording to a quote (for clarity) you must use brackets. If omitting any wording, use elipses (three dots…). Treat elipses just as you would a word with space separating them from other words.

Attribution ● On first reference, always use the full name of organizations, people, places, etc. (e.g. North

Stafford High School, not North Stafford).● Quote attribution: Use “said” or “added.” Avoid colorful attributions that might change the

meaning or understanding of a quotation.● Refer to people by last name only. If using the first name for clarity (where more than one person

in the story has the same last name), you usually use first and last name. First names only are OK for referring to young children or in feature stories where there is a clear rationale for using it.

● You do not use honorific titles such as “Mr.” and “Mrs.” unless that is specifically stated in the paper’s style.

● Remember that titles after names or stand-alone titles are almost never capitalized. (Queen Elizabeth, the queen)

● Some titles before names get abbreviated. Consult AP or local style guide to see how to abbreviate.

● As a rule of thumb, if a title is more than three words long, put it after the name.

Places

● Follow AP style rules for state abbreviations (all longer than six letters).● Consult style guide for city names that do not require a state or country after.

Punctuation● Periods and commas go inside quotation marks. All other punctuation goes outside unless it is

part of the actual quotation. ● If joining two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS), use a comma.

However, if you are using a conjunctive adverb (e.g. “however,” “therefore”), it should be a separate sentence or get a semicolon.

● For composition titles (books, movies, songs, albums), use quotation marks.

Dates and times● Follow AP style rules for abbreviations of months (all longer than five letters).● For times, use numerals (5 o’clock).

Numbers and measurements● Zero through nine are spelled out. Use numerals for 10 and up...*● *…except if you are referring to an age, measurement or time, which get numerals in all

references. Consult style guide for specifics.