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AP Style Tips

1. Dates & Times (AP Style)

Dates and times are some of the most visible formatting elements in digital journalism. AP Style keeps them short, clean, and consistent.

A. Dates

AP Style uses numerals for dates and abbreviates most months.

Correct Examples

  • Jan. 3, 2026
  • Feb. 14
  • Oct. 31

Months Abbreviated

  • Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.

Months Spelled Out

  • March, April, May, June, July

Days of the Week

Always spelled out:

  • Monday
  • Tuesday
  • Wednesday

Never abbreviate days unless space is extremely limited (charts, tables).

B. Times

AP Style uses numerals + a.m./p.m. (lowercase, with periods).

Correct Examples

  • 9 a.m.
  • 6:30 p.m.
  • noon (not 12 p.m.)
  • midnight (not 12 a.m.)

No Zeros for On-the-Hour Times

  • 9 a.m. (not 9:00 a.m.)

2. Titles (AP Style)

Titles are one of the most commonly mis-capitalized elements in contributor writing.

A. Capitalize Titles Before a Name

Only formal titles get capitalization when placed before a person’s name.

Examples

  • President Joe Smith
  • Coach Mark Davis
  • CEO Sarah Lee
  • Director John Miller

B. Lowercase Titles After a Name

When the title comes after the name, AP Style lowercases it.

Examples

  • Joe Smith, president, said…
  • Mark Davis, coach of the team, added…
  • Sarah Lee, CEO of the company, announced…

C. Job Roles → Always Lowercase

If it’s a job description, not a formal title, lowercase it.

Examples

  • software engineer Jane Doe
  • reporter John Smith
  • project manager Kelly Adams

3. Abbreviations (AP Style)

AP Style has strict rules for abbreviations, especially for states and organizations.

A. State Abbreviations

AP Style uses its own set of abbreviations — NOT postal codes.

Examples

  • Calif.
  • Fla.
  • Ariz.
  • Minn.
  • N.Y.
  • Pa.

States NOT Abbreviated

Eight states are always spelled out:

  • Alaska
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Iowa
  • Maine
  • Ohio
  • Texas
  • Utah

(Ohio and Texas matter for Total Apex’s coverage footprint.)

B. Organizations

AP Style uses no periods for well‑known acronyms.

Examples

  • NASA
  • FBI
  • CIA
  • NFL
  • NBA
  • NHL
  • UNICEF

Two‑Letter Abbreviations Use Periods

  • U.S.
  • U.N.
  • U.K.

4. Measurements (AP Style)

Measurements must be clear, consistent, and numeric.

A. Always Use Numerals

AP Style uses numerals for all measurements, regardless of size.

Examples

  • 5 inches
  • 3 feet
  • 10 pounds
  • 6 miles
  • 2 liters

B. Spell Out Units

AP Style spells out measurement units in standard text.

Correct

  • 6 inches
  • 5 feet
  • 10 pounds

Incorrect

  • 6 in.
  • 5 ft.
  • 10 lbs.

(Abbreviations are allowed only in charts, tables, or highly technical contexts.)

C. Hyphenate When Used as Modifiers

  • a 5-inch screen
  • a 10-pound weight
  • a 6-foot player

When the measurement comes after the noun, no hyphen:

  • The screen is 5 inches.
  • The player is 6 feet tall.

Final Takeaway for Total Apex Writers

AP Style formatting rules ensure clarity, consistency, and professionalism across every Total Apex vertical.

AP Style Essentials

  • Dates & Times: Jan. 3, 2026; 9 a.m.; Monday
  • Titles: Capitalize before name; lowercase after
  • Abbreviations: AP state abbreviations; NASA/FBI/NFL
  • Measurements: Numerals + spelled‑out units

Mastering these formatting rules helps contributors produce clean, polished, high‑performing content — whether they’re writing breaking news, sports recaps, gaming guides, entertainment features, or lifestyle explainers.