Quickie AP cheat sheet
If you’ve been using the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) and are concerned about the transition to AP, don’t worry! The AP Style Guide is a helpful and easy-to-use reference.
Here’s a list of the main areas in which AP and CMS differ (refer to the actual AP Style Guide for full information):
Topic |
AP Style |
CMS Style |
Addresses |
Ave.; St. ; Blvd. |
Avenue; Street; Boulevard. |
Age |
Always use figures |
Spell out |
Dates |
Dec. 11 |
December 11 |
Numbers |
Spell out below 10, but use numbers for percentages and ages (example, 3 percent, not three percent) |
Spell out numbers between one and one hundred. |
Page numbers |
Turn to Page 6. |
Turn to p.6. |
Possessives |
Thomas’ book |
Thomas’s book |
Race |
African-American |
African American |
Senior/Junior |
Martin Luther King Jr. |
Martin Luther King, Jr. |
States (in text) |
Springfield, Ill. |
Springfield, Illinois |