APStylebook

The Stylebook's guidance on hyphenating compound modifiers says that no hyphen is needed for two-word terms that have evolved to be commonly recognized as, in effect, one word. That's because the meaning is clear and unambiguous without the hyphen. Examples include chocolate chip cookie, real estate transaction, emergency room visit and cat food bowl. We don't have an entry for open enrollment period, nor does our dictionary, Merriam-Webster. Do you think open enrollment is familiar enough on its own that it doesn't need a hyphen when used as a modifier?

Sometimes Stylebook users get frustrated that we can't offer clear "always" or "never" rules. You want an answer, not "it depends." We get it. Simpler rules would make our lives easier, too. Unfortunately, the English language is messy. That's why our hyphens entry says: Use of the hyphen is far from standardized. It can be a matter of taste, judgment and style sense. Sign up for the AP Stylebook Workshops to dig in on the complexities of language, so you can feel better informed making your writing and editing decisions. store.stylebooks.com/ap-styl…

IQ is acceptable in all references for intelligence quotient. A new study showed smoke from Los Angeles fires exposed millions of people to high levels of toxic heavy metals. Lead is a neurotoxin that can stunt children’s development, lower IQ scores and increase blood pressure in adults. apnews.com/article/b1d86fbb0…

Watch the hand-counted results continue to come in on AP's election tracker: apnews.com/projects/election…

Use a hyphen in hand-count, hand-counting and hand-counted.

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Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway are union-contract classifications, not descriptions of a theater’s location. A timely distinction as “In the Heights” returns to New York City Center for a three-week run through Nov. 15. apnews.com/article/518ad26c8…

Our prefixes entry includes detailed instructions on when we hyphenate and when we don't with numerous prefixes. It lists multiple combinations with half-, including that we style halftime as one word, no hyphen, in keeping with widespread practice in sports copy. But it's half-time as an adjective outside sports contexts, such as a half-time employee.

One coworker learned AP style in 2006. Another never really learned it. One confidently follows style from memory, but is better at recalling old rules than keeping up with new ones. You checked it this morning. Guess why you're arguing. An AP Stylebook Online site license can help everyone work from the same up-to-date guidance, including your own house style. Focus on creating content instead of arguing about it. store.stylebooks.com/apstyle…

Lowercase independent when describing political affiliation: an independent lawmaker. For example, Australia’s Parliament paid tribute to independent lawmaker Helen Haines, who was critically injured in an alleged act of political violence. apnews.com/article/3c3c67167…

AP style does not hyphenate ranked choice voting. Ranked voting is acceptable on later references or in headlines. Avoid RCV except in quotations. AP Stylebook Online subscribers can find this and many other timely terms on our Topical Guide for 2026 midterm elections. Alaska’s closely watched Senate race uses ranked choice voting. apnews.com/article/b35acffc8…

Build your skills with AP's experienced journalists in the new year. We're offering a wide range of online courses in 2027 including: * Digital Strategy and Content Creation * Visual Storytelling * Journalism Skills Boot Camp (for Non-journalists) * Write Your Way to Success * How to Create a Custom Style Guide (And of course the AP Stylebook Workshop!) Register now if you have 2026 training budget to use, or mark your calendar and come back to sign up in January. store.stylebooks.com/

When describing election returns, it often is most accurate to describe totals as a subset of votes counted rather than votes cast. The total number of votes cast is usually not available until several days or weeks after an election. This guidance is part of the AP Stylebook Online Topical Guide covering the 2026 midterm elections. If you're a subscriber, check it out for help preparing for Election Day. apstylebook.com/topicals/top…

With Election Day coming next week, be careful not to confuse percent with percentage point. A change from 10% to 13% is a rise of 3 percentage points. This is not equal to a 3% change; rather, it’s a 30% increase.

The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Lowercase the academy and the awards when they stand alone. If "You Can See Everything” is nominated for best picture at the Oscars, it would be the first documentary nominated for Hollywood’s top prize. apnews.com/article/911c6ce96…

We have heard from several AP style fans that you're teaching your AI tool to proof for AP style. We understand the appeal, which is why we've worked with the proofing tools company Tansa to offer automated AP style proofing for over two decades. Why shouldn't you DIY this? We have about 4,000 entries in the AP Stylebook, and many of them include multiple rules under one heading. That's a lot of prompts to write. Tansa employs linguists who update the rules-based recommendations weekly when the Stylebook's editors add or change guidance. This ongoing maintenance is often what people don't account for when they set up their own AI proofing. Try the AP style proofing tool we've sold since well before artificial intelligence was a trend: store.stylebooks.com/apstyle…

We post this AP style rule pretty much every time change, and it never fails to delight some people and surprise others: It’s daylight saving time, not daylight savings time. It ends at 2 a.m. Sunday in most of the U.S., when clocks fall back one hour. Enjoy that extra hour of Halloween night sleep! apnews.com/article/003f56383…

We have new artificial intelligence guidelines on Stylebook Online, informed by the AP's own policies on what we do and don't do with AI. One tip: Any output from an AI tool should be treated as unvetted source material. You must apply your editorial judgment and sourcing standards when considering and editing any information for publication. For the full list of considerations, subscribe to AP Stylebook Online. store.stylebooks.com/apstyle…

It’s World Series on first reference; the Series is acceptable after that, with the capital S. This year’s matchup pairs two of baseball’s smallest spenders for the first time since 1991. apnews.com/article/6e6e2cf0e…

When the service is Disney+, keep the plus sign. The + symbol is acceptable when it is pronounced as part of a company, brand or event name: Disney+, Apple TV+, ESPN+. Here’s what’s new to stream this week: apnews.com/article/4d6ff25ef…