Final Ledes: Writing With (AP) Style

First off, a warning: starting today, I will start enforcing AP Style rules on any and all items covered by the blog. So start picking up on and acting on the AP Style rules we've gone over, as we go over them.

Now, onto the latest rules:

When talking abut Constance Wei, is is State Representative Constance Wei; or State Rep. Constance Wei; or Constance Wei, a State Representative; or Constance Wei, a state representative?

It's State Rep. Constance Wei; or Constance Wei, a state representative. How do I know that? AP Style, under titles:

In general confine capitalization to formal titles used directly before an individual's name ... capitalize formal titles when they are used immediately before one or more names ...  the following formal titles are capitalized and abbreviated as shown when used before a name both inside and outside quotations: Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Rep., Sen., and certain military ranks listed in military titles. All other formal titles are spelled out in all uses. 

There are a ton of exceptions under titles, so that's a section you probably want to check frequently.

Also, as we noted earlier in a first reference we ALWAYS use first and last names: Constance Wei. But from then on we use only the last name: Wei.

This is what it says under names:

In general, use last names only on second reference.


Also, If someone's title precedes their name, then you capitalize: State Rep. Constance. Likewise, you capitalize a title when part of an entity's formal name: East Lansing Zoning Board

If someone's title follows their name, then it's lower-case: Constance Wei, a state representative. Likewise, if a title is not part of an entity's formal name, then it is lower-cased: the zoning board of East Lansing

When a title is used without a name, it's lower-cased: a state representative, a zoning board.

Also, titles in most cases should not be included after a first reference. You may start out by saying State Rep. Constance Wei, but in subsequent references it's just Wei, minus the State Rep. and Constance.

Under AP Style:

In subsequent references, do not continue using the title before a name. Use only the last name.


Moving on, when do you spell out avenue and street, and when do you abbreviate it?

In AP Style under addresses, it says to abbreviate when used with a specific street number, like 8397 Liberty Ave.

But when using just the street name without a number, it's spelled out, like Liberty Avenue.