Not quite true, Brian. AP style is followed by AP correspondents and some (or most, perhaps) newspapers and magazines (by default, especially where AP is the source of the story). However, most books adhere to the Chicago Manual of Style. Of course, AP style can be superimposed on Chicago Style, with AP Style taking precedence where there is a conflict. Not many book publishers (almost none, in fact, as far as I know) indulge in such superimposition. When I edit a manuscript, I use Chicago Style. The AP Stylebook is not solely about style. Its full title is The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law. There are other styles for other purposes, and they include APA (American Psychological Association) Style and MLA (Modern Language Association) Style. Their use is mainly in the academic environment (term papers, theses, dissertations, etc.). Some publishers (e.g., McGraw-Hill) have their own style books. The AP Style appears to be the only one to have anything restrictive to say about the use of SI units. Bill _____
Bill Potts Roseville, CA <http://metric1.org/> http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] _____ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 21:27 To: U.S. Metric Association Cc: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:41141] RE: Associated Press Style Guide is working against us. Everyone has. Well, anyone who does publishing for a living. Certainly, it's time for the AP to change their guides. -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [USMA:41140] RE: Associated Press Style Guide is working against us. From: "Carleton MacDonald" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Mon, June 16, 2008 9:20 pm To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Who made the AP the dictator of writing style? Carleton -----Original Message----- From: owner-usma <http://email.secureserver.net/pcompose.php#Compose> @colostate.edu [mailto:owner-usma <http://email.secureserver.net/pcompose.php#Compose> @colostate.edu] On Behalf Of Michael Palumbo Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 18:20 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:41135] Associated Press Style Guide is working against us. I met a nice young lady over the weekend who is a reporter for the Burlington County Times in southern New Jersey. She informed me, during the course of our discussion, that she must write in English/Customary units, as metric is not allowed by the AP style guides. I asked if she could send me some text of it, here's what I just received from her. "Hey Mike, This is from the 2007 AP stylebook, you have to be a member to search the online version: For U.S. members, use metric terms only in situations where they are universally accepted forms of measurement (16 mm film) or where the metric distance is an important number in itself: "He vowed to walk 100 kilometers (62 miles) in a week." Seems even if reporters wanted to write in metric, they couldn't, or their editors would have to change it to get it run by the AP. Ideas? -Mike
