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Latest Associated Press style updates

August 12, 2022 by Strategic Communication

Tulips bloom on campus.

The AP Stylebook, the style guide the university follows for most of its communication, has updated sections on sex and gender.

Highlights

  • Transgender: This term describes someone whose gender identity does not match their sex assigned at birth. Some nonbinary people also consider themselves transgender.  
  • When writing about sex, use the term sex assigned at birth when referring to someone who does not identify with the assigned gender.  
  • When writing about pregnancy, use pregnant women or women seeking abortions. Pregnant people is also acceptable for people who do not identify as women.  
  • Don’t refer to male or female hormones. Instead, name the specific hormone.  
  • Use a transgender person’s previous name, or deadname, very rarely. You should only use it if required to understand the news or if requested by the person.  
  • Avoid terms like biological male or female. 
  • Use LGBTQ where appropriate.  

Pronouns

  • Instead of saying someone has preferred or chosen pronouns when writing, say phrases like the pronouns they use, whose pronouns are, who uses are, etc. If you are uncertain which pronouns to use, it’s OK to ask. 
  • Growing numbers of people, including some transgender, nonbinary, agender or gender-fluid people, use they/them/their as a gender-neutral singular personal pronoun. 

Sports

  • Avoid phrasing that misgenders people or implies doubt, such as former men’s swimmer or currently competes as a woman. It’s best to rephrase to formerly competed with men or current member of the women’s team, etc. 
  • When writing about transgender players that  are banned from playing on teams in line with their gender, choose phrasing that accurately describes this restriction.  

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: style guide, Training

AP Style new entries and updates

April 11, 2022 by Strategic Communication

Wide angle shot of Carrington Hall.

Periodically, we like to update you on the changes made to the Associated Press Style Handbook. We dive deep into it to find the nuggets of information that might be relevant to things you’re writing about on campus.

Inclusive storytelling

  • Seeks to truly represent all people around the globe. It gives voice and visibility to those who have been missing or misrepresented in traditional.
  • It helps readers and viewers both to recognize themselves in our stories, and to better understand people who differ from them in race, age, gender, class and many other ways.
  • Among the considerations: the stories we choose to convey; the sources we talk with; the images we select; the framing, approach and specific words we use; the details we include or don’t include. All of those various parts of a story can be seen and interpreted very differently, depending on a person’s background and experiences.

Pronouns

  • Growing numbers of people, including some transgender, nonbinary, agender or gender-fluid people, use they/them/their as a gender-neutral singular personal pronoun.
  • As much as possible, AP also uses they/them/their as a way of accurately describing and representing a person who uses those pronouns for themself.
  • Do not presume maleness in constructing a sentence by defaulting to he/his/him.
  • When necessary, use they rather than he/she or he or she for an unspecified or unknown gender (a person, the victim, the winner) or indefinite pronoun (anyone, everyone, someone). But rewording to avoid a pronoun is preferable. For example: The foundation gave grants to anyone who lost a job this year (instead of anyone who lost their job).
  • A singular they may also be used when an anonymous source’s gender must be shielded: The person feared for their own safety and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Disabilities

  • Both people with disabilities and disabled people are acceptable terms, but try to determine the preference of a person or group.
  • When possible, ask people how they want to be described. Be mindful that the question of identity-first vs. person-first language is vital for many.
  • Do not use euphemisms, such as handi-capable, differently abled or physically challenged, other than in direct quotations or in explaining how an individual describes themself.
  • Do not use handicap for a disability or handicapped for a person.
  • Limit use of the term disorder other than in the names of specific conditions, as well as words such as impairment, abnormality and special.
  • Avoid writing that implies ableism: the belief that abilities of people who aren’t disabled are superior.
  • Avoid “inspiration porn” — stories or photos meaning to portray something positive or uplifting, with the unintended implication that a disability is negative and that disabled people are objects of pity or wonder.

Gender, sex and sexual orientation

  • Gender refers to internal and social identity and often corresponds with, but is not synonymous with, sex. Experts say gender is a spectrum, not a binary structure consisting of only males and females, that can vary by society and change over time.
  • Sex refers to biological characteristics, such as chromosomes, hormones and reproductive anatomy, which can also vary or change in understanding over time, or be medically and legally altered.
  • Since not all people fall under one of two categories for sex or gender — as in the cases of nonbinary and intersex people — avoid references to both, either or opposite sexes or genders.
  • Relatedly, not all people use gendered pronouns such as his or hers. Such pronouns are often an example of gender expression, but they do not always align with typical or stereotypical expectations of gender and are not certain indicators of someone’s gender identity.

Race-related coverage

  • Reporting and writing about issues involving race calls for thoughtful consideration, precise language, and discussions with others of diverse backgrounds whenever possible. This helps to frame coverage appropriately and know what language is most appropriate, accurate and fair.
  • Avoid broad generalizations and labels. Race and ethnicity are one part of a person’s identity. Identifying people by race and reporting on actions that have to do with race often go beyond simple style questions. This challenges writers to think broadly about racial issues before having to make decisions on specific situations and stories.
  • Be aware that some words and phrases that seem innocuous to one group can carry negative connotations. These can even be seen as slurs, to another. As with all coverage, be sensitive to your varied audiences and their different perceptions of language and the larger world.

Some new items and revisions:

  • Critical race theory
    • An academic framework dating to the 1970s. It centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nation’s institutions and that those institutions maintain the dominance of white people.
    • The theory is a way of analyzing American history through the lens of racism.
    • It has become a catch-all political buzzword for any teaching in schools about race and American history, and a rallying cry for some conservatives who take issue with how schools have addressed diversity and inclusion.
    • The theory itself is not a fixture of K-12 education. Explain the term when used.
    • Don’t use CRT on later references.
  • Minority, racial minority
    • The term is acceptable as an adjective in broad references to multiple races other than white in the United States (We will hire more members of minority groups).
    • Do not use minority as a noun in the singular.
    • Limit use of the plural minorities unless needed for reasons of space or sentence construction.
    • Phrasing such as minority students or minority groups is preferable.
  • Black(s), white(s)
    • Do not use either term as a singular or plural noun. Instead, use phrasing such as Black people, white people, Black teachers, white students.
    • Black and white are acceptable as adjectives when relevant.
  • Black Lives Matter
    • A global movement launched in 2013 after the acquittal in the killing of Trayvon Martin with a goal to eradicate systemic racism and white supremacy and to oppose violence committed against Black people.
    • Either Black Lives Matter as a noun or the Black Lives Matter movement is acceptable.
    • BLM is acceptable on second reference.
    • Some respond to the Black Lives Matter movement by saying “all lives matter” or “blue lives matter,” the latter in reference to police officers. Neither is a formal movement, so lowercase and enclose in quotes.
  • Historically Black colleges and universities
    • U.S. colleges and universities established before 1964 with the mission of educating Black Americans.
    • HBCUs is acceptable on second reference and in headlines.
    • HBCU is acceptable as a modifier on second reference: HBCU students.
    • Refer to an individual school as a historically Black college or a historically Black university. Don’t use HBCU for one college or university.
  • Arab American
    • No hyphen for this and other dual-heritage terms.
    • Acceptable for an American of Arab descent.
  • Native Americans, American Indians
    • Both are acceptable terms in general references for those in the U.S. when referring to two or more people of different tribal affiliations.
    • The term Natives is acceptable on second reference. For individuals, use the name of the tribe; if that information is not immediately available, try to obtain it.
  • Native, Natives
    • Acceptable on second reference for Native Americans. Also acceptable as an adjective — Native music, Native art — but if the story is not generally about Native Americans, use Native American music, Native American art, etc.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: News and updates, style guide

New AP style updates: Coronavirus

March 10, 2021 by Strategic Communication

President Smart assists with student check-in for COVID testing.

Here are some of the latest updates from the AP Stylebook when writing about the coronavirus, COVID-19 and related terms.

How to refer to the virus

  • Avoid using SARS-CoV-2, which is the actual name of the virus.
  • It’s acceptable to refer to the coronavirus on first reference in stories about the current pandemic.
  • A year into the outbreak, don’t use the terms “new coronavirus” or “novel coronavirus” unless needed to distinguish between viruses.
  • The term coronavirus is generally acceptable in references to the pandemic: coronavirus cases, coronavirus tests, coronavirus variants.
  • When referring specifically to the virus, the COVID-19 virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are acceptable, as is simply the coronavirus.
  • Use the term COVID-19 when referring specifically to the disease: COVID-19 treatments, COVID-19 patients, COVID-19 deaths, recovering from COVID-19.
  • It’s not accurate to write a virus called COVID-19.
  • The shortened form COVID is acceptable if necessary for space in headlines, and in direct quotations and proper names.

How to use other terms

  • When using social distancing, don’t add quotation marks or hyphen. The shortened versions distancing or distanced are acceptable on second reference if clear in the context.
  • Superspreader is one word. It refers to an individual who spreads a virus or disease to an unusually large number of people, or a setting or event where an infection is spread to a large number of people.
  • Use variant or version to describe a new form of a virus. Avoid using the numbers given to variants such as B.1.1.7 for the one first found in Britain, as well as country labels like the South Africa variant (use the variant first detected in South Africa instead).
  • The terms immunization and vaccination can generally be used interchangeably. Don’t refer to a vaccine as a drug, medicine or serum.
  • Coronavirus vaccines are made in various ways. It’s not necessary to include the type of vaccine, unless relevant, in most stories. Use the manufacturer’s name if needed to distinguish between vaccines: Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Novavax, Sanofi, Sinopharm, Sinovac, CanSino and Johnson & Johnson (J&J on second reference).
  • Avoid saying a vaccine was approved, until full, final approval has been granted by a regulatory agency. Until then, the vaccines are still considered experimental. Describe them as authorized for emergency use; allowed for emergency use; given the green light, etc.
  • Do not use the term anti-vaxxer for someone who opposes vaccinations. If necessary in a direct quotation, explain it.

For more information, log in to the AP Stylebook Online.

Contact university communications

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: style guide, Training

New AP style updates: Race-related coverage

September 24, 2020 by Nicki Donnelson

Aerial shot of hands typing on keyboard

Recently, the AP Stylebook updated sections related to race.

A few highlights include:

  • Race-related coverage (revised): Writing about issues involving race calls for thoughtful consideration, precise language, and discussions with others of diverse backgrounds.
  • The racist, racism section added detail on systemic racism, structural racism and institutional racism.
  • The people of color, racial minority section is replaced by separate sections on each term. Among the points: Don’t use BIPOC, BAME or POC unless necessary in a quote; if used in a quote, explain it. Many people object to those terms on varying grounds. Use people of color only when necessary in broad references to multiple races other than white.
  • New entries on Black Lives Matter, Juneteenth and slaves, enslaved people.

There were new entries added (not in the race-related coverage entry)on:

  • Defund: To stop providing or to reduce funds, especially government funds, for a program, group, etc. The term is sometimes misrepresented as abolishing police. Avoid using the term other than in a direct quotation; if used in a quotation, explain and provide detail about what is being sought.
  • Kung Flu: Do not use this racist nickname for COVID-19, including in a direct quotation. Instead, paraphrase and refer to a racist slur for the disease.
  • Looting, looters: Apply the word looters carefully and specifically to those who engage in looting. Avoid the labeling and the stigmatizing of larger communities, groups or all protesters.
  • Riot, unrest, protest, demonstration, uprising, revolt:Use care in deciding which term best applies.

Every time you log into AP Stylebook Online, you can easily find recent updates by clicking on “New Entries” or “Recent Changes” on your subscriber homepage.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: style guide, Training, writing

Editorial style update: Capital letters in websites, email addresses and hashtags

August 5, 2019 by Michelle S. Rose

Missouri State has adopted new guidelines in the Editorial Style Guide for writing out email addresses, websites and hashtags. We are now using a “camel case” style. In this style, the starting letters for each new word are capitalized. This is more inclusive for all readers/users of our content. It helps with readability and accessibility for those who are using a screen reader. Here is the new information associated with camel case.

Email addresses

In email addresses, the first name and last name, as well as the starting letter for each new word, are capitalized (however, .com, .edu, etc., do not need to be capitalized).

Examples:

  • BoomerBear@MissouriState.edu (not boomerbear@missouristate.edu)
  • Bands@MissouriState.edu
  • CollegeOfEducation@MissouriState.edu

Web addresses

When writing out websites, the starting letter for each new word is capitalized (however, .com, .edu, etc., do not need to be capitalized).

Example: MissouriState.edu NOT missouristate.edu

Hashtags

When writing hashtags, the first letter for each new word is capitalized.

Examples:

  • #GoMaroon
  • #BearWearFriday
  • #MissouriState

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: brand, News and updates, style guide

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