Hey guys!
My PR tactics class is going smoothly thus far. I
feel like I am set up to be successful in the class for the next three weeks
but in order for me to do that, I have to understand The Associated Press style
of writing. According to this article from articllama.com
(http://www.arcticllama.com/blog/writing-tips/what-is-ap-style/), AP style is a
set of rules and guidelines for formalized news writing published by The
Associated Press. Simply put, AP style is writing that is found in news
articles. Some people (like myself) constantly wonder why it is essential to be
proficient with the rules that come with this style of writing. But according
to journalism.about.com (http://journalism.about.com/od/writing/a/apstyle.htm),
if students don’t familiarize themselves with those rules they will be subject
to few career options due to the amount of errors that he/she would make. As a
future public relations practitioner, it would be essential for me to
familiarize myself with this style because it would make my documents (such as
press releases) easier to understand for different media outlets. The less work
I would leave for them, the more likely I am to have my story published.
According to Nancy Edmonds from Minnesota State- Moorhead (http://web.mnstate.edu/hanson/MC307/mc_307_AP_tips.htm),
using AP style doesn't just ease the workload for editors, but it will
establish credibility for press releases and fact sheets. Since this style is
so important for PR practitioners, I wouldn't be surprised if I was given a quiz
on it during a job interview. It is something that has the potential to make or
break you in this business, and if I am not prepared to be tested on it, then I
shouldn't be applying for the job! Any who, it's been a long day for me and
once again, I don't want to bore you all to death with my late-night ramblings.
Hope you have a great night!
-Rickey
