YSPH Editorial Style Guide

• Use the Oxford (serial) comma
• Lowercase keywords in headlines
• Use said not says
• Health care is two words
• YSPH is acceptable upon second reference. No need for the (YSPH) acronym and parentheses after the first reference, e.g. Yale School of Public Health (YSPH)
• Lowercase university upon second reference of Yale University
• The proper abbreviated spelling of Charles-Edward Amory Winslow’s name is C.-E. (space) A. (space) Winslow. Three periods. (per the Provost’s Office)
• Degrees do not have periods between letters, e.g. MPH, PhD
• When noting a person’s degree year, the apostrophe should face back to the person’s name and not toward the number. The style is: Jane Doe, MPH ’22, (note: the degree precedes the graduation year after the name)
• Don’t use graduation year or degrees in headlines unless it is key to the article, such as a Student or Alumni Spotlight. Even then, be judicious.
• Avoid contractions such as He's or She's and spell out instead (he is, she is) etc. except in quotes.

• Do not indent paragraphs
• Periods and commas go inside quotation marks
• Insert a space before and after an Em Dash and ellipses
• Do not use a comma before Jr. or Sr. in a name -- Example: Edgar Cullman Jr.
  
• Capitalize all words in the name of a designated or branded day, week, month or other time period: Black History Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, World Religion Day, International Women's Day. Lowercase the time period in informal descriptions: Memorial Day weekend, Christmas week.
• Lists, bulleted lists
  AP uses dashes instead of bullets to introduce individual sections of a list in news stories, but may use bullets in other formats. Put a space between the dash or bullet and the first word of each item in the list. Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet.Use periods at the end of each sentence in a bulleted list. Use no punctuation at the end of a single word or single phrase in each section of a list. Do not use semicolons.Use parallel construction for each item in a list:
  
  Start with the same part of speech for each item (in this example, a verb).
  - Use the same voice (active or passive) for each item.
  - Use the same verb tense for each item.
  - Use the same sentence type (statement, question, exclamation) for each item.
  - Use just a phrase for each item, if desired.
  
  Examples of phrases with no punctuation at the end:
  - Cat videos
  - Home improvement shows
  - Word puzzles Introduce the list with a short phrase or sentence: Our partners: or These are our partners: or Our partners are:
• Apostrophe
  PLURAL NOUNS NOT ENDING IN S: Add 's: the alumni's contributions, women's rights.
  
  PLURAL NOUNS ENDING IN S: Add only an apostrophe: the churches' needs, the girls' toys, the horses' food, the ships' wake, states' rights, the VIPs' entrance.
  
  NOUNS PLURAL IN FORM, SINGULAR IN MEANING: Add only an apostrophe: mathematics' rules, measles' effects. Apply the same principle when a plural word occurs in the formal name of a singular entity: General Motors' profits, the United States' wealth.
  
  NOUNS THE SAME IN SINGULAR AND PLURAL: Treat them the same as plurals, even if the meaning is singular: one corps' location, the two deer's tracks, the lone moose's antlers.
  
  SINGULAR NOUNS NOT ENDING IN S: Add 's: the church's needs, the girl's toys, the horse's food, the ship's route, the VIP's seat.
  
  SINGULAR COMMON NOUNS ENDING IN S: Add 's: the hostess's invitation, the hostess's seat; the witness's answer, the witness's story.
  
  SINGULAR PROPER NAMES ENDING IN S: Use only an apostrophe: Achilles' heel, Dickens' novels, Jesus' life, Jules' seat, Kansas' schools.
  
  SPECIAL EXPRESSIONS: The following exceptions to the general rule for words not ending in s apply to words that end in an s sound and are followed by a word that begins with s: for appearance' sake, for conscience' sake, for goodness' sake. Use 's otherwise: the appearance's cost, my conscience's voice.
  
  COMPOUND WORDS: Add an apostrophe or 's to the word closest to the object possessed: the major general's decision, the major generals' decisions, the attorney general's request, the attorneys general's request.
  
  Also: anyone else's attitude, John Adams Jr.'s father, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania's motion. Whenever practical, however, recast the phrase to avoid ambiguity: the motion by Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania.
  
  JOINT POSSESSION, INDIVIDUAL POSSESSION: Use a possessive form after only the last word if ownership is joint: Fred and Sylvia's apartment, Fred and Sylvia's stocks. Use a possessive form after both words if the objects are individually owned: Fred's and Sylvia's books.
  
  DESCRIPTIVE PHRASES: Do not add an apostrophe to a word ending in s when it is used primarily in a descriptive sense: citizens band radio, a Cincinnati Reds infielder, a teachers college, a Teamsters request, a writers guide. Memory aid: The apostrophe usually is not used if for or by rather than of would be appropriate in the longer form: a radio band for citizens, a college for teachers, a guide for writers, a request by the Teamsters. An 's is required, however, when a term involves a plural word that does not end in s: a children's hospital, a people's republic, the Young Men's Christian Association.
  
  QUASI POSSESSIVES: Follow these rules when dealing with the possessive form of words that occur in such phrases as a day’s pay, two weeks’ vacation, three months’ work, five years’ probation. The apostrophe is used with a measurement followed by a noun (a quantity of whatever the noun is). The examples could be rephrased as a day of pay, two weeks of vacation, three months of work, five years of probation. No apostrophe when the quantity precedes an adjective: six months pregnant, three weeks overdue, 11 years old.

• Use the honorific Dr. title for individuals who are either MDs or PhDs and list the degree after their name on first reference. E.G. “Dr. Albert Ko, MD,” or “Dr. Ijeoma Opara, PhD.” Use only the person’s last name in subsequent references e.g. Ko is the head of….Opara is the leader of….Avoid using the awkward construction “YSPH Dean Dr. Megan L. Ranney, MD,” instead use “YSPH Dean Megan L. Ranney, MD,…” or “Dr. Megan L. Ranney, dean of YSPH and the C.E. A. Winslow Professor of Public Health….”
• Do not use “the” before endowed faculty titles. (Example: Dr. Sten Vermund, MD, Anna M.R. Lauder Professor of Public Health)
  
• Capitalize professional titles after a name when they are part of an endowed faculty title. (see example above: Anna M.R. Lauder Professor…) Otherwise, titles are lowercase after a name and uppercase when preceding a name, e.g. Professor of Public Health Mary Jones. Or, Mary Jones, professor of public health,
• Academic degrees should be capitalized when the formal title is used; lowercase when used informally (Bachelor of Arts degree/bachelor’s degree; Master of Arts degree/master’s degree)
• Postdoctoral is one word.

• Spell out the full name of agencies on first reference, e.g. National Institutes of Health
• Avoid using unfamiliar acronyms on second reference. FBI, NIH are ok. CPPEE is not when referring to the Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology. CCCH should also be avoided when referencing the Center for Climate Change and Health. Use “the center” instead.
• DEIB is an acceptable second reference for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
• EMPH is an acceptable second reference for the hybrid Executive Master of Public Health program. Note: the program is formally called the Executive Master of Public Health program. It is not the online EMPH program. It is a hybrid program as students do spend time on Yale campus.

• Use a person’s middle initial only if that is how they are identified in their Yale bio/directory or when it is their personal preference.
• Individuals who are Yale alums should be identified as such in articles, e.g. Program Director Martin Klein, MPH ’86,
• Lowercase department affiliations after a name, e.g. John Smith, an associate professor of epidemiology (microbial diseases),

• In general, spell out one through nine: He had nine months to go. She has eight bicycles. The Yankees finished second.
• However, use figures for 1 through 9 (and above):
  • For ages (of people, animals, events or things)
  • When preceding a unit of measure (inches, pounds, miles, quarts, temperature degrees, etc.) — except for time measurements
  • In other cases listed below
• For time measurements (seconds, minutes, days, months, years, etc.), spell out one through nine unless it's an age. A six-year plan, but a 6-year-old plan. A five-month checkup but a 5-day-old baby.
  
• Use figures in almost all uses for 10 or above. Exceptions: At the start of a sentence; in casual uses such as one in a million; in literary or special uses such as four score and twenty years ago.
• Generally spell out zero: The day's low was 10 below zero; from zero to 60 as a figure of speech. Spell out zero percent: She said he has a zero percent chance of winning; they are offering zero percent financing. In technical contexts or ranges, the figure 0 may be appropriate: the car's acceleration from 0 to 60 mph; financing from 0% to 3%.
• Time is a.m. and p.m. not AM/am and PM/pm
• Follow AP style on 20th century and 21st (don’t use superscript)
• COMMON FRACTIONS: Generally spell out amounts less than 1 in stories, using hyphens between the words: two-thirds, four-fifths, seven-sixteenths, etc. Use figures for precise amounts larger than 1, converting to decimals whenever practical. When precision is not necessary, saying a third, or a half etc. is acceptable.
• RANGES: The proper form is $12 million to $14 million. Not: $12 to $14 million. Also, use a hyphen and a space when expressing phrases such as 3- to 4-times as likely.
• MILLIONS: Use a figure-word combination. 1 million people; $2 billion, NOT one million/two billion. (Also note no hyphen linking numerals and the word million, billion or trillion.)
• TEMPERATURES: Use figures, except zero. It was 8 degrees below zero or minus 8. The temperature dropped from 38 to 8 in two hours.
• TIME: 9-11 a.m. or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• AGE RANGE: Use an en dash between two figures, e.g. people ages 5–11.
• RATIOS: Use figures and hyphens: the ratio was 2-to-1, a ratio of 2-to-1, a 2-1 ratio, 1 in 4 voters. As illustrated, the word “to” should be omitted when the numbers precede the word ratio. Always use the word ratio or a phrase such as a 2-1 majority to avoid confusion with actual figures.

• Use numerals for distances: Social distancing includes staying 6 feet away from other people.
• Spell out numbers under 10 when referring to days, weeks, months, years: six months.

• Titles of studies and journals do not need to be in italics. Times New Roman is fine.
• Titles of books, movies, plays, songs, television shows, lectures, presentations, speeches, and works of art should be put in quotation marks, except the Bible.

• Use an ampersand if it is part of an organization’s official title, e.g. Yale Office of Public Affairs & Communications
• Use “the” before an organization’s name if the name is spelled out and not an acronym. Example: “Professor Mark Bradford was elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science.” Don’t use “the” before an acronym: “Mark Bradford was elected to AAAS.”
• Schools and departments should be capitalized when the formal title is used; lowercase when used informally, e.g. Yale School of Medicine/the medical school; Department of Anthropology/anthropology department, John Doe, MPH (social and behavioral sciences), She graduated with a degree in chemistry.
• Note: Yale Divinity School and Yale Law School are the formal names of these institutions.

• Do not use (sic) to show that quoted material or person's words include a misspelling, incorrect grammar or peculiar usage. Instead, paraphrase if possible. If the quoted material is essential, simply use it as spoken or written, in line with the guidance below.
• If there is a question about a quotation, either don't use it or ask the speaker to clarify.
• Do not use substandard spellings such as gonna or wanna in attempts to convey regional dialects or informal pronunciations, except to convey an emphasis by the speaker.
• Use quotations only if they are the best way to tell the story or convey meaning. Often, paraphrasing is preferable.
• In general, avoid using parenthetical clarifications in quoted material. If such a clarification is needed, it's almost always better to paraphrase. If the quotation is essential, include the unclear word or phrase before the parenthetical clarification; deleting it creates questions in a reader's mind.
• For example: "I heard him (the second attacker) yell, 'The sky is falling! Chicken Little was right!' before he drew the knife." Not: "I heard (the second attacker) yell, 'The sky is falling! Chicken Little was right!' before he drew the knife." Better: The witness said he heard the second attacker yell: "The sky is falling! Chicken Little was right!" before drawing the knife.
• In general, use the verb said. The verb announced is acceptable when referring to an announcement. Generally avoid wording such as claimed, admitted, conceded, etc., which can sound loaded or judgmental.
• In news stories, generally use the past tense. The present tense says may be appropriate in some stories, such as profiles, narratives or features, that aren't hard news or breaking news, and in broadcast stories. Do not alternate between tenses within a story.
• Avoid verbs such as believes, hopes, fears, feels, etc., unless accompanied by attribution: She said (or says, in some stories) she hopes, not she hopes.
• The construction Fernandez said, rather than said Fernandez, is generally preferred. Use the latter if a long title is involved: … said Fernandez, vice president for human resources and employee concerns.
• FULL vs. PARTIAL QUOTATIONS: In general, avoid fragmentary quotations. If a speaker's words are clear and concise, favor the full quotation. If cumbersome language can be paraphrased fairly, use an indirect construction, reserving quotation marks for sensitive or controversial passages that must be identified specifically as coming from the speaker.
• CONTEXT: Remember that you can misquote someone by giving a startling remark without its modifying passage or qualifiers. The manner of delivery sometimes is part of the context. Reporting a smile or a deprecatory gesture may be as important as conveying the words themselves.
• SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND TEXT MESSAGES: Social media posts and text messages often contain emoji, GIFs or other imagery that need to be conveyed to readers using words. Treat the visual material as context or gestures when important to include, describing by paraphrasing:
• Chavis sparked a flurry of responses against the airline after posting a GIF of large crowds at the gate, with the message "#missinghoneymoon" and an emoji string of a worried smiley, a ring, an hourglass and an umbrella propped on a beach.
• Be aware that some GIFs, emoji or other images may contain hidden meanings and nuances requiring consideration and more than just a simple description of the image posted.
• Do not use parentheses to describe an emoji within a direct quotation, to avoid confusing readers by making it seem as if the person being quoted wrote out the description in text.
• Many story platforms support displaying posts as they actually appear, or hyperlinking to posts on social networks, giving journalists several options to let readers see material for themselves. For example, some production systems may allow you to directly insert emoji into the text of a story. Additionally, most social networks allow for direct embedding of such material, and screen captures may also be acceptable if images are displayed in accordance with your newsroom's visual standards.

• Do not capitalize diseases such as cancer, emphysema, leukemia, hepatitis, etc., but do capitalize the shorthand COVID-19, MERS, SARS. When a disease is known by the name of a person or geographical area identified with it, capitalize only the proper noun element: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Ebola virus, etc.
• virus’s. The singular possessive form of virus. Not virus’.
• isolation/quarantine. According to the CDC: Isolation is separating sick people from healthy people to prevent spread of disease. For example, people believed to have COVID-19 or to have been exposed to the coronavirus are put in isolation in hospitals or are asked to practice self-isolation. Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.
• epidemic, pandemic An epidemic is the rapid spreading of disease in a certain population or region; a pandemic is an epidemic that has spread worldwide. Use sparingly; follow declarations of public health officials. On March 11, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Do not write global pandemic, which is redundant.
• Mpox – the new name for monkeypox. Always include an explainer that mpox is the new name of what was once called monkeypox. Mpox is the name of the disease. The virus that causes mpox (note lowercase) is still called monkeypox virus.
• antiseptic, disinfectant Antiseptics, such as hand sanitizers, are used to kill germs on living things. Disinfectants, such as bleach, are used on inanimate things, such as countertops and handrails. The adjective is disinfectant, not disinfecting.
• Sexually transmitted disease, sexually transmitted infections. Health professionals and agencies have been moving toward the term sexually transmitted infections for what long have been called sexually transmitted diseases. Not every person who gets infected will develop symptoms or the disease.
  Either term is acceptable. Consider using the phrase a disease or infection spread through sex instead. STD or STDs and STI or STIs are acceptable on second reference for the respective terms.

Also see Gender, Sex, and Sexual Orientation Guidelines 2023

• Capitalize Black, Brown, and Indigenous. Brown is best avoided and should be limited to use in quotes as it is a vague and imprecise term. Better to be specific as possible when making racial, ethnic, or cultural references. Do not use Caucasian as a synonym for white.
• Avoid using BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). AP style prefers using people of color. Do not use person of color to describe an individual.
• Use Latino as the preferred noun or adjective for a person from, or whose ancestors were from, a Spanish-speaking land or culture or from Latin America. Latina is the feminine form. Hispanic is also generally acceptable for people in the U.S. Do not use Latinx unless a study or story source specifically references Latinx. If Latinx is used, include a brief explainer of what it means per AP style: Latinx is a gender-neutral term used to refer to people of Latin American cultural or ethnic identity in the United States
• Latine, is a term created by LGBTQIA+ Spanish speakers, using the letter "e" to illustrate gender inclusivity within existing Spanish pronunciation. While some older generations may feel less familiar with and more resistant to Latinx and Latine, the terms remain in general use by younger generations. It is acceptable in all uses.
• Use gender-neutral terms whenever possible. (Example: chair (not chairman))
• Use LGBTQ+
  
  bisexual Describes attraction to both men and women and now, with the growing recognition of gender as a spectrum, also can more broadly describe attraction to one's own gender and one or more additional genders. See sexual orientation.
  
  out, openly The terms out and openly can imply that to identify as LGBTQ is inherently shameful, so use them only when relevant: Xiong is the group's first out gay president (which would allow for the possibility that previous presidents were gay but not out) or Xiong, who came out at age 29, wishes he had done so sooner.
  
  Out is gaining acceptance over openly as a modifier, so consider confining openly to quotations, or ask subjects which term they prefer when relevant and possible. Do not use terms like avowed or admitted.
  
  Don't assume that because news figures address their sexual orientation or gender transition publicly, it qualifies as coming out; public figures may consider themselves out even if they haven't previously addressed their identity or orientation publicly.
  
  The terms outing or outed are usually used when someone's identity or orientation is revealed against their knowledge or will.
  
  female, male In general, female and male are adjectives that can describe people of any age and are used only rarely as nouns, such as for a range of ages or an unknown age. The study included males ages 10-21. She is the first female governor of North Carolina.
  
  Woman, women, man and men are usually reserved for use as a noun to describe adults, while girl, girls, boy and boys are typically used as a noun for people under age 18.
  
  Be aware of nuances and pitfalls in the use of female and woman/women.
  
  Since female primarily describes sex, not gender, some people object to its use as a descriptor for women because it can be seen as emphasizing biology and reproductive capacity over gender identity. It can also sometimes carry misogynistic tones that may vary in severity by race, class and other factors.
  
  For this reason, woman or women is increasingly common as an adjective. But its use as such can often be awkward, especially if the words man or men would not be used adjectivally in a parallel sense.
  
  For instance: He is the only man construction worker on the otherwise all-woman crew is awkward, and He is the only male construction worker on the otherwise all-woman crew is not parallel. Options for being both sensitive and eloquent include He is the only man on the otherwise all-woman construction crew.
  
  Avoid using male and female as modifiers that could convey assumptions about gender roles, such as male nurse, male nanny, female bodybuilder, etc. In general, make a point of someone's sex or gender only if clearly relevant.
  
• Native Americans, Indigenous people/peoples
  
  Generally use the term Native Americans in broad references when referring to two or more people of different tribal affiliations within the contiguous U.S. geographic boundaries. (See below for details on Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians.)
  
  Do not use the term Native American for an individual; see below for detail on more specificity when referring to one person or to citizens of the same tribe.
  
  The term Natives is acceptable on second reference.
  
  The term American Indians is generally considered outdated. However, some tribal citizens may use the term in reference to themselves, other tribal citizens or organizations. And it may appear in some legal contexts and organization names. It is acceptable in those contexts.
  
  The term Indigenous people(s) is a broad umbrella term, describing the original inhabitants of a place globally. The term does not capture the political relationship or political status of Native American tribes or people, so use it only when the broad description is accurate. Be specific about a person's citizenship and/or affiliation, as noted below.
  
  The term may be appropriate in some contexts, such as when generalizing across an array of geographies: Indigenous people in the United States and Canada; Indigenous people in the United States (encompassing Native Hawaiians and Alaska Natives); Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.
  
  Do not use phrasing such as a Native American or Native Americans (or an Indigenous person) for individuals or for citizens of a single tribe. Instead, specify the proper name of the tribe and the person's connection to the tribe. If that information is not immediately available, try to obtain it.
  
  Some tribes and tribal nations use member; others use citizen. Try to determine the correct term in each case. If that can't be determined, use citizen.
  
  It is also important to determine if an individual is enrolled (a citizen) of the tribe, or if they are a descendant (not enrolled but a biological descendant) of an enrolled citizen. She is an enrolled member of the Nisqually Indian Tribe. He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a descendant of the Comanche Nation. Some Native Americans describe themselves as descendants of multiple tribes. That lineage should be noted after the person's citizenship or enrollment affiliation.
  
  For tribal affiliations, use the person's preference and clarify with the official name of the tribe if necessary. For example, some members of the Navajo Nation refer to themselves as Diné, the Navajo word for the people.
  
  Do not use possessive language such as Canada's Indigenous people, Oklahoma's Native American tribes or South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation. Instead: Indigenous people in Canada; Native American tribes in Oklahoma; the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The possessive form may be used for Native Hawaiians, however.
  
  Use the term Hawaiian or Hawaiians only for members of the ethnic group indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands. They also may be called Native Hawaiians, Indigenous people in Hawaii or Hawaii's Indigenous people.
  
  Hawaii is a creation of Hawaiians — the island chain was united by King Kamehameha and then was ruled by Hawaiians until the U.S.-backed overthrow of the monarchy in 1893. Many Hawaiians view Hawaii as a place that is rightfully theirs and a place to which they belong. Many Hawaiians believe the United States and the state of Hawaii are illegal occupiers of these lands and are fighting to return Hawaiian sovereignty to Hawaii.
  
  In Alaska, the Indigenous groups are collectively known as Alaska Natives. Be specific when referring to individual tribes and Alaska Native villages and to individual people, as described above.
  
  In Canada, the umbrella term Indigenous people(s) is used by the federal government to describe First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Be specific when referring to individual communities and people, as described above.
  
  Indian is used to describe the peoples and cultures of the South Asian nation of India. Do not use the term as a shorthand for Native Americans, either a single person or a group. However, Indian is acceptable when part of a proper name, such as Indian Country, the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona or the Metlakatla Indian Community in Alaska.
• Breastfeeding/chestfeeding/bodyfeeding – Breastfeeding is currently preferred. APStyle is silent on this issue to date. But all stories about breastfeeding should include a mention high up in the article that some individuals prefer the term chestfeeding or bodyfeeding to describe feeding a baby from a person’s chest. The term is used by people who don’t identify their anatomy with the term ‘breast.” Chestfeeding and bodyfeeding are fairly interchangeable though many non-binary people, trans people, women, and men may prefer one term over another.
• Homeless (adj.), homelessness (n.)
  
  Homeless is generally acceptable as an adjective to describe people without a fixed residence. Using the term “unhoused” is acceptable as well if that is the source or advocate’s preference.
  
  Avoid dehumanizing collective nouns like the homeless, instead using constructions like homeless people, people without housing or people without homes. When possible, ask people how they wish to be identified and use their preference.
  
  Some advocates and others prefer the term unhoused in an effort to focus on a person's lack of shelter. However, people without homes may have some sort of housing. So use unhoused only when quoting people, if an organization uses the term or if people use it for themselves.
  
  As with the homeless, avoid the term the unhoused.
  
  Do not stereotype homeless people as dirty, mentally ill, addicted to drugs or alcohol, reliant on charity, or criminals. Those conditions can often contribute to or be byproducts of homelessness, but many homeless people also hold jobs and are self-sufficient.
  
  Mention a person is homeless only when relevant.
  
  Homeless shelter is an acceptable term for a building that provides free or very inexpensive but temporary indoor refuge for people without homes, generally run by a government or charity.
  
  Government agencies do not always agree on what legally constitutes homelessness, but the term generally refers to people staying in shelters or on the street.
  
  Terms like couch surfing (staying temporarily in various households) or transient (someone who moves from city to city but is not necessarily homeless) can be useful to describe specific situations. Avoid vagrant.
  
  A migrant is someone who moves from place to place for temporary work or economic advantage and is usually not considered homeless.
  
  Indigent describes someone who is very poor and is not synonymous with homeless.
• Obese, obesity, overweight
  
  People with obesity, people of higher weights and people who prefer the term fat use diverse terms — including those and others — in reference to themselves. Many say the words obesity and obese are offensive or stigmatizing. On the other hand, the terms obesity and obese define a disease, according to global and national public health agencies, and are used by medical and health care professionals.
  
  Use care and precision, considering the impact of specific words and the terms used by the people you are writing about. When possible, ask people how they want to be described. See below for details.
  
  The phrasing people with obesity or a person with obesity is acceptable when a general term is needed and is relevant, unless a group or person prefers other terms. The term obesity is used most often in a health or medical context: Researchers hope the treatment helps people with obesity.
  
  Avoid the modifier obese when possible. Although obese is a variant of the term obesity, many medical professionals say the use as a modifier is more stigmatizing by putting a greater focus on the person rather than on the disease. That stigma can cause people not to seek treatment, they say.
  
  The term medically classified as obese is acceptable in medical and health care contexts. Do not use the term morbidly obese.
  
  Some people and groups identify as and prefer the term fat, seeking to eliminate the stigma around both the word and the people. Others say the word has long been seen as a slur and should be avoided. The terms fat and fatness are acceptable for people or groups that use it for themselves, but make clear that this is the preference of the person or group. A brief explanation may be helpful.
  
  Some people with obesity use terms such as plus-sized, people of higher weight, larger-bodied, people of size and others. Those terms are acceptable for people or groups that use it for themselves, and in later references in general stories about obesity.
  
  While some health agencies use the phrasing people with overweight, avoid that awkward term unless essential in a direct quotation. The term people who are overweight is acceptable.
  
  Avoid writing that implies ableism: the belief that abilities of people who aren't of higher weight are superior.
  
  The terms overweight and obese are not interchangeable because they have specific medical definitions. A person with a body mass index of 25 to 29 is considered overweight. A person with a BMI of 30 or higher is considered to have obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A BMI of 18.5 to 24 is considered a healthy weight.
• Race-related coverage: locs, dreadlocks, dreads
  
  locs A rope-like hairstyle that is a common protective hairstyle among Black people. Specify dreadlocks, dreads when referring to people with the hairstyle who are of Jamaican descent or Rastafarian belief. Locks refers to hair in general.

• If a subject asks for their pronouns to be included with their name, then place the pronouns in parenthesis after their year and degree.
  Examples:
  Craig Jackson, ’22 MEM (he, him)
  Anne Jones,’21 MESc (she, he, they)
  Bob Smith, ’19 PhD (they, them, their)
• They/them/their take plural verbs even when used as a singular pronoun. The singular reflexive themself is acceptable only if needed in constructions involving people who identify as neither male nor female. Example: “Fred took themselves and their dog to the park to meet with friends.”

• Avoid using the phrase committed suicide, which can imply a criminal act. Alternative phrases include killed himself, took her own life or died by suicide. Generally avoid any such phrasing in headlines.
• Suicide stories, when published, should not go into detail on methods used. Often, it may not be necessary to say anything other than that the person died by suicide.
• Suicide prevention experts believe, based on experience and some studies, that the less said in the media about the methods of suicide, the less likelihood that a death will prompt at-risk people from taking their lives by that same method in the days immediately after.
• Experts say there generally is not a simple explanation or a single reason behind a suicide, so avoid wording or framing that suggests or points to a single cause.
• Discussion of general causes or concerns, such as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on mental health, in broader stories about suicide may be appropriate. But consider carefully whether a broad story on some topics, such an unusually high number of suicides at one high school, is justified when weighed against a potential contagion effect.
• Do not refer to an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Refer instead to an attempted suicide, and use this information only if a story is merited under the above guidelines.
• Suicide prevention experts recommend including in U.S. stories the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat at 988Lifeline.org.

EDITOR'S NOTE — In the U.S., the national suicide and crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org

Or:

EDITOR'S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.

AP stories may include publishable editor's notes with detail about relevant crisis hotlines in stories about suicide, sexual assault, domestic violence, mental illness, substance misuse and other topics.

Such notes generally should be placed within the first five paragraphs.

An example:

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story includes discussion of sexual violence. If you or someone you know needs help, please call 1-800-656-4673 in the U.S.

There may well be other hotlines that could be useful to AP's audience, depending on the story. The resources below are targeted for U.S. audiences. For stories in other parts of the world, other crisis hotlines with a strong, professional reputation may be used.

Some resources in the U.S.:

National suicide and crisis lifeline: 988

National sexual assault hotline: 1-800-656-4673

National domestic violence hotline: 1-800-799-7233

National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264 or text "NAMI" to 741741

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration national helpline: 1-800-662-4357

• Do not abbreviate state names, per AP Stylebook, that follow city or town names or stand alone in a sentence, e.g. Tampa, Florida, Houston, Texas. Massachusetts. Spell out state names when used alone.
• Spell out the names of all months in full in running text.

• Follow AP style on combating, commitment etc. (one “t”)
• AP style: cancel, canceled, canceling, cancellation
• Travel, traveled, traveling, traveler
• Note the following common word style/spellings:
  
  • adviser (not advisor)
    
  • cleanup
  • coursework
  • changemaker
  • decision-maker
  • policymakers
  • expert on (not in)
  • fundraising
  • wastewater
  • website
  • internet (lowercase)
  • workspaces
  • firsthand
  • front line (n) front-line (adj)
  • spring (lowercase when referring to the season)
  • voicemail
  • telemedicine
  • nonessential
  • lock down (v), lockdown (n, adj.)
  • distance learning
• Commencement Capitalize when referencing the specific event
• Convocation Capitalize when referring to the specific event held at the start of every academic year
• nonprofit only has a hyphen when used as an adjective. In standalone use as a noun, it does not. Examples: She said non-profit animal organizations are the most important/The nonprofit dissolved last summer
• web (lowercase short form of World Wide Web, e.g. the web) Note: The web is a subset of the internet and not the same as the internet. Other applications, such as email, exist on the internet.
• compose/comprise/constitute Compose means to create or put together: He composed a song. The zoo is composed of 20 different kinds of animals. Comprise means to contain, to include all, or to embrace: The state of Connecticut comprises eight counties. Constitute means to form or make up: Twelve months constitute a year.
• death, die Don't use euphemisms like passed on or passed away except in a direct quote.
• so-called, so called. Avoid this description, which can be seen as mocking or derogatory. Instead, use more words: what are often known as; what are sometimes known as; what supporters call; what opponents call, etc. If so-called must be used, do not follow with quotation marks: He is accused of trading so-called blood diamonds.
• Unique The word can mean one of a kind, unparalleled, having no equal, etc.; or highly unusual, extraordinary, rare, etc. If used in the sense of one of a kind, don't use modifiers such as very, extremely, etc.
• Abortion Use the modifiers anti-abortion or abortion-rights when a general term is needed. Whenever possible, be specific about the position of a person or group. For example: Jones favors a ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Don't use the terms pro-life, pro-choice or pro-abortion unless they are in direct quotations or proper names. Avoid abortionist, which connotes a person who performs clandestine abortions.
• X (Twitter) Use the social platform X on first reference. Reference to its former name of Twitter may or may not be necessary, depending on the story. Limit use of the verbs tweet and tweeted other than in direct quotations. Instead: posted on X, said in a post on X, etc.

AI is acceptable in headlines and on second reference in text. Avoid language that attributes human characteristics to these systems, since they do not have thoughts or feelings but can respond in ways that give the impression that they do. Do not use gendered pronouns in referring to AI tools. And keep in mind that such systems are built by people who have their own human biases and aims.

When writing about extreme left or right groups, be precise and provide evidence to support the characterization, which could include showing their actions, associations, history and positions.

Here are some related definitions:

"alt-right" A white nationalist movement. Avoid using without definition, because the term may exist primarily to make its supporters' actual beliefs less clear.

racism Asserting racial or ethnic discrimination or superiority based solely on race, ethnic or religious origins; it can be by any group against any other group.

white nationalism A subset of racist beliefs that calls for a separate territory and/or enhanced legal rights and protections for white people.

white separatism A term sometimes used as a synonym for white nationalism but differs in that it advocates a form of segregation in which races would live apart but in the same general geographic area.

white supremacy The belief that whites are superior to justify political, economic and social suppression of nonwhite people.

neo-Nazism Combines racist and white supremacist beliefs with admiration for an authoritarian, totalitarian style of government such as the German Third Reich to enforce its beliefs.

fascism Extremist, far-right, authoritarian political philosophy that exalts nation and race above the individual.

antifa Shorthand for anti-fascists, an umbrella description any far-left-leaning militant groups that resist fascists and neo-Nazis, especially at demonstrations. If using, include a definition.