What am I supposed to do with that?I hand a kid a copy of the AP Stylebook and watch their eyes grow huge and then glaze over. "Yes," I explain, " but it has the answer to every style problem in the world."
With that in mind, he leafs through it and says, "But I just want to know if I spell out the number or use a numeral."
I love style and taught the class in college. The Stylebook overwhelmed them as well but they'd pony up (pun intended/SMU Mustangs) and edit The Daily Campus stories and usually get it right.
I believe in the book but I've compromised with my high schoolers. I've created a one-page guide that covers the majority of the things they encounter as newspaper and yearbook staffers. And it even refers them to the Big Book for things like state abbreviations.
Capitalization and abbreviations refers them to our specific issues (A-Hall or A-hall? Varsity or varsity? etc.) Names follow our own style. We treat adults differently than students. Numbers are boiled down to nine rules. Punctuation takes 2/3 of a column.
Once I introduce staffers to AP Style our version. It's much easier to drop the brick on them. And I can tape a guide next to each computer so they don't even have to dig through their backpacks for their copies. I can smart them up from there.
Judy Babb
West Mesquite HS
Mesquite, Texas
There's a quick reference toward the front of the stylebook that hits on the most important points. I tell my students to focus on those and I use that as my entry point when I lead sessions on the stylebook. Even though there isn't time for my amazingly awesome AP style session, I'll send you home with the PowerPoint and will touch on a few things that can help.
ReplyDeleteSteve Elliott
Arizona State University
Phoenix
I noticed many people voicing the same concerns on the Style, Editing and Headlines module. I know my staff needs to have a one page reference sheet and a formal lesson at the beginning of the year- every year. I will be thankful for the tools from both of you.
ReplyDeleteLast year I missed the first 12 weeks of school because of maternity leave and my staff didn't recover in missing the basics in many areas. Then we two more weeks of school because of our 'snowpocalypse.' I felt like were always just flying to meet the next deadline. This year we had grand plans but not a lot of follow through.
I have an almost entirely new team of 12 this year, and I hope to train them well. I know the institute is going to give me everything I need to make serious improvements.
Andrea Lyons
Marietta High School
Marietta, Georgia
The AP Style book is so new to me. I am so excited to use it, but I have to admit I need some major help in this area. To be quite honest I am not totally sure how to use it myself let alone be able to teach it to my students. Yeah for Institute and wonderful colleagues that can help guide (no pun intended) along the way.
ReplyDeleteHeather Eaton
La Joya Community High School
Avondale, Arizona
Judy Babb, I freely admit to being a ceramics teacher who loves learning more about journalism every year. This is coming on year 21 and I still need that taped handout. I would probably mess up varsity/Varsity and should be taking online "AP Style Guide Quizzes." Does anyone make those? Even for the easier things that we use all the time? Number rules, Capitalization, grammar, words you should and should not abbreviate... I certainly am excited for the AP style session Power Point from Steve because that is just not my forte.
ReplyDeleteHaha! I said the same thing your students said Judy! Like Annie, I'm a fine arts major. I had no idea what a style guide was until my friend who majored in communications explained it to me. Her eyes lit up and held the style guide as if it was the Bible! Now that I know what it is, I'll definitely be implementing it this year.
ReplyDeleteVictoria Tijerina
Moises E Molina High School
Dallas, Texas