Improvement on Writing & AP Style

In a journalism class this semester the topic of AP style writing and how to improve one’s writing was brought to attention. AP style is defined as the grammar, capitalization and punctuation style of the Associated Press news agency, used by newspapers and other news and media outlets.

In journalism, AP style is important since it is the standard way of writing; it is also called the “gold standard” for print journalism. Many suggest that learning AP style isn’t all about memorization, but instead getting in the habit of using it to where it comes naturally when writing. 

The discussion lead to the importance of improving one’s writing, simply because it is the most prominent parts to journalism. The four C’s of writing, clarity, conciseness, completeness, and correctness, are the basic tools to start off something well written.

The goal in journalism is for the communication to be understood by the receiver. Clarity is when the receiver understands a message intended by the sender. The importance of conciseness is to make sure that the idea conveyed is short, simple, and on point. Completeness seems straightforward, but it is achieved when the receiver can understand a message because all necessary information was included. Correctness is simply making sure what is written is true, and backed up by other sources.

Overall this class discussion brought to attention the importance of AP style, because it is not only important for journalism, but many other aspects of writing. The improvement of writing will come naturally with time spent practicing and following the four C’s. Many say you learn how to be better writing from reading well-written subjects.

A problem most struggle with in writing is conciseness, because rambling is a common issue most people deal with. This involves working on getting the message across with less unnecessary words. Correctness is an important aspect because without credible information, one’s writing is almost useless.