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• Citation Guide
• Month Abbreviations
• Recommended Reference Books
• Rules for Good Writing
  
• State Abbreviations (In Text)
• State Abbreviations (Postal)
• Time Zones

Citation Guide

• Chicago Manual of Style

Month Abbreviations

Months may be abbreviated in news stories, but not days of the week. Abbreviate the month only when it is followed by the number of the day.

Example: Plan to turn in your photos for the March issue by Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2008.

January	Jan.	July	July
February	Feb.	August	Aug.
March	Mar.	September	Sept.
April	Apr.	October	Oct.
May	May	November	Nov.
June	June	December	Dec.

Note: There are three months that are never abbreviated.

Recommended References Books

• Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc.
• Review and Herald Stylebook, Review and Herald Publishing Assn.
• The Associated Press Guide to Punctuation, Basic Books
• The Associated Press Stylebook, Basic Books
• The Chicago Manual of Style, The University of Chicago Press
• The Gregg Reference Manual, McGraw Hill
• Webster's Guide to Abbreviations, Merriam-Webster, Inc.

NOTE: The Lake Union Herald editorial staff primarily refers to The Associated Press Stylebook and the Review and Herald Stylebook. During a production cycle, all of the above books may be utilized to clarify grammar, spelling, and style questions. Since a majority of our work is spent editing the copy we receive, it would be helpful if all writers referred to these books also for style questions.

State Abbreviations (For use in all text except postal addresses and feature articles.)

Alabama	Ala.	Missouri	Mo.
Alaska	Alaska	Montana	Mont.
Arizona	Ariz.	Nebraska	Neb.
Arkansas	Ark.	Nevada	Nev.
California	Calif.	New Hampshire	N.H.
Colorado	Colo.	New Jersey	N.J.
Connecticut	Conn.	New Mexico	N.M.
Delaware	Del.	New York	N.Y.
District of Columbia	D.C.	North Carolina	N.C.
Florida	Fla.	North Dakota	N.D.
Georgia	Ga.	Ohio	Ohio
Hawaii	Hawaii	Oklahoma	Okla.
Idaho	Idaho	Oregon	Ore.
Illinois	Ill.	Pennsylvania	Pa.
Indiana	Ind.	Rhode Island	R.I.
Iowa	Iowa	South Carolina	S.C.
Kansas	Kan.	South Dakota	S.D.
Kentucky	Ky.	Tennessee	Tenn.
Louisiana	La.	Texas	Texas
Maine	Maine	Utah	Utah
Maryland	Md.	Vermont	Vt.
Massachusetts	Mass.	Virginia	Va.
Michigan	Mich.	Washington	Wash.
Minnesota	Minn.	West Virginia	W. Va.
Mississippi	Miss.	Wisconsin	Wis.
		Wyoming	Wyo.

Note: Eight state names are never abbreviated (except for postal addresses).

State Abbreviations (Postal Addresses)

Alabama	AL	Missouri	MO
Alaska	AK	Montana	MT
Arizona	AZ	Nebraska	NE
Arkansas	AR	Nevada	NV
California	CA	New Hampshire	NH
Colorado	CO	New Jersey	NJ
Connecticut	CT	New Mexico	NM
Delaware	DE	New York	NY
District of Columbia	DC	North Carolina	NC
Florida	FL	North Dakota	ND
Georgia	GA	Ohio	OH
Hawaii	HI	Oklahoma	OK
Idaho	ID	Oregon	OR
Illinois	IL	Pennsylvania	PA
Indiana	IN	Rhode Island	RI
Iowa	IA	South Carolina	SC
Kansas	KS	South Dakota	SD
Kentucky	KY	Tennessee	TN
Louisiana	LA	Texas	TX
Maine	ME	Utah	UT
Maryland	MD	Vermont	VT
Massachusetts	MA	Virginia	VA
Michigan	MI	Washington	WA
Minnesota	MN	West Virginia	WV
Mississippi	MS	Wisconsin	WI
		Wyoming	WY

Time Zones

Time zones may be abbreviated after a clock time, if the story involves travel between time zones or the time of a radio broadcast or televised program is likely to affect people in more than one time zone. Check your time zone.

Example: The program will be aired at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Example: Listen for the program at 6:00 p.m. CDT.

Rules for Good Writing

• Choose the simple word over the fancy.
• Use the familiar word rather than the unfamiliar.
• Avoid unnecessary adjectives and adverbs.
• Use picture nouns and action verbs.
• Never use a long word when you can just as well use a short one.
• Avoid excessive "to be" words.
• Master the simple declarative sentence.
• Choose the simple sentence over the complicated one.
• Vary your sentence length.
• Put the words you want to emphasize at the beginning or end of your sentence.
• Use the active voice.
• Put statements in a positive form.
• Vary paragraph length.
• Cut needless words, sentences, and paragraphs.
• Avoid limitation. Write in your own natural style.
• Avoid denominational jargon and phraseology.
• Write for understanding, not to impress.
• Never assume the reader is religiously oriented as you are.
• Revise and rewrite. You can always improve.

Source: Atlantic Union Gleaner Correspondent's Handbook