2014 AP book (left); 1970 AP book (right)

Why do I have to learn AP Style? That’s the collective whine heard in the atmosphere above most mass communication schools in the U.S. (and elsewhere) at the beginning of each academic year.

Using AP Style allows print writers to work with uniform guidelines worldwide so that their audiences can expect consistency. As communicators, we develop an “unspoken contract” with our audiences. Readers might not know what to call a relative clause or how to use a political affiliation with a subject’s name. But if the writer messes up, the reader instinctively knows.

Writing with excellence is the baseline for your credibility. Why should anyone believe the facts you present if you can’t put your commas in the right place? Using AP Style will help you develop consistency and credibility in the small things, which helps your readers to trust you in the big things.