The Associated Press Stylebook 2017: and Briefing on Media Law

The 2017 edition of The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law includes nearly 200 new or revised entries and a new chapter on data journalism guidance.

The 2017 Stylebook includes additions and changes made throughout the year on AP Stylebook Online, including new guidance on the use of they as a singular, gender-neutral pronoun in some cases. Other changes include:

– A new entry on fact checks and fake news, providing guidelines on fact-checking politicians and public officials. The entry also advises not to use the label of fake news on individual news items that are simply disputed; instead, be specific about what is meant.
–New guidance on the use of cyberattack, stating the term is routinely overused and instead writers should describe the specifics of the damage.
–A new entry on gender, which includes subentries for cisgender, intersex and gender noncomforming, among other terms, and revisions to LGBT/LGBTQ making both terms acceptable.
–A new entry on addictions and revised drug-related entries, including guidance to avoid words like abuse, problem, addict and abuser in most uses.
–A new entry saying that esports is acceptable in all references to competitive multiplayer video gaming.
–A revised entry recommending the use of Walmart (not Wal-Mart) when writing generally about the company, including Walmart stores. Include the legal name Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in stories specific to corporate news.

Greatly expanded data journalism guidance is included in a new chapter of the 2017 edition. Data journalism has become a staple of reporting across beats and platforms, no longer reserved for specialists. Government agencies, businesses and other organizations all communicate in the language of data and statistics. To cover them, journalists must become conversant in that language.

Like AP's flagship spiral edition, the convenience of the e-book with its interactive Index is a must-have for any grammar enthusiast on the go.