How to Cite in the AP Style
The Associated Press style is most commonly used in journalistic writing, and numerous magazines, newspapers and news sources use AP style in articles. Because the style is used in the writing of news -- considered a primary source -- it does not have a strict set of guidelines for citing secondary sources. To cite a secondary source, most AP journalists use the same type of in-text citation they use for direct and indirect quotes.
Cite a quoted source directly before or after the quote, using "said," "stated" or "read." For example:
"Here is the quote," stated the source.
Weave the citation into the sentence when paraphrasing or indirectly quoting. For example:
The source stated that this information was true.
Credit photos by citing them with the publication and photographer, separated by a slash and enclosed in parentheses. For example:
(Publication/Photographer)
References
- Purdue University Online Writing Lab: Associated Press Style
- The Associated Press Stylebook; Norm Goldstein; 2004
Writer Bio
A writer and professional lab assistant based in Seattle, Kate Bruscke has been writing professionally about health care and technology since 1998. Her freelance clients include "The Seattle Times," KGB.com, Reading Local: Seattle, Nordstrom and MSN/Microsoft. Bruscke holds a Master of Fine Arts from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
