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Mass Communications 210
Media Writing
AP Style: Addresses and City/State Names
Street names are always spelled out in full when used without a house number.
 | When a house number is present,
"street," "avenue," "boulevard," "north" and other
standard designations are abbreviated. It occurred on South Rivershore Drive (NOT S. Rivershore Dr.) The store is located at 1714 Main Ave. (NOT 1714 Main Avenue) They live at 2389 Belsley Blvd. |
Numbered streets and avenues follow the rule of 10 — First to Ninth are spelled out; 10th on up use numerals.
| Note that addresses are one of the few
places in which ordinal numbers (13th, Second) are
expressed in numbers or spelled out, again using the rule of 10.
(Ordinal: number expressing order in a series.) The 13th Avenue underpass has alleviated some traffic delays. BUT: Deliver it to the house on Ninth Street. |
| Don't abbreviate other kinds of street names — Parkway, Drive, Road, Circle, etc.. |
Street directionals
(north, south, east, west) follow the street name in
media style. They are
abbreviated or spelled out according to the same rule that governs
street names. They’re followed by a period.
The studio address is 303 14th St. N. [NOT 303 N. 14th
St.]
State names
are always spelled out when they stand alone. They’re abbreviated when
used with a city.
She comes from
North Dakota. BUT She
comes from Fargo, N.D.
My sister-in-law lives in Chanhassen, Minn. [NOT
MN]
Postal codes: Those familiar two-letter abbreviations (without periods) are postal codes. They are only correct when used in an address.
| All references in text should use traditional state abbreviations ONLY. |
| Never use the postal codes in written copy except when set up as a street or mailing address: |
| In text: Minn., S.D., Ill., Ariz. NOT MN, SD, IL, AZ |