Reason #1 – Any time I have my cell phone (which is almost always), I have the AP Stylebook. Much easier than carrying the AP Stylebook itself.
Reason #2 – The app has the Stylebook’s alphabetical organization but also has a search function. I can type in the issue I’m interested in, and the search function takes me to the entry I need.
Reason #3 – The listing includes “New” if an entry is new. For example, the 2010 AP Stylebook used e-mail. The 2011 AP Stylebook uses email. Great to have the app note that this is new, so you aren’t thinking, “Have I been doing that wrong?”
Reason #4 – The app allows you to make notes for each entry. That’s helpful if you have an example of a style issue used correctly or incorrectly that you’d like to refer to later on.
Reason #5 – The app also includes the punctuation guide. I not only can use the AP app to check on style issues but use the app to help me in editing.
Reason #6 – The app includes a Social Media section that provides spelling and capitalization and an explanation of terms from aggregator to YouTube.
The reason I don’t like the app? The spiral-bound 2011 AP Stylebook is $19.95. The 2011 AP Stylebook app for the iPhone is $24.99.
Written By: Julie Dodd