JournalismFree
Format source names and titles in AP style
Paste your draft or a list of sources and get every name and title in AP style, with spellings that disagree flagged for checking.
River checks how every person is identified in your draft, or formats a list of sources you paste. You get each name and title written the AP way on first reference, the short form for later references, and a list of anything that needs checking, such as a name spelled two ways or a title that does not appear in your notes.
Identification mistakes are among the most common errors in news copy, and they are the ones sources notice first. River never guesses a title or a spelling. When the draft disagrees with itself, it flags the conflict for you to confirm with the source or an official record.
It is for student journalists, freelancers, press officers writing in AP style, and editors cleaning up copy on deadline.
AP style for names and titles
On first reference, AP style uses a person's full name, usually with a title or a description of who they are. On later references, it uses the last name only, without courtesy titles such as Mr. or Ms. Some publications keep courtesy titles as house style, so follow yours if it differs.
Formal titles are capitalized when they come directly before a name: Mayor Tom Alvarez. They are lowercase after a name or standing alone: Tom Alvarez, the mayor. Long titles read better after the name, set off with commas: Sarah Johnson, chief financial officer of Meridian Health. Occupational descriptions such as astronaut or coach are not formal titles and stay lowercase.
Spelling is where checks matter most. A name spelled Johnson in one paragraph and Johnston in another is a correction waiting to happen. Confirm spellings and titles with the person or an official source, such as an organization's staff page or a government directory, rather than from memory or another outlet's story.
How it works
Paste your draft
Paste the story, or a list of names with their titles and organizations.
River checks each reference
First and later references, capitalization and consistency.
Get the fixes
Each change with the AP reason, plus the formatted list.
Confirm the flags
Check flagged spellings and titles, then ask River to update the draft.
What you get
- Every name in the draft checked for full first reference and last name afterward
- Titles capitalized before a name and lowercased after it, per AP style
- Long titles moved after the name where they read more clearly
- Names spelled more than one way flagged, never silently corrected
- A list of titles and spellings to confirm with the source or an official record
Common questions
Do I capitalize a title after someone's name?
Not in AP style. Capitalize a formal title only when it comes directly before the name, as in Mayor Tom Alvarez. After the name or on its own it is lowercase: Tom Alvarez, the mayor. Job descriptions such as teacher or manager are lowercase in either position.
Should I use Mr. or Ms. on second reference?
AP style does not, and uses the last name alone, such as Alvarez. Some publications use courtesy titles as house style. Tell River which you follow and it formats every later reference consistently.
What if I am not sure of a title?
Leave it as a question for the source rather than guessing. River marks unconfirmed titles for checking. Organization staff pages, government directories and the person's own office are better sources than a previous news story.
Will River fix a misspelled name?
It will not choose a spelling for you. If a name appears two ways, River flags both places and asks you to confirm which is right, because the more common spelling is not always the correct one.
Format source names and titles in AP style
Describe what you need, add any files you have, and your workspace opens with the work already underway.