If you’re a copy editor, you likely use AP style for some projects and Chicago for others. Problem is,
keeping track of where the two styles diverge can be a challenge. Here’s a guide to help you out.
| AP Stylebook | Chicago Manual of Style | |
| Academic Degree Abbreviations | Use periods in B.A., M.A., Ph.D. and other similar abbreviations. | Do not use periods in BA, MA, PhD, and other similar abbreviations. |
Acronyms and Other Abbreviations | When using an abbreviation/acronym that might be unfamiliar to your audience, fully spell the term on first use. Do not include the acronym/abbreviation in parentheses. Use the acronym/abbreviation on subsequent references only if the meaning will be clear to the reader. | When using an abbreviation/acronym that might be unfamiliar to your audience, fully spell the term on first use, and indicate its acronym/abbreviation soon thereafter. Typically, do this by immediately following the full term with the acronym/ abbreviation in parentheses. |
| Co- Prefix | Hyphenate words that begin with the co- prefix when indicating occupation or status: co-author, co-worker. Also hyphenate words like co-op and co-opt for clarity. Otherwise, do not hyphenate: coexist, copay. | In general, do not hyphenate words that begin with the co- prefix: coauthor, coexist, copay, coworker. Exceptions: co-op, co-opt. |
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