No end in sight

I think this blog will be around for quite a while. Why? Because the reporters keep repeating style mistakes.

Today's post will deal with past style mistakes, so let's not waste any time.

Example one:
Raw copy, wrong--"members of the Baby-Boomer generation"
It should be--"members of the baby boomer generation"
AP Stylebook: Lowercase, no hyphen.

Example two:
Raw copy, wrong--"exceed 50 percent of the U.S. workforce"
It should be--"exceed 50 percent of the U.S. work force"
AP Stylebook: Two words.

Example three:
Raw copy, wrong--"said Don Frye of Ottertail Power Company"
It should be--"said Don Frye of Otter Tail Power Co."
OK. I slipped in a new one here. For Otter Tail, it's two words for the power company, the Minnesota county and the river. The Minnesota town of Ottertail is one word. As for Otter Tail Power Co., AP Stylebook says: Use Co. or Cos. when a business uses either word at the end of its proper name: Ford Motor Co., American Broadcasting Cos. Theatrical: Spell out company in names of theatrical organizations: the Martha Graham Dance Company.

Example four:
Raw copy, wrong--"what Congressional leaders propose"
It should be--"what congressional leaders propose"
AP Stylebook: congressional Lowercase unless part of a proper name: congressional salaries, The Congressional Quarterly, the Congressional Record.

Example five:
Raw copy, wrong--"a day-long seminar"
It should be--"a daylong seminar"
These are also one word: monthlong, weeklong, yearlong, etc.

Example six:
Raw copy, wrong--"collections were down 15 to 20 percent" and "parents of 10 to 15 percent"
It should be--"collections were down 15 percent to 20 percent" and "parents of 10 percent to 15 percent"

Example seven:
Raw copy, wrong--"analysis is underway"
It should be--"analysis is under way"