These guidelines are written for a variety of audiences ranging from shellfish growers interested in monitoring pH with inexpensive equipment to citizen monitoring groups to advanced chemistry laboratories interested in expanding existing capabilities. The purpose is to give an overview of available sampling, analytical and data reporting approaches that will contribute to the usefulness of coastal acidification measurements for both the needs of those intending to monitor as well as those of other interested stakeholders along the Atlantic seaboard of the US. The state of the science, including recommended best practices, is rapidly evolving, so certain sections may be either too sparse or too detailed. Thus, we encourage users of the guidelines to begin with a careful review of the detailed contents listing and to take note of references to other guidelines available in the open literature.